Pay Attention: It's Jesus Alone :: Matthew 17:1-9

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When they lifted their eyes, they saw no one but him, Jesus alone (v 8).


We divide our lives into two parts ... important days and ordinary days ... green days and white days. You probably don’t remember much of anything about the ordinary days, the green ones of your lives. They come ... they go ... they can be good and plentiful, but the important ones ... birthdays, graduations, anniversaries ... we never seem to forget those, or at least we aren’t supposed to. Those are the days we pay attention to. They bring us joy and peace.

You may not have realized it when you woke up this morning, but today is one of those days ... a day to pay attention to ... a day filled with joy and peace. Today is the Transfiguration of our Lord, and it is good to be here (v 4).

Transfiguration Sunday gives us the unique opportunity to witness firsthand, through the reporting of Saint Matthew, Jesus alone. Like Peter, James, and John who followed our Lord up the mountain ... the Greek actually says Jesus carried them ... we are being given a similar privilege: to see and hear something extraordinary ... to shout out, Aha! ... Today is a day to behold ... a day to ... 

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AND HEARING: JESUS ALONE

This is our theme. 

I

Jesus alone had demonstrated his divinity to his disciples many times before today ... like when he submitted himself to a baptism of sinners to fulfill all righteousness (Mt 3:13-17) ... like when he changed water into wine (Jn 2:1-11) ... like when he healed men sight unseen (Mt 8:1-13). These first three signs of Epiphany all pointed to his character and his mission. So, too, did the first one, the Aha moment when the Magi followed the Gospel and Jesus alone.

But today, I urge you to pay even more attention to what you are seeing and hearing because in his Transfiguration Jesus does more than simply demonstrate his power ... he does more than show us stars of wonder: Jesus shows us his divine glory, a glory that is as bright as the sun ... making his face glow and his clothing become intensely white (v 2). Jesus reaches out and touches his disciples (v 7) ... telling them that though you think you are unworthy to be in the presence of God (v 6) ... there is NOT ONLY no need to fear (as the English Standard Version says), but that you who have faith in him should stop being afraid (v 7). Jesus alone raises us from our stupor and gives his disciples peace (v 7). 

II

Because there is so much going on here, let’s take some time to pay attention to what we see and hear. It leads us to a secret. We see a high mountain; Peter, James, John, Moses, Elijah; a bright light; a cloud; and the most magnificent sight of all ... Jesus alone. 

We’ll start with something that everyone loves to see but seems to be the most difficult to move: the mountain. When you see a mountain in scripture, you are seeing something more magnificent than Everest. The Garden of Eden was on a mountain (Eze 28:11-15). God made two of his most important covenantal promises to Noah and Abraham on mountains. Elijah heard the voice of God on a mountain (1 Kgs 19). Moses’ face began glowing on a mountain because he had been in the presence of God (Ex 34:29). Jesus retreated to mountains, and died on a mountain, and ascended from a mountain. And ultimately, we celebrate the full Divine Service on the mountain of God (Rv 21:10). Long story short: Mountains in scripture are the place where heaven and earth meet. It’s good to be here on the mountain with God.

Although we don’t know the name of today’s mountain, the location is not that important. More important is what we see witnessed here, and who does it. As Peter now testifies ... they (Peter, James, and John) actually saw all of this happen. They actually saw the glory of God revealed in Jesus alone. Jesus is, as we will confess shortly, God out of God, Light out of Light, Very God out of Very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father (Nicene). In other words, brothers and sisters in Christ, pay attention to the details here. True Faith isn’t grounded in imagination. True Faith has historical fact behind it. We saw it.

Many in the world today ... far too many ... make Jesus out to be less than God. They reduce him to be only the son of God ... the keyword being “only.” Therefore, they reason, he is less than God ... just a great man ... just a great example to follow ... someone like us. But, Matthew reveals, Jesus is not “only” the son of God, but Jesus alone is God. Listen to him!

While the world is hell-bent on searching for God in shrines and on every high hill and under every green tree next to every beautiful fishing hole ... God is not to be found not in the stars or in the pastures and fields of west-central Missouri. God is not to be found in the tingle up your spine as we sing any of our beloved hymns of the day. God is not to be found in the imagination of your heart. Pay attention to what you can see and hear in our text today: God is found in Jesus alone. Salvation is found in no one else. 

Any time that we try to find God where we want to, in the way we want to, we find an idol ... one we made all by ourselves. Any time we deny our sin ... our gluttony and adultery and gossip ... we deceive ourselves about who God is, and we are trying to convince ourselves that we are the ones who speak for God. Any time we say our broken promises or the dishonor we brought to our family and other authorities aren’t sin ... any time we put ourselves first and say God “must” forgive me ... that God will overlook my sin ... that God will ignore the sin in my life ... we find an idol in ourselves. As Luther reminds us: Whatever you set your heart on or put your trust in is truly your God (LC I 3). Therefore, when you see yourself falling into sin, you have every reason to tremble and shake in the mere presence of Jesus alone. Jesus alone is God. 

So pay attention to what he has been telling you ... and repent in the name of Jesus ... and believe the Gospel! Then he will raise you so that you can stop fearing (v 7).

III

Jesus alone has saved, does save, and will save ... even you! That’s ultimately what the Transfiguration reveals. As Epiphany comes to a close, we see that Jesus ... who is a man ... is at the same time God. And he raises us from the dead and gives us eternal life.

Our church fathers have called the Transfiguration of our Lord the greatest miracle ... the greatest sign ... because it not only complemented his baptism but it showed his glory in a way that we don’t see anywhere else beyond the resurrection. We see here that Jesus really is the light and the life ... the way, the truth, the door, the gate. He is the one who created all things and gives new life to all people. He is the one shining in the darkness.

As Peter testifies, We didn’t follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty (2 Pt 1:16). We have seen his glory. God is not just a superhuman being, although Jesus alone did some superhuman things like walking on water, calming storms, and raising the dead. God is not just a glorious cloud on a mountain, although Jesus is the one who steps out of that cloud. God is not just a voice that men hear. Nor is he just confined to our own buildings or even our hearts. 

The only God we know is the one who in Christ goes to the mountain called Calvary to offer the only sacrifice that matters ... the one that paid the price for all your sins ... all the sins of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Because he was True God, Jesus alone could live without sin. Because he was True Man, Jesus alone could pay the price for not just your sin, but all sin. 

And he did! Jesus alone was nearly whipped to death for you. Jesus alone was nailed to a cross for you. Jesus alone was despised and rejected in your place. Jesus alone died for you. And more than that Jesus alone was raised from the dead for your justification. This is why God the Father delights in Jesus alone, his Only Begotten Son (v 5). And it is why Peter tells us he delights in you (1 Pt 2:8-9).

Our sin died with Jesus alone in baptism. On account of Jesus alone, God has declared you innocent of your sin ... now and forever. You can now pay attention to the voice of God ... hearing the words of Jesus ... listening carefully. Like Peter, James, and John, Jesus has touched you and healed you through the waters of baptism. He has touched you and is making you whole with his supper. And he is raising you from your stupor and inviting you to attend his celebration ... the feast of forgiveness that will never end. Here we see Jesus alone ... here on the mountain of God where he delivers the Divine Service. 

When you come to the Lord’s Supper today ... you can therefore stop being afraid. It is Jesus alone who led you to this place ... he alone carried you to this place, where the many who believe in the One True God ... who trust in Jesus alone ... will recline at the table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the company of the kingdom of the heavens (Mt 8:13). As Isaiah tells us, on this mountain the Lord of hosts will swallow up the covering that overshadows all peoples ... he will swallow up death forever ... and will wipe away tears from all faces ... for the Lord has spoken (Is 25:6-9). 

And now you know the secret: He does all this for us in Jesus alone. Amen.

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