The Light Shines!
Key Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:6
May the grace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ reveal to you the transformation God is working in your life, as the Holy Spirit causes you to shine with God’s glory!
Two transfigurations?
If you looked carefully at the title of the sermon, you would have seen that the word transfiguration is plural. You would also see the reading the sermon is based on is not the reading of Jesus transfiguration, that amazing day that stunned Peter, James, and John as Christ was transfigured, right before their eyes.
Can you imagine being there, having Jesus revealed in all of His glory? Would you drop to the ground in awe, or would you put your foot in your mouth like Peter did? John would speak of it later with these words,
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14 (NLT)
But this sermon is not about the transfiguration, it is about the transfigurations. It’s not based on the Gospel according to Mark, but what we call the second letter from the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth.
It’s about the transfiguration the Holy Spirit is working on this morning, the transfiguration that is occurring to you and to me, as the glory of God is seen in our lives.
And because this is about our transfiguration, it, of course, it is about Christ being revealed to us, in all His glory as well.
What blinds you?
For the Jews in the time of Jesus and Paul, the Old Testament served as the veil which Paul describes. Oddly enough it was voluntary at first, as people were so troubled by the glory and love of God that they couldn’t even look upon a reflection of the glory seen glowing in Moses.
They choose the veil, and they hung on to it as if seeing God, would overwhelm them. Paul identifies that veil as the Law, the Old Covenant that allowed them to focus on all the law, on all the minutiae. On all the ways they can try to prove they are God’s choice, or on all the ways they fail and fail to see God’s mercy that is available to them.
But we have our veils as well, things that we think hide us from God, or at least His holiness, His glorious love from us. Our veils are just as much a challenge, and we choose them and bind them about us.
The first veil is the one the Pharisees and Sadducees often wore. It is the self-righteous we wear, that would melt away if we compared it to the glory of God. We might consider ourselves good because we go to the best church, or because we have the better political beliefs, or because we don’t sin as blatantly as others. We try to measure up to God’s law, well at least the commandments we haven’t overtly broken. I mean, no one here murdered anyone this week, or committed adultery, or robbed anyone else…. Right? ( I won’t mention “bear false witness- gossip” or “be envious of others homes, spouses, job, pets, - but I will project that on the screen!)
The other veil is self-condemnation, looking at all the rules and realizing that we can’t keep them, about living with the tears and shame that comes from hiding behind a veil, and realizing how we are wasting away in a prison of our own making. Thinking that because we can’t overcome sin and self-centeredness on our own, that this means we will never escape how it crushes us.
And we, who think we can hide behind a veil… often move from being self-righteous to being self-condemned, fluctuating day by day, sometimes far more frequent.
The veil stops us, but how can it be removed?
Only God Can And Has
It is removed when we trust in Jesus, as we depend upon Him to keep the promises made to us, about cleansing us from the sin we so hate.
This is the work of the Spirit, as we are turned to the Lord, as the Spirit takes away the veil, as Christ Jesus is revealed, and His work is made known. As that happens, our lives are being changed, our lives begin to reflect Christ, not as a mirror would, but something deeper. For the Spirit begins to transfigure us, this is the same word that Mark uses in His gospel. We are transfigured as we look to Christ, as we dwell in Him! We begin to show His glory, as the Holy Spirit makes this happen!
We are changed for the glory of Christ didn’t just reflect from our lives, but as it made its mark there. His glory, which we stand in awe of acts like a branding iron, forever marking us as His own people, a people who become more and more like Him. What a glorious thing!
It is why Paul says we can be bold, so assure of God welcoming us, His children, into His presence. It is why we don’t give up, and why we strive to do things the right way, keeping this powerful word of God straight, undistorted, focused on Jesus, reveling in the fullness of His love! It is so incredible, as Paul says, we don’t want to talk about ourselves, but rather the love of Jesus, and are willing to serve people to help them know that!
That is why Paul said we work so hard trying to reveal Jesus love to others. Hear His words again,
27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. Colossians 1:27 (NLT)
The assurance of sharing in His glory, the assurance of being loved by the Father and the son and the Holy Spirit! For one with Christ, you are being changed into one who shines with His glory. This is the transfigurations! Rejoice and rest in His peace! AMEN!
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