Sermon for February 27, 2022 - Transfiguration Transformation

GOSPEL: Luke 9:28-36 [37-43a]

The gospel is announced.

The holy gospel according to Luke.

Glory to you, O Lord.

28Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29And while he was praying, the appearance of Jesus’ face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to Jesus. 31They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32Now 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. 33Just 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. 34While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

The gospel concludes:

The gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Did any of you watch the Super Bowl? 

The Super Bowl is a cultural institution: 

if you like sports - 

you’ve got the biggest game of the year.

If you don’t like sports - 

you’ve got the party food 

and the wacky commercials,

and the epic half-time shows. 

Something for everyone.

Personally, I’m fascinated by football coaches. 

The head coach is responsible for 46 players, 

11 at a time on the field. 

There is an incredible amount of pressure and preparation, 

all for just 1 game a week. 

Coaches can be fired over 1 bad game. 

The stakes are high.

There is something that each head coach has in common. 

No, it is not a large and loud cuss word vocabulary, 

Nor a scowl on their faces…

It’s the headset.

They don’t wear the little earbud. 

It’s the full size headset. 

Hockey coaches will hide the earpiece, 

but in football, the coaches aren’t shy - 

with the giant headset, they say 

“Yes, we are talking to the coaches in the press box, 

and you should be intimidated by it!”

With the headset, 

the coach is communicating with the other coaches, 

sitting high up in the Upper-Upper-mezzanine level, 

higher than cheech and chong, 

about as high up as you can get in the stadium. 

Those coaches sitting up high 

add much needed perspective 

for the coaches on the field.

They can see the playing field differently, 

they can see things that can’t be seen at playing level.

They can help the coach see trends and patterns, 

they can see possibilities for plays that could work. 

They can watch the replays too, 

and pass that info along. 

They can tell you when you’re about to be blitzed

or when there’s an opening down field.

No football coaching staff is complete 

without coaches in the press level.

Whether you identify yourself as a coach 

or player on the field, 

a fan in the stands, 

a cheerleader, 

or even if you care as much about football 

as your cat does, 

we all need to view our lives 

through different perspectives. 

We can all use a coach beside us 

on our playing field of life, 

and we can all use a coach up in the press box, 

adding needed perspective.

From up close, From a distance

we can’t always see the impact we have on people,

or that people have on us,

or the impact we have on ourselves. 

We need different perspectives.

Cue Peter and his companions 

on the mountain with Jesus.

Long before the Transfiguration,

Simon Peter enters the story 

in chapter 4 of Luke’s gospel, 

as Jesus heals Simon’s mother in law. 

Then Jesus teaches Simon, the fisherman, 

how to fish and says 

“from now on, you will be catching people.” 

Simon Peter witnesses 

Jesus’ healings, teachings and miracles: 

the cleansing of a Leper, 

the healing of a paralytic, 

a man with a withered hand, 

healing many people with many diseases and evil spirits. 

Peter hears the sermon on the mount, 

witnesses the woman with haemorrhages healed, 

the little girl raised, 

the feeding the 5000. 

Peter has likely witnessed most all of Jesus’ ministry. 

Not long before this transfiguration event, 

Peter, along with the other disciples, 

had been sent out to proclaim the Kingdom of God 

and to heal in the surrounding villages, 

given power to heal 

and given power over evil spirits. 

Even after all of this experience in ministry with Jesus, 

all it takes is one glorious mountain top experience 

for Peter to become like 

a ten-year-old child at Disneyland, 

“This is so awesome! Let’s stay here forever!”

Peter needed the reminder - we need the reminder: 

This, Jesus, is God’s chosen. Listen to him! 

Peter needs the high-up perspective - 

we need that perspective: 

a reminder of who Jesus is, 

and a reminder of what that means.

“This is my Son, my chosen. Listen to him!” 

Listen to him.

And what does Jesus say? 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, 

and all your mind, and all your soul, 

and all your strength. 

And love your neighbours as yourself.” 

This requires action.

On the mountain top, 

Peter can’t love his neighbours, 

he can’t love his enemies 

and he certainly can’t fish for people up there. 

From the mountain top looking down, 

you can cast judgment on others, 

and judge yourself

you can condemn others, 

and condemn yourself

you can talk ill of others, 

and talk ill of yourself

But that’s not who Jesus calls Peter to be. 

That’s not who Jesus calls you to be. 

The call came from the voice from the clouds - 

This is my Son, my chosen. Listen to him. 

Do what he says.

Love God.

Love neighbour - and that includes loving yourself

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke Continues: On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met Jesus. 38Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him”… Jesus responds “Bring your son here.” 42While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43aAnd all were astounded at the greatness of God. 

All were astounded at the greatness of God.

The mountaintop transfiguration event happened 

because apparently Peter and John and James, 

even after significant ministry with Jesus 

still didn’t get it. 

Transfiguration happened, 

Jesus was revealed on that mountain, 

so that, again, 

Peter and John and James 

might see the greatness of God in Jesus. 

But God’s Work is not limited to the mountain, 

real ministry happens down in the valley 

so that all might be astounded at the greatness of God. 

Scholars say that this Transfiguration event 

is likely to have occurred on Mount Tabor,

or possibly Mount Hermon

either way - it happened in a real place. 

The bible tells us Jesus was revealed in glory 

In front of real people. 

And they keep silent about it. 

They tell no one.

Well that’s no shocker. 

We too are very good 

at keeping our experiences of God a secret. 

I can tell you all that I have recently 

had a powerful experience of God.

It wasn’t on a mountain top

It was in my darkest valley 

this past November.

Like Peter, James and John,

I needed perspective,

because like players on a football field,

I couldn’t see what my coaches

what Jesus my Head Coach could see

from beside me on the playing field

and up in the press box, so to speak. 

My healing is ongoing,

and I’ll be sharing bits and pieces with you…

For today - I couldn’t breath as I faced the blitz

I didn’t realize it was happening

and I had no idea how bad it would get.

I am beyond grateful for my coaches 

who brought me to Jesus in my valley.

You, Advent Lutheran, are one of those coaches,

and I thank you.

Who are your coaches?

Do you have them on the playing field with you,

and up in the press box, so to speak?

If you don’t know who your coaches are,

find them.

Back to the mountain,

Peter thought he had Jesus figured out,

let me build 3 dwelling places,

let us stay here!

Jesus can’t stay on the mountain,

the needs are far greater in the valley. 

Transfiguration means a changing in form or appearance,

metamorphosis - 

like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

Jesus’ transfiguration revealed to Peter, James and John

who Jesus really is. 

Maybe the story is less about how Jesus was transfigured,

and more about how the disciples were transformed

by the revealing of who God really is

and what God is really doing.

Jesus wasn’t transfigured for his own sake,

but for the disciples,

for us. 

Transfiguration events still happens today, 

where God is revealed to us,

and we can no longer go unchanged. 

I believe that when Jesus is revealed to us, 

we ought to stop being silent about these things. 

When your heart is hurting,

when surrounded by confusion and uncertainty,

when it gets hard to breath,

listen to your coaches,

particularly our Rabbi, Jesus the Christ,

who is beside you on your playing field,

and able to add perspective

from up in the press-box of life.

And share your stories;

with your family and friends, 

with your fellow congregation members, 

with your pastor. 

The mountain top stories can’t stay on the mountain.

They belong on the playing field,

they’re needed in the dark valleys.

God gives us the opportunities to talk about 

our experiences of God, 

to help Jesus be revealed to others, 

to help others experience God,

to help others be transformed

and maybe even be transformed ourselves.

Thanks be to God. Amen