Focus:
Seeing
Jesus
Function:
To
help people look at the real Jesus instead of a contextualized view
of Him.
Form:
The
Story with conclusions.
Intro:
This
is a great story for Lent because it represents a fundamental shift
in the focus of Jesus' teaching of the 12 apostles. It is the
beginning of Jesus' focus on the cross.
For
the most part, up until this point, the crowd have been hanging out
with Jesus while He is performing a lot of miracles and teaching
people to be kind to each other.
I
need to emphasize that last statement.
It
seems to me that the emphasis on the miracles and works of Jesus are
not to make Him look fantastic, but they are all, they are always -to
me- metaphors for God's love and kindness.
He
does two things. First, He chooses to spend time with the ones that
did not fit into normal society. And secondly, He performs these
miracles on behalf of many people who for the most part are also
those who do not quite fit in.
I
had a personal campaign about 15 years ago that I titled “Take back
queer.”
Queer
means odd, or different.
But,
it had become a derogatory word used against homosexual persons.
And
the thing is this, many of us have ways that we do not feel like we
fit in.
All
of us are created by God differently and uniquely.
And
even though my theology on the issue was different then than it is
today, it just isn't -or wasn't- right that people, any people, no
matter who they are, homosexual, Muslim, handicapped, women, clergy,
laity, liberal, conservative, black, white, rich, poor or any other
subgroup gets labeled in a critical way.
Jesus
loves every one. Period.
And
our language needs to reflect that.
What
Jesus is doing is indeed radical!
Here
is this Man, who is doing miracles, but He is upsetting the status
quo of society because He chooses to be the friend of sinners and the
marginalized.
Listen
to these words from The Message, Luke 15: 1-3aBy
this time a lot of
men and women of
doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently.
The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all
pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners
and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.”
This
is new!
Jesus
has created a lot of excitement.
Crowds
start flocking to Him.
And,
it is not easy for everyone.
One
Sunday afternoon I got that phone call that pastors often get:
“Pastor, I need to talk to you about your sermon. Something really
upset me.” She went on: “you said that Jesus let a prostitute
wash His feet. There is no way that Jesus would ever associate with a
person like that.”
Like
I said, this teaching by the example of who Jesus loved and choose to
hang out with was radical.
And
for a moment, if you will, hold that idea right here. In your mind
place it on a shelf, right here, where you can pick it back up again
quickly (symbolically place an object on a factitious shelf)
For
the sake of the sermon, I need to I segue to the big
shift in Jesus 3 year ministry.
The
big shift happened 6 days before this event.
The
three gospel accounts that report this miracle keep them together
because of their specific relationship to each other.
The
event was Jesus beginning a new, a sort of private teaching, with His
12 apostles.
The
shift in Jesus' teaching is when Jesus begins speaking about his
death and resurrection.
Most
of you probably remember the reaction to this, don't you?
Jesus
said: “I will be crucified...”
Peter
says: “never will I let this happen to you...”
Jesus
not only rebukes Peter, but He also rebukes Satan for using Peter to
try to dissuade Jesus from the cross.
And
this idea of this great Savior, who was supposed to deliver the
people, who was so popular among the people because He seemed to be
the one who was going to deliver them from oppression falls flat on
its face because Jesus changes the story with the prophecy of His own
death and resurrection.
This
has to take the wind out of their sails. And it seems so preposterous
that they have a hard time believing it.
And
God, being the creator of Human nature seems to know just how
difficult it is for them to accept this whole new paradigm for Jesus'
ministry, God starts out slowly.
Hence,
the transfiguration.
This,
to these three apostles, it is the proof in the pudding.
That
is a good metaphor for what is happening here.
The
proof in the pudding is a shortened version of “the
proof -of the quality- of the pudding won't come until one eats it.”
In
other words, the experience of it will eventually prove it and until
then, one has to take it by faith.
So,
until the “until then” happens, Jesus commands them to keep it a
secret. I believe it is because not many others are going to
understand it.
So,
Jesus changes His teaching.
Peter's
first reaction is evidently inspired by hell itself.
It
was difficult for them to grasp.
Jesus
goes on to talk about the cost of discipleship and then tells them
what we read in verse 1:
9:
1And he went on to say, “I tell you, there are some here
who will not die until they have seen the Kingdom of God come with
power.”
Okay,
the story of the change: Peter confesses Christ, Jesus tells them He
will die, Peter refutes Jesus, Jesus rebukes him, Jesus tells them
the cost of discipleship is the cross for themselves and just as they
are trying to grasp all of that, Jesus comforts them with a promise
that will prove, beforehand what He has just said: “Some of you
will see my awesome glory.”
Then
the verse before today's text; 9: 2Six days later...
The
big shift is happening.
It
is to difficult to grasp initially and Jesus is slowly teaching His
disciples this equally important concept.
Go
back to that shelf you put that idea on (symbolically grab item
off of shelf).
Are
you back with the first idea yet?
Jesus
has become very popular because He is doing something very new,
something exciting and more importantly, something that includes
everyone.
He
becomes very popular because all of a sudden, instead of the just the
rich, or the highly educated, everyone, and I mean everyone has
access to this great new teaching of love and acceptance.
He
makes it clear throughout His ministry, but especially at the end
when He says: “A
New Commandment I give you, Love one another.”
Jesus
is both showing and telling them that instead of this huge code of
the OT law, the 1st 5 books of the Bible written by Moses,
and instead of the addition of the rest of the codes which are
inspired by the prophets, there is really only once commandment, in
two parts: Love God, Love others.
And
right here, the transfiguration happens.
The
beauty of this story is the inherent symbolism.
In
the transfiguration, Jesus appears to the apostles with the
manifestation of the glory of God in all of its brightness.
And,
Moses, who represents the OT law, and Elijah, who represents the OT
prophets appear with Jesus.
Now,
up until this point, Peter, James and John are part of the group.
They
are not shining brightly like Jesus, Moses and Elijah, but they are
included in the circle.
Peter
who always reacts quickly with what seems to me to be statements that
he thinks Jesus wants to hear, maybe to get credit for figuring it
out, maybe because he is just as impulsive a fellow as I am, but he
shouts out to Jesus.
“Great,
let us memorialize this event with three monuments.”
Peter
catches the significance of the awesome Glory of God being revealed.
This
is a big event.
This
is Moses on the mountain event.
This
is a history changing event in the covenant of God and it should be
memorialized. -That is Peter's thinking,
But
that wasn't God's plan.
And
it appears that as soon as Peter says it, the situation changes.
A
cloud settles on Jesus, Moses and Elijah. And apparently they can't
see through the cloud.
In
a similar fashion to God giving the 10 commandments to the people,
God speaks out of the cloud.
And
what does God say?
This
is my Son. LISTEN to Jesus!
I
often wonder if God is telling Peter, stop being so religious and
just listen!
I
wonder if the James and John are going, “keep quiet Peter, you
ruined the moment!”
I
doubt it.
I
am pretty sure it all happened just as God planned it to happen.
But
the fact remains that God has all of a sudden emphasized this great
big change in human history with this event.
A
new covenant is coming.
A
New Testament is here.
Moses
represented all the laws.
Elijah
represented all the mystics.
And
God says to these three men something that we all need to hear:
“Focus on Jesus!”
“Listen!
Focus on Jesus!”
Let
me get back to Peter a minute.
He
is a doer. He is a man of action.
He
cut off Malchus's ear to defend Jesus when Jesus was arrested.
He
promised Jesus that no matter what, he had Jesus' back.
He
was quick.
And
God is speaking directly to that kind of person.
God
loves that kind of person.
But
I hear God's response to Peter's desire to build three tabernacles to
commemorate this event with a simple phrase:
Peter,
stop doing and just be.
Be
with me.
Be
with me in this moment.
Peter,
don't you understand that without me, you are left to your own power
and devices?
But
Peter, when I am with you and in you, you and I can be so much more
than either of us can be on our own.
Peter,
stop for a moment and enjoy this.
Peter,
stop for a moment and see exactly what is happening.
Peter,
stop for a moment and actually look at Jesus.
Listen
to Jesus.
It
is Lent, and it is time for us to Listen to Jesus. It is time for us
to just be with Jesus enjoying the moments of our connection with
God.
So,
let us finish with that exercise.
Close
your eyes with me and listen to Jesus sayings:
Let
me give you some of my favorites:
“Come
unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.
“Neither
do I condemn you...
“I
am the resurrection and the life...
“Blessed
are those who thirst for justice...
“Blessed
are the poor...
“Mary...
I
invite you to add your own...
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