Mark
9:2-9
What
Do You See?
Today is Transfiguration Sunday.
Transfiguration Sunday is observed every year; every year. It is always the last Sunday in the season of
Epiphany, the final Sunday before the start of Lent.
I just read the story to you. I am going to hope you remember what happens. There is an account of this event in each of
the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke). John has no accounting, but it is widely
assumed this is the reference in John 1:14.
Peter does write about the Transfiguration – in 2 Peter 1:16-18.
Pretty powerful stuff. And significant to the story of Jesus and his
time among the disciples.
We did just read the story. So I had rather not use precious time to
retell it - unless you were distracted earlier and or couldn’t hear. Are we okay? Each of you do have a printed copy, in your
bible or bulletin. Keep it open, and you
can refer back to is as necessary.
So, it is safe to assume that you
have the sequence of events registered: in short-term memory if not in
long-term?
Okay. Then rather than pick at the bit and pieces
of the story, what I would like for us to do in these next nine minutes is to
ask what impact this story might have on us and the way that we will conduct
ourselves when we come down off whatever mountain the experience of Jesus has
taken us.
Okay?
Transfiguration Sunday is the last
Sunday before the start of Lent. We will
talk more about Lent when Lent gets started – come on Wednesday night and you
will get a good introduction.
Transfiguration Sunday is the final Sunday of the season of
Epiphany.
In a sermon a few weeks ago I
pointed out that Epiphany is all about “seeing.” The word in Greek might be more accurately
translated as “reveal.” It is the
translating of this Greek word into old French that brings us the current
English translation of “Epiphany.”
“Epiphanies” are spoken of in
places other than in Church. There will
be mentions of “an epiphany”, or insight coming to someone and leading to
scientific discovery. An “epiphany” may
lie at the base of a dramatic change of heart or course of action.
The Christian Church’s season of
Epiphany is all about revealing the true nature of the one who is born in
Bethlehem. Help in seeing this scrawny
little boy as the Son of God is necessary.
Born to simple laborers. Born to
an unwed mother. Born in a borrowed
outhouse. A refuge forced to flee to
Egypt and then carried back across the border in way as to avoid encountering
the legal authorities. We have a story
about him being in the Temple as a child of 10, but there is no mention of his
attending Rabbinic school or of his having been advanced in his studies by a
qualified teacher.
The Christian Church’s season of
Epiphany gives us a chance to see – to see the true nature of the scrawny
little boy born in the back-water village of Bethlehem.
At the end of this season, and
these efforts, we observe Transfiguration Sunday. One last try to make sure that we see. One more attempt to cast a bright spotlight
upon one whose identity is difficult to comprehend and whose presence is a
challenge to accept.
So, what do we see? What is revealed?
Turn to someone sitting beside
you. (Make sure to look for the persons
sitting alone who might not have an obvious talking partner.) Share with your neighbor what is revealed –
to the disciples of Jesus, to you – on this mountain top. I am only going to give you a minute – so
start now!
As you depart this morning, you can
share your insights – or what you learned from your discussion partner. What I want to say is that I hope you were
more impressed than Peter, James, and John.
They didn’t see very clearly. And
so I pray that you didn’t fall into a similar trap – one which clinches shut their
hearts and limits their reactions.
You kept your bibles open –
right? Look at verse 6. Peter - who is always the one who says what
most of the rest of Jesus’ disciples are thinking – wants to build three booths
(dwellings/tents). Already on the
Jewish liturgical calendar is an occasion when dwellings are built. It is called Sukkot – and observed in the
fall of the year, around the time of the conclusion of the harvest.
Peter’s reacts to God’s attempt to
reveal who Jesus truly is, by looking for a way to tuck this revelation into a
habit and a tradition already popular among him and his fellow believers.
Let me say that one more time: Peter’s reacts to God’s attempt to reveal who
Jesus truly is, by looking for a way to tuck this revelation into a habit and a
tradition already popular among him and his fellow believers.
Isn’t there something wrong with
his trying to do this?
Isn’t there something equally wrong
if we were to attempt to do this?
Transfiguration Sunday comes every
year – every year. It isn’t on the
calendar because we aren’t sure if congregants will have remembered the story
from twelve months ago. It is on the
calendar to force us to see – to see clearly – the dazzling thing that God is
doing – IS DOING, not merely did once upon a time.
Transfiguration Sunday comes every
year – every year. It is an attempt and
an invitation to totally and unequivocally reject any attempt to tuck the word
of God and the work of Jesus into our pre-existing habits and traditions.
What does it say in verse 3 –
“dazzling white, such as no one (no fuller) on earth could bleach them.” Mark isn’t referring to the efforts of a
laundress; he is saying that no one – no teacher, no preacher, no historian, no
theologian, no Sunday School Teacher, or no parent – can reveal or expose what
God makes known.
Transfiguration Sunday come every
year – every year. And every time it
comes we are presented the opportunity to set aside our habits and traditions
and assumptions and seek to see, strive to perceive, attempt to glimpse what
God wants to make known.
Too often, we skip over
Transfiguration. We allow ourselves to
remain stuck in the convictions and confessions which have proven to be so
popular among others. Too often, we pay
lip service to Transfiguration. And we
fail to allow the brightness of Christ’s light to expose the darkness of our
self-centered and self-serving self-justifications.
Amen.