Many of us have had them, those times when we felt like we were on top of the world, really happy, confident that we knew all the answers, or could solve any problem that came up. A point in time at which we felt everything was going right. Or we felt that we were really close to God, really in tune with God’s plan for us. In those moments, we were excited and alive, and everything seemed new. The moment might have come at some exciting event in your life: a birthday, graduation, baptism, your first kiss, your first day on the job, your wedding, the birth of a child, scoring your first goal on the hockey team, going to the show, or even catching your first fish. It might have been a spiritual experience, like being enlightened in a certain Bible Study, or experiencing God’s loving, protecting hand in your life with a near-miss of a car accident or similar blessing. Or it might have been something of a smaller, quieter nature, like a very intimate conversation with your father or mother when you felt that they honestly understood what you were saying and why you felt the way you did. Ever had one of those experiences?

Sometimes we call these "mountaintop experiences," and oh, how we hate to come down off that mountain! We want to hang on to that moment as long as we can! "It is Good for Us To Be Here!" we think. Three of Jesus’ disciples had one of these moments in our text today. We call this event from Jesus’ ministry "The Transfiguration." (read text.)

Can you imagine being Peter, James, or John? The three of them got to go up the mountain with Jesus alone. One minute, Jesus, the Teacher, the Rabbi, their friend and companion, the Son of Man, was with them. The next minute, his appearance changed to something that was not of this world! His face and body shone brighter than the sun! His clothes even were brighter than anything man-made. For 33 years, Jesus had masked his divine nature behind his human nature. But here, His heavenly Father allowed it to shine through. These three disciples were getting a glimpse of God’s divine glory! This was more than they could handle! It was something they would never forget!

Thirty years later, Peter insisted that the event on this mountain was neither an illusion or a myth: He writes in his second letter, "We were eyewitnesses of his majesty…We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain." John also began his gospel with these words: "We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father." And his letter with these words: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim."

Why was this event so significant to the disciples and the message they would proclaim? Because 1) first of all, God’s divine nature was showing through here! This cemented the fact in their hearts that Peter had just confessed that Jesus was indeed the Son of the Living God! He wasn’t just true man, but true God and our Savior! 2) Secondly, Elijah and Moses appeared and talked with Him. Jesus received the confirmation of the Old Testament witnesses. Jesus did not come to replace the Law and the Prophets from Old Testament Prophecy, He came to fulfill them! They were in perfect agreement. 3) Third, we have the approval that the Heavenly Father again gives to his Son, as at his baptism, when He descends in a cloud and says, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him." 4) Fourthly, Jesus begins anticipating and talking openly about his upcoming suffering and death for our sins. 5) And finally, He also foreshadows his resurrection on top of the mountain. What an important event this was in God’s plan of salvation and in Jesus’ ministry!

No wonder Peter said "Rabbi, It is good for us to be here." Now, Jesus never took you and I up this mountain and showed us the same thing. So, do we have any kind of similar opportunities at all? It might not seem so, but we do. Every Sunday, when we gather together as Christians, God gives us a similar mountaintop Transfiguration experience! No, we might not see Jesus visibly face to face, and Moses and Elijah don’t visibly show up each Sunday to chat with us, but we do get a glimpse of Transfiguration glory! 1) First of all, God does reveal Himself to us! He reveals Himself to us in his Word. We can hear Him speaking there. We can hear Him speaking through Moses (in the Law), through the prophets (like Elijah), and through his Son in the New Testament. He also reveals Himself to us in the sacraments. And there, we can see Jesus’ glory visibly! We can see His body and blood, with which He gave us life. 2) Secondly, here in church, we can hear the Father’s approval of His Son’s sacrifice for us in His Word. There He tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient payment for our sins. 3) And of course, here in church, we weekly hear about Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the assurance that we are going to heaven as God’s forgiven children because of that. So, God does give us a glimpse each Sunday of what Peter, James, and John got to see on that mountain.

Now, Peter wanted to put this glorious majesty on hold. He wanted to preserve this glorious moment. He did not want to leave. So he continued, "Let us put up three shelters – one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." It seems silly now, but Peter was excited and wanted to keep this forever. Would you or I be any different? Sure, we’d want to preserve it too!

But now, let me put it this way. If you were actually in Peter’s shoes, and were able to witness Jesus’ transfiguration, would you want to put up 3 tents and have Jesus live with you? Would you want Jesus to be living in your house? Would you want to offer Jesus your guest room to stay there day in and day out? If you did, what would Jesus see in your house? Would He see you devoting yourselves to his Word? Would He see loving actions and hear kind words? Would He see and hear only God-pleasing material on the TV? Would He hear members of your family forgiving each other when it is needed? Would He hear children obeying and respecting their parents? Would He hear clean humor? If your house is like mine, He wouldn’t be pleased with everything He saw and heard.

I bet things in your house would change a bit! I bet the members of your family would watch themselves a little more! Why? They would have the perfect example to follow! We would have the reminder of what wondrous love He has shown us! If we were unbelievers, it would only be uncomfortable to have Jesus in our house. But as believers, as Christians, it is very comforting! We are reminded constantly of his love and forgiveness! The Mount of Transfiguration reminds us of what Jesus did for you and me. And even if you don’t have the chance to put up a tent for Him or give Him your guest room, Jesus most certainly IS living in your house! He lives there through the promises He has given in his Word.

Sunday is often a pinnacle moment, a high point, in a Christian’s life. We ascend the "mountain of God" and see his glory in His Word and Sacraments every week. Like Peter, we want to preserve this moment throughout the week. But not by setting up tents. So how can we preserve the moment? God the Father tells us in our text: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!" Preserve the moment by continuing to listen to Jesus. Read his Word. Study it. Make it a part of your life and your family’s life. That is how you can invite Jesus into your house to stay. You can "make tents" for Him, Moses, and Elijah by letting Jesus speak to us through His Word! There, you will see his glory and be reminded of the promise that He has forgiven you and written your name in the book of heaven. And when you are assured of that, I think you will agree with Peter, "It is Good For Us To Be Here!!" Amen.

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