2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Last Sunday after Epiphany—Transfiguration Sunday

February 22, 2009

 

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (New International Version)

3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

 

 

“Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here,” blurted out Peter in today’s Gospel reading.  It had to be exciting to see the divine glory of Jesus dazzling the scene.  We can understand why Peter would want to preserve the experience.  We wish to do the same with memorable times, so we make a video or take pictures of special events and review them periodically.  Yet we cannot live in the past.  We must return to the challenges and struggles of life in a sinful world.

 

The moment on the mount wasn’t worthless, however.  It was etched in the minds of the three disciples who shared it with the Savior and it could help see them through the events that would soon transpire.  Transfiguration Sunday can do the same for us who are about to enter the somber season of Lent.  As we follow Jesus along His path of suffering in the weeks ahead, we remember who He really is.  Then we will be able to


KEEP THE GLORY SHINING

 

The glory of Jesus Christ is veiled to some.  The culprit is identified in the text:  “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  A god is someone whom people look to for help and benefits.  They turn to their god with expectation and trust.  St. Paul was talking about Satan.  He seems to be in charge at the present time because he exerts so much influence in our world.  Yet he is limited—he is “the god of this age” as Paul termed him, and that means of this age only.  He does not have control forever.  In fact, he operates under limits set by the true God.  Everyone comes into this world under his power.  We were all lost in unbelief, enemies of God, spiritually blind and dead in sin.  The saving message of Jesus Christ is foolishness to us by nature.

 

Paul knew the condition firsthand.  He had formerly opposed Christ and devoted himself to destroying the Christian faith.  It was not that he was disinterested in things spiritual.  He was a dedicated Pharisee, a zealous religious man.  However, He was convinced that Jesus was not the promised Messiah, but that He was a dangerous imposter.  Claiming to be the Son of God made Him guilty of blasphemy, of showing disrespect for God.  So Paul was sure he was serving God when he was persecuting Christians.

 

We were no better.  The devil didn’t mellow with age, but is powerful still.  The Bible describes him as a roaring lion.  Remember, he was created as an angel.  He is powerful.  As we come into this world we are under the control of the devil and blinded so that we do not see the light of the gospel.

 

In fact, even for us as believers the glory of the gospel still gets clouded at times.  Satan gains the upper hand with us and our fellow believers.  He leads us to have doubts about our faith and to entertain denials of God’s truth.  He leads God’s people to sin and sully the reputation of the Savior.  He leads pastors and people to forget whose they are, to embarrass the Lord with sinful behavior, and sometimes to harm each other as they fight and blame one another or stab each other in the back with gossip or false accusations.  We get jealous and compete with each other, forgetting we are on the same team.

 

In spite of these sinful ways among believers, the gospel is a glorious light.  A blind person cannot see the sun, but the sun is no less bright.  So it is with the gospel.  It is the message of Jesus, “the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  Jesus is God from eternity, one in the Trinity with the Father and the Spirit.  He came to our earth as a true human being, yet remained true God.  In Jesus we see what God is like.  While on earth He did not always use or show His divine glory, but He still had it.

 

He came in lowliness, evident from His birth in a stable.  His youth was spent in Nazareth, not a highly regarded area, so that we heard Nathanael say in one of the gospel readings recently, “Nazareth!  Can anything good come from there?”  He performed miracles like we heard in the gospels of recent weekends, but He was often rejected.  Then came the events we consider during Lent.  Jesus endured mistreatment; He was arrested and led helplessly (or so it seemed) from court to court, where He faced false charges and indignities.  He died on a cross, a terrible form of death.  How could anybody like that be great?  Yet it was glorious.  Those events were a clear demonstration of His love.  Did you ever see love so great?  The Savior poured out His life for a sinful, rejecting world.  “What wondrous love is this!” a Lenten hymn exclaims.  Christ’s love has no equal.  It was wondrous in its effects.  Jesus paid the full price.  He won forgiveness for us.  Every sin has been removed.  God declared the world forgiven in Christ.  He also achieved the righteousness God requires.  We are welcome in His heaven.  That news is glorious.  There is nothing wrong with the message of the gospel.  Its glory will keep shining.

II.

That’s the glorious message God proclaims and He will keep the glory shining through you.  First it had to come to you.  “God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”  The darkness didn’t create light.  That act took an outside agent.  God called the light into being.  He created it by the power of His command.  It was a marvelous deed, as was the entire task of creation.

 

There was an even more marvelous deed when it came to bringing us salvation.  God had sent Jesus on that mission, as we noted.  His work was done to perfection.  Then He brought it to you personally.  A brilliant light shone in your heart.  The gospel was proclaimed to you, the message of Jesus and what He did to save you.  And it was effective.  You were converted to faith in the Savior.

 

Paul had an extraordinary experience in the matter of conversion.  He was traveling to Damascus in search of more Christians to haul before the authorities.  His efforts had been so successful in Jerusalem that he needed a fresh field.  Jesus appeared to him in a bright light from heaven.  He confronted Paul with his wrongheaded opposition.  It stopped him in his tracks.  The incident left him blind, so He had time for reflection, time for rethinking and refocusing in the right direction.  He was baptized as a Christian.  Paul then became a fervent promoter of the gospel.

 

Our stories are likely less dramatic but the rescue was as great.  A lost sinner became a saved saint.  Baptism brought you into God’s family.  Continued instruction with the gospel brought further illumination and a Spirit-produced appreciation of Christ’s work.

 

Now the glory is shining to others through you.  Knowing the difference in his existence now and eternally meant Paul had to proclaim the gospel to more people.  As a former persecutor of Christians, it was challenging work to attempt.  Was he genuine or was it a trick?  Hearers were suspicious.  False teachers attacked his apostleship and authority to teach.  Paul was not deterred.  The challenges spurred him on to greater efforts.  He did not take the rejection as a personal matter, for he did not preach himself.  Jesus was the content of Paul’s preaching.  The message was His.  Paul was a servant of those to whom he preached, not owned by or subject to them, but working in their interest.

 

Our hearts have been touched by the love of Jesus.  The impact of the message compels us to share it.  We become a light tower to lead others to Jesus.  We expend energy and effort to bring the gospel to those around us.  Doing so becomes our purpose, the reason for our continued existence.

 

We get discouraged at times.  We become tired.  We encounter rejection.  Our message is life-saving, but we don’t see a lot of enthusiasm for it.  Many hearers don’t seem to care—sometimes even those who are to be proclaiming the gospel.  Should we give up?

 

The elected leaders and called workers of our congregation and their spouses are meeting later today for a workshop.  Statistics on matters like attendance and support and our operating deficit are discouraging.  What are we going to do? 

 

We dare not change the message.  The gospel is a light shining in a dark world.   Its message is powerful and effective.  Its glory never fades.  It remains the only way to heaven.  It supplies light and salvation.  If we proclaimed ourselves, a lack of success would depress us.  But we proclaim Jesus.  We know that God will take care of the unfavorable responses.  We know what the message means to us and what it can do.  Never give up! 

 

Let’s work together with dedication and energy and love for the Savior.  Be filled with concern for a world in need.  Jesus is the light of the world.  Keep His glory shining.

 

Times may be challenging.  That circumstance only highlights the importance of our work.  People are hurting and need a solid foundation in their life. The gospel is the answer.  Let each of us give our all to bring the saving gospel to our congregation, our community and the world.  God will bless us.  He promises!