February 18 Sermon – Luke 9:28-36
Transfiguration and Transformation
Between last Sunday’s reading and today’s gospel, a lot has
happened. The disciples have been on the
move and Jesus has been preaching and healing.
Crowds have been following them, and maybe it was time to get away from
it all - To take some time out for prayer
Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and went up
on the mountain to pray. Mark 9:28
For an hour each week, we disengage from the cares of our weekday,
work-a-day world by coming to church. We
come to worship to get away from it all, to pray, even hoping to meet Jesus.
On that mountain – during that time of prayer – everything
changed. There is a stunning,
transfiguring vision, and a cloud overshadows them. Jesus is transfigured before their eyes. They see Moses and Elijah. A heavenly voice says, This
is my Son, my chosen, listen to Him. 9:35
This encounter could be a description of what we hope for in worship –
an encounter with Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets, the scriptures –
and a renewed vision of Jesus – perhaps a word from the Lord, or even the hope
of a revelation of some sort – a fresh insight,
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It is not solely through our efforts that we discover the truth, but rather
through the Lord’s gracious revelation.
Peter didn’t figure Jesus out – but rather He was revealed to Peter on
the mountain top as the transcendent Lord – Chosen One of God, King of kings –
the One who is beyond the limitations of time and space.
Peter had listened to Jesus’ teaching every day, just as we listen to
the gospel every Sunday. I’m sure he
learned a lot. Yet something more was
necessary: A moment of revelation – of
insight prompted by the Lord. That
divine push helped Peter put together what he had been learning – and then move
to a greater level of understanding.
Maybe that’s the way it works for us.
We come to church – and read the scriptures and go to Bible study
classes. We grow in understanding. But hopefully there are moments when we, like
Peter, receive fresh insight by the guidance of the Spirit -moments when we are
led to put our knowledge together in a new way.
With the Spirit’s help, we may get a glimpse of the kingdom - the rule
of God breaking into our lives.
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The gospel suggests three ways to open our selves up to the Spirit so
that we might, like Peter, in some way see the light – that Christ’s light
might shine in a new way in our lives: Bible study, Prayer, and being a
disciple in our daily lives.
You may take them as three suggestions for Lent.
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This is my Son, my chosen, listen to Him. 9:35
Listen for His voice speaking to you through scripture. You can do that
through reflective, prayerful Bible study.
What I mean is doing a little more than just reading the text. Read it through once, and then more slowly
again. Make some time so you can quietly
ponder the text, asking how might it speak to my
life. Pray about it.
To help you, during Lent each week I’ll distribute some suggested
readings from the gospels. For forty
days we’ll look at the last week of Jesus’ life – and thus journey with Jesus
to
I hope in addition to studying on your own, you’ll all make a vow that
in Lent you will come to Sunday School. We have classes for children and youth – and
two adult classes. Louise Jones will be
studying the Book of Isaiah, one of the most important Old Testament books for
understanding Jesus and His passion.
Dean and I will be studying the last week in Jesus life.
At our Wednesday evening services of prayer and song, we’ll also be
looking at that final week in Christ’s life.
I’m challenging you to fast – to abstain from some activities that take
your time now. Give them up for the six
weeks of Lent so you can make time to listen to Jesus speaking to you through
the word.
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They went up on the mountain to pray. 9:28
The revelation to Peter, James and John came after they went off with Jesus for a
time of prayer – an extended time of prayer.
To move our scripture study beyond Bible facts, we need times of
prayer. If Jesus needed to pray, then so
do you. Prayer settles us down and opens
us up. It allows us to shed our
ambitions and to immerse ourselves in the desires of the Lord.
Prayer isn’t really so much about changing God’s mind as it is about
changing our hearts.
Prayer is not just about asking for things so we can get what we
want. Rather it’s praying “Thy will be
done” in my life, and seeking His will – what would the Lord have me do – so
that I get what I need, rather than what I want.
This Lent, set aside some time for prayer – a quiet time each day –
maybe just ten or fifteen minutes of silence – when you’ll simply pray, and
meditate – and open your mind to the Lord.
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On the mountain top, Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus
about his departure, which he was about to accomplish in
Jesus was resolute; he set his face toward his suffering, death and
resurrection.
The disciples came down from the mountain and walked with Him to
Will you accept Christ’s invitation?
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C. S, Lewis wrote about a time when he was in a darkened tool
shed. There was a single beam of light
streaming through a small crack in the roof. He looked at it, admired that beam
of light in the darkness. Then he
changed his position to look along it – with it – and saw something different –
what it illuminated.
Lewis said this is a metaphor for two different ways of knowing. One is
observation from the outside; the other is participation from the inside.
Observation from the outside would be looking at Jesus – studying the
scriptures to learn more about Him. It’s an objective, even scientific approach
to the subject.
That tells us a lot, but that doesn’t tell us everything. The second way – or second step, is
participation from the inside.
With Jesus, that simply means accepting His invitation to follow Him –
to start living His way, putting His teaching into action in your life, and
even participating in his on-going mission. And as we are in fellowship with
others who are striving to follow, we come to know the light of Christ by
seeing it reflected in the lives of other believers.
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Following Jesus on the way to
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I suppose I really haven’t told you anything new. I’m just reminding
you.
The question is, will this Lent be different
for you?
What will you do in Lent that you’re not doing now?
I’ve summarized some suggestions on the back of the sermon outline.
Please take a minute to look at them with me.
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Will you engage in a “time fast”?
Will you find something to give up that allows you to make time for serious
Bible study and prayer?
Can you promise the Lord that you’ll set aside 10 or 15 minutes for Him
everyday in Lent.
Could you make the commitment to come to both church and Sunday School each week for the next six weeks – the season of
Lent? Could you possibly get up an hour
earlier?
Might your Lenten discipline include coming to church on Wednesday
evening?
What will you do in Lent that could draw you closer to the Lord?