Earwitnesses of Majesty
The Text: 2 Peter 1:16-19
The Quaker writer Douglas Steere said that there are two fundamental questions every person answers that shape their identity. “Who am I?” and “Whose Am I?” Who am I is more than what my name is; it’s a question of gifts, calling, and unique skills. I’m left-handed, or I like art and music. Whose am I? is a question of belonging and community. Who am I related to? Where do I live, and which family am I a part of? Who created me, and what kind of person do I want to be?
Do you recall when you first started asking those questions? As children, we investigate photo albums and find a picture of someone we don’t recognize. We ask our parents to show us their baby pictures or Instagram photos. They tell us childhood stories that we don’t remember. If we’re lucky, we might have an old cassette or VHS tape of our first words, or a birthday party. They show pictures, tell stories, and tell children their identity. And children trust what their parents tell them.
As adults, we ask these questions “when the clouds roll in.” During times of unplanned change, we confirm our core beliefs. We adjust direction and evaluate our relationships and identity. We share origin stories; we discuss our core beliefs; and we plan for the future.
When the clouds of change rolled in on Peter, James, and John, they found themselves asleep on a mountain with Jesus. Out of their slumber, they awaken to a conversation. They see Jesus glowing with something that ancient Persians called a khvarenah, a divine glow radiating outward. Hebrews called it a qaran or a qeren, a divine radiating glow like the sun’s rays shining through an eclipse. No matter what it was, there was no mistaking it. Jesus looked glorious, like nothing they had ever heard or seen.
If the glow wasn’t enough to overwhelm them, the words they heard and remembered were equally significant. Two prophets of the end times appear, talking with Jesus. Moses, who himself had seen the divine radiance of God, along with Elijah appear. Then they hear God answer their questions about Jesus’ identity. They learn and see who Jesus is. He has a direction—he’s going to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and save the world. They discover whose he is—he is the Son of God prophesied from the book of Daniel, and he has invited them to join his fellowship. It’s so overwhelming that Peter wants to build tents to remain there.
Can you remember that time in your life? When it seemed you just wanted to stay there? Your parents probably do. They can tell you about that moment at your baptism. You might remember at your calling to a ministry. You might have sensed it as well at your wedding. Those moments when heaven seems to touch earth again. You never forget them, and neither did Peter.
Upon reflection, a few decades later, Peter the pastor has had time to realize what this moment of transfiguration was all about. From the vantage point of the end of his life, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 2 Peter, he reminds the church what they have learned. The transfiguration wasn’t just for Jesus. It was also for the church. They were eye and “earwitnesses” of majesty from heaven. This story became like a monument itself, anchored in the pages of their history to tell them who they are and whose they are. In times of change and uncertainty,they were to look back, remember, and tell the story.
The Transfiguration links us back to Jesus’ baptism, the only other time people heard a voice from heaven speaking to Him. At the transfiguration, God announces that Jesus is in charge and reigning, and after death and resurrection, will return. Baptism, transfiguration, and return are all woven together in one cosmic event that lands on the disciples. We see a future breaking in on us. We are linked in a chain of generations that lasts to today.
We don’t need to set up tents or monuments to remember the spot. We needed to tell the story. Let the story become a memory and a mission. This story begins at Jesus’ baptism, where he first heard the message, and ends at the final resurrection, when he reigns forever in eternity.
We certainly weren’t present at the transfiguration to hear that voice. However, because generations of followers have been telling the story ever since, we still hear echoes of that same message. What Peter preached to his church, he still preaches to us through the voice of this homilist. Those who hear the voice and respond are drawn into this mission and become part of this family. The power of the transfiguration is now transferred to you.
This voice does two things. It links us together and lights a flame. Like children playing “red rover” on the playground, we form an unbreakable chain. No matter what comes our way, God’s voice reminds us who we are. We have a purpose and direction. We are part of a team that works arm in arm and hand in hand. God tells us whose we are—we are his disciples; we are his children from baptism to our final rest with him. And here’s what he says, “You are my beloved sons and daughters.”
This voice lights a flame to shine in dark places. You are now the ones who bear the divine glow of Jesus in your life. It might not feel or seem like the sun’s rays are shining behind you. You have something more powerful- you have the Son of God’s light within you. Just as God spoke at creation to divide light from darkness, now his voice creates light in you. “You are the bright shining lights I’m sending out in dark places.”
I wonder today if you are experiencing a time when “the clouds are rolling in.” You might sense an ominous threat, but the clouds in your life might be a time of change. A child is going back to school, or you’re sending a son or daughter off to college. And you wonder what life will be like as an empty nester.
Transfiguration day reminds us today of who we are and whose we are. This is exactly the time when the light of Christ inside us can shine brightly. You can be the silver lining shining in the clouds. We, too, are those disciples on that holy mountain hearing God’s voice. Because Jesus is God’s son, we learn that we are God’s children, beloved and chosen. We understand whose we are. We belong to each other and to Him. We have a way of living that invades our future. Jesus’ future as the crucified, resurrected, ascended, and reigning Lord means that one day he will come again. So, our baptism, death, and resurrection are all woven into his and future generations to come. We can listen to him for life direction.
In closing, let me share one example. Mark was active in the parish’s Quest program for students. He was also a fantastic baseball player. He had made the freshman team and was eagerly awaiting his opportunity to play varsity and potentially college. He had trained since t-ball for this moment. But then he broke his wrist falling off his skateboard. The accident that was supposed to require 6 weeks of recovery turned into a nightmare of surgeries, rehab, and permanent damage to his wrist. An injury that could have led him to resentment or even worse drug problems, became a transfiguration. With the support of his church, priest, and youth leaders, he heard repeatedly who he was and whose he was. He formed a stronger bond with a group of guys who resisted substances. He cheered his friends on when they excelled in sports. And he still enjoyed himself through high school and maintained his strong faith. What gives us confidence is not that we know exactly what will happen tomorrow. What gives us confidence is that we can hear that voice again speaking to us. Pastor Peter tells us “You are God’s shining light in the darkness.”
Photo: Yousef Espanioly on Unsplash