3/3/2019 "Seeing God Anew"

Sorry about that. I had the scripture marked in my Bible and left my Bible sitting down here by Sammy. That's okay. We got it. What scripture reading this morning come from Luke chapter 9 verses 28 through 36 and it's the Transfiguration.

And I'm I'm reading out of the new revised Standard Version. So I think it's the same translation. I apologize if it's not. Okay. So now about 8 days after these things Jesus Took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray and while he was praying the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became dazzling white suddenly. They saw two men Moses and Elijah talking to him. They appeared in glory and we're speaking of his departure which she was about to accomplish at Jerusalem 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 just as they were leaving him. Peter said to Jesus Master 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. While he was saying this a cloud came, it came and overshadowed them and they were terrified as they entered the cloud then from the cloud came a voice that said this is my son and my chosen listen to him when the boys have spoken. Jesus was found alone and they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen the word of God for the people of God.

Thank you, sir.

Let us pray.

Lord May the meditations of our hearts in the words of my lips be pleasing in your sight. our Rock and Our Redeemer amen

This upcoming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday the beginning of Lent. It kind of seems weird to have this Transfiguration happen before went seems almost out of place. But it's not. Let me tell you why. Keep in your mind. Did the part of the passage where it says that Peter didn't understand what he did what he had said. Okay, we'll come back to that. over here Jesus Moses and Elijah well before we get there.

Peter John and James They're like the lucky ducks. They didn't go with Jesus up the mountain. I remember at growing up as a child when the uncles gathered when you were finally old enough to ride with them to go get something that they'd forgotten. most likely beer you would made it. You have been accepted into at least no longer a child. But but more like maybe even their favorite, right? And so you get this feeling that things are really going to go your way and that you're somehow separate from everyone else. And so I imagine that's the way that Peter James and John fell on the way up the mountain with Jesus to pray now. Jesus often went away to pray went off by himself to pray this time. He went up the mountain to pray and they got sleepy. So they weren't really sure exactly what they saw but they know who they saw and they saw Moses Elijah and Jesus. now Moses Moses had this experience. He was the he was the one that led the the people out of Egypt to the promised land. He he had that experience with water right when they came to the water they had to do something. So we put the staff in the water and the water and the water parted and then he walked through and led them through to towards the promised land you didn't get there. And then and then there was this other part of Moses's story as well Moses had this thing with water, but Moses also had this thing with feeding people, you know, when he let him to the desert heat he didn't I didn't have any food. So they had to eat and God provided that through Moses called Mana. Okay, and Mana was not known as a delicacy if you would eating it for a long long long time. So the people weren't pleased but they were fed. And so Moses god through Moses said fed people as well.

And then let's let's let's go to Jesus. Jesus had this thing with water to Jesus by three main things with water one. Was that Jesus put push the disciples off in the boat? Like they left off to go across the sea and Jesus said I'll meet you on the other side. And then in the middle of the night Jesus comes out walking on the water. Okay, can we agree that's like equally impressive is dividing the water. Okay, so very similar and so That happened and then there's this other thing that happened with with Jesus and and and and water and that was the storm Thief. There was this time when Jesus was in the front of the boat snore getting some deep sleep and the disciples were worried because the Bastille was so Rocky and so Jesus woke up and said to the storm to be calm and the storm was calm. And so that was both ways that that connected with Moses. Does that make sense? Like the connection with Moses has power with a water and Jesus has power with the water and in the same things going to be true with Elijah with with the healing of the lepers and and the raising of the Dead. And sew in the back of Peter James and John's mines are these connections that happen at the top of this mountain the way that God has revealed godself to them. As well as this connection to Jesus and so they get This brilliant idea Peter gets this idea that they should stay there and worship that they should stay there and worship. Here's the problem number how Peter didn't know exactly what he was saying. See Peter, I don't think was trying to say God is just for Peter James and John but if they would have stayed up on that mountain top, that's all God would have been for those who were already there who were witnessing what God had done in front of them. but Jesus isn't about that. And in Jesus actually is about to go down and go towards Jerusalem and about to go through all this suffering that we can act with Lent end of the eventually the death on Good Friday and the resurrection. On Easter, but if they would have just stayed up there and made Tabernacles for those three. God would have never reached everyone else. And so God's glory. Isn't for you and me it's for everyone else as well. And so what we must do is do acknowledge that we don't own it. We don't get a stay up there and just say this is who God is for me. But this is how God has shaped me and loved me and cared for me and as a result. I hope that you can see Christ alive as well. We lives in unquestionably divided times. But we can't be divided about. Is is that God has impacted our life and that we ought to share that love with others. Like that's that's what God has called us to do. It's not that we're called to remain in this place of worship where where it's all about us. But we have to let some of that go and invite everyone else to the table as well. In the Transfiguration is is here in the Lenten series. Because it it reminds us that it's not just about us. It's about how God opened up that for everyone and and that's culminated for us in this meal that were about to partake. Now we in the United Methodist Church. We understand this to be not need yoga. Grace's Table. Not the United Methodist Church is table not even Rob's table. But this is Christ's table. And who was welcome to Christ's table? everyone and so whether you are seeking or searching or uncertain you are welcome to this table.

We are changed. Because we seen the Transfiguration of Christ in our lives. We can no longer remain the same because God has called us to come down from that mountain experience. And to do the tough part of living out the gospel for others. The glory of God that that that Peter would have had Jesus shared wouldn't have cost Jesus anything. He's been hanging out at the top of the mountain. But instead Jesus chose to live into the grace of God.

May we continue to welcome others to this table into this community into this life in Christ. that we have seen Christ in New and that we've been changed to butter spray

bored

help us to see you. In all that we do. In everywhere we go.

With everyone we talk to you. with everyone we love

Is everyone we meet? In Jesus name we pray. amen

on the night in which Yuzu trade

Not really. Sure Jesus had hand sanitizer, but we do it's flu season.

You took the bread. Westin Broke it.

Gave it to his disciples and said Take and Eat This is my body, which is broken for you.

And likewise when the supper was over. You took the cup.

What's today? Gave it to his disciples and said take and drink. This is the blood of the New Covenant poured out for you. And for all who believe do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.

And so in remembrance of these you were Mighty acts we ask that you might make this before us Christ body and Christ blood that we may be renewed and redeemed for your holy service. amen

Like to invite the praise band forward.