union avenue christian church |
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Fleeting Image Mark 9:2 – 9; 2 Kings 2:1 – 12 I vividly remember the day I learned to downhill ski and the incredible image from the top of the mountain. That image erases the embarrassment of having fallen off the lift and the terror of having to figure out how to ski down a mountain. It was and, each time, is as if there is a unity of the spirit in the world and I am wrapped totally within it. It is a well-known expectation in religious circles that going to the mountaintop means encountering God. On the top of a mountain is where the earth meets heaven. Going to the mountaintop sets up a great possibility of seeing God. Moses literally did it on several occasions. Martin Luther King, Jr., alluded to it before his death. Jesus did it often. According to our Gospel passage today, Jesus’ going up the mountain was not like my skiing experiences. The mountain he went up had no chair lift. It had no beautiful snow. This mountain was a craggy one that probably provided an arduous trek for these men. The purpose of this trip, according to Mark, is to get the men apart, by themselves. We have to wonder what they expected: Didn’t they know they were going to have a ‘religious experience’?; Didn’t they suspect that Jesus was going to let them in on a spiritual discovery of some sort?; Didn’t they anticipate something out-of-the ordinary? Yes, to all of the above — I would imagine — but they undoubtedly received far more than ever expected. In Matthew’s rendition of this story, the disciples are so overwhelmed that they fall to the ground — fall on their faces. In all of the Gospels’ renditions of this three things happen. Jesus’ appearance changes — radically. Matthew and Luke indicate that Jesus’ face shines. Amazingly, all three Gospel writers mention his garments are illuminated — white — like never seen before. Secondly, two other men appear — Moses and Elijah — both important characters in our religious heritage, in Jesus’ religious heritage. Both Moses and Elijah had special relationships with God, and both had interesting relationships with their people because they seemed to be constantly at odds in their leadership and had messages that were provocative. The third part of the mountaintop action was God speaking. The words are the same as Jesus heard when he was baptized. The difference THIS time, is that the others were privy to the hearing. I imagine Peter, James and John DID fall on their faces. All of this would be more than overwhelming. We do have recorded that Peter said two things:
Mark essentially apologized for Peter’s comments. That is just like Peter, talking because he’s nervous, chattering and making promises or declarations when he is awestruck. Some people are speechless is such situations and some talk and chatter. Well, it was good that they were there for the experience, but, no, there was NOT going to be the opportunity to hang onto it, to make it permanent, to build a building to enclose it. Just as suddenly as it happened, the experience was over. But did it change their lives? Were they more able to understand this Jesus who had called them into ministry? Was the journey to Jerusalem and the death of Jesus made more acceptable to Peter, James and John because of the Transfiguration? We really cannot answer any of those questions. We do know that they were fairly befuddled in that none of them was truly prepared for Jesus to die. We do know that each one struggled with the call placed on their lives. So, what we can say is that the Transfiguration didn’t make forever arrive and it didn’t bring absolute clarity that would then bring absolute perfection in the world. It did bring enough light that these men finally were able to become instruments of God in the development of the early church. But what about us? Is the Transfiguration available to us? Have we or will we experience it? And what will we do WHEN/IF it comes? The transfiguration happens when the veil is pulled back and we truly are able to see God. That’s what happened to the disciples — Jesus was fully God in that moment. They saw. They knew. They experienced. And they were awe-struck with the glory, the magnificence, and the amazement. When do WE see? When do we KNOW? When do we experience? It isn’t always on the mountaintop! Sometimes we see, know and experience God when we are caught by the sunrise, or the colors of the sunset, or the beauty of a garden, the splendor of a cathedral, the contentment of a baby, the giggles of a child — all of which force us to realize the immensity of the creation, God’s part as creator, and out participation within it. But there is more; there’s more than just inspiration. Jesus took those men down the mountain and continued touching and healing and teaching and praying. He immersed himself and his followers in the work that was to be done — the work of God in this world. That transfiguration allowed the disciples to make the connection (perhaps not at first and perhaps not consciously until after the resurrection) that this Jesus and his ministry was the way God was working to redeem the life of all those belonging to God — all the creatures of this earth. So a transfiguration experience isn’t always about the beautiful moments we have, but can be the tough times when we are able to see the pain of those around us — that has been hidden by our privilege — and that call us into faithful action. Those happen throughout our lifetimes, I believe. Even though a sermon is not about the preacher, I would share three transfiguring experiences that have shaped my ministry so you may know some of what drives me. All three happened 35-40 years ago, as I was being called and awakened into ministry. As an 18 year-old walking in downtown Detroit with a black man, I was spat upon and called a viciously ugly name. I cannot know what is to live as a person of color, but in that unforgettable moment I realized the immensity of hatred associated with racism and the work of God that still needs to be done. The same year I helped nurse my best friend back to life after he tried to commit suicide to flee from the pain and grief of his family disowning him. I do not know what it is to live as a gay person in a culture and country where polls are cast about my rights and my existence and large portions of the church call me sinful and want to change my very nature. But touching the pain of my friend was an unforgettable moment and I realized the work of God that needs yet to be done. Being a woman in ministry has not been easy street, especially 20 and 30 years ago, but I have always been in a part of the church that allowed women in ministry. And so when I befriended a Roman Catholic sister who had no hope of ever serving with the privilege that I have — and the leaders of her portion of the church STILL claim that exclusive male leadership is a God-given truth — that was a moment when the veil was drawn back and I realized the work of God that needs yet to be done. In each of those times, my life was changed. Whatever ministry calls us — and we are all in this ministry, dear friends — it is because of transfiguring experiences. Without those, we are merely doing good works. Transfigurations — when we see God, when we know God, when we experience God — will change our lives and will give us God’s energy, God’s power, God’s companionship to do whatever it is that God knows we can do WITH God. William Willimon (Pulpit Resource. Vol. 34, No 1. p. 40) wrote about an experience he had in an airport. He admits that airports are NOT the best places for theological discourse, but somehow a stranger found out who this prominent American preacher and teacher was. The stranger said to Willimon: “I don’t go to church, but I do try to do right and to live a good life, to help people when I can, and isn’t that, after all, what the Christian faith is mostly about?” “If I hadn’t been in an airport (writes Willimon) and if I were really committed to this man’s intellectual development, I would have told him what I tell you now, ‘No, you poor, simple, secular soul, that is not what the Christian faith is about. The Christian faith is about more, so much more than our little deeds, even our very good little deeds. It’s about worship, awe, ecstasy.’ Before it is anything we do, the Christian faith is about something God does, a gift, self-giving, revelation. “To reduce this faith to the merely moral, to boil down this uncontainable fire to the essentially ethical, is to demean it. Try to lasso a wave, do hold a burning coal in your hands, put out to sea in the middle of a hurricane – that’s closer to the Christian faith than the merely moral.” The Christian faith begins with a transfiguration experience. Before we will know life, do good, live well as God wants us to know and do and live, we will experience those moments of truly seeing God, having the veil drawn back, being caught up in God’s experience, God’s love and God’s pain. Then we will be ready to serve in the name of God. SW |
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