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A Voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”

᛭ INI ᛭

Today’s Transfiguration Sunday when we hear about the time Jesus’ appearance changed before his disciples. It’s a good way to finish up the season of Epiphany in the lectionary, the system of readings, that we follow. Epiphany means “revealing” or “appearing.” When Jesus’ appearance changes, it reveals, it shows who He is: He’s the eternal Son of God who became man, *“for us and for our salvation.”*

Peter, James, and John, were Jesus’ three closest disciples. All the Apostles followed Jesus around, but sometimes He just took these three along. That’s what happens when Jesus heads up this mountain. They knew Jesus. They’d traveled with Him, eaten with Him, even partied with Him at Cana! But on that mountain Jesus didn’t look much like Jesus anymore! “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.”

“Moses and Elijah also [showed up], [to chat] with Jesus.” Peter, of course, wanted to hang around, but then the Father shows up, Pillar of Cloud, and speaks, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” They’re terrified, but when it’s all said and done, they aren’t any more. Then they see and hear only Jesus: “Rise, and have no fear.

While coming down the mountain, Jesus told them **“Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”** (He’d just be talking about that with Moses and Elijah. (Lk 9))

At first they were afraid, but by the end they weren’t. Why? Because they’d listened to Jesus! For,

YOU ONLY HAVE NO FEAR WHEN YOU LISTEN TO JESUS.

(I. The Father commands this listening.)

We must listen to Jesus, because God the Father commands it! No one can dodge what He says or avoid it or wiggle out of it or soften it. “Listen to Him!” (This isn’t a joke or suggestion…) “Listen to Him!” This Word echoes “throughout all generations,” even in your ears and mine. He means it now just as much as He did back then. “Listen to Him!” Listen to Jesus!

There’s eternal danger in not listening. The Father isn’t messing around. He’s deadly serious. When He says, “Listen to Him,” He’s summarizing what He already told Moses in Deuteronomy:

I’ll raise up for them a Prophet like you from [among them]. I’ll tell Him what to say, and He’ll [tell] them everything I command Him. I’ll hold personally responsible anyone who won’t listen to My words spoken by Him. (Dt 18:18–19 MSG, alt.)

The Father’s command is clear: “Listen to Him!” The consequences for those who don’t is also clear: “I’ll hold personally responsible anyone who won’t listen to My words spoken by Him.” If you’re not listening to Jesus, you’re listening to someone else: yourself, the world, or even the devil… That’s pretty scary!

YOU ONLY HAVE NO FEAR WHEN YOU LISTEN TO JESUS.

(II. Because of the Holy Spirit there is this listening.)

So, how do you listen? Where’s Jesus’ Word heard? You know, don’t you? So, why don’t you!? Listening isn’t just obedience but faith. Faith never believes that God makes empty threats: “I’ll hold personally responsible any…”

How do you listen? The Spirit inspires the instrument for listening to take place. The Spirit who inspired all the authors of the Bible. That’s 2nd Peter! “Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Christ sent the Spirit to do that. The Spirit speaks about Christ and delivers His Word through those men. St. Peter says, “The Spirit of Christ in [the prophets] was [explaining about your salvation] when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and [His glories that followed.]” (1 Pet 1:11) Same with the Apostles—Jesus promises them that the Spirit “will teach [them] all things and bring to [their] remembrance all that [He’d] said to [them].” (Jn 14:26) So, the Bible is how you listen to Jesus. The Bible is Jesus’ Word—yes, it’s “God’s Word” but Jesus is God, so it’s Jesus’ Word—anything else is just “the imagination of proud hearts.” (Lk 1:51)

Yet, Christ also promises to speak through His faithful preachers: “Whoever listens to you is listening to Me, and whoever ignores you is ignoring Me, and whoever ignores Me is ignoring [the Father] who sent Me.” (Lk 10:16)

**“The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.” (Rom 8)**

Listening like faith comes from the Spirit. “My sheep listen to My Voice,” Jesus says. (Jn 10) Those who don’t aren’t. They’re goats who end up in hell.

Our flesh won’t ever or ever want to “Listen to Him!” Our flesh wants something other than His Word—whatever it is! 2 Peter says that the Prophetic Word, the Bible, is more certain than any experience, even the Transfiguration! The “still small voice” of Jesus is written in the Bible. “Who needs that!” says the flesh. Dusty Bibles prove it…

Whoever won’t listen to Jesus’ Word, doesn’t have the Spirit or faith, doesn’t have Jesus or His Father. As Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he’ll [cherish] My Word, and My Father will love him … Whoever doesn’t love Me doesn’t [cherish] My Words. [My Words aren’t Mine but the Father’s…]” (Jn 14:23–24)

If you’re listening, that’s the Spirit working within you. He opens ears to hear, eyes to read, minds to understand, hearts to believe, and even opens mouths to speak Jesus Word! As the Spirit says through Paul: “Let Christ’s Word dwell in you richly, [by] teaching and warning one another in all wisdom, [by] singing psalms and hymns and songs from the Spirit…” (Col 3) (A Bible passage for why we worship the way we do…)

Ignoring, shrugging off—that’s from the devil and your flesh. Paying attention, believing, and speaking, that’s from the Spirit. He “gives you an open ear.” (Ps 40:6) Just like He “opened [Lydia’s] heart to pay attention to what St. Paul said.” (Acts 16) “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:17)

For, **“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How will they call on Him, if they don’t believe in Him? How will they believe, if they don’t hear about Him? How will they hear without a preacher? ... Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:13–14, 17)**

(III. So, what do we “hear” in Jesus’ speaking?)

So, let’s listen to Jesus! Then we’ll have no fear! As He says, “Rise, have no fear!” He delivers peace and comfort. Yes, there’s also a lot in His Word about what He expects us to do. The Bible, Jesus’ Word, is the only flawless rule for what we believe and do. It contains commands, but it also contains promises!

The Scriptures are Jesus’ Word, and so they’re *“the only judge, rule, and standard, according to which all teachings shall and must be discerned and judged, as to whether they are good or evil, right or wrong.” (Formula of Concord: Epitome, Summary, Rule and Norm, §7)*

“Rise and have no fear!” “I died and rose for you. You’re My disciple, baptized into my death and resurrection for the forgiveness of your sins. I gave you the Holy Spirit there. I give all My Word to you for your faith and life in the Bible. I’ve absolved you through the Pastor I sent. I preach to you in his Sermons. ‘This [bread] is My body; this cup is My blood; given for you, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Eat it. Drink it.’” To all that the Son says, the Father says, “Listen to Him!” “If anyone loves me, he’ll [cherish] My Word … Whoever doesn’t love Me doesn’t [cherish] My Words.”

Faith listens to all that Jesus says. Not some, but all. Strong faith doesn’t pick and choose. No smorgasbord with Jesus. “Rise and have no fear!” in many and various ways, so that you’d be His at the Resurrection on the Last Day. That very day is portrayed on Transfiguration. (This is a sermon in itself, but I’m out of time.) On the Last Day, Jesus will also say to His sheep what He’s being saying all along: “Rise and have no fear” forever!

Conclusion.

ONLY WHEN WE LISTEN TO JESUS DO WE HAVE NO FEAR.

It’s the very reason the Father gave the command. “We should fear His wrath and not do anything against” His Commands, as the Catechism teaches. It’s also the very reason Jesus makes so many and various promises! Faith worked by the Spirit listens to them all! Receives them all! Unbelief ignores, doesn’t listen, refuses to listen, keeps its own ideas and traditions—in one ear and out the other with anything related to God’s Word! Endless fear and anger produced by fear.

ONLY WHEN WE LISTEN TO JESUS DO WE HAVE NO FEAR.

His Words and promises raise us up, strengthen us, calm our fears, give us peace. “Our Lord speaks and we listen. His Word bestows what it says. Faith that is born from what is heard acknowledges the gifts received with eager thankfulness and praise.” (Lutheran Worship, Introduction, p. 6) So we do, “listen to Him” and “rise” and “have no fear.”

᛭ INI ᛭