Transfiguration Sunday

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and lead them up a high mountain by themselves.  And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun and his clothes appeared dazzling white.  Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here, if you wish I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them and from the cloud a voice said, "This my my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear.  But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." And the disciples asked him, "Why then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He replied, "Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased.  So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

Matthew 17:1-14

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Transfiguration is the stuff of Fairy Tales like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast  or Shrek. It is the stuff of stories like Harry Potter and Narnia.  One of my favourite tales of transfiguration is from Lewis' fifth book in the Narnia series, 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'. Remember when Eustace wanders off and finds himself at a dragon's lair and falling into a long sleep on a dragon's hoard with greedy, dragonish thoughts in his heart he wakes up to discover he has become a dragon!  Life for the dragon Eustace is clumsy and awkward at best and lonely, painful and terribly sad on the hard days.  And then one night Eustace the dragon meets a talking Lion who takes off his dragon skin, tosses him into the water with those big velvety paws and gives him new clothes, restoring Eustace. Many of the younger girls in particular love the story of Cinderella, the poor, mistreated orphan.  Cinderella's Fairy Godmother arrives and poof - she is transformed from a poor girl dressed in rags to a beautiful princess fit for the ball with a chariot made from pumpkins and mice turned horses and carriage. After a long night of dancing she escapes at the stroke of midnight just as she is returned to her more humble form but, her life has forever changed.  Do you have a favourite story of transfiguration from your childhood?  

As we come to the text this week keep in mind that a child's imagination may be quite open to this idea of transfiguration and may in fact eagerly engage it as it is a common theme in Children's Literature.  And yet, though there will be some familiarity with this concept they may not know the word transfiguration and many of them may not know that Jesus himself was transfigured on the mountain with Peter, James and John.  So let's tell them that story and see what we all discover this week.

The scripture tells us that Jesus went with Peter, James and John up the mountain and while they were on the mountain Jesus' face shone like the sun and his clothes became a dazzling white.  What do you think that looked like? Was all of the light overwhelming or were there details that would have appeared to the disciples? What would they have noticed about Jesus: his eyes, his mouth, his hands? Are there details that you notice as you imagine this? Do you think the disciples hid their faces or shielded their eyes in the light?  Or did they just stare slack jawed at the wonder before them - all of that inward glory now an outward glorious light before them.  And in the midst of all of that glory, right before the disciples eyes appear Elijah and Moses both long dead but in the blink of an eye, present with them and speaking with Jesus!  That's right Elijah and Moses, two of the greatest prophets and most important people in Israel's history are standing with Jesus.  

And as if that wasn't otherworldly enough, the voice of God sounds. I wonder what it sounded like, do you wonder about this too?  Do you think it sounded the same as it did to Moses and the children of Israel?  Did it sound strong and authoritative?  Did it sound gentle?  Did it sound like the voice young Samuel heard when he was sleeping in bed and was awoken by the sound of his name?  Sometimes I wonder if that voice is at the same time deeply familiar and totally foreign. Maybe it would be as if you had never known your Dad - never even heard him say your name but, upon hearing his voice for the first time you recognize it  - something inside of you knows it and responds to it.  Maybe it would make you happy and sad and scared and totally at home all that the same time.  Can you imagine feeling all of that in one moment?  

Well when the disciples heard the voice of God they fell down on the ground and the bible says they were afraid.  Imagine that moment for the disciples - imagine how hard they were working to understand all that was going on before them - Jesus glowing, Moses and Elijah appearing and now the voice of God.  This guy Jesus that they had come to know really well; this guy who liked fishing and bread and wine and camp fires.  This man who was changing the lives of people he touched, of those he spoke to; who calmed waves and stilled storms, who sent those pigs running into the water, who possessed some kind of power and authority that a believing woman was healed just by touching the hem of his cloak.  Jesus, the Saviour - he was changing their lives.  And in this moment they get a glimpse of how Holy he his.  He is Emmanuel.  God is with them. And here is the thing that gets me every time, Jesus stoops down and he touches his friends, the disciples.  How do you imagine this?  Maybe he places his hand on their back or on their head or takes their hand; maybe he gives them a gentle nudge?  And then they hear his voice, the one they know so well saying to them: "Get up and do not be afraid."

There is much to say theologically about this passage but perhaps the beginning place for all of us is wonder and worship.  This story bridges together the seasons of Epiphany and Lent.  The season of Epiphany begins with the baptism of Jesus and the voice of God affirming Jesus as his beloved Son and now at the end of Epiphany we have Jesus on the mountain in all his glory and we hear the voice of God say, "this is my Son, the beloved, in Him I am well pleased; listen to him!" Notice that God says very similar things, he affirms the identity of Jesus in both passages, the only son of God, the beloved.  But here God says, "Listen to him" because Jesus is the incarnation of God, in Christ we can understand who 'I am' is.  Hear the gospel of John, "No one has ever seen God, it is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known." (1:17) Moses and Elijah are great prophets but they are not the Messiah, they are not to be worshipped.  But, Jesus is, he is the full revelation of God.

Peter, always so quick with ideas and full vigour has the idea to set up three places of worship on the mountain.  To the hearer this idea seems to come right out of left field but most biblical scholars understand this to be Peter's attempt to get around the way of suffering that Jesus has spoken of. Maybe there is another way this can be done, maybe we can just set up camp here, maybe that will be enough,  so that you don't have to leave this mountains, Jesus.  Because the truth is down the mountain, on the ground things are unfolding very differently and this story of glory, of mystery and transcendence takes place in the shadow of much suffering.  And maybe this context is what makes it all the more poignant. Maybe Jesus wants his disciples to know that there is a glory for now even in the suffering and one yet to be experienced at the resurrection, "tell no one about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."  Christ is with us in all things.  Perhaps we can take this story with us into this season of lent, into the shadows. Christ of the Cross, Christ in dazzling, overwhelming glory, stoops down, he takes our hands and says: "get up, do not be afraid."

I wonder if it might be best to listen to this story and receive it as a story that draws us into wonder and worship.  Maybe the children want to draw or paint one aspect of this story - the sight of Jesus, the disciples on the ground, Jesus reaching down, touching and speaking to the disciples, the overwhelming light, the top of the mountain, the presence of Elijah and Moses with Jesus.  Perhaps they will come up with a more abstract piece of art to represent the story or to reflect what it makes them think of or how it makes them feel.  

Many of the lessons this week focus on the truth that God changes us - just like the Lion changed Eustace in the chronicles of Narnia, taking all of those dragon scales off and restoring Eustace.  Immediately the children knew what had happened to Eustace, he met Aslan ... "It would be nice, and fairly nearly true, to say that "from that time forth Eustace was a different boy."  To be strictly accurate, he began to be a different boy. He had relapses.  There were still many days when he could be very tiresome.  But most of those I shall not notice.  The cure had begun."

As you hear the gospel this week may you glimpse the glory of God. And may it bring you to wonder and to worship this week as you share the story with the children.

The Upside Down Life: Part 3

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer.   But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.  Give to everyone who begs from you and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Matthew 5:38-48

This week I read 'The Story of Ruby Bridges', a six year old girl growing up in New Orleans in 1960.  Ruby was one of the first black children to be sent to a white school and and the very first to be sent to William Frantz Elementary School.  Ruby and her parents had a strong faith in God - they prayed long and hard, asking God for courage and strength.  On Ruby's first day of school a large crowd of angry white people picketed the school, they called Ruby names, some people even wanted to hurt her.  No one came to the aid of Ruby, not the city police or state police.  So the president of the United States ordered Federal Marshals to walk with her to school.  This went on for weeks that turned into months - angry crowds continued to shout angry words and threats at her.  And yet, six year old Ruby would walk through the crowd and not say a word.  No one went to school with Ruby - the white people in the neighbourhood would not send their children to school.  So Ruby was the only child in the whole school.  Her teacher would marvel at her attitude, her eagerness for learning and her resilience. One morning she noticed Ruby on her walk towards the school, Ruby seemed to turn toward the angry crowd to talk to them.  When Ruby came into the school Mrs. Henry asked her what she was saying to the crowd.  Feeling exasperated Ruby told Mrs. Henry that she was not talking to the crowd but praying for them.  You see every morning on her way to school she prayed for the people who hated her so much.  And this particular morning she had forgotten to pray so she stopped right there in the middle of the crowd and she prayed the prayer that she prayed everyday on her way to and from school:

Please, God, try to forgive those people.
Because even if they say those bad things,
They don't know what they are doing.
So you could forgive them,
just like you did those folks a long time ago
When they said terrible things about you.

A child lead the way, stood in the face of all of that anger and hate and deep division. And in the strength of the Lord she made a way for all children to attend school together in New Orleans.  Her story echoes down the years and still teaches us what it means to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us.  Perhaps it is only through stories like Ruby's, only through the life of Christ that we can understand these words from the gospel of Matthew.  Love your enemy? Do good to those who hate you?  Surely these words are not to be taken literally?  And yet when they are lived out they give witness to a deep love, to a way of living that defies our human understanding and shows us another way of being in the world, a way that offers us true freedom.  Jesus goes to the cross and looking down upon the angry mob that has crucified him, he says, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do."  The Word interprets the word.

I think it is helpful to put wheels on these words as it is far too easy for these teachings to become obtuse.  These teachings are for our everyday lives just like Jesus' words on anger from last week.  Even if a child doesn't have an enemy at school, we can likely all think of someone who we have vilified, ganged up on, or spoken harshly about with others.  So, how do we love our enemies?

I am reminded of Father Trevor's words from last weeks story, 'Desmond and the Very Mean Word':
"When people say mean words to us, we often feel ashamed of who we are... they can make us feel less lovable, but it's not true...
Desmond, everything we do matters - if we smile or if we frown, if we say something nice or if we say something mean... When we hurt someone, it hurts us too."
Our hearts are fragile and easily hurt.  This is why we were given a way to heal them - it's called forgiveness....
You don't need to wait until someone says they're sorry. You have the power to forgive them when you are ready...
Let me tell you a secret, Desmond.  When you forgive someone, you free yourself from what they have said or done.  It's like magic."

The answer to the hurt we experience is not to hurt back.  The answer is love; the answer is forgiveness.  It was Jesus answer to us on the cross.  Love.  Forgiveness.  Freedom.

When we begin to pray for those who hurt us, God begins to change our hearts towards people.  We begin to see others as God sees them. We can forgive, even if they never say 'sorry'.  That angry crowd that Ruby Bridges walked in front of they did not shame Ruby, she was confident in who she was as a beloved child of God; she knew that God was on her side and she felt compassion for all those angry people who 'didn't know what they were doing.'  She understood something of "the very heart of God who comes amongst us, who loves the unlovable, suffers our worst and rises to forgive us."  Ruby Bridges had the capacity for this kind of love is due to the empowering love given by God, who is love. We are able to be gracious, hospitable, generous, forgiving because we know these gifts of God in our own lives. We know his forgiveness and we can forgive others, we know his generosity towards us and we can be generous, we know the welcome he offers - to the older son and to the prodigal - and we can be hospitable too. (Barbara Essex, Feasting on the Word)

We cannot love our enemies in our own strength, we are empowered through the love of God and the help of the Spirit. We also need and a friend or someone we trust in our community of faith to help us walk this road.  Ruby Bridges was able to go to school all alone (with an armed marshal), through an angry crowd for months because God was with her - she prayed everyday on the way to and from school. Because her parents and a whole community were praying for her.  Desmond Tutu learned to forgive and love his enemy as he came to understand Jesus through the words and witness of Father Trevor Huddleston.  You see this is a way of living for us as disciples and for the church.

Perhaps this Sunday you can share a story with your class about someone who has learned what it means to 'love your enemy'. Talk about what this looks like in our daily lives - allow for some response to these words of Jesus.  Maybe it will be reflecting on what forgiveness means for us, a time when we have been forgiven or forgiven someone for the hurt they caused us and felt free.  Maybe we need to be reminded just how much God loves us, maybe we need to see ourselves through his eyes. Perhaps you want to allow students to respond creatively through a drawing, a poem, or some word art.

If you would like to read 'The Story of Ruby Bridges' or 'Desmond and the Very Mean Word' to your class, please let me know, I can make a copy available to you.

Salt and Light

Salt and Light

"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot."

"You are the light of the world.  A city built on a hill cannot be hid.  No one after lighting a lamp puts it   under the bushel basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.  For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter will pass away until all is accomplished.  Therefore whoever breaks one of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you until your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and the Pharisees you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:13-20

Today's text might bring to mind many a sermon you have heard on the properties of salt and light, on their usefulness in daily life, and our purpose as Christians in the world.  Perhaps you even had an enthusiastic Sunday School teacher bring it home with a salt shaker and a lamp and a bucket.  I remember one quick witted friend of mine completely dismissing a lesson on salt and light after declaring that extolling the uses of road salt was completely irrelevant to the text! (she went on to become a successful lawyer).

Salt and light are two metaphors for who we are as Christians. Note that Jesus says, You folks are the salt of the earth.  You folks are the light of the world.  The blessing comes first, this is who you are - now become it!  Or put more succinctly: Become who you are.  Just as salt is meant to enter into food and bring out the flavour of the dish, we are to help creation be its truest self, what it was meant to be.  Just as salt is a preservative in food allowing it keep, we are to preserve the goodness of creation.  We are light to the cosmos!  Take note folks - you are to shine in the world.  Your good deeds are a signpost to something greater, something truer, something even more beautiful, a kingdom yet to come.  Don't hide under the bucket - let the world see God at work in you!

However, we notice that with each of these statements about our identity as God's people come with a warning.

"But if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good but is thrown out and tramped underfoot."

"No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on a light stand.  In the same way let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven."

These are important words to pay attention to.  Can the church lose its flavour? Can we become useless and even be thrown out? This sounds a kind of dramatic but the truth is the road to getting turfed is rarely dramatic, more often it is subtle and unremarkable. These words of caution might be especially apt for the North American church who too often is unrecognizable from the rest of the world.  When we lose our distinctiveness what good are we? Are we able to help creation be its truest self when we are trying to preserve a way of living that might even be in opposition to gospel living?  Are we preserving the goodness of creation when we are existing to preserve our communities, our ways of worshipping and being? When we are living cautiously are we bringing out the flavours of creation or are we just bland and tasteless?

How about light?  You Folks are the light of the world, why are you hiding?  Don't be anxious.  You are important people; let people see your good works and see God at work in the world.  This isn't about getting glory for ourselves this is about showing the world who God is, being his people and working for his kingdom here and now.  Too often we are afraid to live as God's people because we are aware just how different - just how mind-bending it is.  Truth be told we don't want to stand out as Jesus followers; we want to follow him in a way that is comfortable, in a way that doesn't create conflict internally or with others.  And yet the way to really live is to become who we are: the light of the world; a city on a hill.

So how is the church salt and light in the world?  Well even as we gather in worship on Sunday mornings we are remembering who we are and we are becoming who we are created to be as God's children; as his people in the world.  As a church we pray for people and for our city, country and world, we pray for and seek justice right relationships with one another and with our neighbours.  As we read and learn the scripture we are formed by the story of God. When we go from this place into our daily lives we bring forth the beauty and goodness of creation and glorify God with our whole lives: when the students care for others at school, when they show kindness to their siblings and other children, when they offer forgiveness, confess their need for and ask God to be their help, when they work to get along with others, to include others, when they pray for people in their class.  When they place God at the centre of their very lives loving him with heart, soul and mind.  This is the way we are to posture ourselves in the world and it is not easily done. In fact maybe this is why this text is speaking to "you folks" instead of to us as individuals.  We cannot do this alone.

I remember as a child being quite shy about my faith or perhaps more truthfully being a little ashamed, wanting to slink under my desk every time religion was discussed or whenever the dreaded topic of our parents careers came up.  I remember a few instances over the years when people asked me very pointed questions, one person asked me: what makes you so happy?  Another asked: why do you talk to the girl, she's nasty?  Immediately, I knew in my heart that this was the work of Jesus in me.  But like a lump in my throat the words stuck there and I just shrugged my shoulders like it was some big mystery I didn't have the words for.  It is a big mystery and it is both simple and profound, revealed and obscured, lived out in the daily. May our actions and our words be both salt and light in this world.  May our sabbath practice remind us who we are and may we become who we are created to be.

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A word on metaphor!

I love metaphors because they work on our imaginations, because they are fluid, they come to us in different ways at different times.  Don't worry about spelling them out to directly, you can certainly highlight the purposes of salt and light and establish the relationship that Christians are to the world what salt is to food; that Christians are to the world what light is to darkness. You can use examples, bring in props if you like, have an unsalted potato chip vs. a salted one Or have a lamp on your table and put a bucket over it.