Transfigured – Transfiguration Sunday – March 6 2011
I’d like to connect today’s Gospel with last week’s Gospel, but to set the stage for our discussion, why were or why are the events in today’s Gospel (the Transfiguration) so important?
- Ghost appears – do we really die?
- Very significant Jewish leaders – two of the big guys for sure – Peter’s reaction is important – nervous or reverent, God seems to rebuke him.
- Reminds me of confirmation or affirmation of Baptism
- Reminds disciples of who Jesus is, and the company He keeps
- Moses represents the law, Elijah represents the prophets, and Jesus???
- Who is left to come down the mountain?
So here is last weeks Gospel, from Matthew 6:24-34.
Refreshing words to hear. So what are some of our worries? What are we worried about?
- work
- family
- uncertainty
- future
- choices
- illness
- finances
- death
What do you think some of the worries of the Jews at the time were?
- very similar to our worries
- survival
- salvation – Pharisees
Salvation? Is salvation on our list? And then notice what Jesus says – does He tell the people to worry about salvation? Not to worry, but to strive for the Kingdom and His righteousness. He doesn’t say to worry about the Kingdom and His righteousness, but to strive for it. Why do you think that is? Worrying is paralyzing, striving is moving, freeing, and inspiring. We have to be careful to remember that we can not achieve the Kingdom, or make it come, but to strive for it is … well, not worrying about it, because that is God’s job.
So here is the thing. Today’s Gospel has so many similarities for our life journey. As Jesus and the three disciples go up the mountain, they are literally having a mountain top experience, a spiritual high. Some other examples of spiritual highs, or mountain top experiences from the Bible would be Moses’ time on Mount Sinai, the parting of the water by Moses. We also have mountain top experiences, can anyone share their experiences?
- First time at camp – were we reminded that Jesus is God’s son?
And we are pumped up, we are excited, we are ready to build dwellings to celebrate the occasion so that we can always remember the occasion and maybe stay there for awhile if we can. But we eventually have to come down, back to real life and maybe even to encounter a valley, a low spot. But notice who and what comes down from the mountain high and who and what remain on the mountain. Moses was a very iconic figure for the Israelites, do you remember what He represented? The law. And what did Elijah represent? The prophets and the prophecies. So these two remain on the mountain, it is interesting that the law and the prophecies don’t walk with us back to the real world. But even though they remain on the mountain, we do need to remember that they are important for faith, not to be just left behind, because they were obviously important to be included in the transfiguration. But, the important thing is, who was it that comes down the mountain? Jesus. And what does Jesus represent? Among the many things, the two that stick out to me are light and love. These stick with us, these are what we are to carry out to the world.
And my prayer for me and for you is to be transfigured, not just so that we bring light and love to the world, but to also be transfigured in the way we see the world, just as Superman didn’t need Clarke Kent’s glasses. There is so much turmoil in our world’s, both in our own little microcosms, but also in the big broad world. The turmoil in the Middle East, the economic uncertainty, the political uncertainty in both the province and the country, global warming concerns and no Taylor Hall for the rest of the year all compounds into one big ulcer. By the way, new research has shown that stress does not cause ulcers. But it fit, so I threw it in there.
Anyways, we can look at the crazy world we live in and think, let’s run for the hills and get out of here! Which is what many of us in our midst have done. Or we can look at it as though this is a place and a time that needs us just as much as it did in the past, or even more. And we could sit and worry, look at the law and the prophets and see how bad things are, or look to the light and love and realize that we were not left here, we are not abandoned or forsaken, because Jesus comes down that mountain with us, and He is right here, in each of us. Changing the way we look at life and Jesus is part of the transfiguration – it was for the disciples who were reminded of who Jesus is.
“Tomorrow morning,” the surgeon began, “I’ll open up your heart..”
“You’ll find Jesus there,” the boy interrupted.
The surgeon looked up, annoyed “I’ll cut your heart open,” he continued, to see how much damage has been done…”
“But when you open up my heart, you’ll find Jesus in there,” said the boy.
The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly. “When I see how much damage has been done, I’ll sew your heart and chest back up, and I’ll plan what to do next.”
“But you’ll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The hymns all say He lives there. You’ll find Him in my heart.”
The surgeon had had enough. “I’ll tell you what I’ll find in your heart. I’ll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels. And I’ll find out if I can make you well.”
“You’ll find Jesus there too. He lives there.”
The surgeon left.
The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes from the surgery, “…damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, and widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis: ” here he paused, “death within one year.”
He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. “Why?” he asked aloud.
“Why did You do this? You’ve put him here; You’ve put him in this pain; and You’ve cursed him to an early death. Why?”
The Lord answered and said, “The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your
flock for long, for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be. Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot imagine. His parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and My flock will continue to grow.”
The surgeon’s tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. “You created that
boy, and You created that heart. He’ll be dead in months. Why?”
The Lord answered, “The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock, for He has Done his duty: I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb.”
The surgeon wept… The surgeon sat beside the boy’s bed; the boy’s parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, “Did you cut open my heart?”
“Yes,” said the surgeon.
“What did you find?” asked the boy.
“Jesus found me there,” said the surgeon.
Once again, it isn’t about doing more, it’s about being. Being transfigured. Jesus didn’t stay up on the mountain top to keep God’s goodness for Himself and Moses and Elijah. Instead He carries God’s goodness down from the mountain, and sees the world around Him as it needs God’s goodness. The transfiguration isn’t for our outside appearance; it’s for our inside as we are reminded that Jesus is the Son of God. Yes the transfiguration is about Jesus and who He is, but the Gospel today and last week transfigures us as we are reminded of who Jesus is and what He brings with Him.
And Jesus says to all who will listen, “Get up and do not be afraid. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
