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We're doing something quite unique this Sunday; we are
basically combining the Transfiguration of Our Lord observed today, with an
aspect closing of Ash Wednesday. Yes, it was a choice made because we are, at
the moment, a replanting community. It has been difficult to have enough of a
response or commitment of time, to be assured of people to come to a midweek
service. This is not only true for us,
though, but for many churches these days. Many churches struggle with the
feasibility of offering special services. Pastorally however, I just could not
have you miss the beginning message of what we are to contemplate with the
season of Lent. The special days of
Easter as well, we will find a way to have the full message of God heard!
The images are quite lovely when you think of it here. We begin with going up to that great mountain
top essentially on the summit of Glory, to see Christ Jesus reveal a profound
message to His disciples. This profound
message is not only about who He is, but will begin to reveal, His earthly
purpose in what he needs to do next, in order to save Humanity. We are on that
mountain top and with Ash Wednesday, we begin our descending journey into the
valley. This is the valley of Lent and it is one that we grow from while working and
struggling our way through said, valley.
I think it's interesting to be working with two different
Gospel accounts being from both Mark & Matthew. Mark’s account of the
transfiguration as that “quick time news reporter,” is just laying it out there
as “just the facts, ma’am,” with what Jesus needs to do on that mountain top...
And then, what we have with the Gospel of Matthew for Ash Wednesday, we see
Jesus coming down from a smaller Mountain, having recently shared His Beatitudes.
Jesus is now more or less, pointing that accusing finger towards the Pharisees,
who do not understand the truth of the word, change at all. They are so wrapped up into their egos, works
righteousness and worldly knowledge, they can’t see God.
Paul's pastoral notes in both 2nd Corinthian readings,
first begin with a lecture of encouragement for them not to lose heart and to
be faithfully enduring in the face of persecution. This endurance is for the sake of the Gospel
as he says. Paul continues to teach us that we do not preach about the self or
for our own agendas, but, we are to Proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves
as servants, for Jesus sake. Let the light shine out of the darkness! The Holy
Spirit had me hear that old 60’s song, ‘Reach Out Of The Darkness’ by Friends
and Lovers. Its typical hippie music but it says something lovely about being
and doing when motivated by the light. The 2nd Corinthians reading for Ash
Wednesday more or less has Paul encouraging them to know that they are ambassadors
for Christ and not to accept God's grace in vain, but as Servants of God use
the weapons of righteousness, in order to shine forth God's truth, love and all
good things in the face of many challenges.
There is a lot to consider here. I don't know how many
people know that there was, created during the 1st century, a
version of the Gospels that tried to include all four Gospels together as one
complete story along with other writings, practices and commentary. This was
called a Didache, also known as the ‘Teachings of the 12 Apostles,’ this
venture was quasi successful. What I mean by that, is there's only so much you
can say faithfully and completely representing all four Gospel writers’
perspective on their Witness to Christ and His ministry. Today's nothing
different, for I'm sort of doing the same thing, where I'm talking about that
mountain top and now helping us to see that we have to go down, into and
through, that Valley.
Just what do we get with the Transfiguration? We could
say pretty much, it's the “in your face New Nature” view of Jesus the Christ.
Jesus, the New Adam, revealed in a profound theophany of Glory to His
disciples. With this scene, as well, we must see the subtle humor of Peter
freaking out at seeing Jesus with Moses and Elijah and what happened with Jesus
changing… He had no idea what to say, he was terrified! “Um, okay Jesus, would you like some olives,
would you like to be fanned have me bring you some wine...?” But then how would
you respond? What would you say if Jesus came right up to you and said, here I
am? I think we have a real hard time imagining this. All of the accounts, in
this week's scriptures, seem too fantastic to picture. We have Moses coming
down with the two tablets of the Covenant in his hands with a nice “sunburn” as
his mark of talking with God and then we have Jesus, now talking to the cloud,
which the cloud is where God's voice comes from and as well, He’s standing
there with Moses and Elijah!
By the time we start walking down into that Valley of Lent,
beginning upon Ash Wednesday; we have just witnessed Jesus preaching and
teaching, connecting the beautiful lessons of the Beatitudes, to the cost of
discipleship. He is now walking through that Wilderness of the world where He
needs to caution His disciples to not store up Treasures for themselves on
Earth, but not to become hypocrites by truly living into a genuine faith. This
is a faith that is produced by a genuine metanoia—inner change, repentance. This
Embrace of change we can only experience as a spiritual transformation. This
transformation is shaped by our perfect model, Jesus Christ, who was, who is,
the New Adam, the New Creation itself. The Transfiguration of Jesus is a
complete change into a more beautiful, spiritual state that His shining presence,
is literally to shine into our hearts, the beginning of that
process.
The entire season of Epiphany is a time of reflection. We
have been reflecting from the beginning about Christ’ entry into our world. Now
with the Transfiguration, we have a complete revelation of what he has come to
do. But it's not even just witnessing as the disciples did, this fantastic
event on the mountain, but spiritually being aware of transfiguration,
transformation within ourselves to be able to grow while we go through that
Valley.
What we hear from Paul's witness of pastoring his wayward
Corinthians, as well as all the other churches he served and letters we have
heard from, the cost of discipleship is great. That hasn't changed in 2000
years. We may think we have veiled over the Gospel well enough and just pushed
it into a Sunday frame of mind or into our ministry time slots we feel
comfortable with, but the truth is, that we need to still be accountable and
committed to what we need to do, in order to be faithful witnesses today with
God’s Living Word.
I was saddened to hear, the other day, from a former
classmate at my first Seminary, that he's decided to give up on Ministry. He
never was encouraged enough, but then neither was I, when I was there… He became
too wound up in the process, too trusting of others guidance, to really hear
God's voice calling to him that he should truly feel: “Never Say Never.” He
suffered something like 12 years of applying, being deferred, reapplying and
rejected only to move out to the Great Northwest. He tried other vocations, but
never really found himself and still hasn't found himself, because of what
other people have painted for him, as a permanently closed-door. God always
opens new doors for us. We must truly realize that, it is the ruler of the
world, who veils the truth of these things, of God helping us to grow and go
with His Gospel cause.
I love this one Far Side cartoon I can't remember what
year it came out, but it showed Moses coming down with the tablets which were
three tablets and of course he drops one... He says “oh, oh I guess we only
have 10 now...” My husband reminded me that, that scene comes from Mel Brooks’ ‘History
of the World Part One’ as well. All humor aside, the journey down from that
mountain top for Moses was the beginning of our rocky, covenantal relationship
with God. Jesus coming down from His mountain top of the Transfiguration
of Glory, in front of all the disciples, was His revelation to us of His New
Covenant, which would be His Journey to the cross. This is the beginning
of our Lenten Journey, to realize, confess and move forward into true internal
change, reconciliation.
Perhaps, its not necessarily a fair analysis or metaphor
to use, but I wonder when we struggle so much with the thought of truly
internally changing spiritually for the love of God, we are like those
butterflies that have not come out of the chrysalis. We are trapped within the
hardened shell that forms or is to form that New Creation, which is to take off,
soaring high!
Let’s face it though, it takes a lot of motivation to
break through that shell. And when we have many stumbling blocks in our way,
thanks to the ruler of this world and his negativity, we don't feel strong
enough to break through. Not feeling strong enough, we begin to despair and
feel discouraged and find truly very little purpose or reason to go forward
with what perhaps we are turning a blind eye to.
I saw this former classmate in my mind, in that shell. He never was encouraged enough to breakthrough
and has now only settled into despair by giving up. He never got to go to
that mountain top, or feel Christ extending a hand down to him lifting him up
and out of the valley, to see something Grand on the horizon. He never had
someone reach down to him and try to help him become aware of God’s purposes for
his life. You would think as well, for a school dedicated to the formation of “leaders
in the church,” they would be open and committed to building up one another.
That was another sad bit of news to hear in addition to watching my former
classmate’s confession, was that our former School, has lost its accreditation
due to low enrollment and financial troubles.
It would seem, that their efforts to control God’s calling to those to
serve, backfired for when they chose to close doors, God, is now closing
theirs…
Let us Pray,
Gracious & Loving God,
We call You these Words of Praise out of faith and in
hoping towards making our way through the valleys of our lives
Help us to see clearly upon the summit of that mountain
top, our task at hand
Help us to feel that light break through the chrysalis of
our motivation, endurance to grow
May we now realize the bit of earth upon our brow is that
open door to truly change.
To You, be the Glory, to us be the journey. AMEN
February 11th,
2018; Transfiguration of Our Lord; Year B; SOLA Lectionary
Psalm 50:1-6;
Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Corinthians 3:12-13, 4:1-6; Mark 9:2-9 White
(Some Addtl
refs: Psalm 51:1-19; Joel
2:12-19; 2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10; Matthew 6:1-6,16-21)
The link below is to this sermon's delivery at First Congregational Church at 9:30am
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