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“The Purest Light That Shines”
Exodus 34:29-35;
Psalm 99; 1 Peter 1:16-18;
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36 (37-46)
Rev. Sandy Nuernberg
Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, WI
Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday
February 18, 2007
As we approach the Lenten season,
yes, this coming week includes Ash Wednesday, it seems that we’ve been through
some mountains and valleys in our church calendar year since advent a few months
ago. For we’ve experienced preparation and waiting in the celebration and birth
of Christ and Christmas, welcomed epiphany and the baptism of Jesus and his
beginning ministry, we were in prayer for Christian unity together, and now
rejoice in the transfiguration of the Lord coming into Lent. Together we have
been at the top and sometimes in the valleys below, in life’s events; we have
shared specifically Christ’s events in his life and in his coming death.
Our lectionary pastors in the
Presbyterian church met this past week and after being there, I had another idea
for the title of my sermon today for transfiguration Sunday. It might be, “Do
Presbyterians get High?” We tried to find examples in our own lives of ‘mountain
top’ events. You may have some of those remembrances yourselves, but we
suggested trips as children (or taking our children or grandchildren) to places
such as Disneyland or Disneyworld, going overseas to anywhere unknown (something
that is common for school class credits today), summer church or scout camp in
making friends around the campfire, or even purchasing a new computer and then
having to learn how to use it. We asked, ‘Was there a light shining on us for
the duration?’ Was it a quick or long-lasting mountaintop experience? We were
sure there were good and bad parts about each experience. But then we asked also
if it was wise to want to stay on these mountain top experiences or come down
for ‘air’ or the real world we live in today?
It is similar in our scriptures; after Jesus
was out and about in his ministry, we remember him asking his disciples, “Who do
you say that I am?”, Peter answers and confesses, ‘The Messiah of God.’ After
all, they believe in the Lord as their Savior. But then after this something
strange happens, a kind of valley comes to pass after the glory of knowing God
as the Messiah. Jesus foretells his own suffering, death on the cross, and
resurrection. Then finally another ‘high’ or mountain top event, after prayer,
as we are told of the transfiguration of Jesus, before God. This event seems to
tell us of God’s relationship in the real purpose for His Son, Jesus Christ.
In Luke’s Gospel scripture today
(also Mark 9:2-8, and Matt. 17:1-8) we know that Jesus’ disciples/ friends
Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses to the event; when God’s voice came
from the cloud in heaven on the holy mountain there was the purest of light
shining in the presence of the majesty, honor and glory beholding Christ Jesus.
As we celebrate Transfiguration of the Lord today, it is all about glory! It is
a a very dramatic scene that we hear in God’s Word, this changing in external
appearance of Christ. It is the purest of light in Christ that shines, a flash
of radiance, shining in the light of heaven, an unforgettable moment in time. It
is God’s approval, God’s baptismal words of His Son, Christ Jesus.
It is important to notice the
purpose of other actors in this scene; the presence of the law and the prophet
of Moses and Elijah. But probably most importantly, it is a scene where we might
witness to the transfiguration of Christ as the purest light that shines from
God in Jesus as the Messiah, and as the purest light that shines from God
in Jesus in his discipleship.
For it is the only time, this
moment, when scholars believe that Jesus was ‘divinely shown’ or was brilliantly
glowing in association as God’s Chosen One, His Son, the Beloved. Scripture
dwells in symbols, signs, and images, and we hear of the glory of the Lord as
the cloud in the Old Testament (i.e. Exod. 40:34-38), but for the most part,
Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life are on earth as human and healing and healthy,
and whole. The transfiguration, it seems, is a kind of transformation of Christ
in divine glorification along with earthly glorification among his disciples. In
the end, it is a departure for Jesus and his disciples down the mountain to the
valley of the exodus and walk to Jerusalem and the death of Christ. Lent is this
time in the valley for us.
In 1st century Judaism
there was no understanding of the Messiah, and of course there was no believing
in an intermediate or form of being like Christ to bring any peace or salvation;
there was the cloud of the Lord. Also, there were those who were false prophets
among the people, false teachers with destructive opinions, and deceptive words
by those denying the authenticity of and knowledge of Jesus Christ. There were
also the scribes, the elders, and those chief priests who were expected to know
of God, and God’s purpose through Christ. As these and others asked who Jesus
was, his disciples were silenced and in awe of what they had seen and heard.
What seemed to be Jesus’ fate was not understood by his companions and Jesus was
critical of their lack of faith in that God’s will, as Christ’ Father, could
make a difference in their lives. Jesus’ discipleship to God and others was
witnessed by the disciples and they had little faith. Today, it is in our
Christian faith and tradition that we embrace our comforts, our pain, discomfort
and death in very profound ways. We need the hills and the valleys to proclaim
and experience the revelation of the glory of our God.
When I think of the mountains and
valleys in my years I find things like school teachers I loved and who
encouraged me to learn; not a flash but a reflection all my life, and I can
remember back to my second grade teacher whom I loved so much. Also, the years
of making new friends as we moved from city to city in Wisconsin when my father
was transferred by his working for the telephone company. My education, my
marriage, church and family are mountain top highlights, long-lasting bright
spots in my life! In suggesting the reflection of God’s glory in our midst, I’d
be remiss if I didn’t tell you that my most recent mountain top experience is
being called to be with you as your pastor; I am so forever thankful and
grateful. In our own heart and soul, as Presbyterians we seem to have our own
ardor, or passion, that is a kind of a high for us. It comes in the likeness of
Christ and is reflected and produced through our contemplation, prayer and
meditations of the glory of the Lord through all of our many blessings. For me
this glory of God is through all of you.
As recently as a year ago, as
many of you know, I spent a valley of time seeking a position in church
ministry. I had been part of the open pulpit supply in many churches in our
Presbytery. I have to tell you that it was a very anxious, pensive, and fearful
time for me, but I knew that the PC (USA) had a ‘process’ for their placing
pastors in churches. One pastor friend told me, ‘Presbyterians might be decently
and in order, but they can be so orderly sometimes, that they aren’t decent.’
Let’s face it; I’m not young, I’m female, I’m in a geographic limitation of
staying in the Madison area, and openings these days are for temporary and
interim positions. Somehow, though, in my being called by you, I felt patient
and confident enough that God would place me where I was supposed to be placed.
You all had faith in me to call me. I have been strengthened and encouraged by
so many of you in my time period here and I know that my confidence is in the
respect for you and in the glory of God shining in our lives together! As I was
reminded by one of our members, ‘God works in mysterious ways.’ For me, I can
believe it.
We can experience the mountain top
and valleys of life in many ways. The important part of our faith is to grasp
onto their brightness, the purest of light shining in us as God shines through
us and in us. We can let Christ’ light glow in us in the light of God. And
these experiences are signs to us of Christ’ work in our lives, through Jesus’
life, death, suffering and resurrection. We have a passion in our hearts for
being in relationship with a God that loves us and brings light and hope to all
the world. We have lives that are adventurous, but also glorious in the light of
God. This is the good news of the gospel for us. Thanks be to God. AMEN
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