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"Nudging Up Against Heaven"
Back in August, a German news organization reported that a Dutch
transportation planner, Hans Monderman, has been pushing an
innovative plan for improving traffic. Amazingly, several towns
in the Netherlands and Germany have already signed on.
Monderman’s proposals include eliminating traffic signs and street
markings all together. He believes this will force drivers to be
careful as they hunt for their destinations. His plans also include
building children’s playgrounds in median strips of roads, figuring
that drivers would surely slow down.
Deutsche Welle- World.de (Bonn, Germany), 8-27-06
Does anyone in here think THIS is a good idea? The roads are
crazy enough. There is already too much disorder, confusion,
and frustration out there, without adding a new layer of
bewilderment by taking away traffic signs and street markings.
Since when do you bring order out of disorder by adding more –
disorder? And playgrounds in the median strip of the road?? Well,
let’s not even start with that.
In the Transfiguration event today, Jesus does the opposite. He
brings a new level of understanding and clarity to us, concerning
who He is. We are given the privilege of seeing Jesus unveiled. In
this moment on the mountain, today not only do we see His humanity,
but suddenly, we also see the divine nature of Jesus. We see in
this spectacular event that Jesus is truly human and truly God.
What is your church number? Is it high, meaning you feel a
sense of community with strong relationships among members
of this congregation? Or, is it low, meaning that you feel
somewhat disconnected from the membership, without strong
relationships and involvement? Or, is it somewhere in
between? What is your church number?
And, this comes just in time, too. I mean, there is a lot
of confusion and disorder out there, concerning Jesus.
In the earlier verses of this chapter, Jesus shines a spotlight
on this. He asks the disciples, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
And as expected, Jesus gets a variety of answers, “a prophet,
a moral teacher, a revolutionary, a spiritual guide, a helpful
life-coach.”
With the exception of this Transfiguration moment, Jesus’
divine nature had been something He kept hidden – veiled. He
looked just like any other man. And as a result, there were –
and for that matter, still are – all kinds of thoughts and
opinions about who Jesus is.
But as it was then – and still is now – you come to know who
Jesus is and see His divinity not by LOOKING at Him.
You come to know Jesus by LISTENING to Him, by hearing His
words and paying attention to His teachings.
Even His miracles were performed without flair or flash
because they served as tools to point you to what Jesus
had to say. And so this sudden and sustained heavenly
experience on the mountain and the heavenly visit of Moses
and Elijah, was out of character for Jesus. But it was
amazing and wonderful. You can understand why the disciples
don’t want to leave.
Who can blame them? Especially, when we remember that the
passages just prior to our Gospel lesson also record Jesus
predicting His rejection, suffering, and death. How good
does THAT sound?
Within this context we can understand the disciple’s desire
to remain in the power and security of that moment on the
mountain – especially Peter, who says, “Rabbi, it is good
for us to be here. This is much better than that talk about
suffering and dying.” Whatever Jesus meant about life and
death, and crosses and denying yourself, and all the problems
of life – well, basking in the supernatural glory of God
and being lifted up in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ…
well, isn’t this a far better way to spend your time?
Wouldn’t it be great if God would open the doors of heavenly
glory and power every now and then for us? And, let us step in –
just a little bit – like Peter, and James and John did?
Wouldn’t that make life a bit easier …especially if the word
we just heard from the doctor was “cancer.” Or, the reason
you’re in the boss’s office is because he is saying, “We’re
going to have to let you go.” Or, you’re behind on the
finances again this month. Or, you’re feeling alone and unloved.
At those moments of struggle in our lives, why can’t WE
have a heavenly interruption? Why can’t we enjoy some
supernatural relief from life’s troubles and sorrows?
You know, many people live much of their lives simply
looking for some kind of relief. Much of life’s energies
are focused on diversions to help avoid the painful
realities of life. I ran across something interesting
the other day. It’s a list of statements from individuals
involved in diversions. Only they were obviously
less-than-wise diversions. Because what was recorded
was their famous last words:
“The odds of that happening to me have to be a million to one.”
“What does this button do?”
“I think it’s dead.”
“Does this go any faster?”
“Hey, watch this!”
What happens to our meager efforts to find relief? What happens
to our efforts to escape from life’s troubles? Sooner or later
it all slips away from us. And, ultimately, what difference does
it really make?
According to a December Reuters dispatch, some British and
German drivers have over-relied on their car’s satellite-navigation
devices, sometimes with tragic, or bizarre results. In November,
an ambulance in London went 400 miles to make a 20-minute trip,
and in May another ambulance took 90 minutes to take a crash
victim to a hospital 10 minutes away. Both of these were due
to relying too much on faulty satellite navigation.
And then, a 53-year-old German man thought the device’s
instruction to turn “now” meant not at the next corner but
right that second, and he crashed into a building. Another
followed instructions but ignored a prominent “closed for
construction” sign and plowed into a pile of sand. An
exasperated German auto club spokesman said, “It’s not
as if people are driving in a tank with only a small
slit to see out.”
[Reuters, 12-22-06]
But this is exactly how many people feel in this world. Many
times, people feel like they are living blind – wandering
unevenly through life, as if looking through a small slit,
following directions that seem to lead into the side of a
building.
But into this confusion shines the Transfiguration Light of
Christ. Mercifully, God invades our dark world. The dazzling
brightness of Christ that we see today is what hope looks
like. Hope is one of those slippery words to define. But if
you want to know what it looks like, then take a look at the
human and divine Jesus today. Because, standing there is Hope.
Hope is knowing that someone is in control, even when it
doesn’t seem like it. Hope is believing that there is meaning,
even in the most meaningless events.
Hope is knowing that God still loves me, even though He is
letting me have this hurt and pain in life. Hope is knowing
that no matter what happens here on earth, my future is
filled with an eternal life of peace and joy.
But look quick, because this view of Jesus isn’t going to
last long. He has work to do. Jesus has to head down that
mountain and climb another one – one with a cross at the top.
Look quick because the hope we have is dependent on Jesus
removing our sins with His suffering and death on that cross.
Look quick, because He is about to experience the deepest
darkness there is, so that we might be illuminated and live
in the brightness of forgiveness.
Look quick, this is just a brief glimpse. And you are not
going to see this brightness again, until Easter.
The Transfiguration reminds us of something that we don’t
always believe: In Christ, God IS with us now – all the
time. We don’t believe it, because we can’t always feel
it. Because of our sin, we tend to find evidence of God’s
presence only when life is good. And we accuse Him of
abandoning us when there are struggles or difficulty or
suffering.
Five verses before out text today, Jesus says, “If anyone
would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his
cross and follow me.”
What this passage means for us is that through faith in
Christ we are linked to His cross in such a way that any
suffering, any hardship, any sorrow, any failure, any pain,
you name it… will end in victory. It must end in victory,
because Christ rose from the dead!
It is God’s promise to you that you will be given the power,
the strength to overcome any trouble. Even death ends in the
victory of eternal life. The Transfiguration of Christ is a
preview of that victory.
That’s what Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were talking about. They
were not recounting Moses’ exodus from slavery in Egypt or of
Elijah’s signs and miracles, or his spectacular departure from
this earth in a fiery chariot.
They were talking about JESUS and what He was about to do
for us. They were talking about the victory over sin that
would come only through the suffering of the cross.
The only way there could be any sustained heavenly presence
of God with His people – the only way there could be a true,
dazzling white, spiritually glorious destiny for us could
come only after Christ’s journey to the darkness of the
cross, and then His glorious resurrection.
And now our worship is nothing less than the celebration
of the heavenly relationship Christ has given us. It is
our “Transfiguration encounter.”
As the communion liturgy of our worship accurately reminds
us, we are joined “with angels and archangels and with all
the company of heaven” in this glorious meeting of heaven
and earth.
Through the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, we are finally
granted that heavenly interruption, we often long for while
in this earthly life. Up here at the rail, we exchange
positions with Peter, James, and John, and we stand at the
brink of heaven looking into eternal things. “‘Tis good Lord,
for us to be here.”
Here at the rail, we step into heaven – just a little bit –
and Jesus embraces us with His Body and Blood. And He assures
us that we are forgiven, that He is with us every moment of
our lives, and that He is holding that place for us in heaven.
The Transfiguration is a reminder of who our Lord is. And, it
is a glimpse into the reality that we now have in Christ, and
celebrate in worship – a loving relationship with our gracious
God. It is also a glimpse into what kind of a future is in
store for us.
Now I’m telling you, this is far better than any momentary
diversion or relief. This is the bright hope of eternity.
Amen.
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