More than Monuments

The following is a sermon I preach this morning on Matthew 17:1-9:

Today is Transfiguration Sunday, one of those turning points in the church year where we move from one season to another. Actually, everything in the church year so far can be seen as leading up to this moment. All the waiting in advent, the celebration of Christ’s birth on Christmas, and the many large and small revelations of God in our midst during Epiphany have been moving us towards this day. In today’s scripture we see, for a brief moment, Christ’s identity as fully as we are able to. Christ as human and yet as light radiant, God with us. Not only God with us but God for us.

Then as quick as we see it, the moment is gone and we move forward in the journey of Lent. Jesus, God for us is at work for our redemption but that redemption is still a long road ahead. There’s still much ministry to be done, and the shadow of the cross still lingers over the road ahead. Redemption will not be achieved while Jesus shines in glory on the mountain. Instead it will be the result of a long road of suffering. Yet today we get a small glimpse of how this story turns out. We see past the suffering, past the cross and we get a little glimpse of the resurrected Christ in all his glory.

This passage is a wonderful reassuring gift to us. In this story we see God’s commitment to the resurrection and are assured that the suffering which lies ahead will not overcome the light of God in our midst. But this passage is a hard one for many of us to understand. That’s due in part to the large amount of symbolism wrapped up in this story. There’s the mountain top which reminds us of God giving Moses the law on top of Mt. Sinai. Then there’s the appearance of Moses and Elijah, who represent the law and the prophets. The simple mention of their names reminds us of Jesus’ connection with the long history of Israel and God’s acts of deliverance on behalf of Israel. The cloud from which God speaks reminds us of the pillar of cloud that symbolized God’s abiding presence with the Israelites in the wilderness. And there are many more elements of symbolism embedded in this text.

There’s so much symbolism that it is easy for us to get bogged down in it as we read this story. But even without such rich symbolism, I think this passage would still be hard for us to understand. I think that’s in large part because the event itself, transfiguration, is difficult for us to imagine. Occasionally the movies will help us imagine what transfiguration might look like but even then, transfiguration seems to happen only as the rare exception. In movies, we see ordinary people transformed into angry hulks, superhero-crime fighters with spider traits, or even an occasional princess turning into a loveable ogre. In movies transfiguration is the exception rather than the rule.

But transfiguration also happens in real life, right in our midst, and often we just don’t recognize it as that. Each year, right in our own congregation we see youth and mentors transfigured before us as they journey through confirmation. The confirmands and mentors come to know God on a deeper level, and they begin to form a faith that is their own, that’s not simply their parents’ faith, or even their pastors’ faith. We see transfiguration each time a group comes back from a mission trip and is on fire with the Holy Spirit. These groups have experienced the powerful ways that God is at work around the world, and in desperate situations. They have experienced the deep, passionate faith of others, and as a result something inside them changes. Those who are involved in intensive bible study inevitably find themselves face to face with the word of God, and wrestling with it as they try to figure out how to live their lives in light of their new found knowledge of God. There are countless other ways that transfiguration happens right here in our midst because for Christians, transfiguration is not something that happens only to an elite few.

Based on the reading of this scripture passage, it’s easy for us to think that transfiguration is something that only happens to Jesus. After all, Jesus is the one who is transfigured and we don’t witness much immediate or obvious change in the disciples. It is Jesus who is transfigured, not the disciples. So what does this passage have to do with us, Christ’s modern disciples, and our transfiguration? After Christ’s resurrection and ascension to heaven, the church is the body of Christ in the world. And as such, the transfiguration of Jesus points to the transfiguration of each one of us.

Our transfiguration is not the exact same as what happened to Jesus on that Mountain with the disciples. Most of us will probably not become all radiant and shiny and most of us will probably not find ourselves talking with Moses and Elijah. But each one of us was made in the image of God, and with each transfiguration we go through, the light of God shines that much stronger through us.

Transfiguration happens often, and in a variety of ways. But one thing that is true of all transfigurations, is once you’ve changed. There’s no going back. Those who have been transfigured will never be the same. Something has changed in them, and it is a change that is intended to propel us ever deeper into God’s mission in the world.

That’s the real importance of every transfiguration. The importance of the experience on that mountain-top or the experience of confirmation, or mission trips, or bible study or any other transforming experience lies not in the experience itself but rather in the way that experience affects the rest of our faith and the rest of our lives. While we don’t see any instantaneous change in the disciples in this passage, I do think it is striking that the same disciples that were present for the transfiguration are the ones Jesus takes with him into the garden of Gethsemane. On the mountain, these disciples witness the joy and glory of God in human form. And it prepares them for the cost of God in the form of suffering servant, it prepares them for all that will happen in the garden and on the cross.

And so it is with us. Our transfigurations help prepare us for the work of God’s mission in the world. In fact, the transfigurations not only prepare us for God’s mission but propel us ever deeper into God’s mission. One whose life is the same after confirmation as it was before has missed the point of transfiguration. And one whose life is the same after a mission trip as it was before, has missed the point of transfiguration. The same goes for those involved in intensive bible study. If our life is the same after the study as it was before, then we have missed the point. None of these activities, and the transfiguration that happens in us as a result, is an end in itself. Instead all of these things should lead us into caring for the sick, declaring justice and righteousness for all, and proclaiming the freedom and forgiveness we find in Jesus.

But for some of us, that is not our immediate response. Sometimes we, like the disciples, would simply rather build monuments to honor and remember the transfiguration. It certainly is easier to try to live in the glory of that moment than it is to live out the costly discipleship we are called to.

Yet these transforming experiences are not intended to be a monument, a sign of our achievement, but rather are intended to provide us with greater momentum in serving God and our neighbors. The excitement, and energy, and enthusiasm that we get from transfiguration moments should be channeled into the serving God in the world.

As we enter into the season of Lent, I encourage you to look back over your life and try to identify some of the moments of transfiguration you have experienced or witnessed. But don’t just stop there. Once you have identified them, consider what those moments of transfiguration have prepared you for, and what aspects of God’s mission in the world you are being called into. What aspects of God’s mission in the world are you being called into?

Amen.

Winter Winds

I don't know about where you are, but here in Maryland the winds have been blowing rather fiercely the past several days. Wind is one of those paradoxal elements of nature. Sometimes it's a warm gentle breeze that is comforting and refreshing. Other times it's a cold, gusting wind that seems to chill to the bone. Sometimes winds are creative, smoothing rocks or carving canyons. Other times, hurricane force winds show us the destructive power of the wind.

The last few days I have had many chances to be reminded that the same word in Hebrew is used for wind, breath, and spirit. With each breath we breath, we are breathing in the spirit of God. And every time the wind blows I am reminded that God's spirit is active in the world. Just like the wind, God's spirit is often experienced in paradoxal ways. Sometimes God's spirit comforts and soothes us. Other times God's spirit can be uncomfortable as it pushes us to grow or to remove things in our lives that are destructive.

Lent begins a week from tonight on Ash Wednesday. During this week, I encourage you to think about what things in your life you might need to remove to allow God's spirit to be more active in your life.

You won't believe what I heard...

It's amazing how many of our conversations start out that way, only to be followed by some juicy piece of gossip with questionable reliability. It is even more amazing to think about how much gossip we are exposed to through the media. Many radio stations have a special time each morning that goes over celebrity gossip. We have entire magazines that consists of nothing but gossip, Countless tabloids sport pictures of celebs in compromising situations. Even the reliable newspapers and stations occasionally run pointless celebrity gossip.

We don't just gossip about celebrities, we gossip about co-workers, bosses, family, friends, people we don't like, people we are jealous of, and just about anyone else we have some connection with. Countless conversations around lunch tables and water-coolers consist entirely of gossip. Not to mention all the phone, text, and IM conversations that revolve around gossip.

Gossip is so much a part of our culture that it's hard to tell if our culture's fascination with gossip is what drives the media to focus so much on gossip, or if it's the media's fixation on gossip that desensitizes us to it and integrates it into our culture. But one thing is certain, we are inundated with gossip everyday to such an extent that most people have trouble differentiating gossip from normal conversation. So how do you know when you are just sharing news or information about someone and when you are gossiping?

If you have difficulty determining if something is gossip or not, here are some basic questions to ask yourself:

1. Is it true? Often we gather information and pass it on, without ever considering the source from which we got the information. If your source is not reliable or you have serious doubts as to the accuracy of the information, then it's probably gossip. This question also applies to things that are true but taken out of context and construed in a false way.

2. Is it kind? This goes back to the age-old wisdom of generations of parents "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." If it's not nice, if it's not something you would want someone to say to you, then it's probably gossip. If you are saying it to tear someone down rather than build them up, then it's gossip.

3. Is it timely? Is this an appropriate time and place to share this information?

4. Is it necessary? Do other people have a need to know this information? Is it helpful to them in some way or are you sharing this information just because you want to be known as the person who's always in the know?

5. Does sharing this information help you or someone else become a better disciple? As Christians, we need to be concerned about growing as disciples and helping others to grow as disciples. If we share information that creates an obstacle to someone becoming a disciple or living out their faith then it's probably gossip, but at the very least it is destructive. But if that information can be used to help others grow in faith and in their love of God and neighbor then it's worth sharing, and probably not gossip.

The season of Lent is approaching. Lent is a season of self-reflection and trying to be better Christians. It is a season during which many people give something up as a reminder that God has given so much for us. As you consider what you might give up, this year rather than giving up chocolate or sweets, try giving up something that might actually make a difference in your life or someone else's. If you're at a loss for ideas, try giving up gossip for lent. It may surprise you what a difference it can make in your life and the lives of those around you.

Good Enough?

Hard to believe it's midway through January already. January is a weird month. For some it represents new beginnings, starting over, making new years resolutions. Many people in January think "This will be the year that I ..." get in shape, stop smoking, stop drinking, find a job, or whatever else you want to fill in the blank with. New years resolutions can certainly be wonderful things. They show our desire to grow and mature. They help us recognize that we are not perfect, that we could stand to improve on a few things.

Yet by this point in January, many New Years resolutions have been broke, discarded and/or forgotten. People once again feel like a failure, like they're not good enough because they still aren't in shape, still smoke, still drink, still don't have a job, or whatever their own particular struggle may be. They were more determined than ever a few weeks ago. And yet now, it seems like they have lost all hope of ever changing.

One of the most common New Years resolutions is to start going to church again. But most people who resolve to go back to church, resolve to go to church only after getting other things in their life squared away. Many people feel like they cant go to church or have a relationship with God until all their ducks are in a row, that they have to be good enough to go to church or for God to accept them.

But lucky for us, God loves all of us, and accepts us just as we are. No one at church or outside of church has everything figured out. We all have a past, we have all made mistakes, we've all done things we wish we hadn't, and we've all not done things we wish we had. But God knows who we are and God loves us.

God doesn't require of us that we get our life together before God is willing to welcome us with open loving arms. God doesn't expect us to change and be perfect before we can enter into a relationship with God. Instead God wants to help us become the people we were created to be. God wants you to know that you are loved and accepted. God wants to be a part of your life, right now, even in the messyness. So when you start to think you're not good enough, know this: God loves you just as you are. In God's opinion, you are good enough to be a part of a relationship with God. As far as getting things right in your life, God wants to help you with that too. God wants to be a part of the transformation.

Regardless of what is going on in your life, God wants to be a part of it. And so do we. You are always welcome to be a part of Calvary United Methodist Church.