Power With A Capital 'p'
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The common theme shared by this week's lectionary texts is the firsthand encounter with holiness -- a glorious experience that defies description, overwhelms participants, and forces us to respond "extra-rationally": i.e., in faith. The Old Testament lesson details Moses' journey to the mountaintop to receive the tablets with the commandments, with the Lord's appearance on the cloud-covered peak described as "like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain." Matthew's account of the Transfiguration shares similar imagery (the bright cloud and the mountaintop journey), and just like Moses, the disciples are granted a glimpse of the mysterium tremendum -- the tremendous mystery of God that surpasses all human understanding -- as Jesus is transfigured before them. But the disciples not only experience true power -- they're also allowed to see the timeless transparency of Jesus... to see Jesus for who and what he really is.
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Dean Feldmeyer contrasts the awesome Power of the divine (power with a capital "P") with the temporal power of earthly kings and political authorities -- despots whose machinations to gain and retain influence (whether in the Middle East or in the acrimonious budget battles of our own legislative assemblies) reveals them for who and what they really are. That dichotomy is hardly new, as the psalmist points out when he asks: "Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?" But as Dean reminds us, God holds these rulers in contempt -- and as Jesus' Transfiguration demonstrates, their power is puny indeed compared with the heavenly Power of God. Dean notes that the response God asks of us is the same as what Jesus told Peter: to not be afraid of that overwhelming Power, and to open ourselves to God's call to discipleship.
Team member Roger Lovette shares some additional thoughts on the message of the transfiguration for our lives. Roger asks us to ponder whether an appropriate response to the majesty of this event is to give ourselves space to experience "holy pauses." Can we remove ourselves enough from the swirling news of the moment and the daily distractions that make it so hard for us to focus in order to fully open ourselves to an encounter with the holy? Roger notes that this is a crucial reminder of why God is so important in our lives.
Power with a Capital "P"
by Dean Feldmeyer
Matthew 17:1-9; Psalm 2
He entered the diner and sat down at our usual table, shaking his head. "I just had the television on and it showed all these people screamin' and shoutin' and carryin' signs and whatnot. Thousands of them. Things are roilin' and boilin' I'm tellin' ya. Those people 'r mad at their government and they want to see some major changes."
I allowed that this was indeed the case. First Tunisia, then Egypt, then Bahrain. "Which was it on TV?" I asked.†"Libya?"
"Oh no," he said,†"I'm talkin' 'bout up at the statehouse."
In the Middle East and in our own state capitals, the struggle for power is in a rolling boil.†The president and the congress have toed the line and are ready to start swinging over the budget, each with their hand poised over the switch that will shut down the government if they don't get their way.†Governors and state legislators have decided that it's better to just kick the unions out of the room than to negotiate with them.†Unions argue that without them there are no checks and balances on the government as an employer.
Nations advance and retreat, political parties thrust and parry, unions and management plot and scheme, and all the while "He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision" (Psalm 2:4).
This week we stand with Peter, James, and John as they witness the Transfiguration, and we are confronted with that Power that overcomes and dwarfs all human powers, the Power of the transcendent God who confronts us in Jesus Christ.
How, as we begin the journey that is Lent, shall we respond to this Power that transcends power, this Power with a capital "P"?
THE WORLD
We thought the battle in Egypt was over. The people had won. But now we hear news that the military police are beating protesters to "clear them from outside the Cabinet office where they were trying to camp out overnight to press demands for sweeping political reforms and the dismissal of remnants of the ousted Mubarak regime."
On the same page there is a photograph of anti-government protesters and the soldiers who have joined them flashing grins and victory signs in the city of Benghazi in eastern Libya, where they have seized power and control.
The royal families of Jordan and Bahrain have begun to make concessions and suggest changes in their governments, well before the protests can get a foothold in their countries.
One need only scan through the headlines to realize that the Middle East is in turmoil and the issue is power -- who has it, who wants it, who will get it, and how those who end up with it will wield it. Oil, religion, politics, ethnic differences have all taken a backseat as the people struggle for power.
Here in the United States, the struggle may be less violent, the voices less strident, the demonstrations less physical -- but the issue is the same. Few of us believe that "what's best for America" is really the issue when the two major political parties butt heads. The real issue is: Who will be in power after the next election? Who will have control? Who will get to impose their will and their way on the other side?
Rarely has this been demonstrated as clearly as in the statehouses in Wisconsin and Ohio. If the real issue was money the parties involved would simply say, "Come, let us reason together." They would sit down at the table and work together to hammer out a solution to the problem that spreads the necessary sacrifices evenly across the board, one that was fair and honest for all concerned.
But the real issue at hand is one of power. Newly elected governors and legislators have decided that the best way to hold a reasonable dialogue is to be the only one who talks. The most expedient solution to the budget problems, they tell us, can only be reached by declaring the other people at the table to be the enemy and then kicking them out of the room. Consequently, public employees see their power through collective bargaining being torn from their hands -- and they begin to focus more on their ebbing power than on the state's finances. Both sides end up talking at cross-purposes.
On a lighter note, millions of people watched the Academy Awards presentations this past Sunday night to see which films and filmmakers the movie industry would choose as their brightest shining stars. It is always assumed that Oscar carries a forceful punch even if you don't win -- a nomination alone can send your career into orbit. Or so they say. Oscar has power, right?
Well, maybe. But you couldn't prove it by Justin Henry. At 7 years of age, he was the youngest actor ever to be nominated for an Oscar for his role in Kramer vs. Kramer -- and he was never heard from again. Here is a list of other actors who sank into obscurity after being nominated for Oscars: Gary Busey, Haley Joel Osment, Richard Farnsworth, Dexter Gordon. Michael V. Gazzo, Jack Kruschen. Can you name the films they were nominated for? (Click here for the answers.) Power is fleeting, even in Hollywood.
There is only one kind of power that is not fleeting, and that is the kind that comes with a capital "P."
THE WORD
The lectionary readings this week direct our attention to the issue of power. Not the fleeting, feeble kind for which politicians spin and celebrities fawn. Neither is it the kind that issues from the business end of a fist, the barrel of a gun, or the blast of an IED.
The power upon which we gaze this Sunday is authentic power, creative power, the power that builds up and edifies, that rectifies and reconciles. This is the Power -- with a capital "P" -- that emanates from the source of holiness and dwarfs all others by comparison.
This is the power that laughs at the conspiracies of nations and the plots of people, that holds their spins and their games in derision. This is the power that overwhelms, overshadows, and overpowers all other power. It is the power of the transcendent God who comes to us fully in Jesus Christ.
This is the power that confronted Job in the whirlwind and Moses on the mountain that divided the waters into seas and gave flight to the birds of the skies. This is the power that first breathed life into the human soul.
And now we know why Peter and James and John were afraid. We're talking about real power here.
Stand neck-deep in the ocean and try not to feel small. Stand close enough to a great conflagration to feel the heat on your face and try not to feel vulnerable. Watch a tornado reduce a barn to matchsticks and try not to feel helpless. Watch your child being born and try not to feel just a little bit weak in the knees. Stand before the transcendent God, feel the power of God's spirit as it passes over you, hear the pitch and roll of God's voice and try to stay on your feet.
The three disciples accompany Jesus to the mountaintop like we go to church on Sunday. They have schlepped along, expecting little more than another night of meditating and praying before a silent and inscrutable God. We find our usual seat, mumble through the hymns, and try not to yawn or look at our watches too many times. We come, as they did, with fairly low expectations. We have consigned power to human agencies and institutions. We expect, as they did, little from them and less from God.
So imagine their surprise when they see Jesus standing with Moses and Elijah, though one wonders how they knew the identities of these specters, the state of photography being what it was in those days. Peter reacts as we would expect. He notes that the moment is a special one, makes a judgment about it (it is good), and then proposes that they do something... something religious.
We don't make tabernacles anymore. If the story were written in our time Peter would probably propose a potluck dinner. Or he might insist that everyone raise their hands and sing a praise song. Something, anything to keep us from having to consider the implications, the demands that this moment is making on our lives.
God, of course, is having none of this silliness. In today's idiom, God's response would be something like "Peter, shut up and listen." Only he says it so loudly and so forcefully that it scares them and they fall down trembling.
It is Jesus who puts the experience into context with two brief, yet important instructions: Don't be afraid... and... get up.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
This is the sermon that launches us into Lent, and it does so with a discussion of power.
Lent may be a time of sober reflection and repentance, but it is not a time of powerlessness. It is a time for shrugging off the trappings of earthly and human power and all that they represent and putting on the power of Christ. It provides us an opportunity to reflect on our own quest for earthly power and our need for spiritual power.
The indicative is clear. Real power, the kind with a capital "P," comes from God as God confronts us in Jesus Christ. Real Power is the Power not to kill our enemies but to love them. Real Power is the Power not to take revenge on our persecutors but to pray for them. Real Power is not the Power to feed ourselves but the Power to feed others as well. And this Power comes through not just the imitation of but our relationship with Jesus Christ.
The imperative is to be found in Jesus' admonition to the disciples who have become terrified and paralyzed by their fear of authentic Power.
First, don't be afraid. You are not alone. Your God and your church stand beside you. We are part of a community of faith whose job it is to uphold and support each other in our hour of need.
Secondly, get up. Discipleship requires that, no matter how comfortable the pew may be, eventually we have to leave it. We have to rise from our fears and doubts and take upon ourselves the risk that gives real, authentic power, eternal power to our lives -- the risk of Christian discipleship.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Holy Pauses
by Roger Lovette
Matthew 17:1-9; 2 Peter 1:16-21
Someone has said there are just enough mountain peaks for us to get through the lonesome valleys. Jesus knew this well. As he came from the baptismal waters he heard a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son." It was a holy pause. Henri Nouwen said this was the word that carried him through thick and thin. He knew he was God's beloved. That voice spoke a second time on the Mount of Transfiguration. The disciple heard God speak: "This is my beloved Son." This too was a holy pause.
That first pause prepared our Lord for his ministry of loving, healing, and helping. The second pause, scholars say, was a hinge-turning moment -- for the Transfiguration prepared Jesus and his three disciples for that last journey to Jerusalem and all that would follow. From time to time Jesus would go off into a quiet place to pray -- and these pauses must have been powerful, for once when he returned his followers said, "Lord, teach us to pray." Let us find in our pauses what you found in yours.
Pauses in music are part of great music. Pauses in ball games prepare the team for the next half of an inning. Pauses in a sermon can be quite effective. And there can be pauses in everyday life that can be refreshing. Every saint we know placed pauses in their lives.
The world pressed down on Jesus, as it does all of us. He knew when to work and when to pause. And it was the pauses that gave him the strength to go on.
We live in a world of back-to-back everything. If it isn't TV it is an iPod or an iPad or an iPhone and the internet, not to speak of newspapers and magazines. We are connected to everything 24 hours a day. Inundated with the too-muchness of life, it is easy to lose our perspective. Jesus faced his own hard days following the Transfiguration because of those moments on the mountaintop. This may be one of the lessons we desperately need in a busy, chaotic world. We need some holy pauses.
Peter, one of the three who accompanied Jesus to the mountaintop, would look back years later and write: "We have been eyewitnesses to the majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). He mentioned that day on the mountain and how Jesus was confronted with the Majestic glory. And in summary Peter said: "You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19). Holy pauses help us to get through the darkness and see the morning star when it comes.
ILLUSTRATIONS
In an article for the Washington Post titled "Roads to the Capital: Six New Members of Congress on Their Personal Journeys," K.K. Ottesen selected six newly elected members of the House of Representatives and focused on the change point in their lives that made them decide to serve in Congress. What stands out is the diversity of the group: an artist, a school principal, a NFL offensive lineman, an Army officer, a small business owner, and a farmer. Most significant for our lesson today is the one event that transformed their lives from a previous profession into one of public service.
Hansen Clarke (Democrat - Michigan - 13th District) was an artist who failed at his chosen profession, which suddenly placed him as a homeless man living on the street. In his words: "I'd just given up completely. I just existed." He was able to enroll in CETA, a government-sponsored training program. That became his turning point, as he wrote, "But now I was starting to work with kids, to help them. And that's what did it. That's what turned me around... the fact that I could actually help people rejuvenated me." Realizing it was a government-sponsored program that transformed his life motivated Clarke to graduate from Cornell and run for public office.
Jon Runyan (Republican - New Jersey - 3rd District) was an offensive lineman for the NFL for 14 seasons. During his football career he realized that some athletes were very personable and accommodating to fans while others were rude and inhospitable. This recognition of the need to acknowledge individuals remained with him. He and a group of players then met his local congressman. He realized that after the meeting the elective representative had no intention of responding to their dialogue. This snub motivated Runyan to seek office. It was also the litmus test as to how he and his staff would conduct business, as he wrote: "You're representing that person; you can't just close the door and walk away from them. You're there to sit down and talk to them, and listen to what they have to say. Because when you sit down and talk to people, everybody's pretty much just a person. Nobody's special. We're all in this together; we're on the same team." (I would encourage you to follow the link and read the remaining four stories.)
Jesus' transfiguration was a change in his countenance. But it was much more than that, for it was an affirmation of his personhood and a verification of his ministry. A transfiguration does not have to make us glow brilliant white on the outside, but it should illuminate our souls. Clarke and Runyan had a transfiguration, as their personhood was affirmed and their calling in life was illuminated from a Power beyond themselves.
* * *
The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches met on February 17th. The topic of discussion was how to change the WCC mission statement for an ever-changing religious world. As one delegate noted, fixation on internal governance and institutional survival may "suck the life out of the ecumenical movement." Rev. David Thompson, of the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom, added: "The question is, how do we respond?"
Representatives from many different countries offered interfaith and ecumenical programs that were being successfully implemented in their home countries. Rev. Ebenezer Joseph, of Sri Lanka, noted that his country has implemented "positive religious engagement."
The program that most of the delegates seemed attuned was offered by the German delegation. It is a public school program called "Do you know who I am?" The program is a dialogue between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The public school program has been so productive that churches, synagogues, and mosques are now incorporating it.
Archbisop Nareg Alemezian, of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, concluded that ecumenical restructuring will rest on "a prayerful movement with Christ at its center."
When Jesus went up onto the mountaintop he experienced a transfiguration that affirmed his destiny and his mission. He was not alone, as Peter, James, and John went with him. As the four descended from the mountaintop back into the valley of life, Jesus shared his new vision. It was time for all the disciples to experience their own personal transfiguration -- a change in orientation that looked to Calvary Hill. The disciples do not stand alone high on top of the mountain; but each of us is there to be transformed and conformed to the calling that is set before us.
* * *
It is a simple law of physics that it takes two poles to make an electrical circuit. You can have all the positive energy you want, but if there's no negative connection, no ground, the current will not flow. In much the same way, it takes two individuals -- a believer and God -- to complete a spiritual "circuit." God's power is present in abundance, as it was on the Mount of Transfiguration, but if we don't present ourselves to connect with that power -- if we don't present ourselves to complete the circuit -- nothing happens.
Peter responds to what he's witnessed, after a fashion. He asks Jesus if he should build three tents (or dwellings) there on the mountain for the three divine figures. Of course, Peter doesn't really get the point. It's almost as though he's trying to bottle the essence of the mountaintop experience, to preserve it for future consumption. A vision like that can never be confined -- not in tents or temples or tabernacles or any other structure of human making. It must simply be experienced, in all humility and faith.
* * *
Victory is not the absence of problems, it is the presence of power.
-- Joyce Meyer
* * *
Russell ("Rusty") Schweickart was an astronaut who flew the lunar module for the Apollo 9 mission. Like many of his fellow astronauts, his life was changed by the experience of looking down at the Earth from outer space. Here's what he said about it:
Up there you go around every hour and a half; time after time, after time, and you wake up in the morning over the Mid-East, and over North Africa. You look out your window as you're eating breakfast -- and there's the whole Mediterranean area, and Greece and Rome, and the Sinai and Israel. And you realize that what you're seeing in one glance was the whole history of [humanity] for centuries; the cradle of civilization. You go across the Atlantic Ocean, back across North Africa. You do it again and again. You identify with Houston, and then with Los Angeles, and Phoenix and New Orleans. The next thing you know, you are starting to identify with North Africa. You look forward to it. You anticipate it. And the whole process of what you identify with begins to shift.
When you go around it every hour and a half, you begin to recognize that your identity is with that whole thing. And that makes a very powerful change inside of you. As you look down you can't imagine how many borders and boundaries you cross -- again and again. And you can't even see them. Still, you know there are thousands of people fighting over some imaginary lines down there that you can't even see, and you wish you could say, "Look at that! Look at that! What's important?"
What's important? Is it the many duties, the chores and errands and assignments that fill our days with low-level noise? Or is it those "big-picture" moments, the rich intervals of stillness and of calm -- the times of "being still and knowing that the Lord is God," of sensing the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts?
* * *
In 1999, Time magazine asked novelist Reynolds Price, who had previously translated the Greek texts of Mark and John, to take another look at episodes in Jesus' life and write a new gospel based on the historical evidence and his reading of scripture. Here's how Price concluded his section on the Transfiguration:
"Moses and Elijah began to fade. And though his clothes and face were still shining unbearably, Jesus walked down toward the three. He was still not himself -- not the man they had known -- yet each of them privately came to believe what they would tell one another only after his death. When Jesus reached them, he held out his hands, still streaming light, and said, 'We'll never be gladder than this.' Then he quietly told them about the death he must soon undergo."
* * *
Many who read the story of Jesus' transfiguration on the mountaintop wonder where this story really belongs in the life of our Lord. Some think it is really more appropriately located at the beginning of his ministry, since it announces his identity; others think it comes at the end, since it is an epiphany revealing him as only the resurrection and ascension really could. Whether at the beginning, middle, or end, it has a meaning all its own.
French movie director Jean-Luc Godard would have understood this conversation. Known for his experimental techniques, he once participated in a film symposium at which another filmmaker, Georges Franju, was on the program. Franju spoke dogmatically, saying about filmmaking what some seminary professors have said about good preaching: "Movies should have a beginning, a middle, and an end."
Godard replied, "Certainly, but not necessarily in that order."
* * *
Leaders of the newest nation in the world, the Republic of South Sudan, are praising the leaders of the church for making independence possible. The Sudan Ecumenical Centre praised the World Council of Churches for helping create "the miracle" of southern Sudanese independence.
In southern Sudan, where 99% of the population is either Christian or animist, the people desired to secede from the predominantly Islamic state of Sudan. After 60 years of civil war, the deaths of 2 million people, and the displacement of 4 million, the church was able bring forth a mandated Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the north and the south.
When elections were finally held to determine the fate of southern Sudan, the church dispatched 350 election observers. Some consider it the most closely monitored election in history. Due to the observers the results of the election could not be disputed, even by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who openly opposed the referendum and reluctantly accepted it as being a valid mandate that must be adhered to.
When Moses went up onto the mountaintop, he found it surrounded by a great white cloud. A voice then called to Moses; a challenge to enter into the unknown. By faith, Moses stepped in, met his Lord, and received his instructions for the Israelites. It is only when we have the courage to follow the voice of God, stepping into the unknown (as the church leaders in southern Sudan did), that we will we be able to bring forth social justice.
* * *
Ever wonder why the Lord chose Moses to lead Israel to the promised land? Moses firmly believed in God, was a strong leader, and was familiar with much of the territory through which he would lead Israel. Those are the reasons most of us assume, but our Exodus text reveals something equally important that few people possess. Moses' brother Aaron certainly didn't.
Moses spent more than six days up on the mountain where he was to meet God before the Lord even said anything to him. On the seventh day, the Lord finally spoke. Most of us want answers in 20 minutes or less. If we don't get a reply we're agitated. God doesn't always respond in computer-counted nanoseconds. It's not that he couldn't. It's that a relationship with God requires that we trust him and learn to wait for his timing. If you've not yet learned to wait on God, he may have to choose a different leader.
* * *
The earliest Christian art is found in the catacombs. Reaching across cultural lines in their art, Christ is sometimes represented as the Greek Orpheus. In Greek mythology, Orpheus was the superbly endowed musician whose music cast a thrilling spell over all who heard it. In the legend, Apollo has endowed upon him the lyre, which Hermes had invented. So marvelously did Orpheus play the instrument that when his fingers touched the lyre, the beasts of the field drew near, birds stopped their flight, and other things of nature gathered in awe around him. Tradition tells that even the scarred faces of rocks were moved to tears. When Orpheus sang of love, the world was filled with sunlight, and even the wildest beast became tame and gentle.
Thus early Christians thought of Christ as gentle, yet having great power. They felt his drawing power. Having him in their hearts, he transfigured them. As did Orpheus, Jesus transfigures nature and by the music given in our hearts he transfigures human nature. By his presence the low and bestial instincts are changed to be gentle, obedient, and Christ-like. Be in tune today with the song he gives!
* * *
The world's largest river is the Amazon in South America. They say the volume of water in this river exceeds that of the Nile, the Yangtze, and the Mississippi combined. Its currents can be detected 200 miles out into the ocean.
Once a sailing ship was becalmed in the South Atlantic. Its water supplies were gone, and the crew was dying from thirst. Suddenly the winds returned, and before long another ship came their way. The captain hailed the other ship and begged for water. The message came back: "Just lower your buckets! You're at the mouth of the Amazon -- you're sailing through fresh water!"
In much the same way, there are times in life when we find ourselves sailing through the "living water" of Christian faith -- yet we don't even know it. We don't realize that all we have to do is lower our buckets!
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: God is the sovereign. Let the people tremble.
People: God sits upon the cherubim. Let the earth quake.
Leader: God is great and exalted over the peoples.
People: Let us praise God's great and holy Name.
Leader: Mighty Sovereign, you have established equity.
People: You bring justice and righteousness to the people.
OR
Leader: Come and worship the God of power.
People: We offer praise to the God who reigns.
Leader: God does not reign as humans think of reigning.
People: God's reign is peace and love and justice.
Leader: This is the God we serve and whose image who reflect.
People: May God make us faithful.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"
found in:
UMH: 57
H82: 493
PH: 466
AAHH: 184
NNBH: 23
NCH: 42
CH: 5
LBW: 559
"We, Thy People, Praise Thee"
found in:
UMH: 67
"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise"
found in:
UMH: 103
H82: 423
PH: 263
NCH: 1
CH: 66
LBW: 526
"The Care the Eagle Gives Her Young"
found in:
UMH: 118
NCH: 468
CH: 76
"I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light"
found in:
UMH: 206
H82: 490
"The Gift of Love"
found in:
UMH: 408
AAHH: 522
CH: 526
"Take My Life, and Let It Be"
found in:
UMH: 399
H82: 707
PH: 391
NNBH: 213
NCH: 448
CH: 609
LBW: 406
"Let There Be Peace on Earth"
found in:
UMH: 431
CH: 677
"Open Our Eyes, Lord"
found in:
CCB: 77
Renew: 91
"They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love"
found in:
CCB: 78
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who holds power in ways that are unlike the ways in which humans practice power: Grant that we may reflect faithfully the power of God that is seen in acts of compassion, love, and justice; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come into your presence, O God, and acknowledge that your power is foreign to us as human beings. You wield power in acts of compassion, caring, and justice, and you call us to emulate you. Open our hearts and make us faithful to you. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways in which we use power wrongly.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We look at the way that other people hold power over and against their brothers and sisters, and we desire to do the same. We enjoy the feeling that we can be the ones who are in charge of things. We forget the teaching of Jesus that we only become great in serving and we only reach our true status when we place other's needs above our own. Forgive us, and call us back to following the ways of our Savior. Amen.
Leader: God's power is in love. Know that God loves us and forgives us and offers us the power of the Spirit to follow Jesus faithfully.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We praise and worship you, O God, for you love us and reign over us in loving kindness and compassion. Your power is the only true power, the power of love.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We look at the way that other people hold power over and against their brothers and sisters, and we desire to do the same. We enjoy the feeling that we can be the ones who are in charge of things. We forget the teaching of Jesus that we only become great in serving and we only reach our true status when we place other's needs above our own. Forgive us, and call us back to following the ways of our Savior.
We give you thanks for all the ways in which the power of your love has been shown to us. We thank you for home and family and for our place in your church. We thank you for brothers and sisters in the faith who have shared your love with us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We offer to you the needs of the world, our community, and ourselves. We pray for those who have misused power and those who have been abused by it.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Visuals
Symbols of power: political, military, weather, hydroelectric dams, and acts of serving.
Children's Sermon Starter
This is especially relevant for Transfiguration Sunday. Take a kaleidoscope and look through it. Tell the children how wonderful the images are. Hand it to one of the children and ask them to look -- but hold your hand over the end so no light enters. Talk about how the light must shine through or the kaleidoscope won't work, no matter how much we turn it. On the mountain, the disciples saw the true light of Jesus shining through him. They saw that he truly was the Son of God. When we let the light of God shine through us, we won't glow in the same way as Jesus did that day -- but people will know we are God's children.
CHILDREN'S SERMON The Meaning of Transfiguration
Matthew 17:1-9
Objects: a glass of water and an Alka-Seltzer tablet
Good morning, boys and girls! Today is a special day in the church year, called the Transfiguration of the Lord. Does anyone know what the word "transfiguration" means? (let the children answer) It is a big word!
Let me show you something special. I have a glass of water here. It's the kind you and I drink every day. I'm going to take this glass of water in one hand and drop a tablet into it with the other hand. Let's watch and see what happens. (drop in the Alka-Seltzer and watch it fizz) What do you think? Is our glass of water sparkling now? (let them answer)
If you think this is sparkling, you should have seen Jesus on the day of the Transfiguration. Jesus asked three disciples -- Peter, James, and John -- to climb a mountain with him. As they got to the top of the mountain things began to happen. First the disciples noticed that Jesus' face was as bright as the sun. Then his clothes became dazzling white. I think the word "dazzling" means there were almost sparks flying from his clothes. And then Peter, James, and John saw the living bodies of Moses and Elijah, the great leader and prophet. It was amazing, and Jesus was talking with them like they were old friends. Although he could hardly speak, Peter went to Jesus and asked if the disciples could build a place for them to stay on the mountain.
The Bible says that while Peter was still talking, a bright cloud came over them and from the cloud came a big voice. The voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" Can you imagine the fear that the three disciples felt? (let them answer) They were so afraid that they fell to the ground and covered their heads and faces. Then Jesus came to them and said, "Get up and do not be afraid." When they looked up they saw no one but Jesus. There was no Moses, no Elijah, and no big cloud with a large voice.
There was no doubt in the minds of Peter, James, and John that they had been in the presence of God. It was God's voice that called Jesus the Son. It was God's voice that spoke of how pleased he was with Jesus. This was truly a special day.
The next time you hear the word "transfiguration," try to remember that it was a day when Jesus was changed into a brilliant, white light that some called dazzling. It was also the day that God spoke and said how pleased he was with his Son.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Answers to the Oscar Quiz: In order, the films are: The Buddy Holly Story; The Sixth Sense; The Straight Story; Round Midnight; The Godfather Part II; The Apartment.
The Immediate Word, March 6, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Dean Feldmeyer contrasts the awesome Power of the divine (power with a capital "P") with the temporal power of earthly kings and political authorities -- despots whose machinations to gain and retain influence (whether in the Middle East or in the acrimonious budget battles of our own legislative assemblies) reveals them for who and what they really are. That dichotomy is hardly new, as the psalmist points out when he asks: "Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?" But as Dean reminds us, God holds these rulers in contempt -- and as Jesus' Transfiguration demonstrates, their power is puny indeed compared with the heavenly Power of God. Dean notes that the response God asks of us is the same as what Jesus told Peter: to not be afraid of that overwhelming Power, and to open ourselves to God's call to discipleship.
Team member Roger Lovette shares some additional thoughts on the message of the transfiguration for our lives. Roger asks us to ponder whether an appropriate response to the majesty of this event is to give ourselves space to experience "holy pauses." Can we remove ourselves enough from the swirling news of the moment and the daily distractions that make it so hard for us to focus in order to fully open ourselves to an encounter with the holy? Roger notes that this is a crucial reminder of why God is so important in our lives.
Power with a Capital "P"
by Dean Feldmeyer
Matthew 17:1-9; Psalm 2
He entered the diner and sat down at our usual table, shaking his head. "I just had the television on and it showed all these people screamin' and shoutin' and carryin' signs and whatnot. Thousands of them. Things are roilin' and boilin' I'm tellin' ya. Those people 'r mad at their government and they want to see some major changes."
I allowed that this was indeed the case. First Tunisia, then Egypt, then Bahrain. "Which was it on TV?" I asked.†"Libya?"
"Oh no," he said,†"I'm talkin' 'bout up at the statehouse."
In the Middle East and in our own state capitals, the struggle for power is in a rolling boil.†The president and the congress have toed the line and are ready to start swinging over the budget, each with their hand poised over the switch that will shut down the government if they don't get their way.†Governors and state legislators have decided that it's better to just kick the unions out of the room than to negotiate with them.†Unions argue that without them there are no checks and balances on the government as an employer.
Nations advance and retreat, political parties thrust and parry, unions and management plot and scheme, and all the while "He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision" (Psalm 2:4).
This week we stand with Peter, James, and John as they witness the Transfiguration, and we are confronted with that Power that overcomes and dwarfs all human powers, the Power of the transcendent God who confronts us in Jesus Christ.
How, as we begin the journey that is Lent, shall we respond to this Power that transcends power, this Power with a capital "P"?
THE WORLD
We thought the battle in Egypt was over. The people had won. But now we hear news that the military police are beating protesters to "clear them from outside the Cabinet office where they were trying to camp out overnight to press demands for sweeping political reforms and the dismissal of remnants of the ousted Mubarak regime."
On the same page there is a photograph of anti-government protesters and the soldiers who have joined them flashing grins and victory signs in the city of Benghazi in eastern Libya, where they have seized power and control.
The royal families of Jordan and Bahrain have begun to make concessions and suggest changes in their governments, well before the protests can get a foothold in their countries.
One need only scan through the headlines to realize that the Middle East is in turmoil and the issue is power -- who has it, who wants it, who will get it, and how those who end up with it will wield it. Oil, religion, politics, ethnic differences have all taken a backseat as the people struggle for power.
Here in the United States, the struggle may be less violent, the voices less strident, the demonstrations less physical -- but the issue is the same. Few of us believe that "what's best for America" is really the issue when the two major political parties butt heads. The real issue is: Who will be in power after the next election? Who will have control? Who will get to impose their will and their way on the other side?
Rarely has this been demonstrated as clearly as in the statehouses in Wisconsin and Ohio. If the real issue was money the parties involved would simply say, "Come, let us reason together." They would sit down at the table and work together to hammer out a solution to the problem that spreads the necessary sacrifices evenly across the board, one that was fair and honest for all concerned.
But the real issue at hand is one of power. Newly elected governors and legislators have decided that the best way to hold a reasonable dialogue is to be the only one who talks. The most expedient solution to the budget problems, they tell us, can only be reached by declaring the other people at the table to be the enemy and then kicking them out of the room. Consequently, public employees see their power through collective bargaining being torn from their hands -- and they begin to focus more on their ebbing power than on the state's finances. Both sides end up talking at cross-purposes.
On a lighter note, millions of people watched the Academy Awards presentations this past Sunday night to see which films and filmmakers the movie industry would choose as their brightest shining stars. It is always assumed that Oscar carries a forceful punch even if you don't win -- a nomination alone can send your career into orbit. Or so they say. Oscar has power, right?
Well, maybe. But you couldn't prove it by Justin Henry. At 7 years of age, he was the youngest actor ever to be nominated for an Oscar for his role in Kramer vs. Kramer -- and he was never heard from again. Here is a list of other actors who sank into obscurity after being nominated for Oscars: Gary Busey, Haley Joel Osment, Richard Farnsworth, Dexter Gordon. Michael V. Gazzo, Jack Kruschen. Can you name the films they were nominated for? (Click here for the answers.) Power is fleeting, even in Hollywood.
There is only one kind of power that is not fleeting, and that is the kind that comes with a capital "P."
THE WORD
The lectionary readings this week direct our attention to the issue of power. Not the fleeting, feeble kind for which politicians spin and celebrities fawn. Neither is it the kind that issues from the business end of a fist, the barrel of a gun, or the blast of an IED.
The power upon which we gaze this Sunday is authentic power, creative power, the power that builds up and edifies, that rectifies and reconciles. This is the Power -- with a capital "P" -- that emanates from the source of holiness and dwarfs all others by comparison.
This is the power that laughs at the conspiracies of nations and the plots of people, that holds their spins and their games in derision. This is the power that overwhelms, overshadows, and overpowers all other power. It is the power of the transcendent God who comes to us fully in Jesus Christ.
This is the power that confronted Job in the whirlwind and Moses on the mountain that divided the waters into seas and gave flight to the birds of the skies. This is the power that first breathed life into the human soul.
And now we know why Peter and James and John were afraid. We're talking about real power here.
Stand neck-deep in the ocean and try not to feel small. Stand close enough to a great conflagration to feel the heat on your face and try not to feel vulnerable. Watch a tornado reduce a barn to matchsticks and try not to feel helpless. Watch your child being born and try not to feel just a little bit weak in the knees. Stand before the transcendent God, feel the power of God's spirit as it passes over you, hear the pitch and roll of God's voice and try to stay on your feet.
The three disciples accompany Jesus to the mountaintop like we go to church on Sunday. They have schlepped along, expecting little more than another night of meditating and praying before a silent and inscrutable God. We find our usual seat, mumble through the hymns, and try not to yawn or look at our watches too many times. We come, as they did, with fairly low expectations. We have consigned power to human agencies and institutions. We expect, as they did, little from them and less from God.
So imagine their surprise when they see Jesus standing with Moses and Elijah, though one wonders how they knew the identities of these specters, the state of photography being what it was in those days. Peter reacts as we would expect. He notes that the moment is a special one, makes a judgment about it (it is good), and then proposes that they do something... something religious.
We don't make tabernacles anymore. If the story were written in our time Peter would probably propose a potluck dinner. Or he might insist that everyone raise their hands and sing a praise song. Something, anything to keep us from having to consider the implications, the demands that this moment is making on our lives.
God, of course, is having none of this silliness. In today's idiom, God's response would be something like "Peter, shut up and listen." Only he says it so loudly and so forcefully that it scares them and they fall down trembling.
It is Jesus who puts the experience into context with two brief, yet important instructions: Don't be afraid... and... get up.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
This is the sermon that launches us into Lent, and it does so with a discussion of power.
Lent may be a time of sober reflection and repentance, but it is not a time of powerlessness. It is a time for shrugging off the trappings of earthly and human power and all that they represent and putting on the power of Christ. It provides us an opportunity to reflect on our own quest for earthly power and our need for spiritual power.
The indicative is clear. Real power, the kind with a capital "P," comes from God as God confronts us in Jesus Christ. Real Power is the Power not to kill our enemies but to love them. Real Power is the Power not to take revenge on our persecutors but to pray for them. Real Power is not the Power to feed ourselves but the Power to feed others as well. And this Power comes through not just the imitation of but our relationship with Jesus Christ.
The imperative is to be found in Jesus' admonition to the disciples who have become terrified and paralyzed by their fear of authentic Power.
First, don't be afraid. You are not alone. Your God and your church stand beside you. We are part of a community of faith whose job it is to uphold and support each other in our hour of need.
Secondly, get up. Discipleship requires that, no matter how comfortable the pew may be, eventually we have to leave it. We have to rise from our fears and doubts and take upon ourselves the risk that gives real, authentic power, eternal power to our lives -- the risk of Christian discipleship.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Holy Pauses
by Roger Lovette
Matthew 17:1-9; 2 Peter 1:16-21
Someone has said there are just enough mountain peaks for us to get through the lonesome valleys. Jesus knew this well. As he came from the baptismal waters he heard a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son." It was a holy pause. Henri Nouwen said this was the word that carried him through thick and thin. He knew he was God's beloved. That voice spoke a second time on the Mount of Transfiguration. The disciple heard God speak: "This is my beloved Son." This too was a holy pause.
That first pause prepared our Lord for his ministry of loving, healing, and helping. The second pause, scholars say, was a hinge-turning moment -- for the Transfiguration prepared Jesus and his three disciples for that last journey to Jerusalem and all that would follow. From time to time Jesus would go off into a quiet place to pray -- and these pauses must have been powerful, for once when he returned his followers said, "Lord, teach us to pray." Let us find in our pauses what you found in yours.
Pauses in music are part of great music. Pauses in ball games prepare the team for the next half of an inning. Pauses in a sermon can be quite effective. And there can be pauses in everyday life that can be refreshing. Every saint we know placed pauses in their lives.
The world pressed down on Jesus, as it does all of us. He knew when to work and when to pause. And it was the pauses that gave him the strength to go on.
We live in a world of back-to-back everything. If it isn't TV it is an iPod or an iPad or an iPhone and the internet, not to speak of newspapers and magazines. We are connected to everything 24 hours a day. Inundated with the too-muchness of life, it is easy to lose our perspective. Jesus faced his own hard days following the Transfiguration because of those moments on the mountaintop. This may be one of the lessons we desperately need in a busy, chaotic world. We need some holy pauses.
Peter, one of the three who accompanied Jesus to the mountaintop, would look back years later and write: "We have been eyewitnesses to the majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). He mentioned that day on the mountain and how Jesus was confronted with the Majestic glory. And in summary Peter said: "You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19). Holy pauses help us to get through the darkness and see the morning star when it comes.
ILLUSTRATIONS
In an article for the Washington Post titled "Roads to the Capital: Six New Members of Congress on Their Personal Journeys," K.K. Ottesen selected six newly elected members of the House of Representatives and focused on the change point in their lives that made them decide to serve in Congress. What stands out is the diversity of the group: an artist, a school principal, a NFL offensive lineman, an Army officer, a small business owner, and a farmer. Most significant for our lesson today is the one event that transformed their lives from a previous profession into one of public service.
Hansen Clarke (Democrat - Michigan - 13th District) was an artist who failed at his chosen profession, which suddenly placed him as a homeless man living on the street. In his words: "I'd just given up completely. I just existed." He was able to enroll in CETA, a government-sponsored training program. That became his turning point, as he wrote, "But now I was starting to work with kids, to help them. And that's what did it. That's what turned me around... the fact that I could actually help people rejuvenated me." Realizing it was a government-sponsored program that transformed his life motivated Clarke to graduate from Cornell and run for public office.
Jon Runyan (Republican - New Jersey - 3rd District) was an offensive lineman for the NFL for 14 seasons. During his football career he realized that some athletes were very personable and accommodating to fans while others were rude and inhospitable. This recognition of the need to acknowledge individuals remained with him. He and a group of players then met his local congressman. He realized that after the meeting the elective representative had no intention of responding to their dialogue. This snub motivated Runyan to seek office. It was also the litmus test as to how he and his staff would conduct business, as he wrote: "You're representing that person; you can't just close the door and walk away from them. You're there to sit down and talk to them, and listen to what they have to say. Because when you sit down and talk to people, everybody's pretty much just a person. Nobody's special. We're all in this together; we're on the same team." (I would encourage you to follow the link and read the remaining four stories.)
Jesus' transfiguration was a change in his countenance. But it was much more than that, for it was an affirmation of his personhood and a verification of his ministry. A transfiguration does not have to make us glow brilliant white on the outside, but it should illuminate our souls. Clarke and Runyan had a transfiguration, as their personhood was affirmed and their calling in life was illuminated from a Power beyond themselves.
* * *
The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches met on February 17th. The topic of discussion was how to change the WCC mission statement for an ever-changing religious world. As one delegate noted, fixation on internal governance and institutional survival may "suck the life out of the ecumenical movement." Rev. David Thompson, of the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom, added: "The question is, how do we respond?"
Representatives from many different countries offered interfaith and ecumenical programs that were being successfully implemented in their home countries. Rev. Ebenezer Joseph, of Sri Lanka, noted that his country has implemented "positive religious engagement."
The program that most of the delegates seemed attuned was offered by the German delegation. It is a public school program called "Do you know who I am?" The program is a dialogue between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The public school program has been so productive that churches, synagogues, and mosques are now incorporating it.
Archbisop Nareg Alemezian, of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, concluded that ecumenical restructuring will rest on "a prayerful movement with Christ at its center."
When Jesus went up onto the mountaintop he experienced a transfiguration that affirmed his destiny and his mission. He was not alone, as Peter, James, and John went with him. As the four descended from the mountaintop back into the valley of life, Jesus shared his new vision. It was time for all the disciples to experience their own personal transfiguration -- a change in orientation that looked to Calvary Hill. The disciples do not stand alone high on top of the mountain; but each of us is there to be transformed and conformed to the calling that is set before us.
* * *
It is a simple law of physics that it takes two poles to make an electrical circuit. You can have all the positive energy you want, but if there's no negative connection, no ground, the current will not flow. In much the same way, it takes two individuals -- a believer and God -- to complete a spiritual "circuit." God's power is present in abundance, as it was on the Mount of Transfiguration, but if we don't present ourselves to connect with that power -- if we don't present ourselves to complete the circuit -- nothing happens.
Peter responds to what he's witnessed, after a fashion. He asks Jesus if he should build three tents (or dwellings) there on the mountain for the three divine figures. Of course, Peter doesn't really get the point. It's almost as though he's trying to bottle the essence of the mountaintop experience, to preserve it for future consumption. A vision like that can never be confined -- not in tents or temples or tabernacles or any other structure of human making. It must simply be experienced, in all humility and faith.
* * *
Victory is not the absence of problems, it is the presence of power.
-- Joyce Meyer
* * *
Russell ("Rusty") Schweickart was an astronaut who flew the lunar module for the Apollo 9 mission. Like many of his fellow astronauts, his life was changed by the experience of looking down at the Earth from outer space. Here's what he said about it:
Up there you go around every hour and a half; time after time, after time, and you wake up in the morning over the Mid-East, and over North Africa. You look out your window as you're eating breakfast -- and there's the whole Mediterranean area, and Greece and Rome, and the Sinai and Israel. And you realize that what you're seeing in one glance was the whole history of [humanity] for centuries; the cradle of civilization. You go across the Atlantic Ocean, back across North Africa. You do it again and again. You identify with Houston, and then with Los Angeles, and Phoenix and New Orleans. The next thing you know, you are starting to identify with North Africa. You look forward to it. You anticipate it. And the whole process of what you identify with begins to shift.
When you go around it every hour and a half, you begin to recognize that your identity is with that whole thing. And that makes a very powerful change inside of you. As you look down you can't imagine how many borders and boundaries you cross -- again and again. And you can't even see them. Still, you know there are thousands of people fighting over some imaginary lines down there that you can't even see, and you wish you could say, "Look at that! Look at that! What's important?"
What's important? Is it the many duties, the chores and errands and assignments that fill our days with low-level noise? Or is it those "big-picture" moments, the rich intervals of stillness and of calm -- the times of "being still and knowing that the Lord is God," of sensing the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts?
* * *
In 1999, Time magazine asked novelist Reynolds Price, who had previously translated the Greek texts of Mark and John, to take another look at episodes in Jesus' life and write a new gospel based on the historical evidence and his reading of scripture. Here's how Price concluded his section on the Transfiguration:
"Moses and Elijah began to fade. And though his clothes and face were still shining unbearably, Jesus walked down toward the three. He was still not himself -- not the man they had known -- yet each of them privately came to believe what they would tell one another only after his death. When Jesus reached them, he held out his hands, still streaming light, and said, 'We'll never be gladder than this.' Then he quietly told them about the death he must soon undergo."
* * *
Many who read the story of Jesus' transfiguration on the mountaintop wonder where this story really belongs in the life of our Lord. Some think it is really more appropriately located at the beginning of his ministry, since it announces his identity; others think it comes at the end, since it is an epiphany revealing him as only the resurrection and ascension really could. Whether at the beginning, middle, or end, it has a meaning all its own.
French movie director Jean-Luc Godard would have understood this conversation. Known for his experimental techniques, he once participated in a film symposium at which another filmmaker, Georges Franju, was on the program. Franju spoke dogmatically, saying about filmmaking what some seminary professors have said about good preaching: "Movies should have a beginning, a middle, and an end."
Godard replied, "Certainly, but not necessarily in that order."
* * *
Leaders of the newest nation in the world, the Republic of South Sudan, are praising the leaders of the church for making independence possible. The Sudan Ecumenical Centre praised the World Council of Churches for helping create "the miracle" of southern Sudanese independence.
In southern Sudan, where 99% of the population is either Christian or animist, the people desired to secede from the predominantly Islamic state of Sudan. After 60 years of civil war, the deaths of 2 million people, and the displacement of 4 million, the church was able bring forth a mandated Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the north and the south.
When elections were finally held to determine the fate of southern Sudan, the church dispatched 350 election observers. Some consider it the most closely monitored election in history. Due to the observers the results of the election could not be disputed, even by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who openly opposed the referendum and reluctantly accepted it as being a valid mandate that must be adhered to.
When Moses went up onto the mountaintop, he found it surrounded by a great white cloud. A voice then called to Moses; a challenge to enter into the unknown. By faith, Moses stepped in, met his Lord, and received his instructions for the Israelites. It is only when we have the courage to follow the voice of God, stepping into the unknown (as the church leaders in southern Sudan did), that we will we be able to bring forth social justice.
* * *
Ever wonder why the Lord chose Moses to lead Israel to the promised land? Moses firmly believed in God, was a strong leader, and was familiar with much of the territory through which he would lead Israel. Those are the reasons most of us assume, but our Exodus text reveals something equally important that few people possess. Moses' brother Aaron certainly didn't.
Moses spent more than six days up on the mountain where he was to meet God before the Lord even said anything to him. On the seventh day, the Lord finally spoke. Most of us want answers in 20 minutes or less. If we don't get a reply we're agitated. God doesn't always respond in computer-counted nanoseconds. It's not that he couldn't. It's that a relationship with God requires that we trust him and learn to wait for his timing. If you've not yet learned to wait on God, he may have to choose a different leader.
* * *
The earliest Christian art is found in the catacombs. Reaching across cultural lines in their art, Christ is sometimes represented as the Greek Orpheus. In Greek mythology, Orpheus was the superbly endowed musician whose music cast a thrilling spell over all who heard it. In the legend, Apollo has endowed upon him the lyre, which Hermes had invented. So marvelously did Orpheus play the instrument that when his fingers touched the lyre, the beasts of the field drew near, birds stopped their flight, and other things of nature gathered in awe around him. Tradition tells that even the scarred faces of rocks were moved to tears. When Orpheus sang of love, the world was filled with sunlight, and even the wildest beast became tame and gentle.
Thus early Christians thought of Christ as gentle, yet having great power. They felt his drawing power. Having him in their hearts, he transfigured them. As did Orpheus, Jesus transfigures nature and by the music given in our hearts he transfigures human nature. By his presence the low and bestial instincts are changed to be gentle, obedient, and Christ-like. Be in tune today with the song he gives!
* * *
The world's largest river is the Amazon in South America. They say the volume of water in this river exceeds that of the Nile, the Yangtze, and the Mississippi combined. Its currents can be detected 200 miles out into the ocean.
Once a sailing ship was becalmed in the South Atlantic. Its water supplies were gone, and the crew was dying from thirst. Suddenly the winds returned, and before long another ship came their way. The captain hailed the other ship and begged for water. The message came back: "Just lower your buckets! You're at the mouth of the Amazon -- you're sailing through fresh water!"
In much the same way, there are times in life when we find ourselves sailing through the "living water" of Christian faith -- yet we don't even know it. We don't realize that all we have to do is lower our buckets!
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: God is the sovereign. Let the people tremble.
People: God sits upon the cherubim. Let the earth quake.
Leader: God is great and exalted over the peoples.
People: Let us praise God's great and holy Name.
Leader: Mighty Sovereign, you have established equity.
People: You bring justice and righteousness to the people.
OR
Leader: Come and worship the God of power.
People: We offer praise to the God who reigns.
Leader: God does not reign as humans think of reigning.
People: God's reign is peace and love and justice.
Leader: This is the God we serve and whose image who reflect.
People: May God make us faithful.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"
found in:
UMH: 57
H82: 493
PH: 466
AAHH: 184
NNBH: 23
NCH: 42
CH: 5
LBW: 559
"We, Thy People, Praise Thee"
found in:
UMH: 67
"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise"
found in:
UMH: 103
H82: 423
PH: 263
NCH: 1
CH: 66
LBW: 526
"The Care the Eagle Gives Her Young"
found in:
UMH: 118
NCH: 468
CH: 76
"I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light"
found in:
UMH: 206
H82: 490
"The Gift of Love"
found in:
UMH: 408
AAHH: 522
CH: 526
"Take My Life, and Let It Be"
found in:
UMH: 399
H82: 707
PH: 391
NNBH: 213
NCH: 448
CH: 609
LBW: 406
"Let There Be Peace on Earth"
found in:
UMH: 431
CH: 677
"Open Our Eyes, Lord"
found in:
CCB: 77
Renew: 91
"They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love"
found in:
CCB: 78
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who holds power in ways that are unlike the ways in which humans practice power: Grant that we may reflect faithfully the power of God that is seen in acts of compassion, love, and justice; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come into your presence, O God, and acknowledge that your power is foreign to us as human beings. You wield power in acts of compassion, caring, and justice, and you call us to emulate you. Open our hearts and make us faithful to you. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways in which we use power wrongly.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We look at the way that other people hold power over and against their brothers and sisters, and we desire to do the same. We enjoy the feeling that we can be the ones who are in charge of things. We forget the teaching of Jesus that we only become great in serving and we only reach our true status when we place other's needs above our own. Forgive us, and call us back to following the ways of our Savior. Amen.
Leader: God's power is in love. Know that God loves us and forgives us and offers us the power of the Spirit to follow Jesus faithfully.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We praise and worship you, O God, for you love us and reign over us in loving kindness and compassion. Your power is the only true power, the power of love.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We look at the way that other people hold power over and against their brothers and sisters, and we desire to do the same. We enjoy the feeling that we can be the ones who are in charge of things. We forget the teaching of Jesus that we only become great in serving and we only reach our true status when we place other's needs above our own. Forgive us, and call us back to following the ways of our Savior.
We give you thanks for all the ways in which the power of your love has been shown to us. We thank you for home and family and for our place in your church. We thank you for brothers and sisters in the faith who have shared your love with us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We offer to you the needs of the world, our community, and ourselves. We pray for those who have misused power and those who have been abused by it.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Visuals
Symbols of power: political, military, weather, hydroelectric dams, and acts of serving.
Children's Sermon Starter
This is especially relevant for Transfiguration Sunday. Take a kaleidoscope and look through it. Tell the children how wonderful the images are. Hand it to one of the children and ask them to look -- but hold your hand over the end so no light enters. Talk about how the light must shine through or the kaleidoscope won't work, no matter how much we turn it. On the mountain, the disciples saw the true light of Jesus shining through him. They saw that he truly was the Son of God. When we let the light of God shine through us, we won't glow in the same way as Jesus did that day -- but people will know we are God's children.
CHILDREN'S SERMON The Meaning of Transfiguration
Matthew 17:1-9
Objects: a glass of water and an Alka-Seltzer tablet
Good morning, boys and girls! Today is a special day in the church year, called the Transfiguration of the Lord. Does anyone know what the word "transfiguration" means? (let the children answer) It is a big word!
Let me show you something special. I have a glass of water here. It's the kind you and I drink every day. I'm going to take this glass of water in one hand and drop a tablet into it with the other hand. Let's watch and see what happens. (drop in the Alka-Seltzer and watch it fizz) What do you think? Is our glass of water sparkling now? (let them answer)
If you think this is sparkling, you should have seen Jesus on the day of the Transfiguration. Jesus asked three disciples -- Peter, James, and John -- to climb a mountain with him. As they got to the top of the mountain things began to happen. First the disciples noticed that Jesus' face was as bright as the sun. Then his clothes became dazzling white. I think the word "dazzling" means there were almost sparks flying from his clothes. And then Peter, James, and John saw the living bodies of Moses and Elijah, the great leader and prophet. It was amazing, and Jesus was talking with them like they were old friends. Although he could hardly speak, Peter went to Jesus and asked if the disciples could build a place for them to stay on the mountain.
The Bible says that while Peter was still talking, a bright cloud came over them and from the cloud came a big voice. The voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" Can you imagine the fear that the three disciples felt? (let them answer) They were so afraid that they fell to the ground and covered their heads and faces. Then Jesus came to them and said, "Get up and do not be afraid." When they looked up they saw no one but Jesus. There was no Moses, no Elijah, and no big cloud with a large voice.
There was no doubt in the minds of Peter, James, and John that they had been in the presence of God. It was God's voice that called Jesus the Son. It was God's voice that spoke of how pleased he was with Jesus. This was truly a special day.
The next time you hear the word "transfiguration," try to remember that it was a day when Jesus was changed into a brilliant, white light that some called dazzling. It was also the day that God spoke and said how pleased he was with his Son.
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Answers to the Oscar Quiz: In order, the films are: The Buddy Holly Story; The Sixth Sense; The Straight Story; Round Midnight; The Godfather Part II; The Apartment.
The Immediate Word, March 6, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
