Sermon - February 14, 2010

Year C | The Year of Luke | Transfiguration

Jesus is on the mountain speaking with Moses and Elijah about his “departure.” That word for departure is the word “Exodus.” Now, piece together the images: Moses, mountain, exodus - Jesus on a mountain with Moses talking about his exodus. When Moses was on Mt. Sinai and given the Ten Commandments, a covenant was made. Now, Jesus is on a mountain, and a new covenant is being made. The exodus of Moses brought the people to the Promised Land. Now, Jesus with his exodus will be bringing us to the Promised Land of the Father’s kingdom.

Whenever Moses was with God on the mountain, Moses was transformed. Likewise, Jesus was transformed upon the mountain as he was with the Father, joined by the great prophets of God, Moses and Elijah. The countenance of Jesus was altered and his raiment became dazzling white.

The human reaction to this transformation initially was fear, or we might say awe. This was a glory so stunning that only one as impetuous as Peter would utter mere words in the presence of such holiness. Most of us would respond as the prophet Habakkuk wrote, "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him."

When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the tablets of the Law in his hands, all the people saw his shining face and they were afraid to come near him. This fear, this reaction of drawing away from the full manifestation of God's glory, is an involuntary reaction of mere mortals. However, as we take heart and draw near to God through Jesus, we are also transformed. God is still inviting us to become companions with Jesus and one another in God's mission. To the extent that we join this mission, we will also be transformed.

As Paul wrote to the community at Corinth, "we are emboldened through Christ to draw near to God." Moreover, as we join in the great mission of God to transform the entire Creation, we likewise are changed, as Paul put it; changed "into his likeness." Not all at once, but "from one degree of glory to another; for," he further explains, "this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

On the third Sunday in the season of Epiphany, we saw Jesus coming home to Nazareth. Fresh out of the wilderness, he had just embarked upon the mission entrusted to him by God.

He entered the Synagogue and read the passage handed to him for that day. It was the great mission of God in the words of the Prophet Isaiah; and the passage began with the announcement, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." As Jesus closed the book and gave it back to the attendant, he confirmed his call, filled with God's love, and transformed for mission.

The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him, doubtless in expectation and possibly because they had caught a flash of the glory of that pronouncement in the face of this son of Nazareth. Jesus began to unpack the passage, and speaking of his own call to that very mission of God, he declared that the holy text had been fulfilled right there in their hearing.

At first, the assembly was so moved by his gracious words that they did not resist. However, the mood shifted dramatically as Jesus reviewed the history of Israel. He showed how they loved the words of God but resisted God’s mission to the world. By the end of the morning, they were hauling him out to the edge of a cliff to throw him over. From awe and affection to fear and rejection, such is the pattern of human passion. How quickly that crowd moved through the all too predictable stages of rejecting one who threatened to disturb their complacency; whose self-offering exposed their selfishness. We are no different, especially with those we love - for they have a unique power over us.

Nothing has changed and everything is changing. We still live in a suffering world and God is still transforming the world by means of divine love. The mission of God continues. To the extent that we draw near in faith to receive and respond to this love and join God in mission, we are transformed and God's transforming mission continues through us.

First God transforms us through love, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in the Son might have everlasting life." God needs us to accomplish this mission. Indeed, Jesus told his disciples that they would do "grater things than he had done," because he would go to the Father and send the Holy Spirit to help them further the mission.

God needs apostles, teachers, workers of miracles, healers, helpers, administrators, language translators. All the skills that human industry has developed can be pressed into this holy service, and all are. Amen.