On The Transfiguration Of Jesus - Sermon February 19, 2012

Sermon: February 19, 2012, The Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B

Mark 9:2-9

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

Today is the last Sunday of the church season known as Epiphany. The first Sunday of Epiphany traditionally focuses on the Baptism of Jesus when heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove and God the Father declared “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” The last Sunday of Epiphany, today, traditionally focuses on the Transfiguration of Jesus, Mark’s account of which we read today. We read how Jesus shone with a bright light after which God the Father spoke from a cloud saying “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” These stories have a lot in common and both are epiphanies focusing on who Jesus is.

According to the dictionary, the word epiphany can mean one of two things. First, it can be a manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being; and second it can be an illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder. Both of these definitions are present in the Bible’s epiphanies relating to Jesus. Today, we are going to look at the Transfiguration story. When I first got to thinking about the Transfiguration, I had a difficult time understanding what it meant and what its purpose was in the Gospel. But after reflecting on it, I think it plays a very important role with a critical message for us today.

Recall the second definition of epiphany – “an illuminating realization or discovery, often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder.” Let’s look at an illustration of a transfiguration moment from the novel and popular film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. The scene takes place as three companions are searching for two friends who have gone missing. They have heard rumors that a wizard known as Saruman the White is in the vicinity. He was the head of the wizard order but betrayed his friends and joined the Dark Lord. It is indeed a dark time, especially as the good wizard Gandalf the Grey is thought to have died earlier in the story. The three companions sense the immediate presence of the white wizard, and they prepare to meet him. 

Let’s take a look at the scene (begin watching at the 1:10 minute mark and continue until the 2:55 minute mark):

What they see is a wizard hidden from view by a dazzling white light, and the three who are greatly afraid, attack him thinking he is the evil Saruman the White. But he beats back their attacks, and his identity is revealed. He is not Saruman the White, but rather the good wizard Gandalf, who has apparently come back from death to claim the title of White Wizard. The three companions fall to their knees in awe and beg forgiveness for trying to kill him.

Listen to how the novel describes what happened:

They all gazed at him. His hair was white as snow in the sunshine; and gleaming white was his robe; the eyes under his deep brows were bright, piercing as the rays of the sun; power was in his hand. Between wonder, joy, and fear they stood and found no words to say.

At last Aragorn stirred. ‘Gandalf!’ he said. ‘Beyond all hope you return to us in our need! What veil was over my sight? Gandalf!’ Gimli said nothing, but sank to his knees, shading his eyes.

‘Gandalf,’ the old man repeated, as if recalling from old memory a long disused word. ‘Yes, that was the name. I was Gandalf.’

He stepped down from the rock, and picking up his grey cloak wrapped it about him: it seemed as if the sun had been shining, but now was hid in cloud again. ‘Yes, you may still call me Gandalf,’ he said, and the voice was the voice of their old friend and guide. ‘Get up, my good Gimli! No blame to you, and no harm done to me. Indeed my friends, none of you have any weapon that could hurt me. Be merry! We meet again. At the turn of the tide. The great storm is coming, but the tide has turned.’

He laid his hand on Gimli’s head, and the Dwarf looked up and laughed suddenly. ‘Gandalf!’ he said. ‘But you are all in white!’

‘Yes, I am white now,’ said Gandalf.

In this meeting, the companions learned that their great friend Gandalf iss still alive; that he still possesses great power; that he has taken on the mantle of the White Wizard; and that, even though a great storm was coming, the companions can have confidence that the tide had turned in favor of what was right. This greatly emboldened the three companions to continue on and do what they needed to do.

Now it is well known that Tolkien based this scene on the Transfiguration of Jesus, but only very loosely. This provides us with but an illustration of a transfiguration. So what message does the Transfiguration of Jesus have for us? The Transfiguration comes immediately after a number of conversations centered around the question of who Jesus was, and of dark times to come. In Mark chapter 8 verses 27-30, Jesus asks the disciples who people thought he was. In verse 31, Jesus tells them that he will be killed and raised again. In verses 34 and 35 Jesus warns them that they would undergo suffering in order to follow him.

Just as the companions in the Lord of the Rings must have felt pretty dejected before Gandalf’s transfiguration before them, so the disciples were probably feeling a bit overwhelmed also. They were having a difficult time understanding who Jesus was, and their presuppositions about who the Messiah was were being seriously undermined. Like all good Jews at the time, their expectation of a Messiah was of a conquering military and political hero, who would be embraced by the Jewish leaders and defeat all enemies of the Jewish people. Instead, they had Jesus who claimed to be the Messiah, yet also told them he was going to be rejected by the Jewish leaders and put to death.

I think that we can all identify with this dejection because we probably have all felt it at some point in our lives. With all the bad news, evil and suffering in this world, how can God really be in charge? It’s a natural thing to feel this way at times. And the Transfiguration was an opportunity for God to reveal to the chosen disciples – and to us – a glimpse of Jesus in his power and his glory. Jesus took his inner circle of disciples up a high mountain with him, and the disciples probably thought that he was going to teach them some more, as they were used to. Well Jesus was indeed going to teach them, but in a way the disciples were most certainly not expecting.

Jesus suddenly was transfigured before them – his clothes became dazzling white and Moses and Elijah appeared with him. You may wonder why Moses and Elijah would have appeared. They were two iconic figures in Jewish history – Moses represented the Law, and Elijah the prophets. Let me try to illustrate what it meant for these two figures to appear with Jesus. This year is a Presidential election year. Now just imagine what effect it would have, if on Monday, November 5, the day before the election, a candidate was suddenly transfigured before us, and George Washington and Abraham Lincoln appeared at his side, thus endorsing him. Is there any doubt that that candidate would win in a landslide? This is the effect that Moses and Elijah would have had on the disciples. It would have cemented for them that Jesus represented the culmination of God’s redemption plan for Israel, whatever the Jewish religious leaders said.

But the most convincing statement of all comes from God who says “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” The disciples were told – and through them, we are told – that Jesus is God’s own Son, and that we are to listen to him. Just as Gandalf’s transfiguration had multiple messages to the three companions, so did Christ’s Transfiguration have many messages for the disciples, and by extension for us.

Jesus had already told his disciples earlier that a storm was coming – indeed he told them of his impending death and of their coming suffering. But in the Transfiguration, he revealed his supernatural power and glory. He also revealed that he was the culmination of God’s plan to save Israel. God the Father revealed that Jesus was God’s Son, whom the Father loved. In other words, the disciples were told that, despite the coming storm, the tide had turned. They could have confidence in Jesus.

Lastly, the disciples were told to listen to Jesus. This encounter wasn’t just about lifting sagging spirits, but it was also about preparing the disciples for what was to come after Jesus’ death. They needed to listen to Jesus and absorb what he taught them. This is made clear when, after the Transfiguration, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until he had risen from the dead. Why would Jesus have given such instructions? Remember that the disciples themselves had a very difficult time understanding who Jesus was, and what it meant for him to be the Messiah. It would have been very easy for significant misunderstanding if the disciples had gone around telling everyone that Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. Nationalist heros expected to drive out invaders coupled with visions of historic national heros would have been a recipe for much violence and death.  Almost certainly, people would have come to the wrong conclusion. But after Jesus had died, such confusion would not have been possible. At that point, nobody would still be confusing Jesus with the expected nationalist warrior hero Messiah who was going to conquer all Israel’s enemies.

What does this story tell us today? I think a number of things. First, while we probably shouldn’t expect to experience any transfigurations of Jesus in our lives as Peter, James and John did, we do have something that these three disciples didn’t have – the New Testament. We have the resources to learn all about who Jesus really is and was. We don’t need supernatural appearances. And just as it was vitally important that the disciples listen to Jesus and absorb his teachings in order that they would be prepared for what was to come, so we need to study Jesus’s life and teaching so that we also can be prepared for what is to come. This means engaging in Spirit led Bible study with fellow believers.

Second, there will be times when we have private epiphanies – when, during Bible study, the Holy Spirit illumines our hearts about a significant truth or aspect of Jesus that fills us with awe and joy. Such epiphanies can be a tremendous boost to our faith. But in order to receive such epiphanies, we need to be immersed in studying the Bible under the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Third, we need to not only listen to Jesus, but also do what he told us to do. Fr. Eaton, an Episcopal priest friend, has commented that the Transfiguration story summarizes our job as Christians. At the Transfiguration, God the Father revealed Jesus in power and glory, proclaimed him as his Son, and told us to listen to him. So Fr. Eaton says “Here, then, is the most basic definition of the mission of the church: pointing to Jesus and telling others that the Almighty God has proclaimed who he is, and to do what he says.” So, with the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s get to know Jesus better, let’s be open to God working in us, and let’s witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ to the world. Amen.

Let us pray:

Almighty Father, whose Son was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross: give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

All Things to All People - Sermon, February 5, 2012

Sermon: February 5, 2012, The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B
Ron Olsen


1 Corinthians 9:16-23

“I have become all things to all people.” That sounds like a quote from one of the would-be candidates as they scramble around the country rather than something St. Paul said. And, out of context, it sounds pretty shallow and insincere. But I think we do Paul a disservice if we think he’s being manipulative or insincere – though he is certainly brisk. His communication style can be impersonal – take him seriously, but not personally.

This reminds me of one of the things I admired about both The Bee and The Record – their commitment to training. I especially remember communications seminars based on personality types.

A number of consultants offer training based on personality type. The names of the types vary, but most identify four types. The names I’m familiar with are: dominant, expressive, analytical and amiable . The idea was to understand how each type of personality liked to give and to receive information, and then modify your style to fit how the customer liked to receive information and make decisions. (This was for the sales department.) I think that’s what Paul is doing – modifying how he communicates his message of Christ to fit his audience.

I’d guess Paul to be a dominant – bottom line, he’d say, “get to the point, I’ve got souls to save.” Though he probably wouldn’t have explained why he wanted you to get to the point. He would expect you to know there is only one thing on his to-do-list: bring people to Christ.

St. Peter must have driven Paul nuts… I’d peg Peter as an expressive –thinks out loud, meet him and he is your new best friend, everything is about relationships – so he is ready to leave his nets to follow Jesus when asked. This “quick to react” characteristic could also get him into trouble. For example when Jesus was walking on the water towards him: (Matthew 14: 28-31), “ And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?””

St. Thomas was definitely an analytical – they are the type of people who need a lot of information before they can act. (John 20: 24-28) Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” But the following week when Jesus showed him his hands… Jesus “said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”” He’d gotten the information he needed …his commitment to spreading the word of Christ took him to India where he was martyred for converting a high official’s wife and son to Christianity.

The last group is amiable; from the little we are told about Peter’s brother Andrew I’d classify him as an amiable … they like to get other peoples opinions, they are sensitive to others. After he and another of John the Baptist’s disciples spent the day with Jesus , Andrew went and found his brother and gave him the good news “we have found him.” Amiables want to fit in.

Along with adjusting to these personality types, Paul would also need to adjust to how much they already knew. Paul was a Jew, so he and his Jewish audience would know the Old Testament and the laws. For non-Jews he would have to explain Jewish customs.

As gentiles we are “ones outside the law,” though like Paul, we are “not free from God’s law but are under Christ’s law,” under the new covenant – the new relationship with God. Christ promised that we would join him and have life in all its fullness. Our part of the covenant is to believe in Christ and keep his commandments: Love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind. And to love our neighbor, not just as ourselves, but as Christ loves us.

The message is simple: Jesus came into the world to save sinners, because we can’t do it on our own. Now I know that Episcopalians are not known for evangelizing, but just for a few minutes lets pretend we are Paul – and we just happen to have our prayer book with us. We meet someone who notices the prayer book and comments that they are kind of looking for a church, but don’t know anything about the Episcopal Church. After the time and location of services what information, would we share? How about The Catechism which begins on page 845. For Dominants – I’d go directly to the “New Covenant” on page 850 – it is short, to the point and tells what action must be taken. The Creeds would answer any questions they might have. Relationships are what ring Expressives’ bells so I’d include God the Father, God the Son, Corporate worship and then the New Covenant. Analyticals are easy, start at the beginning and go through the Catechism line by line. Amiables would require the same information as the Analyticals, only they’d be best served hearing it at an inquirer’s class so they could hear what others think. Paul was not manipulative, he was just ahead of his time when it came to communicating his message.

It is not so much that Paul was all things to all people, but that his message was: Jesus’ saving grace is open to all, it is the message that is everything to all people. Amen.