2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Who are “those who are perishing”? Who is “the god of this world”? What does is mean for the gospel to be “veiled”? What does it mean that God “has shone in our hearts”? We are all perishing. There seems to be many things in this world that we make gods. None of has a fully unveiled understanding of the gospel. There are too many questions in this short lectionary passage for any of us to fully grasp what Paul is trying to say. But it would seem if we start reading in chapter 3 that the veil that Paul is referring to is the the veil over Moses face when it became radiant after seeing God. Paul is making a connection between the idea that Moses face was veiled so that no one could look upon it and the gospel is veiled to those who “are perishing”. But the truth is that we are all perishing in this life, and the gospel is not fully unveiled to any of us. We all still have to pray for God to shine light in our hearts that we may understand it, that we may see the face of Christ in all that we do.
I am inclined to think that faith is what gives us sight to look upon the face of Christ. All of us are perishing and God initiates with all of us. It is His grace that prompts us to seek Him. It is His grace that moves us to trust that shining his light in our hearts us what is needed.
This is transfiguration Sunday and Moses was in a way, transfigured like Christ was. But the veil that was placed over his face was symbolic of the fact that the scriptures would always be veiled until Christ came. They couldn’t make sense till Christ came in the flesh. Then, looking back, Christ could be seen as there all along. Its kinda like watching a great movie with a surprise ending. You kinda think you know what’s going on but the ending is not what you thought it would be and when you go back and watch the movie again, but this time knowing how it ends, you see how the ending was being set up all along. The veil that is removed is Christ. We have a clearer understanding of the continuing story of God because we know Christ. To those that do not put their faith in Christ, the truth is veiled.
As I allow God to shine light in my heart, through the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, though not to the extent of being transfigured, I am transformed. I don’t have to have big mountain top experiences. I can have everyday common struggles and they become what transforms me. For in the following sentences that are not in this lectionary passage, Paul describes how we have this treasure in jars of clay. The treasure being the transforming power and grace of God is placed in us, ordinary humans. It is also through ordinary daily events and practices that the amazing transforming power of God takes place. The idea of making myself a slave to others for the sake of Christ could not possibly come from me! That is transformation all while being the classroom where transformation is taught!
Paul leads the way in showing us how to make ourselves slaves to those around us. No one wants that. But it is done out of love and out of Jesus prompting. I would rather go to a seminar to learn how to lift the veil and see Christ better in this world. I would rather pray and Jesus give me insight to see Him better. I would rather anything other than making myself a slave to others. But just as Christ is never who or where or how I think He is, I should by now know better than to look for him to be anything like “the god of this world”. He was born in a stable. He was a homeless preacher. He gathered fishermen, tax collectors and prostitutes around himself and left all that He began in their hands. We claim to see the unveiled gospel yet we still try to put Jesus in our military, in our political biases, in our corporate ideals, in our mega churches, in our American lifestyles. Christ is present everywhere in everything. He is all in all. But is He how we choose to see Him in all these places?
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
God works fully to the limit with which we will receive Him. He doesn’t force or coerce us but as we open up to Him, He is already filling us. In this way His grace is relational and not unilateral. In this way God says, “I see where you’re at and I’ll show up there”. He shows up there not for us to declare that this is where God is, no He shows up to draw us to Him. Christ who is highly exalted and Lord of all, showed up as a lowly servant because that is where we were at. He took the form of a servant and died a torturous death on a cross because that is where we were at. He shows up where we are but not to glorify us or our beliefs or practices and not to say that our group has it right. He shows up as one of us to lead us away from our false beliefs and practices. He shows up in our mess and says, “Follow me” as He leads us away from it. He shows up shining a light in our hearts, till the veil is no longer there and we see Christ clearly, no longer the servant, but now the risen Lord.