2/22/09 - Transfiguration - 2 Kings 2:1-12

THERE IS WORK TO DO
- We cannot remain in the glory
- We must continue to the cross

Elisha didn’t want that day to end. He was walking along with his friend and his mentor, Elijah the prophet, and he knew that this was going to be the last day he would ever see his teacher again. Because the Lord had revealed to them that Elijah would be taken away from this life and into the kingdom of heaven on that very day. And so Elijah’s most faithful student, Elisha, wanted that day to last forever. He naturally wanted to be around this faithful man of God as long as possible. And so when Elijah told him to stay in the city of Gilgal while he himself went to Bethel, Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” And so Elisha accompanied God’s prophet on the 12 mile journey to that Israelite city. And there again, Elijah told him to stay at Bethel while he went back to Jericho, but Elisha responded in the same way and followed his friend back in the direction they had just come. And again, when Elijah told him to stay in Jericho while he went to the Jordan River, Elisha repeated the very same words he had said twice already, clinging to the side of the man he admired and respected so much. Elisha was not about to let Elijah out of his sight, especially since that was the last day he would ever see him on this earth. Elisha admired and revered Elijah too much to let him go. And he didn’t want that day to end.
But it did, of course. As they were walking along the banks of the Jordan River, suddenly a chariot and horseman of fire came down from the sky and separated the two men. And in an instant Elijah was taken up into the sky by a whirlwind and eventually was lifted into heaven itself and out of sight. And Elisha was left there alone, with nothing to remember his friend by except for the cloak Elijah had dropped in the commotion. And all Elisha could find to do in his grief was cry out in exasperation, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” The day he didn’t want to end just did. And probably to his disappointment, he had to cross back over the Jordan River and face the world on his own - because there was work to be done and he was the one who was called on to do it.
Almost 1000 years after Elijah was taken directly to heaven, Elijah appeared on this earth again. But this time it was on a mountain along with that great man of God, Moses. These two prophets appeared at Jesus’ side and began talking to him on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus’ face and clothes were shining a brilliant and glorious supernatural light in front of his three chosen disciples, Peter, James and John. And just like Elisha in the Old Testament, the disciples didn’t want that day to end either! Peter even said, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah” (Mark 9:5). Peter (and I’m sure James and John with him) wanted to make sure that this day would last as long as possible! And if they constructed shelters for them, maybe that would encourage these men to stay and talk for a few hours more! But they wouldn’t stay. Elijah disappeared into heaven for the second time in Scripture, Moses went with him, and Jesus was no longer glorified but looked just like any other normal human being. And I’m sure to the disciples’ disappointment, they had to go back down the mountain - because there was work to be done and they were the ones called on to do it.
Neither the disciples nor Elisha could stay in the glory. And I’m sure they would have like to because all four of them witnessed some amazing things! It would have been great to be in the presence of the power of God! I’m certain that the disciples would have been fine staying up there on the mountain for the rest of their lives if the Lord had let them. They would have been perfectly content to let the other nine disciples down below carry out the work of the church while they stayed up there in the glory of the transfigured Christ. And Elisha wouldn’t have complained if he could have stayed with Elijah for a little longer either. He would have been content to continue to follow him around and witness all of the glorious miracles that he performed and allow this powerful prophet of God to take the lead of carrying out the work of the church. Because the glory is nice. The glory of seeing a faithful servant of the Lord do the work of the kingdom is easier than doing it yourself. The glory of being surrounded by God’s power and majesty up on the mountain is easier than dealing with sinful people in a sinful world down below. But Christians are not called on to remain in the glory; they are called on to continue to the cross. And so these men didn’t stay in the glory. They continued to the cross anyway because there was work that needed to be done.
But it’s nice in the glory, isn’t it? It’s easier to remain here, within the four walls of God’s house, witnessing the glory of his salvation in the pages of Scripture, seeing the glory of his forgiveness in baptism, touching and tasting the glory of his love in the Lord’s Supper. I’m sure many of us would be perfectly content to stay right here if we could, worshiping our Savior and experiencing his blessings on a continuous basis so that we would never have to walk out those doors again. But we are not called to remain in the glory; we are called to continue to the cross. Most of us don’t usually mind letting others do the work of the Lord’s kingdom for us. Whether letting the pastor do it, or more talented members do it, or your spouse do it, or the younger generation or the older generation or allowing other congregations to do the work of the Lord… because it’s more comfortable to remain in the glory of our own Bibles at home than actually going out and sharing that glorious message with others. But we are not called to remain in the glory; we are called to continue to the cross. We love being around fellow Christians, and rightly so. We revel in the glory of Christian fellowship, but sometimes in doing so we avoid those that need extra time and help to see their Savior. Because it’s easier that way. It’s more pleasant to remain in the glory of a group of God’s people. But we are not called to remain in the glory; we are called to continue to the cross.
We cannot remain on the banks of the Jordan River looking up into the sky at the tail end of a whirlwind in God’s Word - no matter how glorious that may be. We cannot remain on the side of the mountain, taking in the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ as found in the gospel - no matter how essential and important that may be. We must go down the mountain. We must cross back over the river. We cannot remain in the glory. We must continue on to the cross. And what a waste when we do not.
What a waste of God’s time when we do not continue to the cross. He has given us the glorious riches of salvation. He has granted us free forgiveness and a guaranteed spot in heaven. And he has asked us to take this message of his cross and share it with all others! What a waste when we do not. He has given us countless opportunities to love others just as he has loved us. What a waste when we do not. He has given us people in our lives that desperately need to know who their Savior is, people who may end up in hell if we do not show them the cross. What a waste when we do not. A waste of God’s time, a waste of the talents he has given us, a waste of opportunities, a possible waste of someone’s soul. I think we would all have to confess that we want to stay in the comfortable glory of God’s power and blessings too often at times. We have shied away from going to the other side of the river and to the bottom of the mountain. We have avoided conversations that would lead to the cross. We have backed away from situations that might have had eternal significance. We have wasted so much time, so many talents, and so many opportunities by remaining in the glory instead continuing to the cross - instead of doing the work that needs to be done.
Of course, after looking honestly at our sins, it is essential for us to look longingly at our Savior. After Jesus was transfigured - after his figure was transformed in front of his disciples - what did he do next? He went down the mountain and continued to the cross! Because there was work to do. And if he didn’t do it, no one else would! Jesus certainly would have preferred to stay in the glory. The glory was without a doubt much more pleasant for him up on the mountain then it was dealing with sins and dealing with sinners down below. The glory was much more pleasant than being badgered by his enemies’ questions and fighting off Satan’s temptations. The glory was much more pleasant than being hit in the face, clubbed on the head, scoured on the back, nailed to the cross, suffering in hell, and experiencing the awful torments of death! But Jesus’ concern wasn’t for himself. He was actually concerned about me! He was concerned about you! And there was no time to waste. And so he didn’t stay in the glory up on the mountain; he continued to the cross. And this is almost an exact parallel of his birth in Bethlehem: He didn’t stay in the glory of his heavenly home but continued to the cross through the womb of an unmarried girl. And so too here. He doesn’t stay up in the glory, he continues to the cross to do the work that he was meant to do: the work of our salvation, the work of our forgiveness, the work of securing our eternal life. And that wouldn’t have happened if he had stayed up in the glory. It could have only happened and it did happen because he continued to the cross.
If Jesus himself didn’t even remain in the glory, should we? Should we remain within the close-knit quarters of our little congregation without personally reaching out to our relatives and friends and neighbors? Should we remain buried in our Bibles at home without carrying out the words we read every day? Should we remain surrounded by the comfortable and safe group of Christian friends we have made without stepping into the circles of those who do not yet share that same Savior? We cannot remain in the glory. We must see the glory, of course. We must marvel at it. We must feed ourselves with it on a regular basis, remember it, believe it, and keep coming back to it. But we cannot remain in the glory because that is not where the lost are. The lost are not usually in the congregation we worship with. The lost are not there reading the Bible with us every night or among the close group of Christian friends we have. The lost are lying on the rough and dangerous and difficult road to the cross! We must go down the mountain, we must cross back over the Jordan River, and we must aim ourselves at the cross. And on our way to the cross we must take everyone we can with us! Pointing them to that which really matters. Showing them that Jesus is on those pieces of wood on account of their sins but also for their sins. Directing their attention to the only Man, the only God, who was willing to sacrifice his life for theirs. This is how we continue to the cross: not to hang on the cross as Jesus did but to hang on the forgiveness he won there. Our whole life is dedicated to Christ’s crucifixion. Our life is motivated by it, energized by it, and comforted by it. The cross is the life of a Christian. And as we read about the lives of Elisha and Peter and James and John after they saw those glorious displays of God’s power and love, it is clear that their lives were dedicated to Christ’s cross as well.
Those three disciples that Jesus took up on the mountain performed many wonderful miracles during their ministries and even saw the Lord do many more amazing things in their lifetimes, but they never again saw anything as glorious as Jesus’ transfiguration. Elisha was blessed to be able to perform some incredible miracles as well, but he never again saw fiery chariots and horsemen coming out of the sky. But these four men of God, these four Christians, didn’t seem mind. After a while they didn’t mind all that much that they had to leave the glory and continue to the cross. Because that was what they were called to do. That was where the lost were. And that was how they could thank the Lord for showing them his glory in the first place. The Lord has showed you his glory too. In the written and spoken Word of God. In baptism. In the Lord’s Supper. And in your life every day. Rejoice in that glory. Praise him for that glory. Keep coming back to that glory. But do not remain there. Take that glory with you on your way out these doors, on your way from your homes, on your way to your coworkers, to your families, to your friends, to the lost. Because there is work to do. Work for you. Work on account of others. Work on your way to the cross. We cannot keep that gospel message to ourselves. And why would we want to?
Amen.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” - Rev. 5:12