A Valentine from Dad

Pastor: 
Rev Jon Brohn
Date: 
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sermon Text: 

(Luke 9:28-36)  28About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)

 34While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." 36When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.

My dear friends in Christ,
What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day memory? I can remember several different Valentine’s Days. I remember my mom making us a big heart shaped cookie. I remember high school—giving different colored carnations, and hoping that someone had picked one out for me. I remember a Valentine’s Day dinner Kay and I shared in Houston, after waiting about 2 hours for our table at our favorite restaurant. My favorite Valentine memory really isn’t even a memory. A while ago, my mom gave me a manila envelope filled with all kinds of “stuff.” As I was sorting through it, I found my first valentine. It was cute, with a little puppy on the front, and it was signed, “Love, Daddy and Mommy.” It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t expensive. It was a reminder that the love and support I have from my parents has been there from the very beginning.
Today, as we climb up the mountain with Jesus, we’re going to catch a glimpse of a Valentine from Dad. Not our earthly fathers, but from our heavenly Father. It’s a Valentine for his Son, and for all of us.
Luke begins with the words, "About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray" (Luke 9:28). Eight days earlier, Jesus was with his disciples and shared some rough news. “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life" (Luke 9:22).
Jesus’ spent his entire life and ministry in the shadow of the cross. He knew Isaiah’s prophecy: “ …His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness…He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised” (Isaiah 52:14, 53:3). In a matter of weeks, even days Jesus would face the end. The diagnosis? Terminal. Illness wasn’t the enemy. Our sin carried on his back meant he would be “familiar with suffering.” He was headed for death, something that God never had to experience, but Jesus would. Paul wrote in Philippians 2, "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:8). Jesus needed a Valentine from his Father, one that would remind him his Father’s love and support were still there.
How do you usually receive your Valentines? Are they hand delivered? Do they come in the mailbox? The Father’s Valentine arrived “special delivery.” Luke said, "As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus" (Luke 9:29-31). Two of God’s greatest prophets, Moses and Elijah delivered this Valentine.
Moses was the author of the first five books of the Bible—also called the Law of Moses or the Torah. He was the legendary leader who, with God’s help and power, led the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. The Bible says, "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend" (Exodus 33:11). The end of Deuteronomy tells us, "Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel" (Deuteronomy 34:10-12). This same Moses appeared on the mountaintop to encourage Jesus.
Elijah was God’s prophet during the dark times of Israel’s kingdom. He preached to King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, two of the most corrupt spiritual leaders Israel had seen. Elijah called down fire from heaven on the top of Mt. Carmel, and then destroyed 450 prophets of Baal. After he escaped, the LORD spoke to him on another mountain, not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire, but in a still small voice. Elijah escaped death itself when the LORD took him directly to heaven in a chariot pulled by fiery horses.
Both of these men, whose words and ministries had pointed to the Messiah, appeared to encourage God’s Son and to give him a final pep talk. Luke said, "They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31). Jesus needed encouragement, and received it from two of his best Old Testament friends.
Jesus would need more than support and encouragement from his friends. He needed a Valentine from his Father, reminding him that Dad still loved and honored him. His Father didn’t let him down. A cloud appeared and covered the mountain. "A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him’" (Luke 9:35). That’s a little different Valentine than the one recorded in Matthew and Mark. There the voice says, “This is my Son, whom I love” (Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7). Both have the same meaning. The Father loves, and so he chooses. Moses reminded the Israelites, “He loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them" (Deuteronomy 4:37).
This is the second and final time that Jesus would hear his Father’s encouragement. Jesus needed the Father’s Valentine to face the suffering that awaited him. Even as Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” he could still hear his Father’s voice echoing, “My Son, whom I have chosen…my Son, whom I love.” The Father’s message of love and approval gave Jesus the strength to complete the plan of salvation.
Thinking back to Valentine’s Days gone by, I still remember getting a Valentine from my favorite teacher. It was second grade—Miss Cox. She made sure each one of us received a Valentine so we would know how much she loved her students!
The Father also sent this Valentine for his group of students. Remember how Jesus announced his suffering, death and resurrection? He also told the disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
That’s not a very attractive offer. If anyone wants to follow Jesus, a cross awaits. Suffering, sacrifice, and even death were the first things that would have come to mind. Who wants to be part of that? Fear began to worm its way into the disciples’ hearts, fear that would show up in denial and flight on the night Jesus needed them the most. Peter, James and John needed the Father’s Valentine to keep them going during the difficult days ahead.
Jesus invited the three to accompany him on the mountain. As usual, they didn’t stay awake for what they expected would be a lengthy prayer session between Jesus and his Father. Luke said, "Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him" (Luke 9:32).
It was as though they had travelled back in time. They saw Moses and Elijah, very much alive, talking with their teacher. And Jesus—what had happened to him? He looked different—incredible! His face changed. Matthew told us “his face shone like the sun.” Luke described his clothes “as bright as a flash of lightning.” No wonder John would write many years later, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Peter was so excited that he didn’t want it to end. "As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ (He did not know what he was saying)" (Luke 9:33). Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them. The disciples were terrified. They trembled because they understood their sinful weakness. They were afraid to deny themselves and take up the cross. They were sinful human beings who should not see God and live!
Peter, James and John heard the Father’s voice for their encouragement, too. In the coming days, they would witness all of Jesus’ passion. They saw the beatings he endured, the cross he bore, the agony and suffering he endured on Calvary, and finally his death. It’s hard enough to deal with the death of a loved one, but go through all of that too? They needed to see Jesus’ glory and be reminded one last time that he is the one about whom Peter confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
Valentine’s Day was always tough for Charlie Brown. He waited for a Valentine to show up in his mailbox. He hoped beyond all hope that the little red-head girl would like him enough to send one. Charlie Brown never got that Valentine, and sat dejectedly against the mailbox.
Ever feel like Charlie Brown? Do you wonder if your spouse still loves you and how your marriage can survive the rough spot you’re in? Are you single, like Charlie Brown, and wondering if anyone could ever love you? Are you struggling in a relationship, wondering when and where to take the next step with the person you love? Do you need support as you deal with a boyfriend or girlfriend who wants the next step to be an apartment together? Are you having a rough time with your parents? Did you get a Valentine from the person you really hoped would give you one?
It’s hard to feel unloved, especially on Valentine’s Day. That’s what sin does. It ruins relationships. It ruins the choices that we make when we try to love each other. It makes us give up on the people around us. It tempts us to ignore the LORD’s love in our lives.
That’s why we need to find the Valentine from our Father. It doesn’t show up in our mailboxes or in our e-mail. God sent us an incredibly detailed Valentine. He calls it the Bible. It came special delivery, thanks to prophets like Moses and Elijah, and eyewitnesses like Peter, James and John. The message he sent is clear. The LORD is in love with us. He loved us even before time began. He loved us despite our rejection, our sin, and even our unbelief. He is so in love with us that he gave up his most precious possession, his only Son. That’s why Jesus went to Jerusalem, even though he knew exactly what awaited him. Jesus is in love with you and me. Paul describes how much in Ephesians 5. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Will you get that kind of commitment from anyone else today? It’s impossible! God expresses his love for us in Jesus. He promises to fix broken relationships. He promises to bless our lives, even if we don’t find a spouse to share it with. He gives guidance for young people experiencing love for the first time. He loves us, even when it feels like no one else does. What a perfect Valentine! Thanks, Father! Amen.
Sermon Audio: 
20100214 sermon.mp3