Text Matthew 17:1-9; Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 2; 2 Peter 1:16-21
Theme Good to Be Here
Subject Transfiguration of Our Lord (Epiphany ends with Mardi Gras delight)
Occasion Transfiguration of Our Lord – 2/3/08 – Zion – Iowa City
Baptisms: Gracyn Adeline Yoder & Elliana Marie Ziegelbein
Grace to you and peace from our living Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
When Bob Bothel at 102
Or Charlie Rogers at 99
Say good to be here
We understand and we might think exactly the same thing
good to be here
When we hear the account of Jesus’ transfiguration, Peter doesn’t fair very well
"Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, … one for Elijah." (17:4)
What’s the matter with you Peter?
Jesus is glowing;
Moses and Elijah are here
and you want to build a shrine?
What’s the matter with you Peter?
Can’t you just celebrate the moment?
But that’s what Peter was doing:
Celebrating the moment
He even said so
“Lord, it is good for us to be here” (17:4a)
Good to be here
We all know the feeling – and then we try to preserve it
We take pictures or make videos or write in our journals
Good to be here
And under it is a sense of preservation
My senior sermon at seminary was based on this text
I chose it because of that 1st year student assigned to plan the service with me
He was so convinced that his mountain-top experience at Bible camp was going to be his way of life and ministry
But I knew then as I do now:
people live in the valleys – we don’t live on mountain tops
The air gets thin; the footing is dangerous
What’s the matter with you Peter? You can’t stay there
But I’m older now – I re-live memories occasionally
(Let me tell you the story sometime of that brown trout mounted in my office)
So many moments, like you, I have sighed
Good to be here
Transfiguration Sunday?
Good-to-be-here Sunday
Good to be here to remember that moment on a Palestinian hill
For our sake – good that Peter, James and John got to be there
Oh, we won’t stay
But for a moment we’ll remember and understand what Peter meant
“Lord, it is good for us to be here” (17:4a)
- - - - - - -
Last Wednesday some of us gathered here with Lucile Floyd, her family and friends to quietly celebrate the resurrection and commend Orval Floyd to God’s eternal care
It was good to be here
After the lunch, when most of the people had gone,
On her way out, Lucile sat down at the piano and began to play
She played Big Band tunes:
familiar music from days-gone-by – dancing music
Her well trained hands danced lightly over the keys
Everyone stopped and came to gather around the piano
It was a wonderful moment
good to be here
- - - - - - -
According to Matthew, after the death of John the Baptist,
there were many times for people to say good to be here
5000 fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish
Jesus walking on water
A Gentile woman healed and then more healings
4000 fed with 7 loaves and few small fish
When Jesus asked the disciples who people say he is
Simon answered correctly: You are the Messiah, Son of the living God (16:16)
He’d seen the signs; heard the teaching
All those times when he must have breathed deep and sighed
Good to be here
Jesus named him Peter then and gave him the keys to the kingdom of heaven
Again he could say, “whoa, good to be here”
The Transfiguration is when
(Jesus) was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white (17:2)
The Greek word translated “transfigured” is metamorfoomai
Jesus was metamorphos-ized:
Radiant white and changed
If you’d been there, you couldn’t miss it
[Remember learning about metamorphic rocks?
Rocks under pressure are changed: coal becomes diamond]
Jesus clamped between thousands of years of salvation history and the future
with the law giver (Moses) and the prophet (Elijah)
with the apostolic fathers of the church: Peter, James, John
The kid from Nazareth is Messiah – Son of God
Jesus: the God-man
The paradox of Christ vividly displayed on the mountain
A singular moment in time
So Peter said it and meant it
good to be here
- - - - - - -
Today Gracyn Adeline and Elliana Marie join us through baptism
Good to be here
This is like a high mountain for them
Gracyn’s parents, Pat and Rebecca,
Her sponsors, Nathan and Justina
They’ll remember for a long time and tell her
Elliana’s parents, Joel and Ann
Her sponsor, Paula
They’ll remember for a long time and tell her
For these little ones
This is in a way their transfiguration day
We teach and believe the Holy Spirit works faith and salvation in them today
Their baptism today reminds us of our baptismal day
Our transfiguration day – a moment that changed our lives
For Gracyn and Elliana; for all of us
Good to be here
- - - - - - -
One of my pastoral privileges is to help couples preparing for their weddings
Early in our conversation I listen to them recall their courtship
I’m listening for moments
Who saw who first?
Then what happened?
I’m especially interested in hearing the engagement story
Last week I was listening to Katie and Matt tell theirs
Katie had been studying in Italy
Matt looked forward to his mid-semester visit
He went to great lengths; made special plans
Talked to her parents; bought the ring
So unlike him – but then, he’s in love
Late one afternoon they walked up steps to a hill above Florence
One of Katie’s classmates was with them – shux
They all wanted to enjoy a beautiful sunset but it was cold
Katie had dismissed her hope that Matt might ask
Too many details for him to work out
Yet Matt was watching for a private moment – but no
So they all started down the steps back to the city
Oh, Katie had forgotten her jacket on the bench (honest mistake I’m told)
She and Matt went back for it – the classmate went on
Half-way back to the bench Matt stopped, turned to Katie and knelt
“Katie, will you marry me?”
Finally after much commotion, she said “Yes”
A singular moment now shapes their future
Good to be here
- - - - - - -
As Matthew tells it,
A voice came from heaven telling the 3 disciples,
"This is my Son, the Beloved;
with him I am well pleased;
listen to him!" (17:5)
What did Jesus say first?
“Get up and do not be afraid” (17:5)
An important word for oppressed people to hear
They can only kick you if you’re down – get up
Good to be here
An important word for those called by God to be agents of change
God is with you; don’t be afraid
Good to be here
Peter only said what any of us would have said
Good to be here, where’s my camera?
There will come a day where
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Cor 15:52)
I want to be in that number
I will sing and if I don’t say it, I hope someone does
Good to be here!
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