“My Beloved Son” (Matthew 17:1-9)

Matthew 17:1-9

Listen to Sermon

Pastor Tom Johnson, February 26, 2017

In Jesus’ Transfiguration, God dials things up. He turns it up for the same reasons we turn up the volume when we hear our favorite music. He wants to make sure we hear, see, understand, and experience who this Jesus is. Jesus takes three of his disciples—Peter, James, and John—up—high upon mountain. Jesus raises the disciples to a higher altitude. Something important is about to happen. They are physically raised to a higher place. Jesus is then transfigured before them at this high altitude. His face shines like the sun, His clothes become white as light. God dials up the brightness of Jesus. His glory is intensified. He no longer appears as a mere human being. Moses and Elijah show up—two of the greatest prophets. They point to Jesus as the true Messiah. God turns up the dial of validation—authenticating and certifying that this Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Messiah. And Peter is caught up in the moment. He wants what he sees to be a permanent fixture. He wants to set up three tents and begin a campaign for Jesus as Messiah with Moses and Elijah flanking his sides and Peter, James, and John in their train.

God does not even let that thought live for a moment—God interrupts Peter in mid-sentence, our text says, “he was still speaking” when a bright cloud engulfs them. God turns up the brightness and loudness again. Peter, James, and John are now swallowed up by a bright cloud and their bones are rattled by a loud, authoritative voice. This is one of the very rare examples we have of God Himself speaking. And He says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”

More than just a title, God the Father identifies Jesus as God. He is true Messiah but he is also the eternal Son of God. The amazing thing is that Jesus is even louder, brighter, and higher than what we experience at the Transfiguration. This transfiguration is just a taste—just a glimpse—just a whisper of the greatness and glory that is Jesus. You will remember that the Son of God took on human flesh when He was born of the virgin Mary. The eternal Son of God was high and lifted up on the right hand of God the Father. Higher than any mountain, He existed and moved far beyond what we call time and space. The great miracle was not that Jesus was standing up high on a mountain. The great miracle is that God is with us and came down to our level. His high-ness was veiled and hidden from our eyes. But not on this day. Peter, James, and John got a little taste of how exalted He truly is.

And so it is with brightness of Jesus’ face and the loudness of God’s voice. If the three saw Jesus in His absolute brightness, they would be turned to ash. If they heard the full volume of the loudness, they would be vaporized. It was mercy that they merely fell on their faces and were terrified. God does not want to crush us or destroy us with Jesus’ glory—he wants to transform us. God wants our vision of Jesus to lead to life-transformation. God wants to intensify our understanding of His Son—He wants to turn up the volume, brightness, and altitude of our awe, wonder, and reverence of Jesus. And he does so to reorient our lives and set us on a new course with vision and mission. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” Don’t just remember this mountain-top experience—let it inform and guide you in the dark valleys. Listen to Him. Let his Word dwell richly in your heart.

It is while Peter, James, and John still have their faces buried in the dirt trying to escape the brightness and loudness that Jesus approaches them. Our texts says He simply “touched them.” And He speaks good news: “Rise, and have no fear.” Jesus’ mission is not to exalt himself but to humble himself. He comes down to us with our faces buried in the dirt of our shame and guilt. He comes to lift us up. He tells us to rise and have no fear. Perfect love casts out fear. The touch and Word of Jesus drives out fear of condemnation, shame, and even death itself. And the ultimate source of that life-transforming power is ahead of them—Jesus’ glory, power, and majesty will hidden again from their eyes.

Jesus says, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” Jesus will appear to be overcome by death—but it will be he who has overcome death and the grave. He will be raised from the dead. His body will once again shine like the sun. His voice will once again shake the foundations of the earth. But it is only after He humbles Himself to suffer, die, and rise again from the dead. It is only through that hidden glory that we will be lifted up. Revelation says that we will have no need for sun or moon because of the brightness of his glory. Revelation also says that we will be part of a multitude of nations that no human can number. Because of the Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, we will be lifted up in the bright robes of his righteousness—forgiven, restored, and transformed by God’s beloved Son. We will shine more brightly than the midday sun. We are—and forever will be—his beloved daughters and sons.