The Prophet Even Moses and Elijah Worship

Transfiguration Sunday

March 2, 2014

Matthew 17:1-9

& Luke 9:31

The Prophet Even Moses and Elijah Worship

In the name of Jesus.

I.

Who is Jesus?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13)

And then about a week later, Jesus went up a mountain and answered His own question.

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. He was transformed in front of them, and His face shone like the sun. Even His clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. (Matthew 17:1-3)

Why Moses and Elijah? What did their presence on the mountain say about Jesus? First, let's note what they were saying. Luke tells us,

[Moses and Elijah] appeared in glory and were speaking of His death, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. (Luke 9:31)

II.

Moses' Way Out

The translation here says death, but the original reading is exodus. Exodus is a way out. The Hebrew slaves in Egypt were “exodused” by Jesus through Moses. They left slavery on the way out that the Lord provided. He took them through the Red Sea and to Mt. Sinai.

When Moses went up the mountain, the cloud covered it. The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day He called to Moses from the cloud. The appearance of the Lord’s glory to the Israelites was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop. Moses entered the cloud as he went up the mountain, and he remained on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights. (Exodus 24:15-18)

When Moses came down from the mountain, carrying two sheets of rock on which God Himself had written down His very sensible laws for loving Him and others, Moses saw people who had no way out from themselves.

They were at the foot of the terrifying mountain of God—it was the burning bush times 100—yet they still grew numb to their awesome God, and lived it up. They didn't think about God; they made up a new one, who wouldn't mind whatever they choose to get away with. They made a golden cow, which was blind and deaf. It wouldn't mind if they fooled around and got drunk. It wouldn't say no.

So when Moses finally did come down from Mt. Sinai, he saw the real idol: the people themselves. The cow was a convenient dodge, “Uh, the golden cow said it was okay.” But they weren't able to dodge the divine laws Moses held in his hands. They left no way out.

Like Moses, we look and see our lives filled with people who live for themselves. They treat Jesus as an afterthought, if they even think about Him at all. When they get into their cars, they can't remember the Jesus preached to them minutes earlier. They try to get away with as much as they can, when no one's looking. And then we look away from the mirror and see everyone else.

On Moses' mountain we confess that being good isn't a way out.

III.

Elijah's Way Out

The prophet Elijah would seem to give us a better way. We live in a world where seeing is believing. Many say that they would believe in God if He would just show Himself to us. Christians often sympathize with this wish. We wish Jesus would appear and show us a way out.

Elijah got to see God show up in a big way on Mt. Carmel. There Elijah had a contest with the prophets of Baal.

Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The God who answers with fire, He is God.” All the people answered, “That sounds good.” (1 Kings 18:22-24)

Baal was very popular with the people; this idol allowed them to indulge in a religious life that fed their appetites. If your taste was for messing around, you were encouraged to pursue them. If your taste was for violence, you were encouraged to harm others and yourself. If your taste was to sit quietly in a corner and meditate, you were encouraged to pray.

The people loved the life under Baal. Baal never said no. There was only one problem—Baal was a lie and his prophets were liars. The 450 liars spent the whole day screaming and cutting themselves with knives to get their god's attention. But nothing happened. Then in a short prayer Elijah asked the Lord to act.

“Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things. Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Lord, are God and that You have turned their hearts back.” (1 Kings 18:36-37)

And so God obliterated the sacrifice with fire from heaven. But the rest of the story doesn't go as we would have it. Here's the proof of the true God that everyone then and now claims to want, so that they'll believe. But that didn't happen.

The people gladly seized and put the 450 lying priests to death, but in the end they stuck with Baal. The people were happy to attack the very real and evil sins of their priests, but they refused to take the log out of their own eyes and kill the Liar that lived within themselves.

And instead of the people turning to the Lord, Queen Jezebel tries to kill Elijah and forces him to run for his life. He ended up running all the way to Mt. Sinai, the mountain where God came to Moses. It was his only way out. He ran to the Lord.

IV.

Jesus Is the Way Out

Moses and Elijah worship Jesus for the same reason we do—He is our only way out. He is the Prophet who speaks Truth and is Truth. Our way out, our exodus, is His life and death.

He lived the way of Moses and Sinai—He perfectly loved His Father.

He lived the way of Elijah and Carmel—He perfectly listened to His Father.

He lived the way of Calvary—He went to the cross and His death in full righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.

And He gives that righteousness, innocence, and blessedness to you. His ways of pouring out His perfectness on you are several and specific. He forgives you through the mouth of His pastor, “I forgive you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” He forgives you through the hand of His pastor, “Take and eat, the body of Christ, given for you.” He forgives you through the hand of His pastor that pours water, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

These are all His way out, His Word, Himself. Who is Jesus? The Christ, the Son of the living God. And this living God said of His Son,

This is My beloved Son,

with Him I am well pleased.

Listen to Him!

(Matthew 17:5)

In the name of the Father

and of the † Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.