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Please pray with me and for me. Father God, show us your glory. Give us the grace to see you more clearly, to follow you more nearly, and love you more dearly. When you are with us in ways we do not expect or always understand. May we have an open heart, open mind, open ears, open soul and open eyes in our heart to feel your presence right before us like a sponge absorbs water may we absorb your presence in our life. Amen
Please open your Bible to our Scripture Lesson, Mark 9:2-8, which begins six days after Jesus told His Disciples of His death and resurrection.
Mark 9:2-3
And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and Jesus was transfigured before them, (“trans means to be changed. Jesus was changed into a particular shape, form, or outline) and Jesus garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller (a fuller is one who cleans clothes) could bleach them.
I wonder what it would be like to be on the mountaintop and to be there as the Disciples were. To experience the fear, the awe, the beauty of what took place right before their very eyes. I wonder what the Disciples felt like as they stood there with disbelief of what was happening right before their very eyes. I wonder how you or I might react at such a sight before our very eyes as we have opened our Bible to our Scripture Lesson in the New Testament Book of Mark.
Jesus stood before His Disciples in his clothes and all of a sudden became enveloped in a bright white light.
In reading this text, did you notice where Jesus took Peter and James and John? Jesus “led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.” Why would Jesus lead them “up a high mountain?” In going up the high mountains not only were Jesus and Peter, James and John getting away from the people, they were also being closer to God and away from those things of this world.
How does the high mountain work in your life? Are you like the Psalmist, Psalm 121:
I lift my eyes to the mountains, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Is the mountain in your life where you go to get away from that of this world or is the mountain the problems, the obstacles, of your life? Is the mountain your health, finances, work, age, family?
Often it is not until we are left looking up at the mountain in our life that we become humbled enough to look up to God.
He is a little boy who has been shifted from foster home to foster home not by his choice but that is how the system is set up. At a young age he learns not to get close to his foster mom and dad, but its okay to get close to the dog and or cat. The problem is he knows he will be shifted to another foster home and the foster mom and dad he fell in love with won’t be there. A dog or a cat is a dog or a cat, but a mom and dad are not replaceable. Imagine only being five years old and figuring this out, what a horrible nightmare that would be to have to repeatedly live.
Imagine lying in your foster parent’s home and on the wall is a man dressed in a gown. The man has long hair, a beard, is holding a stick in one hand surrounded by sheep with one hand that looks as though it is reaching out for you.
Then one day you are adopted and your adoptive parents find themselves wondering what they did for you are hell in tennis shoes because you say you will never let me leave you and the little boy, AKA MONSTER you adopted says, LET’S SEE HOW BAD YOU REALLY WANT ME! AFTER ALL NOBODY HAS EVER KEPT ME!
I was that little boy who learned at a young age to not get close to my foster mom’s and dad’s because when I got taken to another foster home it hurt to bad for I wanted my foster mom and dad from my previous foster home.
I will be fifty-four May 25, 2009, and I still remember those days and how they hurt. I still have that little boy in me that longed to have a mommy, a daddy, a last name, and to not wear and or sleep in anything that any other child had ever worn and or slept in.
Most of all, I longed to have a last name and to belong. I still remember the picture on the wall that I learned is Jesus, my Lord and Savior. To this day when I close my eyes I can still visualize that picture and see Jesus hand reaching out for me.
Sometimes in life we so caught up in life that we forget the transfiguration of Jesus happens in our life if only we are open to see His presence right before our very eyes. The presence of Jesus in our life can change us from what we were and shape us into a new person in Christ. Sometimes we get so caught up in this world that we forget the priorities.
Let’s continue with our Scripture Lesson, Mark 9:4-8
And there appeared to Peter and James and John Elijah (Elijah was an Old Testament Prophet who listened to God when God spoke and Jesus said that Elijah has come in the person of John the Baptist to prepare for the day of the Lord) with Moses (Moses represented the Jewish Law, the author of the first books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch which is known in the Jewish tradition as the Law or Torah and is the Bible of the Jesus faith; and Elijah and Moses were talking to Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well known that we are here; let us make three booths, (temporary shelters) one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah. For Peter did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” And suddenly looking around Peter and James and John no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.
“And suddenly looking around, Peter and James and John no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only” for in the end what matters? That which you had on this earth or being in the presence of Jesus in your life? In the end what matters, the titles you had here on earth or the title of being God’s
child?
This Sunday we are on the threshold of Lent, the season of the cross, which begins this Ash Wednesday. In the words of song, Cross of Christ
I will lay down my burdens I’ve spent my life bearing and confess I’m a sinner for whom Jesus died. I will live every moment in the light of His mercy and not take for granted His loving sacrifice. I will carry the cross of Christ, hold to the hope I’m given. Reach out to those in need and show them love, with all my soul and strength, as long as my heart is beating I’ll follow the one who laid down His life for mine and carry the cross of Christ. I will make it my mission to serve those around me, to care for the broken and pray for the lost. I will walk in the footsteps of my Lord and Savior and I’ll live out the gospel no matter what the cost. I’ll follow the one who laid down His life for mine and carry the cross of Christ.
In your life where are you at this transfiguration Sunday? Caught up in the prophets of this world, caught up in the laws of this world or are you following the one who laid down His life for yours and mine and carrying the cross of Christ in your life? Are you seeing that of this world or seeing Jesus only in your life?
Mark 9:9-10
And as Peter and James and John were coming out of the mountain, Jesus charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead. So Peter and James and John kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
To be honest with you as I read this Scripture I kept thinking there is a meaning to this… what is it? Then God spoke to me in prayer and told me. There are many on mountain high trips that come back down to earth and don’t understand, for they have given their life to that of this world and not to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. What confused the disciples, as what confuses non-believers, is one not understanding Jesus reason. In the popular Christmas bumper sticker, “Jesus Is The Reason For The Season.”
There are many who worship false gods, who pray to shrines, who make
Elijah (an earthly prophet) and Moses (one who represents the law) and
Jesus Christ as one. Reality is there are no comparison and or similarity between Benny Hinn, Billy Graham, Joel Osteen, Beth Moore, Joyce Myers, to name a few and Jesus Christ.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is not only God’s only Son, Jesus far surpasses the authority and knowledge of any authority and power of this world. Many voices weekly try to tell us through the media, written, television and radio, try to tell us weekly how to have a healthy attitude, how to live our lives and to know God personally as Our Father Who Art In Heaven. But it isn’t until we grasp the truth of the Word of God that we can truly understand all other authorities in light of God’s revelation.
If I may, at age six I was so happy to be adopted, to have a last name, my own mommy and daddy, my own dog, to know that nobody had ever worn the clothes I wore, slept in the bed I slept in or ate or drank with the utensils I ate and drank with. I worshipped the ground my earthly father walked on and one day he told me, “Walter, do not touch the top of the stove, it is hot and you will get hurt. Then he sternly pointed his finger at me and once again told me, “DO NOT TOUCH THE TOP OF THE STOVE I DO NOT WANT YOU TO GET HURT.” Then my earthly father gave me a love pat on my behind, AKA “I MEAN IT DON’T TOUCH THE TOP OF THE STOVE.” It wasn’t until I touched the top of the hot stove with a Kleenex that caught on fire that I threw into the trash can which in turn caught on fire that I grasped the truth of my earthly father as my hand was on fire. I got the message and needless to say a sore bottom after my bottom met the hand of truth of my earthly father who warned me! “DON’T TOUCH THE TOP OF THE STOVE.”
On this Transfiguration Sunday what does it take for you to get the message in your life? What does it take for you to be “trans” (to be changed) “figuration” (formed into something that is symbolic, a representation of Jesus Christ in your life). It is not until we, like the Disciples, have grasped the truth that we can be powerful witnesses for God.
“How much does Jesus love you? He loves you so much that He spread His arms this far (symbol of the cross-bars) and died for you.
From the Old Testament of the Bible the prophet Joshua, Joshua 24:23,
Joshua said, “Then put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.”
On this Transfiguration Sunday, as we prepare for Ash Wednesday and the journey of carrying the cross to Golgotha I am going to ask you to make a commitment this morning. A commitment of Word and prayer not to this world we know as home, but between you and God the Father.
I am going to ask you, if you can, stand. If you cannot stand then sit up tall as we open our Bible to our Old Testament Sermon Text and say out loud our commitment to God. Joshua 24:14-15, while remembering in the Bible, “fear” means “respect” and an “Amorite” is one who came from the family of Noah a Godly man who sinned, Genesis 9:20-27. Please remain standing through the prayer and our song, “When We All Get to Heaven” on page 701 of your hymnal.
From your heart, repeat with me Joshua 24:14-15
Now therefore fear (respect) the LORD, and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if you be unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day, whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served
in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Father God we rejoice this day in your presence. May all who are gathered remember their commitment to serve You and nothing else. May all remember and believe with all their heart and soul the words, and experience in their lives, the words written by Gospel writer/singer Bill Gaither “Since I gave my heart to Jesus the longer I Serve Him the sweeter He grows. The more I love Him, more love He bestows; each day is like heaven, my heart overflows, the longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows. Amen
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