Worship Helps for the Transfiguration
Worship Helps: Jesus appears in glory as
the Son of God. The Epiphany season is bookended by the voice of God the Father
proclaiming Jesus his Son. Before he suffered as man’s substitute, Jesus gave
his Church a glimpse of the glory that he set aside to be our Savior. See how much he loves us! The God of Mt.
Sinai, the Majestic Glory, became a man to suffer and die for us, just as Moses
and the Prophets had foretold. It’s good that we are here.
Old Testament: Exodus 24:12, 15-18
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on
the mountain. Wait there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law
and the commands that I have written, so that you can teach them.” 15Moses
went up onto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The
Glory of the Lord settled on Mount
Sinai, and the cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses out of the middle
of the cloud. 17The appearance of the Glory of the Lord looked like a devouring fire on the
top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18Moses
entered into the middle of the cloud and climbed up the mountain. Moses was on
the mountain forty days and forty nights.
1. Why was Moses called up
to the top of Mount Sinai? What covered the mountain for six days?
2. What did the glory of
the Lord appear to be to the Israelites?
Epistle: 2 Peter 1:16-21
To be sure, we were not
following cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the powerful
appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For
he received honor and glory from God the Father, when the voice came to him
from within the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him
I am well pleased.” 18We heard this voice, which came out of heaven
when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19We also have the
completely reliable prophetic word. You do well to pay attention to it, as to a
lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in
your hearts, 20since we know this above all else: No prophecy of
Scripture comes about from someone’s own interpretation. 21In fact,
no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were
being carried along by the Holy Spirit.
3. What event is Peter
recalling in these verses? What did some people apparently think of Peter’s
account of this event?
4. What is the source of
everything in Scripture?
Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
Six days later
Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James; and he led
them up onto a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was
transfigured in front of them. His face was shining like the sun. His clothing
became as white as the light. 3Just then, Moses and Elijah appeared
to them, talking with Jesus. 4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good
for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters here: one for you,
one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5While he was still speaking,
suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them. Just then, a voice came out of the
cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen
to him.” 6When the disciples heard this, they fell face down and
were terrified. 7Jesus approached and as he touched them, he said,
“Get up, and do not be afraid.” 8When they opened their eyes, they
saw no one except Jesus alone. 9As they were coming down the
mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone what you have seen until
the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
5. Who met Jesus and his
three disciples when they climbed this high mountain?
6. Why did Peter make the
suggestion he did in verse 4?
Answers:
1. Moses went up the
mountain to meet God “face to face” and to receive the Old Testament Law. A
cloud enveloped the mountain and the glory of the Lord rested on it.
2. The glory of the Lord seemed to
look like fire to the Israelites. They
were terrified by the Lord’s glory.
3. The Transfiguration of
our Lord. Some apparently thought that Peter, James and John made this story
up.
4. Peter tells us the
origin of the Bible is not “the will of man [man’s ideas], but men spoke from
God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” God is the source of Scripture. The Bible is God’s Word.
5. They met Moses and
Elijah, who were generally considered by the Jews to be the two greatest prophets
in the Old Testament.
6. Peter wanted to build
shelters on the mountain for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, in order to keep the
glory of God all to themselves. Jesus,
though, needed to head for Jerusalem, where he would suffer death on a cross (verse
9).
Putting your
faith into action
It
is so appropriate that the story of the Transfiguration comes just before Lent
begins. Before the blood and gore of Lent, we see Jesus on the mountain exalted
and glorified. We need that, as did Peter, James, and John. The Heavenly Father
attests to his love for Jesus, something we need to remember when Jesus calls
out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” on Good Friday. This is the
same Jesus that the prophets attested to in the Word when the Holy Spirit
inspired them to write. This is the same Jesus we attest to as we dedicate our
lives to him by learning more about him and serving him in all we do.
Christ’s righteousness is given to us
through faith, faith is righteousness credited to us. In other words, it is that by which we are
made acceptable to God on account of the credit and ordinance of God, as Paul
says, “Faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:3,5). Only because we grasp Christ as the Atoning
Sacrifice are good works, pleasing. We do not satisfy the Law, but for Christ’s
sake this is forgiven us, as Paul says, “There is therefore now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). This faith gives God the honor, gives God that
which is His own. By receiving the
promises, it obeys Him. So the worship
and divine service of the Gospel is to receive gifts from God. On the contrary, the worship of the Law is to
offer and present our gifts to God. However, we can offer nothing to God unless we
have first been reconciled and born again. This passage, too, brings the greatest
comfort, as the chief worship of the Gospel is to desire to receive the
forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteousness. Christ says of this worship, “For this is the
will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him
should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).
And the Father says, “This is My beloved
Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5). – Apology of
the Augsburg Confession, Article V: Love and Fulfilling the Law (paragraphs 186-189)
Hymns: 712, 97, 95, 96, 369
1 Beautiful Savior,
King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love thee, Truly I’d serve thee,
Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown.
2 Fair are the
meadows, Fair are the woodlands,
Robed in flow’rs of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer;
He makes our sorr’wing spirit sing.
3 Fair is the
sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
Than all the angels in the sky.
4 Beautiful Savior,
Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration
Now and forevermore be thine!
Text: Münsterisch Gesangbuch, Münster, 1677, abr.; tr.
Joseph A. Seiss, 1823–1904.
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