The Transfiguration Of Our Lord
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle B
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 2:1-12 (C)
This is quite a story „ fabulous, really. The preachers I run with read this as an allegory. We canÍt quite believe in literal chariots of fire. I say this with respect for any colleagues among us who find this story to be literally true. The stories about Elijah are probably in the same department as our stories about George Washington and his cherry tree, his silver dollar throw, his gallant boat trip across the Delaware. No matter, true or not, stories like this symbolize the greatness of the person. Whether Elijah took a chariot trip to heaven, or whether his devoted friend and protege saw such a splendid vision in his own heart, we know that the great spirit which enabled Elijah to give such fine leadership to his people was passed along to Elisha. As we reflect on this passage and its homiletical implications, the idea of leadership, and having worthy influence on those who look to us, commends itself.
Lesson 1: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 (RC)
Another chariot of fire type experience, defined here as a ñvision.''
Lesson 1: 1 Kings 19:9-18 (E)
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (C)
Paul has raised one of the most perplexing issues that Christianity requires us to confront. Is there such a thing as ñthe god of this world''? Does that refer to the temptations of the flesh? Is Paul presuming a dualism at the heart of creation? Does he presume an active evil force which intelligently targets each of us? Are some people perishing because their situation is hopeless? Is it possible a person might reject the gospel because it has been inappropriately presented? Are there people who, for any of several possible reasons „ intelligence, tragic inner dysfunction, misunderstanding „ reject the ñgospel'' as it seems to them? Does God, nonetheless, reject such people?
Back during the Í60s, there was a movement to depict the Christian faith in totally new forms. I recall a professor of theology telling of walking up the steps of an inner-city church and finding a sad little boy sitting there alone. The professor said he sat next to the little fellow and asked what was wrong. The boy said he was afraid of God. ñWhy?'' asked the professor. ñBecause,'' the child said, ñthey said God is a Father, and I hate my father because he beats me.'' Does that little boy qualify as one who has turned from the gospel?
In an inner-city church in Chicago they served communion with beer and pretzels because the conventional grape juice and bread seemed silly to the kids. I didnÍt think this was a particularly good idea, but it did reveal a wide difference of opinion about the best form of presentation. In any event, I have concluded that only those who sincerely and genuinely receive Christ, then reject him, are lost. Otherwise, God will never lose one of us because of our foolish inability to understand what divine Love is all about.
Lesson 2: 2 Peter 1:16-19 (RC); 2 Peter 1:16-19 (20-21) (E)
Gospel: Mark 9:2-9 (C, E); Mark 9:2-10 (RC)
William Barclay struck the necessary note regarding the Transfiguration: ñHere we are face to face with an incident in the life of Jesus that is cloaked in mystery. We can only try to understand what happened.'' One approach is to accept this story as a literal report of an event which, because of the unique nature of Jesus, was a unique event in human history. Another is to interpret this report as the result of a vision by one or more witnesses. I personally lean toward the latter, yet I cannot exclude the former possibility simply because I canÍt personally understand how such a suspension of natural law could be possible. Yes, it is indeed cloaked in mystery.
What we can be sure about is the conviction on the part of Peter, James, and John that something extraordinary happened on that mountain, something which left no doubt about the divine nature of Jesus.
In preaching, one could pick up on the report of Elijah and Moses being present, those two having been long since dead. Some people who believe in reincarnation find this a hopeful passage. Certainly there is nothing in the Gospels which disputes such a belief. However, to preach about that is risky in the absence of any affirmation of reincarnation in the New Testament.
The main emphasis here is on the evidence of JesusÍ divinity. Mark says the garments of Jesus became radiant. Whether this was in the eye of the beholder or a physical reality, IÍm content to believe that Jesus is unique, that he did have communication with God in a way no one else can have, and that Jesus is verified by this story as the means by which I „ and all of us „ can approach God.
The people IÍm accustomed to as parishioners are people who want a practical word from the pulpit, one which can help them understand what they see to be the complexities of our faith, one which can also help them live life fully and responsibly. It seems to me that here we have a word which urges us to open our minds to the fact that simply because we canÍt understand something doesnÍt mean it canÍt be true. If prayer can change things, if the Holy Spirit can work within us in marvelous ways, if there can be a life beyond this conscious existence, then other things are possible as well. Certainly a marvelous exchange between Jesus and God is within that range of possibility, so I would present this as mysterious, yes, but an event we can believe.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: ñSomeone Is Watching You''
Text: 2 Kings 2:1-12
Theme: When I was in my first appointment as a minister of a church, I was invited to have lunch with the best-known major-church preacher in our state. Characteristically, I allowed myself just barely enough time to arrive at his office on time, but I got lost. I drove for thirty minutes in a winding-street neighborhood with cul-de-sacs all over the place. By the time I arrived at the manÍs office, I was very late, and very embarrassed. For a neophyte preacher to treat one of the princes of the church this way was inexcusable. So, when I walked into his office I was all apology (and all feeble excuses). He smiled at me, said not to worry, he was grateful for a chance to sit and read quietly for a few minutes. We later became close friends, and this attitude of humility always remained as an example to me as the years went by.
DonÍt we all have memories of fine examples by others which set standards for us? I think therein lies much of the problem in some areas of our society: young people growing up without those examples of character and kindness. We learn those things by seeing it in others. And we teach those things by practicing it before others.
1. Mentoring is the responsibility of a Christian. To our families, our friends, the people we work with. I once read a story „ I canÍt remember the exact title, something like The Passing of the Third Floor, Rear „ about a rooming house where dwelt the dregs of society. A drunk, a prostitute, a nosey gossip, others. They were terrible to each other until one day a man of excellent character moved in. At first they were nasty to him, but he returned their discourtesy with kindness and respect. Each individual he treated as a worthy, valuable person. Slowly, the atmosphere began to change. One by one those people began to be kinder, more respectful to each other. By the time the good man had left, the others had become good as well.
2. Who are you mentoring now? I recently talked to a rising executive in a well-known corporation, who told me of the high regard in which he had held a now retired vice-president of that firm. He said he was this manÍs role model. I know that retired vice-president, and told him of this conversation. He was pleased, but I donÍt think he ever knew that a young man out there in the company was modeling himself after him.
Title: ñThe Blinded Eye''
Text: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Theme: I have a problem with Paul here. Or maybe my problem is with some too literal-minded folks who think, because of what Paul said here, that God quickly marks off the list anyone who doesnÍt accept Christ into his or her life. IÍm a father, and I wouldnÍt do that. I wouldnÍt give up on my children because they werenÍt doing what I wanted. Since IÍm not nearly as good and loving as God, the answer must be somewhere else.
1. God loves each of us. If there is a heaven as I believe „ not a place, but a state of being „ God has provided a place for all of us there.
2. In Christ, God revealed the divine nature, and it is Love. Because God loves you and me he has made available to us a host of resources for life through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
3. Some people are missing out. There are two kinds of missing out. One is the situation of those people who have never been confronted by the gospel. I am convinced that God honors all religions if the adherents are sincere and living by what they genuinely believe. The other kind of missing out is the turning away from Christ, once he is recognized for what he is (IÍm not referring to those folks who joined the church as children, then fell away). The ñgod of this world'' is probably an inordinate need for success, for things, for undeserved recognition, for power. It can destroy by winning us away from the Love of God.
4. The exclusion from GodÍs grace „ ñdoomed to perish'' „ is not GodÍs choice, itÍs the choice of the individual. Therefore, we are to ñproclaim'' Jesus Christ by the evidence of our lives. If we are upbeat, joyous, kind, courageous, others seeing that will be welcomed out of the darkness into the light.
Title: ñThe Perfect Way''
Text: Mark 9:2-9
Theme: In this story, we encounter the heart of the mystery of life. Whether this is a literal report of an actual event or a visionary piercing of the veil, we see here a profound statement of the special relationship between God and Jesus Christ.
1. Christ is the child of God. To bring things down to kindergarten level, God must surely have realized that we are not capable of perceiving the divine nature on our own. For all the grandeur of the Old Testament, it ends in failure. God must have decided that a perfect invasion of the human scene would be necessary to lead us to him.
2. Since GodÍs nature is love, God couldnÍt come clothed in power. That would have frightened us. No doubt weÍd have straightened up immediately, but you canÍt force love. It must be won. So God did the opposite: he came as a baby.
3. That baby soon became the means by which the rest of us can know God as a God of unfailing love.
4. By accepting Christ, we are joined to God through him in such way that a renewing, life-empowering Spirit enters into us. Our lives are forever changed, and we receive the guarantee of something wonderful beyond.
5. The mark of our having received and appropriated this free gift is the splendid way in which we thenceforth live our lives. In truth, we slip and slide, and stumble. But with this as our aim, we will find God to be faithful.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
ñIt lies at the very heart of the gospel message to affirm that the Kingdom of God has in a real sense become present fact, here and now.''
„ Leslie Weatherhead
____________
ñI know now as I look back across the years that nothing has carried me up into the life of God like the fact that love can span the break of separation, can pass beyond the visible and hold right on across the chasm. Where there is so much love, there must be more.''
„ Rufus Jones, after the death of his only son
____________
ñIn the point of rest at the center of our being, we encounter a world where all things are at rest in the same way. Then a tree becomes a mystery, a cloud a revelation, each man a cosmos of whose riches we can only catch glimpses. The life of simplicity is simple, but it opens to us a book in which we never get beyond the first syllable.''
„ Dag Hammarskjold
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 50:1-6 (C) „ ñGod shines forth.''
Psalm 97 (RC) „ ñO sing to the Lord a new song.''
Psalm 27 (E) „ ñThe Lord is my light and my salvation.''
Prayer Of The Day
Open us to the extravagant realities which lie beyond our limited vision, we pray. Strike the blinders from our spiritual eyes, that we may see that glory which is revealed in Jesus Christ, and that we may receive him as Lord of life. In ChristÍs name we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 2:1-12 (C)
This is quite a story „ fabulous, really. The preachers I run with read this as an allegory. We canÍt quite believe in literal chariots of fire. I say this with respect for any colleagues among us who find this story to be literally true. The stories about Elijah are probably in the same department as our stories about George Washington and his cherry tree, his silver dollar throw, his gallant boat trip across the Delaware. No matter, true or not, stories like this symbolize the greatness of the person. Whether Elijah took a chariot trip to heaven, or whether his devoted friend and protege saw such a splendid vision in his own heart, we know that the great spirit which enabled Elijah to give such fine leadership to his people was passed along to Elisha. As we reflect on this passage and its homiletical implications, the idea of leadership, and having worthy influence on those who look to us, commends itself.
Lesson 1: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 (RC)
Another chariot of fire type experience, defined here as a ñvision.''
Lesson 1: 1 Kings 19:9-18 (E)
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (C)
Paul has raised one of the most perplexing issues that Christianity requires us to confront. Is there such a thing as ñthe god of this world''? Does that refer to the temptations of the flesh? Is Paul presuming a dualism at the heart of creation? Does he presume an active evil force which intelligently targets each of us? Are some people perishing because their situation is hopeless? Is it possible a person might reject the gospel because it has been inappropriately presented? Are there people who, for any of several possible reasons „ intelligence, tragic inner dysfunction, misunderstanding „ reject the ñgospel'' as it seems to them? Does God, nonetheless, reject such people?
Back during the Í60s, there was a movement to depict the Christian faith in totally new forms. I recall a professor of theology telling of walking up the steps of an inner-city church and finding a sad little boy sitting there alone. The professor said he sat next to the little fellow and asked what was wrong. The boy said he was afraid of God. ñWhy?'' asked the professor. ñBecause,'' the child said, ñthey said God is a Father, and I hate my father because he beats me.'' Does that little boy qualify as one who has turned from the gospel?
In an inner-city church in Chicago they served communion with beer and pretzels because the conventional grape juice and bread seemed silly to the kids. I didnÍt think this was a particularly good idea, but it did reveal a wide difference of opinion about the best form of presentation. In any event, I have concluded that only those who sincerely and genuinely receive Christ, then reject him, are lost. Otherwise, God will never lose one of us because of our foolish inability to understand what divine Love is all about.
Lesson 2: 2 Peter 1:16-19 (RC); 2 Peter 1:16-19 (20-21) (E)
Gospel: Mark 9:2-9 (C, E); Mark 9:2-10 (RC)
William Barclay struck the necessary note regarding the Transfiguration: ñHere we are face to face with an incident in the life of Jesus that is cloaked in mystery. We can only try to understand what happened.'' One approach is to accept this story as a literal report of an event which, because of the unique nature of Jesus, was a unique event in human history. Another is to interpret this report as the result of a vision by one or more witnesses. I personally lean toward the latter, yet I cannot exclude the former possibility simply because I canÍt personally understand how such a suspension of natural law could be possible. Yes, it is indeed cloaked in mystery.
What we can be sure about is the conviction on the part of Peter, James, and John that something extraordinary happened on that mountain, something which left no doubt about the divine nature of Jesus.
In preaching, one could pick up on the report of Elijah and Moses being present, those two having been long since dead. Some people who believe in reincarnation find this a hopeful passage. Certainly there is nothing in the Gospels which disputes such a belief. However, to preach about that is risky in the absence of any affirmation of reincarnation in the New Testament.
The main emphasis here is on the evidence of JesusÍ divinity. Mark says the garments of Jesus became radiant. Whether this was in the eye of the beholder or a physical reality, IÍm content to believe that Jesus is unique, that he did have communication with God in a way no one else can have, and that Jesus is verified by this story as the means by which I „ and all of us „ can approach God.
The people IÍm accustomed to as parishioners are people who want a practical word from the pulpit, one which can help them understand what they see to be the complexities of our faith, one which can also help them live life fully and responsibly. It seems to me that here we have a word which urges us to open our minds to the fact that simply because we canÍt understand something doesnÍt mean it canÍt be true. If prayer can change things, if the Holy Spirit can work within us in marvelous ways, if there can be a life beyond this conscious existence, then other things are possible as well. Certainly a marvelous exchange between Jesus and God is within that range of possibility, so I would present this as mysterious, yes, but an event we can believe.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: ñSomeone Is Watching You''
Text: 2 Kings 2:1-12
Theme: When I was in my first appointment as a minister of a church, I was invited to have lunch with the best-known major-church preacher in our state. Characteristically, I allowed myself just barely enough time to arrive at his office on time, but I got lost. I drove for thirty minutes in a winding-street neighborhood with cul-de-sacs all over the place. By the time I arrived at the manÍs office, I was very late, and very embarrassed. For a neophyte preacher to treat one of the princes of the church this way was inexcusable. So, when I walked into his office I was all apology (and all feeble excuses). He smiled at me, said not to worry, he was grateful for a chance to sit and read quietly for a few minutes. We later became close friends, and this attitude of humility always remained as an example to me as the years went by.
DonÍt we all have memories of fine examples by others which set standards for us? I think therein lies much of the problem in some areas of our society: young people growing up without those examples of character and kindness. We learn those things by seeing it in others. And we teach those things by practicing it before others.
1. Mentoring is the responsibility of a Christian. To our families, our friends, the people we work with. I once read a story „ I canÍt remember the exact title, something like The Passing of the Third Floor, Rear „ about a rooming house where dwelt the dregs of society. A drunk, a prostitute, a nosey gossip, others. They were terrible to each other until one day a man of excellent character moved in. At first they were nasty to him, but he returned their discourtesy with kindness and respect. Each individual he treated as a worthy, valuable person. Slowly, the atmosphere began to change. One by one those people began to be kinder, more respectful to each other. By the time the good man had left, the others had become good as well.
2. Who are you mentoring now? I recently talked to a rising executive in a well-known corporation, who told me of the high regard in which he had held a now retired vice-president of that firm. He said he was this manÍs role model. I know that retired vice-president, and told him of this conversation. He was pleased, but I donÍt think he ever knew that a young man out there in the company was modeling himself after him.
Title: ñThe Blinded Eye''
Text: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Theme: I have a problem with Paul here. Or maybe my problem is with some too literal-minded folks who think, because of what Paul said here, that God quickly marks off the list anyone who doesnÍt accept Christ into his or her life. IÍm a father, and I wouldnÍt do that. I wouldnÍt give up on my children because they werenÍt doing what I wanted. Since IÍm not nearly as good and loving as God, the answer must be somewhere else.
1. God loves each of us. If there is a heaven as I believe „ not a place, but a state of being „ God has provided a place for all of us there.
2. In Christ, God revealed the divine nature, and it is Love. Because God loves you and me he has made available to us a host of resources for life through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
3. Some people are missing out. There are two kinds of missing out. One is the situation of those people who have never been confronted by the gospel. I am convinced that God honors all religions if the adherents are sincere and living by what they genuinely believe. The other kind of missing out is the turning away from Christ, once he is recognized for what he is (IÍm not referring to those folks who joined the church as children, then fell away). The ñgod of this world'' is probably an inordinate need for success, for things, for undeserved recognition, for power. It can destroy by winning us away from the Love of God.
4. The exclusion from GodÍs grace „ ñdoomed to perish'' „ is not GodÍs choice, itÍs the choice of the individual. Therefore, we are to ñproclaim'' Jesus Christ by the evidence of our lives. If we are upbeat, joyous, kind, courageous, others seeing that will be welcomed out of the darkness into the light.
Title: ñThe Perfect Way''
Text: Mark 9:2-9
Theme: In this story, we encounter the heart of the mystery of life. Whether this is a literal report of an actual event or a visionary piercing of the veil, we see here a profound statement of the special relationship between God and Jesus Christ.
1. Christ is the child of God. To bring things down to kindergarten level, God must surely have realized that we are not capable of perceiving the divine nature on our own. For all the grandeur of the Old Testament, it ends in failure. God must have decided that a perfect invasion of the human scene would be necessary to lead us to him.
2. Since GodÍs nature is love, God couldnÍt come clothed in power. That would have frightened us. No doubt weÍd have straightened up immediately, but you canÍt force love. It must be won. So God did the opposite: he came as a baby.
3. That baby soon became the means by which the rest of us can know God as a God of unfailing love.
4. By accepting Christ, we are joined to God through him in such way that a renewing, life-empowering Spirit enters into us. Our lives are forever changed, and we receive the guarantee of something wonderful beyond.
5. The mark of our having received and appropriated this free gift is the splendid way in which we thenceforth live our lives. In truth, we slip and slide, and stumble. But with this as our aim, we will find God to be faithful.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
ñIt lies at the very heart of the gospel message to affirm that the Kingdom of God has in a real sense become present fact, here and now.''
„ Leslie Weatherhead
____________
ñI know now as I look back across the years that nothing has carried me up into the life of God like the fact that love can span the break of separation, can pass beyond the visible and hold right on across the chasm. Where there is so much love, there must be more.''
„ Rufus Jones, after the death of his only son
____________
ñIn the point of rest at the center of our being, we encounter a world where all things are at rest in the same way. Then a tree becomes a mystery, a cloud a revelation, each man a cosmos of whose riches we can only catch glimpses. The life of simplicity is simple, but it opens to us a book in which we never get beyond the first syllable.''
„ Dag Hammarskjold
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 50:1-6 (C) „ ñGod shines forth.''
Psalm 97 (RC) „ ñO sing to the Lord a new song.''
Psalm 27 (E) „ ñThe Lord is my light and my salvation.''
Prayer Of The Day
Open us to the extravagant realities which lie beyond our limited vision, we pray. Strike the blinders from our spiritual eyes, that we may see that glory which is revealed in Jesus Christ, and that we may receive him as Lord of life. In ChristÍs name we pray. Amen.
