February 14 Jesus’ Transfiguration
and our transformation
This Sunday’s gospel, the account of the
transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, is a strange, even mysterious
story. Jesus leads his disciples up a
mountain, as if to bring them closer to God.
And there, wonder of wonders, the disciples
witness Jesus conversing with two long-dead-heroes of the Old Testament, Moses
and Elijah. And
Jesus is changed, transformed, before their eyes. Then a voice like thunder
from heaven “This is my Son, Listen to him.” The disciples are moved
from wonder to awe and fear.
Maybe we
think of Jesus primarily as a wonderful teacher, an inspiring guide along
life’s way. And
that’s okay, as far as it goes. But sometimes Jesus takes us to another level and he leads
us beyond our answers and certainties.
It is as if he takes us by the hand and leads us up into another
realm. At his transfiguration, Jesus
shines beyond our ability to explain or understand.
The
admission of mystery is the beginning of growth. Perhaps Christ the Son of God
is a mystery greater than we know how to describe. That we can’t fully
explain or figure him out is, in a way, conformation that He is God - for God
is greater than we are and beyond our comprehension. So Jesus befuddles
us and confuses us, not only on the Mountain of transfiguration but also when
he welcomes sinners, when he died for us sinners, when he showed us that way
which was not our way.
Maybe this story of the transfiguration could be a
kind of parable for how it sometimes is at church’s worship. We gather here in our church, to be with
others in the presence of God. We speak
to God in hymns and prayers. We listen
to God speak to us through words of the Bible that are read. Sometimes, by the power of the Spirit, you
may feel some of those words are speaking to you - about your life.
But on rare occasions there is something more. A worshipper feels touched in a special,
indescribable way. The Lord intrudes -
reveals some insight - grants some peace - or moves in some way - mysterious
and wonderful, beyond our ability to explain or understand. Often you can’t
describe such moments - maybe it’s more like a feeling. And yet somehow the
fact that they are inexplicable and mysterious makes them all the more real. The mystery of God is not a question to be answered, but rather a relationship to be enjoyed.
A guy asks his friend: Did
you buy something for your wife for Valentine’s day?
“Yes, I bought her a belt and a bag.”
I hope she appreciates the thoughtfulness behind
your gifts.
“So do I. And hopefully now the vacuum cleaner will
work better.”
This is my Son, my chosen One.
Listen to him. Luke 9:35
This is God’s answer to Peter, and everyone like
Peter, who think they know how to handle the presence of God. Listen. The
imperative grammar of that word means "be
obedient." Be very
still. Be very alert. God is not limited
by our imagination or understanding. God
moves and communicates in ways beyond mere thinking and rational thought.
“Listen to Jesus” because the very act of listening to His
words from scripture can have a
transforming effect. Christ
promises that His spirit is present
when we read His word - and that His spirit will give us insight and
understanding as we listen.
When we gather to listen to and
study scripture, we are in the presence of the Lord,
and that divine presence can begin
to transform us.
“Listen to Jesus, and obey His word” because as our words and deeds
begin to reflect His teaching and
His love we are transformed: The light of Christ can shine through
us. In our second lesson, Paul say our lives are
gradually being transformed by the Spirit of Christ:
All of us, seeing the glory of the
Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image
- the image of Christ - from one degree of glory to another; for this comes
from the Lord, the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:18
Paul says as the Spirit of the
Lord works within us, we become more and more like Christ, even beginning to
reflect His glory.
Paul talks about being transformed from
one degree of glory to another - transformation that comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
None of
us are yet what we could be.
In God’s eyes, we all have unrealized potential
- no matter how old we are,
the Lord is not done with us yet. We are not yet what we can become
with God’s help.
Do you know why men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage? They’ve experienced
pain and purchased jewelry.
Paul writes: Now
the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 1
Corinthians 3;17 and “For freedom Christ has set us free.”
God’s Spirit brings freedom. But what
kind of freedom?
It doesn’t mean we’re free
to do whatever we want, whenever and wherever we want to do it. Jesus expects our obedience to his words
about how we should live. His teachings
are to guide our steps through life, showing us how to live with
God and others in an abundant and joyful new life. And it is the
Spirit of Christ working within us that gives us the power to begin
walking in His way.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom.
In a counter-intuitive way, obedience is the
foundation of freedom.
The pilot is free to fly his plane, provided he
obeys at every moment the laws of flying.
If he doesn’t follow the rules, he crashes and
burns. But if
he does, he’s free to soar through the air like a bird.
Freedom through obedience - freedom as a citizen of the
Put another way, the more we allow scripture to
guide us, the more we get into following Jesus’ way every day, the more we are
freed up to realize our true purpose and potential - free to be the person we
were meant to be - and thus free to find meaning and purpose.
Talk to some one who has been going to AA meetings -
or NA or CA - and they’ll probably tell you that it
has been liberating.
At CA meetings they say:
“We’re here. We’re free.”
But what about the 12 steps – aren’t
they rules they have to follow?
Yes, those steps were the path by which they have been freed from their addiction. Obedience set them free.
So they pray: “Release me from the bondage to
self, so I can better do Thy will.”
Sounds like what we pray: We are in bondage to
sin, and can not free ourselves.
Freedom from sin, from self, comes as we turn to
Jesus, accept him as Lord, and follow in His way.
God has set us free in Christ, and it’s up to us to use that freedom to participate in what the
Lord is doing - making his kingdom a reality “on earth as it is in heaven.”
Christ’s way is a liberating path to freedom - freedom
to be all we were created to be.
+
It is God who has made us what we are
he sent Christ to make us what we shall be
- to do
good and live as he always intended us to live.
Eph 2:10 LB, CEV
The vision
of Jesus transfigured is a reminder that He is not limited by our
imagination or understanding. The Lord
moves and communicates in ways beyond mere rational thought and can do
more than we can imagine. And he would transform you,
With God, the impossible becomes possible.
And this comes from the Lord, the
Spirit, who sets us free.
In three
days on Ash Wednesday you have the opportunity for a new start, even a new birth.
This Lent can be for you a season of increased devotion
- a time of renewal and growth in the faith by
making a deliberate effort to follow Christ’s teaching in your life.
Lent is a chance to give up, and a
chance to take up.
- to give up anything that
interferes with following Jesus’ way;
- to take up habits that
will draw you closer to the Lord;
habits like being here every Sunday for
worship and Sunday School;
making time for daily prayer and Bible
reading;
joining us Wednesday evenings for worship
and fellowship.
- very simply more time in the presence of the Lord
... that our minds might be touched by the Spirit of
Christ, and be renewed and refreshed and revived
that we might find new insights, new power, new hope.
Amen