The Transfiguration comes at a pivotal point in Matthew’s Gospel, and it occurs at a dramatic, shifting moment in the other two Gospels that include it. It is after the Transfiguration that Jesus “sets his face” toward Jerusalem– a moment of pause and then change of direction. And it’s a perfect moment and story to reflect on here at the beginning of Lent.

Just before this event, Jesus had revealed some hard things to his disciples, including that they might die. But there was good news for the disciples because they were witnesses to a Transfiguration. They learned that there was a new reality that made everything they were to endure not only bearable but desirable: They learned that Jesus is God incarnate, the king of the universe, the pinnacle of salvation history, ready to inaugurate his kingdom.

Artworks (in order) that Pastor Chris mentioned in this podcast/sermon:

1. Icon: Transfiguration of Jesus (1408) Theophanes the Greek.

2. Mosaic in the apse of the Church of the Transfiguration (1924) Mt. Tabor.

3. The Transfiguration (c 1520) Raphael.

4. The Transfiguration of Jesus (1824) Alexander Ivanov.

5. Transfiguration of Jesus (1872) Carl Bloch.

6. Transfiguration (2008) Lewis Bowman.

7. The Transfiguration (2023) Chris Brazelton (The image used on the title page of this podcast/sermon).

8. The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ (2025) George Meluch.