Friday, March 3, 2017

TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY: "LISTEN TO HIM!"


Sermon Summary (2/26/17, Transfiguration Sunday), “Listen to Him”  Matthew 17:1-9; 16:13-28

What did Jesus know and when did he know it?  Did Jesus come on automatic pilot from Bethlehem to the cross?  Or was there a time that Jesus chose the cross, chose to die for you and me?  Would we respond differently if we knew it was a choice? Would we “Listen to him”?

What did Jesus know?  You remember Paul (Phil 2:5-11) tells that Jesus emptied himself of his divinity; Jesus even tells us that only the Father knows the time or the day.  Jesus was not omniscient, did not know everything.  But he knew the stories of his birth, his mission was to be the Messiah, to reconcile the world to himself, to save the world.  His name was Jesus after all, “One who saves.”  But when did he choose?  When did know that his ministry was the cross? 

Did God say, “Jesus, it is your task to live with my people, experience what they experienced, be tempted as they are, then choose how you will draw them to yourself.  I’ll let you know what I think.”  Is that what happened at the Transfiguration?

Jesus has chosen.  He takes his disciples on a retreat to Caesarea-Philippi, high up in the mountains.  You remember.  He asks, “Who do people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter says, you are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” 

Then Jesus begins to teach them that “he must go to Jerusalem, be handed over to men, undergo great suffering, be killed and be raised on the third day.”  And what were the implications for the disciples, for us, if they, us, chose to be his followers?  “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”  Wow! We have a ministry of denial and sacrifice, too.

God affirms the ministry of Jesus on the mountain, “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Listen to him!”  Listen to him.  Disciples, would be followers, listen to him.

I saw Mel West at the Rural Ministry Training last Saturday.  If I could, I’d like to be like Mel when I grow up.  Mel is a follower of Jesus, one who denies himself, takes up the cross and follows.  I’ve known Mel for 20 years.  When I first sat down with him, he asked if I’d ever read In His Steps?  He said when he read it, it changed his life.  He said, “Rick, you must read In His Steps.”  I listen to Mel.

The story centers around a comfortable church that is challenged to ask “What would Jesus Do in my circumstance” in everything they do for the following year.  Ask, answer and do regardless of consequences.  The biggest thing they wrestled with was determining just “What would Jesus do?”  We can only do that by “Listening to Him.”  Listen to Him.  That is our task for Lent.  Amen.


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