Sermon Prepared for Messiah Lutheran Church

8:30 & 11:00 AM Morning Promise Services – 02/10/02

by Gregory S. Kaurin

Associate Pastor for Spiritual Care and Development

 

Text: Matthew 17:1-9

 

The Sermon:

Lights… Sound… & Action

 

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PowerPoint slide: “The Message; Lights… Sound… & Action!”

 

The Mountain of Transfiguration in this morning’s lesson is not just about the fact that Jesus looked simply divine in his splendid whites.  It’s not just about Moses and Elijah shooting the breeze with him.  It’s not even only about the voice of God booming out of a cloud.

It is about change.  Jesus was changed that day.  There was a change in the focus of his ministry as he began to head toward Jerusalem, the trial and death on the cross. 

But it is also a story about a change in us.  A constant change and transformation, a constant light and sound and action that comes from Jesus and is reflected off of us.

There were three important things that happened on that mountain that I want to focus on.  Those three things that happened were 1. Lights, 2. Sound…& 3. Action!

 

PowerPoint slide: “Lights—Transfiguration Sunday; Metamorphosis Sunday”

 

The first thing to notice were the lights.  We call this Transfiguration Sunday mainly because of the old Latin Bible that said that Jesus was “transfigurabat” before them, which just means that he “changed form.” 

I think the original Greek word is even neater: Matthew wrote that Jesus “metamorphosed” in front of them.  Metamorphosis is a stronger word.  It “means to take a shape beyond the usual or explainable.”  It’s used to talk about the change that has to happen for an embryo of any creature to become an adult—like the caterpillar to butterfly, the larvae to dragonfly, an egg and a sperm to a pastor, a grocery clerk, or a high school student.  Metamorphosis Sunday.  A celebration of change and radiant light.

The disciples were probably so focussed on Jesus, that they probably never noticed that their own clothes were shining.  They were close enough that they would’ve been reflecting Jesus’ radiance.  That is what light is, it is a kind of radiation.  It radiates, leaves energy on and in whatever it strikes, but also reflects from that surface to other places.

We can talk about it as ambient light.  The moon is sometimes called an ambient light, because, on its own, the moon does not shine.  The moon does not have its own light.  The light we see coming from the moon actually started from the sun.  So even in the dead of night, when you look up and see the moon, you are still seeing sunlight …reflected off the moon’s surface: Ambient light.  And as a result, the moon is dramatically changed.  It metamorphs from a dark, cold rock into a shining brilliant light.  Ambience.

The disciples reflected the light of Christ, on the mountain, and after they came down.  They reflected his light by carrying his message.  After his death and resurrection, they continued to radiate it, on to us. 

Jesus said several times in scripture that he is the light.  But he turned to his disciples and to us to say, “You are the light.”  We radiate the light of Christ.  Without his light, we would be cold and dark.  But with it: people seeing us, seeing our attitudes, our confidence, our interests, our joy and love, they see light.  We are Christ’s ambient light.  So, I ask you: “How is your ambience?”

 

Play first video segment: “Lights.”

 

PowerPoint Slide: “Sound…

 

‘Ambience’ = A ‘Total Sound Experience.’”

 

 

The second thing that happened on the mountain was sound.  I spoke about ambient lights.  And we might walk into a room and try to describe its “ambience,” but “ambience” is actually a technical word to describe sound, stereo sound.  To say that a room has good ambience means that sound reflects well, or that it surrounds you: a total sound experience.  Surround sound we call it.

Imagine that experience on the mountain.  Suddenly, this silvery cloud descended and then the voice of God was heard all around them…

 

“This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well-pleased.  Listen to him!”

 

Listen to him.  What does it mean to listen to him?  I know this is true: Jesus’ voice is all around us.  He speaks to us from everywhere, like a surround-sound system… through creation and people, during worship in songs, in signs and actions.  We are immersed in the voice and teachings and love of Christ.  We just need to learn to hear him!

And he speaks through us.  We may be speakers, but just like speakers, the sound originates from someone else.  You and I are called to be Jesus’ ears, to listen for him and learn, but then to respond, by being his voice!  Ambient voices: surround sound.  Ambience.

So, let me ask again, “How is your ambience?”

 

Play “Ambient Voices” recording.

Play video 2, “SOUND.”

 

PowerPoint slide: “Action! ‘Do not conform, but be transformed.’”

 

The third thing that happened on the mountain was action.  It began with prayer.  That is, after all, what Jesus went up the mountain to do!  Prayer, which led into lights, sound, and action.

Every single one of us has had, or will have, “mountain top” experiences—times when we are absolutely sure that God is present and real in our lives.  It happens in all sorts of places: in nature, at church, in a hospital, even in funerals and at deathbeds, people have felt an over-whelming presence.

And like Peter, impulsive Peter, it’s something we would just love to sit and hold onto.  Shrine it; capture it, own that feeling.  Sometimes we even let that feeling become a new god, or idol.  You will hear people talk about real Christianity as this constant emotion, this blind faith, this unquestioning sureness of the mountaintop. 

But I’ll tell you that faith, includes those wonderful moments, but it also comes down off the mountain to live faith in the world, with all the rest of the ups and downs, all the emotions of joy, love, loss, anger, fear, doubt, and hope.

We come down off the mountain, into real life, but we are changed and always changing.  St. Paul once wrote to the Roman churches: “Do not conform to this world, but be transformed through renewal.”  We are constantly transformed by listening and discovering Jesus in all places, even the quiet places that some of our excitable Christian friends miss because they try to force and keep their mountaintop shrines even in their valleys. 

Mountains naturally flow into valleys.  And Jesus is in both places.  God said, “Listen to him”—but Jesus really didn’t say much until they were all back down among the people, healing, teaching and loving.  And there he said everything that mattered.  The Mountain was the prayer, but the valley is where real Christianity happens.

Walt Wangerin, in his book of Whole Prayer says that Jesus, not only taught us the Lord’s Prayer—he did it.  He lived that prayer.  “Thy will be done on earth as in heaven.”  He prayed on the mountain, then he did it in the valley.  Our life is a lived prayer.  You are always talking to God, and answering him by the things you either do, or the things you leave undone.

 

PowerPoint slide: “Action!  ‘Ambience’ from the Latin, ‘ambire’ à ‘to go around.’”

 

That’s actually how this word, “ambience” fits into action.  “Ambience comes from the Latin word, “ambire” which means, “to go around.”  It’s an action word that describes movement.  It means, get going, spread it around, and invite others!

We say that a lot.  But how? 

Recently, I was at a daylong retreat with pastors from our area, listening to the new bishop of our Lutheran synod here in Southwest Washington, Bishop Hofstad.  He mentioned a recent study that learned that 80% of people who become new members of churches come into those congregations because somebody invited them.  80%--not by news ads, or telephone directories—but because they were invited!

But keep that in mind, because the study also found that—of the people who are already members of a church—only about 25% feel equipped or comfortable enough to invite others!  Put those two numbers together.  80% of new church members come because they were invited, but only 25% of our current members feel comfortable doing the inviting. 

Tell me, what would happen if we all felt a little freer in bringing our faith and church into conversation? –enough to say to someone, “Say, you ought to come and try this out!”

In college, I roomed one year with my brother.  It was actually a great year—we had a lot of fun… but I learned something about trying.  I was the kind of guy who would not ask a girl on a date unless I absolutely knew she’d say yes.  My brother, on the other hand, had no problem sitting down with the college photo book and telephone book, thinking of all the different girls in his various classes, and calling each one, one after another, until he got a date.  He met up with a lot of rejection.  But guess who was the one who usually ended up with a date that Friday night.  He did.  In the end, he also had more acceptance and fun.  Why?  Because he asked.

When it comes to inviting reaching out to others, we imagine or make it a lot harder than it really is. And there are all kinds of ways.

Sure, invite them to a service here—maybe because we’re trying something a little different.  Or just get them into the building: maybe you could invite them to a Second Sunday at Seven Concert like tonight, or to try out the MOPs program, or Vacation Bible School, or a youth event.  You probably have some ideas—what else could you invite people to try… 

Scary? – Well, maybe the first time or two, but honestly, we’re not asking them to marry us.  We’re just inviting them to try something they may, or may not like.  Think of your kids.  Who do you think are the best inviters of all: …our children.  Why?  Because (all that sharing that you’ve been trying to teach them?) …turns out that children after and before a certain age are better at sharing than all the rest of us.

The point is all of us are responsible in reflecting Jesus’ Light, his voice and Sound, and his Action.  We are called to be consciously Christian, to let it permeate and radiate out from our lives.  And we are called to invite others into it.  So, let me ask one last time: “How is your ambience?”

 

Play video 3 “Action”

 

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