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“LISTENING FOR GOD” Transfiguration Sunday, February 18, 2007 United Lutheran Church-Red Wing, MN
Luke 9:28-36
The Transfiguration is difficult to explain and understand. That’s the first thing that needs to be said this morning. I’m not alone in this thought. Every commentator I’ve read on the Gospel of Luke speaks of that difficulty. It has a sense of the surreal, the supernatural, defying historical or rational analysis. But we need to keep in mind that here in this story we are dealing with a vision, not a “this is what happened” event. The story is about awe and wonder, with a bit of supernatural tucked in for good measure. I doubt many parents spent time telling this Biblical story to their children. The great Christian writer, Madalaine L’Engle who has written books for children which adults also enjoy says we’ve tended to avoid such stories as this in the life of Jesus. In her words: “THE CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY WHICH IS EASIEST FOR US IS CHRISTMAS, BECAUSE IT TOUCHED ON WHAT IS FAMILIAR; AND THE STORY OF THE YOUNG MAN AND WOMAN WHO WERE TURNED AWAY FROM THE INN, AND HAD A BABY IN A STABLE, SURROUNDED BY GENTLE ANIMALS, IS ONE WE HAVE KNOWN ALWAYS. I DOUBT IF MANY TWO OR THREE –YEAR OLDS ARE TOLD AT THEIR MOTHER’S KNEE ABOUT THE TRANSFIGURATION AND SO, BECAUSE THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS IS PART OF OUR FOLKLORE, WE PAY MORE ATTENTION TO ITS RECOGNIZABLENESS THAN TO THE FACT THAT THE TINY BABY IN THE MANGER CON- TAINED THE POWER WHICH CREATED GALAXIES AND SET THE STARS IN THEIR COURSES.” She concludes: WE ARE NOT TAUGHT MUCH ABOUT THE WILDER ASPECTS OF CHRISTIANITY. BUT THESE ARE WHAT ARTISTS HAVE WRESTLED WITH THROUGHOUT THE AGES.” I believe there are many experiences of life that defy explanation. Can you give a rational explanation of your love for your spouse? The love you have for your children? Or the love you feel for a very close and trusted friend? Can you give a simple scientific or an intellectual account of God’s calling in your heart? We use images, but never quite capture the full experience nor the essence. More than rational, more than factual there are those moments in life that defy analysis. Such is the story of the Transfiguration. It begins like other events in Jesus’ life. He has fed the multitudes, requested Peter to testify to Christ’s identity(Who do you say that I am?), foretold his death and resurrection, invited those who would willingly follow him to “take up your crosses, deny yourselves, and come follow” and finally over a week later, he goes up on a mountain with three of his chosen disciples to rest and pray. Then, it all changes…no longer a story about Jesus and the disciples taking their ease. It becomes a story of confirmation that Jesus is the Son of God. The images are familiar—mountain, cloud, voice from heaven, appearances of Moses and Elijah. Not the first instance of a cloud being an instrument of God’s presence and work in the world. In our first reading this morning from Exodus Moses comes down from Mt. Sinai with two tablets of stone with his face shining having been in the presence of God. Aaron and the Israelites were afraid to come near him. In their wilderness wanderings God had accompanied them for 40 years in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Nineteen times in the Book of Numbers recording the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites God’s presence is described as a cloud surrounding the tabernacle. In the Gospel of Luke, the 21st chapter, Jesus foretells the second coming of the Son of Man and says he will come in a cloud with power and great glory. And here in today’s Gospel on the mountain, in the cloud, the moment of vision for Jesus is a revealing/unveiling of his nature and his purpose for being here. Mountains, clouds, voices are all images of God’s presence in the world. The words are ones that Jesus heard at his baptism. Now a confirmation that Jesus is who he has claimed to be. And his way is going to be that of suffering, death, and finally resurrection. An awesome aura illuminates Jesus and his pathway as he heads toward Jerusalem. Peter wants to stay on the mountain and freeze the experience. Let’s build some monuments and capture the moment. Like so often when we’ve had what we might call a Our Christian faith is rooted in the events of Jesus’ life but find deeper meaning in what God is doing now. The changed lives of those who follow Christ are constantly new monuments to the power of God working through us. This moment contrary to Peter’s suggestion is not a time of action. It is a time for listening. For when the voice of God comes from the clouds, it does not say, “THIS IS MY SON, DO SOMETHING FOR HIM!” Rather, the voice says, “THIS IS MY SON, MY CHOSEN; LISTEN TO HIM!” That’s a hard message for those of us who are perpetual doers. Who work to add value and meaning to our lives by what we accomplish. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as we keep perspective, as long as we remember to keep in perspective, as long as we remember that there is a time for work and a time to listen. One chapter later in Luke’s Gospel we find the story of Mary and Martha when Jesus comes to visit the sisters. Jesus comes to dinner and Mary sits down with him while Martha is “distracted by many things”. Distracted! She was missing the most important thing—the chance to listen to Jesus. Sometimes, the most important thing is to do….NOTHING! Nothing but listen! Listen to the Word of God in the scriptures. Listen for the voice of God as the voice is speaking through the activities of the day. Listen to the voices of children, the majesty of music, to the years rushing by and the moans of the pains of the world. Listen for the voice of God in your life. Not “stop and smell the roses” but stop and listen for the voice. As the disciples do listen to God, it is with the realization that they are called to follow Christ. But they needed to hear the voice that said, “LISTEN TO HIM!” When Jesus comes down from the mountain, he “sets his face to Jerusalem”…the Cross. But in those moments prior, they had listened and heard. The surreal leaves, the mystical fades and what is left for Jesus is very, very real…suffering, cross, death, grave…That’s the voice of God’s message we must hear. It is the Gospel story. It is the way of salvation. We’re reminded that we are not the Lord, not in charge or control of all of life, not the masters of our own destiny, not the masters of all truth and knowledge. We are called to be Christ’s disciples, to be the Body of Christ, the church; but we must listen to Him whom God has identified. To the voice that leads to the cross with Jesus dying for our sins and the sins of the world. Quite simply it leads into the Season of Lent and the Season of the Cross. Today we draw the curtain on the glorious themes of Epiphany which has been a season of revealings where the identity of Jesus has been shown repeatedly. We leave Epiphany with God’s words ringing in our ears. “THIS IS MY SON, MY CHOSEN, LISTEN TO HIM!” Lent becomes a time to set aside some of our distractions as well. To hear what God would have us hear. Lent has increasingly become for me a time of engagement, contemplation and prayer. Another way to be listening for God. Bombarded week after week by voices that can distract us from God, these are also an opportunity to be sensitized to God’s voice. Coming soon is a time to once again take to heart the Word and to ponder, meditate, and listen. For it is through the Word that we meet Jesus again or even for the first time. Our Adult Enrichment over these next Sunday through Palm/Passion Sunday will focus our attention on the Word/the Scriptures, the Voice of God speaking to us. It will challenge and encourage us at the same time to live more faithfully in the Word, not only during this coming Lenten Season, but for all the seasons of our lives. Sometimes I wonder how faithfully and carefully I listen for God. Often, I’m a moving target and God has to “hit” me on the run. Like the cellular commercial of some months ago, with the guy running around and asking, “CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?” Jesus might well be asking me or you, “Can you hear me now? Are you listening to me now? Can you hear me, my beloved children?” If you look once again at today’s text, you’ll discover that Jesus is transfigured while he is praying. His appearance changes, his face and his clothing become dazzling white. Trans-formation is precluded by the Transfiguration. Praying and listening have the potential of transforming our lives. Prayer may change things, as some say, but often my experience has been that prayer changes me. In this coming season, LISTEN FOR GOD, in life, in worship, in the Word, in your meditation, in solitude, and while with one another. For I believe that God will equip us, change us, prepare us and guide us as people of faith most certainly through Christ and by God’s Spirit. LISTEN FOR GOD, FOR GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Pastor Clark Cary
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