Everything to Do with God - (Transfiguration C-2015)

Over the years I am sure that you have heard more than one sermon by me, and some from my predecessors, who preached this passage focusing on Peter, James, and John – and how it is that at the time they did not understand what was happening on the mountain with Jesus.  The sermon likely ventured into explaining mountain top experiences and living in the valleys – how the disciples needed the experience to face the days after Jesus’ death. This morning the sermon takes a different track.

For the first time I noticed verse 32:

³² Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.

It is particularly the words, but since they stayed awake ---

You will remember that in the garden of Gethsemane, which we will read Easter weekend, the story is told that the disciples kept falling asleep – and were woken up by Jesus and told to keep watch while he went to pray. It seems that in that story staying awake was important.  But not here. Not now.

I wonder if the three disciples were along, simply because they were. They had gone for a walk with Jesus. The event on the mountain was not about the disciples having an experience. It did not matter whether they saw it – mind you because they were awake they had a fantastic experience and faith booster. No one checked on them to make sure they were awake. The event  - the purpose of the mountain experience -was for Jesus – it had nothing to do with humans and everything to do with God.

So if the story is not about people what is there for us to learn?

We can learn something very valuable from God’s example, that is applicable to our lives.  God sought out others to carry the load of life and ministry.  Think about it, who on earth, at the time of Jesus, was his colleague? Who would he have been able to share everything with? Of whom could he ask questions? Where could he dump his frustrations?  Who else could he ask about veiling his presence, the reaction of people, what it felt like to perform miracles?

Twenty years ago, one of the most valuable lessons my internship supervisor taught me was the importance of attending gatherings with other clergy.  As we were in Sault Ste Marie he was creative; once a month joining with his Anglican colleagues for worship, study, and conversation; we joined with other Lutherans in Northern Michigan every couple of months.  These gatherings took precious time, in gathering and in the amount of driving.  He kept telling me they are important; even though sometimes it felt like a waste of time.  I get it now.  It didn’t take long to get it.  I had stories and experiences that were unknown to others and things to express that would not be appropriate to share outside of such a group. I needed a certain kind of support and offered support back.

Jesus was modeling the fact that no one, not even God, can survive, cope, or act alone – and remain in ministry.  One can not be about God’s work without being in relationship and having the support (and being support) for others.  Ministry is not a one person show.  Ministry is not about me; even if you are Jesus.

Let me ask this:  Is it better for us to be asleep if we are about considering experiences to be provided for our edification and pleasure? Is it better to be asleep than pursue the mountain top? Is it better for us to sleep, unless we view life as not about us, but about Jesus; God incarnate?  One thing for sure, if we are sleeping we don’t get in the way of what God is doing in the world. And we don’t stick our foot in our mouths.

On that note, Peter’s remarks are good ones to illustrate what happens when one has not talked with others about their thoughts and ideas.

³³ Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.

Peter wants to build huts.  He instantly brings the whole experience into something that is tangible and can be controlled.  He speaks in the language we so often fall into --- buildings and money.  It is easier to focus on the material rather than the mission (the glory of God) because material is safe and controllable; ministry on the other hand can go every which way, and is far from fitting into a box.

As we see in the story the unsafe road of ministry (taken when Jesus comes down the mountain) has demons that show themselves – healing, publicity, expectations. There are expectations that Jesus will do miracles, why wouldn’t he; and I wonder are those who are asking - thinking about Jesus and God’s glory or about their life, and the lives of their loved ones? Are they asking because life is seen as being about them?

At Bible Study on Tuesday, when looking at the passage from Corinthians, conversation centred around no longer needing a veil to see God. Luther had an interesting take on this, it is not that we no longer need a veil – God provided a veil; the veil was a human body.  Convinced of the absolute distance between God and humanity, Luther felt strongly that a veil was indeed necessary; the veil is Christ.

Once again, shame on us to think that we have the ability and power to see God without a veil.

And to think that this sermon has taken us down the tunnel of being self-absorbed. Bryon Yawn a writer for Christianity.com says:  Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned to read ourselves onto the pages and into the events of Scripture. We don’t even realize we’re doing it. What’s the first question we ask of the Bible in our personal reading times or church services? “How is this relevant to me?”  which I did by asking what can we learn, how is it applicable to our lives? He continues, This is the wrong question entirely. No question could push us further from the real story. It’s very much like walking out into the night sky and assuming all the stars showed up to look at us.

It is NOT about us! Life -real life- real living; is not about us. 

And deep down we know this is true.  Deep down we know we need not be told the steps to live a ‘real life.’ All one need do is watch inspirational YouTube videos that have gone viral, read the community section of the newspaper, look at the list of people who have Queen’s Jubilee Medals or the Order of Canada recipients; here we find a whole bunch of people who have done amazing things!  They are people whose words and actions are not focused on themselves and do something great for others--- at least in the moment of service for which they are being commended.

Thomas Merton wrote: I have the immense joy of being a man, a member of a race in which God Himself became incarnate….And if only everybody could realize this!  But it cannot be explained.  There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.”

We walk around in veils of being self-absorbed. When we think of the self and not the community, we add another layer that hides the Christ within us all. It is time to peel back the veils and the sleepiness.  It is time to not think about ourselves, but about relationship, support, and taking the wild uncomfortable unpredictable road of ministry… following in Jesus’ footsteps up and down a mountain wherein we are humbled enough to let veils drop, to remove veils from others --- and then to find Christ in the face of another reflected back to us --- God’s glory.

When will we know if we have accomplished ministry? When will we know if we are on the right path?… if we are asking the question we are still seeking the experience -to own- for ourselves.  When we no longer need to know --- that is when we have lifted the veils and Christ is reflected.

The advice for this week is that each of us has one of two options:  go to sleep and stay out of God’s way, or Live ‘real life.’  --focused on everything that is not about you.