# Today’s lecturer is the co-pastor Mizuguchi

1. Jesus, brightening in glory

Today is the second Lord’s day of Lent, the time in which we commemorate and meditate Jesus’ death on the Cross and the Resurrection. Today’s our lecturing part is known as ” The transfiguration on the mount.” We will read the concerning portion from Luke.

Achieving the 2 years ministry in Galilee, Jesus was about to go to Jerusalem. In the city, Jesus’ opponents, or hight priests and law teachers, were ready to attest him. Though Jesus knew that the way to Jerusalem is the way to the Passion, he was willing to follow his internal voice, in other words God’s voice, which ordered him to go. However I think that he was somehow hesitating. Because he was then both divine and human. He might ask himself if the death on the Cross was unique way to give humnas the Salvation. Paul did not conceal that Jesus was fighting against anxiety. ; - During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.(Hebrews 5:7)

Even to the son of God the death on the Cross was such a huge task . So much so, before arriving at Jerusalem, Jesus went up onto the mountain to pray God to have affirmation of the mission.(see Luke 9:28)

In the biblical world, mountains have special signification, the place to see God. For that purpose, Jesus went up there out from daily environments. He took only three of his disciples with him, Peter, John and James. Those three persons would be chosen again to attend Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. Today’s lecturing part tells that Jesus intended to show them as witnesses a predictive vision of upcoming events. Now let us see what happened. ; - As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. (Luke 9:29)

Luke reported that besides Jesus’ transfiguration another marvel took place. ; - Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.(Luke 9:30-31)

Moses is the successful leader at the time of the Exodus but the following journey to the promised land was very harsh. Jewish people commenced to blame Moses. So he needed to go up often to pray God for encouragement to the mission. (see the Exodus) Though Elijah is a prophet raised By God, he was persecuted by Jewish rulers. Being menaced by them, he also went up onto mountains to pray God for suport.

The two prophets came to Jesus to confirm that Jesus’ death on the Cross was God’ will. We must grasp spiritual significance of their speech. Because, without an adequate understanding, the story would remain a mere tale of miraculous transfiguration. Even though we cannot know what happened precisely, Luke’s writing reveals us that the mysterious experience made Jesus sure of the mission definitively.

Through correspondence with God, the face of Jesus changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. He was enlightened in glory of God. We can see there the real identity of Jesus, the Light itself. Though Jesus came to on the earth by taking human’s body to save us, his authentic identity is the son of God. The event on the mountain shows us the fact as John wrote ; - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.(John 1:1-3)

Transfiguration of Jesus is the revelation of the quintessence of Jesus, the light. He enlightens the world as the Savior. Once the mission was reaffirmed, the son of God went back down to the secular world. He was ready to go to Golgotha, the place for the Cross. Jerusalem then was still the world of darkness.

As Jesus went up on mountains, we come to church every Sunday to see God and receive missions, then go back to daily life in darkness. In this world, light and darkness conflict unceasingly. We are living in the darkness. For example, Japanese society is now struggling against political, social, economic and systematic problems under global financial crises. Many companies declared bankruptcy and unemployment rate increased and remains very high. More and more of terrible crime cases are reported. It seems that humans’ most dark side emerged out just in this time. But the light enlighten the world. The light is hope. Jesus came to us as the very light to give us hope. That is exactly the Good News. The church exists to spread the light to the out side world by following in Jesus’ footsteps. Even though our light seems weak and fragile, light is light. We must not forget that our mission is to spread the light to this dark world.

2. The light of Jesus changed Paul

Today’s invocation verses are Ephesians 5:8-19 ; - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Initially, humans were created by God as children of light. But, as time goes, they became unfaithful and went away from God’s will. In consequence they lost the light. Paul’s word above ‘darkness’ point the fact out. Therefore humans cannot believe in God anymore and are ignoring him. They don’t pray God correctly and cannot rejoice in relationship with him. But Jesus came to rehabilitate our original state, children of light, who will again communicate with God .
The Good News is the light which enlighten human world. And we as christians take part of the role of light. Though we are minority in Japanese society, we strive to achieve the aim. If Jesus did not come, who will represent goodness, righteousness and truth given by God?

Paul’s letter suggest us that even a minor act will give hope if it is motivated by those virtues. The church is reacting responsively against social problems and supporting pacifist movements because it has ‘represent goodness, righteousness and truth’ as internal nature. Though Paul had been a persecutor of christians, he inherited those virtues from Jesus. The prevailing light came from resurrected Jesus converted Paul into an eager follower of Jesus. But at first, haul needed to recognize weight of his own sin as darkness. The recognition led him to the conversion. Then he reflected profoundly on how to live to follow in footsteps of Jesus. As long as we look up the brightly blue sky we cannot know existence of the spiritual light which enlightens us from behind. In contrast, when we feeling humiliated and fell face down to avoid others eyes, we see our shadow. And, as shadow seems darker, we understand better strength of light. Paul said to Corinthians ; - For 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.(2 Corinthians 4:6)

Thus the light of Jesus gives humans new life.

3. My grace is sufficient for you

The Good News continue to give the light of hope to those who are depressed or desperate. However those persons sometimes cannot see clearly the fact. Mr. Matsuno who was one of church members and deceased recently had been among them. He arrived to recognize just before his death the grace of light generated by the Good News. Therefore at his burial ceremony we read 2 Corinthian 12:9 ; - But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

I was strongly touched by the verses.

Mr. Matsuno had been suffering from pulmonary emphysema, which is a progressive disease of the lung. In people with that disease, the lung tissues supporting the physical shape and function of the lung are destroyed. So he could live by depending on oxygen bottles during his latest days. He had lost his wife 10 years ago. She was a christian more faithful then him, he said. And his faith became weaker under physical and mental pains. He did not understand very long time why God gave his wife and him such harsh destines. It seems that he was always seeking an answer. Nonetheless, just facing his own death, he arrived to say, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Thus he could give thanks to God from his heart. At his last time he was consoled and embraced in the light of faith. After all, hard trials led him to God.

We arrive to accept unhappiness if we acknowledge that it was given by God. Paul taught it this way ; - No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.(1 Corinthians 10:13)
Like Paul’s, Mr. Matsuno’s heart was turned toward God by the power of light of Jesus.

Jesus, the light of the world, surrendered himself on the Cross. And, on this day of Lent, we keep in our mind that thanks to that act humans could become again children of the light.