The Face of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Our Lord – February 11, 2024
2 Kings 2:1-12
Psalm 50:1-6
2 Corinthians 4:3-61
Mark 9:2-8
It seems to me that much of our life is summed up in the few verses we read today from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. There he reminds us of the struggle all Christians experience – the struggle between showing off and showing Jesus. Paul may be questioning why most people missed seeing the glory of the gospel to change their lives. To those who could not see the gospel it was because they were blinded by the god of this world. Today is not much different than then. We are constantly bombarded by the world around us telling us what we need. Most of those messages try to convince us that their stuff is what makes us a person and when we buy those things we are guaranteed an easy and popular lifestyle and all of our troubles will be washed away. It is appropriate that Paul calls them the god of this world. You know what I am talking about. The problem is after you buy into their scheme you find that you have to keep buying in order to keep up and then, just when you think you have made it into the acceptable category, they change the goal post or even the playing field and you have to start all over.
It is not that the gospel is veiled, you are just wearing the dark glasses of desire. Those glasses, like sun-glasses, keep Jesus from shining into your lives. And even when that light gets in we stumble and fall misunderstanding what it all means just as the disciples did. On that mountain when they were given a glimpse of the light of Christ they thought about earthly things. Mark tells us they did so because they were terrified. That is not unusual is it? In almost every instance when God or one of God’s messengers visit people they are terrified and often fall down. Maybe that is part of the reason that people prefer the god of this world – it is not terrifying. At least it does not seem so and if you allow someone else to decide for you, you can blame them for your failures. But then, that is not really living your life – it is living the life of someone else.
I am not saying that living in the light of Christ will be easy or comfortable. It was not easy for Peter, James, and John. Nor was it easy for Paul. In fact life was more difficult for them after they saw the glory of God. It will be living the life God desires for you to live. Knowing the light and love of God may not make your life easy. It will be a life that comes with the assurance of Jesus’ salvation that is filled with the love of God in every situation. Besides that, we are not islands unto ourselves. We belong together for we are the body of Christ woven into the fabric of God’s love.
Now you may not have stood on the mountain with Jesus to see his glory with Moses and Elijah, nor had your version of the road to Damascus but you have been washed in the waters of baptism and fed at this holy table. You have become the face of Jesus in this world. Shine then in the glory of God so people will see God in your life and love.