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.

http://www.okwu.edu/blog/2015/11/this-is-not-a-day-care-its-a-university/

This is the piece I referred to in the sermon this morning.  I appreciated the words of the letter and could not have said it any better myself.  There is lots here to think about.  I hope it makes you "uncomforatble."

W.I.N.E -sermon Epiphany 2C

I was given an old book for Christmas containing a series of sermons by Lutheran pastor and professor, Helmut Thielicke.  I have been reading one each night before I go bed.  Thielicke had a unique way of turning parables upside --- always seeking to determine what in the world God was up to in Jesus’ words; he sat with each parable long enough to come up with poignant thoughts that applied directly to his context --- and to the context of today. Oft times these sermons from the 1950s seem directed at me.  His thoughts have coloured mine. 

This sermon pauses to delve into the reading of Jesus changing water into wine.  In this event, what in the world was God up to in Jesus’ actions?  What do we learn about God and applying Jesus’ example to our lives today?  I am going to focus on four take-aways for reflecting on and applying today’s Gospel reading.  Consider the acronym: WINE, W.I.N.E.

W. is for WELCOME:

It is a wedding.  To be more specific it is a middle-eastern wedding, in a town, in the countryside.  This wedding is the event of the week ---  nothing else is going on, things are put on hold ----  everyone shows up; those who live in the town, those from the neighbouring countryside, people visiting from farther afield.

I was watching “Say Yes to the Dress,” on TV Friday night and a young Ethiopian woman came to buy a dress, with an entourage of 20 other women to help in the picking of the dress.  The host commented, “It takes a whole community to find a dress.”  The wedding itself ---- the family was expecting upwards of 800 people over the multiple day event.

Jesus and the disciples are at a multi-day event that will welcome many hundreds of people.

Some of us grew up in rural towns – towns where you know of everyone and everyone knows of you; for good and ill. The town comes to the wedding. At the wedding there will be those of whom we approve; the ones having received proper invitations from the parents of the bride, and extended curtesies by the parents of the groom; but, at such a wedding the whole town is there: those belly-ached about, the brunt of jokes, those under watchful eye, the scapegoat, the town drunk, the show-off, the eccentric, the lunatic, the better-than-thou-tea-tottler, the one who talks too much, the couple with the wild-children; the please-do-not-let-me-be-cornered-by-that person;…. When the guests arrive at the door, all are welcome to come in to celebrate, to eat, drink, and make merry.

The wedding celebration of the church is celebrating the Eucharist and offering to all the invitation to come. Come celebrate, eat, drink, and be merry. People are not turned away from the rail, told that they cannot come, or made to jump through hoops to receive the gifts of Christ’s body and blood.  All are welcome for a blessing. The richness of the event is giving thanks.  It is sharing together in communion --- a wine that binds us together not just in this space, but, in the celebration of Eucharist in other Christian communities around the globe—in celebrations today, yesterday, and tomorrow.  In our prayers the prayer is not just over bread and wine, but, also the community.   Together in celebration we experience the welcome of God, receiving us as we are, a townsperson not entirely approved of by other townspeople.  We ask in one of our communion prayers, “O God, you are wine: warm our hearts and make us one.” And this is the grand welcome! We are welcomed and made one through Jesus, on God’s behalf.

I is for INPUT:

To think -  that perhaps the miracle of wine may never have occurred, is written about in many a commentary.  Writers suggest that without the nudge from Mary, without her input, Jesus may just have been like any other guest -welcomed to the celebration, to eat, drink, and be merry --- to return home filled with food, drink, and warmed by community fellowship. In God’s vision and understanding of kingdom, there was potential for far more. It was Mary’s input that had the celebration continue on, with new wine – fantastic wine -  that celebrated the revelation of the glory of God to those present in that day and to us who hear the story today.

The importance of input is that input shakes Jesus, shakes us, from the comfort of our regular operating procedures.  Input interrupts our thinking patterns and opens opportunities for communal miracles.  Input pushes the foundations of who we are and what we believe. Sometimes input kicks us in the behind and reminds us that life is short: get on with living and sharing and being whom God created you to be; get on with playing out the kingdom of God.

Input can act along the lines of last week’s sermon, commending us to open ourselves to bearing the Voice of the Lord, to those who are in need of hearing words of life and hope. Input from outside ourselves, urges us and others to act now, so that everyone may hear the invitation ---that all may be invited to the celebration and welcomed to the feast.

Input potentially changes everything.  It did at the wedding.  It was no longer a common affair, a typical wedding; Mary’s input, aroused Jesus’ input, and God’s input comes as an abundance of wine. 

And the purpose of wine… the wedding celebration lasted longer – people stayed until the wine was consumed … extended time means there is time for others to be invited, for others to still arrive.  With extra time we can give more invitations to come and celebrate.  It takes on average seven invitations to church before a person says yes.  So get inviting.  In the big picture the winner is the community, fellowship, and relationship; where all are equal, all are fed, all share in the joy.

N is NEW BEGINNINGs –

Weddings are a new beginning: in the way a couple relates to each other; in the way that others relate to the couple.  This wedding is a new beginning for Jesus as he ventures into public displays of miracles.

For the church, weddings are times when new beginnings occur as someone walks into church for the first time and hears the Word of God; or a wedding guest has a positive experience with a minister/pastor; or a guest puts their own stuff aside (like a divorce, broken relationship) for the sake of a child getting married.  The wedding becomes a time for a new beginning, a time of transformation for the heart.

And talk about transformation: Helmut Thielicke refers to Jesus as, “a storm in a Galilean tea cup.” –one man, in a tiny region, who through word and action puts not only others in motion, but, realizes God’s vision. This miracle is just the beginning of God breaking into the world in provocative ways.

E. is for EPIC: 

Seriously, the thought of this miracle illustrates that Jesus bears God’s CREATIVE POWER and JOYFUL PRESENCE in the world.  Jesus turns an enormous amount of water into wine.  One commentary suggests the amount works out to 700 bottles. This is epic extravagance!

One might argue about the necessity of such extravagance. One might comment that wine is a ridiculous waste of miracle power --- a group of people happy and drunk--- when there are hungry, and poor, sick and in imprisoned.  Why waste time on wine when there are worldly kingdoms to overthrow and justice to be brought?

Why? Because …. In the sharing of wine, in the sharing of Christ’s suffering and blood, all are welcomed, all are equal despite the townsperson they are, all commune together and celebrate an abundance beyond imagination.  This story is not about a simple wedding at Cana in Galilee, it is a description and symbol of the fullness of God and God’s want for creation. One’s experience of the grand celebration brings joy, hope, a willingness and wanting to invite others to come – to input, to nudge, to speak, to act – to prolong the celebration so that the late comers are not forgotten.

This miracle shows who God is; God is a God of great abundance.

Helmut Thielicke doesn’t usually suggest prescriptions in sermons, however, he offered this one, “Faith is nothing but being quiet and receptive when God speaks, being still when God acts.  What I have to say, then, applies only to this quiet receptiveness.  Or, to express it in a different way, it is suggested only in order to help us stop putting ourselves in the limelight and asserting ourselves when God wants to turn on his light and enlighten us.

When we are sitting in a train or bus or the backseat of our car, when the telephone is silent for a moment and secretaries and appointment books are gone for a time, we should try for once not to reach for a radio knob or a bell push.  Then we should try taking a deep breath and saying, “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.” This will give a sense of distance and peace.”  

And I would add that the pause, the moment of quiet receptiveness, is the moment to drink in the wine of heaven.  It is a moment to accept the invitation to the celebration, to attend the wedding and be filled with welcome, input, and a new beginning.   This is epic!  God’s miracle of abundance extravagantly showered for you, for all! Thanks be to God! Amen.