Title: CHRIST’S GLORY AND CROSS

Focus: The way to participate in Christ’s glory is by way of identifying with Christ’s cross.

Function: To encourage the people to face Jesus’ journey to the cross, and to draw strength from Jesus’ actions, which lead to glory for all who belong to him.

Text: Luke 9:28-36 (37-45)

Ash Wednesday is coming. A few more days, and the season of Lent starts up. Christians all over the world will have an opportunity to walk with Christ through the valley of the shadow of death. In doing so, we probe the depth of Christ’s suffering and the reason for Christ’s death. By paying attention to Christ’s journey to the cross, we identify with Jesus’ passion; and we will be far more able to experience the joy of Jesus’ resurrection.

To get to the glory of Jesus’ resurrection, however, we must go down the valley of his death. Many Christians prefer to skip that valley. “The season of Lent is for the birds--or for Catholics,” they say. “It’s not for us.” They prefer to move from the Rah Rah of Palm Sunday to the Hooplah of Easter Sunday. They dig the “Hosannah’s” of the Palm Sunday crowd and the “Easter Hallelujah’s” of the disciples. But they shut their ears to the lament of Jesus on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Many evangelical Christians welcome Christ’s glory, but they downplay Christ’s cross.

Tonight, I encourage each one of us to face Jesus’ journey to the cross and to draw strength from Jesus’ actions, which leads to glory for all who belong to Christ.

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The Scripture reading from Luke 9 begins with a view of glory. Before we walk through Jesus’ valley of the shadow of death, we savor for a moment the twilight zone of divine glory. We find ourselves somewhere at the top of Mount Tabor, in the company of Jesus, James, John and Peter, as well as in the company of Moses and Elijah.

It’s a breath-taking view. Jesus is praying; his disciples are at a distance, nodding their heads, fighting sleep. Suddenly, the disciples noticed that the appearance of Jesus’ face is changing, and Jesus’ clothes are changing too—they “became as bright as a flash of lightning.” The only possible reference point the disciples have at this moment is the story of Moses at Mount Sinai, talking face to face with God, needing a veil to protect the Israelites from melting of fear. But can this transfiguration of Jesus be for real?

Just then they notice two men—they are Moses and Elijah. The one represents the Law of God; the other the prophetic Word of God. They are in conversation with Jesus. You know what they are talking about? “The exodus” or “about Jesus’ departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”

Just before Jesus faces the last stretch of his earthly journey to the cross, God shows his divine glory. And listen to what he says to his disciples and us: “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” We are to listen to Jesus—not only when we participate in this glory moment on that mountaintop, but also when Jesus walks the valley of the shadow of death.

Listen to Jesus!

Sing: Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies (481:1,2,3)

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The story of Jesus’ transfiguration is followed by the story of a demon-possessed boy in the valley. Now we are confronted with the gore of the valley instead of the glory of the mountaintop. Do we really have to go through this valley with Jesus?

Valleys are beautiful places, where little towns and villages tend to sleep peacefully in the shadow of the distant mountains. Valleys are fertile places, where lilies grow, sheep graze, and children play their games. Valleys are tourist attractions, offering pilgrims rest from their journeys and scenic places to observe. Surrounded by mountains, filled with beauty, valleys are great places to be. Life is like a valley.

Valleys, however also come with danger. A rushing avalanche of snow and rocks and trees from the mountaintop can bring death to a valley. Some valleys are strategically located, and they become battle fields where death and misery rule. Old Testament Israel, for example, fought crucial battles in the Valley of Jezreel. Already in 1468 BC, Pharaoh Thutmose III fought and defeated a coalition of Canaanite forces in the Valley of Jezreel. Only as recent as 1917, in that same valley near the town of Megiddo, the British general Allenby fought the Turks, and by defeating them, the British ended the rule of the Turks in Palestine. Beautiful valleys, then, can be strategic battlefields, marked by danger and death. Life is like a valley.

It’s in the valley of life that we fight many battles: Children, for example, dance with the demons of illegal drugs; parents dabble with the alluring taste of alcohol; some fight battles of cancer—some win, some lose; others fight battles of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Some fight the temptations of lust and adultery; others fight battles of hatred and jealousy toward their neighbors; they can’t stand each other. We fight so many and different battles in the valley called “life.” Is there any hope in the midst of all these battles?

Imagine Jesus, James, John and Peter coming down that mountain, entering the valley. Multitudes of people run and welcome the Master. They are excited to see Jesus again. A man in the crowd, however, calls out to Jesus: “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

This man presents Jesus with two problems: (1) His only child—a son, who is deaf and unable to speak (we learn from the other gospels), is demon-possessed. This man’s hope for a future—a hope that is vested in his only son—is being dashed, crushed, for a dreadful spirit torments his poor child. No one can deliver this child. No one can heal this boy.

(2) Jesus’ disciples have failed to cast out the demon. The father has begged the disciples to heal his boy. Somehow the father must have learned that the disciples had been given power or authority from Jesus to cast out demons. And it’s true. They have. But in the case of this father’s only child, the disciples have failed in their battle with the power of darkness. They are unable to drive out the demon.

Life in the valley is tough, scary, and sometimes seemingly hopeless. But the father and the crowd are turning to Jesus for help. Jesus, however, sounds the trumpet of exasperation and lament. He expressed frustration with life in the valley. He complains about the lack of faith among the people; Jesus laments the people’s perversity of motives and hearts desires in the valley.

When Jesus talked with Moses and Elijah on that mountaintop, Jesus experienced heavenly glory, affirmation and encouragement. Now that he has come down to the valley, he’s walking again in the people’s muck of unbelief and perversity of heart. Sometimes, our darkness and battles in life oppress the Son of God so much so that he, in despair and with a deep longing for deliverance, will say, “O unbelieving and perverse generation. How long shall I stay with you and put up with you?”

Here Jesus expresses dissatisfaction with his contemporaries: with the father who lacks sufficient faith in Christ’s healing power (cf. Mk. 9:22-24); with the scribes, who were in all likelihood gloating over the disciples’ inability to cast out the demon (Mk. 9:14); with the crowd in general, which is pictured in the gospels as being generally far more concerned about itself than about others (John 6:26); and with the nine disciples, because of their failure to exercise their faith by putting their whole heart into persevering prayer (Mk. 9:29).

Jesus is fed up with our battles of unbelief; Jesus longs for an end to this misery in our valley of life. Jesus identifies with us, and he gives up hope. Listen to him: “Bring your son here.” There’s hope in these words. The father gets his son. The devil senses defeat; so as the son enters the presence of Jesus, the demon throws the boy to the ground; the boy convulses; foam appears around the poor boy’s mouth. What a torment! What a battle! What a sight!

Then Jesus steps into the arena: he speaks an authoritative word—a rebuke; the evil spirit comes out of the boy. Jesus touches the boy, and heals him. Presumably the boy is no longer deaf and mute. He can speak and hear. Then—gently, tenderly, Jesus hands over the boy to his father. The crowd is astonished. Everyone marvels at Jesus’ battle with the evil spirit. The people recognize Jesus’ victory over the demon, and Jesus’ healing of the boy as “the finger of God”—a mighty work of God. They “Ooh and Aah” over the greatness of God, says Luke.

In the valley of life we do our battles—every day. We struggle and sigh. Sometimes, we become despondent and say,

“Will our misery never end?” Other times, we look up to Jesus and wish he were here and would do the same as he did with that poor boy. Oh, that Jesus would deliver us from our misery today!

But now, go back to the story again. There the Lord Jesus teaches us today that in the valley of life, we must fight our battles in light of Jesus’ battle on the cross. Do you remember what the voice in the cloud on that mountaintop said to Peter, James, and John “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him”?

So what is Jesus saying to us in that valley? While the crowd is marveling at Jesus’ display of power in casting out the demon and healing the deaf boy, Jesus turns to his disciples and says: “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”

Jesus reminds his disciples of his exodus—of his betrayal and death in the days to come. Jesus tells us that our hope lies not in this miracle of exorcism in the valley, but in the battle and the conquest Jesus will have on the cross of Golgotha. Beware of wonder workers who bypass the way of the cross. Beware of religious hucksters in the valley who promise wealth and health, but who close their eyes to Jesus’ crossroad of suffering. Listen to Jesus: “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”

Congregation, as we are about to enter the Lent season, remember: we must face and fight the battles of life patiently, with perseverance, and with a sense of hope. For Jesus points us to his exodus—his death and resurrection. In the valley of life, Jesus holds before us the cross of suffering, the tomb of death and the promise of resurrection.

Jesus’ glory of transformation, of newness of life will come to us when he breaks the back of Satan. Jesus’ healing power will come to us in all its fullness when he comes again in glory—as the Son of Man. Then there shall be no more tears, sickness, and death. Then the glory of heaven shall transform all of the misery of life here on earth. For now, however, as we live our lives here on earth, the way to participate in Christ’s glory is by way of identifying with Christ’s cross.

So enter the season of Lent; consider Jesus’ valley of the shadow of death with a listening ear, a searching eye and a discerning mind. For if you do, you will also taste and see the glory of Easter. For Christ’s cross and Christ’s glory—they go together.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.