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.
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.