|
Prelude
*Call to Worship “Listen to him!” Our God cries from the mountaintop. It is good for us to be here. We bow before our God in worship. May God’s Word resonate in our ears and sink into our innermost beings. May our hearts be transfigured, our minds filled with understanding *Hymn 1 Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! Prayer of Confession God of compassion, in Jesus Christ you reveal the light of your glory. But we turn away, distracted by our own plans. We confess that we speak when we should listen, and act when we should wait. Forgive our aimless enthusiasms. Grant us wisdom to live in your light and to follow in the way of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Though we were blinded by sin, God’s saving light has been beamed into our hearts that we may see the radiant mercy of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Sisters and brothers, I declare to you, your sins are forgiven. Be at peace. Amen. Old Testament Reading Exodus 24: 12-18 Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Luke 9:28-36 Morning Message Pastors love to tell their “war stories.” This is one of Rev. Janet Hunt’s. She had officiated the funeral of a veteran. When the church service was over, they traveled in caravan to the cemetery. After prayers and some final words, Janet turned the graveside service over to the honor guard that they might do their part. If you’ve witnessed this, you know how moving that is. They played taps and gave a gun salute. Then, two of the honor guard removed the flag, folding it as they do before presenting it to the family. Now, Janet has been a minister for a long time and was familiar with these rituals. She knows how much they mean to the families of departed loved ones. Everything had gone per expectation, until the folding of the flag. At that moment, the funeral director, someone with whom she hadn’t worked before, appeared at her side, explaining the ritual in a rote and practiced manner of what they were witnessing. She says she just wanted to kick the man. There are times for words and times for silence and clearly this was a time for silence, in Janet’s opinion. We aren’t very good at silence. It makes some people uncomfortable and we want to fill it, make some noise, assuring ourselves that we are not alone. Maybe that’s what the funeral director was attempting to do- make people less uncomfortable. I’ve done some reflecting on this idea that there is a tme for words and a time for silence. I’ve experienced both amd you have probably, yourself as well. One time in particular comes to mind. It is a painful memory, but it illustrates the point. Years ago, the head of staff of a church I served was displeased with my performance. He asked me to come to his office on a certain day and time for a conversation, which I did. It soon became apparent that this conversation was really going to be a one-sided diatribe listing my offenses. I was simultaneously hurt, scared, insulted, and ridiculed. I could feel my blood pressure going up and tears threatened to spill down my face. At the end of his strident remarks, he asked me for a response. I couldn’t respond. I was stunned. If I opened my mouth, I don’t think I could have made a coherent remark. And then came these words, “Is no response your response?” You bet. It was the best option if I wanted to deescalate the situation. There is a time for words and a time for silence. And there would come a time for me to respond regarding this situation. There is also a time to speak up. The text today reveals a most stunning event. It was so extraordinary, so far beyond anything Peter, James, and John could possibly imagine. Jesus is transfigured in the presence of his friends and disciples. Miraculously, Moses and Elijah appear in this scene. They are awestruck. Peter hurries to fill up the silence. He jumps in and announces they must build tents for the greats of the faith. I think that’s ok. Peter recognizes the ethereal nature of what they have witnessed and wants to set it apart as a holy moment and a holy place. But, in the end, they all fall silent.There are simply no words to explain what they had just experienced. They will make their way down the mountain, full of awe and wonder. What will they do in response? Janet Hunt says even though she was perturbed by the interference of the funeral director during the honor guard ritual, she could see something of herself in the moment. She says she is often uncomfortable with silence, too, and may find herself compelled to jump in with words or stories or analogies to fill up the space. Later, she realizes that none of what she has interjected is necessary. It didm’t provide any helpful insights at all. So, she invites us to add some silence to our days, to stand still and notice with her these things: Jesus took his closest friends and together they climbed the mountain. A mountain is the place where the Holy is often encountered. Jesus prayed. In the midst of his praying, Jesus was transformed. Jesus became light itself. Jesus is joined by Elijah and Moses, heroes of the Hebrew people, who had long since died. And that they are in conversation about what is before Jesus nowL That Jesus will suffer and die on the outskirts of the city of Jerusalem. We are led to understand then that even though this path may be unexpected and tragic for his followers and his family and closest friends, Jesus has come to fulfill his mission, the one prophesied through the ages. Peter, you gotta love him, wants to do something to preserve this moment, so they might stay there in this light, in this encounter with God. There’s a sermon in that, too. Sometimes we have mountain-top experiences, where our faith is deepened, but, upon returning home or work or school, the experience fades and seems to lose its meaning. Notice at the same time, the disciples experience fear as the cloud descends upon them…I think that would be a rational response in view of this stunning scene. Have you ever driven through heavy fog? Or flown through it? We returned to Huntington from Charlotte in a smallish plane this summer. We were warned that turbulence was possible as we had to fly through a storm. Well, we were soon enveloped in a thick cloud, but we could still see fierce lightening. And then the shaking and shuddering commenced and some of the passengers cried out in fear. That’s a normal response. We landed safe and sound. In this scene in our text, a voice is heard from the cloud…echoing the words Jesus heard at his baptism. Only this time the words are not meant for Jesus alone. They are also meant for Peter, James, and John, and for all of us. God says we are to listen to Jesus. And listening implies that we fall silent and wait upon Jesus’ voice. That’s a challenge sometimes. We fill our days with work and obligations; we experience life in a community. Everywhere we live and move and have our being, there is noise. To be fair, it’s not all bad. But to connect with Jesus, we have to intentionally set aside time for silence and waiting. This is absolutely essential for prayer/ A member of our church family is navigating a cancer diagnosis. Things have not gone as well as hoped for. As we texted back and forth Friday night, she said all she can do right now is pray and wait. So I told her, we would pray and wait with her. There’s a time for words and a time for silence. I admit, I’m sometimes uncomfortable with silence. My habit of turning the TV on as soon as I walk in the door at home attests to that. I am comforted by the noise, even if I don’t pay much attention to what’s going on. But, could it be that in filling the silence, I am missing out on hearing the voice of God? Could we, in the six weeks of Lent, reflecting upon the last days of our Savior’s life, set aside time for quiet contemplation? Would this equip us to respond in confidence when we are asked to give witness to our faith? I think it might. That is our challenge as we are about to enter a holy Lent. I offer these verses by Rumi: There is a silence into which the world cannot intrude. There is an ancient peace you carry in your heart and have not lost. There is a senxe of holiness on you the thought of sin has never touched. *Hymn Be Thou My Vision *Affirmation of Faith Apostles’ Creed p. 35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer O Lord, our God, you are great indeed, clothed in majesty and splendor, wrapped in light as with a robe. In the solitude of a mountain height, you revealed your glory in Jesus Christ even as he faced his crucifixion. We praise you for this glimpse of the mystery of our redemption. Transfigure us by your Spirit, and let your love shine in all we do and say that all the world may see the radiance of your light, Christ Jesus, your Son, Who guides all creation to the fullness of your glory. We lift up those in our community of faith, our friends, and family members who are in need of healing and wholeness, all those in need, the forgotten, lost, and abused, and pray for the coming of your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We pray as Jesus taught us, saying, Our Father…Amen. Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings *Hymn 606 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication God of grace, you provide for us in more ways than we can know or understand. Accept these offerings as signs of our gratitude and bless them to carry out the ministry of Jesus Christ, that the radiance of his light may transform hearts and minds and wills. *Hymn 193 Jesus, Take Us to the Mountain *Blessing Nathan Nettleton, Laughingbird.net Go now, and speak of what you have seen of God. Do not cling to the holy moments when heaven overshadows you. But, as the Lord lives, listen to Christ and follow him from the places of revelation to the places of mission. And may God shine the light of glory into your hearts. May Christ be with you and never leave you. And may the Spirit renew the image of God within you. *Postlude Comments are closed.
|
PastorCinda Harkless Archives
April 2025
|
