Cloud Theology
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In this week’s lectionary gospel reading, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain -- and what ensues is a scene with special effects worthy of a state-of-the-art Hollywood blockbuster. As a cloud descends over them, Jesus’ appearance is transformed and he begins conversing with Moses and Elijah... only for the voice of God to chime in. It must have felt like a science fiction spectacular -- especially to the first-century hearers of the gospel account.
In our own day, science fiction is a popular genre of entertainment -- but it also is a window into how we see amazing technological advances interacting with and changing human consciousness. And that certainly extends to our spiritual lives -- particularly with the spread of robotics and artificial intelligence. In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Chris Keating observes that the fundamental underlying reality of the transfiguration speaks every bit as much to the science fiction aspects of our lives as it did to those in Jesus’ day. Chris notes that God is truly operating in the “cloud,” functioning as a prototypical cloud server whose glory is revealed in unimaginable ways, and whose intent is to establish relationship with us. God reaches through the cloud and calls us to trust in the actions, words, and ministry of Jesus. And that, Chris notes, is the essential point of the transfiguration: Jesus is transfigured so that God can draw closer to humans, and despite the dazzling visual effects, God calls us to trust and to listen faithfully to Christ as he endures the coming passion.
Team member Beth Herrinton-Hodge shares some additional thoughts on the transfiguration and how it’s not really the mystifying event that it seems to be on the surface. Rather, she posits, it’s about revealing anew to us a reality that we’re already well aware of -- and the same was true for Peter, James, and John. Like many incidents in our time (and Beth cites a couple), an apparently startling revelation just is a jolting reminder of what we already know -- if we can acknowledge the hope and mystery that enshroud that reality.
Cloud Theology
by Chris Keating
Exodus 24:12-18; Matthew 17:1-9
Imagine Transfiguration Sunday a few decades from now. The congregation -- half of whom are robots -- gather for worship. Two ushers quip about finding signs of intelligent life.
A liturgist reads the story of Jesus’ transfiguration, while worshipers adjust virtual reality devices which place them on the summit with the disciples. Light floods their eyes, and they are overcome by the fear that also fills Peter, James, and John.
There on the mountain they see Elijah, Moses, and maybe even Watson (IBM’s supercomputer). Meanwhile, Pastor ART -- a cutting-edge cyborg who just graduated from Princeton -- begins the sermon. He’s a bit soft-spoken for some, but ART (short for Artificial Reformed Theologian) is programmed to produce quality sermons guaranteed to challenge but not offend, enthrall but never bore.
Far-fetched? Maybe not as much as you think.
While the world is not quite at the level of HBO’s Westworld, there are plenty of examples of how artificial intelligence (AI) impacts daily life: Apple iPhone’s Siri plans our day, Amazon Echo’s Alexa provides the music and does the shopping, and Google’s DeepMind is learning how to navigate hostile environments.
As AI develops, the world will face economic, moral, and even theological questions never considered. Wired co-founder Kevin Kelly reflects on what he calls the “serious spiritual question” we may be overlooking: “If you create other things that think for themselves, a serious theological disruption will occur.”
It’s possible to consider God as the prototypical cloud server whose glory emerges in unimagined and dazzling ways. On the Mount of Transfiguration, the cloud envelopes the disciples and changes Jesus, preparing him for the passion that awaits. God draws nearer to human beings, calling them to deeper faithfulness.
We may shudder at the pace and scope of technological advances, and perhaps even shake our heads as if to say “That will never happen.” But as Peter, James, and John discover, sometimes it is better to never say never.
In the News
AI’s mysteries may feel light-years away, especially for those stumped by television remotes and iPhones. But computers are getting faster... and faster... and faster. In a few short years, we’ll reach what some are calling the Singularity -- the moment when humans and machines will merge, blurring the lines between biology and technology.
That’s old news, of course. Raymond Kurzweil, a futurist, has been telling his readers for years about this approaching moment of transformation that will alter everything we know about our bodies, minds, and souls. Super-smart computers are already used for driverless technologies and even provide insights into preserving endangered species.
But consider the implications when AI surpasses the ability of human intelligence to write books, make ethical decisions, initiate warfare, or control other life-changing decisions that could possibly wreak havoc on the world.
Not to mention preaching a sermon, or making a tithe.
It’s hard to imagine, but many see the path toward autonomous AI as inevitable. And that could pose serious questions for Christians -- indeed for all religions. Writer Jonathan Merritt explored these questions in a recent article for The Atlantic, concluding that AI could be the greatest “threat to Christian theology since Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.”
Merritt points out that many thinkers, including physicist Stephan Hawking, harbor concerns about the ability of machines to act as sentient beings. “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race,” Hawking told the BBC in 2014. “Once humans develop artificial intelligence, it would take off on its own, and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete and would be superseded.”
Hawking was joined by 8,000 other individuals, including Noam Chomsky and business tycoon Elon Musk, in writing an open letter warning about AI’s pitfalls and the possible threat to human beings. The letter praises the benefits of AI while highlighting its risks, suggesting the need for broad, multi-disciplinary study into the potential risks. AI must serve human need, the letter’s authors contend, and not contribute to its downfall.
The line between creator and creation must be preserved, they argue. Others suggest that in addition to Isaac Asimov’s famous three laws of robotics -- they can’t hurt us; they must obey us; they must preserve themselves -- an additional tenet from Abrahamic faiths be added: “Do unto others as you would have done to you.”
Post-Singularity, AI could grow to include autonomous, free-thinking robots that would challenge the conventions of theology. Would a robot go to confession? Would it have a soul? Could cyborgs convert faiths, switching churches for one with a better youth program? The transformation of bots seems both endless and mysterious.
This is more than the work of sci-fi geeks. While exact details may be impossible to predict, the coming Singularity offers an opportunity for critical conversations about life in the near future.
As bots transform from single-purpose machines into flexible thinking computers able to access broad sets of data on nearly unlimited topics, then it is also possible to consider that AI might be able to become a fully conscious Christian. It’s not as preposterous as it sounds, though scholars remind us that for AI to practice religion, it would need to possess a level of consciousness which is unlikely.
For example, philosopher Susan Schneider, a fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, suggests despite its ability to perform critical thinking, a bot might not truly be a “self.” Schneider admits that the definition of life used by astrobiologists is sufficient to include AI, but also wonders whether or not a creature that “can neither suffer nor hope” could legitimately connect with God.
AI amazes, but true belief is more than just asking Siri whether or not she prays. A bot could understand the question -- but could a brain created by humans imagine God as the creator of all?
Some are troubled by these questions, but others see them as a sign of God’s gifts to humans. Mike McHargue, author and co-host of the podcast The Liturgists, is better known as “Science Mike” to his audiences. McHargue believes that AI offers the church a new way of being in the world. Last winter, he shared a few thoughts with Relevant magazine:
There are so many things that have faced human society that were completely incomprehensible to the original disciples and apostles, the early church, and yet the church endures, the church survives because the gospel isn’t tied to one particular time in history, one particular school of thought, one particular framework. Instead, it’s a way of living, knowing, and responding to the world that finds a fresh embodiment in every generation and allows the work of Christ’s reconciliation with God for humanity to continue.
McHargue knows that AI poses serious questions, but calls Christians to be engaged in exploring these new dimensions. His listeners and audiences remain fascinated by the subject, and he believes it’s time for theologians to engage the conversation. “Any non-biological, non-human intelligence will present a greater challenge to religion and human philosophy than anything else in our entire history combined,” McHargue claims. “Nothing else will raise that level of upheaval and collective trauma as the moment we first encounter it.”
It’s a moment of mystery and transformation -- but perhaps also a moment for growing in faith. AI could enhance our faith by reminding us we’re not God -- that we don’t have all the answers. “For some people, religion is precisely about recognizing that I, as a human being, am not God and so I don’t have all the answers and will inevitably be wrong about things,” says Butler University religion professor James McGrath. “If that is one’s outlook, then finding out you were wrong is a good thing. It simply confirms what you already knew: that life is about trusting God and not trusting in my own understanding.”
In the Scriptures
Jesus’ transfiguration is a moment of dazzling mystery for both the disciples and the readers of Matthew’s gospel. The cloud of God’s presence settles around the mountain. It is scene straight from the pages of the Old Testament, a reminder of the glory of God that shines brilliantly through the clouds in a moment of stunning revelation. The movement of the scene is carefully crafted to offer Matthew’s audience both an apocalyptic glance of Jesus’ glory and a prelude to his passion.
On the mountain, God’s voice emerges out of the cloud. It is as if God was the prototype of a cloud server, a thundering data bank of images and actions. The text is dotted with striking imagery -- cloud, mountains, voice, all combine to provide a startling theophany. On cue, Moses and Elijah appear, engaging Jesus in conversation and overwhelming the disciples.
Peter’s response to the light show is to offer a plan. When all else fails, Peter believes, don’t just stand there, do something. He sees it as a great time to start a building project, perhaps as a way of recalling Israel’s constructing of tents or tabernacles in Exodus. Peter persists, but God interjects and reiterates the affirmation bestowed on Jesus at his baptism. The moment of singularity arrives, a moment when God will dwell with human beings. God wants to make sure the disciples do not miss the point. In Jesus, God’s glory and authority dwell fully, as evidenced by the dazzling brilliance of the cloud and the reverberations of God’s affirmation.
On the mountain, the disciples are called to understand what it means that God has come near. Once more Matthew discloses to his readers that Jesus is Emmanuel, God who is with us. The implications of this transformation are also clear: Jesus will descend from the mountain to walk a path which will require the disciple’s utmost dedication.
As Warren Carter notes, the transfiguration thus functions as a plot summary anticipating the coming event in Jerusalem while also increasing the pressure on his followers to be faithful. The challenge of the mountain is not just the mysterious science fiction, but the deeper call to encounter God and trust in God’s faithfulness.
How will the disciples respond? At first glance, all seems lost. They have fallen to the ground in fear. Yet once again Jesus comes to them. He touches them, and offers the assurance of his presence. Whether he touches them in a gentle and comforting gesture or as a stern summons to stand up is not clear. Perhaps it is both, a gesture of both assurance and direction, as if they are being set apart for the journey ahead.
In the Sermon
The mountaintop experience prefigures Jesus’ passion and offers the disciples a puzzling yet assuring reminder of God’s immanent transcendence. The experience calls them to a deeper trust. No wonder Jesus tells them not to say a word about it -- this isn’t top-secret technology, but rather an experience that defies explanation. What would they tell the others, anyway? How would they describe what they have seen? It is a vision as startling as driverless chariots.
In that moment, the disciples are called to a new and deeper sense of trust. They are called to overcome their fears, and to follow Jesus down the mountain. It has been a moment of transformational change, a time when they have experienced the glory of God face to face.
Peter is at least half right: it is good for them to be there. There’s a glimpse of the future, but also a look back at the past. In that mysterious and bewildering moment, the disciples experience the presence of God that encompasses all history. In looking forward, the disciples are summoned to follow Christ in the way of the cross -- a day which will come, and which will also be a time shrouded by clouds and mystery.
There are numerous ways that artificial intelligence and technological advances connect to Matthew’s story, offering the preacher an opportunity to prepare a congregation not only for the future but also the coming days of Lent. The transfiguration, much like AI, defies explanation. It induces fear and confusion, but also reveals the promise of God at work in the world. AI can neither be dismissed as fiction nor set aside in fear. Likewise, as disciples who have seen the mountaintop, we know we cannot look back.
A sermon could explore the ways technology invites us to deeper trust in God. The transfiguration defies easy explanations; it invites creativity, wonder, and awe. The same is true for technology. For many, robots seem dehumanized and characteristic of a secular, science-driving society. Yet technology can transform us. It can reveal the stunning ability of God to work through human ingenuity. We dismiss these questions too easily, and at the risk of becoming irrelevant.
Artificial intelligence showcases the creativity of God’s people, offering new possibilities for understanding the world. Like the disciples, we can be filled with fear by our encounter, and dumbstruck by the notion that a time is coming when technology could possibly merge with human beings.
Or we can take seriously the injunction to “listen to him.”
Faith -- whether in the first century or the 21st century -- is a response to moving from the mountaintops where mystery and awe collide into the valleys of struggle and despair. But our God meets us on the journey. Discipleship is not a driverless experience -- it requires emotion, empathy, intelligence.
The Mount of Transfiguration is an opportunity for modern disciples to consider what it means to trust in God’s presence in a world that is filled with dazzling change, clouds of mystery, and things we could have never imagined. Like Peter, James, and John, we’d do well to never say never.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Jesus Revealed
by Beth Herrinton-Hodge
Matthew 17:1-9
Preaching about the transfiguration often proves to be a sticky wicket, as many try to get their heads around the ethereal, transformative event. Douglas Hare, in his Interpretation commentary on Matthew, acknowledges that this event is difficult for modern readers because of its other-worldly context. It’s “a mystery beyond the reach of historical reconstruction or scientific verification” (p. 198).
I contend that we modern readers struggle to understand the events and meaning of the transfiguration even when they are staring us in the face. In the transfiguration, Jesus is revealed and identified as who he is: the dazzling clothes and shining faces; the appearances of big-name Old Testament figures; the bright cloud and the authoritative voice. These obscure the revelation of what is already known. Peter, James, and John already know Jesus. They’ve walked with him, shared with him, learned from him, served alongside him. They have enjoyed Jesus’ presence and have witnessed Jesus’ power. What is revealed about Jesus in the transfiguration has been true about Jesus all along. His close friends have failed to comprehend it.
Lest we quickly judge Jesus’ followers as clueless, let’s remember that we’ve got hindsight on our side. We live on this side of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. We know he is God’s Son, the beloved, before we read the gospel. We too have claimed to know someone without fully comprehending -- or without fully allowing ourselves to acknowledge -- who a person really is.
Take, for example, Magic Johnson. The 6'9" basketball star led Michigan State University to an NCAA championship, and was a top NBA player throughout the 1980s as a three-time MVP for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was revered for his success on the court. But his passion for basketball was rivaled by his passion for womanizing -- Johnson took advantage of his star status to have his way with a number of women. Through these trysts, he contracted the HIV virus. In 1991, Johnson retired from the Lakers after it was revealed that he had tested positive for the virus which causes AIDS. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, most people thought AIDS could only be contracted through homosexual activity or IV drug use. These were not part of Johnson’s story. The public revelation of his medical condition rocked not just the sports world but the general public as well. Many thought they knew this dazzling sports figure. Yet here he was presenting a human side, a fallen side. Many people assumed that Johnson’s death would soon ensue, as the lives of so many others had ended abruptly after contracting HIV/AIDS.
Nearly three decades later, Johnson has proven to be the success that people remembered from his basketball days. He no longer excels on the court; now he has become a powerful force in business. Much of his work has involved investing in franchises in urban and underserved communities like Detroit and Cleveland. Once a star that fell from grace, Johnson returned to star status -- tapping his passion and strength to make a positive mark in communities across the United States.
Saturday Night Live viewers are familiar with the casts’ parodies of political figures, which have always been a staple of the popular sketch comedy show. During Bill Clinton’s presidency, Phil Hartman presented a wry parody of the president. Whether one is a supporter or detractor of Bill Clinton, there is an across-the-board consensus that he has insatiable appetites -- for food, for women, for political negotiations. Hartman had an uncanny way of showing Clinton being controlled by his appetites, helping us laugh at what we already knew about Clinton but rarely conceded outright. A majority of Americans bought the image that was publicly shown by Clinton and his media handlers. In hindsight, a majority today acknowledge the underlying shortcomings that Hartman exposed.
I recall a common truth from my dating years, and it’s an observation shared by others. It was not uncommon to find ourselves in a dating relationship, happily oblivious to a personality trait or characteristic that would normally rub us wrong. In the throes of new love, we’d easily overlook the “flaw.” Several dates or several months later, when the relationship cooled, the same annoying trait would often be the cause for ending the relationship. We knew of the person’s trait from the very beginning, but we rarely acknowledged its presence until later.
Why is it difficult to embrace what we know to be true about a person? Why was it difficult for Peter, James, and John to believe their eyes on that mountaintop with Jesus?
There is risk involved in acknowledging truth and mystery. These call people to step out and embrace an elusive meaning as it stares us in the face. Sometimes we forget what we know. Sometimes we don’t want to know. Sometimes the truth is too much to understand.
In verse 4 of the gospel text, Peter responds to the mountaintop revelation by saying: “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” On some level Peter knows Jesus as Lord, even as he doesn’t completely understand what he is witnessing. An offer to make three dwellings for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus can be seen as an effort to do something tangible in response to the mystery unfolding around him.
When a voice speaks from a bright cloud, Peter, James, and John fall to the ground in fear. The words they hear have been spoken before in Matthew’s gospel. In Jesus’ baptism scene in Matthew 3:17, “a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ ” The disciples were likely not present at Jesus’ baptism, but his identity as God’s Son had been revealed before the transfiguration. This voice from heaven confirms Peter’s confession made in response to Jesus’ question “Who do you say that I am?”: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Peter knows who Jesus is. The transfiguration confirms it.
This mysterious mountaintop event is a sign of hope in the midst of a difficult moment. The disciples have fallen face-down in fear at the sound of God’s voice. Prior to their hike up the mountain, Jesus delivered the first of his passion predictions. Jesus and his followers were walking toward the cross. There was nothing that they could do to stop it.
The transfiguration comes as a gift. It is a sighting of hope -- a gathering of two giants of the faith, Moses and Elijah, with their friend Jesus. The words from the cloud elevate Jesus above the others: this is God’s Son. God is pleased with him. This Jesus, whom they have been following, is as special and as significant as he appeared to be. He IS the Messiah, the one God sent to save God’s people. They are in his presence!
This sign of hope carries Jesus and his disciples through the days ahead. So, too, do these words carry us through difficult and challenging days. Like the disciples, we know who Jesus is. We know where our real hope lies -- beyond the crucifixion and death and to his resurrection and new life. We don’t have to get our heads around the otherworldly event of the transfiguration, because we know God’s Son revealed.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Mary Austin:
Matthew 17:1-9
Amazement
The transfiguration story finds Jesus’ disciples struck dumb with amazement at the sight of Jesus, shining with his inner glory on the mountaintop. Neuropsychologist and author Rick Hanson suggests that we cultivate this same kind of amazement as a spiritual practice. He writes:
Last night, stressing about undone tasks, I glanced in a mirror and saw my t-shirt, with its picture of a galaxy and a little sign sticking up out of its outer swirls, saying “You are here.”
A joke gift from my wife, I’ve worn this shirt many times -- yet for once it stopped me in my tracks. In William Blake’s phrase, the doors of perception popped open and it really hit me: Yes we are actually here, off to the edge of a vast floating whirlpool of stars, alive and conscious, walking and talking on a big rock circling a bigger burning ball of gas. Here, now, nearly 14 billion years after the cosmos emerged out of nothing. What the?!
My mind stopped yapping and I felt the delight and awe of a little kid who for the first time sees a butterfly, or tastes ice cream, or realizes that the stars above are really far away. Gratitude and wow and something edging into dare I say it sacred washed through me.
In a word, I was amazed -- which means “filled with wonder and surprise,” even “overwhelmed with wonder.”
Experience with Jesus brings that feeling to the disciples, but Hanson suggests that we can also cultivate it in our own lives. He adds: “Try to see more of your world in this way, as if you are seeing it for the first time, perhaps through the eyes of a child if not a caveman. Beginner’s mind, zen mind. If you’re not amazed, you’re not paying attention.”
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Matthew 17:1-9
Seeing
At the top of the mountain, the three disciples begin to see Jesus in a different way. Akaya Windwood wonders aloud what might happen if we begin to truly see each other, in the same way that the disciples see the essence of who Jesus is. She writes, “A couple of weeks ago a colleague and I were walking along the crowded waterfront in San Francisco, and coming toward us was a trio of young African-American men who were joking and playing. When we passed I greeted them, and just as the last of them walked by I heard him say, ‘Thanks for seeing us.’ It took a minute for that to register. My companion said, ‘Did you hear what I heard?’ and it took me a moment before I could respond with ‘Yes.’ My heart was breaking. How could it be that I would be thanked for merely seeing someone? It took all of my self-control not to run back to those young men, gather them in my arms, and apologize for every person who had ever overlooked them, averted their eyes, or turned away. What must it be like to move through a world that refuses to meet one’s eyes, that refuses to acknowledge one’s very existence?”
She suggests: “If we can find ways to see each other, to honor the existence of every being who co-inhabits this wonderful earth with us, if no young person ever has need to thank a stranger for merely seeing them, then we will have done a fine thing. Here’s my invitation to you: let’s take a month and intentionally notice those we would normally not see. Let’s interrupt old patterns of not looking into the eyes of ‘those people’ (whoever they are to you). Let’s greet and acknowledge the folks we generally walk by or around and watch what happens.”
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Matthew 17:1-9
The Ancestors as Our Companions
Appearing with Jesus on the mountain are Moses and Elijah -- the great lawgiver and the great prophet from Israel’s history. They come to add the weight of Israel’s history to Jesus’ identity, and stand as witnesses to who he is.
Pastor and public theologian Jennifer Bailey had a similar experience in a time of great turmoil in her life. She says: “I am a black woman ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I am the breathing legacy of one of America’s great original sins, the child of people stolen from the West African coasts to labor in the fields of Florida, Georgia, and Arkansas. I folded into myself: my arms wrapped tightly around my knees and found their rest on my heaving chest. Yet, as I opened my mouth to cry out to God, as I often do in moments of hopelessness, no sound emerged. My eyelids began to puff and tears stung as they fell down my cheek praying the prayers whose words eluded me. Rocking back and forth on the cool linoleum floor, I finally uttered the only words that I could find, “I don’t feel safe. I don’t feel safe.” Like a gust of wind, I could suddenly feel the soulful presence of my ancestors surround me, holding me and bearing witness to my pain. Then I heard my mama’s spirit whisper gently, gently in my ear, “Baby, we ain’t never been safe.”
Rev. Bailey adds, “We are living in apocalyptic times. The apocalypse I have in mind is not the summer blockbuster image of the end of days brought about an alien, viral, or nuclear attack. Rather, we are in a period of remaking the world as we know it. My friend Heather recently reminded me that the Greek root of the word ‘apocalypse’ means to uncover.”
Jesus, too, is remaking the world his followers have always known, and there is very little safety in his presence. But there is the presence of the ancestors in faith, along with the voice of God.
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From team member Ron Love:
Fear of God
There was a recent political cartoon that was rather gruesome, yet its message was overwhelmingly powerful. It depicted a set of stairs leading from the surface of the earth into the bowels of hell. On one side of the steps was a large pile of skulls. On the other side was fire along with a number of individuals who had been executed by hanging. At the top of the stairs there was a door, and a sign next to the door read “Syrian Prison.” Satan was coming down the steps, holding his pitchfork in one hand and a note in his other hand that read “13,000 hangings.” The devil on the steps then spoke to his compatriots: “Our branch here is doing just fine.” (Note: If your sanctuary has a projection screen, you may want to display this image.)
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the need for evil individuals to fear the wrath of God’s judgment.
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Fear of God
Saturday Night Live has been lampooning our current president, Donald Trump, for nearly three decades. Since December 1988, the program has featured comedy sketches chronicling Trump’s life and the follies of his behavior.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the need to fear the wrath of God’s judgment. We should not live a life that is absent of discretion.
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Fear of God
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has made over 1,000 public promises. Of those, 228 were made during his campaign for office. In his desire to be held accountable for keeping those promises, his staff has developed a special app they call the “dashboard” to track their progress and fulfillment. There are 20 staff members who are responsible for monitoring the dashboard. Presently, as the mayor is up for re-election, three quarters of his pledges are listed as “on track,” with the others are listed as “at risk” or “off track.” Mayor de Blasio does not carry a dashboard, but receives a report from his staff members.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the need to be obedient to God and keep God’s commandments.
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God’s Presence
In a Peanuts comic strip, Charlie Brown is standing in the snow next to the mailbox at his home. In the next frame, we see Charlie with a big smile on his face, saying: “I wonder what it would be like to get a Valentine from someone you liked and who really liked you.” The following frame shows Charlie silently looking at the closed mailbox door. Then, in the last frame of the cartoon, Charlie, with a look of distress on his face and his hands in his coat pockets, says: “I wonder what it would be like to never find out.” (Note: If your sanctuary has a projection screen, you may want to display this comic.)
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is that God will always be present with us. We do not have to wait or anticipate the coming presence of God.
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Discipleship
On January 28, the longest running streak in history ended. For 19,032 consecutive days, England’s Ron Hill ran a minimum of one mile each day. But at the age of 78, the former Olympian, has heart problems -- so for the first time in 52 years and 39 days, a streak which began on December 21, 1964, Hill was unable to run his mile. Hill said, “There was no other option but to stop. I owed it to my wife, family, and friends, plus myself.”
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple.
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Discipleship
In an Andy Capp comic strip, Andy and his wife Flo are at the horse races. As a man who enjoys betting, Andy is intently watching the race with binoculars. Flo, rather disinterested, is leaning on the spectator’s railing, looking over Andy’s shoulder. In an excited voice Andy says: “Horses are naturally competitive, Flo!” Unimpressed, Flo answers, “Yes, I see that, Pet. Yours is competing for last place.” (Note: If your sanctuary has a projection screen, you may want to display this comic.)
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple. We are not to be content with lax service; that is, being in last place.
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Discipleship
Lindsey Vonn is one of the best skiers the sport has ever seen on the slopes. Despite numerous injuries that have hindered her performance, she continues to ski and continues to win. Vonn, 32, participated in a recent race while still recovering from a broken right arm she sustained while training. As a result of the injury she had no feeling in her right hand. To combat the lack of feeling, Vonn used duct tape to hold the ski pole in her right hand.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple.
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Discipleship
Lindsey Vonn, one of the best skiers the sport has ever seen, was asked prior to the recent world championships who she considered the favorite in the downhill competition. Vonn answered, “Me. I don’t know what else you want me to say.” Vonn came in third place, 0.45 seconds behind the winner -- close enough that one could consider her answer of “me” to be a correct response.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple.
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Discipleship
After 24 years Bob Costas, whose voice has become synonymous with the Olympic games (both summer and winter), is retiring from broadcasting the Olympics. Costas regrets that telecasts of the games have changed over two decades. In earlier years, he notes, there was more time for freewheeling and interviews, while more recently programing and scheduling have become much tighter and regulated. Still, he loved being a part of the Olympics. Regarding his retirement, Costas said: “It just felt to me like the right time and it’s felt like the right time for a while. This was a good time to step away while I could still do it.” Though Costas will be leaving the Olympic stage, he will now have time for his other love -- broadcasting major league baseball.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple.
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Witnessing
Kellyanne Conway, a senior advisor for President Donald Trump, has been at the center of a debate on ethics and being a member of the White House staff. In an interview with Fox News, held in the White House briefing room, Conway encouraged listeners to purchase jewelry and clothing marketed by the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump. Conway said: “Go buy Ivanka’s stuff is what I would say. I’m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody; you can find it online.”
Application: Our lectionary readings instruct us to be witnesses for the Lord, but we must do so with decorum.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: God is sovereign; let the peoples tremble!
People: God sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
Leader: Let us praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he!
People: Mighty Sovereign, lover of justice, you have established equity.
Leader: You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
People: Extol our Holy God; worship at God’s footstool.
OR
Leader: God comes to us as a mystery beyond our understanding.
People: We worship and adore that God who is more than we can know.
Leader: God also comes to us to be revealed to us.
People: Thanks be to our self-revealing God.
Leader: God is made known to us so that we can be like God.
People: We seek to know God and to become holy like God is holy.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”
found in:
UMH: 64, 65
H82: 362
PH: 138
AAHH: 329
NNBH: 1
NCH: 277
CH: 4
LBW: 165
ELA: 413
W&P: 136
AMEC: 25
STLT: 26
Renew: 204
“Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones”
found in:
UMH: 90
H82: 618
PH: 451
LBW: 175
ELA: 424
“O Wondrous Sight! O Vision Fair”
found in:
UMH: 258
H82: 136, 137
PH: 75
NCH: 184
LBW: 80
ELA: 316
“This Is a Day of New Beginnings”
found in:
UMH: 383
NCH: 417
CH: 518
W&P: 355
“Have Thine Own Way, Lord”
found in:
UMH: 382
AAHH: 449
NNBH: 206
CH: 588
W&P: 486
AMEC: 345
“Be Thou My Vision”
found in:
UMH: 451
H82: 488
PH: 339
NCH: 451
CH: 595
ELA: 793
W&P: 502
AMEC: 281
STLT: 20
Renew: 151
“More Love to Thee, O Christ”
found in:
UMH: 453
PH: 359
AAHH: 575
NNBH: 214
NCH: 456
CH: 527
AMEC: 460
“Open My Eyes, That I May See”
found in:
UMH: 454
PH: 324
NNBH: 218
CH: 586
W&P: 480
AMEC: 285
“Open Our Eyes, Lord”
found in:
CCB: 77
Renew: 91
“Change My Heart, O God”
found in:
CCB: 56
Renew: 143
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who is who both mystery and yet revealed: Grant us the faith to look for your self-revelations while trusting in your being beyond our comprehension; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
Blessing and praise to you, O God, for you are beyond our comprehension and even our imagination. Yet you come and reveal yourself to us. Help us to be aware of the ways in which you reveal yourself while trusting you where we cannot comprehend you. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our thinking we can ever truly understand the being of our God.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We confess that God is the mysterious Trinity who is eternal and beyond our ability to comprehend. Yet we insist that we can pin down God enough to condemn those who don’t think like we do. We insist that we know enough to speak for God, though we would never claim that God made us the divine spokesperson. God is revealed to us in part, and we are slow to make use of that revelation to change ourselves but quick to condemn others. Forgive us, and bring us back to the place where we are looking at Jesus so that we may follow him. Amen.
Leader: God desires to be in communion with us and to guide us to life. Receive God’s presence and use it as God has intended: so that we may follow the path of love that leads to life.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
We praise you, O God, because you reveal yourself to us as we are able to receive that revelation. You do not hide from us, nor do you overwhelm us with your majesty.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We confess that God is the mysterious Trinity who is eternal and beyond our ability to comprehend. Yet we insist that we can pin down God enough to condemn those who don’t think like we do. We insist that we know enough to speak for God, though we would never claim that God made us the divine spokesperson. God is revealed to us in part, and we are slow to make use of that revelation to change ourselves but quick to condemn others. Forgive us, and bring us back to the place where we are looking at Jesus so that we may follow him.
We give you thanks for all the blessings of this life. We thank you for your creation which proclaims your love and grace for your children. We thank you for the prophets and seers who have shared with us the glimpse they have had of you. Most of all we thank you for Jesus, who showed us not only that you are love but how we can walk in love as your image on earth.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for all your children as our sisters and brothers. We pray for those who feel that you are distant from them. We pray for all of us to have the courage and the grace to allow ourselves to be transformed into the image of God we were created to become.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Take an object and wrap it in a cloth so you can’t tell what it is. Then place it in a bag, and put the bag in a box, and continue on as much as you care to. Show the children the box. Ask them what they think is in it. Ask them about its size, weight, and shape. Then open the box and take the next box out. Ask them if that makes them change their minds. Continue on until you take the cloth off the object. It isn’t easy to know about something until it is revealed. Even though they were always with Jesus, the disciples didn’t really know who he was. God tried to reveal that to them. We should never judge who someone is until we truly know them -- we may only be looking at a box they are in.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Changed by Jesus
by Dean Feldmeyer
Matthew 17:1-9
You will need: a piece of plain white paper
(Note: The subtle and confusing differences between transfiguration and transformation are best dealt with in the adult sermon, if at all. For the children we bring both of them together in the word “change.”)
Today we’re going to talk about change, especially how people can change. In the gospel story we heard this morning Jesus changed, didn’t he?
One minute he was going about his business, preaching, teaching, and healing. Then he goes up on the mountain with Peter, James, and John, and while he’s up there he talks with Moses and Elijah and he changes. He looks different and he acts different than before.
Well, one of the lessons of this story is that if Jesus can change, so can we. When we take Jesus into our lives, that changes us -- kind of like this piece of paper.
See, it’s just a plain old piece of paper. And (throw the paper) it can’t fly, can it? But if it lets me, I can change it so that it can fly. (Fold the paper into a paper airplane. Toss it and watch it float to the floor.) See! I changed it, didn’t I? I gave it a new ability.
(Pick up the paper airplane and unfold it.) It’s still a piece of paper, isn’t it? But I changed it. I reshaped it so it could fly. And that’s what Jesus can do for us. He can change us and reshape us so we can do things that we never thought we could do.
(End with a prayer asking God to come into our lives through Jesus Christ, and to shape us so that we can do God’s work and will.)
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 26, 2017, issue.
Copyright 2017 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
In our own day, science fiction is a popular genre of entertainment -- but it also is a window into how we see amazing technological advances interacting with and changing human consciousness. And that certainly extends to our spiritual lives -- particularly with the spread of robotics and artificial intelligence. In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Chris Keating observes that the fundamental underlying reality of the transfiguration speaks every bit as much to the science fiction aspects of our lives as it did to those in Jesus’ day. Chris notes that God is truly operating in the “cloud,” functioning as a prototypical cloud server whose glory is revealed in unimaginable ways, and whose intent is to establish relationship with us. God reaches through the cloud and calls us to trust in the actions, words, and ministry of Jesus. And that, Chris notes, is the essential point of the transfiguration: Jesus is transfigured so that God can draw closer to humans, and despite the dazzling visual effects, God calls us to trust and to listen faithfully to Christ as he endures the coming passion.
Team member Beth Herrinton-Hodge shares some additional thoughts on the transfiguration and how it’s not really the mystifying event that it seems to be on the surface. Rather, she posits, it’s about revealing anew to us a reality that we’re already well aware of -- and the same was true for Peter, James, and John. Like many incidents in our time (and Beth cites a couple), an apparently startling revelation just is a jolting reminder of what we already know -- if we can acknowledge the hope and mystery that enshroud that reality.
Cloud Theology
by Chris Keating
Exodus 24:12-18; Matthew 17:1-9
Imagine Transfiguration Sunday a few decades from now. The congregation -- half of whom are robots -- gather for worship. Two ushers quip about finding signs of intelligent life.
A liturgist reads the story of Jesus’ transfiguration, while worshipers adjust virtual reality devices which place them on the summit with the disciples. Light floods their eyes, and they are overcome by the fear that also fills Peter, James, and John.
There on the mountain they see Elijah, Moses, and maybe even Watson (IBM’s supercomputer). Meanwhile, Pastor ART -- a cutting-edge cyborg who just graduated from Princeton -- begins the sermon. He’s a bit soft-spoken for some, but ART (short for Artificial Reformed Theologian) is programmed to produce quality sermons guaranteed to challenge but not offend, enthrall but never bore.
Far-fetched? Maybe not as much as you think.
While the world is not quite at the level of HBO’s Westworld, there are plenty of examples of how artificial intelligence (AI) impacts daily life: Apple iPhone’s Siri plans our day, Amazon Echo’s Alexa provides the music and does the shopping, and Google’s DeepMind is learning how to navigate hostile environments.
As AI develops, the world will face economic, moral, and even theological questions never considered. Wired co-founder Kevin Kelly reflects on what he calls the “serious spiritual question” we may be overlooking: “If you create other things that think for themselves, a serious theological disruption will occur.”
It’s possible to consider God as the prototypical cloud server whose glory emerges in unimagined and dazzling ways. On the Mount of Transfiguration, the cloud envelopes the disciples and changes Jesus, preparing him for the passion that awaits. God draws nearer to human beings, calling them to deeper faithfulness.
We may shudder at the pace and scope of technological advances, and perhaps even shake our heads as if to say “That will never happen.” But as Peter, James, and John discover, sometimes it is better to never say never.
In the News
AI’s mysteries may feel light-years away, especially for those stumped by television remotes and iPhones. But computers are getting faster... and faster... and faster. In a few short years, we’ll reach what some are calling the Singularity -- the moment when humans and machines will merge, blurring the lines between biology and technology.
That’s old news, of course. Raymond Kurzweil, a futurist, has been telling his readers for years about this approaching moment of transformation that will alter everything we know about our bodies, minds, and souls. Super-smart computers are already used for driverless technologies and even provide insights into preserving endangered species.
But consider the implications when AI surpasses the ability of human intelligence to write books, make ethical decisions, initiate warfare, or control other life-changing decisions that could possibly wreak havoc on the world.
Not to mention preaching a sermon, or making a tithe.
It’s hard to imagine, but many see the path toward autonomous AI as inevitable. And that could pose serious questions for Christians -- indeed for all religions. Writer Jonathan Merritt explored these questions in a recent article for The Atlantic, concluding that AI could be the greatest “threat to Christian theology since Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.”
Merritt points out that many thinkers, including physicist Stephan Hawking, harbor concerns about the ability of machines to act as sentient beings. “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race,” Hawking told the BBC in 2014. “Once humans develop artificial intelligence, it would take off on its own, and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete and would be superseded.”
Hawking was joined by 8,000 other individuals, including Noam Chomsky and business tycoon Elon Musk, in writing an open letter warning about AI’s pitfalls and the possible threat to human beings. The letter praises the benefits of AI while highlighting its risks, suggesting the need for broad, multi-disciplinary study into the potential risks. AI must serve human need, the letter’s authors contend, and not contribute to its downfall.
The line between creator and creation must be preserved, they argue. Others suggest that in addition to Isaac Asimov’s famous three laws of robotics -- they can’t hurt us; they must obey us; they must preserve themselves -- an additional tenet from Abrahamic faiths be added: “Do unto others as you would have done to you.”
Post-Singularity, AI could grow to include autonomous, free-thinking robots that would challenge the conventions of theology. Would a robot go to confession? Would it have a soul? Could cyborgs convert faiths, switching churches for one with a better youth program? The transformation of bots seems both endless and mysterious.
This is more than the work of sci-fi geeks. While exact details may be impossible to predict, the coming Singularity offers an opportunity for critical conversations about life in the near future.
As bots transform from single-purpose machines into flexible thinking computers able to access broad sets of data on nearly unlimited topics, then it is also possible to consider that AI might be able to become a fully conscious Christian. It’s not as preposterous as it sounds, though scholars remind us that for AI to practice religion, it would need to possess a level of consciousness which is unlikely.
For example, philosopher Susan Schneider, a fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry, suggests despite its ability to perform critical thinking, a bot might not truly be a “self.” Schneider admits that the definition of life used by astrobiologists is sufficient to include AI, but also wonders whether or not a creature that “can neither suffer nor hope” could legitimately connect with God.
AI amazes, but true belief is more than just asking Siri whether or not she prays. A bot could understand the question -- but could a brain created by humans imagine God as the creator of all?
Some are troubled by these questions, but others see them as a sign of God’s gifts to humans. Mike McHargue, author and co-host of the podcast The Liturgists, is better known as “Science Mike” to his audiences. McHargue believes that AI offers the church a new way of being in the world. Last winter, he shared a few thoughts with Relevant magazine:
There are so many things that have faced human society that were completely incomprehensible to the original disciples and apostles, the early church, and yet the church endures, the church survives because the gospel isn’t tied to one particular time in history, one particular school of thought, one particular framework. Instead, it’s a way of living, knowing, and responding to the world that finds a fresh embodiment in every generation and allows the work of Christ’s reconciliation with God for humanity to continue.
McHargue knows that AI poses serious questions, but calls Christians to be engaged in exploring these new dimensions. His listeners and audiences remain fascinated by the subject, and he believes it’s time for theologians to engage the conversation. “Any non-biological, non-human intelligence will present a greater challenge to religion and human philosophy than anything else in our entire history combined,” McHargue claims. “Nothing else will raise that level of upheaval and collective trauma as the moment we first encounter it.”
It’s a moment of mystery and transformation -- but perhaps also a moment for growing in faith. AI could enhance our faith by reminding us we’re not God -- that we don’t have all the answers. “For some people, religion is precisely about recognizing that I, as a human being, am not God and so I don’t have all the answers and will inevitably be wrong about things,” says Butler University religion professor James McGrath. “If that is one’s outlook, then finding out you were wrong is a good thing. It simply confirms what you already knew: that life is about trusting God and not trusting in my own understanding.”
In the Scriptures
Jesus’ transfiguration is a moment of dazzling mystery for both the disciples and the readers of Matthew’s gospel. The cloud of God’s presence settles around the mountain. It is scene straight from the pages of the Old Testament, a reminder of the glory of God that shines brilliantly through the clouds in a moment of stunning revelation. The movement of the scene is carefully crafted to offer Matthew’s audience both an apocalyptic glance of Jesus’ glory and a prelude to his passion.
On the mountain, God’s voice emerges out of the cloud. It is as if God was the prototype of a cloud server, a thundering data bank of images and actions. The text is dotted with striking imagery -- cloud, mountains, voice, all combine to provide a startling theophany. On cue, Moses and Elijah appear, engaging Jesus in conversation and overwhelming the disciples.
Peter’s response to the light show is to offer a plan. When all else fails, Peter believes, don’t just stand there, do something. He sees it as a great time to start a building project, perhaps as a way of recalling Israel’s constructing of tents or tabernacles in Exodus. Peter persists, but God interjects and reiterates the affirmation bestowed on Jesus at his baptism. The moment of singularity arrives, a moment when God will dwell with human beings. God wants to make sure the disciples do not miss the point. In Jesus, God’s glory and authority dwell fully, as evidenced by the dazzling brilliance of the cloud and the reverberations of God’s affirmation.
On the mountain, the disciples are called to understand what it means that God has come near. Once more Matthew discloses to his readers that Jesus is Emmanuel, God who is with us. The implications of this transformation are also clear: Jesus will descend from the mountain to walk a path which will require the disciple’s utmost dedication.
As Warren Carter notes, the transfiguration thus functions as a plot summary anticipating the coming event in Jerusalem while also increasing the pressure on his followers to be faithful. The challenge of the mountain is not just the mysterious science fiction, but the deeper call to encounter God and trust in God’s faithfulness.
How will the disciples respond? At first glance, all seems lost. They have fallen to the ground in fear. Yet once again Jesus comes to them. He touches them, and offers the assurance of his presence. Whether he touches them in a gentle and comforting gesture or as a stern summons to stand up is not clear. Perhaps it is both, a gesture of both assurance and direction, as if they are being set apart for the journey ahead.
In the Sermon
The mountaintop experience prefigures Jesus’ passion and offers the disciples a puzzling yet assuring reminder of God’s immanent transcendence. The experience calls them to a deeper trust. No wonder Jesus tells them not to say a word about it -- this isn’t top-secret technology, but rather an experience that defies explanation. What would they tell the others, anyway? How would they describe what they have seen? It is a vision as startling as driverless chariots.
In that moment, the disciples are called to a new and deeper sense of trust. They are called to overcome their fears, and to follow Jesus down the mountain. It has been a moment of transformational change, a time when they have experienced the glory of God face to face.
Peter is at least half right: it is good for them to be there. There’s a glimpse of the future, but also a look back at the past. In that mysterious and bewildering moment, the disciples experience the presence of God that encompasses all history. In looking forward, the disciples are summoned to follow Christ in the way of the cross -- a day which will come, and which will also be a time shrouded by clouds and mystery.
There are numerous ways that artificial intelligence and technological advances connect to Matthew’s story, offering the preacher an opportunity to prepare a congregation not only for the future but also the coming days of Lent. The transfiguration, much like AI, defies explanation. It induces fear and confusion, but also reveals the promise of God at work in the world. AI can neither be dismissed as fiction nor set aside in fear. Likewise, as disciples who have seen the mountaintop, we know we cannot look back.
A sermon could explore the ways technology invites us to deeper trust in God. The transfiguration defies easy explanations; it invites creativity, wonder, and awe. The same is true for technology. For many, robots seem dehumanized and characteristic of a secular, science-driving society. Yet technology can transform us. It can reveal the stunning ability of God to work through human ingenuity. We dismiss these questions too easily, and at the risk of becoming irrelevant.
Artificial intelligence showcases the creativity of God’s people, offering new possibilities for understanding the world. Like the disciples, we can be filled with fear by our encounter, and dumbstruck by the notion that a time is coming when technology could possibly merge with human beings.
Or we can take seriously the injunction to “listen to him.”
Faith -- whether in the first century or the 21st century -- is a response to moving from the mountaintops where mystery and awe collide into the valleys of struggle and despair. But our God meets us on the journey. Discipleship is not a driverless experience -- it requires emotion, empathy, intelligence.
The Mount of Transfiguration is an opportunity for modern disciples to consider what it means to trust in God’s presence in a world that is filled with dazzling change, clouds of mystery, and things we could have never imagined. Like Peter, James, and John, we’d do well to never say never.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Jesus Revealed
by Beth Herrinton-Hodge
Matthew 17:1-9
Preaching about the transfiguration often proves to be a sticky wicket, as many try to get their heads around the ethereal, transformative event. Douglas Hare, in his Interpretation commentary on Matthew, acknowledges that this event is difficult for modern readers because of its other-worldly context. It’s “a mystery beyond the reach of historical reconstruction or scientific verification” (p. 198).
I contend that we modern readers struggle to understand the events and meaning of the transfiguration even when they are staring us in the face. In the transfiguration, Jesus is revealed and identified as who he is: the dazzling clothes and shining faces; the appearances of big-name Old Testament figures; the bright cloud and the authoritative voice. These obscure the revelation of what is already known. Peter, James, and John already know Jesus. They’ve walked with him, shared with him, learned from him, served alongside him. They have enjoyed Jesus’ presence and have witnessed Jesus’ power. What is revealed about Jesus in the transfiguration has been true about Jesus all along. His close friends have failed to comprehend it.
Lest we quickly judge Jesus’ followers as clueless, let’s remember that we’ve got hindsight on our side. We live on this side of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. We know he is God’s Son, the beloved, before we read the gospel. We too have claimed to know someone without fully comprehending -- or without fully allowing ourselves to acknowledge -- who a person really is.
Take, for example, Magic Johnson. The 6'9" basketball star led Michigan State University to an NCAA championship, and was a top NBA player throughout the 1980s as a three-time MVP for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was revered for his success on the court. But his passion for basketball was rivaled by his passion for womanizing -- Johnson took advantage of his star status to have his way with a number of women. Through these trysts, he contracted the HIV virus. In 1991, Johnson retired from the Lakers after it was revealed that he had tested positive for the virus which causes AIDS. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, most people thought AIDS could only be contracted through homosexual activity or IV drug use. These were not part of Johnson’s story. The public revelation of his medical condition rocked not just the sports world but the general public as well. Many thought they knew this dazzling sports figure. Yet here he was presenting a human side, a fallen side. Many people assumed that Johnson’s death would soon ensue, as the lives of so many others had ended abruptly after contracting HIV/AIDS.
Nearly three decades later, Johnson has proven to be the success that people remembered from his basketball days. He no longer excels on the court; now he has become a powerful force in business. Much of his work has involved investing in franchises in urban and underserved communities like Detroit and Cleveland. Once a star that fell from grace, Johnson returned to star status -- tapping his passion and strength to make a positive mark in communities across the United States.
Saturday Night Live viewers are familiar with the casts’ parodies of political figures, which have always been a staple of the popular sketch comedy show. During Bill Clinton’s presidency, Phil Hartman presented a wry parody of the president. Whether one is a supporter or detractor of Bill Clinton, there is an across-the-board consensus that he has insatiable appetites -- for food, for women, for political negotiations. Hartman had an uncanny way of showing Clinton being controlled by his appetites, helping us laugh at what we already knew about Clinton but rarely conceded outright. A majority of Americans bought the image that was publicly shown by Clinton and his media handlers. In hindsight, a majority today acknowledge the underlying shortcomings that Hartman exposed.
I recall a common truth from my dating years, and it’s an observation shared by others. It was not uncommon to find ourselves in a dating relationship, happily oblivious to a personality trait or characteristic that would normally rub us wrong. In the throes of new love, we’d easily overlook the “flaw.” Several dates or several months later, when the relationship cooled, the same annoying trait would often be the cause for ending the relationship. We knew of the person’s trait from the very beginning, but we rarely acknowledged its presence until later.
Why is it difficult to embrace what we know to be true about a person? Why was it difficult for Peter, James, and John to believe their eyes on that mountaintop with Jesus?
There is risk involved in acknowledging truth and mystery. These call people to step out and embrace an elusive meaning as it stares us in the face. Sometimes we forget what we know. Sometimes we don’t want to know. Sometimes the truth is too much to understand.
In verse 4 of the gospel text, Peter responds to the mountaintop revelation by saying: “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” On some level Peter knows Jesus as Lord, even as he doesn’t completely understand what he is witnessing. An offer to make three dwellings for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus can be seen as an effort to do something tangible in response to the mystery unfolding around him.
When a voice speaks from a bright cloud, Peter, James, and John fall to the ground in fear. The words they hear have been spoken before in Matthew’s gospel. In Jesus’ baptism scene in Matthew 3:17, “a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ ” The disciples were likely not present at Jesus’ baptism, but his identity as God’s Son had been revealed before the transfiguration. This voice from heaven confirms Peter’s confession made in response to Jesus’ question “Who do you say that I am?”: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Peter knows who Jesus is. The transfiguration confirms it.
This mysterious mountaintop event is a sign of hope in the midst of a difficult moment. The disciples have fallen face-down in fear at the sound of God’s voice. Prior to their hike up the mountain, Jesus delivered the first of his passion predictions. Jesus and his followers were walking toward the cross. There was nothing that they could do to stop it.
The transfiguration comes as a gift. It is a sighting of hope -- a gathering of two giants of the faith, Moses and Elijah, with their friend Jesus. The words from the cloud elevate Jesus above the others: this is God’s Son. God is pleased with him. This Jesus, whom they have been following, is as special and as significant as he appeared to be. He IS the Messiah, the one God sent to save God’s people. They are in his presence!
This sign of hope carries Jesus and his disciples through the days ahead. So, too, do these words carry us through difficult and challenging days. Like the disciples, we know who Jesus is. We know where our real hope lies -- beyond the crucifixion and death and to his resurrection and new life. We don’t have to get our heads around the otherworldly event of the transfiguration, because we know God’s Son revealed.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Mary Austin:
Matthew 17:1-9
Amazement
The transfiguration story finds Jesus’ disciples struck dumb with amazement at the sight of Jesus, shining with his inner glory on the mountaintop. Neuropsychologist and author Rick Hanson suggests that we cultivate this same kind of amazement as a spiritual practice. He writes:
Last night, stressing about undone tasks, I glanced in a mirror and saw my t-shirt, with its picture of a galaxy and a little sign sticking up out of its outer swirls, saying “You are here.”
A joke gift from my wife, I’ve worn this shirt many times -- yet for once it stopped me in my tracks. In William Blake’s phrase, the doors of perception popped open and it really hit me: Yes we are actually here, off to the edge of a vast floating whirlpool of stars, alive and conscious, walking and talking on a big rock circling a bigger burning ball of gas. Here, now, nearly 14 billion years after the cosmos emerged out of nothing. What the?!
My mind stopped yapping and I felt the delight and awe of a little kid who for the first time sees a butterfly, or tastes ice cream, or realizes that the stars above are really far away. Gratitude and wow and something edging into dare I say it sacred washed through me.
In a word, I was amazed -- which means “filled with wonder and surprise,” even “overwhelmed with wonder.”
Experience with Jesus brings that feeling to the disciples, but Hanson suggests that we can also cultivate it in our own lives. He adds: “Try to see more of your world in this way, as if you are seeing it for the first time, perhaps through the eyes of a child if not a caveman. Beginner’s mind, zen mind. If you’re not amazed, you’re not paying attention.”
*****
Matthew 17:1-9
Seeing
At the top of the mountain, the three disciples begin to see Jesus in a different way. Akaya Windwood wonders aloud what might happen if we begin to truly see each other, in the same way that the disciples see the essence of who Jesus is. She writes, “A couple of weeks ago a colleague and I were walking along the crowded waterfront in San Francisco, and coming toward us was a trio of young African-American men who were joking and playing. When we passed I greeted them, and just as the last of them walked by I heard him say, ‘Thanks for seeing us.’ It took a minute for that to register. My companion said, ‘Did you hear what I heard?’ and it took me a moment before I could respond with ‘Yes.’ My heart was breaking. How could it be that I would be thanked for merely seeing someone? It took all of my self-control not to run back to those young men, gather them in my arms, and apologize for every person who had ever overlooked them, averted their eyes, or turned away. What must it be like to move through a world that refuses to meet one’s eyes, that refuses to acknowledge one’s very existence?”
She suggests: “If we can find ways to see each other, to honor the existence of every being who co-inhabits this wonderful earth with us, if no young person ever has need to thank a stranger for merely seeing them, then we will have done a fine thing. Here’s my invitation to you: let’s take a month and intentionally notice those we would normally not see. Let’s interrupt old patterns of not looking into the eyes of ‘those people’ (whoever they are to you). Let’s greet and acknowledge the folks we generally walk by or around and watch what happens.”
*****
Matthew 17:1-9
The Ancestors as Our Companions
Appearing with Jesus on the mountain are Moses and Elijah -- the great lawgiver and the great prophet from Israel’s history. They come to add the weight of Israel’s history to Jesus’ identity, and stand as witnesses to who he is.
Pastor and public theologian Jennifer Bailey had a similar experience in a time of great turmoil in her life. She says: “I am a black woman ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I am the breathing legacy of one of America’s great original sins, the child of people stolen from the West African coasts to labor in the fields of Florida, Georgia, and Arkansas. I folded into myself: my arms wrapped tightly around my knees and found their rest on my heaving chest. Yet, as I opened my mouth to cry out to God, as I often do in moments of hopelessness, no sound emerged. My eyelids began to puff and tears stung as they fell down my cheek praying the prayers whose words eluded me. Rocking back and forth on the cool linoleum floor, I finally uttered the only words that I could find, “I don’t feel safe. I don’t feel safe.” Like a gust of wind, I could suddenly feel the soulful presence of my ancestors surround me, holding me and bearing witness to my pain. Then I heard my mama’s spirit whisper gently, gently in my ear, “Baby, we ain’t never been safe.”
Rev. Bailey adds, “We are living in apocalyptic times. The apocalypse I have in mind is not the summer blockbuster image of the end of days brought about an alien, viral, or nuclear attack. Rather, we are in a period of remaking the world as we know it. My friend Heather recently reminded me that the Greek root of the word ‘apocalypse’ means to uncover.”
Jesus, too, is remaking the world his followers have always known, and there is very little safety in his presence. But there is the presence of the ancestors in faith, along with the voice of God.
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From team member Ron Love:
Fear of God
There was a recent political cartoon that was rather gruesome, yet its message was overwhelmingly powerful. It depicted a set of stairs leading from the surface of the earth into the bowels of hell. On one side of the steps was a large pile of skulls. On the other side was fire along with a number of individuals who had been executed by hanging. At the top of the stairs there was a door, and a sign next to the door read “Syrian Prison.” Satan was coming down the steps, holding his pitchfork in one hand and a note in his other hand that read “13,000 hangings.” The devil on the steps then spoke to his compatriots: “Our branch here is doing just fine.” (Note: If your sanctuary has a projection screen, you may want to display this image.)
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the need for evil individuals to fear the wrath of God’s judgment.
*****
Fear of God
Saturday Night Live has been lampooning our current president, Donald Trump, for nearly three decades. Since December 1988, the program has featured comedy sketches chronicling Trump’s life and the follies of his behavior.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the need to fear the wrath of God’s judgment. We should not live a life that is absent of discretion.
*****
Fear of God
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has made over 1,000 public promises. Of those, 228 were made during his campaign for office. In his desire to be held accountable for keeping those promises, his staff has developed a special app they call the “dashboard” to track their progress and fulfillment. There are 20 staff members who are responsible for monitoring the dashboard. Presently, as the mayor is up for re-election, three quarters of his pledges are listed as “on track,” with the others are listed as “at risk” or “off track.” Mayor de Blasio does not carry a dashboard, but receives a report from his staff members.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the need to be obedient to God and keep God’s commandments.
*****
God’s Presence
In a Peanuts comic strip, Charlie Brown is standing in the snow next to the mailbox at his home. In the next frame, we see Charlie with a big smile on his face, saying: “I wonder what it would be like to get a Valentine from someone you liked and who really liked you.” The following frame shows Charlie silently looking at the closed mailbox door. Then, in the last frame of the cartoon, Charlie, with a look of distress on his face and his hands in his coat pockets, says: “I wonder what it would be like to never find out.” (Note: If your sanctuary has a projection screen, you may want to display this comic.)
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is that God will always be present with us. We do not have to wait or anticipate the coming presence of God.
*****
Discipleship
On January 28, the longest running streak in history ended. For 19,032 consecutive days, England’s Ron Hill ran a minimum of one mile each day. But at the age of 78, the former Olympian, has heart problems -- so for the first time in 52 years and 39 days, a streak which began on December 21, 1964, Hill was unable to run his mile. Hill said, “There was no other option but to stop. I owed it to my wife, family, and friends, plus myself.”
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple.
*****
Discipleship
In an Andy Capp comic strip, Andy and his wife Flo are at the horse races. As a man who enjoys betting, Andy is intently watching the race with binoculars. Flo, rather disinterested, is leaning on the spectator’s railing, looking over Andy’s shoulder. In an excited voice Andy says: “Horses are naturally competitive, Flo!” Unimpressed, Flo answers, “Yes, I see that, Pet. Yours is competing for last place.” (Note: If your sanctuary has a projection screen, you may want to display this comic.)
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple. We are not to be content with lax service; that is, being in last place.
*****
Discipleship
Lindsey Vonn is one of the best skiers the sport has ever seen on the slopes. Despite numerous injuries that have hindered her performance, she continues to ski and continues to win. Vonn, 32, participated in a recent race while still recovering from a broken right arm she sustained while training. As a result of the injury she had no feeling in her right hand. To combat the lack of feeling, Vonn used duct tape to hold the ski pole in her right hand.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple.
*****
Discipleship
Lindsey Vonn, one of the best skiers the sport has ever seen, was asked prior to the recent world championships who she considered the favorite in the downhill competition. Vonn answered, “Me. I don’t know what else you want me to say.” Vonn came in third place, 0.45 seconds behind the winner -- close enough that one could consider her answer of “me” to be a correct response.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple.
*****
Discipleship
After 24 years Bob Costas, whose voice has become synonymous with the Olympic games (both summer and winter), is retiring from broadcasting the Olympics. Costas regrets that telecasts of the games have changed over two decades. In earlier years, he notes, there was more time for freewheeling and interviews, while more recently programing and scheduling have become much tighter and regulated. Still, he loved being a part of the Olympics. Regarding his retirement, Costas said: “It just felt to me like the right time and it’s felt like the right time for a while. This was a good time to step away while I could still do it.” Though Costas will be leaving the Olympic stage, he will now have time for his other love -- broadcasting major league baseball.
Application: A common theme in our lectionary readings is the dedication that is required to be an obedient disciple.
*****
Witnessing
Kellyanne Conway, a senior advisor for President Donald Trump, has been at the center of a debate on ethics and being a member of the White House staff. In an interview with Fox News, held in the White House briefing room, Conway encouraged listeners to purchase jewelry and clothing marketed by the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump. Conway said: “Go buy Ivanka’s stuff is what I would say. I’m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody; you can find it online.”
Application: Our lectionary readings instruct us to be witnesses for the Lord, but we must do so with decorum.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: God is sovereign; let the peoples tremble!
People: God sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
Leader: Let us praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he!
People: Mighty Sovereign, lover of justice, you have established equity.
Leader: You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
People: Extol our Holy God; worship at God’s footstool.
OR
Leader: God comes to us as a mystery beyond our understanding.
People: We worship and adore that God who is more than we can know.
Leader: God also comes to us to be revealed to us.
People: Thanks be to our self-revealing God.
Leader: God is made known to us so that we can be like God.
People: We seek to know God and to become holy like God is holy.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”
found in:
UMH: 64, 65
H82: 362
PH: 138
AAHH: 329
NNBH: 1
NCH: 277
CH: 4
LBW: 165
ELA: 413
W&P: 136
AMEC: 25
STLT: 26
Renew: 204
“Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones”
found in:
UMH: 90
H82: 618
PH: 451
LBW: 175
ELA: 424
“O Wondrous Sight! O Vision Fair”
found in:
UMH: 258
H82: 136, 137
PH: 75
NCH: 184
LBW: 80
ELA: 316
“This Is a Day of New Beginnings”
found in:
UMH: 383
NCH: 417
CH: 518
W&P: 355
“Have Thine Own Way, Lord”
found in:
UMH: 382
AAHH: 449
NNBH: 206
CH: 588
W&P: 486
AMEC: 345
“Be Thou My Vision”
found in:
UMH: 451
H82: 488
PH: 339
NCH: 451
CH: 595
ELA: 793
W&P: 502
AMEC: 281
STLT: 20
Renew: 151
“More Love to Thee, O Christ”
found in:
UMH: 453
PH: 359
AAHH: 575
NNBH: 214
NCH: 456
CH: 527
AMEC: 460
“Open My Eyes, That I May See”
found in:
UMH: 454
PH: 324
NNBH: 218
CH: 586
W&P: 480
AMEC: 285
“Open Our Eyes, Lord”
found in:
CCB: 77
Renew: 91
“Change My Heart, O God”
found in:
CCB: 56
Renew: 143
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who is who both mystery and yet revealed: Grant us the faith to look for your self-revelations while trusting in your being beyond our comprehension; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
Blessing and praise to you, O God, for you are beyond our comprehension and even our imagination. Yet you come and reveal yourself to us. Help us to be aware of the ways in which you reveal yourself while trusting you where we cannot comprehend you. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our thinking we can ever truly understand the being of our God.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We confess that God is the mysterious Trinity who is eternal and beyond our ability to comprehend. Yet we insist that we can pin down God enough to condemn those who don’t think like we do. We insist that we know enough to speak for God, though we would never claim that God made us the divine spokesperson. God is revealed to us in part, and we are slow to make use of that revelation to change ourselves but quick to condemn others. Forgive us, and bring us back to the place where we are looking at Jesus so that we may follow him. Amen.
Leader: God desires to be in communion with us and to guide us to life. Receive God’s presence and use it as God has intended: so that we may follow the path of love that leads to life.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
We praise you, O God, because you reveal yourself to us as we are able to receive that revelation. You do not hide from us, nor do you overwhelm us with your majesty.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We confess that God is the mysterious Trinity who is eternal and beyond our ability to comprehend. Yet we insist that we can pin down God enough to condemn those who don’t think like we do. We insist that we know enough to speak for God, though we would never claim that God made us the divine spokesperson. God is revealed to us in part, and we are slow to make use of that revelation to change ourselves but quick to condemn others. Forgive us, and bring us back to the place where we are looking at Jesus so that we may follow him.
We give you thanks for all the blessings of this life. We thank you for your creation which proclaims your love and grace for your children. We thank you for the prophets and seers who have shared with us the glimpse they have had of you. Most of all we thank you for Jesus, who showed us not only that you are love but how we can walk in love as your image on earth.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for all your children as our sisters and brothers. We pray for those who feel that you are distant from them. We pray for all of us to have the courage and the grace to allow ourselves to be transformed into the image of God we were created to become.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Take an object and wrap it in a cloth so you can’t tell what it is. Then place it in a bag, and put the bag in a box, and continue on as much as you care to. Show the children the box. Ask them what they think is in it. Ask them about its size, weight, and shape. Then open the box and take the next box out. Ask them if that makes them change their minds. Continue on until you take the cloth off the object. It isn’t easy to know about something until it is revealed. Even though they were always with Jesus, the disciples didn’t really know who he was. God tried to reveal that to them. We should never judge who someone is until we truly know them -- we may only be looking at a box they are in.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Changed by Jesus
by Dean Feldmeyer
Matthew 17:1-9
You will need: a piece of plain white paper
(Note: The subtle and confusing differences between transfiguration and transformation are best dealt with in the adult sermon, if at all. For the children we bring both of them together in the word “change.”)
Today we’re going to talk about change, especially how people can change. In the gospel story we heard this morning Jesus changed, didn’t he?
One minute he was going about his business, preaching, teaching, and healing. Then he goes up on the mountain with Peter, James, and John, and while he’s up there he talks with Moses and Elijah and he changes. He looks different and he acts different than before.
Well, one of the lessons of this story is that if Jesus can change, so can we. When we take Jesus into our lives, that changes us -- kind of like this piece of paper.
See, it’s just a plain old piece of paper. And (throw the paper) it can’t fly, can it? But if it lets me, I can change it so that it can fly. (Fold the paper into a paper airplane. Toss it and watch it float to the floor.) See! I changed it, didn’t I? I gave it a new ability.
(Pick up the paper airplane and unfold it.) It’s still a piece of paper, isn’t it? But I changed it. I reshaped it so it could fly. And that’s what Jesus can do for us. He can change us and reshape us so we can do things that we never thought we could do.
(End with a prayer asking God to come into our lives through Jesus Christ, and to shape us so that we can do God’s work and will.)
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The Immediate Word, February 26, 2017, issue.
Copyright 2017 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
