Transformation

We come to the end of the season of Epiphany, the time we think about the revelation of Jesus – his baptism in the Jordan by John, the calling of the disciples, the sermon on the mount with its radical teaching on forgiveness, love, grace, sharing resources and paying back anger and violence with love.

And next week, we move toward Lent, the journey with Jesus to the cross.

This reading in Matthew, comes much later in the journey of Jesus – he is walking to the cross. And there is a sense of urgency that the disciples are ready for what is about to happen.

There have been healings and the feeding of the multitude, Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Messiah, then Jesus foretells his death and resurrection, then the passage we heard read this morning. A few more chapters and we have the entry into Jerusalem that we call Palm Sunday.

Mountains have a special place in many religions. in the Scriptures, whenever we read of a Mountain, it is like a flashing neon light – take note, take note.

Here are some other stories in the Bible that include mountains – Moses and the burning bush, Moses and the ten commandments; Moses looking out over the promised land; Elijah defeating the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel [1 Kings 18:13]; Elijah and the still small voice; Jesus and the woman at the well discuss which mountain to worship God on; the sermon on the mount that we have been reading the past few weeks; and many more. Mountains mean something important is happening.

We still talk about a mountain top experience, meaning something wonderful or amazing has happened; something life changing; something remarkable and out of the ordinary.

That the transfiguration happened on a mountain is not surprising.

While Jesus, Peter, James and John were on the mountain, the voice from heaven said “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”. Earlier, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordon, we also are told of a voice speaking from heaven, this time speaking to Jesus, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."

Now, about to turn his face to Jerusalem, about to walk toward death, again we are reminded of who Jesus is.

As we set out on our Lenten journey, as we sit with Jesus in the wilderness, as we hear from Matthew about the events leading to the garden and arrest and trial …., what do we need to hold onto.

In our struggles, in the joys and struggles of life, what do we hold onto?

It was not unusual for Jesus to go away on his own, or with some, or all, of the disciples. Time to pray, to teach, to rest.

Gospel reading:

Six days later Jesus took Peter and the brothers James and John with him. They went up on a very high mountain where they could be alone. There in front of the disciples, Jesus was completely changed. His face was shining like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

As we ponder what this image, please stay seated as we sing together

The Mountain

(inspired by Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-9, Luke 9:28-36)

Suggested tune: LONDONDERRY AIR

How bitter-sweet to be here on this mountain,
high up above the troubles of this world;
to leave behind the clamour of the needy crowd;
to be at last alone with our dear Lord!
And God's true light expunges every shadow -
there is no doubt up here in this high place -
we see the glory of our God in Jesus;
see now that holy, holy light upon His face.

We long to stay up here upon this mountain;
How good it is to be here with our Lord.
To bask here in the light of God's great beauty,
kneel at His feet and soak up every word.
O, hear His call: "Come, gather all my faithful!"
Come, let His word shine in your hearts unveiled.
Oh! to go now to heaven like Elijah!
Oh that this holy, holy vision would not pale!

How bitter-sweet to be here on this mountain,
for well we know the valley waits below;
Our fellow trav'lers wait for news from mountain tops,
to share with us the joy that we now know.
They need to know that Jesus is the Saviour,
He is the light that shines for all the world.
and we will serve Him in the darkest valley
We will proclaim, proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord!

—words written by Brenton Prigge © 2006 New Hymn CCLI # 4674104.  He writes,“CCLI license holders may freely use and reproduce these lyrics, provided thatCCLI copyright protocol is followed.” Visit Brenton’s New Hymn website for many other good new hymn texts.  

….

As amazing as this image is, of Jesus shining like sun, with dazzling white clothes, it is an image of a Jesus that many people hold dear.  Jesus in his glory. Yet most of the time Jesus did not have dazzling clothes or a shining face; most of what we hear of Jesus is about travelling with disciples, healing people, including outcasts, teaching, feeding people.

As with many events recorded in the Bible it all sounds a bit strange to our modern ears. But many of you will have had an experience that has taken you to a different place, a time when you were aware of God speaking with you, guiding you in a time of trouble, comforting you in a time of distress. And this passage helps us see those events as part of a larger story. This passage can also help us to remember that these events don’t happen very often, and they happen in God’s timing not in ours.

It is in these moments that we are profoundly changed.

It is in these moments that we are transformed.

Sometimes other people will notice,

sometimes only you will be aware of the calmness in the face of crisis,

of the certainty in a time of fear.

The disciples missed the point.

When we are aware of God with us,

it isn’t time to build a shelter,

it is time to rest in God’s presence,

to listen,

to let the moment infuse our life,

to let the moment change us,

to be transfigured.

Common Epiphanies

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Listening to the Stones.http://newkilpatrickblog.typepad.com/nk-blogging/mucky-paws/

Just be!

Some people when they go on holidays or to something special like a wedding or a party, spend all their time taking photos, so that they can remember what happened. I am sure most of us know people who are so intent on getting souvenirs and taking photos, that they don't actually participate and experience what is going on around them. There are times when you really need to just be present.

In the chapter before the one we heard this morning from Matthew, Peter has declared that Jesus is Lord, and Jesus tells his disciples that he will die and that if they want to be his disciples they have to be prepared to leave everything and follow him. Then we get to this reading about the three disciples and Jesus going up to the top of the mountain, and something amazing happens.

Only three disciples went up the mountain with Jesus. Matthew tells us that Moses and Elijah who there with Jesus.  Moses was a great leader, it was Moses who led the Hebrew people out of Egypt and out of slavery. In the same way that Moses freed the people from slavery, so Jesus saves us from slavery of sin and guilt and shame. Elijah is one of the major prophets of the old testament and it is recorded that he was carried off to heaven in a chariot. Moses and Elijah, two of the great characters of the Old testament, are here seen talking with Jesus. There is lots of symbolism we could go into, but that can wait for another time.

I wonder what it's like for us when we experience something that leaves us speechless and not knowing what to do, what to say, how to describe what we've experienced or what we've seen?

And I wonder what it's like for those of us who haven't had those experiences?

I wonder what it was like for the disciples who were left at the bottom of the mountain?

I wonder what it was like for the three who were on the mountain,, seeing Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus, being told to listen to Jesus and then being told to keep quiet.?

There is a time to plan and think about where we go on holidays. But there are also times when we need to just be, to stop and breathe and taking the wonder of a sunset, the magnificence of a waterfall, the hug of a child. In the same way there is a time for planning and thinking and understanding and working through our faith, and there are times for us to think about our faith, there are times to count the cost of following Jesus, there are times to think about what that means and who Jesus is for us, but when we are here as we take the bread and the juice this morning is a time to be open to God a time to be present in the moment to what is happening.

A story [from 'It was on fire when I lay down on it' by Robert Fulghum, p 27ff]:

when Molly started school she helped pack the morning lunches for herself, her brothers and her father. Each bag got a share of sandwiches, fruit, milk money and sometimes a note or treat. One morning Molly gave her father two lunch bags to take to work. He asked Molly what the extra bag was? She said the other one is something else. Her father asked what was in it? Molly said: it's just some stuff, take it with you. And off it went to work he went. At midday the father quickly ate his lunch then tore open the other bag and shook out the contents: to hair ribbons, three small stones, a plastic dinosaur, the stump of the pencil, a tiny seashell, two animal crackers, one marble, a used lipstick, a small doll, two chocolate kisses and 13 pennies.

The father smiled and thought how charming, then getting ready a busy afternoon, he swept the desk clean, into the wastepaper basket, lunch scraps, Molly's bag and all. There wasn't anything in there he needed.

That evening Molly asked here father: where's my bag? Her father asked : what bag? She said: the one I gave you morning. Her father said he'd left it at the office, why? Molly said : I forgot to put this note in it, anyway I want it back those are my things in there, the things I really like, I thought you might like to play with them, but I want them back. You didn’t lose the bag, did you daddy?

OH!!!

Her father said: no, I just forgot to bring it bring it home. Molly hugged her father. Then he looked at the note: I love you daddy. OH!!!

 He rushed back to the office, picked up the wastepaper bin and pour the contents on his desk before the cleaner came. The next day he bought the back home. He asked Molly to tell him what was special about those things.

Sometimes we have missed the affection we were being given, like, “standing knee deep in the river and dying of thirst”.

Sometimes we think we don't need what we are being given, and sometimes all we can think to do is build a monument or take a photo.

Baptism reminds all of us that we are loved.

Baptism reminds all of us that we are part of the people of God.

Baptism reminds us that Jesus lived and died and rose, and in baptism we get to be part of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus.

There are times in life when we need to be present, we need to let the love of God, and the love of those around us, to wash over and through us. There are times when we need to just be. As we share in communion shortly, we rehear the story of God's interaction with people throughout history, we rehear the story of the night when Jesus was betrayed and how he died for us. There is more to this ritual than just rehearing the story. In being part, in participating, we become part of the story. We can see it as something that we don't need, just a little bit of bread and a mouthful of juice. Or it can be a time when we allow God to be part of us, it can be a time to be, and see what happens.

Some people will have been on the mountain top and experienced God in really powerful and amazing ways, but whether we have been to the mountaintop or not we have all experienced the love of God. God loves each one of us and is offering each one of us life and nurture, is offering each one of us love, forgiveness, grace; is offering each one of us hope and peace.

Experiencing God is life changing, transforming.

we take some time to think about the ways God has and is transforming our lives.