The Transfiguration of Jesus
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
(Luke 15:3-7)
The Transfiguration of Jesus is a significant moment in the life of Jesus that is recorded in the three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-13; and Luke 9:28-36) and the epistle of Second Peter (1:16-18). Three of the disciples (Peter, James and John) witness Jesus being transfigured, appearing in radiant glory and speaking with Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor. Noted theologian, Dorothy Lee, explains in her book “Transfiguration” that Moses and Elijah play eschatological roles representing the Law and the Prophets. Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus about His departure which would be accomplished at Jerusalem. The voice of God was heard from heaven proclaiming “this is My Son, My Chosen, listen to Him” (Luke 9:35). Tge Gospel of Luke notes that after the voice of God had spoken, Jesus appeared alone and none of them spoke of the events they had witnessed that day.
The Transfiguration is one of the miracles in the life of Jesus that depicts the perfection of life in heaven. The Transfiguration is identified as one of the five major milestones in the life of Jesus, the others being baptism, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension according to Vigen Guroian (in his book “The Melody of Faith: Theology in an Orthodox Key”). The Transfiguration is a key moment in which humanity meets God on the mountaintop and serves as a bridge between heaven and earth. It is also identified as a moment in which the temporal and the eternal meet. The Transfiguration also echoes the teachings of Jesus that are recorded in Matthew (22:32) in which Jesus explains that he is God of the living, not God of the dead. Although Moses has died and Elijah has ascended into heaven, Jesus is present among those who live to demonstrate the ways of a Godly life.
The Transfiguration represents an epiphany for Peter, James and John in which the identity of Jesus as the Son of God is reaffirmed. Similarly, the Transfiguration represents for each of us a moment of clarity and understanding regarding the relationship between the disciples and the lordship of Christ in which the roles of the Law and prophetic interpretations are embraced. In other words, Jesus represents not only the fulfillment of the Law, He also represents the ultimate voice of the prophets for the disciples to follow.
The radiance of Christ that the disciples witnessed, represented the strength and the glory of God being revealed. The voice of God that the disciples heard instructed them regarding their reason to follow Him, to listen to Him and to emulate Him. The fact that the disciples did not speak about the events that they had witnessed suggests that, at least during the time of the earthly life of Jesus, the focus was upon listening and learning rather than the words of the disciples—deeds were more instructive than words.
Among the greatest lessons of Jesus was the commitment to the people and the things that appeared to be lost. It is almost axiomatic that people and things are not fully appreciated until they are no longer available. When people or things are taken for granted, they are often neglected or abused. In the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, Jesus teaches not only about the diligence of the search, He also emphasizes the exuberance of the celebration. Similarly, in the parable of the prodigal son, the father is pained to explain to the other child why there is so much rejoicing over the return in comparison to the son who never left.
Recently, we have talked frequently about focusing upon attendance and absence—those who are present and those who are missing. It’s extremely difficult to identify those who are missing if they are not known. Without names, pictures or detailed descriptions, it is hard to pursue the sheep that are missing. It is, in part, for this reason that we have delayed producing the pictorial directory. Without the photos of the members and constituents of the church, our records and our efforts are incomplete. We are looking forward to sharing the latest version of the directory. However, we need just a little more time to obtain the photos of those who were unable to come to the church to be photographed.
When you complete the registration card each week in the sanctuary, please take a few moments to provide the names (and contact information if available) of the people who are missing—those who are not present. This will help us to celebrate and rejoice all the more when those who have been missing are returned to the fold. Rather in-person or virtually, we are all transformed by our encounters with Christ. We are also reinvigorated when we are simply remembered and not forgotten.
We’ll rejoice when we see YOU in worship, in class and in ministry!
In Christ,
Jon McCoy
