Making the Vision Real: Sermon Luke 9:28-36

Dear God, take our minds and think through them; take our hands and feet and work through them; take our lips and speak through them, take our hearts and set them on fire for you. Amen

I had seen so many things during my time with Jesus. I had spent every day for three years with him and during that time I really experience the power of God and how that power could change people, radically change people. Speaking about change I remember that night when I saw a great change in Jesus and also in myself. It was cold that evening and I was very tired. All I wanted to do was to find a comfortable patch of grass or maybe even a bed in someone’s home and crash. It had been a long day in what had been long months in a long year. My life had changed so dramatically and I had seen so many things that I had begun to be a little overwhelmed. I had seen so many miracles, people healed, the blind received sight, demons had been cast out, and more than 5,000 people had been fed from only five loaves and two fish. We walked for what seemed like forever, I had never been that far from home before, but it seemed that as long as I was with Jesus I was home. As long as Jesus was leading I would follow wherever he went.

I had found a patch of soft grass underneath a tree and I have cover myself as best I could and snuggled in and tried to sleep. I had just begun to doze off when Jesus came over to me, “Come with me, let’s go to the mountain to pray.” My first thought was “Come on Jesus, it’s late, I’m tired; can’t we wait until the morning.” But I knew better than to say anything so I gathered myself up and I followed James, Peter, and Jesus up the mountain. We found a nice little place and sat down, I was so tired that I could not stop myself from yawning, but I knew that I had better stay awake. I didn’t want to disappoint Jesus, but my exhaustion had just about gotten the better of me. But then all of a sudden there was the immense bright light, I had never seen such a thing before, it was as if the night had become day. I jumped up and looked and there was Jesus, but he had changed. His clothes had become a dazzling, bright white, and his faced beamed like the Sun, I had never seen anything like this before. Then along side Jesus I saw two other men standing there, but it wasn’t Peter or James. I strained my eyes against the glare and I thought at first that it might be angels, but I felt deep within myself that it must be Elijah and Moses who had come to be with Jesus. I remember the story of Moses on the mountain seeing the partial glory of God and his faced had changed and glowed because of his experience. I was stunned, speechless. Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus, but I could not make out the conversation.

Then Peter spoke up and said “Master it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter knew who it was too! Then all of a sudden a great cloud began to descend upon us. Now at this point I began to get a little scared, but that feeling didn’t last too long and that’s when I heard the voice, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” Then as soon as soon as it had started it was over. Peter, James, and I were standing there with Jesus, the light, the cloud, and Moses and Elijah were gone. Jesus walked over to us and told us not to tell anyone what we had seen. Then I knew that I was part of something very special.

This is an important story in the gospels. It is so important that there is a special Sunday in the Christian calendar to commemorate this story. Today is Transfiguration Sunday and it is that day that we remember the story and learn about what it meant for the disciples then and what it means for us now. There were only a chosen three disciples who witnessed this event. These were the ones that Jesus confided in most deeply. This experience was a glimpse into what was to be. This was a preview of Jesus’ glory and the glory of God through Jesus. It was a preview of the Resurrection. Through the Resurrection the Law and the Prophets would be fulfilled, Jesus had said this and this is one reason why Moses and Elijah were present, it was symbolic of this completion.

This was not the only reason that Elijah and Moses were present. Luke’s gospel says that Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus. There can been a couple of explanations for this. One that Jesus was told of the final plans that God had for him, namely the torture and crucifixion that he would have to endure. Perhaps Moses and Elijah were there to comfort and strengthen Jesus before these trials and this was also to show Jesus the reward for his obedience to God’s plan. Or it could have been that God wanted to demonstrate to the chosen disciples the reality of the situation, Jesus really was how he said he was and the he would bring God’s glory to all people. Perhaps all of these explanations fit and all were present there, but whatever the reason all who witnessed this event remained the same afterwards.

What was Peter’s reaction? This was his first instinct, he wanted to say something profound, but in the end he wanted to be as helpful as he could. He wanted to be the servant, to prepare tents for Jesus and his guests. Peter recognized the significance of this moment and wanted to linger. He wanted to stay in the midst of God’s glory with Jesus, Elijah, and Moses. Who wouldn’t want to stay? In that moment everything was perfect, there were no worries or cares. But like I said it was only a glimpse of what was to come.

Jesus knew this all to well. For as soon as it started it was over. Jesus was back to his old self, at least physically, the light had faded and Moses and Elijah were gone. As much as they wanted to linger, there was work left to do. There were more people who need to feel the touch of God. There were more people who needed to be made whole, there was work left to do. And there was a sacrifice left to be made. Jesus knew what he had to do; to get God’s glory he had to make the sacrifice. To stand on the mountaintop for all times, he first had to go through the valley. He had to make the sacrifice for all of God’s people so all could see God’s glory. Jesus knew that there was work left to do.

That brings us to another question. What does this story say to us today, in our own context? First, I want to take a brief trip down memory lane with you all. This church has history. It is well over 100 years old, (Rehoboth was the first Methodist church to be built in Giles County) (Liberty is among the oldest churches of any denomination in Giles County). Just think about the hundreds of people who have come to Christ in this church. Most of you all grew up in this church, this has been your church since childhood, you have seen many things change, and you have seen a shift from the Methodist Episcopal Church to the Methodist Church to the United Methodist Church. This church as stood firm through many crises, Civil War, two World Wars, a Great Depression, a many other events. This place is chalked full of history, and has stood as a pillar of the community for well over 100 years.

However, times, as they always do, change. We have seen a decline in membership, not just in this church, but in the United Methodist denomination as a whole. People have moved or left for one reason for another, kids have grown older and moved off. Times are difficult and this can lead us to be without hope, to accept the death of our church and to let the past be the past. This is not what Jesus wants, this is not what the community needs, and this is not what should happen.

Let’s have a Transfiguration moment right now. I can’t provide any special effects, but let’s look at what can happen. Imagine if you will, close your eyes if you want. A community of believers in this building, but not just limited to a building, but active all over the area. Imagine an active, vibrant church were worship of God is alive and filled with the Spirit. Imagine any new members, new families, and new people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and cultures. We’ll need to new programs with all these new people, new youth programs, adult and senior programs. Most of all can you imagine a church that is once again a pillar within the community, a place that people can come and worship openly and freely, a place were those who are hurting or in trouble can turn to. This is our glimpse of what could be.

However, we cannot linger on this vision. Visions are good, they give us hope and strength, like it did for Jesus and the disciples, but it is not real. Peter couldn’t build a tent for them because it wasn’t real, it was just a glimpse. Jesus knew they could not linger on a vision, but much work had to be done for the vision to become reality. There was much sacrifice left to do. The same is true for us.

We have work left to do if we want the vision we just had to become reality. It can happen and if we work together it will happen. Remember my challenge to you, to double your membership in two-four years. Invite your friends; invite your co-workers, your neighbors, and your family who don’t have church homes. I don’t want people to move from one church to another, but instead to focus on the unchurched around us.

You are going to see some changes in the next few months. I want to create new projects, joint projects between Liberty and Rehoboth. I want to think about new ideas and new ways to become a part of the community again. I want us to hold one another accountable and help each other to grow. I want us to invest some of our finances into these new ideas, these new seeds. In all that we do let us be focused on the main goal to, as Bishop Wills, says “keep the main thing, the main thing” and that is to make disciples for Christ, not just numbers, but disciples. I am wanted to start to train moving and I hope you can get on board with me. Stop thinking it can’t be done and have faith that with God’s help it will be done. Today is our Transfiguration Sunday and let us work hard together to make the vision a reality.

Let us pray…

Grant, O Lord,

that what has been said with our lips we may believe in our hearts,

and that what we believe in our hearts we may practice in our lives;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.