The Shepherd’s Voice

Readings for February 22nd
2Ki 2:1-12
Ps 50:1-6
2Cor 4:3-6
Mk 9:2-9

About 13 – 14 years ago Sharon and I went on something called Walk to Emmaus. We were reluctant to go, somewhat fearful, not knowing what this walk thing was all about. The event starts on Thursday night and extends through Sunday night where you stay at the facility and people provide everything you need during that time. The weekend is gender specific where men go one weekend and women go the following weekend.

While you are on the weekend there are about 1 ½ times more people working on the Walk then people going on it for the first time. The amount of grace and love shown to those on the weekend is simply amazing. I have never felt God’s love or have been shown God’s love in such a real and tangible manner. It was an event where if I could have I would have built a dwelling or tent to just stay there because there was a sense it was as close to heaven I would ever experience while here on earth.

Peter, while up on the mountain with Jesus sounds like he felt the same way. He said, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter sees Christ in a new light, exposed in all his glory and he wants that mountain top experience to continue, however, is that possible, is that realistic? How can we as followers of Jesus learn to see the light of Christ, experience the joy of salvation, and yet live in the valley of the shadow of death?

Christian theology, and certainly a Lutheran understanding of Christian doctrine can help us understand similar dichotomy’s like being simultaneously saint and sinner, or as Martin Luther said:

A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.
A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.

This dichotomy can be seen in many ideas relating to the Christian faith. Someone asked a pastor “Does your God work miracles?”

The pastor said, “Well, it all depends on what you mean by a miracle. Some people say it’s a miracle that God does the will of the people. Lutheran’s say, it’s a miracle when people do the will of God.”

Looking at our Gospel, putting it into context we see a couple of things that can help us better understand how Christ can be our light not only on the mountain but also in the valleys and plains where most of us live on a daily basis.

First, like Sharon and I, before we went on the Walk to Emmaus, the disciples were still skeptical about Jesus, about his mission, about his capability, and about how life could be different knowing Jesus in a personal way. Our friends had been telling us about the Walk to Emmaus for a couple of years before we decided to go and experience for it ourselves.

The disciples had been watching Jesus, they saw Peter’s mother-in-law healed, they saw Jesus heal a deaf person by saying “Ephphatha,” meaning, “Be opened,” they were with Jesus when Jairus’ daughter was brought back to life, (Mark 5:39) they saw all kinds of folks experience healing and they watched Jesus deliver many people from the bondage of evil, and obviously I could go on and on.

Jesus at one point asked Peter, “Who do people say that I am?” Of course impetuous Peter said “You are the Messiah.” Then a very short time later Jesus starts telling the disciples that he was going to go through great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

After this bright, bold, and bodacious, Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes or criticizes him. Peter was clueless! The disciples, clueless. Sharon and I, clueless. Perhaps you feel clueless as well?

It reminds me of a time when Ole and Sven went fishing. They decided to rent a boat from the resort instead of fishing from the shore. They rowed out a ways and started to fish. They caught one fish after the other. Ole says to Sven, “I wish we could mark this spot. It’s the best fishing I’ve seen since I was a boy.” Sven replied, “I got some chalk in my tackle box, so why don’t I put an X right here on the bottom of the boat?” Ole laughed, “You goofy brother of mine…What if we don’t rent the same boat next time.” As Lutherans I think we don’t always get it.

Secondly, maybe we don’t get it, but Jesus does, Jesus knows what Peter and the disciples can’t seem to comprehend. Jesus had a very clear picture of what was about to take place. When Jesus was rebuked, reproved, reprimanded by Peter, Jesus quickly responds by saying, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Fortunately, Jesus knew what to do, Jesus calls a crowd together and enlightens Peter and all who were there by putting his whole mission in perspective. Jesus says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Jesus also says – What does it profit a person to gain the whole world while forfeiting their life? Then Jesus tells them If you are ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation then the Son of man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of His Father with the Holy angels.

All this talk precedes our Gospel story for today. It was just six days later that Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a high mountain. While they were on the mountain Jesus’ clothes become dazzling white, whiter than any Clorox could bleach them it says. Elijah and Moses suddenly appear with Jesus and Peter, James and John’s mouths drop open in amazement.

This was a moment of transfiguration. The Greek word μεταμορφόομαι (metamorphoomai) is used. We use the word metamorphosis today which comes from this base word.

Obviously, this moment was transformational for Peter. Peter was terrified and yet not totally speechless. I’ve been there done that. When I was growing up, in moments of high anxiety I’ve said some pretty dumb things or cracked some totally inappropriate jokes to break the tension, so I can relate to Peter here.

How about you? Can you relate to Peter and the disciples? Are you afraid to really live, the way Jesus would ask or want you to live? Is there tension in your life?

Our God has come to us with this story, and actually many stories about life, death, and hope for all people. Some people use an acronym for the Bible – Basic Instruction Book Before Leaving Earth. However, it is more, much more than that.

Lutherans believe it is the most important of all the ways God’s person and presence are revealed to us, in fact to all humanity. When we read and study the Bible we hear most reliably and encounter most directly the living Word of God, who is the risen Christ. It’s the “good news” up close and personal, not just an instruction manual.

Ole and Sven, clueless, the disciples, clueless, most of us are clueless about this life, about what God has done through the incarnate Christ in our world. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians said that our gospel is veiled to those who are perishing. That should concern some, if not all of us. Is the Gospel message veiled to us, is the Gospel veiled to you?

Mountain top experiences like Peters can be good, they can be transformational, but as Christians, as Lutherans in a multiethnic, and multicultural society we must learn how to live in this everyday world under grace with hope in our lives.

If we choose Christ as our light, if we choose to focus on Jesus life, death and resurrection we can be assured of salvation, of peace and grace for our journey of faith. God promises that when we are weak God’s strength will be made perfect in our weakness. (2 Cor 12:9)

So how and where does the rubber meet the road for you? How can we get beyond platitudes, beyond puff, and beyond pie in the sky pontification?

I have to say – it’s not easy calling yourself a follower of Christ in this world. Seeing the perfection of Christ at times makes my knees a little wobbly, but perhaps that’s just the point. When we feel overwhelmed, when we feel discouraged, when we feel like disaster is down the hall, if our legs are wobbly we ought to bend them, get on our knees and pray.

We pray not because we think or believe God is a genie in a bottle to be released in the trauma of our travail. We pray because we need to talk with God, we need to connect with God, we need to listen to God, we need make sure not that God is on our side, no, we need ask if we are on God’s side. This radical realignment is necessary in order for us to say Christ be our light. Christ, show us the way. Let Christ change our focus, our frame of reference, our direction.

Ole and Lena know a little about frame of reference and direction. Ole and Lena were so excited to get a new cell phones. Ole was to call when he was on his way home from town. Ole called Lena when he entered the freeway. “Lena put supper on, I’m on my way home.” Lena says, “Be careful Ole because I hear some nut is driving the wrong way on the freeway.” “Oh it’s worse than that Lena, where I’m at there are hundreds of cars going the wrong way!”

Let’s go the right way – we can, if we choose to focus on Christ, let Christ be your light this week as we move into the season of Lent.

Amen

The Shepherd’s Voice – Sermon Audio

Podcast (audio_feed): Play in new window | Download