Loving God, your Spirit sustains us whether we are at the height of the mountain top or in the depths of despair. Make us aware of the presence and power of your Spirit this day, and strengthen in us the gifts of faith, hope, and love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The season of Epiphany began with a voice from heaven, revealing who Jesus is. Today, the season of Epiphany ends with a voice from heaven, revealing who Jesus is. However, there are some significant differences. The first time that the voice speaks from heaven, it is at Jesus' baptism, and as far as we can tell, the message is intended for Jesus. "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (Mk. 1:11). However, this time, when Jesus is transfigured on the mountain, the message is directed at Peter, James, and John, so that there won't be any doubt in their minds as to who Jesus really is. "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" (Mk. 9:7).

Did you notice that this time the voice gives a command? "Listen to him!" -- A new commandment, directly from God -- "Listen to him!" Now why do you suppose this command was necessary? Do you have any idea how many different people in the Scriptures have difficulty listening? Take Peter, for example. There are times when he really seems to get it, and then right away we discover that he still isn't really listening.

Jesus: And you - who do you say that I am?

Peter: You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!

Jesus: And do you know what's going to happen to me?

Peter: No teacher, I don't.

Jesus: I'll be rejected by the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders, and I will undergo great suffering. Eventually they will kill me, but after three days I will rise again.

Peter: Oh no, Lord. This must never happen to you!

Jesus: Yes, it must. This is why I have come - to lose my life for the sake of the world.

Peter: No, Lord. That can't be. The Messiah can't be killed. What kind of a Messiah will you be then?

Jesus: Peter, you're not listening. You totally missed the last part of what I was saying. Peter: Which last part?

Jesus: I said that I will rise again. My death is not the end.

Peter: No, Lord. This must never happen to you.

Jesus: Get behind me, Satan! You are focused on human plans, and not on God's plans. Let me show you who I really am. You come with me - you, and James and John.

Peter: Teacher, it is good that we are here with you. We can set up three tents - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah!

Voice: This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!

Peter: I don't know what to do. Let's set up some tents.

Voice: I have told you what to do. Listen to him!

Jesus: And don't tell anybody what you have seen until after I have risen from the dead. Peter: Teacher, I don't understand.

Jesus: Peter, I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail, even after you deny that you have ever known me.

Peter: Lord, I would never deny you. I am ready to go to prison with you, or even die if I have to!

Jesus: Peter, listen to me. You will deny me three times and desert me, but after you turn back, you will strengthen the others.

Peter: Everybody else might desert you, but I would never do that, and I will not deny you! (Pause) I don't know the man. You don't know what you are talking about. I don't know this Jesus of whom you are speaking.

Of course, we might conclude that this is just Peter, except that there are so many others throughout the Bible. For example, Moses.

Voice: Moses! Moses!

Moses: Here I am. Are you there in that burning bush somewhere?

Voice: Take off you're shoes. The ground you are standing on is holy. I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.

Moses: I can't look at you, Lord, or I will die!

Voice: I have seen my people's suffering in the land of Egypt. I have come down to rescue them, and I am sending you to Pharaoh so you can bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Moses: I am nothing. Why would you ask me to do this?

Voice: My power and my presence will be with you.

Moses: But the Israelites will want to know what your name is.

Voice: I AM WHO I AM. Tell them that "I AM" has sent you.

Moses: But what if they don't believe me?

Voice: Here are some miracles that you will perform to prove to them that I have really appeared to you.

Moses: But Lord, I've never been a good speaker, and I'm not any better now that you have spoken to me.

Voice: Who is it who gives speech to human beings? I will be with your mouth and I will teach you what you are to say.

Moses: O my Lord, please send someone else!

Voice: Listen! You can take your brother, Aaron, with you. He's a good speaker, and he can do most of the talking. I'll tell you what to say, and you can tell him.

Moses: Okay, Lord. But what if they won't listen to us? ....

Doesn't it make you wonder where God gets all of that patience from? Doesn't it make you wonder why God bothers with human beings at all? We could go through a whole list of other people in the Bible - people like Abraham and David and Solomon and Adam and Eve - all of whom had tremendous difficulty in actually listening to what God had to say. The disciples are all in very good company, and so are we. For wouldn't God be likely to give us the very same command? - "Listen to him!" What are the things that God has to say to us that we seem unable to hear?

Voice: By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8).

Response: That can't be right. It would mean so much more if I had worked for it. Why doesn't God just lay out what I need to do?

Voice: You have heard that it was said, ?You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Mt. 5:43-44).

Response: That can't be right. Nobody can actually do that!

Voice: Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me (Mk. 10:21).

Response: That can't be right. I have to live somehow, too.

Voice: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you (Jn. 15:12).

Response: That can't be right. Isn't loving one another way too simplistic?

Voice: Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing (Mal. 3:10).

Response: That can't be right. Ten percent is way too much to give away and tithes are rather legalistic. I have to have enough to live on first. Then I might consider it.

Voice: Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on (Mk. 12:43-44).

Response: That can't be right. What good is it going to do her to give everything? How's she supposed to live now?

Voice: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life (Jn. 3:16).

Response: That can't be right. Won't those who live a good life go to heaven? Don't you have to do more than just believe?

Voice: Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do (Jn. 14:12).

Response: That can't be right. None of us could ever live exactly as Jesus did.

Voice: If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me (Mk. 8:34).

Response: That can't be right. What is Jesus doing -- promoting masochism?

Do we really listen to God's whole message, or do we pick out the parts that we like and try to forget the rest? Perhaps that's what the disciples were doing at the time when the voice came out of the cloud and commanded them to really listen to Jesus. They were ignoring the parts that they didn't like. Jesus was in the midst of telling them three different times that he was going to be betrayed and rejected and suffer and die and rise again three days later. They keyed in on the part about suffering and death and said, "No. This is not what we want for you or for anybody else. We would far rather see your glory and power!"

However, Jesus was aware of a truth that the disciples didn't quite grasp yet. There had to be death in order for there to be resurrection. There had to be sorrow in order for there to be joy. There had to be suffering in order to bear the full weight of the sins of the world and wipe the slate clean. There had to be self-sacrifice in order for there to be abundant life. We do not have a Saviour who is above it all, but one who has suffered through it all. When we are at our lowest points, he is there. When we are joyful and full of life, he is there. He has plumbed the depths of earthly sorrow, as well as the heights of heavenly glory.

This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him! Amen.

The Transfiguration of Our Lord (B) Mark 9:2-9

February 26, 2006

St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore

? 2005 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved