Sermon Archives

February 14, 2010
Pastor Dan Selbo

"Mountains, Moments, and the Making of a Faithful Life"
Exodus 34:29-35, 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Luke 9:28-36

            Dear Friends, Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus.

            Let me start today with a question. And you don’t need to raise your hands, but I want you to be honest. (And it might seem like a strange question to be asking, but stick with me for a moment.) But have you ever had your picture taken and been concerned about the results? (And be honest.) They say, “The camera doesn’t lie,” and I think we all know how true it is. Have you ever been nervous about the results?

            I still remember the old saying, “If you look like your passport photo, you need the trip.” I remember laughing when I first heard that, and probably because, in my case it was true. (I don’t know what I was thinking when that passport picture was taken.)

            This past week, in getting ready for this sermon, I happened to look at my driver’s license in my wallet, and it produced another saying. “If you look like the picture on your driver’s license, you shouldn’t be driving.” (And I think many of you know what I mean.)

            Well, the fact is (the truth is) and I think we all know this as well, that the experiences of your life can shape your appearance. The experiences of your life can change the way you look.

            Just think about it. (We’ve all seen it.) People who’ve been through times that have been less than pleasant in life. Times of sorrow, times of testing, periods of stress, and (when it’s happening), you can just tell by looking at them that something in their life isn’t right. And their appearance gives them away. (You can see it.) Something’s going on, that’s not good.

            And then you run into them months later, and you can’t believe the difference. You say, “You look like a different person.” And they say, “I am. My life has changed. I’m not the same as I was.” And you can tell (by looking at them) that it’s true. (It is true.) The experiences of your life can shape your appearance. The experiences of your life can change the way you look.

            Well, (today’s story) today’s stories are about appearance. They’re about the changing of appearance as a result of coming face-to-face with God. They’re about mountaintop experiences. They’re about moments (in the course of life) that can change a life forever. And they’re about the kind of things that can happen along the way (that God uses along the way) to help shape and form and make us into the kind of people he wants us to be.

            The title for our sermon today is “Mountains, Moments, and the Making of a Faithful Life.” Let’s talk for a few moments about our lessons. All three of our lessons today are tied to the same central theme. (That doesn’t always happen with our texts. But this particular weekend, it does.) The Old Testament lesson was the story of Moses coming down from Mount Sinai, carrying the two tablets containing the law.

            You remember the story. Moses goes up on the mountain to be with God. And there he encounters God. (He comes face-to-face with God.) And God gives him the Ten Commandments. And it changes his life (and his appearance); and not the commandments, but the encounter with God. And it happens on Mount Sinai.

            Now, the word “Sinai” (interestingly enough) comes from the same root word meaning “to shine.” And that’s interesting because that’s what happened. Moses comes down (to the foot of the mountain) carrying the tablets. But the people don’t even notice the tablets. All they can see is Moses’ face. They stare at his face. (It says, “They were afraid to come near him.”) And they were afraid, because they knew something had happened to Moses. They could see it in his face. He was a different man than he was before.

            The story goes on to say that (so great was the change) that Moses had to wear a veil, because the people weren’t able to look at his face. They were afraid to look at his face. And so he put a veil on (when he talked with the people) and he took it off when he went back in to talk with the Lord. (That was the first lesson.)

            In the second lesson, Paul picks up on that same story about the veil of Moses, and uses it as an analogy for the Christian life. He says that in the Old Testament, the people had veils that kept them from seeing God. But now (he says) in the New Testament (in the person of Jesus), the veil has been taken away. In Jesus, (he says) we can see exactly what God is like. There’s no longer a veil to hide anything from us, because (in Jesus), all of God’s glory has been revealed.

            Now, it’s only an analogy, (that Paul uses), so don’t push it too far. But it closes in a way that helps us (understand what he saying), by saying that “We, with unveiled faces, are being transformed into his likeness (into the likeness of Jesus), with ever-increasing glory.”

            Now, turn to the gospel lesson for this morning. Today’s story is about the transfiguration of Jesus. And it comes (as you know) on the last Sunday in the season of Epiphany, right before Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of Lent.

            Now, do remember the story we read at the beginning of this season (way back at the beginning of January)? It was the story of Jesus’ baptism. And do you remember what happened (right after Jesus was baptized)? It said, “The heavens opened, and a voice (came from the heavens) saying, ‘This is my Son, my beloved, in whom I am well pleased.’”

            And so, here we are (several weeks later) on this last Sunday before Lent (this day of Jesus’ transfiguration) and what does it say? Once again, it says (this time), “The cloud opened, and a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I’ve chosen, listen to him.’”

            “Mountains, Moments, and the Making of a Faithful Life.” Let’s talk for a moment about mountains. Mountains play a major role in the Bible. Moses received the Ten Commandments on a mountain. Jesus was transfigured on a mountain. The Sermon on the Mount, and Mount Horeb, and Mount Sinai, and the Mount of Olives, they all play important parts in the biblical story.

            But mountains weren’t just significant (in the Bible), geographically. They were also significant theologically. Mountains were places of worship. Mountains were places where things happened. Mountains were places where God worked to reveal himself, places of refuge and stability and strength.

            In the story today, Jesus goes up on the mountain and is transfigured. Something changes in Jesus. Luke says “the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as lightning.”

            Now, do you know what that means? (It’s probably obvious.) But it means Jesus (himself) was in the presence of God. Just like Moses (on Mount Sinai), whose face was changed by talking with God. Jesus was changed. He was transfigured. And the disciples could see it in his face.

            Now, let me ask you a question. (And we’re talking about mountains and about their significance in the Bible.) But when you think about what happened on that mountain (Jesus was transfigured), do you think (that transfiguration) was for Jesus or for the disciples? Do you think it was Jesus (or for us)?

            I think it was for Jesus. (Just think about it.) After all, he was human, just like us. He was God, but he set aside his godliness (the Bible says) and took upon himself our humanity. That means that he needed to be reassured. He needed something (along the way) that would help him stay on the way. And so he went up on the mountain to pray. (Don’t miss that important note.) And (while he was praying) he was transfigured. And his reassurance came. (And he continued on the way.) And it changed the way he looked.

            I think the transfiguration was for Jesus. I also think it was for the disciples and for us. (Think back for a moment.) Do you remember what happened before this story? Luke says, “eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, James, and John and went up on a mountain to pray.” He says that eight days before going up on the mountain, (where Jesus was transfigured), Jesus said something important to his disciples.

            Now, do you remember what it was? It was the first time Jesus told his disciples about the cross. It was the first time he told his closest followers that this all was leading to his death.

            Now, obviously, I wasn’t there when it happened. (Neither were you.) And Luke doesn’t give us all the details. But I can only imagine what those eight days must have felt like for the disciples, after hearing (for the first time) about the cross. They probably didn’t say much. I’ll bet there were some awkward moments of silence during those eight days. Time to let it all sink in, time to begin (if it was even possible) to sort it all out.

            And then eight days later, Jesus invites them to the mountain to pray. And it happens. Moses and Elijah are there (representing the law and the prophets), everything good Jews like Peter (and John and James) would need. And then the cloud comes, and Moses and Elijah are gone. And a voice comes (from the cloud) telling the disciples that “This is My Son, the one I have chosen; listen to Him.” And then it was over. And they went down the mountain. But something happened (on that mountain) that would change their lives.

            “Mountains, Moments, and the Making of a Faithful Life.” I don’t know how it works in your life. (I’ll speak only for myself.) But (if I’m honest), I have to admit that I’m not that much different than Peter. Two thousand years removed (to be sure), but the same basic questions (in my life) as in his.

            Questions about life? Questions about what really matters in life?  Questions about Jesus (and about the Christian faith) and about how it all comes together and fits?

            Jesus said, “I’m going to the cross.” He said, “I’m going to die for your sin. I’m going to die because of your sin.” And he said, “If you want to be one of my followers, then you better be ready to give up your own life.” (He said), “It’ll cost you your life.”

            Eight days later, I still would have been stunned. Two thousand years removed (even after the resurrection) I still find myself struggling with the same basic questions as they were asking back then.

            (I don’t know about you), but I need that mountain to remind me that it’s true. I need those moments (along the way) to reassure me that I’m on the right way. And I need that voice (that can only come from God) to remember that Jesus is God’s Son, and that he was (and still is) the one that was chosen (for our salvation), and that in my own life, (as in yours), I need to listen to him.

            My friends, I don’t know what’s going on in each of your lives here today. I don’t know if you’re on a spiritual mountain, or if you’re finding yourself in one of life’s valleys. What I do know is that there’s something about being in the presence of God that can shape your appearance. There’s something about finding time (on the mountain) to be alone with Jesus that can change the way you look.

            Now, it, most likely, won’t happen as suddenly as it did on that mountain (long ago). Not everyone gets the chance to have an experience (like that) that instantaneously changes their life. But it will happen. (It will happen.) And, more often than not, in subtle ways, with small changes, in little things that (over time) change a person’s life.

            I couldn’t tell you how many people I’ve talked with (over the years) that look back on their lives and can hardly believe the difference. From where they were (back then), to where they are today, it’s hard to believe that they’re the same person.

            And the reality is that from week to week, you hardly notice any difference. In fact, I doubt if any of us will look much different going out (today) than we did coming in. But over time (in the presence of God) it happens. Give it some time (for God to work in your life), and a transformation will take place. And it will change your appearance. It will change the way you look (and the way you look at life).

            My friends, that’s the Christian life. Paul says that (in Jesus) we’re all being changed “from one degree of glory into another.” And that’s not a prediction (he makes), but a promise. That’s not a possibility (for some day out in the future), but a certainty and an assurance (for today) that comes from listening to what Jesus has to say. Because what he has to say has been said on the cross. And what he said (and did) on the cross was said and done for us.

            One final note before we close. Years later, following Jesus’ suffering and death, his resurrection and ascension back into heaven, (and not long before) he would give his own life (as a martyr) for Jesus, Peter would write these words. Recalling what happened (years before) on that mountain of transfiguration, Peter would write this, (from 2 Peter, chapter one), listen as we close.

            He writes: “For 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. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the heavens, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased.’ And we ourselves (Peter says) heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on that sacred mountain.”

“Mountains, Moments, and the Making of a Faithful Life.” One day at a time, one moment at a time, for Peter, for James and for John, and for you and for me, in Christ. Amen.