Transfiguration/2026>>

Audio Sermon by Garth Schulz.
Sorry we missed the beginning.

Does anyone remember an artist by the name of Pro Hart?  He was a big player in the art scene of Australia when I was growing up.  Matter of fact, he still is I guess with some of his art fetching up to $50,000. 

Anyway, one of my favourite advertisements on TV was by ‘Stain Master’ carpet.  The ad starts with a guy, Pro Hart, looking at a sizable white lounge rug with nothing on it.  He gently rubs his hands against the lush white carpet and says, ‘Beautiful.’  Then the ad turns quickly and Pro goes to work with a bottle of red wine, and all different foods, spaghetti, jelly, black forest cake.  Meticulously and with the random precision of Pro, he creates this massive dragonfly artwork out of the food.  He tops off the masterpiece by signing his name in chocolate sauce on the bottom right and seeking validation from his dog, ‘Rembrandt.’ 

Then enters the cleaning lady, who, to her shock, sees the ‘art’ and calls out “Oh Mr Hart, what a mess.”  Now to some this would be a mess, but to artists like Pro, no such thing…. this is art at its finest.  But never mind, the cleaning lady gets to work on the ‘Stain Master’ carpet and cleans up the rug with ease until it is sparkling and new. 

Now you might ask, what does this have to do with today’s bible reading?  Well, today is Transfiguration Sunday. And if you are like me, you might ask what ‘transfiguration’ really means and why is it so important in our life as Christians?  So, I reached for the trusty bible dictionary and I found that the word ‘transfiguration’ comes from the Greek verb metamorphoó. It describes a profound, visible change that proceeds from an inward reality.[2] A change that goes beyond any external, visible change or disguise (Mt 17:2, Mk 9:2).  Just as we have heard in today’s children’s address.  The word also describes a transformation through the spiritual renewal of mind to the likeness of Christ (Rm 12:2, 2Cor 3:18).  So, what we heard about in the ‘Stain Master’ advert is not as profound a transformation as initially thought.  What Jesus experienced and what the three disciples witnessed is far greater than just a refresh of appearance or a little spruce up.  What they really experienced is a glimpse into his heavenly glory and the divine nature of Christ. 

Today’s gospel reading opens with Jesus and 3 disciples ascending the mountain (v1).  And we hear of the transformation of Jesus, where his face is radiant and his garments white as light (v2). Much like the carpet in the ‘Stain Master’ ad, Jesus becomes sparkling and new, whiter than white, a symbol of perfection beyond anything we could imagine or have ever experienced. In one short verse and with the imagery of light, Matthew reveals the identity of Christ.  And as John explained, Christ has come as the ‘true light of the world…into the world’ (Jn 1:9).  Christ has come as the true source of spiritual illumination and establishing our right to be called children of God.  That Christ came as God, truly God and truly Man, dwelling in the presence of humanity, and glorified in the resurrection.  That he has come with the divine glory and authority of the one true God.  Just like the carpet in the advert, Jesus was perfect in the beginning, his perfection hidden from humanity like a beautiful artwork, then revealed in all his divinity on the Mount of Transfiguration.