“A Vision to Remember”

Exodus 24:12-18

Matthew 17:1-8

February 26, 2006

Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday

Today the churches of the Reformation celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration. Today marks an important transition in the life of the church, a transition from the season of Epiphany to the season of Lent, which will begin this week on Ash Wednesday. The reason why this day marks an important transition is because after today we will begin our journey with Jesus toward Jerusalem, toward the hill of Golgotha, toward the cross.

But this day is more than just a transitional day for us, it is also the day when we remember the remarkable and mysterious moment in Jesus’ life when the veil over his true identity is once again lifted, just as it was at his baptism, allowing us to have a brief vision of who Jesus really is. And yet, this day is more than just a day of transition or remembrance, it is also a day of blessing, a day of blessing through the gift we have been given, the gift of grace that has been shown to us, the gift of God’s glory revealed in Jesus Christ, given to us to sustains us and encourages us through the time that is to come.

We cannot ever minimize the importance of Jesus’ transfiguration in the lives of his three most important disciples. Through the years of Jesus’ ministry, the disciples were not always certain about who Jesus’ really was. They were not always confident that Jesus was truly the Messiah of God. Although they had heard his words about the kingdom of God, and seen his works of healing among the people, and even had been given authority to do God’s work and proclaim the good news, they still were not fully convinced about the truth of Jesus’ identity. And yet, it would be these disciples who would be the ones to carry Christ’s message to the ends of the earth. They would be the ones to continue Christ’s work in a broken and hostile world. And so Jesus gives the three disciples, his most trusted companions, a gift for them to hold onto, a vision for them to remember during the unknown and uncertain future before them.

And so Jesus takes his three disciples up a high mountain where Jesus is transfigured before them. His face shines like the sun, and his clothes become dazzling white. But there is more. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appear with him, and they are talking to him. And a voice from heaven calls out, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” In a brief moment, the three disciples had witnessed the glory of God. In a brief moment, the curtain had been pulled back, the veil lifted, the heavenly shroud raised, and they were given a glimpse into a time and space beyond their own, a vision of the divine glory that was hidden from their eyes. Just for an instant, the true identity of Jesus Christ was revealed, the true identity of the One who chose to weave himself into the fabric of human history in the person of Jesus Christ.

The vision they were given was more than just about them; it was about all of history. What was unveiled for them goes all the way back to Moses. It enfolds the cry and promise of all the prophets, and it pushes them into a future not even they can conceive, a future that belongs to the Almighty and Holy God. Whatever the disciples would have to face in the future, they now had a vision to remember. Whatever the disciples would have to endure, they now had a vision to remember. Whatever the disciples would be called upon to do, they now had a vision to remember, a vision that would give them inner courage to persevere, the inner strength to overcome, and the inner wisdom to trust and listen to the one who is greater than themselves, the one who is guiding them and leading them to the springs of the water of life and the true bread from heaven prepared for them. And yet, this gift is not for these three disciples alone, but for all of those who have come after them, all of those who call themselves disciples of Jesus Christ, you and me, and all the faithful in the body of Christ.

We too have been given a vision to remember, a vision that sustains us and guides us and leads us in our own lives of discipleship, a vision that propels us forward in our mission and ministry, a vision of someone greater than ourselves to hold onto. And we all need someone to hold onto, someone who knows us better than we know ourselves, someone who sees in us more than what we see in ourselves, someone who pushes us and drives us to be better people today and tomorrow than what we were yesterday.

Over these last two weeks, the world once again joined together to watch and cheer on those people who embody the Olympic spirit, the athletes who worked and trained for years to be able to compete at the level of an Olympic athlete. But what I love most about the Olympics, are not the stories of those who are the world’s best, or the stories of those expected to medal, but the stories of those who never make it in front of the camera, the stories of those who do not find themselves in the glitz and glamour of fame, but who truly embody something bigger than themselves.

The stories that move me the most are the stories about people like Phillip Boit from Kenya, who competed in the men’s 15k cross country skiing event. He finished 92 out of 97, but had the biggest smile on his face when he crossed the finish line. Or the story of 17 year old, Fluer Maxwell, the only representative of Luxemburg, who came in last place in the ladies figure skating, but who said that just being able to represent her country and compete in the Olympics was a dream come true. Or the stories of Lindsay Kildow, from the US, who had a horrible crash in a downhill practice run, but put aside her fears and came back to compete finishing eighth, and Joey Cheek, also from the US, who gave $40,000 in winnings from his two medals to charity. And then one of my favorite, the story of the Boise State University professor, Werner Hoeger, from Venezuela, who at that age of 52, one of the oldest athletes in the Olympics, competed in the Luge event.

All of them and others, from every walk of life, known and unknown, remind us that inside each one of us there is something at work that is beyond ourselves and greater than ourselves, something, someone, who sees in us something of great worth, great potential, and great ability. Someone who pushes us and drives us to be better than what we believe we can be. Someone who gives us a vision that goes beyond what our eyes can see, what our body tells us, and even what our mind believes to be possible. Someone who has taken us to the top of the mountain and revealed to us the true heart and character of God and says to us, “Do not be afraid.”

Week after week, we gather together in this place of worship to be given the vision to remember. Week after week, we come together as the body of Christ to once again be in the presence of God only to find that we are never without it. That is what the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is all about. It’s about the promise and gift of God’s presence in the midst of life, the promise and gift of God’s grace that sustains us, strengthens us, and encourages us in our walk on the journey of faith. The promise and gift of God’s glory that shines upon each and every one of us, illuminating our hearts and minds, and revealing to us the true identity of the One who is God with us, Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of the world.

Here in worship, we are once again invited to have an encounter that causes all others to pale in comparison. Here in this place of worship, we hear God speak to us out of the cloud of glory we call God’s word. We hear God’s voice speak to us through the anthems and hymns, liturgies and sermons. We hear Jesus’ invitation to come and join together around his table, in the sacrament that transforms human words into God’s word, and transforms human life into God’s instruments of righteousness and justice in the world. Here, through the Spirit of the living Christ, in these common gifts of bread and cup, time and space are once again put aside, the veil is lifted, what is hidden is revealed, and God’s glory shines through. Here, you and I are welcomed to come, welcomed to come and taste and see what is good, welcomed to come and know him in the most intimate way, and welcomed to come into his glory, into his presence as his very own. This should be something we want to experience every Sunday, not just on certain Sundays.

Take this gift you have been given, the vision you have witnessed, and remember. Remember that you have been given all that you need to grow more and more into the body of Christ. Remember that you have been given all that you need to be God’s people in the world. Remember that you have been given the very fruits of the Spirit to do God’s work in the world. Take hold of that vision. Remember it. Let it sustain, strengthen, and encourage you in your calling as Christ’s church. Let God’s glory be revealed to you, so that Christ’s light will shine through you in the world, even as we all wait for the day when the world itself will be transfigured into the glory of God. Amen.