I don’t know about you - but I often say things that I wish I hadn’t. I have learnt - from unfortunate experience - to keep my mouth tightly shut more often than I used to.
I am sure if I asked you what your most embarrassing moments were - many would speak of a time when their mouths spoke faster than their brains and something blurted out - that couldn’t get put back.
Often when we say silly things - its with the best intentions… but the human limits of our ability to communicate leave us with a mouth full of feet.
But that’s just our human condition - and as people - we just have to learn to live with the mistakes that we each make.
* * *
The disciple - Peter - the rock on which Jesus said he would build his church… is as bad as us when it comes to speaking before thinking.
But I guess that is what makes him a teachable person - someone whose faults are out there - for him and the world to see. Someone who can acknowledge that he says and does silly things; but allows Jesus to correct him.
* * *
Jesus has been preparing the disciples for a difficult time which stands ahead of them… In Luke 9:22 preceding the passage which we read today Jesus has spoken of the difficult future waiting him, he has said:
“The son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
He has said in verse 23 that to follow him you have to deny yourself, you have to take up your cross…
* * *
Several days after these teachings Jesus, Peter, John and James are up on a mountain praying… and they get an intimate glimpse of the glory of who Jesus is.
The scripture says that the appearance of Jesus’ face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white… the disciples saw two men speaking with Jesus - Moses and Elijah.
* * *
On the one hand - there is a vision of great glory… Jesus - appearance transformed by the presence of God - Majestic, Holy, Beautiful - Accompanied by heroes of the faith.
In the other hand - Jesus preceding words - a picture of suffering, a warning of disgrace; Jesus prophecy which immediately precedes this passage: I will be rejected and killed - and if you want to follow me - you also have to take up your cross.
* * *
If I have to choose which hand I want to be in - it’s the hand with Elijah and Moses, Jesus’ shining brightly. All is secure. All is safe.
And that’s where Peter - the great spokesperson for humanity chimes in: “Master, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Luke (the gospel writer) seems quite embarrassed by Peter’s little outburst - he inserts a comment at the end of Vs 33 - “(He did not really know what he was saying.)” Luke goes to extra effort to make sure that we know that Peter was probably a bit drowsy…
* * *
Peter wants to grab at this moment - to make it the defining moment of Jesus’ ministry - the climax - he wants things to stay that way. He’s not to keen on the difficult stuff which Jesus has been talking about… he likes this point of comfort.
Peter wants to say “let’s stop the story right here and take it in this victorious direction… Moses, Elijah and Jesus - a team - ready to liberate
But (as Luke suggests) Peter doesn’t know what he is saying…
Peter doesn’t know what kind of future Jesus’ story will lead to - its path will lead through a time of pain and suffering… Jesus has said: he will have to be rejected and killed - and his disciples too will have to take up their crosses…
Peter just doesn’t want to accept that Jesus ministry is going to lead to a point of shame and death…
(Even though - the difficult road will eventually lead to Jesus resurrection and the beginning of a community committed to making the world a better place.)
* * *
Peter is a lot like us. Selectively Deaf… hearers only of the gospel that we want to hear, not of the difficult gospel which we don’t want to hear.
Peter is like us - people who want to keep our faith here in church, stuck - in an hour on a Sunday. - Beautiful - A moment in which we see - as Peter, James and John did the beauty of who Jesus is, of who God is… The transfiguration!
And feel wonderfully loved and we feel forgiven for all of our sinning.
But keep it to ourselves - and we save these emotions, these experiences for church on Sunday.
* * *
Often, we Christians don’t make friends with anyone outside of our Christian circles - we like the comfort of this so-called Holy Huddle… its great - its comfortable because we can talk to each other about how much Jesus loves us - and we feel good about ourselves, and each other.
We build a little tent on top of the mountain where we had, and continue to enjoy the wonderful experience of knowing that we are loved by God.
* * *
That’s what Peter wanted to do - and that’s what we all want to do… we naturally seem to lean towards the easy and the comfortable.
We naturally avoid the difficult and uncomfortable. We tend to prefer things to stay the same… to be predictable.
* * *
As Peter made his suggestion - a cloud descended on the mountain… it overshadowed them and they were terrified.
A voice came from the cloud saying “This is my Son, my
* * *
Just as Peter is making plans to stay where he is - as he is trying to get God to stay in a comfortable place with them - God issues a reminder….
This is my chosen, my son - listen to him.
Listen to him.
Listen - not just in the sense of hearing what he has to say - but listen in the sense of taking seriously, of believing, of acting on what he is saying.
God is surrounding the small crowd of faithful disciples on top of a mountain with God’s presence - and reminding them to listen - and to obey.
* * *
The road ahead for the disciples is not an easy one… it is a road - literally of blood, sweat and tears.
It is the beginning of a struggle, a struggle to make the
And just as God called the disciples back then to live a difficult life - a life that makes the Kingdom real.
God calls us disciples today to do the same.
* * *
But at the same time we are reminded not to lose sight of the source of strength which we have for this - sometimes - uphill, and heart wrenching battle…
This battle which will exact a heavy toll on our hearts - as we are called to love people who won’t love us in return. As we are called to give of our resources… even when it is difficult to do so…
This source of strength is the presence of God - a cloud surrounding the disciples - a cloud like the pillar of cloud spoken of in the book of Exodus - which God uses to guide the Israelites to freedom from slavery and
For us - today - God’s presence is found here in this small community of Christians who love and support one another.
God’s presence is found when we read and pray - spending some time in daily devotion. Allowing ourselves to be loved and strengthened by God.
We slowly begin to see God - Jesus - revealed to us, as we come together and worship - as we share in communion together.
* * *
But let us never become people who want to shut God up, bind God into a few minutes on a Sunday, or into a morning or evening devotion…
Let us learn to listen to Jesus - to listen and be obedient to Jesus challenge to go out - out of our comfort zones and into a world that is desperate to see a little of what we have seen… desperate to taste the kind of love which we have been fed.
* * *
How is Jesus calling you out this week?
Is it to make contact with friends and family outside the boundaries of church - and share something of God’s love there?
Is it to get involved in community work - perhaps work that is not church related - and shine the light of God’s presence there?
* * *
When we learn to take our faith out of the comfortable and protected places… and in obedience go where God sends us - then we will begin to see the
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