Sermon March 15-16, 2025

Title: Life and death, yet in Christ you live!
Text: Luke 13:31-35

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34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

In a broken world at times, the innocent are found guilty, and the guilty go free.

Justice seems so unjust when we find out after the fact that the one executed for a crime – was in fact innocent - and the charges or evidence had even been fabricated or hidden from the judge and jury.

Today even, people remain in custody, convicted or awaiting trial, who are innocent.

Some who are advocates for them and for justice reform, work tirelessly for their release and exoneration.

In our Old Testament reading for today, Jeremiah was one of the Lord’s prophets. A prophet was one called by the Lord to bring his word and message to the people.

8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die!

Quick justice from those who didn’t like what he had said, and didn’t want to hear. Interestingly, the prophets who heard Jeremiah and called for his death, were false prophets neither called by God or speaking in his place.

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying,

“The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you.

What they didn’t like was what they heard, the condemnation of the word of the Lord from God’s prophet. God’s word said that this city would be desolate and without inhabitants. They determined that the death of Jeremiah was his just do.

“This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”

Many times, truth is met with anger.
Especially when we hold a different view.
Truth can be twisted.
Facts can be withheld.
The innocent can be imprisoned, or even worse executed.

We fight an evil foe and his desire is your destruction.
You see in our gospel reading today, even Jesus had detractors.

Herod wanted to kill him, and as odd as it may sound, even some of the Pharisees came to warn him.

Which Pharisees? We don’t know, but remember that:

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, said:

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus saw the signs and heard the word as he sat with Jesus and talked, asking:

“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”

His question was in regard to being reborn, or born again, as the text says which Jesus tells him is God’s work in being born of “water and the Spirit.”

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

So, it could have been Nicodemus or one of the other pharisees who had heard Jesus and was a follower in secret, or it could just be that Jesus’ words, just before our text today, which call all who hear his words to, make every effort to enter through the Narrow Door brought some pharisees to repentance.

“For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. “

So, whether Nicodemus or another, the word of God convicted them, in repentance, to warn Jesus.

Now Jesus knows the heart.
He knows true repentance and he knows falsehood.
He knows a willing servant and he knows a devil. (Judas)
He knows his sheep and those not of his sheepfold.
His lamenting speaks of his desire.

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Behold the Lord’s love.
His desire is to gather.
His desire is to unite.
His desire is mercy.
His desire is forgiveness.
His desire is you!

As the words of our sermon hymn remind us in stanza 2:

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God's righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

Though we sink in the mire of sin in this life Jesus has made a way for you and me to be lifted up and out of our condition.

We walk to the cross to see our redemption fulfilled in Jesus.
We await his glorious resurrection and the promise that we too will rise from death to everlasting life.

Stanza 4 sings this hope:

And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, I'll sing on;
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on.
And when from death I'm free,
I'll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I'll sing on, I'll sing on,
And through eternity I'll sing on.

So, friends we sing in hope, not despair, because the one who casts out demons and performs cures today and tomorrow, on the third day has finished his course!

The word of God, who is Jesus, makes our assurance clear in the epistle today:

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Life and death, yet in Christ you live!

‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen

Sermon March 12, 2025 – Lent 2

Title: Following Jesus, Our Greatest Giver
Text: Matthew 26:14-16 

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14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Following Jesus in the right use of office

God had been very good to Judas Iscariot and the chief priests. He placed them in important and honorable offices, entrusting them with duties necessary for the people's everlasting well-being. The Lord called Judas as an apostle, one of the twelve men He specially trained and sent out to preach the good news of God's kingdom.

The Lord placed the chief priests into the holy priesthood of Israel, the sacred office in which they were to teach the people, intercede for them, and offer the sacrifices through which the Lord bestowed upon them the forgiveness of sins.

Sadly, however, Judas and the chief priests all misused their offices. Judas was dishonest and greedy. John tells us he was a thief; he had the disciples' moneybag and would take what was put into it. Jn. 12:6

So in his greed he went to the chief priests and asked them what they were willing to give him if he handed Jesus over to them. They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and Judas started looking for a good opportunity to betray the Lord. And you all know how it turned out.

Before long, Judas found his chance to hand Jesus over to the armed agents of the chief priests under the cover of darkness in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was a key link in the chain of events that led to the unjust condemnation and crucifixion of our Savior.

Obviously, this entire arrangement between Judas and the chief priests was sinful. Just think, in the course of his apostolic training, Judas had become intimately familiar with Jesus, so much so that our Lord called him

My close friend in whom I trusted. Ps. 41:9/Jn 13:18

That was a good thing. But Judas used that close familiarity with Jesus, not to tell others about Him for their salvation, but to betray Him to His enemies.

The chief priests likewise misused their office, not to mention their money. Instead of serving the Lord for the blessing of His people in the sacred duties entrusted to them, the chief priests conspired against the Lord in a wicked attempt to get rid of Him forever.

And they used the money He had entrusted to them – and where the money came from matters little; it all belonged to the Lord – they used that money with the intention of serving their own evil purposes, not the Lord's loving purposes.

So, Judas and the chief priests forever stand as decidedly bad examples for us, in that they selfishly misused the important offices to which God had called them. Clearly, we do not want to be like them!

On the other hand …

consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, who was faithful to the One who appointed Him. (Heb. 3:1-2)

Unlike Judas and the chief priests, Jesus used His high and honorable offices rightly! For our Lord Jesus is the supreme Apostle, sent by His Father to speak His word and carry out His saving works.

And that is exactly what Jesus did. He never used His office selfishly or for evil purposes, but to do the will of Him who sent Him, always for the good of others.

Jesus was far closer to His Father than Judas ever was to Him.

And Jesus used that divine intimacy to make the Father known to us, by His words and by His works. By His teaching discourses and parables, by His countless miracles of mercy, and chiefly by His voluntary suffering and death on the cross, the Father's Apostle has shown us that God truly is good and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

He forgives us poor sinners for the sake of His mercy in His Son, and earnestly desires us to live with Him forever. Because of Jesus' faithfulness in His apostolic office, we know God rightly!

Jesus also bears the office of High Priest.

He is our great High Priest forever!

And Jesus always used, and still uses, His priestly office in selfless love, for our salvation, just as His Father wills it. Jesus interceded for the forgiveness of those who were responsible for His crucifixion That includes you and me, because our sins necessitated His death on the cross.

And as Priest forever, Jesus still pleads to His Father on our behalf for our everlasting blessing.

Most importantly, Jesus offered Himself on the cross as the sacrifice that fully atoned for all our sins. And now, in His Holy Supper, He still gives us His body and blood, which He sacrificed once for all in His crucifixion, for the forgiveness of sins. Because of Jesus' faithfulness in His priestly office, we have forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation!

As both Apostle and High Priest, then, Jesus always was and ever remains faithful, always doing the Father's will and serving for our salvation. Jesus forever stands as the perfect example in the right use of office.

So, by all means, we do want to be like Him!

And Jesus actually calls us to this very thing – to follow Him in the right use of the various offices in which He has placed us. We are, after all, the Lord's servants and stewards in whatever offices He has entrusted to us. And, as God reminds us,

it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 1 Cor. 4:2

Now, the offices God has entrusted to us are simply the various stations in life in which He has placed us and given us responsibilities. And God has been very good to us in this, placing us all into honorable and important offices.

You might remember how the Table of Duties section of our Small Catechism contains numerous Scripture passages for our various stations to admonish us concerning our office and service.

And then it mentions several of them, such as the office of preachers, hearers of God's word, civil government, citizens, husbands, wives, parents, children, workers, employers, and so forth. These are the kinds of offices into which God has placed us, and He expects us to use them rightly – to be faithful as we function in them

Earlier we heard examples from the Bible of the misuse of office, and then the perfect example of Jesus.

We could point out other good examples from the Bible of people who used their offices rightly. These are encouraging for us, because they demonstrate that by the Lord's working in the lives of His people, ordinary believers really can be faithful in office.

Our reading from 2 Chronicles gave us the fine example of Jehoiada the high priest.

He used his office to anoint and enthrone the rightful king of Judah, (little Joash,) to urge the people to be faithful to the Lord, to stamp out Baal worship, and to re-establish the proper priestly service in the house of the Lord – all after the reign of the wicked queen Athaliah. All this was in keeping with God's will, and for the blessing of His people.

We also heard from Acts 20 how Paul did what was right in his apostolic office, teaching the people the whole counsel of God, and giving them a good example of hard work and of helping the weak. He, too, carried out his office selflessly, as the Lord directed, and for the good of the people he served. Paul is another good example of the right use of office.

Now, we certainly cannot point out the details of what comprises faithfulness in every office the Lord may give us. Yet we can summarize the Lord's overarching guidance for any office we have like this:

We should not be doing anything in our offices out of selfishness, or just because it's what we want to do. Rather, we should carry out the duties of our offices always in keeping with God's will as we learn it from the Scriptures, and we should do so in service to others.

It's the same as always; God wants us to live in faith toward Him and in love for our neighbor. That means we strive to do what He says as we function in our offices, and we do so for the blessing of others. This is following Jesus in the right use of office. And in view of His faithful service to us, how can we do any less?

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon March 8-9, 2025

Title: Tempted and tested; Christ endures for you!
Text: Luke 4:1-13

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13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Over the last 12 years I’ve preached on the wilderness experience of Jesus and his being tempted by the devil after having been led by the Spirit out to this desolate place following his baptism. It seems appropriate and right to do, to see temptation and the trials of life as we enter this time of reflection and repentance.

But today I’d like to look upon it in a different light.

The Old Testament reading in Deuteronomy today focuses on the work of God to bring his children out of bondage in Egypt.

8 And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. 9 And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Deu. 26:6

And in our Epistle reading for today, the Apostle Paul writes:

11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom. 10:11-13

And as Jesus makes clear in one of his responses to the devil in our Gospel reading in regards to his tempting:

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Luke 4:8

For in all three texts from our readings today the summation is victory!
God delivers from the bondage of slavery in the wilderness to the promised land.
Calling upon his name - for both Jew and Greek alike - brings salvation.
God’s desire is that we shall worship and serve him only.

It seems for this simple-minded pastor that we can reduce Lent down to one weekend, celebrate Christ’s victory over sin and death for us during Holy Week and Easter and return back to the season of Easter and Pentecost and the time of the church!

Simple and Easy, right?

Well, this time of Lent is to help us see the real problem and the real cost.

That sin, affects us all both Jew and Greek or (gentile)

That the price of payment and redemption was costly, and that God himself, in the person and work of his son, our Lord Jesus, was the only hope for we sinners bound in sin and death and without hope. That is our reality.

It seems that the six weeks of Lent is far shorter than it should be, to convey the true depth of our rescue. So we continue.

The work of the devil in the wilderness was to trip up God’s Son, so that forgiveness and redemption would be undermined.

For 40 days Satan was given to this task, knowing that in the veil of his humanity Jesus would be vulnerable to the trials that we all face. With you and me, the devil can tempt us and find victory in 4 seconds, or 40 seconds, or 4 minutes. But, 40 days? We would be overwhelmed early on.

Satan, twists the God’s word to cause Jesus to agree with it, and to follow it, and to bring temptation to the logical conclusion - sin.

With sin the game is over and the devil wins.

For you and me, he is our master, because we live in the sinful flesh of our broken humanity and as sinners, we want to give in to sin because we think that sinful pleasures bring joy. They don’t.

As we spoke last weekend, Moses died and was buried in Moab and was prevented from entering into the promised land that God had promised.

Joshua led the children, over the Jordan into the land promised.

So what entered in, with them? Sin.

Sin is the curse.
There is no hope of escaping it.
Death comes to all.

But the hope begins with God.
It begins with his word.
It is finished with the word of God made flesh, Jesus.

In the wilderness the battle comes to Jesus in the word twisted and misused.

Christ knows the word in fact it is his word and he handles the temptation, though weak in his humanity, with the true word saying:

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
“It is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”
“It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Temptation in our lives doesn’t tempt God, but you and me who are sinful and weak.
Temptation in our lives doesn’t promise bread when we are hungry,
but joy if we abandon God and his word.
Temptation in our lives doesn’t promise us the kingdoms of this world,
but the kingdom of Satan and death.
Temptation in our lives doesn’t promise you and me prosperity and good life, but the hope of a kingdom prepared for, and an eternity for all who believe.

It is why Paul reminds us in the Epistle today:

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Salvation comes to us, not by who we are, or by what we do, but as a pure gift from the one who is, the way the truth and the life. Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

The word is our only victory and defense.
The word convicts us as those who are born in sin and with death.

It causes repentance.

The word shows us our savior and his victory at the cross being the once and for all sacrifice for sin.

It proclaims forgiveness!

The word shows us the way and the hope that God gives in the sending of his son, to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

And the word is here each week to be read, sung, and proclaimed for your good and the good of all God’s church!

13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

When will the opportune time come again for you or me?

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Cor 10:13

Christ is the one who conquered sin, death and Devil for you.

He took all the Devil could give and though tempted was without sin.

Christ gives this peace to you and me through the working of the Holy Spirit so that his righteousness is yours and your sin has been laid on him at the cross.

In the face of temptation God provides a way out in Christ and by his Spirit so that we can stand, and if we fall, we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous one, to whom we can turn, repent of our sin, and be forgiven in his name!

Tempted and tested; Christ endures for you!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen

Sermon March 5, 2025 – Ash Wednesday

Title: Following Jesus, Our Greatest Giver - Following Jesus in generosity
Text: Mark 14: 3-9

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6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Our dear Lord Jesus rebuked those who so lovelessly criticized the woman for pouring the expensive perfume on His head. They accused her of reckless waste, even implying she was negligent in her care for the poor. But Jesus both defended and commended the woman.

“Leave her alone. Why are you causing her trouble? She has done a beautiful work for Me.”

Anointing Jesus with this expensive perfume was not at all a waste, but a generous and loving gift for the Lord. It truly was a beautiful work! For the woman's gift was very expensive; it could have been sold for more than 300 denarii, her critics said.

This perfume was worth about what a laborer would earn in a whole year!

That's a very generous gift. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the purchase of this perfume used up most or all her life savings!

Her work was beautiful also because she gave her gift freely.

No one forced or pressured her to do this. Quite to the contrary, she received a scolding for giving so freely.

But she chose to honor Jesus with this expensive gift just because that's what she wanted to do.

Jesus commended the woman's work also because He knew it was a gift of love.

Mark's account doesn't disclose the identity of this woman, but John's Gospel tells us the one who poured the perfume on Jesus was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Jn. 12:3

This is the same Mary who sat at Jesus' feet and listened to His word when He was a house guest. So, for her, a very generous gift was in order, as far as she was concerned.

Mary's work was beautiful especially because she did it for such a good purpose – to anoint Jesus' body beforehand for burial. You see, this was the burial custom of that time: to wash the person's body, anoint the body with perfume or spices, and wrap the body in cloth.

So, this was actually a pre-burial preparation. Jesus said,

She took it upon herself beforehand to anoint My body for burial.

Mary's beautiful work suggests she had understood Jesus' words when He foretold His impending death, and that she had taken His words to heart.

Maybe she thought this might just be her last chance to honor Jesus with this special gift. So, she poured out the precious perfume on her precious Savior.

Mary's gift was very generous, worth 300 denarii or more.

But Jesus' gift was vastly more generous, of truly priceless value!

For Jesus gave far more than perfume or jewels or silver or gold; He gave His precious blood – the blood of the Son of God!

The Man, who is God, gave His entire self into death for us – all His righteousness, all His obedience, all His divine goodness, His pure and holy body – He gave it all.

Jesus, too, gave freely, and voluntarily. Though wicked men arrested Him, falsely accused Him, unjustly condemned Him, and crucified Him, no one forced Jesus to suffer and die.

Rather, He humbled Himself and chose to give His life as an act of His own will.

No one takes My life from Me; I lay it down of Myself. Jn. 10:18

And who can match Jesus' gift when it comes to love?

Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. Eph. 5:2

In this we know love, that He lay down His life for us. 1 Jn. 3:16

His free and loving generosity make Jesus' gift the most beautiful work of all!

Mary's gift pointed forward to Jesus' death and burial; Jesus' gift is the real thing. He gave His body into death to atone for all our sins and gain forgiveness for all mankind.

Be certain of this: because of Jesus' generous giving, your sins are forgiven, period.

The devil may accuse you of sin.
Other people may lifelessly criticize you and find fault with you.
Your own conscience may point out your offenses against God and condemn you for them.

But God has pardoned you fully for the sake of Jesus' gift. He has laid all your transgressions aside. God now defends you as His own dear child and commends you for the beautiful works you do out of faith in Him.

And those beautiful works include your generosity as you follow the Lord Jesus in love of others.

Our Savior calls us to this, you understand – to follow Him in generosity.

I have given you an example, that just as I have done for you, you also should do. Jn 13:15

We cannot give our lives for the salvation of the world, of course. Praise God, that jobs already done! But with hearts full of thanksgiving for what Jesus has given us, we most certainly can follow Jesus' example of generous giving.

So, when we give to help others who are in need, and when we bring offerings to the Lord, we should strive to heed His command and follow the pattern He has established for us.

Jesus gave us his best!

Jesus did not give as an afterthought, but according to the plan of salvation that God established from the foundation of the world.

So, when it comes to our offerings to the Lord, we should make a thoughtful plan to give generously, in proportion to the way He has blessed us. Like the Macedonian Christians, who gave according to their ability, and even beyond their ability (2 Cor. 8:3), we can and should give a generous portion of all that God provides us to honor the Lord.

There is to be no compulsion involved in our works of love and our offerings to the Lord.

Nor do we give grudgingly, but freely and cheerfully because we want to, out of thanksgiving - “each as he purposes in his heart,” as the Lord says. (2 Cor .9:7)

There is no New Testament ceremonial law involved here. Rather, in the same way, our Lord teaches us to give generously out of love – love for Him and for our neighbor. Genuine love is always love indeed – love such as Mary showed Jesus – love such as Jesus showed us all.

It is love that sees others in need and gives generously to help them.

 
It is love that hears the word of the Lord and does what He says.

If we truly love, we give generously. If we give without love, our giving is not truly following Jesus.

Finally, we follow Jesus in generosity when we give for a good purpose, to thank the Lord and support His gospel ministry and other works of mercy.

The people of Israel gave generously for the service of God's gospel purposes, to construct and support the operation of the tabernacle.

For that was the place where the Lord received the Old Testament sacrifices, through which He bestowed the forgiveness of sins on His people. So, they gave abundantly, so abundantly they had to be told to stop giving! Ex. 36:5-6

In the same way, we bring generous offerings to support the Lord's work of bestowing His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation right here in this place through the preaching and teaching of His word, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper; also supporting the Lord's work of caring for those who are poor and needy as you have done with St. Paul’s food pantry!

These are very fine, God-pleasing purposes for generous giving.

Friends, our Lord Jesus was right. Wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what Mary did for Him has been told in memory of her.

And as we remember her beautiful generosity in anointing Jesus beforehand for burial, we remember all the more our Lord's supreme generosity in giving His life for our forgiveness and everlasting salvation.

With thankful hearts, then, may we all rededicate ourselves to following Him in generosity.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon March 1-2, 2025 - Transfiguration

Title: Transfigured and revealed to eyewitnesses!
Text: Luke 9:28-36

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34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

In life we can become prideful with that which is added to it. The car we drive, the house where we live, and the clothes we wear, can all bring a prideful smile to the face.

But this is a foolish thought, isn’t it? If there is to be any glory in this, it belongs to the car, the house, and the clothes.

St. Francis de Sales.

The Death of Moses came about in this way:

34 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho.

4 And the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” 5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, 6 and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor …

Moses died and was buried. Death claims us all.

In the Gospel reading:

Jesus took Peter, John and James and went up on a mountain to pray. Not an unusual thing for our Lord to do. However, on this trip up the mountain the crowds that would have usually been following Him would be nowhere to be found.

You know the crowds; the ones who had followed Jesus; the ones who had been filled. The five thousand, had been fed with the five loaves and a two fish previously in Luke 9:16-17

16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
Luke 9:16-17

These crowds were nowhere to be found. It was just Jesus and three of His closest disciples, Peter, John and James who went up on the mountain … but as it had been many times before it was Jesus who was praying.
29And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Luke 9:28-30

The Jews had been released from bondage in Egypt; being led by Moses for forty years, in the desert, before entering the Promised Land. But Moses had been prohibited from entering in.

The Lord says:

51 because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel.

This same Moses, buried in Moab and prevented from entering in, is now speaking with a glorified Jesus who will soon head towards Jerusalem, the Cross, and death - a death that will ultimately lead to freedom from sin, death and the power of the Devil for all who are brought to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit’s work, and believe.

This reconciliation between God and man is made possible only by the once and for all atoning sacrifice of the God/man himself Jesus Christ, for the sins of the world.

Moses, the Law giver who carried the tablets of stone, etched by the finger of God, measuring the requirements that God has set, and our inability to measure up to the God’s standards, is now in the presence of the disciples, Peter, John and James, standing with Elijah the prophet, who pointed forward to the coming Messiah - Jesus Christ - now transfigured on the mountain:

32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here.”

Men can become prideful of themselves because of the things that they have, where they live or how they dress.

But this is not of themselves, and is added to them - to give an appearance of glory.

Jesus Christ, on the other hand has to remove the cover of His humanity to reveal the true glory that is his - which had been veiled for a time from the eyes of the world.

Peter continues …

… Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.

Peter may have not known what he said or was bewildered at what he was seeing. To be there in the presence of a glorified Jesus; a preview of the resurrected Christ, drawing both the Old and New Testament focus together upon Himself had to be overwhelming.

We all fail to recognize the true glory of Jesus at times, seeing only a good man that can be an example for us to follow.

But what did Peter say, just a short while earlier in our gospel when Jesus asked the disciples:

“Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

Peter’s confession that Jesus is “the Christ of God” had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, but that didn’t help him to fully understand what our Lord had to do in turning his face toward Jerusalem; knowing full well that what awaited Him was the Chief Priests and Scribes, rejection by the people, a trial, guilty verdict and death on a Cross – all this he endured for you.

As Jesus is transfigured, Peter is thinking about building tents - building tents?

It could be that Peter was just very overcome by what was happening, or in some way wanted to preserve and contain the glory of God as the children of Israel desired to do in the wilderness. In the most holy place.

Tents or no tents, Peter concludes,

“It is good that we are here.”

Martin Luther put it this way:

Although out of pure grace God does not impute our sins to us, He nonetheless did not want to do this until complete and ample satisfaction of His law and His righteousness had been made. Since this was impossible for us, God ordained for us, in our place, one who took upon Himself all the punishment we deserve.

He fulfilled the law for us.
He averted the judgment of God from us and appeased God's wrath.
Grace, therefore, costs us nothing, but is cost another much to get it for us.
Grace was purchased with an incalculable, infinite treasure, the Son of God Himself."

Martin Luther, Daily Walk, May 5, 1992.

34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

As they were standing in the presence of our Holy Lord, covered in their own unrighteousness, they were afraid - as it should be for anyone who relies upon themselves.

What about you? Sitting here today in the pew, or me?

Do you ever miss the mark?
Do you ever fall short?
Do you see your sin constantly before you?
Do you carry the guilt that comes with your sin?
Do you ever feel burdened and weighed down?

Have you fallen short of the mark!

36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

… until the proper time …

Many times we are silent.

Many times, we live dead in the Moab of our own sinful flesh, refusing to enter into God’s rest in Christ.

We miss the mark and opportunity to share the Good News with friend, neighbor, or relative, that are in need of the same forgiveness that we have received from our Lord and Savior by his death and resurrection.

Thank and praise him daily that Christ Jesus didn’t miss the mark!

Thank and praise Him that you can listen to him in his word proclaimed and his word preserved in the writings of Holy Scripture.

Thank God you can partake of his body and Blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

Thank and praise God that the Cross was his mark and his destination.

Thank him that he fulfilled his goal as he resolutely headed towards Jerusalem, the Cross and death, where He received the full wrath of God poured out upon Him as He suffered and died on this Cross and on this Mount of Calvary, for you!

His crucifixion and death satisfied God’s justice for the sins of the world for you.

His death brought freedom for you and I as we receive the blessed exchange of His righteousness for our sins nailed once and for all to the Cross with him.

His death released you from the guilt you may at times still carry when you fail to cast all your burdens upon Him.

His death accomplishes all of this because on the third day …

He rose … in the glory of His resurrected body, transfigured, incorruptible for you. And you will too - and so will all who name the name of Jesus Christ having been brought to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. Knowing that in your Baptism you were washed clean in the blood of the Lamb given and shed for you!

“It is good that we are here.”
May our Lord and savior Jesus Christ who has redeemed you, through the power of the Holy Spirit who has called you, comfort you with this blessed Good News now and forever!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen