First Presbyterian Church, Cottonwood Falls, KS

Aglow with Love:  Luke 9:28-36

Transfiguration February 14, 2010

Rev. Pat Ireland, Pastor

Luke 9:28-36

²⁸ Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. ³⁰Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. ³¹They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. ³²Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. ³³Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said. ³⁴While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. ³⁵Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" ³⁶When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.  And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

How can we talk about transfiguration?   It is so outside of modern experience.   The transfiguration sermon that sticks in my mind focused on Peter: dear bumbling Peter, who in the sanctity of the mystery, blurts out:  ‘we need to remember this’, and with the words the moment fades.  I can really identify with Peter, the need to speak to understand, and in the speaking losing the clarity.

So, how can we talk about transfiguration?  As I pondered Friday morning I realized that we cannot/should not explain it.  All we can do is to live into it in joy and gratitude.  I thought of how we have rejoiced seeing and feeling the sun after all those days of snow and fog.  “Turn you face into it and feel the warmth;” that’s how we talk about transfiguration!

Let us Pray:  Holy God guide the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts that we might know your love and reflect it to others.  Amen

Luke’s story of Jesus’ transfiguration is a classic example of the use of Jewish Midrash, a retelling of the Exodus story of Moses.  Each story helps us gain a greater understanding of the other.  One thing that is abundantly clear from these stories is that when a person is close to God, there is tangible evidence of it in their very being.  They are aglow with God’s presence.

The Exodus story comes from material concerning the renewal of the covenant between God and the people of Israel. ^{(Chapter 32-34)} The golden calf episode is still fresh in their memory.  For a second time Moses goes back up on the mountain to talk with God and returns with the law, instructions on how to live in covenant with God and creation.   What Moses does not realize is that being in the presence of God has changed him.  His face shines.

When he descends from the mountain to again give the law of God to the people Moses is unaware of his “transfigured” appearance.  However, the people cannot bear to look upon his shining face.  So, for their sake, he covers his face with a veil.

The story emphasizes the holiness of God and the amazing effect of being in God’s presence.  It affirms that in spite of the former resistance of the people, God’s glory is not withheld.  It tells us that folks cannot be near to God and remain unchanged and it reminds us of the majesty of God’s mystery, that we are intimidated even by the residual glory of the divine.

The story of Jesus’ transfiguration that we read from Luke is also told in Matthew and Mark.  It is clearly patterned after Moses’ face-to-face encounter with God on the mountain.  All three writers place the story after Jesus begins to talk about going to Jerusalem to die.

Briefly, on a mountaintop, during a time of prayer and in the other worldly presence of Moses and Elijah, the disciples glimpse the glory of God emanating through Jesus’ whole being.  A heavenly voice is heard to say: “This is my Son, whom I have chosen.  Listen to him.” These words are much like those heard at Jesus’ Baptism when he was just about to begin his ministry.  Chosen, of course, is in Hebrew anointed, Messiah, - or in Greek, Christ.

Jesus is just about to ‘set his face to go to Jerusalem’ to face his death.  Perhaps this transfiguring moment and God’s affirmation gave him strength to persevere to the end.    For the disciples it is a brief glimpse into the closeness and intensity of Jesus’ relationship with God.  It must have had a strong impact upon the their later interpretations of the meaning of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.  At the very least, they knew, without a doubt, that the glory of God had been reflected through Jesus in a unique way; and after the resurrection they told the story to others.

Paul must have been deeply affected by their report for he builds on it in his letter to the church in Corinth. ^{2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2} Paul suggests the stories of the shining faces of Moses and Jesus affirm the potential in each of us to reflect the light of God’s presence.

Paul draws a contrast between the fading splendor of Moses’ shining face and the permanent splendor of Christ’s.  And he does that to illustrate that the former ways of knowing God through the law and the prophets are fulfilled through Jesus.  What’s more, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul believes that all of us reflect Christ’s light and are in the process of being transformed into the image that we reflect.   He writes:  “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”^3:18 We are to grow brighter and brighter as we are being transformed into the image that we reflect.

Paul, a good rabbi with training in both Midrash and Greek logic, blends them to interpret Jesus for the resurrection community.  For Paul, what was unfinished in Adam was completed in Jesus, the chosen one.   J.G. Dunn writes: “The implication is that the glory and image of God, lost or defaced in Adam, has been restored in the risen and glorified Christ.”   To become like Christ, therefore, was to become as God intended humanity to be – shining with the presence of God.

Many centuries later, as we prepare to begin another Season of Lent, we reflect upon these stories with gratitude.  They provide us with glimpses of the powerful mystery that lies at the heart of our faith.  They encourage us to persist through all manner of discouragement because we know that the Spirit is at work in us at all times – transforming us into the likeness of Christ.

These lessons challenge us to persist with our ministries, joyous in our awareness of the reality of God’s mysterious, powerful presence.  We are confident that our lives too can shine with God’s light – even in the darkest places of our relationships, communities and world.

I remember a Transfiguration Sunday many years ago when Faye Crawford told me after worship that I glowed.   I didn’t know how to respond… then or now.  Certainly I am no Moses, nor have I been transfigured as Jesus on the mountain, but I am beginning to realize that our lives can and should shine with God’s light.

That brings to mind the song, “This little light of mine.”  It has been running through my head all week.  Something in me resists saying it is my light.  Moses and Jesus didn’t glow all the time, only when they’d spent time in the presence of God.  …

A Ha!  Perhaps that is the challenge and place where we need to begin if we want to live into this lesson and continue being transformed into the likeness of Christ.  Isn’t it nice of the lectionary to place Transfiguration Sunday right before Lent?  The wisdom of those who have gone before us on this journey of faith is mapped in the lectionary.  It is not perfect, but it is a useful tool for the Holy Spirit and keeps us moving forward.

The tradition is that last year’s palms are burnt for this year’s ashes.  The flaming of those dry palms is startling… and hot.   It is no wonder that God’s glory is portrayed as FIRE!

I’ll flame the palms after service today. You can stay and watch if you’d like.  We’ll do it outside, lest our sanctuary smell of smoke like the temple.  On Wednesday we’ll impose the ashes and share communion with Jesus and one another.   For some, it has been a mountain top experience.

God’s glory is reflected through those who spend time with God.   So, Lent is a time for prayer and meditation so that we might continue to be transformed more and more into the likeness of the one we follow.

Still, experiences of God are not primarily for our own comfort and satisfaction, though they are certainly a grace.  God transforms us to make God’s love and presence known to creation.  We glow so that others will notice and draw near, just as Moses was prompted to stop what he was doing and draw near to the burning bush.   The challenge of these lessons is can we be aglow with God’s love.  Do others see God’s work in our midst?

These lessons teach us that we are meant to be dazzled, and by being dazzled also changed as the hymn says, ‘from glory into glory till in heaven we take our place.’  Paul sees this transformation not simply for individuals, but for the church.  The church, the whole body of Christ, is being transformed, entrusted with new freedom and recruited to a demanding ministry without being discouraged or “losing heart”.   The dazzling of the transfiguration gives us courage for ministry.  Beyond Moses and Jesus, it is the church that is caused to be “aglow.”

As I sat in the sun on the back porch working my way through these lessons, I realized I was getting hot!  The Winter Sun was coming through the glass and warming me so that I need to strip away a layer of protection.  …  I mused.

As the children poured into the play yard their squeals of delight prompted an involuntary smile, my face reflecting their joy. …  I mused.

The Celts talk of thin places in the world, places where God breaks through.  In the bible those places are mountaintops.  For me, the back porch is a thin place.  Thomas Merton, a 20^th century mystic wrote:  We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent, and God is shining through it all the time.

When we spend time with God, we begin to see and experience the world in a new way.  We are drawn into the reign of God and want to share it with others.

Matthew Henry, that great pastor and scholar of the 18^th century says that:  "Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine."  Making time and space for prayer and reflection is crucial if we are to know who Jesus/God is and where we are going with the divine.

We are going to sing a new hymn before the confession titled: “We are Called.”  I chose it because it seemed singable (you can tell me what you think) and it calls us to “live in the light.”

We are called and chosen as children of God and have an option as to how we live.   We are called to live in this world and yet not be so wrapped up in it that we miss the very point of life itself.  Notice the words of this hymn let them make a difference in the way you think and the way you live.

Come! Live in the light!  Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord!

We are called to be light for the kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God.

We are called to act with justice; we are called to love tenderly;

We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God.

Come!  Open your heart!  Show your mercy to all those in fear!

We are called to be hope for the hopeless so hatred and blindness will be no more.

We are called to act with justice; we are called to love tenderly;

We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God.

Transfiguration Sunday re-minds us that things are not always as they seem.   We are called to be glow with God’s love.  We are called to be transformed from glory into glory.   It happens when we spend time with God. As we spend time in prayer may we too discover ourselves aglow with God’s love and forgiveness.

Holy God, give us faith to feel you near;

Give us eyes to see your glory;

Give us courage to share your revealing love. Amen.