God's glory in Jesus

Reverend Rob Lamerton
26 February 2006, Transfiguration

• 2 Kings 2:1-12
• Psalm 50:1-6 page 264
• 2 Corinthians 4:3-12
• Mark 9:2-9

We come today to the last Sunday of Epiphany and so we read the Transfiguration story — the story of God's glory in Jesus being seen by the disciples Peter, James and John.

Both Moses and Elijah are also ancient men of God in whom God's glory was seen, Moses after his confrontation with God on Mt Sinai!

AND

Elijah when he was taken up!

But they also represent the Law and the Prophets — all that had made God's ways known.

and they are seen with Jesus.

The glory of God and the ways of God are summed up in this great Epiphany — this making known of God in Christ.

Naturally Peter is terrified, bewildered! "and did not know what to say".

Then a cloud overshadowed them and there came a voice: "This is my son, my beloved, listen to him".

The cloud too is symbolic of God's shekinah/glory.

But afterwards "Suddenly when they looked around they saw no-one with them anymore, but only Jesus."

It is as if all the glory and wonder is stripped away and we have come back to earth — to reality.

Then as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them to tell no-one about what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead… the disciples equally naturally are bewildered about what this rising from the dead means (verse 10)

The event tells what the disciples SEE!

They see God's glory in Jesus.

They see the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets; and that part appears to complete what went before!

But now for that glory to be realised in the life of Jesus the harsh reality of the journey to the cross looms as we set off into the journey of Lent.

In every one of the gospels this event is the turning point:

• the end of the Galilean ministry
• and the beginning of the journey to Jerusalem
• the seeing of God's glory in Jesus
• the facing of the reality of life

I guess the reality of the journey of life weigh in on us more often than our ability to see the glory of God's presence. Somehow through the mundane and ordinary, we need to catch a glimpse of that sustaining sense of glory. As we journey with Jesus through Lent, and as the clouds of darkness gather, may we see the brightness of God's glory.

(read at 8am:

FASTING and FEASTING

Lent can be more than a time of fasting; it can be a season of feasting. We can use Lent to fast from certain things and to feast on others. It is a season in which we can:

• Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ dwelling in them
• Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of life
• Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light
• Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God
• Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify
• Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude
• Fast from anger; feast on patience
• Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism
• Fast from worry; feast on divine order
• Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation
• Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives
• Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer
• Fast from hostility; feast on non-resistance
• Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness
• Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others
• Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth
• Fast from discouragements; feast on hope
• Fast from facts that depress; feast on verities that uplift
• Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm
• Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire
• Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity
• Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence

From a Benedictine website

Margaret Bekema
Director
Pastoral Care