February 23, 2020
This is my fourth Sunday in a row at Celebration and I’m happy to say that my contract has been renewed! I won’t be here next Sunday, but I will be here the three Sundays after that.
So, since we’ve gotten more comfortable with each other, I’d like to introduce some meditation.
Begin by becoming comfortable in your chair. Feel where your body has contact with the chair and where your feet have contact with the floor. Now bring your awareness to the roof of your mouth and see if you can soften that area. If you can’t, or if nothing seems to be happening, just remain curious. Finally, follow the flow of your out-breath all the way to the end. Keep your breath in suspension for a moment, and then breath in. Do that three times.
Now let’s sit together in silence for a minute. You may already noticed that, even though your body is a bit more relaxed, your mind is hard at work. You’re wondering if you’re doing this right or what is the point of this. You’re thinking of the grocery list you need for stopping at Safeway on the way home today or of the words you spoke to a loved one this morning that maybe you regret. Or you’re wondering how you can get to Mexico before the winter is out. Whatever those thoughts are, just notice them and come back to your breath. The grocery list will still be there after the service, as will any apologies you need to offer, or any plans you need to make. Gently come back to your breath. That’s all you need to do right now.
Finally, come back to your breath. Come back to your body. And very slowly begin to open your eyes.
We’ve been talking about the Sermon on the Mount these last three weeks. I began by pointing backwards in Matthew’s story of Jesus to his initial preaching: Repent, for the kingdom of God has come near. With these words, Jesus calls us to change, to changing our mind, to moving beyond our own mind into his mind. Jesus also says, I believe, that this change is occasioned by the presence of the kingdom God, a presence which he embodies, a presence which is available to us to matter what our situation or station in life. Nothing gets in the way of our accessibility to God. These two points – transformation through the teaching of Jesus and God’s continual care are at the heart of the Beatitudes and the entire Sermon on the Mount.
Now I’d like to point forward in the story. In fact, I’d like to go all the way to the end. To everyone’s shock, Jesus has been crucified and, to everyone’s amazement (and even doubt!) he has been raised. His last words to the disciples (and to us) are the last words of the gospel of Matthew.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And, remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (28:19-20)
Martin Luther used this verse in his explanation of the Sacrament of Baptism, highlighting the command of Jesus that we baptize. He drops the second half of verse 19 – “and teach them to obey.” Lutherans ever since have followed his lead, fearing a reliance on works to justify ourselves before God – and probably also feeling relieved at not having to practice what Jesus said!
Be that as it may, Jesus also gives them assurance that he will not abandon them. Jesus is sending them out into the big, bad world. The disciples get lessons about this all through the gospel. As there have been even in his life, there will be many scary moments – moments when they will fear for their lives. But Jesus promises them that, despite his death and resurrection – or perhaps because of them – he will be with them no matter what.
Again, transformation through the teaching of Jesus and the continual care of God.
I think these are the two essential messages of the Transfiguration.
As they continue on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus takes Peter and James and John up to the top of a mountain. While they are there, Jesus is transfigured – he appears to be made completely of light! Then the disciples realize that Moses and Elijah, those great figures of their faith, are there in conversation with Jesus.
Peter then says, “Lord, this is a great moment! How about if we build three memorials on this mountain to commemorate it?”
As he was babbling, a cloud came down around them, and a voice sounded out of the cloud, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased! Listen to him!”
When the disciples heard the voice, they immediately fell on their faces. But then Jesus came and touched them and said, “Don’t be afraid!” When they looked around, all they saw was Jesus.
One way we try to understand this story is to see it as one of those unexplainable, ineffable, mystical, even downright strange things that Christians experience now and again. It is an unearthly, yet grand, vision of beauty and power. It reveals something crucial about our faith that we can’t put into words. And we’re reluctant even to try because there is a kind of taboo against this kind of experience. We are afraid that, if we speak of it to others, they will dismiss it or criticize it or reject it or just plain think us crazy.
But my hunch is that many of us have beheld something of this nature which profoundly moved us and continues to provide us comfort and support on our earthly journey. We rarely, if ever, speak of it, as a way of protecting it and treasuring it. For it is an experience that we remember in dark times. And it is helps carry us through those dark times. It is a reminder that God is with us.
Here it is communicated through the words: This is my Son. That is the first message.
The second is: Listen to him! We might wonder what exactly we are to listen to, but Jesus has already given us an earful in the Sermon on the Mount.
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…
Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink or about your body, what you will wear.…but strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.
Jesus is giving the teaching that is not only the way God wants us to live, but also provides us assurance. He points to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field to show God’s care. He also tells them, at the end of this Sermon, that “Everyone who hears these words and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (7:24) Although putting these things into practice might be risky, they also send us in the right direction. And that direction – the direction of Jesus – is its own refuge.
This is my Son; listen to him!
This is what we hear on the mountain of transfiguration. While they seem to have a differing import, it seems to be that both of these messages have to do with how we stay connected with God. What is it that will carry us through all the highs and lows, the suffering and joy, the light and dark of our lives? Is it through those experiences of God’s presence and power that come unexpectedly as a gift to us, even though we can’t explain it? Is it through simple listening and practice of the things that Jesus has taught us, living in the way that he has led us?
Yes. This is what we hear all the way through Matthew’s Gospel – from, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” to “Teach them to observe what I have taught and remember that I will be with you always.” It comes to us again today in the transfiguration. “This is my Son; listen to him!”
So, let’s take a moment and let this sink in. Let us listen deeply to these words by going back now to our meditation. We’ll begin as we did before, with our body and our breath…
Now I invite you to hold in your mind or in your heart the words we hear in the gospel story today:
This is my Son. Listen to him.
This is my Son. Listen to him.
This is my Son. Listen to him.
So, since we’ve gotten more comfortable with each other, I’d like to introduce some meditation.
Begin by becoming comfortable in your chair. Feel where your body has contact with the chair and where your feet have contact with the floor. Now bring your awareness to the roof of your mouth and see if you can soften that area. If you can’t, or if nothing seems to be happening, just remain curious. Finally, follow the flow of your out-breath all the way to the end. Keep your breath in suspension for a moment, and then breath in. Do that three times.
Now let’s sit together in silence for a minute. You may already noticed that, even though your body is a bit more relaxed, your mind is hard at work. You’re wondering if you’re doing this right or what is the point of this. You’re thinking of the grocery list you need for stopping at Safeway on the way home today or of the words you spoke to a loved one this morning that maybe you regret. Or you’re wondering how you can get to Mexico before the winter is out. Whatever those thoughts are, just notice them and come back to your breath. The grocery list will still be there after the service, as will any apologies you need to offer, or any plans you need to make. Gently come back to your breath. That’s all you need to do right now.
Finally, come back to your breath. Come back to your body. And very slowly begin to open your eyes.
We’ve been talking about the Sermon on the Mount these last three weeks. I began by pointing backwards in Matthew’s story of Jesus to his initial preaching: Repent, for the kingdom of God has come near. With these words, Jesus calls us to change, to changing our mind, to moving beyond our own mind into his mind. Jesus also says, I believe, that this change is occasioned by the presence of the kingdom God, a presence which he embodies, a presence which is available to us to matter what our situation or station in life. Nothing gets in the way of our accessibility to God. These two points – transformation through the teaching of Jesus and God’s continual care are at the heart of the Beatitudes and the entire Sermon on the Mount.
Now I’d like to point forward in the story. In fact, I’d like to go all the way to the end. To everyone’s shock, Jesus has been crucified and, to everyone’s amazement (and even doubt!) he has been raised. His last words to the disciples (and to us) are the last words of the gospel of Matthew.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And, remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (28:19-20)
Martin Luther used this verse in his explanation of the Sacrament of Baptism, highlighting the command of Jesus that we baptize. He drops the second half of verse 19 – “and teach them to obey.” Lutherans ever since have followed his lead, fearing a reliance on works to justify ourselves before God – and probably also feeling relieved at not having to practice what Jesus said!
Be that as it may, Jesus also gives them assurance that he will not abandon them. Jesus is sending them out into the big, bad world. The disciples get lessons about this all through the gospel. As there have been even in his life, there will be many scary moments – moments when they will fear for their lives. But Jesus promises them that, despite his death and resurrection – or perhaps because of them – he will be with them no matter what.
Again, transformation through the teaching of Jesus and the continual care of God.
I think these are the two essential messages of the Transfiguration.
As they continue on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus takes Peter and James and John up to the top of a mountain. While they are there, Jesus is transfigured – he appears to be made completely of light! Then the disciples realize that Moses and Elijah, those great figures of their faith, are there in conversation with Jesus.
Peter then says, “Lord, this is a great moment! How about if we build three memorials on this mountain to commemorate it?”
As he was babbling, a cloud came down around them, and a voice sounded out of the cloud, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased! Listen to him!”
When the disciples heard the voice, they immediately fell on their faces. But then Jesus came and touched them and said, “Don’t be afraid!” When they looked around, all they saw was Jesus.
One way we try to understand this story is to see it as one of those unexplainable, ineffable, mystical, even downright strange things that Christians experience now and again. It is an unearthly, yet grand, vision of beauty and power. It reveals something crucial about our faith that we can’t put into words. And we’re reluctant even to try because there is a kind of taboo against this kind of experience. We are afraid that, if we speak of it to others, they will dismiss it or criticize it or reject it or just plain think us crazy.
But my hunch is that many of us have beheld something of this nature which profoundly moved us and continues to provide us comfort and support on our earthly journey. We rarely, if ever, speak of it, as a way of protecting it and treasuring it. For it is an experience that we remember in dark times. And it is helps carry us through those dark times. It is a reminder that God is with us.
Here it is communicated through the words: This is my Son. That is the first message.
The second is: Listen to him! We might wonder what exactly we are to listen to, but Jesus has already given us an earful in the Sermon on the Mount.
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…
Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink or about your body, what you will wear.…but strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.
Jesus is giving the teaching that is not only the way God wants us to live, but also provides us assurance. He points to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field to show God’s care. He also tells them, at the end of this Sermon, that “Everyone who hears these words and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (7:24) Although putting these things into practice might be risky, they also send us in the right direction. And that direction – the direction of Jesus – is its own refuge.
This is my Son; listen to him!
This is what we hear on the mountain of transfiguration. While they seem to have a differing import, it seems to be that both of these messages have to do with how we stay connected with God. What is it that will carry us through all the highs and lows, the suffering and joy, the light and dark of our lives? Is it through those experiences of God’s presence and power that come unexpectedly as a gift to us, even though we can’t explain it? Is it through simple listening and practice of the things that Jesus has taught us, living in the way that he has led us?
Yes. This is what we hear all the way through Matthew’s Gospel – from, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” to “Teach them to observe what I have taught and remember that I will be with you always.” It comes to us again today in the transfiguration. “This is my Son; listen to him!”
So, let’s take a moment and let this sink in. Let us listen deeply to these words by going back now to our meditation. We’ll begin as we did before, with our body and our breath…
Now I invite you to hold in your mind or in your heart the words we hear in the gospel story today:
This is my Son. Listen to him.
This is my Son. Listen to him.
This is my Son. Listen to him.
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