The Transfiguration of Our Lord

Matthew 17:1-9

January 25, 2026

“Rise, and have no fear!” With these words, the Lord JESUS summons us to follow Him.

He is more than we thought. He is more than a means to an end. He is more than a good teacher. He is more than a heavenly retirement plan.

He is the incarnate God.

Peter, James, and John see Him transfigured, changed, metamorphosed. His face shines like the sun; His clothes dazzle with uncreated light. The holy prophets Moses and Elijah appear.

Yet even this inner circle of the disciples does not understand. They see Jesus as one of these holy prophets. There are like a recent Uber driver of mine. He had a distinctly Islamic name, but he was listening to the local Christian radio station. So I asked him if he was a Christian. He said, “No, I’m Muslim, but we believe in Jesus too.”

He’s right. They do believe in Jesus – as a prophet. Thomas Jefferson believed in Jesus – as a good ethical teacher.

But such beliefs are insufficient. They do not account for who Jesus truly is.

The Transfiguration comes at the end of the Epiphany season as the great manifestation of what the Wise Men confessed. These Magi come from the East and worship the little JESUS as God. The gift of incense particularly is notable: incense was commanded in the worship of YHWH, and is historically part of the Christian liturgy.

And when the divine presence entered the tabernacle at the end of Exodus, the cloud of glory appeared. Moses anointed the table, lit the oil lamps, and burned incense. There was a basin of water, anticipating holy baptism. There was an altar for the bread of the presence, anticipating the holy communion. And then, at the inaugural liturgy in the Tabernacle, this happened:

Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle.

Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. The cloud of the LORD hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys. [Ex. 40:34-38, NLT]

There is the cloud of glory, with fire glowing out. It is almost unimaginable, a thick cloud that prevents sight and prevents even human presence, yet shines like the sun.

This is what appears at the Transfiguration. The cloud of glory tells the disciples they’ve got it wrong. Jesus isn’t another prophet like Moses and Elijah. Jesus exists inside the cloud. He is the enfleshed YHWH. From the cloud they hear the voice, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

These same words were spoken when John baptized Jesus. Yet they did not grasp its meaning.

These words are recorded for us to grasp the meaning. The God-man has come for us. He has come for our sorrows. He has come for our shame. He has come for our failure. He has come for our frailty. He has come for our babies. He has come for our benefit. The Lord JESUS has come to a humanity not pleasing to the Father – but in Him, in the Divine Son, God is well pleased.

His obedience gets transferred to us. His obedience gets credited to us. Our sin, His righteousness. Our darkness, His light. Our death, His life.

That’s what gets poured over Abigail. Life. Light. Righteousness.

But He is not done with us there. The Father says to all the baptized what He said to Peter, James, and John. “Hear Him!” Follow Him. Stay close to Him. For “where Christ is, there heaven stands open” [Luther].

He comes to you today just as He approached Peter, James, and John in their terror. “Rise, and have no fear!”

This refrain resounds throughout the New Testament.

Gabriel appears to Zacharias with the news Elizabeth will bear him a son. “Have no fear, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard!” [Lk 1.13]. Yet he does not believe. How foolish! For is anything impossible with God? No! And yet we are like him, disbelieving God will keep His promises. And so we are stuck in fear and anxiety, all of our own making.

Gabriel repeats the same message to Mary: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son” [Lk 1.30f]. She does not understand, yet she says “Amen!” to God’s Word. This is how a disciple of Jesus lives. And this is how a disciple of Jesus dies: Confident God’s Word is true.

Joseph too was confused. Can a virgin conceive? To him the angel likewise said, “Do not be afraid!”

On and on it goes. The angels to the shepherds [Lk 2.10], “Have no fear!”

To Jairus, whose daughter has just died: “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well” [Lk 8.50].

Jesus teaches His disciples how to face persecution: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” [Mt 10.28]. And again: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” [Lk 12.32].

When the storm erupts around the disciples, Jesus approaches and says, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid” [Mt 14.27]. “Be of good cheer” means more than have a happy outlook on life. It means, “Be courageous.” Courage isn’t a denial of danger; but courage faces the danger certain that God works all things for good, certain that Jesus is risen from the dead, certain that the devil’s defeat is sure, certain that the Lord will set all things to right. Therefore so what if things look bad? So what if the darkness looms and the wicked appear to prosper? We know how it ends. Life wins. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall not overcome it.

Like at the Transfiguration, St. John in Rev. 1 sees the enthroned Christ in His full glory. He holds seven stars in His right hand, a two-edged sword comes out of His mouth, and His face shines like the sun shining at full strength. John falls down before Him as a dead man. But like at the Transfiguration, the Lord JESUS says, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” [Rev 1.17f].

So rise, brothers, and have no fear! You serve the Lord of the Cosmos. You serve the One who has traveled the paths of the dead and emerged victorious.

Have no fear. What can the weather do to you?

Have no fear. What can the governor of Virginia do to you?

Have no fear. Death cannot hold you.

Have no fear. Tyrants cannot oppress you.

Have no fear. The demons flee at the name of your Lord JESUS.

Rise, and have no fear! +INJ+