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Year B Sunday before Lent : 6 p.m. Mark 9:2-9

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22/2/09 Year B Sunday before Lent : 6 p.m. Mark 9:2-9

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Make some "masks" using pictures of celebrities printed on card with a card stuck on the bottom to hold up to your face. E.g. Wayne Rooney, Barack Obama, Kylie Minogue, etc and two emoticons ( smiley faces, one smiling and one sad ).

Talk about masks, using the celebrities. Ask people to guess who they are.

Say that we put on masks. Perhaps we don't let people know how we are really feeling when they ask, "How are you?".

Ask why? May include, fearing rejection/gossip, being exposed as weak or a failure...

So we may put on a smiley mask, use emoticon, when we really feel sad inside, use sad emoticon.

In today's gospel it is like Jesus has let down his mask. He was fully human and fully God but, up until then he had hidden the fact that he was God. Before his trusted followers he changed and .

revealed what he was really like.

Last week the epistle reading was from Colossians 1:19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him. Here we read of what that looked like to the Peter, James and John.

It showed something of the glory, purity and majesty of Jesus. Don't you think this must have been mind blowing?

God's voice from haven confirmed that Jesus is God's Son and that he should be listened to.

In the transfiguration of Jesus his outward appearance matched his inward reality.

Jesus came to earth as fully God and fully man. He showed us what we should be like. He showed us what God is like. He lived a human life, knowing what it means to be born, grow up, love, eat, sleep, be tired, make friends, laugh, and be betrayed, rejected and die. But, he has defeated death and offers new, resurrection life to those who decide to follow him. Like Aurora whom we have just baptised this morning.

Because of Jesus

He don't have to hide from God. We can't wear masks because he knows what we are really like. And he still loves us.

We can admit that we fail, that we are weak and inadequate.

We can be accepted. Not because of what we have done, but because of what he has done for us. And because of the trust in Jesus that he has given us through the work of the Holy Spirit.

The thought of the transfigured Jesus should encourage us. It did Peter. 2 Peter 1:16 "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain."

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Year B Sunday before Lent : 6 p.m. Mark 9:2-9

This incident showed the true majesty and glory of Jesus that was hidden by his humanity. It invites a response of obedience to Jesus' words.

Today we have looked at a Power Point presentation about mountains mountains [ Right click on the link and either click on "Open" to view it now or take the "Save as" option to copy it onto your hard disk ] including a photograph of the mountain where Jesus probably took Peter, James and John. This mountain top experience would have stuck in the minds of the three disciples and inspired them when things were difficult. You can imagine Peter, James and John encouraging one another with their recollection of the transfiguration as they were being persecuted.

This incident was clearly an inspiration for Peter because later in his life he wrote; 2 Peter 1:16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

Moses met God at Mount Sinai. The disciples also met God, in Jesus, on a mountain.

Have you had a mountain top encounter with God? A time when you were aware of the glory, splendour and majesty of Jesus? Perhaps, like the disciples you were in awe, speechless, or, like Peter said something foolish! Perhaps it filled you with joy, wonder and praise.

If you haven't had a mountain top experience don't worry. Jesus only granted this to three of his disciples.

If you have had such an experience thank God for His revelation to you. Use it to remind and inspire you when things are more humdrum, even difficult.

There are two dangers to beware of. First, having had one or more mountain top experiences, that we expect or want them too frequently. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and seeking the extraordinary when God wants us to get on with living life with him in the ordinary.

The other danger is that we rest on our laurels and don't expect God to break through into our and into other people's world. This can lead to a lack of prayer, apathy and discouragement. God is still at work and will surprise us and others as hHe reveals himself.

Would anyone like to share their mountain top experience when they were particularly aware of the presence of God?

The other Power Point presentation butterfly [Right click on the link and either click on "Open" to view it now or take the "Save as" option to copy it onto your hard disk.] showed the transformation of a caterpillar into a chrysalis before becoming a butterfly. We have a God who is about transformation. He transformed himself to become a man, Jesus. On the mountain Jesus was transformed to reveal His glory to the disciples. Since Pentecost God has transformed people by His Spirit working within them.

I don't know if the caterpillar knows that he will become a butterfly. There is a story of two butterflies on a leaf looking at a butterfly hovering above and one said to the other, "You'll never get me up in one of those."

The caterpillar becomes a chrysalis by entrapping itself in the shell which then hardens around it. It deliberately dies so it can attain the new life of a butterfly.

This is a picture of what happens to the believer. First of all we are caterpillars. Ugly and greedy, crawling around! Then, we die to our old way of life. We cannot help ourselves. Then God gives us a new life where we are a beautiful, new creature. Free to love God and others, free to follow His ways.

I believe that God wants you and me to be beautiful new creatures for him. He wants to keep transforming us to the image of Jesus.

I believe that God wants other people to be transformed. Our friends, our enemies, families, neighbours, colleagues. We need to reach out to these people with the love of God in the name of Jesus.

How shall we do this? As the church, the body of Christ in Knebworth. Jesus' body went around on earth nearly two thousand years ago telling people about God, loving them, inviting them into God's kingdom, healing them, and driving demons from them. We are his body here on earth today and are called to do the same things. To do this he will have to transform us. This will not be easy. Jesus, Elijah and Moses all suffered and were rejected.

We need to be listening to what Jesus is calling us to do, which is why I have instigated the day of prayer this week on Ash Wednesday. We will need to work hard to transform our church but it will be worth it when we have vibrant worship, witness people coming to faith and maturing in their faith, as we learn more about God and His will for us, as we grow in our love for one another and those outside the church.

We can be inspired by our vision of Jesus and His power to change us, and others by His Spirit. We need to die to our own wishes and submit to His will for us in Knebworth.

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Count Zinzendorf, the founder of the Moravians, was converted in an art gallery in Dusseldorf while contemplating a painting of Christ on the cross which had the inscription, "I did this for thee. What hast thou done for me?" This picture had been painted by an artist three hundred years before. When he had finished his first sketch of the face of the Redeemer, this artist called in his landlady's little daughter and asked her who she thought it was. The girl looked at it and said, "It is a good man." The painter knew that he had failed. He destroyed the first sketch and, after praying for greater skill, finished a second. Again he called the little girl in and asked her to tell him whom she thought the face represented. This time the girl said that she thought it looked like a great sufferer. Again the painter knew that he had failed, and again he destroyed the sketch he had made. After meditation and prayer, he made a third sketch. When it was finished, he called the girl in a third time and asked her who it was. Looking at the portrait, the girl exclaimed, "It is the Lord!" She recognized in the painting that Jesus is God and man. Not a good man, not a wise teacher, not that a great sufferer came, but more that God came to earth as a human being. Immanuel, God with us.

In Chapter 8, verse 29 Peter had stated that he thought that Jesus was the Christ. From 8:31-9:1 Jesus tells his disciples that his Messiahship is to be one of rejection, suffering and death. This contrasted with the Messianic hopes of the Jews for a popular, triumphant Messiah who would defeat the Romans. This resulted in Peter rebuking Jesus who, in turn, corrected him.

Jesus went on to say that everyone who wanted to follow him would have to take up his cross. That is to say, they must renounce their self-centeredness. Those who play it safe will perish; those who give their lives for him and the gospel will be saved. (8:34-35).

The Transfiguration followed these events to reveal who Jesus is, and to verify the truth of his words about his death and resurrection.

In the last few weeks we have been building up a picture of Jesus. A teacher, healer, exorcist, God and man who can forgive sin. We see the ultimate revelation of Jesus in his Transfiguration. From this point onwards Jesus is on route to the cross at Jerusalem. Soon after Jesus entered Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday.

Jesus takes the inner circle of disciples ("Peter, James and John") up a high mountain, verse 2. Some traditional identifications are Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon. Mountains are the usual settings for supernatural revelations and encounters with God. Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament had mountain top experiences with God.

Joshua used to play with a toy called a Transformer. It looks like a rock, albeit a plastic one, and folds out to become a plastic monster. Although it changed it's appearance it didn't change it's substance. It was still plastic.

Jesus was transfigured, the Greek is metamorphosis. It refers to a cpmplete change of being. This was for the benefit of the disciples as it happened 'before them', verse 2. This was almost certainly a glimpse of Jesus as he had been before he became a man. His face shone, reminding us of the way that Moses face shone after he had been in the presence of God. Moses' shining face inspired fear in the Isrealites. The sight of Jesus led to Peter being fearful , verse 6. The white garments suggested of a pure heavenly being.

Jesus was with Moses and Elijah. They could symbolise a number of things.

Elijah could have symbolised the prophets, those who speak on God's behalf. He was expected to come before the Christ to prepare the way for him. Perhaps this is why he appeared here.

Moses was the deliverer of God's people and the law giver. Jesus outlined his law, the Beatitudes, to the disciples on a mountain. He was to deliver people, not from the bondage of human power, but from the bondage of sin and Satan to eternal life.

The ministries of Moses and Elijah both featured suffering and rejection, and Jesus would endure those things at only at a deeper level. For Jesus would endure the suffering of the cross: the rejection of the people who he had come to save; and the rejection of God as he took upon himself the punishment for our sins - separation from God.

Jesus is presented as the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. He did everything, and more than what was required by the Old Testament Law. He acted as the ultimate prophet or spokesman of God. Jesus does not make the Old Testament irrelevant, but he brings in the New Testament. A new way to God.

I once heard someone say that the only time they opened their mouth was to put their foot in it ! Do you ever say or do anything on the spur of the moment and then wish you hadn't ? Perhaps Peter felt like this when he recalled his impulsive behaviour in this incident. He rejoices in this experience and wants to prolong the event by making "dwellings", temporary shelters as erected at the Feast of Tabernacles, which was a joyous festival of God's presence. Verse 6 suggests that he was so dumbfounded by the experience that what he said was irrational. Perhaps he thought that this would be a permanent arrangement and that they could be visited on this mountain.

The cloud suggests the glory and presence of God. In the Old Testament God led the Israelites out of Egypt by a cloud.

The proclamation spoken by the divine voice is like that at Jesus' baptism (1:11). Like the transforming experiences of Moses and Elijah on a mountain, Jesus receives heavenly confirmation of his special role in God's purpose for his people. Jesus is revealed as the Son of God. This affirms the close, loving relationship that Jesus has with God the Father. It shows that Jesus was on the right track in steadfastly going to the cross. It underlines Jesus correction of Peter's refusal to let Jesus die. The words, 'listen to him' back up the words of Jesus about his coming crucifixion.

The vision ends "suddenly" (v. 8). Then v. 9: only when Jesus has risen will the vision make sense to others.

Jesus told them not to tell anyone about this until after the resurrection. Unlike other commands to silence, this one has a good chance of being obeyed (because only three disciples are involved) and has a definite time limit.

Why did Jesus order this ? Firstly to avoid people thinking that he was a political messiah who had come to start a rebellion against the Romans. Secondly because the resurrection provides the strongest evidence for the messiahship of Jesus. The words of a few followers of Jesus about a spectacular appearance would soon be dwarfed by over five hundred people seeing the risen Jesus.

This incident showed the true majesty and glory of Jesus that was hidden by his humanity. This would also have inspired the disciples when things were difficult. You can imagine Peter, James and John encouraging one another with their recollection of the transfiguration as they were being persecuted.

This incident was clearly an inspiration for Peter later in his life when he wrote; 2 Peter 1:16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

What can we take from this account for ourselves today ?

This story reveals the majesty of Jesus. There is a danger of relegating Jesus to being little more than a good man. Of being too familiar with him. Of seeing him as a friend without realising that he is God as well. The Transfiguration reminds us that hidden within that human frame was the fullness of God. The glory, splendour and majesty of God.

The thought of this should lead us to fear, wonder, and self-examination. To realise how our filthy rags contrast with the shining white of his garments of righteousness and truth. He deserves our honour, praise worship and wholehearted dedication. When we help out at the church, live out or share our faith we are not doing it for the Rector, or the church, or ourselves, but for the glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

We should also remember that we can have a meeting with the Lord Jesus because he is alive today. He may not appear to us in the way he did to the three disciples, but he still reveals himself to people today.

As followers of Jesus we can expect rejection and suffering. Like Moses, like Elijah, like Jesus and like Christians throughout history. One of the things that we can comfort ourselves with is that there is something more, and better to come. The appearance of Jesus in his glory reminds us that we will receive spiritual, glorified bodies and no longer be subject to pain, illness, suffering, and death, because the old order of things will have passed away. Then we shall be in the presence of Jesus, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit for eternity.

Polycarp was Bishop of Smyrna ( modern Turkey ) who studied under the Apostle John. Adamantly committed to the saving lordship of Jesus, which left no room for bowing to the empire, Polycarp was arrested and sentenced to death. He was given a chance to step out of the fire. The Roman proconsul gave Polycarp the choice of cursing the name of Jesus and worshiping Caesar to save his skin or continue embracing Jesus to his death. "Swear," said the proconsul, "and I will set you at liberty. Reproach Christ." Polycarp replied, "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" After the proconsul threatened him again with burning at the stake, Polycarp added, "You threaten me with fire which awaits the wicked in judgment to come and in everlasting punishment. Why are you waiting? Come, do what you will."

As they approached him and prepared to tie him to the stake to be burned, he shouted, "Leave me as I am, for He who gives me power to endure the fire, will grant me to remain in the flames unmoved even without the security you will give by the nails." Loosely bound, with flames flashing about him, Polycarp prayed, "O Lord God Almighty, Father of Thy beloved Child, Jesus Christ...I bless Thee that Thou has granted unto me this day and hour, that I may share, among the number of the martyrs, in the cup of Thy Christ, for the resurrection to eternal life." And so on February 23, A.D. 155, Polycarp paid the price. Then he went to heaven. The reward is worth the price.

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