2022-02-27 – Year C – Last Sunday of Epiphany – The Rev. Canon Christopher M. Klukas
Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; 1 Corinthians 12:27—13:13; Luke 9:28-36

Revealing Jesus’ Glory

• Luke 9:28 – “…about eight days after these sayings…”
  • Just eight days earlier, Jesus asked his disciples, Luke 9:18–20.
  • This was a big claim for Peter to make. The Jews had been waiting for the Messiah, the Christ, for hundreds of years and Peter was rightly recognizing that Jesus was this anointed one. But Peter’s understanding about who Jesus was was not quite big enough. Jesus was not just a prophet or king that people had been waiting for.
• The Father’s voice makes his identity clear – Luke 9:35.
  • Jesus is not just the next great prophet (along with Moses and Elijah), he is the Son of God!
  • But it’s not enough to know Jesus only in his glory.

Revealing Jesus’ Exodus

• So what more is there to know about Jesus?
• It is in this chapter that we first see Jesus talking about his coming crucifixion (9:22).
• In our Gospel lesson today, Jesus talks with Moses and Elijah about his “departure which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (v. 31). 
  • The Greek word which is here translated as “departure” is a form of the word “exodos.” This is the word that was used to title the second book of the Bible where Moses leads God’s people out of slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness, to the doorstep of the land that God promised to them.
  • The exodus of Moses was a political exodus, an exodus that liberated God’s people and granted them freedom from bondage.
  • The Exodus of Jesus is not a political exodus but an exodus from sin and death.
  • Romans 7:14–15 “…For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” 
• We cannot truly understand Jesus without understanding his crucifixion. The glory of Jesus that was revealed in this Gospel lesson only fully makes sense in light of his death, resurrection, and ascension.

Being Transformed into His Glory

• Through Jesus’ exodus, we are being transformed.
• We too must die. Luke 9:23-24.
  • We must die to our old lives of sin. Jesus meets us where we are. He offers us forgiveness as a free gift, this is what we mean by the word grace. But he doesn’t leave us where we are, he wants to transform us.
  • Transformation illustration – Deputy for a Day event
• 2 Corinthians 3:18 – “we…are being transformed into the same image”
  • Imagine being transformed into this same image. This means becoming like Jesus. “Impossible” you might say. “I could never be like Jesus.”
  • But this transformation is not in our own strength. If it were we would certainly fail. Rather, this “comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
• Matthew 13:43 – “…the righteous will shine like the sun…” 
• I don’t always feel very transformed, and I know that God has a lot of work that still needs to be done in me. Looking back on my life, however, I can see how far God has brought me. These verses show us the trajectory that he has us on.

Application

• This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. A season of fasting is about to begin to prepare us for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter.
• It is common during this season to give something up or take something on, whether some kind of food or drink or habit, as a way to draw closer to God.
  • 1 Timothy 4:7b–8 “train yourself for godliness”
    • Spiritual disciplines train us for godliness just like the police academy trains deputies to be excellent at law enforcement.
  • I would encourage you to pray over these next few days and ask God if there is something in particular that he wants to work on in you this Lent. This is a great opportunity to renounce shameful things and grow in godliness.
• God is transforming you not just for your sake but also for the sake of others. He is making you to shine so that you stand out in the midst of this dark world.
• He can use the shining glory that he is building in your to draw others to himself!
• 2 Corinthians 5:20–21 – “ambassadors for Christ”