The Original Super Bowl?
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Dear Fellow Preachers,
Many churchgoers might have to be reminded that February 6 is Transfiguration Sunday, the end of the Epiphany season, and the transition to Lent (Ash Wednesday is February 9). February 6, of course, is Super Bowl Sunday and George Murphy, our lead writer for this issue of The Immediate Word, reflects on what it means to be Number One. He points out that the gospel writers link the revelation of Jesus' glory in the Transfiguration story with his approaching passion and death. The Gospel Reading, Matthew 17:1-9, is especially rich in themes and details that draw attention both to the Old Testament texts and to central themes of Christian faith.
The assigned lectionary readings for Transfiguration Sunday are Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 2 or Psalm 99; 2 Peter 1:16-21; and Matthew 17:1-9
As usual, we include team comments, worship materials, and other resources for your planning for Sunday.
The Original Super Bowl?
Matthew 17:1-9
By George Murphy
Chances are that the average churchgoer, if asked what February sixth is this year, would be more likely to say "Super Bowl Sunday" than "Transfiguration Sunday." The Super Bowl is not only the major sporting event of the year in the United States but also a prominent ritual of American civil religion. On the other hand, many people in the pews probably don't remember from one year to the next that the lessons for the last Sunday before Lent each year deal with the Transfiguration of our Lord. (The gospel this year is Matthew 17:1-9.)
The Super Bowl is about determining who is Number One in football, and Number One is always a big deal for Americans. The winners get to bask in glory as they hoist the Lombardi Trophy. And the Transfiguration -- well, yes, it's about Jesus being Number One. It is about his glory too -- glory of the dazzlingly brilliant type. But the story is quite deliberately set between the first two of Jesus' passion predictions in the Synoptic Gospels, and it occurs at the point where he turns his face to Jerusalem. Glory and number oneness mean something quite surprising here.
Matthew, like Luke, follows the basic pattern of the Markan Transfiguration account, both in the content of the story and in its setting in the gospel. But there are also important variations. (In John, on the other hand, there is no separate Transfiguration account, for the divine radiance of Christ is displayed throughout that gospel. But the statement in John 1:14 that "we have seen his glory" points not to the event that we deal with this Sunday but to the cross-resurrection-ascension complex.) The ways in which Matthew alters the Markan account will indicate particular theological emphases that he wanted to make.
Context is especially significant here. The Transfiguration account in all the Synoptics follows immediately upon Jesus' first prediction of his passion and his call to follow him (Matthew 16:21-28), and it is quickly followed (17:22-23) by the second passion prediction. It thus functions as a statement about the true identity of the one who is one his way to the cross. The one who will be condemned to death and executed is not some hapless figure that gets caught up in the religious and political machinery but the one who shines with the light of God. Conversely, when we picture the brilliance of the transfigured Christ upon the mountain or see him by faith in the beauties of creation, we should remember that this is the one who died on Golgotha.
There is another point about the immediate context of the account. It is preceded in all three Synoptics by a statement to the effect that some of those present while Jesus is speaking will not die until they see the kingdom of God. This statement in Mark seems to point to a full establishment of the kingdom within a short time. Note especially the perfect tense in Mark 9:1: "... until they see that the kingdom of God has come (eléluthuian) with power." The statement would then not refer directly to the Transfiguration.
In Matthew 16:28, however, the statement is that some will see "the Son of Man coming (erchomenon) in his kingdom." This would be consistent with the idea that Jesus' words refer to the Transfiguration as a stage in the coming of the kingdom, though not its complete realization. (Note, e.g., the lines in the Transfiguration hymn, "How Good, Lord, to Be Here!" [Lutheran Book of Worship 89, verse 4], "Before we taste of death, We see your kingdom come.") This belief is strengthened by the fact that if 16:28 is included in the pericope with 17:1-9 then the account is "bookended" with the important phrase "the Son of Man," a type of literary structure that Matthew likes. (This would also mean that the eschatological Son of Man is indeed to be identified with Jesus in Matthew, a point that has sometimes been debated.)
Matthew constantly presents Jesus as the new and greater Moses. He is saved from a murderous king in chapter 2, he proclaims the law from a mountain in chapters 5-7, and so forth. The parallels between our text and the accounts of the Sinai theophany in Exodus are unmistakable.
"The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel." (Exodus 24:16-17)
In addition, Moses appears with Elijah to authenticate Jesus and his mission. (It is Luke, however, who in his Transfiguration account makes an explicit connection between to what Jesus will do -- "his departure" [ten exodon autou] -- and the Exodus.)
But the parallel in our text is not so much between Jesus and Moses as between Jesus and the LORD who appeared to Moses on Sinai. The Transfiguration functions in fact to reveal Jesus' divinity. As Gregory Palamas put it:
"The Saviour did not ascend Thabor, accompanied by the chosen disciples, in
order to show them that He was a man. For during the three years previous to
this, they had seen Him living with them and taking part in their way of life, as
Scripture puts it, 'in company' with them. No, He went up to show them 'that he
was the radiance of the Father.' "
Gregory Palamas, The Triads (Paulist, 1983), p. 78
(Mount Thabor, or Tabor, is the traditional site of the Transfiguration. This account is extremely important in Orthodox theology and is connected with the concept of theosis or deification in that tradition. Gregory Palamas was involved in the thirteenth century controversy involving the Hesychasts, monks who claimed to have seen "the uncreated light of Tabor." Gregory argued that while it was not possible for creatures to experience the essence of God directly, it was possible to perceive the uncreated divine energies or operations.)
If there were any doubt of the identity of the transfigured one it is removed by the heavenly voice that announces that Jesus is the Son of God. "Son" is, of course, the masculine term that has traditionally been used to speak of Jesus' relationship with the God of Israel and, eventually, the place of the person of Christ in the Trinity. But it's also important to note that the "bright cloud" which overshadows Jesus and the others can be related to the concept of the Shekinah, the "dwelling" of God, in Jewish tradition. Originally an "anti-anthropomorphism" used to avoid too much familiarity in speaking of God, the Shekinah is often associated with light imagery and came to be pictured as a feminine figure which in later developments might provide a way of speaking about God's suffering with Israel (see, e.g., Jürgen Moltmann, The Trinity and the Kingdom [Harper & Row, 1981], pp. 27-30). It is no accident that "Shekinah" is derived from the verb shkn, "to dwell," used in Exodus 24:16 which I quoted earlier to speak of the "settling" or "abiding" of "The glory of the LORD" on Sinai,
A lot of sermons have focused critically on Peter's proposal to "make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." This is pictured as a desire to stay on top of the mountain to bask in glory rather than go back to the everyday world. But perhaps Peter's suggestion wasn't just a desire to prolong the mountaintop experience. It's worth noting to begin with that there is no rebuke of him for this suggestion.
There may be here a reference here to the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. The connection is obscured by NRSV's translation of skenas in the line I quoted in the previous paragraph as "dwellings" rather than RSV's "booths" or KJV's "tabernacles." It is, in fact, the word that is used in the Septuagint of Leviticus 23:33-43 for the "booths" in which all male Jews were to dwell for seven days during the festival. Those on a journey would also be expected to carry out this obligation. Eschatological and messianic expectations ran high during the Feast of Tabernacles, as John 7 shows (see also Zechariah 14).
With such a spectacular account it's natural for people today to ask, "Did this really happen?" Between the traditional belief that what we have in the gospels is straight historical reporting and the more skeptical idea (which goes back to David Strauss) that it is a fiction which makes use of the imagery of the Sinai story, there is another possibility: It could be a report of a genuine visionary experience of some of Jesus' disciples. The word "vision" in verse 9 might suggest this. But the Greek horama need not have the connotations of the English "vision." It could be translated simply as "the thing seen." The language used earlier in the account -- "he was transfigured" -- indicates something that happened to Jesus, not simply a subjective experience of the disciples.
This is obviously a very rich text. What message does it give us to proclaim on February sixth of this year?
In view of what's been said about the meaning of the Transfiguration, one thing that ought to get some emphasis is the divinity of Christ. This shouldn't be a matter of trying to prove the truth of this doctrine from the text as much as one of bringing to life for hearers something that at times may have receded to the status of an antiquated orthodoxy. This aspect of the story is crucial for our Lenten journey that will begin in a few days. The Son of God, the Shekinah, God's presence among us, is the one who is on his way to Jerusalem.
But we aren't called just to observe him or even admire his splendor. The command of the Father about his beloved Son is "Listen to him." What Jesus Christ says, as given to us in scripture, is authoritative. (And that includes words that the later gospel writers, inspired by the Spirit of Christ, may have composed -- not just some consensus of scholars about the genuine words spoken by the historical Jesus.) This is not, however, to make Jesus simply another teacher or prophet, importance as those roles are. The most immediate words that Peter, James, and John were to listen to, and that we are to hear, are those just preceding the Transfiguration account which point toward the cross and call us to take up our crosses and follow.
That reminds us again of the contrast between naive Super Bowl ideas of triumph and the way of the cross, something that could certainly be the homiletic emphasis for this Sunday. This is a continuing need in a climate of religious triumphalism. Success by worldly standards doesn't always correlate with being on God's side. Winning a war doesn't always mean that it was a just war. The one who dies with the most toys -- still dies.
One contrast between the work of Christ and the Super Bowl (or World Series, or any other championship event) is that the former is a "once for all" thing, a special emphasis in Hebrews. But the team that wins the Super Bowl only gets to be champion for a year and then has to try to do it all over again. Paul spoke of the difference between the "perishable wreath" that athletes receive and the "imperishable one" that Christians strive for (1 Corinthians 9:25).
While the ideas of number oneness and glory associated with events like the Super Bowl need to be compared and contrasted critically with the Transfiguration, we need to be careful not to make the contrast so absolute that we misrepresent one or the other. Vince Lombardi, who coached the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowls and for whom the Lombardi Trophy is named, is sometimes quoted as having said "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." But there seems to be some question about this. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Lombardi
"[H]e did not coin this phrase, and it is uncertain if he ever even said it; however, he was quoted as saying something somewhat different: 'Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is.' Sportswriter Paul Zimmerman, who claims to have been at the banquet where these immortally misquoted words were spoken, writes in his The Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football that Lombardi actually said, 'Winning isn't the most important thing; it's the only thing.' "
In any case, we musn't make the way of the cross sound like a deliberate attempt to lose. Jesus doesn't take the way of suffering and death as a masochist or in order to spread misery around. Seen from the standpoint of the resurrection, it is the way of bringing forgiveness, freedom, and reconciliation for others. It is no accident that one of the classic books on the work of Christ is Gustaf Aulén's Christus Victor (Macmillan, 1961). But "for others" is the key: He does not simply seek some kind of victory for himself.
The same thing is true of our attempts to follow Christ: Failure doesn't necessarily mean that we're on the right track. (Among Lutherans there is a joke about a conservative pastor boasting to his fellow clergy, "When I came to this parish there were 800 members. Now we're down to 500!) Failure may sometimes be due to laziness or incompetence.
The way of the cross will, however, be hard. If what we judge as success is too easy, perhaps we'd better re-evaluate our standards. "No pain, no gain" is a slogan sometimes seen in flootball locker rooms and, understood properly, it's something that can be said about the way of the cross. But again we have to think about what we mean by "gain." Is it just our own gain or the good of God's creation and the furtherance of God's will?
Team Comments
Chris Ewing responds: When Jesus stood on the mountain with Moses and Elijah, the moment evoked critical moments in the faith history of Israel. First and foremost, we revisit Sinai: the cloud, the fire, the voice of God, a commandment affirming a relationship. Jesus is shown to be in continuity with Moses, with the heart of Israelite/Jewish faith. More, he is, by analogy, identified as the broker of a renewed covenant, an especially radical identification in light of the placement of this event in between predictions of the passion. In the face of the persistent human longing to be "number one," to be triumphally vindicated, the Messiah shown engaging the Law and the Prophets on the mountain will be "glorified" in submission to an appalling, cruel, and unjustified death.
This moment on the mountain may also evoke Elijah's mountaintop contest with the prophets of Baal. Coming so soon after Peter's misunderstanding of the nature of messiahship (Matthew 16:22), the sight of Elijah on the mountain may have recalled the assembly at Mount Carmel where the prophet challenged the people, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him" (1 Kings 18:20).
Like Moses and Elijah before him, Jesus on the mountain holds up a stark choice. Where Moses asked people to adhere to a covenant relationship defined by Torah, and Elijah challenged the covenant people to choose between Yahweh and Baal, Jesus holds up a galling choice between the way of God and the way of the world -- a bifurcation of ways that Paul last week (1 Corinthians 1:18-31) recognized as extreme. Though in human wisdom we choke on the way of the cross, the consistent affirmation of the gospels is that this is indeed the way of God, and represents not a break from but the realization of the covenant initiated with Abraham, formalized with Moses, developed and renewed through the prophets.
As mostly middle-class North Americans, we are prone to try to hold together our notion of the "good life," and our privileged place in world affairs, with our Christian faith. We "go limping with two different opinions." The Transfiguration of the soon-to-be-crucified serves as fair warning that we should not assume this is finally possible: it holds up the reality that in fact we are dealing with two radically different approaches to life. Cracking through our collective denial on this matter may be the most important -- and the most difficult -- thing a preacher could attempt today.
The problem is an old one. Trying to describe the significance of Jesus in a Greek-influenced world, New Testament writers had little choice but to borrow the terminology of a honour/shame society. One such term as "glory" (doxa), a word referring initially to a man's reputation. John and Paul radically redefine it -- John in relentlessly linking Jesus' "glorification" to his appalling death (John 12:27-28, inter alia), Paul in challenging conventional notions of power and wisdom (1 Corinthians 1-2). Yet the old meaning of the word continued to exert a gravitational tug; Peter's appeal in today's Epistle Lesson has the feel of someone trying to use old categories to entice people into a new reality.
Feminist theologians have described the God shown in Jesus not in the classical Greek terms of omnipotence, impassivity, and so on but as one more like a mother: relational and involved rather than autonomous or aloof, suffering with the creation, most fully divine in the act of self-giving love. If this is indeed the nature of God, then the "cleverly devised myth" against which Peter warns in today's epistle (2 Peter 1:16) might well, in our time and place, be the triumphalism to which the American population in general, and American governments in particular, are perennially drawn. This is not an easy thing to hear; but Jesus on the mountain forces a choice. Whom will we follow?
Carlos Wilton responds: Victory. It's what we celebrate on Super Bowl Sunday, or at any other sporting event. There's always much pious talk of sportsmanship, and celebrating the contributions of athletes regardless of which team they're on -- but when it comes right down to it, it's only the fans who walk out of the stadium still wearing their giant "We're number one!" foam hands who feel they have achieved what they were seeking. We are a people who glorify winners and pity losers.
Nearly 2,000 years ago, four men hiked up the side of a mountain in Israel. What they saw there is still being told today. Peter, James, and John follow Jesus up the steep mountain trail, until their knees ache and their backs hurt and their breaths come in short gasps. As they reach the summit, they pause to fill their lungs with air, and gaze around at the awesome vista that surrounds them on four sides -- and then they see something else. Suddenly, their Lord is "transfigured" before them. The word Matthew uses is metamorphosis -- total change. The face of their beloved teacher shines like the sun, and his garments have become dazzling white. Beside him appear two visitors; they are none other than Moses and Elijah, the greatest prophets of Israel. A bright cloud overshadows all three of them -- it is the Shekinah of the book of Exodus, the same glowing cloud that Moses entered on Mount Sinai long ago. From out of this cloud there thunders a voice: "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"
When Jesus stands on the Mount of Transfiguration and is visibly glorified, perhaps Peter, James, and John -- once they'd got over their astonishment -- thought something similar to "We're number one!" Such a magnificent vision surely would have seemed a clear vindication of all they and their Lord and been working and struggling for. Yet the vision is short-lived. When Moses descended from the mountain, his face shone; when Jesus descends from the Mount of Transfiguration, he is not trailing wisps of glory in his wake. To all appearances, nothing about him has changed. The victory God intends for him will be of a very different type, as his disciples will learn soon enough. It is a victory that will be achieved only after ignominious defeat and abject failure.
The vision the disciples receive on the mountaintop is a vision of power, and surely an impressive experience -- yet not so impressive that they don't soon forget it. Not too long after, Jesus is standing before the Roman governor Pilate, bleeding and broken. "You will not speak to me?" the governor jeers. "Do you not know that I have power to release you, and the power to crucify you?" Jesus answers without a hint of fear, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above." And for that impertinence Jesus is whipped and stripped and hung on the cross to die, the most wretched hunk of hurting humanity imaginable.
As for Peter, who had stood there on the Mount of Transfiguration, who had seen the glowing garments and had witnessed the spiritual summit meeting -- when they ask him if he knows Jesus, he says no. Three times he denies it. Peter simply cannot find power within himself to say yes. How is it that a man who's witnessed the wondrous power of the transfiguration can't save himself from fear? And why is it that, after the revelation on the mountain, God still allows the whole gruesome story to play itself out? Isn't the disclosure of Jesus as God's beloved Son enough to satisfy the most skeptical mind?
Yes, it's a different sort of victory ... a different sort of victory indeed.
Related Illustrations
Suddenly they saw him the way he was, the way he really was all the time, although they had never seen it before, the glory which blinds the everyday eye and so becomes invisible. This is how he was, radiant, brilliant, carrying joy like a flaming sun in his hands.
This is the way he was -- is -- from the beginning, and we cannot bear it. So he manned himself, came manifest to us; and there on the mountain they saw him, really saw him, saw his light. We all know that if we really see him we die. But isn't that what is required of us? Then, perhaps, we will see each other, too.
-- Madeleine L'Engle
***
Some years back, Steve Martin starred in a movie called, "Leap of Faith." It was an odd, quirky film. "Leap of Faith" is about a con man named Jonas Nightingale -- a traveling evangelist, who uses religious faith to prey upon the unsuspecting. There's one scene where Jonas comes out on stage, under the circus tent, wearing a white coat. The lights go down, and in the darkness he pulls his coat off, flips it inside-out and puts it back on. The spotlight returns: but this time, as it hits him, it's as though a thousand beams of light shoot off in every direction.
The coat is covered on one side with tiny mirrors. Nightingale, in that brief moment, is transformed into something like a walking version of those mirror-balls that hang from dance-hall ceilings. But it's all for show. It's all glitz and special effects. Jonas isn't really pointing to God; he's pointing to himself. He knows why he's in the evangelism game: he's in it for the money. To him, the congregation that's gathered, in all humility and hope, on a hot summer's evening underneath the circus tent, is nothing more than several hundred suckers, waiting to be fleeced.
Later in the film, he discovers what true faith is all about, and he repents of his showy deception. When Jesus is transfigured on the mountain, it is an act of God, not of human artifice. And when he descends, it is as though nothing has changed.
***
God's Grandeur
by Gerard Manley Hopkins
The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.
And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs-
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.
***
Comedian George Carlin's famous comparison of football and baseball may offer some homiletic possibilities on this Super Bowl Sunday:
http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/carlin.html
***
In Joyce Carol Oates' review of The Picador Book of Sportswriting, she commented, "Decades ago, when the distinguished American philosopher George Santayana observed, 'Another world to live in is what we mean by religion,' he could not have anticipated how, for many millions of his countrymen, as for yet more millions throughout the world, what he meant by 'religion' would one day be displaced in the most immediate, existential, and emotional sense by spectator sports."
-- Times Literary Supplement, July 12, 1996
***
To see some of our best-educated boys spending the afternoon knocking each other down, while thousands cheer them on, hardly gives a picture of a peace-loving nation.
-- Lyndon B. Johnson
***
"Church Football"
Quarterback Sneak -- Church members quietly leaving during the invitation.
Draw Play -- What many children do with the bulletin during worship.
Halftime -- The period between Sunday School and worship when many choose to leave
Benchwarmer -- Those who do not sing, pray, work, or apparently do anything but sit.
Backfield-in-Motion -- Making a trip to the back (restroom or water fountain) during the service.
Staying in the Pocket -- What happens to a lot of money that should be given to the Lord's work.
Two-minute Warning -- The point at which you realize the sermon is almost over and begin to gather up your children and belongings.
Instant Replay -- The preacher loses his notes and falls back on last week's illustrations.
Sudden Death -- What happens to the attention span of the congregation if the preacher goes "overtime."
Trap -- You're called on to pray and are asleep.
End Run -- Getting out of church quick, without speaking to any guest or fellow member.
Flex Defense -- The ability to allow absolutely nothing said during the sermon to affect your life.
Halfback Option -- The decision of 50% of the congregation not to return for the evening service.
Blitz -- The rush for the restaurants following the closing prayer.
-- Posted by Ray Kerley on Ecunet, 11/00
Worship Resources
By Julia Ross Strope
CALL TO WORSHIP (Exodus 24:12-18 and Matthew 17:1-9)
Leader: Moses went with Joshua to a mountaintop to listen for God. Jesus, with James, Peter, and John, went up a mountain, too, to be in Holy Presence.
People: That's why we've come here! We want to hear Divine Presence inside of us and around us.
Leader: That's why I'm here, too. I want God's dazzling light to inspire all of us.
People: On mountaintops and on street corners, we anticipate God's brilliant imagination.
Leader: Will we recognize a divine fire or a sacred cloud?
People: We will be alert and listen carefully. We will keep our eyes open for Holy Presence right here!
PRAYER OF ADORATION
Gracious God, we know you are here, bright with hope. Thank you for making us in your image and planting your divine self in our psyches and minds. Like Jesus, we want to be resplendent with your graciousness. Move in us and through us till we become your voice, your hands and your feet wherever we are. During this hour, we give you our undivided attention. Amen.
HYMN SUGGESTIONS
"Swiftly Pass The Clouds Of Glory." Tune: GENEVA. This 20th century hymn has a haunting melody people usually like once they learn it. The third stanza, "Lord, transfigure our perception ..." brings the ancient story to the current pew.
"Jesus On The Mountain Peak." Tune: MOWSLEY.
"O Wondrous Sight, O Vision Fair." Tune: DEO GRACIAS.
"Why Are Nations Raging" (Psalm 2). Tune: SALSBURG.
"O Sing To The Lord." Tune: Brazilian folk melody; words in Spanish and English, The Presbyterian Hymnal 1990, p. 472. This song (Psalm 150) articulates the delight and awe James, Peter, and John might have felt as they watched Jesus with Moses and Elijah.
CALL TO CONFESSION
We know human history. We are aware that we are not always our best selves or our most hospitable selves. In these few moments, we reflect on what goodness we have done and what might have been more helpful to ourselves and to others.
COMMUNITY CONFESSION (unison; Psalm 2)
Loving God,
We like to think we have put aside all attitudes that negate ourselves and others.
We think we have welcomed you to take up residence in our whole being.
Reveal the inconsistencies still lurking within.
Let your Spirit expand and fill us with hope and purpose. Amen.
WORD OF GRACE (Psalm 2)
Happy are we who go to God for freedom from the past; happy are we who experience God's gentleness and guidance. Receive this good news: where we are wounded, God is healing us; where we need peace, God is there.
CONGREGATIONAL CHORAL RESPONSE (Tune: TRENTHAM)
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love
And do what Thou wouldst do.
OFFERTORY STATEMENT
Like James, Peter, and John, we are surprised when divine affirmation envelops us.
Likewise, we are surprised when we've lost our way.
When we are happily surprised and when we are surprised by disappointment, Holy Presence surrounds us. Let us demonstrate our gratitude by sharing our time, talents, and money.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
God of all the Universe,
We are grateful for Jesus of Nazareth and the revelation of his divinity. Thank you for many ways we can participate with you to make the world a hospitable place. Stretch this money and our resources to continue feeding the hungry and healing the wounded on this street corner and around the world. Amen.
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
These prayers may be said by a single leader or by several speakers.
Transfiguring God,
We pray for ourselves and for others as the words of scriptures run through our minds: do not be afraid...; trust God...; all things work together...; the Spirit gives deep peace.... Within and around us, we yearn for these hopes to give us security and rest. In medical procedures, guide the hands and thinking of the health-care professionals. When we take tests, help us think clearly. When our bodies feel bruised, heal us. When our feelings get hurt, help us see beyond the pain. When we feel lost, clear the way.
Translating God,
We pray for America and our leaders. Give them wisdom like you gave Moses and Joshua wisdom in another time and place. Open their minds to multiple ways freedom is understood in other languages and in other religions. Deliver all peoples from violence and oppression. Exchange terror for expansive peace. Make the soldiers wise; sustain those families who loose loved ones; grant courage to the men and women, adults and children whose bodies must make up for missing and wounded parts. Light the way to a global culture without war.
Transforming God,
Global warming, famine, greed, and violence threaten this planet. Alter the human heart so that the earth and other creatures are not sacrificed for human comforts. Change the way financiers measure value and success. Let your Spirit emerge and grant all peoples a place to belong; may we care for all life.
Transporting God,
For a long time, men have sought power over other men and creatures. Still, we compete for resources and belittle others in the process. We've gained so much knowledge about how the world functions, about human growth, about organizational development and technology and still females have difficulty being equal with their male peers. Still, homosexuals are derided by heterosexuals. Children are misused by adults. Give us visions of how interactions can be wholesome and nurturing.
Transcending God,
The Church -- the Body of Christ -- is wandering all over the playing field. Lift us out of dried up theologies and non-collaborative behaviors; bring us from the sidelines to work as a team demonstrating your love and peace. Amen.
BENEDICTION/CHARGE
May dazzling Holy Presence delight you every day.
May shining clouds open truth for your way.
No tangible evidence will remain -- and you may not notice any gain,
Yet, still,
Holy Spirit walks and talks in you.
Go in peace; live joyfully; share tenderly.
A Children's Sermon
Changed before them
Object: a kaleidoscope
Based on Matthew 17:1-9
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought something this morning that I know each of you likes to look into. Do any of you know what it is called? (let them answer) This is called a kaleidoscope. How many of you have ever looked through one? (let them answer) You hold it up to a light, look through it, and move the end. It creates very colorful designs. Each time I move it, it seems that a new design is created.
This morning's lesson reminds me of this kaleidoscope. The lesson is a story about Jesus and three of his disciples. Jesus took the three men near the top of a mountain. When they arrived at the top something wonderful happened. Do any of you know what happened? (let them answer) The disciples saw a vision. The vision was Jesus. Before their eyes Jesus was transfigured. That means he changed his appearance. Here's what the Bible says happened: "(Jesus) was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white." The story continues: "Suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!' " This is a very wonderful story. It tells about Jesus changing his appearance. Jesus did this to show his disciples who he was. He was God's son.
That's why I brought my kaleidoscope with me. When I point it to a light and move it around, it shows dazzling colors and it changes its appearance, too. It isn't as dazzling as Jesus' transfiguration must have been. But it is the next best thing that I can think of to tell you how wonderful it must have been. The next time you look through a kaleidoscope think about Jesus. Think about the time he took his disciples on a mountaintop. He changed his image in front of them because he was God's son. They believed him. We believe, too.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, February 6, 2005, issue.
Copyright 2004 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., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
Many churchgoers might have to be reminded that February 6 is Transfiguration Sunday, the end of the Epiphany season, and the transition to Lent (Ash Wednesday is February 9). February 6, of course, is Super Bowl Sunday and George Murphy, our lead writer for this issue of The Immediate Word, reflects on what it means to be Number One. He points out that the gospel writers link the revelation of Jesus' glory in the Transfiguration story with his approaching passion and death. The Gospel Reading, Matthew 17:1-9, is especially rich in themes and details that draw attention both to the Old Testament texts and to central themes of Christian faith.
The assigned lectionary readings for Transfiguration Sunday are Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 2 or Psalm 99; 2 Peter 1:16-21; and Matthew 17:1-9
As usual, we include team comments, worship materials, and other resources for your planning for Sunday.
The Original Super Bowl?
Matthew 17:1-9
By George Murphy
Chances are that the average churchgoer, if asked what February sixth is this year, would be more likely to say "Super Bowl Sunday" than "Transfiguration Sunday." The Super Bowl is not only the major sporting event of the year in the United States but also a prominent ritual of American civil religion. On the other hand, many people in the pews probably don't remember from one year to the next that the lessons for the last Sunday before Lent each year deal with the Transfiguration of our Lord. (The gospel this year is Matthew 17:1-9.)
The Super Bowl is about determining who is Number One in football, and Number One is always a big deal for Americans. The winners get to bask in glory as they hoist the Lombardi Trophy. And the Transfiguration -- well, yes, it's about Jesus being Number One. It is about his glory too -- glory of the dazzlingly brilliant type. But the story is quite deliberately set between the first two of Jesus' passion predictions in the Synoptic Gospels, and it occurs at the point where he turns his face to Jerusalem. Glory and number oneness mean something quite surprising here.
Matthew, like Luke, follows the basic pattern of the Markan Transfiguration account, both in the content of the story and in its setting in the gospel. But there are also important variations. (In John, on the other hand, there is no separate Transfiguration account, for the divine radiance of Christ is displayed throughout that gospel. But the statement in John 1:14 that "we have seen his glory" points not to the event that we deal with this Sunday but to the cross-resurrection-ascension complex.) The ways in which Matthew alters the Markan account will indicate particular theological emphases that he wanted to make.
Context is especially significant here. The Transfiguration account in all the Synoptics follows immediately upon Jesus' first prediction of his passion and his call to follow him (Matthew 16:21-28), and it is quickly followed (17:22-23) by the second passion prediction. It thus functions as a statement about the true identity of the one who is one his way to the cross. The one who will be condemned to death and executed is not some hapless figure that gets caught up in the religious and political machinery but the one who shines with the light of God. Conversely, when we picture the brilliance of the transfigured Christ upon the mountain or see him by faith in the beauties of creation, we should remember that this is the one who died on Golgotha.
There is another point about the immediate context of the account. It is preceded in all three Synoptics by a statement to the effect that some of those present while Jesus is speaking will not die until they see the kingdom of God. This statement in Mark seems to point to a full establishment of the kingdom within a short time. Note especially the perfect tense in Mark 9:1: "... until they see that the kingdom of God has come (eléluthuian) with power." The statement would then not refer directly to the Transfiguration.
In Matthew 16:28, however, the statement is that some will see "the Son of Man coming (erchomenon) in his kingdom." This would be consistent with the idea that Jesus' words refer to the Transfiguration as a stage in the coming of the kingdom, though not its complete realization. (Note, e.g., the lines in the Transfiguration hymn, "How Good, Lord, to Be Here!" [Lutheran Book of Worship 89, verse 4], "Before we taste of death, We see your kingdom come.") This belief is strengthened by the fact that if 16:28 is included in the pericope with 17:1-9 then the account is "bookended" with the important phrase "the Son of Man," a type of literary structure that Matthew likes. (This would also mean that the eschatological Son of Man is indeed to be identified with Jesus in Matthew, a point that has sometimes been debated.)
Matthew constantly presents Jesus as the new and greater Moses. He is saved from a murderous king in chapter 2, he proclaims the law from a mountain in chapters 5-7, and so forth. The parallels between our text and the accounts of the Sinai theophany in Exodus are unmistakable.
"The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel." (Exodus 24:16-17)
In addition, Moses appears with Elijah to authenticate Jesus and his mission. (It is Luke, however, who in his Transfiguration account makes an explicit connection between to what Jesus will do -- "his departure" [ten exodon autou] -- and the Exodus.)
But the parallel in our text is not so much between Jesus and Moses as between Jesus and the LORD who appeared to Moses on Sinai. The Transfiguration functions in fact to reveal Jesus' divinity. As Gregory Palamas put it:
"The Saviour did not ascend Thabor, accompanied by the chosen disciples, in
order to show them that He was a man. For during the three years previous to
this, they had seen Him living with them and taking part in their way of life, as
Scripture puts it, 'in company' with them. No, He went up to show them 'that he
was the radiance of the Father.' "
Gregory Palamas, The Triads (Paulist, 1983), p. 78
(Mount Thabor, or Tabor, is the traditional site of the Transfiguration. This account is extremely important in Orthodox theology and is connected with the concept of theosis or deification in that tradition. Gregory Palamas was involved in the thirteenth century controversy involving the Hesychasts, monks who claimed to have seen "the uncreated light of Tabor." Gregory argued that while it was not possible for creatures to experience the essence of God directly, it was possible to perceive the uncreated divine energies or operations.)
If there were any doubt of the identity of the transfigured one it is removed by the heavenly voice that announces that Jesus is the Son of God. "Son" is, of course, the masculine term that has traditionally been used to speak of Jesus' relationship with the God of Israel and, eventually, the place of the person of Christ in the Trinity. But it's also important to note that the "bright cloud" which overshadows Jesus and the others can be related to the concept of the Shekinah, the "dwelling" of God, in Jewish tradition. Originally an "anti-anthropomorphism" used to avoid too much familiarity in speaking of God, the Shekinah is often associated with light imagery and came to be pictured as a feminine figure which in later developments might provide a way of speaking about God's suffering with Israel (see, e.g., Jürgen Moltmann, The Trinity and the Kingdom [Harper & Row, 1981], pp. 27-30). It is no accident that "Shekinah" is derived from the verb shkn, "to dwell," used in Exodus 24:16 which I quoted earlier to speak of the "settling" or "abiding" of "The glory of the LORD" on Sinai,
A lot of sermons have focused critically on Peter's proposal to "make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." This is pictured as a desire to stay on top of the mountain to bask in glory rather than go back to the everyday world. But perhaps Peter's suggestion wasn't just a desire to prolong the mountaintop experience. It's worth noting to begin with that there is no rebuke of him for this suggestion.
There may be here a reference here to the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. The connection is obscured by NRSV's translation of skenas in the line I quoted in the previous paragraph as "dwellings" rather than RSV's "booths" or KJV's "tabernacles." It is, in fact, the word that is used in the Septuagint of Leviticus 23:33-43 for the "booths" in which all male Jews were to dwell for seven days during the festival. Those on a journey would also be expected to carry out this obligation. Eschatological and messianic expectations ran high during the Feast of Tabernacles, as John 7 shows (see also Zechariah 14).
With such a spectacular account it's natural for people today to ask, "Did this really happen?" Between the traditional belief that what we have in the gospels is straight historical reporting and the more skeptical idea (which goes back to David Strauss) that it is a fiction which makes use of the imagery of the Sinai story, there is another possibility: It could be a report of a genuine visionary experience of some of Jesus' disciples. The word "vision" in verse 9 might suggest this. But the Greek horama need not have the connotations of the English "vision." It could be translated simply as "the thing seen." The language used earlier in the account -- "he was transfigured" -- indicates something that happened to Jesus, not simply a subjective experience of the disciples.
This is obviously a very rich text. What message does it give us to proclaim on February sixth of this year?
In view of what's been said about the meaning of the Transfiguration, one thing that ought to get some emphasis is the divinity of Christ. This shouldn't be a matter of trying to prove the truth of this doctrine from the text as much as one of bringing to life for hearers something that at times may have receded to the status of an antiquated orthodoxy. This aspect of the story is crucial for our Lenten journey that will begin in a few days. The Son of God, the Shekinah, God's presence among us, is the one who is on his way to Jerusalem.
But we aren't called just to observe him or even admire his splendor. The command of the Father about his beloved Son is "Listen to him." What Jesus Christ says, as given to us in scripture, is authoritative. (And that includes words that the later gospel writers, inspired by the Spirit of Christ, may have composed -- not just some consensus of scholars about the genuine words spoken by the historical Jesus.) This is not, however, to make Jesus simply another teacher or prophet, importance as those roles are. The most immediate words that Peter, James, and John were to listen to, and that we are to hear, are those just preceding the Transfiguration account which point toward the cross and call us to take up our crosses and follow.
That reminds us again of the contrast between naive Super Bowl ideas of triumph and the way of the cross, something that could certainly be the homiletic emphasis for this Sunday. This is a continuing need in a climate of religious triumphalism. Success by worldly standards doesn't always correlate with being on God's side. Winning a war doesn't always mean that it was a just war. The one who dies with the most toys -- still dies.
One contrast between the work of Christ and the Super Bowl (or World Series, or any other championship event) is that the former is a "once for all" thing, a special emphasis in Hebrews. But the team that wins the Super Bowl only gets to be champion for a year and then has to try to do it all over again. Paul spoke of the difference between the "perishable wreath" that athletes receive and the "imperishable one" that Christians strive for (1 Corinthians 9:25).
While the ideas of number oneness and glory associated with events like the Super Bowl need to be compared and contrasted critically with the Transfiguration, we need to be careful not to make the contrast so absolute that we misrepresent one or the other. Vince Lombardi, who coached the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowls and for whom the Lombardi Trophy is named, is sometimes quoted as having said "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." But there seems to be some question about this. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Lombardi
"[H]e did not coin this phrase, and it is uncertain if he ever even said it; however, he was quoted as saying something somewhat different: 'Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is.' Sportswriter Paul Zimmerman, who claims to have been at the banquet where these immortally misquoted words were spoken, writes in his The Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football that Lombardi actually said, 'Winning isn't the most important thing; it's the only thing.' "
In any case, we musn't make the way of the cross sound like a deliberate attempt to lose. Jesus doesn't take the way of suffering and death as a masochist or in order to spread misery around. Seen from the standpoint of the resurrection, it is the way of bringing forgiveness, freedom, and reconciliation for others. It is no accident that one of the classic books on the work of Christ is Gustaf Aulén's Christus Victor (Macmillan, 1961). But "for others" is the key: He does not simply seek some kind of victory for himself.
The same thing is true of our attempts to follow Christ: Failure doesn't necessarily mean that we're on the right track. (Among Lutherans there is a joke about a conservative pastor boasting to his fellow clergy, "When I came to this parish there were 800 members. Now we're down to 500!) Failure may sometimes be due to laziness or incompetence.
The way of the cross will, however, be hard. If what we judge as success is too easy, perhaps we'd better re-evaluate our standards. "No pain, no gain" is a slogan sometimes seen in flootball locker rooms and, understood properly, it's something that can be said about the way of the cross. But again we have to think about what we mean by "gain." Is it just our own gain or the good of God's creation and the furtherance of God's will?
Team Comments
Chris Ewing responds: When Jesus stood on the mountain with Moses and Elijah, the moment evoked critical moments in the faith history of Israel. First and foremost, we revisit Sinai: the cloud, the fire, the voice of God, a commandment affirming a relationship. Jesus is shown to be in continuity with Moses, with the heart of Israelite/Jewish faith. More, he is, by analogy, identified as the broker of a renewed covenant, an especially radical identification in light of the placement of this event in between predictions of the passion. In the face of the persistent human longing to be "number one," to be triumphally vindicated, the Messiah shown engaging the Law and the Prophets on the mountain will be "glorified" in submission to an appalling, cruel, and unjustified death.
This moment on the mountain may also evoke Elijah's mountaintop contest with the prophets of Baal. Coming so soon after Peter's misunderstanding of the nature of messiahship (Matthew 16:22), the sight of Elijah on the mountain may have recalled the assembly at Mount Carmel where the prophet challenged the people, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him" (1 Kings 18:20).
Like Moses and Elijah before him, Jesus on the mountain holds up a stark choice. Where Moses asked people to adhere to a covenant relationship defined by Torah, and Elijah challenged the covenant people to choose between Yahweh and Baal, Jesus holds up a galling choice between the way of God and the way of the world -- a bifurcation of ways that Paul last week (1 Corinthians 1:18-31) recognized as extreme. Though in human wisdom we choke on the way of the cross, the consistent affirmation of the gospels is that this is indeed the way of God, and represents not a break from but the realization of the covenant initiated with Abraham, formalized with Moses, developed and renewed through the prophets.
As mostly middle-class North Americans, we are prone to try to hold together our notion of the "good life," and our privileged place in world affairs, with our Christian faith. We "go limping with two different opinions." The Transfiguration of the soon-to-be-crucified serves as fair warning that we should not assume this is finally possible: it holds up the reality that in fact we are dealing with two radically different approaches to life. Cracking through our collective denial on this matter may be the most important -- and the most difficult -- thing a preacher could attempt today.
The problem is an old one. Trying to describe the significance of Jesus in a Greek-influenced world, New Testament writers had little choice but to borrow the terminology of a honour/shame society. One such term as "glory" (doxa), a word referring initially to a man's reputation. John and Paul radically redefine it -- John in relentlessly linking Jesus' "glorification" to his appalling death (John 12:27-28, inter alia), Paul in challenging conventional notions of power and wisdom (1 Corinthians 1-2). Yet the old meaning of the word continued to exert a gravitational tug; Peter's appeal in today's Epistle Lesson has the feel of someone trying to use old categories to entice people into a new reality.
Feminist theologians have described the God shown in Jesus not in the classical Greek terms of omnipotence, impassivity, and so on but as one more like a mother: relational and involved rather than autonomous or aloof, suffering with the creation, most fully divine in the act of self-giving love. If this is indeed the nature of God, then the "cleverly devised myth" against which Peter warns in today's epistle (2 Peter 1:16) might well, in our time and place, be the triumphalism to which the American population in general, and American governments in particular, are perennially drawn. This is not an easy thing to hear; but Jesus on the mountain forces a choice. Whom will we follow?
Carlos Wilton responds: Victory. It's what we celebrate on Super Bowl Sunday, or at any other sporting event. There's always much pious talk of sportsmanship, and celebrating the contributions of athletes regardless of which team they're on -- but when it comes right down to it, it's only the fans who walk out of the stadium still wearing their giant "We're number one!" foam hands who feel they have achieved what they were seeking. We are a people who glorify winners and pity losers.
Nearly 2,000 years ago, four men hiked up the side of a mountain in Israel. What they saw there is still being told today. Peter, James, and John follow Jesus up the steep mountain trail, until their knees ache and their backs hurt and their breaths come in short gasps. As they reach the summit, they pause to fill their lungs with air, and gaze around at the awesome vista that surrounds them on four sides -- and then they see something else. Suddenly, their Lord is "transfigured" before them. The word Matthew uses is metamorphosis -- total change. The face of their beloved teacher shines like the sun, and his garments have become dazzling white. Beside him appear two visitors; they are none other than Moses and Elijah, the greatest prophets of Israel. A bright cloud overshadows all three of them -- it is the Shekinah of the book of Exodus, the same glowing cloud that Moses entered on Mount Sinai long ago. From out of this cloud there thunders a voice: "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"
When Jesus stands on the Mount of Transfiguration and is visibly glorified, perhaps Peter, James, and John -- once they'd got over their astonishment -- thought something similar to "We're number one!" Such a magnificent vision surely would have seemed a clear vindication of all they and their Lord and been working and struggling for. Yet the vision is short-lived. When Moses descended from the mountain, his face shone; when Jesus descends from the Mount of Transfiguration, he is not trailing wisps of glory in his wake. To all appearances, nothing about him has changed. The victory God intends for him will be of a very different type, as his disciples will learn soon enough. It is a victory that will be achieved only after ignominious defeat and abject failure.
The vision the disciples receive on the mountaintop is a vision of power, and surely an impressive experience -- yet not so impressive that they don't soon forget it. Not too long after, Jesus is standing before the Roman governor Pilate, bleeding and broken. "You will not speak to me?" the governor jeers. "Do you not know that I have power to release you, and the power to crucify you?" Jesus answers without a hint of fear, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above." And for that impertinence Jesus is whipped and stripped and hung on the cross to die, the most wretched hunk of hurting humanity imaginable.
As for Peter, who had stood there on the Mount of Transfiguration, who had seen the glowing garments and had witnessed the spiritual summit meeting -- when they ask him if he knows Jesus, he says no. Three times he denies it. Peter simply cannot find power within himself to say yes. How is it that a man who's witnessed the wondrous power of the transfiguration can't save himself from fear? And why is it that, after the revelation on the mountain, God still allows the whole gruesome story to play itself out? Isn't the disclosure of Jesus as God's beloved Son enough to satisfy the most skeptical mind?
Yes, it's a different sort of victory ... a different sort of victory indeed.
Related Illustrations
Suddenly they saw him the way he was, the way he really was all the time, although they had never seen it before, the glory which blinds the everyday eye and so becomes invisible. This is how he was, radiant, brilliant, carrying joy like a flaming sun in his hands.
This is the way he was -- is -- from the beginning, and we cannot bear it. So he manned himself, came manifest to us; and there on the mountain they saw him, really saw him, saw his light. We all know that if we really see him we die. But isn't that what is required of us? Then, perhaps, we will see each other, too.
-- Madeleine L'Engle
***
Some years back, Steve Martin starred in a movie called, "Leap of Faith." It was an odd, quirky film. "Leap of Faith" is about a con man named Jonas Nightingale -- a traveling evangelist, who uses religious faith to prey upon the unsuspecting. There's one scene where Jonas comes out on stage, under the circus tent, wearing a white coat. The lights go down, and in the darkness he pulls his coat off, flips it inside-out and puts it back on. The spotlight returns: but this time, as it hits him, it's as though a thousand beams of light shoot off in every direction.
The coat is covered on one side with tiny mirrors. Nightingale, in that brief moment, is transformed into something like a walking version of those mirror-balls that hang from dance-hall ceilings. But it's all for show. It's all glitz and special effects. Jonas isn't really pointing to God; he's pointing to himself. He knows why he's in the evangelism game: he's in it for the money. To him, the congregation that's gathered, in all humility and hope, on a hot summer's evening underneath the circus tent, is nothing more than several hundred suckers, waiting to be fleeced.
Later in the film, he discovers what true faith is all about, and he repents of his showy deception. When Jesus is transfigured on the mountain, it is an act of God, not of human artifice. And when he descends, it is as though nothing has changed.
***
God's Grandeur
by Gerard Manley Hopkins
The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.
And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs-
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.
***
Comedian George Carlin's famous comparison of football and baseball may offer some homiletic possibilities on this Super Bowl Sunday:
http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/carlin.html
***
In Joyce Carol Oates' review of The Picador Book of Sportswriting, she commented, "Decades ago, when the distinguished American philosopher George Santayana observed, 'Another world to live in is what we mean by religion,' he could not have anticipated how, for many millions of his countrymen, as for yet more millions throughout the world, what he meant by 'religion' would one day be displaced in the most immediate, existential, and emotional sense by spectator sports."
-- Times Literary Supplement, July 12, 1996
***
To see some of our best-educated boys spending the afternoon knocking each other down, while thousands cheer them on, hardly gives a picture of a peace-loving nation.
-- Lyndon B. Johnson
***
"Church Football"
Quarterback Sneak -- Church members quietly leaving during the invitation.
Draw Play -- What many children do with the bulletin during worship.
Halftime -- The period between Sunday School and worship when many choose to leave
Benchwarmer -- Those who do not sing, pray, work, or apparently do anything but sit.
Backfield-in-Motion -- Making a trip to the back (restroom or water fountain) during the service.
Staying in the Pocket -- What happens to a lot of money that should be given to the Lord's work.
Two-minute Warning -- The point at which you realize the sermon is almost over and begin to gather up your children and belongings.
Instant Replay -- The preacher loses his notes and falls back on last week's illustrations.
Sudden Death -- What happens to the attention span of the congregation if the preacher goes "overtime."
Trap -- You're called on to pray and are asleep.
End Run -- Getting out of church quick, without speaking to any guest or fellow member.
Flex Defense -- The ability to allow absolutely nothing said during the sermon to affect your life.
Halfback Option -- The decision of 50% of the congregation not to return for the evening service.
Blitz -- The rush for the restaurants following the closing prayer.
-- Posted by Ray Kerley on Ecunet, 11/00
Worship Resources
By Julia Ross Strope
CALL TO WORSHIP (Exodus 24:12-18 and Matthew 17:1-9)
Leader: Moses went with Joshua to a mountaintop to listen for God. Jesus, with James, Peter, and John, went up a mountain, too, to be in Holy Presence.
People: That's why we've come here! We want to hear Divine Presence inside of us and around us.
Leader: That's why I'm here, too. I want God's dazzling light to inspire all of us.
People: On mountaintops and on street corners, we anticipate God's brilliant imagination.
Leader: Will we recognize a divine fire or a sacred cloud?
People: We will be alert and listen carefully. We will keep our eyes open for Holy Presence right here!
PRAYER OF ADORATION
Gracious God, we know you are here, bright with hope. Thank you for making us in your image and planting your divine self in our psyches and minds. Like Jesus, we want to be resplendent with your graciousness. Move in us and through us till we become your voice, your hands and your feet wherever we are. During this hour, we give you our undivided attention. Amen.
HYMN SUGGESTIONS
"Swiftly Pass The Clouds Of Glory." Tune: GENEVA. This 20th century hymn has a haunting melody people usually like once they learn it. The third stanza, "Lord, transfigure our perception ..." brings the ancient story to the current pew.
"Jesus On The Mountain Peak." Tune: MOWSLEY.
"O Wondrous Sight, O Vision Fair." Tune: DEO GRACIAS.
"Why Are Nations Raging" (Psalm 2). Tune: SALSBURG.
"O Sing To The Lord." Tune: Brazilian folk melody; words in Spanish and English, The Presbyterian Hymnal 1990, p. 472. This song (Psalm 150) articulates the delight and awe James, Peter, and John might have felt as they watched Jesus with Moses and Elijah.
CALL TO CONFESSION
We know human history. We are aware that we are not always our best selves or our most hospitable selves. In these few moments, we reflect on what goodness we have done and what might have been more helpful to ourselves and to others.
COMMUNITY CONFESSION (unison; Psalm 2)
Loving God,
We like to think we have put aside all attitudes that negate ourselves and others.
We think we have welcomed you to take up residence in our whole being.
Reveal the inconsistencies still lurking within.
Let your Spirit expand and fill us with hope and purpose. Amen.
WORD OF GRACE (Psalm 2)
Happy are we who go to God for freedom from the past; happy are we who experience God's gentleness and guidance. Receive this good news: where we are wounded, God is healing us; where we need peace, God is there.
CONGREGATIONAL CHORAL RESPONSE (Tune: TRENTHAM)
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love
And do what Thou wouldst do.
OFFERTORY STATEMENT
Like James, Peter, and John, we are surprised when divine affirmation envelops us.
Likewise, we are surprised when we've lost our way.
When we are happily surprised and when we are surprised by disappointment, Holy Presence surrounds us. Let us demonstrate our gratitude by sharing our time, talents, and money.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
God of all the Universe,
We are grateful for Jesus of Nazareth and the revelation of his divinity. Thank you for many ways we can participate with you to make the world a hospitable place. Stretch this money and our resources to continue feeding the hungry and healing the wounded on this street corner and around the world. Amen.
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
These prayers may be said by a single leader or by several speakers.
Transfiguring God,
We pray for ourselves and for others as the words of scriptures run through our minds: do not be afraid...; trust God...; all things work together...; the Spirit gives deep peace.... Within and around us, we yearn for these hopes to give us security and rest. In medical procedures, guide the hands and thinking of the health-care professionals. When we take tests, help us think clearly. When our bodies feel bruised, heal us. When our feelings get hurt, help us see beyond the pain. When we feel lost, clear the way.
Translating God,
We pray for America and our leaders. Give them wisdom like you gave Moses and Joshua wisdom in another time and place. Open their minds to multiple ways freedom is understood in other languages and in other religions. Deliver all peoples from violence and oppression. Exchange terror for expansive peace. Make the soldiers wise; sustain those families who loose loved ones; grant courage to the men and women, adults and children whose bodies must make up for missing and wounded parts. Light the way to a global culture without war.
Transforming God,
Global warming, famine, greed, and violence threaten this planet. Alter the human heart so that the earth and other creatures are not sacrificed for human comforts. Change the way financiers measure value and success. Let your Spirit emerge and grant all peoples a place to belong; may we care for all life.
Transporting God,
For a long time, men have sought power over other men and creatures. Still, we compete for resources and belittle others in the process. We've gained so much knowledge about how the world functions, about human growth, about organizational development and technology and still females have difficulty being equal with their male peers. Still, homosexuals are derided by heterosexuals. Children are misused by adults. Give us visions of how interactions can be wholesome and nurturing.
Transcending God,
The Church -- the Body of Christ -- is wandering all over the playing field. Lift us out of dried up theologies and non-collaborative behaviors; bring us from the sidelines to work as a team demonstrating your love and peace. Amen.
BENEDICTION/CHARGE
May dazzling Holy Presence delight you every day.
May shining clouds open truth for your way.
No tangible evidence will remain -- and you may not notice any gain,
Yet, still,
Holy Spirit walks and talks in you.
Go in peace; live joyfully; share tenderly.
A Children's Sermon
Changed before them
Object: a kaleidoscope
Based on Matthew 17:1-9
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought something this morning that I know each of you likes to look into. Do any of you know what it is called? (let them answer) This is called a kaleidoscope. How many of you have ever looked through one? (let them answer) You hold it up to a light, look through it, and move the end. It creates very colorful designs. Each time I move it, it seems that a new design is created.
This morning's lesson reminds me of this kaleidoscope. The lesson is a story about Jesus and three of his disciples. Jesus took the three men near the top of a mountain. When they arrived at the top something wonderful happened. Do any of you know what happened? (let them answer) The disciples saw a vision. The vision was Jesus. Before their eyes Jesus was transfigured. That means he changed his appearance. Here's what the Bible says happened: "(Jesus) was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white." The story continues: "Suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!' " This is a very wonderful story. It tells about Jesus changing his appearance. Jesus did this to show his disciples who he was. He was God's son.
That's why I brought my kaleidoscope with me. When I point it to a light and move it around, it shows dazzling colors and it changes its appearance, too. It isn't as dazzling as Jesus' transfiguration must have been. But it is the next best thing that I can think of to tell you how wonderful it must have been. The next time you look through a kaleidoscope think about Jesus. Think about the time he took his disciples on a mountaintop. He changed his image in front of them because he was God's son. They believed him. We believe, too.
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The Immediate Word, February 6, 2005, issue.
Copyright 2004 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., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
