Look to the Light With Your Ears! 2 Peter 1:16-21
January 24, 2021
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
On the Mount of Transfiguration we see Jesus reveal Himself as the Only Begotten Son of God in our human flesh. He also gives us a glimpse of the glory that He wins for us by His suffering, death, and resurrection. A glory He will give all who believe in Him on the Last Day in the physical resurrection of their bodies and the Life of the World to come! Sermon Text: 2 Peter 1:16-21 Sermon Theme: "Look To The Light With Your Ears!" Preached for the Transfiguration of our Lord, 24-January-2021, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, Indiana by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
Episode Notes
The Transfiguration Of Our Lord 24-January-2021
Sermon Text: 2 Peter 1:16-21
Sermon Theme: “Look To The Light With Your Ears!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. The prophetic Word is fully confirmed in the flesh and blood of Christ Jesus! Zacharias, the father of eight day old John the Baptizer, prophesied: “Luke 1:68-71 "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, (69) And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, (70) As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, (71) That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us,” The Lord God of Israel has visited and redeemed His people. He has taken on flesh and blood in the womb of the Virgin Mary - He is a living human male person a three month old fetus in His Mother’s womb. God’s Word of promise preached by His holy prophets - men given God’s Word and called to preach it - have preached this message since the world began. Adam the first prophet was to preach God’s promise and the Creator’s communion with mankind at the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden. Then came a false prophet dressed up in the skin of a serpent. Satan breathed lying words, enticing words, words that appealed to human pride, fleshly desires, and self-serving wisdom. “Has God indeed said....” he preached. His sly message was to doubt God’s Word preached by His called prophet and to doubt God’s love and care for us in what He provides. False prophets will always subtly seek to turn us away from God’s clear Written Word preached to trust in our own ways. False prophets call us to rebel against God’s gracious gift of life and care through our parents and other authorities. In the place of defending life they preach and practice a culture of death. In the place of the gift of marriage and the blessing of sexual intimacy given only to husband and wife to share in marital chastity - they mock marriage and adulterate and poison human sexuality. In the place of the gift of private property and care for your neighbor with your goods - they preach the idolatry of greed and stealing through redistribution of wealth. In the place of protecting your neighbor’s reputation and explaining everything in the kindest way possible - they make a mockery of the courts of law bringing charges without evidence and moving to convict before the accused is allowed to be heard. They open their mouths only to bite and devour their neighbors whether on line or in line at the coffee shop.
The first false prophet Satan turned us away from God’s Word of Life to trust in the Lie that only and always pays out the wages of death - now and eternally isolating us from our Creator and one another eternally in the flames of hell. His is the lying spirituality that our Lutheran Confessions label “enthusiasm’. We believe, teach, and confess: “3 In issues relating to the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one except through or with the preceding outward Word [Galatians 3:2, 5]. This protects us from the enthusiasts (i.e., souls who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word). They judge Scripture or the spoken Word and explain and stretch it at their pleasure...”McCain, P. T. (Ed.). (2005). Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (p. 280). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.
9 In a word, enthusiasm dwells in Adam and his children from the beginning to the end of the world. Its venom has been implanted and infused into them by the old serpent. It is the origin, power, and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the papacy and Muhammad. 10 Therefore, we must constantly maintain this point: God does not want to deal with us in any other way than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. Whatever is praised as from the Spirit—without the Word and Sacraments—is the devil himself. McCain, P. T. (Ed.). (2005). Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (p. 281). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.
Today as we see Jesus’ Divine Nature as the eternally only begotten Son of the Father, shining through His Human Nature on the Mount of Transfiguration. Learn only to: “Look To The Light With Your Ears!”
Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ Divine Nature shining through His Human Flesh and Blood. Their testimony is recorded in the Gospel and it was sealed with the blood of Peter, James, and nine of the other apostles. Martyr means “witness.” They witnessed the historical truth of mankind’s redemption in Jesus’ flesh and blood crucified, risen, ascended, ruling, and coming again to judge. Only John would die of old age in Ephesus. Our Lord Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee restoring Peter to his apostolic office called him to “Follow” Him. He also spoke to Peter by what death he would glorify God. Now Peter’s time of departure is drawing near. The Roman government that Peter taught his congregations to pray for and respect - would soon under Nero arrest and crucify him. Peter writes this second letter to again ground his congregations in the Truth - Christ’s doctrine. We should learn from this to never stop studying, reading, repeating, and meditating upon Christ’s doctrine summarized in the Small Catechism. You will never master it and Satan, the world, and your own lazy flesh will never stop trying to lead you away from the truth to trust self- spiritualizing fables and myths.
St. Peter testifies, (vs.16). There are many cunningly devised fables to lead us away from the truth. The Truth that Jesus has defeated sin, death, and the power of the devil for us sinners upon Calvary. The Truth that death is defeated as Jesus physically rose from the dead. The Truth that He has opened heaven to all believers and redeems us as total body/soul creatures. The Truth that He is coming again to judge the living and the dead. The lying false religion of evolution teaches us that life is only an accident and death is natural. The lying false religion of scientism goads us to live in fear of tomorrow and never question what it says - but blindly follow its dictates without hard empirical data. The lying false religion of sexual freedom outside of marriage stands on the graves of 60 million unborn human persons slaughtered in abortitoriums - along with men and women haunted by their decision to follow the easy way out.
What did Peter, James, and John witness: (vs.17-18) As Jesus prayed - His face shone as the sun and His clothing became white as the light. They saw Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus about His upcoming exodus that He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem - His suffering, death, and resurrection to save all sinners. Heaven and earth were reunited in Jesus’ flesh and blood. Peter didn’t want to leave, instead he wanted to build three sanctuaries and stay in this holy bliss. Then God the Father overshadowed them - not in a dark cloud like on Mount Sinai, but in a bright cloud. He preached,"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" The greatest worship of Jesus is to listen to Him - to hear His death defeating guilt washing away word of our adoption spoken in Holy Baptism. To Hear Him speaking us peace through the forgiveness of our sins comforting us by His Holy Spirit as His Easter word of absolution is spoken by the pastor as from Christ Himself. To Hear Him bringing life and immortality to light through the Gospel preached by those called and ordain servants of His Word. To Hear Him inviting sinners to His feast of forgiveness, life, and salvation every Sunday within His Church. To Hear Him as our Redeemer.
Peter testifies that they heard Him on the “holy mountain” when they were “with Him.” The Mount of Transfiguration was holy because God’s Word of the cross was being preached there and Jesus was really and truly present. Every Sunday as we gather physically as a congregation - Jesus is truly and really present here as True Man sympathizing with all our struggles and as True God to forgiven, feed, strengthen, and comfort us through the forgiveness of all our sins by His Holy Spirit. Here He is with us our Emmanuel - God with us.
Learn well from Jesus’ transfiguration - His Divine Nature shining through His Human flesh wasn’t to destroy His flesh and blood. He is giving us a glimpse of what will happen to all sinners who cling alone to His Word of forgiveness on the Last Days. Our mortal bodies will be raised immortal. Our corruptible bodies will be raised incorruptible. In Jesus God the Father is well pleased with us and will bring us from death to life eternal. We shall be like Him in these bodies of ours freed from sin, death, and all of Satan’s lies - to live and feast with Him eternally.
Cling to God’s Word! (Vs.19) The words of the prophets are confirmed in Christ Jesus. Today the Church also remembers St. Timothy, a pastor trained by St. Paul to preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, forgive or retain sins. Paul reminded this young pastor - “2 Timothy 3:15 GW From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus.” Paul’s grandmother and mother had taken him to hear God’s Word in the local synagogue from his infancy - they had taught him at home God’s Word - the Old Testament. Moses and the prophets preached only salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Heed! Listen to the Holy Scriptures! On that first Easter evening Jesus opened the Scriptures to His disciples showing them from Moses and the Prophets that it was necessary for Him to suffer, die, and rise again on the third day to save us sinners. The Scriptures testify of Jesus whose glory was to suffer and die upon the cross to pay our debt of sin and full, to rise again to deliver us from our arch enemy Satan who bound us with the fear of death, to ascend to rule over all governments for the sake of the Gospel being preached to gather His elect from all nations, to come again in glory to liberate this world from the bondage of sin and fully redeem our bodies from death and the grave - filling us with His life and light that will never end.
How do we know that this is most certainly true! Through the Word of God - preached and written by the prophets and apostles. (Vs.20-21) The Holy Bible isn’t given to us for our private interpretation. Satan from the beginning twisted and perverted God’s Word to steal it from mankind. If the only time you search the Scriptures is to find passages to defend what you want to do - they you are under Satan’s deception. The Scriptures call us to repent and believe the Gospel. To turn away from our self- seeking and be taught by God the Holy Spirit and the whole counsel of prophets and apostles. To look only to Jesus. Peter, James, and John fell down as dead men upon the mount of transfiguration when God the Father preached to them. Then Jesus came and touched them saying, “Rise, have no fear.” Today He reaches out and touches your lips with His living body and life giving blood - He calls you from your death of sin, guilt, and shame to listen to His Word - “Given and shed FOR YOU - You are forgiven - Your debt settled - Your salvation is placed upon your lips - depart in peace - “Rise, have no fear.” Amen.
Sermon Text: 2 Peter 1:16-21
Sermon Theme: “Look To The Light With Your Ears!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. The prophetic Word is fully confirmed in the flesh and blood of Christ Jesus! Zacharias, the father of eight day old John the Baptizer, prophesied: “Luke 1:68-71 "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, (69) And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, (70) As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, (71) That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us,” The Lord God of Israel has visited and redeemed His people. He has taken on flesh and blood in the womb of the Virgin Mary - He is a living human male person a three month old fetus in His Mother’s womb. God’s Word of promise preached by His holy prophets - men given God’s Word and called to preach it - have preached this message since the world began. Adam the first prophet was to preach God’s promise and the Creator’s communion with mankind at the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden. Then came a false prophet dressed up in the skin of a serpent. Satan breathed lying words, enticing words, words that appealed to human pride, fleshly desires, and self-serving wisdom. “Has God indeed said....” he preached. His sly message was to doubt God’s Word preached by His called prophet and to doubt God’s love and care for us in what He provides. False prophets will always subtly seek to turn us away from God’s clear Written Word preached to trust in our own ways. False prophets call us to rebel against God’s gracious gift of life and care through our parents and other authorities. In the place of defending life they preach and practice a culture of death. In the place of the gift of marriage and the blessing of sexual intimacy given only to husband and wife to share in marital chastity - they mock marriage and adulterate and poison human sexuality. In the place of the gift of private property and care for your neighbor with your goods - they preach the idolatry of greed and stealing through redistribution of wealth. In the place of protecting your neighbor’s reputation and explaining everything in the kindest way possible - they make a mockery of the courts of law bringing charges without evidence and moving to convict before the accused is allowed to be heard. They open their mouths only to bite and devour their neighbors whether on line or in line at the coffee shop.
The first false prophet Satan turned us away from God’s Word of Life to trust in the Lie that only and always pays out the wages of death - now and eternally isolating us from our Creator and one another eternally in the flames of hell. His is the lying spirituality that our Lutheran Confessions label “enthusiasm’. We believe, teach, and confess: “3 In issues relating to the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one except through or with the preceding outward Word [Galatians 3:2, 5]. This protects us from the enthusiasts (i.e., souls who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word). They judge Scripture or the spoken Word and explain and stretch it at their pleasure...”McCain, P. T. (Ed.). (2005). Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (p. 280). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.
9 In a word, enthusiasm dwells in Adam and his children from the beginning to the end of the world. Its venom has been implanted and infused into them by the old serpent. It is the origin, power, and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the papacy and Muhammad. 10 Therefore, we must constantly maintain this point: God does not want to deal with us in any other way than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. Whatever is praised as from the Spirit—without the Word and Sacraments—is the devil himself. McCain, P. T. (Ed.). (2005). Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (p. 281). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.
Today as we see Jesus’ Divine Nature as the eternally only begotten Son of the Father, shining through His Human Nature on the Mount of Transfiguration. Learn only to: “Look To The Light With Your Ears!”
Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ Divine Nature shining through His Human Flesh and Blood. Their testimony is recorded in the Gospel and it was sealed with the blood of Peter, James, and nine of the other apostles. Martyr means “witness.” They witnessed the historical truth of mankind’s redemption in Jesus’ flesh and blood crucified, risen, ascended, ruling, and coming again to judge. Only John would die of old age in Ephesus. Our Lord Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee restoring Peter to his apostolic office called him to “Follow” Him. He also spoke to Peter by what death he would glorify God. Now Peter’s time of departure is drawing near. The Roman government that Peter taught his congregations to pray for and respect - would soon under Nero arrest and crucify him. Peter writes this second letter to again ground his congregations in the Truth - Christ’s doctrine. We should learn from this to never stop studying, reading, repeating, and meditating upon Christ’s doctrine summarized in the Small Catechism. You will never master it and Satan, the world, and your own lazy flesh will never stop trying to lead you away from the truth to trust self- spiritualizing fables and myths.
St. Peter testifies, (vs.16). There are many cunningly devised fables to lead us away from the truth. The Truth that Jesus has defeated sin, death, and the power of the devil for us sinners upon Calvary. The Truth that death is defeated as Jesus physically rose from the dead. The Truth that He has opened heaven to all believers and redeems us as total body/soul creatures. The Truth that He is coming again to judge the living and the dead. The lying false religion of evolution teaches us that life is only an accident and death is natural. The lying false religion of scientism goads us to live in fear of tomorrow and never question what it says - but blindly follow its dictates without hard empirical data. The lying false religion of sexual freedom outside of marriage stands on the graves of 60 million unborn human persons slaughtered in abortitoriums - along with men and women haunted by their decision to follow the easy way out.
What did Peter, James, and John witness: (vs.17-18) As Jesus prayed - His face shone as the sun and His clothing became white as the light. They saw Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus about His upcoming exodus that He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem - His suffering, death, and resurrection to save all sinners. Heaven and earth were reunited in Jesus’ flesh and blood. Peter didn’t want to leave, instead he wanted to build three sanctuaries and stay in this holy bliss. Then God the Father overshadowed them - not in a dark cloud like on Mount Sinai, but in a bright cloud. He preached,"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" The greatest worship of Jesus is to listen to Him - to hear His death defeating guilt washing away word of our adoption spoken in Holy Baptism. To Hear Him speaking us peace through the forgiveness of our sins comforting us by His Holy Spirit as His Easter word of absolution is spoken by the pastor as from Christ Himself. To Hear Him bringing life and immortality to light through the Gospel preached by those called and ordain servants of His Word. To Hear Him inviting sinners to His feast of forgiveness, life, and salvation every Sunday within His Church. To Hear Him as our Redeemer.
Peter testifies that they heard Him on the “holy mountain” when they were “with Him.” The Mount of Transfiguration was holy because God’s Word of the cross was being preached there and Jesus was really and truly present. Every Sunday as we gather physically as a congregation - Jesus is truly and really present here as True Man sympathizing with all our struggles and as True God to forgiven, feed, strengthen, and comfort us through the forgiveness of all our sins by His Holy Spirit. Here He is with us our Emmanuel - God with us.
Learn well from Jesus’ transfiguration - His Divine Nature shining through His Human flesh wasn’t to destroy His flesh and blood. He is giving us a glimpse of what will happen to all sinners who cling alone to His Word of forgiveness on the Last Days. Our mortal bodies will be raised immortal. Our corruptible bodies will be raised incorruptible. In Jesus God the Father is well pleased with us and will bring us from death to life eternal. We shall be like Him in these bodies of ours freed from sin, death, and all of Satan’s lies - to live and feast with Him eternally.
Cling to God’s Word! (Vs.19) The words of the prophets are confirmed in Christ Jesus. Today the Church also remembers St. Timothy, a pastor trained by St. Paul to preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, forgive or retain sins. Paul reminded this young pastor - “2 Timothy 3:15 GW From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus.” Paul’s grandmother and mother had taken him to hear God’s Word in the local synagogue from his infancy - they had taught him at home God’s Word - the Old Testament. Moses and the prophets preached only salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Heed! Listen to the Holy Scriptures! On that first Easter evening Jesus opened the Scriptures to His disciples showing them from Moses and the Prophets that it was necessary for Him to suffer, die, and rise again on the third day to save us sinners. The Scriptures testify of Jesus whose glory was to suffer and die upon the cross to pay our debt of sin and full, to rise again to deliver us from our arch enemy Satan who bound us with the fear of death, to ascend to rule over all governments for the sake of the Gospel being preached to gather His elect from all nations, to come again in glory to liberate this world from the bondage of sin and fully redeem our bodies from death and the grave - filling us with His life and light that will never end.
How do we know that this is most certainly true! Through the Word of God - preached and written by the prophets and apostles. (Vs.20-21) The Holy Bible isn’t given to us for our private interpretation. Satan from the beginning twisted and perverted God’s Word to steal it from mankind. If the only time you search the Scriptures is to find passages to defend what you want to do - they you are under Satan’s deception. The Scriptures call us to repent and believe the Gospel. To turn away from our self- seeking and be taught by God the Holy Spirit and the whole counsel of prophets and apostles. To look only to Jesus. Peter, James, and John fell down as dead men upon the mount of transfiguration when God the Father preached to them. Then Jesus came and touched them saying, “Rise, have no fear.” Today He reaches out and touches your lips with His living body and life giving blood - He calls you from your death of sin, guilt, and shame to listen to His Word - “Given and shed FOR YOU - You are forgiven - Your debt settled - Your salvation is placed upon your lips - depart in peace - “Rise, have no fear.” Amen.
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