Transfiguration Sunday

This is the sermon I preached yesterday, or close to it. I didn't just read the script and I prefaced it by talking about how Protestants have not been the sticklers of liturgy like the Roman Catholics and Orthodox, but that doesn't change the purpose of the liturgy, nor is it something Protestants should just ignore because it leads us to focus and meditate on our faith. Then I delivered this sermon at my church which is a combined Lutheran and Presbyterian congregation.

February 23, 2020

Grace Community Church, Potlatch, Idaho

Brian Potter

            Today is Transfiguration Sunday and any of you that know me and have heard me deliver sermons know that I like to use all the lectionary readings in my sermon. I also prefer to tell stories that I have experienced. I can’t say that the Transfiguration is a Bible story I have ever taken great interest in, so to find that it is one of the big five Jesus occurrences of the church really surprised me when I started researching. Of course I didn’t even know there was a Big 5, because I’m a layman not overly well versed in the liturgy, so in case you didn’t either, they are His baptism, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, AND His transfiguration. To me the transfiguration had always seemed kind of anti-climactic compared to the other biggies, so I want to tell you what transfiguration means, what Jesus’ transfiguration was, and why Jesus’ transfiguration is so important to the church, for us, and what we are supposed to do with it.

If you look transfiguration up in Webster’s you’ll find that it means a: a change in form or appearance : METAMORPHOSIS or b: an exalting, glorifying, or spiritual change. If you have children of similar ages to mine you will remember Power Rangers, or more specifically Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. These guys can collectively metamorphize into a Megazord, a giant butt kicking kind of robot. My equivalent TV shows would be Q6 Saturday afternoon showings of Godzilla movies on Creature Feature in the old days. Anyway, together the four (was it four? Forrest would be ashamed I don’t know) Power Rangers could “transfigure” or “morph” themselves into a super hero Megazord. And if that eludes you, what we can all envision without any modern cultural reference is a caterpillar changing into a butterfly, or a tadpole to a frog. With Jesus the transfiguration was the spiritual exaltation, more a revelation to the disciples than a change, and that brings me to my second point of just what Jesus’ transfiguration was.

I want to start with an example of something a little closer to the transfiguration of Jesus. I’m going to read a Bible passage and then “transfigure” it.  “17 Und nach sechs Tagen nahm Jesus zu sich Petrus und Jakobus und Johannes, seinen Bruder, und führte sie beiseits auf einen hohen Berg.² Und er ward verklärt vor ihnen, und sein Angesicht leuchtete wie die Sonne, und seine Kleider wurden weiß wie ein Licht” (Luther Bibel). Now here’s the Authorized English transfiguration: “17 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, ² and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” The two translations are just in different languages, but my reading both languages allows you to understand the first version. I call it a transfiguration because I didn’t do the translation. Peter, James, and John were already familiar with Jesus, but the transfiguration allowed them to see Him in a completely different light. It was like he suddenly was shown to them in English instead of German.

In some ways this scene from Matthew, to me, seems like a spotlight from heaven and I can almost hear the “Ahh” from a choir. Then continuing in verse 3 from what I just read (from the NIV), “³ Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.⁴ Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’⁵ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” No, Peter, now is not the time. Even in our modern era when strange voices come over loudspeakers all the time, I think a voice from a cloud would get my attention. God was directly telling Peter that building shelters was not at all in the plans now. Listen to Jesus instead. This transfigurative scene was to be temporary and to let those three know just who Jesus is. Moses and Elijah were there and that is highly significant. They connect Jesus to the law and the prophets. Jesus fulfills both the law and the prophecies. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I often wonder how they knew it was Moses and Elijah. It wasn’t like now where we have photographs and video. But even if it were now, Moses and Elijah were still before any of that sort of technology. I assume there was a little more to the conversation than what is recorded, but I haven’t found anything that explains how they would know. Jesus knew. That voice in the clouds definitely knew. Peter tells us it wasn’t a “cleverly devised story.” There was clearly a direct connection for the three disciples. Jesus fulfills the law. Through him all burning bush terrors that Moses experienced are complete. All of the prophecies of every true prophet of God are fulfilled. Let me repeat: in Jesus all of the law and all of the prophecies of God are complete. That is the Transfiguration for Peter, James, and John and therefore, that is the transfiguration of Jesus for us because Peter, James, and John witnessed it and they testified of it. It is through those three disciples that we learned of who Jesus really was. Because of them we have been introduced to Jesus. He chose them and He chose us.

From Exodus we read, “¹² The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.’¹³ Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. ¹⁴ He said to the elders, ‘Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.’

¹⁵ When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, ¹⁶ and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. ¹⁷ To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. ¹⁸ Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.”’ Do you see the similarities from when Moses went up onto the mountain? The cloud, the law, Moses, the voice from the cloud. I’m sure Moses saw Jesus right then and there. We weren’t there, Peter, James and John weren’t there, but later during their lives Jesus allowed them to see his transfiguration in a way that showed them and us the completion. Of course, we still don’t fully understand. We might look incredulously at Peter when he asks if he should build three shelters wondering just what he is thinking. But what are we thinking? Peter was a man of action and this is a first thought. What do we do with all of this?

            That’s my third point. What we should do with it. We should do what Peter, James, and John did and be witness to who Jesus is. Mark and Luke also talk about the Transfiguration in a similar way to Matthew but John only alludes to it in the first chapter, verse 14 when he says: “¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Word is Jesus. The Word is the law. Jesus is the law. He has made it complete. We are forgiven. He makes us whole. John basically sums up Jesus in that way that only John’s poetic ability to summarize Jesus can be done: “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it. ⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, (that’s us!) to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

            That’s what John said about it. Peter said what we already heard, but let me say it again: “¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (Who could come up with this stuff?)¹⁷ He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”^[a] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.¹⁹ We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰ Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” It’s true and we know it, even when we don’t fully get it. James’ epistle doesn’t talk about the Transfiguration, but he does give advice on what to do with it. I won’t read that, but you should to remind yourself of what to do.

            My summary of what to do with Jesus and the knowledge of who he really is comes from the first Psalm, King James version.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
² But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

            If we delight in the law of the Lord, in Jesus, if we meditate in him day and night we will be the tree by the rivers of water. Our fruit will come forth in its time and we will prosper. We don’t have to morph into Megazords or speak in tongues and read scripture in foreign languages. We do have to let others know who we know, we have to live firm in that faith. We have to do what he has set for us whether that be teaching school, going to Senior meals, working for Presbytery and preaching, practicing medicine, caring for our children, cleaning people’s teeth, keeping score of ball games, and all those things we already do. We have to be the tree by the rivers of water. Our faith is in the Light that has been here from the beginning and will be here through the end. We are his people and we know this. Don’t forget. Be the tree by the rivers of water. In Jesus name, Amen.

I don’t even have a photograph to show.

So often those I love move on,

So I put them away in the boxes of my heart

like old photographs.

We haven’t even gotten to that point yet.

You aren’t some photograph

But a real, living, sentient being

Whom I cherish in the present

And have yet to even click the shutter on.

What will I show people in the future

When I talk about you?

How much I love you?

How you teased me in a thousand ways

And came back from Texas to visit me

At random places?

The 23^rd Psalm and the Lord’s Prayer?

Those aren’t things to show

But words to say

When the person in the photograph

Has gone away.

I haven’t taken your picture yet.

Just hold still for one moment, please.

Just one more smile for the camera.

Say cheese…

Click.

Where did you go?

Oh God,

Please no.

Please no.

I don’t even have a photograph to show.

127. Volunteer Services

            Something that rally makes me proud to be an American is the way we care for each other through volunteer organizations. Yesterday on a bus trip with students we drove by two homes in town and my fellow chaperone said, “I helped build those houses.” Our local teacher’s union had volunteered its services to the Habitat for Humanity of the Palouse for help toward building two homes for families who were in need of homes.

            You can drive down the highways of most states and see road signs of family names or local organizations that volunteer their time to pick up trash along the roadside. The local food bank here in my community was started years ago by a young man working toward his Eagle Scout badge. The baton for care of the bank was passed to the local churches and now a completely volunteer board operates the local food bank for people who are struggling to make ends meet. Most of these organizations are made up of people who see needs that they know can be met not by individuals, but by groups of people who can volunteer their time and resources on occasion so that the community can feel the burdens of life being lifted by others. This willingness to help out others gives me great pride in my friends and neighbors and it spurs me on to do my part as well.

            I also appreciate the fact that these organizations are able to get political when necessary to find public funds through their local governments. Much of our country does not get taken care of at all by our government (in fact, more often than not, our government impedes our communities) but by our willingness to help each other out either individually or by volunteer associations. This is a part of America that makes me especially proud.

126. American Travel Amenities

            I’m really grateful that here in the US travel is relatively easy and when I get somewhere I can find adequate amenities such as food and lodging. Sometimes it might not be the most luxurious of lodgings or the most decadent of meals but I have faith that I can find a place to stay that is clean and food to eat that is safe. Even in little burgs like where I live that aren’t geared for tourism there are a few bed and breakfast establishments and restaurants around. They all have to meet health code standards and if they ever fall short of those standards they can (and should be) held accountable.

            We have hotel chains that are very accommodating. There are the old standards of Best Western and Holiday Inn and the more luxurious like the Hilton or the Sheraton. If you plan on spending a few nights you can always rent a suite but if you only plan on a quick shower and a bed you can easily rely on an affordable Motel 6. These days most hotels and motels offer free wi-fi so you don’t have to worry about staying connected. You can almost always find help for planning your day with the front desk. The people there want to help you, they want you to enjoy yourself and possibly return for another stay. So why wouldn’t they be helpful?

            And, of course, we have great food here in the US. We have a variety of authentic ethnic restaurants, places to stay awhile and have a cup of coffee or beer, and quick drive-up places where you can get a sandwich to go. Some of our chains have grown so popular and pervasive that you can find them in other countries around the world. I’m not going to deny that when I’ve been abroad and not sure what to do for a quick bite that I’ve fallen back on a McDonald’s burger. On a hot summer’s day in Europe I’ve spent a little too much to get a soft drink with ice at an American chain restaurant when I knew I’d not get such luxury anywhere else, even if I felt slightly ashamed that I’d fallen back into my American ways of being somewhat spoiled.

            We’re a vast country, but because of our varied ways and our shared diversity we know something about a level of comfort and we gladly provide it to the weary traveler. I’m grateful for that.

125. Chocolate

            Chocolate is one of those foods that is hard to imagine living without. I have only known of three people who did not like chocolate and the very idea of it seemed completely bizarre to me, a person who loves chocolate. I may not be a huge fan of the traditional American Hershey bar but I love a Hershey’s Special Dark. And if you take that traditional Hershey bar and add some peanuts, thus making a Mr. Goodbar, I am completely satisfied.

            I love chocolate sprinkled in my morning oatmeal. I love the thick mole that is brim full of chocolate baked into a chicken. I love chocolate in my coffee as a mocha. Blueberry fondant, caramel, mint, almost any sweet indulgence is best coated in a nice thick layer of chocolate. And we Americans love our cookies, but the best are obviously chocolate chip. I’m not a big fan of cake, but if you make it chocolate with more chocolate for the icing I won’t be able to refuse it.

            I know chocolate isn’t really just an American thing. I know that the cacao bean comes from the more southern climes of the Americas. But I also know that we Americans have perfected the use of that wonderful cacao bean. How bland life must have been to Europeans before the discovery of the Americas, before the discovery of chocolate. It is nearly unimaginable to me.

            I can’t spout a litany of the history of chocolate in America here because I don’t know it. I suppose it is something I should research but at this point I am perfectly satisfied to know chocolate is here, to know that my cardiologist says chocolate is good for my heart, to know that there is chocolate.

            There are many things in America that I love. So many of those things create strong opinions amongst my countrymen. But the purpose of my writing anything in this blog for this time is to focus on what unites us, the ties that bind Americans together. I can’t say that the fabric of our lives is knit together by chocolate, but I can say that much of the harshness of some of that courser fabric is made significantly softer by chocolate. I say yes to chocolate.

124. Coffee

           

            This morning as I sit here at my kitchen counter contemplating my day. I am sipping on a cup of coffee. Like a good portion of Americans that is my habit. That has been our habit since the Massachusetts colonists had had their fill of British taxes thrust upon them without any representation or voice in the matter. They took the shipments of tea, what had been their national drink, and threw it into the harbor. We have known that as the Boston Tea Party ever since. And we have taken our trade to southerly parts of the world and become a coffee drinking nation since that time.

            I like coffee. I drink mine black, though I will occasionally stop by an espresso shop and order a mocha. I like using coffee as a means to meet with friends to sit around a table and just chat about life. I like drinking two or three cups every morning before I step out into the world and make my way to work where I hope to spread the wealth and joy of our language with young women and young men. I want to say coffee sustains me, but of course that isn’t true. Coffee just helps me wake up and gives me an excuse to take time to contemplate my day. Coffee helps me connect with others. Coffee gives me pause after church to contemplate God. Coffee, while perhaps not being my sustenance, is the thing that provides a structure for those things that do sustain me.

            And I live in the Northwest so coffee gives structure to all the cities and towns of where I live. Even little towns of less than a thousand people have little drive through espresso shops. We love our coffee where there’s only enough MJB for the west. We live where we like to think the best part of waking up is Folgers in a cup. (It isn’t, but some people might think so.) We live where our literary heroes (from Moby Dick) are emblazoned on our coffee companies: Starbucks. We live where Maxwell House is good to the last drop. But whether you are a Dunkin’ Donuts man or a Seattle’s Best woman or someone who lives for the Green Mountain brew, there’s just something about coffee that acknowledges our American identity. For all of our divisions, let us come together around a cup of coffee.

123. American Ideals

            

          Americans often think in terms of ethnicity and sectarianism. Our origin story comes out of European religious persecution and individual differences emigrating to a new continent where others already lived while simultaneously enslaving peoples from Africa. Those differences and conflicts remain in various states to this day, but in truth we are very much connected because of those differences. There’s much more to that than I can possible explore in this little blurb, but I believe it needs to be carefully looked at by all Americans.

            We come from different ethnic backgrounds and at one point each of those ethnic groups came here because of some sort of persecution. Most of us still cling to those persecutions still suffering from them or feeling as if we did. I think that our belief that there should be liberty and justice for all even when there isn’t is a huge unifying force across religious and ethnic boundaries. Generally Americans of all stripes believe in those things and we typically approach them blindly seeing mainly the injustices that we have incurred. That’s a powerful force that we have not fully learned how to harness for the good of the whole simply because our focus is often too self-centered.

            I love all of the ideals of America. I love how we have striven and continue to strive to meet those ideals. I do not fully understand why we don’t always see the human situation as a shared identity, but it is our shared identity. In fact, it is that human experience that unbeknownst to ourselves connects us.

            I think this connection needs to be focused on. I think if we hold firm to our collective ideals and seek them for all people we will continue to thrive as a nation. I love that about America and the American people. The paradox about America is that our diversity unites us. Sometimes we can’t let go of the fact that our individuality is somehow more important than the ideals that unite us. That sense of individuality will always have the power to divide us, but we somehow continue to cling to those ideals that we so eloquently expressed to the British nation and the world over two hundred years ago. That’s what unites us, always has and must continue to do so. That’s one more thing, or perhaps the one single thing that I love so much about this country.