Sermon delivered on Transfiguration Sunday B, February 15, 2015, at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, Columbus, OH.
There is no audio podcast of today’s sermon. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Lectionary texts: 2 Kings 2.1-12; Psalm 50.1-6; 2 Corinthians 4.3-6; Mark 9.2-9.
Let us pray. Speak to us Lord for our hears and hearts are open to you, in the name of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Valentine joke.
Valentine died for love, Romeo also died for love, Jack in the Titanic died for love, Samson in the Bible died for love, Greek Heroes Hercules and Achilles died for love, even Jesus Christ died for love! Where are women?
Today is transfiguration Sunday and I remember preaching on transfiguration Sunday here about Reflecting the Glory of God that the glory of God shines on us so that we may reflect it out to others. Today I want us to look at the change of transfiguration
The story from 2 Kings tells of the parting of Elijah, witnessed by his disciple in training Elisha. Elisha does not want his master to go. He keeps getting increasingly saddened and perhaps annoyed by those who remind him that Elijah is going away soon. “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” Yes, Elisha knows, and isn’t in the mood to talk about it. Not from the company of the prophets in Bethel. Not from the company of the prophets in Jericho. Don’t speak of it, he orders them both. Who has ever wanted their master to go? Who has ever wanted to lose a mentor, a father-figure, or a protective mother?
Elijah wishes to ease the going. “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” Elisha replies: “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” Elisha persists, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”
Elisha will not leave his master. He is clinging to his master and won’t let him out of sight. Not yet ready for the leaving. It might be a matter of determined faithfulness, staying by his side to the very end; or it could be a matter of fear of the unknown, uncertain of what else to do.
In the gospel reading Jesus goes up the mountain he takes with him his inner circle of disciples-in-training: Peter James and John. they saw him transfigured. They witnessed the presence of the glory of God and had mountain top experience. They were surrounded by the beauty of the Lord with the two most revered figures in Judaism visible, Moses and Elijah. The glory of the Lord is shining all around and changing the appearance of Jesus’ face and making his clothes dazzling white such as no one* on earth could bleach them. Right then the disciples knew that God was in that place. Right then they knew that this was a special place. Right then they knew that it was good for them to be there. Which is exactly what Peter says: “It is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
Have you ever been in such a place? Where you have a glimpse of heaven?
While he is speaking, a cloud overshadows them and the disciples become terrified. And as they are engulfed by the cloud, and in the midst of their terror, a voice says, “This is my son, the beloved, listen to him.”
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a big, black cloud?
Ultimately they go back down the mountain where they are with a crowd and Jesus heals a boy possessed with convulsions.
What does a story involving a mountain top experience thousands of years ago about the Transfiguration of Christ have to do with us in the here and now? how does this gospel speak to us today?
One of the ways I truly believe that this story speaks to us today is that it reminds us we must get off the mountain. We must be willing to recognize mountain top experiences for what they are — beautiful, motivational, moving, awe inspiring, amazing, and not meant to last. At some point we need to come down from the beautiful mountain top and mix and mingle and minister in the crowds.
If we try to hold onto that experience, if we try to stay in that beautiful place, we running the risk of being like Peter in this story, “Let’s build a place for us to stay right here.” Besides this story being yet another way God reveals himself through Christ, this story is about us getting off the mountain. We can’t allow ourselves to be so overwhelmed by the beautiful experience and our comfort zones that we neglect the true nature of the gospel.
The true nature of the gospel is this: changed by God to make a difference for God. Does that sound familiar? The work of ministry isn’t found on the beautiful mountain top but is found down below in and among the people.
Think about Jesus, had He stayed up on the mountain, there would be no Passion, no cross, and no resurrection. Think also of the disciples, had they stayed up on the mountain, there would be no apostles and no church. Probably we would not be gathered here today. Our mission isn’t up there; our mission is out there. If we are to make a change and a difference for God we should be willing to come down from the mountain top.
Where are the mountain top experiences in our own lives that keep us stuck in the moment and make it hard for us to come down? What are the beautiful places that continually call us to stay?
These are interesting times for us. Some feel like we are in dark times, like we’ve been overshadowed by a cloud and we can’t see where we are going. We’ve lost our direction and we are terrified.
To be changed by God is pretty but the work of serving God and making a difference for him is not always pretty. The work of service to God doesn’t always go as we planned it, but it certainly goes as God plans if we listen to him. Sometimes we do have mountain top experiences, but we can’t stay there.
Like Jesus and the disciples, we are close to doing something extraordinary. Like Jesus and the disciples, we need to come down the mountain and into the crowds; because it was by coming down the mountain that the full glory of God was shown. And it was in coming down the mountain that the disciples experienced the resurrection and brought people from all walks of life and many locations into the loving embrace of God.
How does this gospel passage speak to us today? consider this: do we want to stay on the mountain and keep God in a dwelling place of our own making, or will we come down the mountain and be part of something bigger than we ever imagined?
When Elisha is about to say goodbye to his master and friend, he has one final request. That he receive a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. That a double blessing be passed from Elijah to him for the work ahead that Elisha must do. Elijah comments that this is a hard request, but that if Elisha is able to see, able to see Elijah as he parts, that this double blessing will be granted him. And Elisha does indeed see. He sees horses and chariots of fire. He sees glory.
As Paul says God has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Thus we need to shine the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. Let us proclaim him as servants changed by God to make a difference for God.
If you have looked deeply into this place, into this time, having a glimpse of heaven; if you have looked and have seen the glory, then you have what you need for the journey ahead, difficult though it may be. Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets, are over you, giving counsel. God’s love and presence is around you. Jesus the Christ is going ahead of you. And you serve and walk with a blessing.
In the name of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.