Sermon For March 31

The reading

Matthew 25:1-13

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, "Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, "No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The message

Today, we have another reading about the final Judgment, about who is in and out of the kingdom of God.  It again focuses on a wedding.  In Jesus time, weddings were a large event in the lives of the couple, their families and in many ways the whole community or even city.  It meant new relationships and connections along with new obligations and responsibilities.  They center on promises.  

 Now I do not want to say I suck at doing weddings but let’s just say they are not a strong area of expertise. I have forgotten a couple’s new last name,  introducing mr and mrs  and then whispering “what name” to the couple, had a time when everyone assumed the service was over half way through and left, I worked with a couple to meticulously find and pick 10 hymns of which the 200 plus people there didn’t sing one word, I always find myself doing something out of order (despite following my own plan and outline).  Over my almost 10 years of ministry, I have only had a few, what you would call “big weddings”, highly planned out events complete with bridesmaids, a best man, ring bearer and others.  Most people have preferred, smaller, less complicated events. Big or small, there is always a great deal of confusion, who stands where, who walks in when. Even with rehearsals and careful instructions, the time immediately before the wedding is always packed with complicated and complex questions, stuff I never even thought about.  People seem to think all pastors get and memorize a 1000 page manual on wedding etiquette (we don’t) Then there is the last minute changes and adjustments.   Throughout the process I always remind people that the most important part is that they will make their promises to each other before God and loved ones, they will enter this next part of their lives together with prayer, love and support.

Today is our second parable about the final judgement and being prepared that Jesus shares right before his arrest, trial, death and resurrection in Matthew.  Last week we had the story of the man who is not wearing the proper garment at the wedding banquet of the king’s son.  He is questioned, remains silent and is thrown into hell.

Last week, we had to look closely at what was so bad about the man not wearing a wedding robe.  He did not know where he was, because it was for everyone, he took this invitation for granted, failing to realize he was at the wedding of the king’s son.  We need to take a similar look at the 5 bridesmaids and what they did as well.  This week, we see a group of 5 bridemaids whose sin or crime is running out of oil for their lamps, for not anticipating the very late arrival of the groom. For this they are left out of the banquet, locked out of the kingdom.  The role of bridemaids at the time was simple enough. They served as attendants. They went to the bride’s house, waited for the groom to arrive, welcomed him and then accompanied the couple to his family house where the wedding and celebration would begin.  As we often hear, they had one job to do, to be there.  When the very late groom arrives, 5 of the maids do not have oil left.  They ask the others for help but are told, we do not have enough for you and us. They are told go out and buy oil.  That is bad advice.  Even today in NYC it could be hard to find a light bulb at 2:30 in the morning.    

I guess oil mart closed at 10 or oils are us was sold out, for whatever reason, it takes so long for them to find the oil, the group has already moved to the grooms house and banquet began (I assume that means it is now day time and no one even needs the oil). The 5 bridesmaids end up being left out of the banquet.  It was not really because the failed to have enough oil or that they did not plan for the groom being so late. The main reason they are left out is that they got so distracted by the unlit lamps they forgot about their only job welcoming the groom and accompanying the couple to the wedding.  They were not the oil lamp maintaince crew or oil inventory keeper. They were the welcomers and the escort. Really, they could have just shared the 5 lamps and went to welcome the groom anyway. If he asked “where’s the rest of the light” you could say “well where were you 6 hours ago” or  “how about thanking those awesome people who brought extra oil, be thankful there’s still 5 working lamps”. Being there for them, being at the banquet was way more urgent and important than having the right amount of oil.  That is what mattered and that is what they did not do.   

Like the stories I started with,  it’s the main things that are remembered and celebrated. Today’s parable of judgment calls our attention to our life together in faith, the work of the church. Our main job is not to maintain lamps, to run a school, provide social services, put on a show or give out food,  Our work is to share the good news, to respond to faith with works, to tell our friends, family and neighbor God saves them from sin and death.  

Sermon for March 24

The reading

Matthew 22:1-14

1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, "Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' 5But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, "The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 For many are called, but few are chosen."

The message

Over the next few weeks, we are going to hear some difficult readings that will challenge us, that will push us about who enters the kingdom of Heaven.  So far, we have heard a lot about this kingdom, the full  presence of God in the world, Most of it has been inviting, welcoming, Jesus pushing the boundaries to include non-jews and sinners, to include more and more people under God’s promises.  Out of the 4 Gospels, Matthew shares the most parables or teachings about God’s final judgment, the time when those promises take their ultimate effect, the sorting of people, after death, into 2 places, into heaven and hell, eternal peace with God or the outer darkness with the weeping and gnashing of teeth,  These discussions in Matthew are frightening, complicated and intense.  They happen at a frightening, complicated and intense time. The aggression and intensity of these readings on the final judgment increase along with the aggression of Jesus teachings, more intense confrontations with authorities and with Jesus own struggle as he heads to Jerusalem where he will die and rise again, 

Over the next few weeks, we will gather around 4 of these readings. We are still talking about the kingdom of Heaven, as we have been throughout Matthew, They are not easy readings. They force more questions than they answer:  how do we know we are included? Can you be removed, how?  Do we get membership cards, do we have to renew them every few years like licenses, are there requirements like continuing education credits, what authority determines who is in, is it a group, a single person, a committee?     

They can leave people of faith reeling, wondering if their good, but not really Christian neighbor is in, wondering about their children or even wondering if they, themselves are in, Those questions, “am I saved”, “did I do enough”,  was a tremendous cause of anxiety in churches during the years leading up to the Reformation.  Addressing that anxiety and fear of hell is the pastoral setting that Luther (and others before him) sets out to address, finding in scripture and experience the good news, we are saved by grace through faith, The answer to “am I saved” or “did I do enough” is yes, because of God’s grace, not our works. There is lots of support for that in Jesus life, teachings and scripture, but now we need to compare that to readings like today’s where a man not wearing the proper garment after answering a last minute invite is cast out into hell.   

It feels like the unfair generosity in last week’s parable about the vineyard owner who pays everyone the daily wage, even those hired at the last hour and who did very little shifts to unfair judgment, a man condemned simply for showing up in the wrong outfit.  Now, this is scary for me, I am historically always dressed wrong.  I put on a suit and tie to go to a nice lunch with Jen and we end up sitting next to people wearing sweaty gym clothes, I show up in jeans and a t-shirt and every other pastor is wearing a pressed suit and collar, I wear a collar and get told, wow your so formal, we are causal here, I sumbit a picture for a webisite of me wearing robes at church and get told that’s intimidating for people, makes you look unapproachable, can you give us another one?,   Culturally, black is a very negative color, wear something bright. Our pastors don’t wear that stuff. You’re a pastor, you should look like one. Why would you wear that to church if your not a Catholic priest, your confusing us.  

I have hit the point where people no longer trust my ability to dress myself.  Friends tell me “you are an invited visitor, ecumenical guest, dress like it, that means wearing the following, a collar, black suit (that is clean, fits and is pressed) no sneakers, work boots or scuffed shoes, do not come right from the food pantry or neighborhood clean up, nothing with paint on it. We are a casual new church, do not wear a collar or tie, nothing with stains on it. Perhaps the hard part is I give off a sense that I do not know what is going on, or understand the situation I am walking into, not knowing what community I am entering. That is what this man at the wedding is punished for. He does not understand where he is, he does not understand the honor and the privilege he has received, he treats an invitation to the wedding banquet of the king's son like he's going to the market to buy some bread. He was just given it for free, out of nowhere, so he forgets it is the most important event of his lifetime.   

This banquet was a big deal. I’m not a king and haven’t gone to a lot of banquets. Well, really I have never been to one like Jesus Parable talks about. These feasts took days, and were incredible. Guests were to be fully cared for and people were looking at how you acted, who your guests were. what you served, etc. The original quests do not come, choosing to ignore the invitation, to go about their daily lives,  and then engage in acts of war by killing the king's servants.  After this, the king invites in everyone and anyone. The banquet is ready, the food is prepared, the show must go on.  This open, even desperate invitation does not mean the event is any less important or any less special.     

That brings us to the condemned guest. We get the impression that he is unfairly treated, after all, he just learned about the wedding, what if he had no time to get a garment, what if his was at the cleaner or he forgot it at home, what if the wedding garment market was sold out of his size or he was too poor to buy one.   He is the only one not wearing a wedding garment. He is asked “how did you get in here without a wedding Robe”.  Now his problems start.  The man offers no reason, Instead of offering a reason or excuse, he is silent. Instead of  trusting the king's mercy and saying “well I thought it was most important to come here, I knew I was not properly dressed but I also knew being here mattered”. he says nothing.  Instead of trusting the king's forgiveness. coming clean and saying “I snuck in cause I heard the music and saw free booze” instead of saying, "well I saw just regular people entering and I am certainly better than them so I came in too", he says nothing.  He doesn’t even sarcastically say  what i would be tempted to “I came in through the door”.  We are left to wonder, why he was not seen entering and turned away, why he was not given a spare wedding robe from some storage room (like the yucky jackets they give you at the few remaining gentlemen must wear a jacket restaurants),  Why didn't anyone tell him (maybe they did but he refused to listen, dismissing their warnings as foolish, after all this is an anybody event). 

What do we wear to living a Christian life, what do we wear to God's  judgment, We do not enter the Christian life quietly, we do not enter judgment quietly, we enter lifting high the cross, we enter wearing Baptism, we enter wearing God's promises, we enter humble sinners, wearing trust in God's forgiveness, we enter wearing thankfulness, knowing that we are given something we do not deserve, we enter knowing we are in the kingdom of God. 

Sermon for March 17

The reading

Matthew 20:1-16

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, "Why are you standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, "Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, "You also go into the vineyard.' 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, "Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' 9 When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13 But he replied to one of them, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

The message

Jesus talks more about the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God than any other topic.

Matthew contains many parables teaching what the kingdom of Heaven is like as well as many that reveal how different a place it is.

Today, we have another lesson on the kingdom of Heaven, this time it might be the most counter-cultural, a reminder that the kingdom of heaven is not just a better version of our world where everyone does the right thing and people are nice to each other.  The Kingdom of heaven is more, it is God entering God’s creation, a total and complete change.  

This is simply a story about a man who owns a vineyard, who goes out to hire workers, making several trips to where those looking for work wait and hiring them throughout the day.  At the end of the day, he pays them all the same.  Its unfair.  We have no idea why he does this, it could be a way to build a good reputation, ensuring he will get the best workers as the harvest goes on, ensuring loyalty, maybe it is guilt about how he has so much, it could be that he feels bad, pity and mercy for those who need work but could not find any, maybe its a protest of the minimum wage. the way workers are treated, the start of a major change.  All we are told is "it's my money and ill do what i want with it".

This parable could easily happen today, we have people waiting for work, some decades ago it was the Irish and Italians at the docks, now its people from Guatemala, Ecuador and other places on 69th st (and many other places). We can easily imagine the same generosity, same complaints and same conclusion,

Its rare,  but it happens.  I can think of one time in my life. I went to a funeral for a friend.  When I arrived, the Pastor there, who had been working on this service and care for the woman who died for several months, invited me to help with the service. I shared a short eulogy and did a few parts of the service, I was glad to help and be a part of entrusting to God's promises someone who had always shown me great kindness and encouragement.  After the service, the woman's family told the funeral director " They should give me something".   After discussion, the director comes back a few minutes later with a check for the same amount the other pastor received and said something like "its a good day to be you".

I was uncomfortable (especially as the funeral home people started to whisper, as though some great injustice had been done. This was quieted by someone in the group stressing, its their money) It had to be even, I had to jam a few hundred dollars worth of thankfulness, comfort and wisdom into a few minute conversation, I had to offer to take the other pastor and his wife out to a nice dinner,  I had to rationalize this, maybe my words were the most awesome they ever heard (they weren't). I did have a long trip to the church, I had to move some other appointments. It was hard to just accept the generosity.

Today's reading is a reminder of 2 things,. that the kingdom of God is not fair,  Its something better and that the kingdom belongs to God. T

he kingdom of God is better than fair I think back to one of the few quotes i have memorized, its from Issac the Syrain, a saint of the early church "never say that God is just, if God was just, you would be in hell., Instead rely on God's injustice which is mercy and grace"  God's injustice is Jesus on the cross, getting rid of sin.     The Kingdom of God belongs to God, God can do what he wants with it.  St Issac the Syrian (also known as Issac of Ninevah, if that’s more familiar) an early church saint and ascetic: never say that God is just, If God were just you would be in Hell. Instead, rely on God’s injustice which is mercy and grace.  

Issac the Syrian finds this passage too. 

How can you call God just when you come across the Scriptural passage on the wage given to the workers? “Friend, I do thee no wrong: I choose to give unto this last even as unto thee. Or is thine eye evil because I am good?” How can a man call God just when he comes across the passage on the prodigal son who wasted his wealth with riotous living, how for the compunction alone which he showed the father ran and fell upon his neck and gave him authority over his wealth? None other but His very Son said these things concerning Him, lest we doubt it, and thus bore witness concerning Him. Where, then, is God’s justice?—for while we are sinners Christ died for us! But if here He is merciful, we may believe that He will not change. (I.51, p. 387)

Sermon for March 10

 The reading

Matthew 18:15-35

15 "If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." 21 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, "Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, "Pay what you owe.' 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, "Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, "You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?'34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

The message

A few days ago, on Ash Wednesday, I opened up the church from noon to three to share prayer and ashes with whoever came in.  We had a constant flow of people, teachers, families, friends and neighbors.  I had about 35 people stop in.  I talked about why ashes (an ancient sign of repentance and a reminder that every person is dust that is loved by God), read psalm 51 (King David’s song of repentance and seeking God’s mercy after his great sin), read Mark 1, about Jesus time tempted in the wilderness and invited our guests to use Lent as preparing for Easter, a time of reflection and remembering you are loved by God who walks with us.  On Friday I spoke to the children at Rainbow about Ash Wednesday as a time when we remember we are all the same, loved children of God.  We also counted down from 40 to 0 (not a very easy task for 4 to 8 year olds), seeing Lent as a countdown to Easter.  Our Sunday readings are on the same path. Last week, we saw Jesus preparing his disciples for Easter, talking openly about his death and resurrection.

The chapters right before today's reading in Matthew's Gospel are focused on the identity of Jesus, as savior, as God with us, as suffering servant. In Matthew 16, we have Peter's great, spirit given proclamation. When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” then Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”.  These words are received with praise, excitement, worship and joy. Matthew chapter 17 is focused on the identity of Jesus as the son of God, the Messiah, the word of God made flesh, the long awaited savior. There is the Transfiguration, the moment when Jesus literally shines with the glory of God, when he appears with Moses and Elijah, the law giver and great prophet. This moment in Jesus ministry is received with praise, excitement, worship and joy.  In these chapters we also hear Jesus talk about his death and resurrection, destruction and rebuilding so that all might have life.  These words are received by his disciples with fear, doubt, disappointment and anger.

In Matthew chapter 18, where today’s reading is found, the focus changes. Now it is not about the identity of Jesus. That will be fully revealed later, on Easter morning, with the empty tomb, the good news, that Christ is Risen, the instruction "go and tell the others" and the proclamation " i have seen the Lord".    Matthew 18 starts to look at the identity of Jesus followers, the disciples, the women walking with him, the curious people on the margins of the ministry, the group that will become the church, the group that will face persecution, exclusion and death as they tell the world the surprising and upsetting things God has done. We start with some practical advise, how to settle disputes in the church, conflicts between members.  The church is people, more specifically sinners in need of grace. The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.” this quote, or something similar has been attributed to 4th and 5th century  theologians Augustine of Hippo and John Chrysostom, modern day columnist Dear Abby and lots of others.  Jesus policy on settling disputes recognizes that people in church will sin against each other, People will lie about their resources or need, people will lie about their level of commitment, people will not welcome the stranger, will welcome with suspicion, will let in the economic, cultural, racial, educational, sexual and social divisions that fill the world, will not let others use their gifts. The policy involves forgiving but it seems to have a limit, If the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.   

Now in Jesus society, gentiles, non jews, were considered unclean and you were to no contact with them.  Tax collectors were even worse, traitors, people who became servants of the Roman Empire who made themselves rich collecting taxes for the oppressors.  They also could not be confronted or attacked (as they were protected by Roman soldiers)  There were few people lower and more hated than the tax collectors. There was no "well we're just doing our job" or “someone has to do it”. Of course, for Jesus Gentiles were part of the kingdom of God, healed, welcomed, included, taught and blessed.  Tax collectors were also blessed, welcomed and forgiven. (in fact, Matthew, who writes this Gospel, was a tax collector before he met Jesus).  To the jewish world gentiles and tax collectors were at best ignored.  To Jesus they were just like everyone else, sinners in need of God's grace and humans with a place in God's kingdom. 

This makes Peter feel awkward, trying to do the math and he asks 'okay, I want to obey, "I want to make sure your church runs right, exactly how many times do I have to forgive". Peter chooses the number 7 since it was the number of perfection, Jesus responds with 77 times, that is double perfection,  which sort of means unlimited. Peter is thinking what if we run out of resources, we forgive so much things fall apart. Jesus knows forgiveness is not a limited resource, grace is not a limited resource, the kingdom of God does not room just for the best billion. The church will be an example of God's unlimited Grace, an oddity in a hypercompetitive, divided world of limited resources.

The next story about the 2 debtors is a warning to the forgiven. Do not abuse God's grace.  To see this, we need a brief ancient economics class.  A Denarii was a day's pay for an unskilled worker .Today, we could think of a minimum wage worker at 15 an hour, which would be about 120 dollars.  100 denarii was about 12,000 dollars, nothing to sneeze at.  A Talent was 6,000 denarii, so that makes his debt about 72 million. These values have changed over the centuries but its sufficient to say the king forgives a debt that this man could never repay and than that man chases someone down for pocket change. A lot of people look at this story and say that Jesus is exaggerating the amounts. No one person could accumulate 10,000 talents of debt and virtually everyone owed more than 100 denarii to someone.

The man who requests more time to repay the 10,000 talents has his debt forgiven, His life is given back to him.  He receives way more than he deserves or could earn.  What he does next is what will damage the church, stop the people of God from doing the work given to us, he does what cannot be tolerated. To celebrate the grace and mercy he received, he tries to viciously collect a small, common debt.  This is an act of abuse, taking advantage of mercy, of disrespect, of refusing to share the grace you received, of refusing to let it change you. Of all things in the story, this is what gets punished. 

This story is at the heart of what we believe.  God is the king who forgives a debt we cannot pay, giving salvation we cannot earn.  The results of sin is death, Jesus removes the consequences of sin. We are the person who has that 10,000 talents debt forgiven, we are told to do better than that guy does with this gift.         

Sermon for March 3

The reading 

Matthew  16:24 - 17:8

16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? 27 "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

17:1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." 8 And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

The message

Today’s reading marks the end of the epiphany season.  The word Epiphany means revealing or realization and comes from ancient Greek drama, the moment in a play when the main character realizes something that changes his or her entire story. Epiphany in the church is the time when people realize who was born on the Christmas.  We start with the visit of the magi who bring gifts to the new born Jesus and his family, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, symbols that Christ is king, God with us and that he will die and rise again. After this, we have the baptism of Jesus, where the voice of God says “this is my son, the beloved”.  Those are the same words we hear today at the Transfiguration but this sudden story is not like much else in the Gospels,   The transfiguration, the brief changing of Jesus appearance from human to divine, is concerned with how Jesus, as God with us, is revealed to the world.   

With about 8 weeks left until Easter we have completed half our time with the Gospel of Matthew.  We have had a chance to see where Jesus works, what Jesus does every day, where he goes and who he works with. We started with Christmas, with the birth of Jesus, the new star, the gifts of the magi, and his fleeing from the jeaolusy murderous wrath of Herod.  We have heard stories of Jesus Baptism, temptation, miracles, healings and teaching with great authority in the Sermon on the Mount.  We saw how Jesus reacts to the death of a friend and coworker (john the Baptist).  He wants to go and pray, finding some peace alone but ends up spending the time healing, teaching and then feeding thousands with a little bread and fish and then walking on water. We hear Jesus talk about the kingdom of God, stop to care for those in need, to embrace those others cross the street to avoid,  to declare the unclean, welcome, to teach, to correct faith practices that are not so faithful, to pray, to live the scriptures.  That is Jesus daily life and it all points to God. 

A few years ago, a local pastor started a program where he made appointments to meet church members at his or her job and go to lunch with them. I saw it in his weekly email and thought well, that’s new. Part of me wondered, well who would want to take me to work and show me off to their co-workers, how would everyone else in the office, store, factory or restaurant feel about it.  Of course, there is something much deeper going on.  To see where someone lives, works or goes to school, what they do with most of their days, helps you to get to know someone, their passions, interests, even how or if they live out their faith in the world or to ask that question, how does your faith inform what you do.  Throughout my ministry, working with people has always been a chance to talk, to get to know them, to counsel, to learn and often to be inspired.  

That is why today’s reading is sudden and out of place. It is complicated, confusing or odd. Right before the Transfiguation was Jesus feeding the crowds, a story that ends with him walking on water and being worshipped by the disciples (Now, the Frankinsence the magi brings, an incense used in worship makes sense). Today, we start with Jesus talking about his death at the hands of worldly authorities and announcing the resurrection (now, the myrrh that the magi brings makes more sense, it was a perfume used to anoint the dead and prepare bodies for burial) .  Then Peter and the others questions or rejects this, he confronts their disbelief, inability to accept what would happen soon, with news of their own suffering and struggle.  "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”.  This is the exact opposite of where they thought Jesus was going, the exact opposite of what people expected the messiah to do.  The people expected a military hero, not a shamefully executed subversive.  They expected an army of angels to bring change and defeat the powers of this world, not a group of fishermen, tax collectors, foreigners, sinners and even women.    

In one of the most extreme switches in the scripture, we go from Jesus talking about his execution to the Transfiguration, Now Jesus appearance changes, shining with the light of God and appearing with Moses and Elijah, Jesus is clearly king (now the gold that the magi bring makes sense) In the Old Testament we learn that when Moses speaks to God on the mountain top, Moses’ face shined, he could not be looked at, he had to put on a veil. Now, a few days after openly talking about his death and resurrection, things change. Now, there is the transfiguration.  This is the proof that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God, the savior, the promised one, the word made flesh, this is the evidence.  The voice of God proclaims “this is my son, the beloved, with him I am well pleased”. Others have healed, others have done signs of power, others have taught in new ways, but this is different.   

Peter James and John know what this means and they want to mark it, to make 3 booths, altars for Jesus, Moses and Elijah,  this needs to be remembered and marked. It should be repeated in the temple, in the streets of Rome, in front of the high priest, the king of Israel, the emperor, in the center of Jerusalem, in the places of power.   Moses and Elijah, the giver of the law and the greatest of the prophets, each verify Jesus claims to fulfill God’s promises.   This was what the disciples needed, Hey, you think you are interpreting the law right, well here’s Moses, the law giver, ask him. You don’t think Jesus is a prophet, well here is Elijah, the greatest of the prophets, ask him.  Don’t believe us, well ask him.  Jesus rejects this,  It is not the right time or way. Instead Peter James and John are told to keep this quiet until later.  God in the world will be revealed in other ways.     

This story is always the reading during the Sunday before Ash Wednesday (although it is not in that order in scripture, we heard the reading on the temptation about 4 weeks ago), Who is going to into the wilderness, subject to temptation, not floating above it, enduring, God with us in suffering, amongst the least of us,