Just A Glimpse
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
"Moses did not know the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God." "And while he [Jesus] was praying the appearance of his face changed...." If our faces changed in appearance each time we prayed, or spoke about God, or spoke in a manner pleasing to God, think how much simpler our everyday lives would be. The court systems would have little work. Politicians would have to truly work for the people in a godly manner. Families would be much less dysfunctional. But our outward appearance often disguises one's underlying sincerity and true meaning, and our mouths, therefore, get us into a great deal of trouble... Scott Suskovic writes our main article this week and Stephen McCutchan writes the response. There are illustrations, a worship resource, and a children's sermon also included.
Just A Glimpse
By Scott Suskovic
THE WORLD
Don't you wish you could take back your words sometimes? They could be in anger, they could be in jest, or they could even come from the best possible intentions but just came out wrong. And then it is too late.
How many political careers have been shaped (or doomed) over a missed word? Bill Clinton talking about "that woman." John Kerry saying that if you don't do well in school you'll be sent to Iraq. Or, more recently, Joseph Biden saying that Obama was the first clean black man to run for president. (That has to be the shortest run for president in the history of the United States!)
In our text for today, Peter said some things that I'm sure he wished he could take back. "Master, let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he said.
The difference between Peter's verbal gaffe and the politicians' is that Peter did not know any better. What happened on that mountain was something so foreign, so unusual, so outside of his experiences that it is hard to fault Peter. After all, he was given a brief glimpse of the future -- and it left him grasping for words.
THE WORD
This is a text that is rich in symbolism and hidden meaning. Let's break it down:
"Now about eight days after. . ." Eight days. We have a rule of thumb in my congregation that when scripture gives details, pay attention. This is not some exercise in creative writing. The words have meaning. Instead of saying about a week later, Luke uses the number eight. Why? Could it be that Luke is referring to the rabbinic tradition of the number eight? God created the world in six days. God rested on the seventh day. However, according the rabbinic tradition, on the eighth day God will make all things new. It will be a re-creation. In this story, Peter, James, and John are given a glimpse of Jesus transfigured in all of his glory. When will that be? On the eighth day, the day in which God makes all things new. This number gives us a clue as to the importance of this story.
"Moses and Elijah" Why these two biblical heroes? Many scholars point to how they epitomize "the law and the prophets." However, there may be another angle here worth pursuing. There were only three people in the Old Testament who bypassed the death stage. Enoch was whisked into heaven. Elijah had the chariot of fire. And Moses' death on the mountain is shrouded in mystery as if God himself took care of him personally. Death is the final enemy. And now these two stand before Jesus who will be taking on death face to face. The difference, of course, is that Jesus will have to go directly face to face with death in order to save us from the grave. Through Jesus, death will never have the final word. Life does.
"who spoke of his (Jesus) departure which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem." It is strange to speak of a departure as something someone "accomplishes," unless we look closer at that word. In Greek, the word is "exodus." Now it makes sense. The Exodus was the most pivotal and redemptive event in the Old Testament. Moses, who lead the people on this first Exodus, now speaks to Jesus about once again leading God's people on this next Exodus. The parallels are striking. Jesus is leading the people out of bondage (to sin) through the wilderness (this world) and into the promised land (heaven). And to drive home this connection, in the Old Testament Moses couldn't lead the people into the promised land. He was not the one. He had to hand over that leadership to Joshua who led the people into the promised land. In the Transfiguration Story, once again it is Moses who cannot do it. Though he is the most significant person in Jewish history and bypassed death, he is not the one. Once again, Moses must hand over leadership to Joshua, the Hebrew form of the Greek name, Jesus. Only Jesus can lead the way into the promised land that offers even more than milk and honey.
"not knowing what he said." Poor Peter. How could he have known? How could he have possibly understood the glimpse of the eighth day he was given? No one blames him. It wasn't until much later that what happened on that mountain even made sense to Peter.
We were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure.
-- 2 Peter 1:16-19
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Everyone has them. Sometimes it is as exciting as scoring the winning touch down in the last seconds of a Superbowl. Sometimes it is a moving experience like a mission trip and working with the poor or it's a spiritual event during a weekend where you experienced the presence of God. Sometime it is a tragic event like the death of a loved one or battling cancer or losing a job. Sometimes it is as public as being crowned home coming queen and other times it is as private as struggling with depression or alcoholism. And sometimes it is as commonplace as getting married or having a child.
What is it? Life-changing events. Each of us has these moments in our lives, several of them that we can point to as pivotal. My life changed because of this or my life took a different course because of that. They don't happen often but we sometimes have to them in our mind to relearn the lesson and relive the impact over and over again.
When life gets hard, the cancer survivor remembers the treatments and says, "Umph. That's nothing. I can do all things through God who strengthens me." When the marriage gets shaky, the groom remembers the vows he made on that day, "for better, for worse." When consumer envy almost eats you alive keeping up with the Joneses, you remember that Habitat for Humanity trip and think, "I have more than enough." When complaints get petty and the little things grow huge, the young widow remembers the day she buried her husband and her heart and thinks, "There are far bigger things to get upset about than a traffic jam or a cluttered house or a rude clerk."
Think back. What three or four events can you point to in your life that you can say you were Forever Changed?
For Peter, James, and John one of these life-changing events was on that Mount of Transfiguration. They were given a rare glimpse of Jesus in all of his glory. The full impact of this life-changing event would not hit them until years later but that is how God often works, doesn't he? It is when we look backward, we can see the hand of God at work in our lives -- sometimes subtly in a "coincidental" meeting, sometimes tragically in a loss, and sometimes spectacularly like today's story. It is this backward glimpse of the hand of God that gives us courage, hope and purpose as we move forward to the promised land.
ANOTHER VIEW
by Stephen McCutchan
Scott has done an excellent job of identifying significant issues within the text and the challenge that it raises for Christian individuals. My concern is that when we focus on the individual's faith journey, we sometimes play into the culture's excessive individualism. It seems to me that the gospel story lifts up an emphasis on our corporate faith as a counterpoint to our self-centered fixation on the individual. While individuals play significant roles in the scriptures, it is the covenant community that is the focus. For us that means we need to look at what the gospels tell us about the church and our role within the church. There are a high percentage of people in our culture that insist they are Christian but who want nothing to do with the church. I would suggest that this is an inclination toward a Gnostic understanding of the faith. The question we must wrestle with is can we have a faith without the incarnation. Unless we flesh out the faith in a living body, we are just playing with ideas and idealism. But then we have to confront the question of the human nature of the church.
With the Transfiguration, the disciples are confronted with the difference between seeing Jesus as just a special person and suddenly experiencing him as the Christ of God. The theological challenge for the church is whether it is just a special organization or whether it is the Body of Christ. The appearance of Moses and Elijah in our passage was an appearance of the essence of the past journey of the faith. As Scott points out, the statement that this occurred on the eighth day is an indication that we are dealing with the future, the first day of the new creation, and how the past is connected with that new vision. Jesus was seen as not a break from the past but a fulfillment of what was pointed to in the law and the prophets.
Is there just a historic connection between the present church and the traditions and scriptures that precede it or is the church the living story of God's continuing revelation that began with the law and the prophets and found its fulfillment in Jesus? If one looks at this story of the transfiguration as the story of the church and not just a historic incident in the life of Jesus, then we see our own journey being described. When we examine this story on Transfiguration Sunday, we are seeking signs of the transfiguration of the Body of Christ, where we can see the divine shining through the human form, and how we should respond to that possibility in our time.
The Transfiguration happened at a time when Jesus was at prayer. It is in prayer that we grow closer to God. When we experience the closeness of God, something changes. Consider Peter, James, and John as representatives of the active faithful in the church. They experienced the church, the Body of Christ, at prayer. They resisted the physical needs of their body (sleep) and focused on the church at prayer. Because of their devotion, they saw not just a group of humans going through a set of rituals but rather the glory of God manifested in the Body. The church, as seen in the figure of Jesus, was transfigured before their eyes. Suddenly they saw how the law and the prophets testified to God's presence among his people.
They responded by wanting to build three booths symbolizing the law, the prophets, and the Christ. Were they trying to enshrine the holy moment or were they demonstrating hospitality for the divine? It is uncertain, but, what is clear is that at that exact moment they offered to respond, they were overshadowed by God. Their epiphany, when they saw clearly that God confirmed Jesus, was that his Body, also, was confirmed. Now they knew for certain that the church was the vehicle of their salvation and they were told to listen to what Christ, the head of the church, would tell them. It was not so much a message that they could tell others about as a message that must be experienced. So we should spend less time telling others about the church and more time being the church for others.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Everything I Really Need to Know
I Learned on the Mount of Transfiguration
1. Be thankful for your friends who are there for you at the important times in your life.
2. Be that kind of a friend to them.
3. Rejoice that Jesus has called you to be his friend. Spend some time with him each day. In fact, walk through your day with him.
4. Take time, now and then, to go to a special place (like church) where you can experience the Lord's presence in a special way.
5. When you're thinking of doing something (like building booths), check it out with the Lord first to be sure it would be wise.
6. Remember that all the faithful departed, like Moses and Elijah, are awaiting the Great Resurrection morning, and that we will see them and be able to talk with them some day.
7. Jesus saw great purpose to his life: God sent him to be our Lord and Savior. Remember that God has great purpose for your life, too.
8. What did Jesus go up onto the mountain for? To pray; to talk to his Father. You can do the same, wherever you are.
9. The Father has sent Jesus to us with important things to say to us. He said, "This is my Son, my Chosen, my Beloved. Listen to him."
10. Remember that your heavenly Father is saying to you, "You are my beloved child."
* * *
What were the three disciples to do after seeing the marvelous events on the Mount of Transfiguration? Oswald Chambers says: "The only way to be obedient to the heavenly vision is to give our utmost for God's highest, and this can be done only by continually and resolutely recalling the vision... we must live in the inspiration of it until it accomplishes itself." -- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, p. 71 * * * After the three disciples hear the Father calling Jesus his Son, his Chosen, his Beloved on the Mount of Transfiguration, and see Moses and Elijah talking with him, their sense of who Jesus is has to be raised. What they saw and heard can fire them for the work of the rest of their lives. E. Stanley Jones says, "All life is gathered into a common center, Christ, and then it goes out from that common center to tell, each in its own language, the wonderful works of God." -- E. Stanley Jones, The Christ of Every Road, p. 143 * * *
There is a church in Seabrook Texas, near the NASA space center, which was the home church of many of the earliest astronauts. In the youth center there is stained-glass window that was designed in memory of one of the church's former members, Ed White, who was both the first American astronaut to "walk in space" outside the space craft, and also one of the first people to die in the service of the exploration of space. The window depicts Ed White in his space suit floating in space with both the earth and the moon in the distance. For many people in the community that has always been a symbol of what it means to venture out in faith. In fact, the astronauts who were members of that church saw the exploration of space as an adventure in faith. One of them has his mission named, "Faith Seven."
When the experiences of life push us out into those awful empty spaces, we can make the most of those experiences by venturing out in faith and reaching out to the one who is beyond all of the tangible things and dependable relationships that we were accustomed to counting on and trying to get in touch with the invisible God who alone is really substantial and eternal. Then when we have gotten in touch, we can reorganize our lives around our relationship with God.
* * *
A certain pastor shared these reflections on his experience as he coped with the experience of the death of his wife.
"Only a couple of months ago, the person, who had been my partner in everything I did for almost fifty years, died. Everything in my life had been built around that partnership. When she died, everything either came apart or asked to be reorganized.
If you have been through something like that, you know that the disintegration takes place at a much deeper level than just the surface things that can eventually be reorganized. It goes on at a level so deep that you really can't explain it in words. I find myself asking, "Who am I now? For almost fifty years I was part of unions in which the two became one. Who am I now?"
I found myself having to reckon again with my own mortality. We all come to take our existence for granted. But when you watch the one who was the other part of yourself finally stop breathing and cease to be there in just a matter of minutes, you are forced to remember just what a temporary thing human life is. That makes you see everything differently.
These experiences can even make you ask questions about your faith. My faith has always been important to me. It has always been grounded in convictions. I cannot look at the miracle of the world around me and believe that it is anything other than a creation of a wise and loving God and if that God gave us life in this world, it makes sense to me that God will be there to give us life beyond this world just as the Bible says. But in my time of loneliness and loss, I wanted more than just convictions. I wanted to feel the presence of God. I wanted to feel some of that serenity that my wife felt as she approached death. But feelings are fickle things. They do not come at our command. I realized that others are having similar thoughts. We seem unwilling to be satisfied with hope. We want certainty. I know that, for many, the questioning goes deeper. It is best not to deny it.
When our world falls apart in these ways, it sometimes seems that every piece of ground that we have been accustomed to standing on has been cut out from under us. Everything that we have been accustomed to holding on to has been either taken away or called into question. And we are pushed out into some vast empty space and required to put life together all over again. And that is a time for reaching out in a desperate effort to get in touch with God.
* * *
A certain poet, whose name I cannot remember or find, wrote a strange, brief poem in honor of a teacher who had inspired his creativity.
Come to the edge.
No. It's too high.
Come to the edge.
No. I might fall.
Come to the edge.
We came.
He pushed.
And we flew.
* * *
The Feast of the Transfiguration is one of my favorite feast days in the Christian year. The imagery of the mountain and what it shows us is powerful and full of great historic and literary significance. Every child knows that one can see the "Emerald City" from the mountaintop. Consider the following when you think about the Transfiguration this year.
I've Been To The Mountaintop -- April 3, 1968
On the eve of a protest march for striking garbage workers in Memphis, Tennessee, King gave this darkly prescient speech. The next day he was assassinated.
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
* * *
Bradford Washburn was a remarkable man. He climbed many a mountain in his life, including Mount Everest and Mount McKinley. But the greatest achievement of his life was the founding of the Museum of Science in Boston. Mr. Washburn was an elite mountain climber and a renowned cartographer. He often said, however, that these were secondary pursuits. He'd be happy, he told the Boston Globe in 2000, if his obituary were one sentence: "He built the Museum of Science."
"The top of Mount McKinley was thrilling," he once said, "but there's nothing on earth more exciting than the eyes of a youngster at the instant of discovery."
* * *
Five years ago I personally saw the promised land from Mount Nebo. It was as if I were looking over to the great oasis at Jericho with the eyes of Moses himself. Of course, I saw what Moses could not see... namely that the promised land was to be the scene of endless conflicts and the stage on which the current conflict between the three great religions would be set. Then I wondered if this was some kind of plan. Perhaps God wants us to engage one another and work through our conflict and find through the crucible of human struggle the pathway to justice and peace. What I reject as part of God's plan is the tragic flow of blood that descends down toward the Dead Sea. I am certain that Moses and Jesus and Mohammed also reject that hostility and that they too would have urged their followers to submit to the will of God.
-- Paul Bresnahan
WORSHIP RESOURCE
By Thom Shuman
Call To Worship
Leader: We gather as the faithful of God,
we come to listen to what God
has to say to us.
People: God has invited us to this place:
may our faces reflect our hopes
and our hearts.
Leader: We gather as the faithful of God,
people of the new covenant of
hope and of promise.
People: We boldly enter into the presence of God,
hoping to be transformed into new people.
Leader: We gather as the faithful of God,
our fears melting away in the heart of God.
People: We come to share in the freedom of the Spirit,
we come to praise God's holy name.
Prayer Of The Day
Majestic Glory,
Heart of God:
on mountaintops crowned with mist
and in museums filled with wonder;
in tents pitched by singing brooks
and in theaters filled with laughing children;
in this sacred space
and in all the ordinary neighborhoods
where we live,
you are with us,
hearing us,
answering us.
And we do not lose heart.
Holy Beloved,
Face of God:
we glance at you
out of the corners of our souls,
and see grace surrounding us;
we look at you
conversing with the poor and rejected,
and see our family;
we watch you
as you come to us,
to touch us, to heal us,
and to give us back to God.
And we do not lose heart.
Holy Spirit,
Ear of God:
when our lips
cannot shape words,
you speak them for us;
when we can only sigh
our deepest needs,
you gather them up
and offer them to God;
when our hopes
are dashed to the ground,
you pick them up
and give them back to us.
And we do not lose heart.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our voices and hearts to you,
praying as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father...
Call To Reconciliation
Sometimes we wait for God to astound us with whirlwinds of wonders, while God silently offers us grace. God waits to forgive us, so let us hold nothing back, but trust in the One who listens to our prayers and answers us with mercy.
Unison Prayer Of Reconciliation
God of mountaintops, the din of the world can harden our hearts to your Word. We watch news, reality TV, silly shows -- yet have trouble bearing witness to your presence in our lives. Our faith is placed in those who fail us; our trust is given to those who misplace it. Forgive us, Revealer of Mystery. You offer mercy to us, so we might hear your call to discipleship. You whisper our names, so we might know how loved we are. Caught by the surprise of your never ending joy in us, how can we not follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, onto the mountaintops of worship and into the valleys of sacrifice and service!
(Silent prayer is observed.)
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: On mountaintops and in valleys, in our
homes and in our hearts, God knows us
better than we know ourselves, and God
forgives us when we cannot forgive
ourselves.
People: By God's mercy, we are forgiven;
by God's mercy, we are made whole;
by God's mercy, we are equipped to
serve others. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer Of Thanksgiving
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: People of God, lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord our God.
Leader: People of God, give thanks to the One
who meets us on the mountaintops of
glory and in the valleys of service.
People: It is good and right to give praise
to the One who is with us in every moment.
Shaper of mountains
and Carver of rivers:
it is our greatest joy to offer you
our praise and thanksgiving in these moments.
All things in every place
were created by you
to rejoice in your radiant splendor.
Created by you to live
in your garden of hope and joy,
we believed in the shrewd schemes of the world,
and wandered into the valleys of sin and death.
But you did not forsake us,
but became one of us
so we might be transformed
into new life.
You gave us the Breath of life
and the Word of grace
so all the living could find voice
to sing your glory.
Therefore, we join with those
of every time and place
singing the ancient hymn
of praise and glory:
Sanctus
Mighty God, lover of justice,
you are seated upon the praise of your people.
On the mountain of holiness
you proclaimed Jesus Christ as your Beloved,
the hope of all your children.
He descended Glory's mountain
to climb up on a garbage dump called Calvary.
When he could have stayed
with Moses and Elijah,
he chose to be crucified
between two thieves.
When he could have taken shelter
within your hope and love,
he endured the cross of pain and suffering.
And so, we proclaim our faith
as we come to your Table:
Memorial Acclamation
Descend upon us, Holy Spirit,
and on these gifts of the Bread and the Cup.
As we share them with one another,
may we be restored to wholeness.
May Christ's return in faith
find us in service to others;
may Christ's return in hope
find us praying for others;
may Christ's return in love
find us reconciled with one another.
And when Christ comes again in glory,
all people will be set free,
all brokenness will be made whole,
and all creation will sing:
through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Listen up!
Object: a one dollar bill
There is a man's picture on this dollar bill. Who can tell me whose picture is on it? (let them answer) That's right! It's George Washington's picture. Now -- who was George Washington? (let them answer) He was the very first president of the United States.
When the president of the United States speaks, do we listen? (let them answer) We surely do! The president has what we call "authority." In other words, the president is very powerful and can do things most of us cannot. The president can tell the Army and the Navy to fight a war. The president can speak to Congress or the Senate and people listen. When the president speaks, others listen! Almost every day you can read in newspapers what the president said yesterday. If you watch the news, it often has a news report about something the president said or did.
The president -- like George Washington -- or any president has authority and power. People listen to the president.
Today we learn about someone even more powerful and important that a president -- even the very first president of the United States. We learn about Jesus. Can you tell me the story of his "transfiguration"? (let them answer) Jesus went up a mountain with some of his disciples and then his face and clothing changed. Not only that happened, but two men who had been dead for many years appeared: Moses and Elijah. There was also a cloud that appeared and a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" Now whose voice do you suppose that was? (let them answer) It was God's voice. Surely we listen to God. God says, "Listen to Jesus." We do. The voice of Jesus is more important than that of any president.
Every Sunday we hear about something that Jesus said. We can't say that about all presidents.
Dear Jesus: We listen to you. Thanks for speaking to us. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 18, 2007, issue.
Copyright 2007 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 permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
Just A Glimpse
By Scott Suskovic
THE WORLD
Don't you wish you could take back your words sometimes? They could be in anger, they could be in jest, or they could even come from the best possible intentions but just came out wrong. And then it is too late.
How many political careers have been shaped (or doomed) over a missed word? Bill Clinton talking about "that woman." John Kerry saying that if you don't do well in school you'll be sent to Iraq. Or, more recently, Joseph Biden saying that Obama was the first clean black man to run for president. (That has to be the shortest run for president in the history of the United States!)
In our text for today, Peter said some things that I'm sure he wished he could take back. "Master, let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he said.
The difference between Peter's verbal gaffe and the politicians' is that Peter did not know any better. What happened on that mountain was something so foreign, so unusual, so outside of his experiences that it is hard to fault Peter. After all, he was given a brief glimpse of the future -- and it left him grasping for words.
THE WORD
This is a text that is rich in symbolism and hidden meaning. Let's break it down:
"Now about eight days after. . ." Eight days. We have a rule of thumb in my congregation that when scripture gives details, pay attention. This is not some exercise in creative writing. The words have meaning. Instead of saying about a week later, Luke uses the number eight. Why? Could it be that Luke is referring to the rabbinic tradition of the number eight? God created the world in six days. God rested on the seventh day. However, according the rabbinic tradition, on the eighth day God will make all things new. It will be a re-creation. In this story, Peter, James, and John are given a glimpse of Jesus transfigured in all of his glory. When will that be? On the eighth day, the day in which God makes all things new. This number gives us a clue as to the importance of this story.
"Moses and Elijah" Why these two biblical heroes? Many scholars point to how they epitomize "the law and the prophets." However, there may be another angle here worth pursuing. There were only three people in the Old Testament who bypassed the death stage. Enoch was whisked into heaven. Elijah had the chariot of fire. And Moses' death on the mountain is shrouded in mystery as if God himself took care of him personally. Death is the final enemy. And now these two stand before Jesus who will be taking on death face to face. The difference, of course, is that Jesus will have to go directly face to face with death in order to save us from the grave. Through Jesus, death will never have the final word. Life does.
"who spoke of his (Jesus) departure which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem." It is strange to speak of a departure as something someone "accomplishes," unless we look closer at that word. In Greek, the word is "exodus." Now it makes sense. The Exodus was the most pivotal and redemptive event in the Old Testament. Moses, who lead the people on this first Exodus, now speaks to Jesus about once again leading God's people on this next Exodus. The parallels are striking. Jesus is leading the people out of bondage (to sin) through the wilderness (this world) and into the promised land (heaven). And to drive home this connection, in the Old Testament Moses couldn't lead the people into the promised land. He was not the one. He had to hand over that leadership to Joshua who led the people into the promised land. In the Transfiguration Story, once again it is Moses who cannot do it. Though he is the most significant person in Jewish history and bypassed death, he is not the one. Once again, Moses must hand over leadership to Joshua, the Hebrew form of the Greek name, Jesus. Only Jesus can lead the way into the promised land that offers even more than milk and honey.
"not knowing what he said." Poor Peter. How could he have known? How could he have possibly understood the glimpse of the eighth day he was given? No one blames him. It wasn't until much later that what happened on that mountain even made sense to Peter.
We were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure.
-- 2 Peter 1:16-19
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Everyone has them. Sometimes it is as exciting as scoring the winning touch down in the last seconds of a Superbowl. Sometimes it is a moving experience like a mission trip and working with the poor or it's a spiritual event during a weekend where you experienced the presence of God. Sometime it is a tragic event like the death of a loved one or battling cancer or losing a job. Sometimes it is as public as being crowned home coming queen and other times it is as private as struggling with depression or alcoholism. And sometimes it is as commonplace as getting married or having a child.
What is it? Life-changing events. Each of us has these moments in our lives, several of them that we can point to as pivotal. My life changed because of this or my life took a different course because of that. They don't happen often but we sometimes have to them in our mind to relearn the lesson and relive the impact over and over again.
When life gets hard, the cancer survivor remembers the treatments and says, "Umph. That's nothing. I can do all things through God who strengthens me." When the marriage gets shaky, the groom remembers the vows he made on that day, "for better, for worse." When consumer envy almost eats you alive keeping up with the Joneses, you remember that Habitat for Humanity trip and think, "I have more than enough." When complaints get petty and the little things grow huge, the young widow remembers the day she buried her husband and her heart and thinks, "There are far bigger things to get upset about than a traffic jam or a cluttered house or a rude clerk."
Think back. What three or four events can you point to in your life that you can say you were Forever Changed?
For Peter, James, and John one of these life-changing events was on that Mount of Transfiguration. They were given a rare glimpse of Jesus in all of his glory. The full impact of this life-changing event would not hit them until years later but that is how God often works, doesn't he? It is when we look backward, we can see the hand of God at work in our lives -- sometimes subtly in a "coincidental" meeting, sometimes tragically in a loss, and sometimes spectacularly like today's story. It is this backward glimpse of the hand of God that gives us courage, hope and purpose as we move forward to the promised land.
ANOTHER VIEW
by Stephen McCutchan
Scott has done an excellent job of identifying significant issues within the text and the challenge that it raises for Christian individuals. My concern is that when we focus on the individual's faith journey, we sometimes play into the culture's excessive individualism. It seems to me that the gospel story lifts up an emphasis on our corporate faith as a counterpoint to our self-centered fixation on the individual. While individuals play significant roles in the scriptures, it is the covenant community that is the focus. For us that means we need to look at what the gospels tell us about the church and our role within the church. There are a high percentage of people in our culture that insist they are Christian but who want nothing to do with the church. I would suggest that this is an inclination toward a Gnostic understanding of the faith. The question we must wrestle with is can we have a faith without the incarnation. Unless we flesh out the faith in a living body, we are just playing with ideas and idealism. But then we have to confront the question of the human nature of the church.
With the Transfiguration, the disciples are confronted with the difference between seeing Jesus as just a special person and suddenly experiencing him as the Christ of God. The theological challenge for the church is whether it is just a special organization or whether it is the Body of Christ. The appearance of Moses and Elijah in our passage was an appearance of the essence of the past journey of the faith. As Scott points out, the statement that this occurred on the eighth day is an indication that we are dealing with the future, the first day of the new creation, and how the past is connected with that new vision. Jesus was seen as not a break from the past but a fulfillment of what was pointed to in the law and the prophets.
Is there just a historic connection between the present church and the traditions and scriptures that precede it or is the church the living story of God's continuing revelation that began with the law and the prophets and found its fulfillment in Jesus? If one looks at this story of the transfiguration as the story of the church and not just a historic incident in the life of Jesus, then we see our own journey being described. When we examine this story on Transfiguration Sunday, we are seeking signs of the transfiguration of the Body of Christ, where we can see the divine shining through the human form, and how we should respond to that possibility in our time.
The Transfiguration happened at a time when Jesus was at prayer. It is in prayer that we grow closer to God. When we experience the closeness of God, something changes. Consider Peter, James, and John as representatives of the active faithful in the church. They experienced the church, the Body of Christ, at prayer. They resisted the physical needs of their body (sleep) and focused on the church at prayer. Because of their devotion, they saw not just a group of humans going through a set of rituals but rather the glory of God manifested in the Body. The church, as seen in the figure of Jesus, was transfigured before their eyes. Suddenly they saw how the law and the prophets testified to God's presence among his people.
They responded by wanting to build three booths symbolizing the law, the prophets, and the Christ. Were they trying to enshrine the holy moment or were they demonstrating hospitality for the divine? It is uncertain, but, what is clear is that at that exact moment they offered to respond, they were overshadowed by God. Their epiphany, when they saw clearly that God confirmed Jesus, was that his Body, also, was confirmed. Now they knew for certain that the church was the vehicle of their salvation and they were told to listen to what Christ, the head of the church, would tell them. It was not so much a message that they could tell others about as a message that must be experienced. So we should spend less time telling others about the church and more time being the church for others.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Everything I Really Need to Know
I Learned on the Mount of Transfiguration
1. Be thankful for your friends who are there for you at the important times in your life.
2. Be that kind of a friend to them.
3. Rejoice that Jesus has called you to be his friend. Spend some time with him each day. In fact, walk through your day with him.
4. Take time, now and then, to go to a special place (like church) where you can experience the Lord's presence in a special way.
5. When you're thinking of doing something (like building booths), check it out with the Lord first to be sure it would be wise.
6. Remember that all the faithful departed, like Moses and Elijah, are awaiting the Great Resurrection morning, and that we will see them and be able to talk with them some day.
7. Jesus saw great purpose to his life: God sent him to be our Lord and Savior. Remember that God has great purpose for your life, too.
8. What did Jesus go up onto the mountain for? To pray; to talk to his Father. You can do the same, wherever you are.
9. The Father has sent Jesus to us with important things to say to us. He said, "This is my Son, my Chosen, my Beloved. Listen to him."
10. Remember that your heavenly Father is saying to you, "You are my beloved child."
* * *
What were the three disciples to do after seeing the marvelous events on the Mount of Transfiguration? Oswald Chambers says: "The only way to be obedient to the heavenly vision is to give our utmost for God's highest, and this can be done only by continually and resolutely recalling the vision... we must live in the inspiration of it until it accomplishes itself." -- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, p. 71 * * * After the three disciples hear the Father calling Jesus his Son, his Chosen, his Beloved on the Mount of Transfiguration, and see Moses and Elijah talking with him, their sense of who Jesus is has to be raised. What they saw and heard can fire them for the work of the rest of their lives. E. Stanley Jones says, "All life is gathered into a common center, Christ, and then it goes out from that common center to tell, each in its own language, the wonderful works of God." -- E. Stanley Jones, The Christ of Every Road, p. 143 * * *
There is a church in Seabrook Texas, near the NASA space center, which was the home church of many of the earliest astronauts. In the youth center there is stained-glass window that was designed in memory of one of the church's former members, Ed White, who was both the first American astronaut to "walk in space" outside the space craft, and also one of the first people to die in the service of the exploration of space. The window depicts Ed White in his space suit floating in space with both the earth and the moon in the distance. For many people in the community that has always been a symbol of what it means to venture out in faith. In fact, the astronauts who were members of that church saw the exploration of space as an adventure in faith. One of them has his mission named, "Faith Seven."
When the experiences of life push us out into those awful empty spaces, we can make the most of those experiences by venturing out in faith and reaching out to the one who is beyond all of the tangible things and dependable relationships that we were accustomed to counting on and trying to get in touch with the invisible God who alone is really substantial and eternal. Then when we have gotten in touch, we can reorganize our lives around our relationship with God.
* * *
A certain pastor shared these reflections on his experience as he coped with the experience of the death of his wife.
"Only a couple of months ago, the person, who had been my partner in everything I did for almost fifty years, died. Everything in my life had been built around that partnership. When she died, everything either came apart or asked to be reorganized.
If you have been through something like that, you know that the disintegration takes place at a much deeper level than just the surface things that can eventually be reorganized. It goes on at a level so deep that you really can't explain it in words. I find myself asking, "Who am I now? For almost fifty years I was part of unions in which the two became one. Who am I now?"
I found myself having to reckon again with my own mortality. We all come to take our existence for granted. But when you watch the one who was the other part of yourself finally stop breathing and cease to be there in just a matter of minutes, you are forced to remember just what a temporary thing human life is. That makes you see everything differently.
These experiences can even make you ask questions about your faith. My faith has always been important to me. It has always been grounded in convictions. I cannot look at the miracle of the world around me and believe that it is anything other than a creation of a wise and loving God and if that God gave us life in this world, it makes sense to me that God will be there to give us life beyond this world just as the Bible says. But in my time of loneliness and loss, I wanted more than just convictions. I wanted to feel the presence of God. I wanted to feel some of that serenity that my wife felt as she approached death. But feelings are fickle things. They do not come at our command. I realized that others are having similar thoughts. We seem unwilling to be satisfied with hope. We want certainty. I know that, for many, the questioning goes deeper. It is best not to deny it.
When our world falls apart in these ways, it sometimes seems that every piece of ground that we have been accustomed to standing on has been cut out from under us. Everything that we have been accustomed to holding on to has been either taken away or called into question. And we are pushed out into some vast empty space and required to put life together all over again. And that is a time for reaching out in a desperate effort to get in touch with God.
* * *
A certain poet, whose name I cannot remember or find, wrote a strange, brief poem in honor of a teacher who had inspired his creativity.
Come to the edge.
No. It's too high.
Come to the edge.
No. I might fall.
Come to the edge.
We came.
He pushed.
And we flew.
* * *
The Feast of the Transfiguration is one of my favorite feast days in the Christian year. The imagery of the mountain and what it shows us is powerful and full of great historic and literary significance. Every child knows that one can see the "Emerald City" from the mountaintop. Consider the following when you think about the Transfiguration this year.
I've Been To The Mountaintop -- April 3, 1968
On the eve of a protest march for striking garbage workers in Memphis, Tennessee, King gave this darkly prescient speech. The next day he was assassinated.
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
* * *
Bradford Washburn was a remarkable man. He climbed many a mountain in his life, including Mount Everest and Mount McKinley. But the greatest achievement of his life was the founding of the Museum of Science in Boston. Mr. Washburn was an elite mountain climber and a renowned cartographer. He often said, however, that these were secondary pursuits. He'd be happy, he told the Boston Globe in 2000, if his obituary were one sentence: "He built the Museum of Science."
"The top of Mount McKinley was thrilling," he once said, "but there's nothing on earth more exciting than the eyes of a youngster at the instant of discovery."
* * *
Five years ago I personally saw the promised land from Mount Nebo. It was as if I were looking over to the great oasis at Jericho with the eyes of Moses himself. Of course, I saw what Moses could not see... namely that the promised land was to be the scene of endless conflicts and the stage on which the current conflict between the three great religions would be set. Then I wondered if this was some kind of plan. Perhaps God wants us to engage one another and work through our conflict and find through the crucible of human struggle the pathway to justice and peace. What I reject as part of God's plan is the tragic flow of blood that descends down toward the Dead Sea. I am certain that Moses and Jesus and Mohammed also reject that hostility and that they too would have urged their followers to submit to the will of God.
-- Paul Bresnahan
WORSHIP RESOURCE
By Thom Shuman
Call To Worship
Leader: We gather as the faithful of God,
we come to listen to what God
has to say to us.
People: God has invited us to this place:
may our faces reflect our hopes
and our hearts.
Leader: We gather as the faithful of God,
people of the new covenant of
hope and of promise.
People: We boldly enter into the presence of God,
hoping to be transformed into new people.
Leader: We gather as the faithful of God,
our fears melting away in the heart of God.
People: We come to share in the freedom of the Spirit,
we come to praise God's holy name.
Prayer Of The Day
Majestic Glory,
Heart of God:
on mountaintops crowned with mist
and in museums filled with wonder;
in tents pitched by singing brooks
and in theaters filled with laughing children;
in this sacred space
and in all the ordinary neighborhoods
where we live,
you are with us,
hearing us,
answering us.
And we do not lose heart.
Holy Beloved,
Face of God:
we glance at you
out of the corners of our souls,
and see grace surrounding us;
we look at you
conversing with the poor and rejected,
and see our family;
we watch you
as you come to us,
to touch us, to heal us,
and to give us back to God.
And we do not lose heart.
Holy Spirit,
Ear of God:
when our lips
cannot shape words,
you speak them for us;
when we can only sigh
our deepest needs,
you gather them up
and offer them to God;
when our hopes
are dashed to the ground,
you pick them up
and give them back to us.
And we do not lose heart.
God in Community, Holy in One,
we lift our voices and hearts to you,
praying as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father...
Call To Reconciliation
Sometimes we wait for God to astound us with whirlwinds of wonders, while God silently offers us grace. God waits to forgive us, so let us hold nothing back, but trust in the One who listens to our prayers and answers us with mercy.
Unison Prayer Of Reconciliation
God of mountaintops, the din of the world can harden our hearts to your Word. We watch news, reality TV, silly shows -- yet have trouble bearing witness to your presence in our lives. Our faith is placed in those who fail us; our trust is given to those who misplace it. Forgive us, Revealer of Mystery. You offer mercy to us, so we might hear your call to discipleship. You whisper our names, so we might know how loved we are. Caught by the surprise of your never ending joy in us, how can we not follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, onto the mountaintops of worship and into the valleys of sacrifice and service!
(Silent prayer is observed.)
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: On mountaintops and in valleys, in our
homes and in our hearts, God knows us
better than we know ourselves, and God
forgives us when we cannot forgive
ourselves.
People: By God's mercy, we are forgiven;
by God's mercy, we are made whole;
by God's mercy, we are equipped to
serve others. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer Of Thanksgiving
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: People of God, lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord our God.
Leader: People of God, give thanks to the One
who meets us on the mountaintops of
glory and in the valleys of service.
People: It is good and right to give praise
to the One who is with us in every moment.
Shaper of mountains
and Carver of rivers:
it is our greatest joy to offer you
our praise and thanksgiving in these moments.
All things in every place
were created by you
to rejoice in your radiant splendor.
Created by you to live
in your garden of hope and joy,
we believed in the shrewd schemes of the world,
and wandered into the valleys of sin and death.
But you did not forsake us,
but became one of us
so we might be transformed
into new life.
You gave us the Breath of life
and the Word of grace
so all the living could find voice
to sing your glory.
Therefore, we join with those
of every time and place
singing the ancient hymn
of praise and glory:
Sanctus
Mighty God, lover of justice,
you are seated upon the praise of your people.
On the mountain of holiness
you proclaimed Jesus Christ as your Beloved,
the hope of all your children.
He descended Glory's mountain
to climb up on a garbage dump called Calvary.
When he could have stayed
with Moses and Elijah,
he chose to be crucified
between two thieves.
When he could have taken shelter
within your hope and love,
he endured the cross of pain and suffering.
And so, we proclaim our faith
as we come to your Table:
Memorial Acclamation
Descend upon us, Holy Spirit,
and on these gifts of the Bread and the Cup.
As we share them with one another,
may we be restored to wholeness.
May Christ's return in faith
find us in service to others;
may Christ's return in hope
find us praying for others;
may Christ's return in love
find us reconciled with one another.
And when Christ comes again in glory,
all people will be set free,
all brokenness will be made whole,
and all creation will sing:
through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Listen up!
Object: a one dollar bill
There is a man's picture on this dollar bill. Who can tell me whose picture is on it? (let them answer) That's right! It's George Washington's picture. Now -- who was George Washington? (let them answer) He was the very first president of the United States.
When the president of the United States speaks, do we listen? (let them answer) We surely do! The president has what we call "authority." In other words, the president is very powerful and can do things most of us cannot. The president can tell the Army and the Navy to fight a war. The president can speak to Congress or the Senate and people listen. When the president speaks, others listen! Almost every day you can read in newspapers what the president said yesterday. If you watch the news, it often has a news report about something the president said or did.
The president -- like George Washington -- or any president has authority and power. People listen to the president.
Today we learn about someone even more powerful and important that a president -- even the very first president of the United States. We learn about Jesus. Can you tell me the story of his "transfiguration"? (let them answer) Jesus went up a mountain with some of his disciples and then his face and clothing changed. Not only that happened, but two men who had been dead for many years appeared: Moses and Elijah. There was also a cloud that appeared and a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" Now whose voice do you suppose that was? (let them answer) It was God's voice. Surely we listen to God. God says, "Listen to Jesus." We do. The voice of Jesus is more important than that of any president.
Every Sunday we hear about something that Jesus said. We can't say that about all presidents.
Dear Jesus: We listen to you. Thanks for speaking to us. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 18, 2007, issue.
Copyright 2007 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 permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
