Down from the Mountain

Luke 9: 28-43, NT pages 69-70 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” – not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen. On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God. Sermon There are a number of things that I can do, that I am capable of doing, but that I will only actually do if I absolutely have to. Exercise for one. I do not like to exercise, but I would rather exercise than get my wardrobe altered, so I do it, and this reluctance concerning exercise really extends out to doing any number of things that are healthy. The back page of the Daily Herald last Friday asked, “Are you eating enough fiber…?” “Not if I can help it,” is my answer. I applied the same logic to graduating college. People would say, “Joe, you’re about to graduate.” “Not if I can help it,” I would respond. I might have been happy to stick around a couple more years – to postpone entering the real world where I would have to get a job and support myself – but my parents would have been less than excited. I did know that my college graduation was coming. It did not fully take me by surprise. However, after receiving my diploma, upon cleaning out the old apartment, a certain reality sunk in. Of course I had been warned, but sometimes being warned isn’t enough, especially when it comes to the great life changes that redefine everything. Regardless of warning there are things that still come as a surprise. No matter how ready I should have been I wasn’t, and only knowing that I had to move on was I able to. In a way, the same was true before the birth of our first child. I knew that she was coming, and I had read books about how our lives would change, but it wasn’t until I assembled the crib that she would sleep in that the reality really sank in. Once I had assembled this crib in the living room I began to push it into the nursery – only it wouldn’t fit through the door way. There, in this moment of wondering what to do next, not only did the reality of this change really sink in, I also gained a profound sense of unqualification. In that moment I knew – and our scripture lesson describes a significant moment of knowing as well. The disciples had heard before that Christ would be leaving them, that he would have to suffer and die, but it isn’t until this moment described in your pew Bible as the Transfiguration, that all those warnings really sink in. Christ’s claims take on new perspective when accompanied by Moses, Elijah, a great cloud, and the voice of God saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” Now they suddenly believe what he had been saying all along. Now they are sure that he actually will be walking towards his death, and that he will be leaving them forever. But were they ready? Did they feel qualified to go on without him? When they came down from the mountain “a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” The disciples should have been able to cast this daemon out – Christ had given them the authority to do so long ago in the Gospel of Luke – but if they don’t have to – if they know Christ will be there to do it for them – why would they? I can understand that – as I said before, there are a number of things that I am capable of doing but would rather not, especially if I don’t have to. And so long as Jesus is around, the disciples don’t have to. Or maybe they were thinking – so long as we don’t, Jesus will be around. Whatever their reason, like a teacher frustrated by a student who won’t do what you know he can, or a parent forced to step back from a child too attached for her own good, Jesus is on to their plan and is without pity or patience saying: “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you?” It’s as though he were saying, “I know you can do this, and I’m tired of doing it for you.” While I can’t blame him for being frustrated it’s really the disciples that I can relate to. There is a number of things that I will happily leave up to Jesus given the choice. Simple things like forgiveness that I’m happy for him to offer, but as for me, I might rather not. Loving the outcast – it seems to come so easy to Jesus, but I find it easier to keep walking than invest my time and energy. And then there is the cross. As Jesus walks down that mountain he knows what lies ahead, and I find this willingness to sacrifice self for the will of God easier left up to Jesus – but does Christ not demand that I go and do likewise? In reality – there are demands, there are expectations, and while you might be afraid to try, if you don’t try, than who will? If you refuse to give forgiveness – if you ignore the outcast and the oppressed – if you are not willing to sacrifice for the good of the Kingdom of God – than who will? Now is the time. Great things will be done through you. And all will be astounded by the greatness of God. Amen.