Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Sunday 23 February 2020, Seventh Sunday after Epiphany, by Cecilia Yeung. The scripture readings that day were Exodus 24:12-18 and Matthew 17:1-9.

Good morning everyone.

Thank you Pastor Phyllis and KUC for this opportunity to share the Word of God with you today. Thank you UCCP choir for this wonderful hymn. This hymn gives us a good picture of what takes place on the mountain in the gospel readings we have for today.

Today is Transfiguration Sunday - the last day of the Epiphany. I know some of you have gone hiking yesterday with Pastor Phyllis and Pastor Timothy. Sure it was a nice day to exercise and to get some fresh air. But even if you had not joined them, you can share the feeling of the hike, where you might feel refreshed and energised, where you might have found new goals and new directions. Perhaps we can relate these experiences to our readings today as the passages bring us to travel up and down the mountains.

First, we have Moses and Joshua, go up to the top of the mountain in the book of Exodus, where Moses enters into the clouds with God - in front of the eyes of a young man Joshua. Then, we arrive at the book of Matthew where Jesus transfigures - also at the top of the mountain - and in front of the eyes of his disciples. In this morning, let us join the disciples, especially we will be looking from Peter’s angle, and experience Jesus Transfiguration together.

When Life Meets Fear

The good thing about reading the gospel is that we can read it like - watching a movie. Before we go on to the journey with Peter, let us rewind backward a little to 6 days ago because something happened between Peter and Jesus.

In the book of Matthew chapter 16, six days before the transfiguration, Jesus asked the disciples “Who do you say I am?” As we all know, Peter is the kind of guy who always makes the first response. He pointed out that Jesus is the Messiah. In Judaism, Messiah is the expected king who would deliver salvation. But when Jesus told them that he was going to die. Peter immediately stopped him. And so we can see that he did not quite understand the meaning of the Messiah.

Imagine someone who is close to you telling you that he’s going to die, what would be your response? Would you be asking why? Would you be scared? Would you stop him? I think we all would. So did Peter. And that’s what happened to Peter six days ago. We can imagine the kind of fear and uncertainty, with all these questions and wonders in his head as he goes up to the top of the mountain.

Perhaps what Peter has in his head as he goes up the mountain reflects what is also happening to our lives. Life is filled with situations that we may not have full control of them. We want to overcome them, but we are not sure how to do it. Just like what we are going through during this outbreak of virus. 

We ask questions that come out of fear. Questions like, hmmm, who among us has caught the virus? Or, have I already caught the virus? These questions are so close to our daily lives. Perhaps there is something in our life, we just cannot have the full control of them. I’m sure Jesus knows what we think, just like how He knows what is inside Peter.

Let God Speak

Then, at the mountain top, Peter sees Jesus glows in front of him. Not only that, Moses and Elijah are here as well. Who are Moses and Elijah? They are the the historical legends who represented salvation in the Old Testament. Now 3 of them together, what an extraordinary moment! This time Peter has an idea to build three tents to keep his teacher Jesus with the legends on the mountain. Again, he speaks without thinking carefully.

To Peter, building the tents for them may be the best idea he could ever think of. But to Jesus, is this a good idea? Then plan of Jesus is not to stay on the mountain. Jesus has an agenda. He needs to go to Jerusalem, and to confront with the political and religious leaders. His plan will bring him to suffer and to die, and then his death will bring changes to the world. Now again, why can’t Peter wait for Jesus to speak?

Indeed, Jesus said it 6 days ago, it’s just that Peter did not pay attention or understand the full meaning of what Jesus had said. Perhaps, this is just Peter. He speaks fast and he acts fast. But sometimes maybe we are Peter as well, so eager to speak out our minds.

In this journey we go, God is the center of our faith.

We do not speak before God speaks.

                                        We need God to speak to us

We do not want to lead god.

    We need God to lead us.

We do not want our plan to work.

    We need God’s salvation plan to work,

    We need God’s will to be done on earth.

This journey we go is all about the awareness of the presence of God.^[1] That is when the Voice of God comes in, “Listen to him”. Listen to Jesus. How do we do that? Listen to him. Listen to Jesus. Get our mind and soul to be attentive to the teaching of Jesus. And What does Jesus say? Last week we heard the Beatitudes. Those were some of the teachings of Jesus. At the heart of the epiphany is the belief that above all else lies the word of God.

Live by Jesus’ Words

The book of John says “the word was with God and the word was God.

The word became flesh and lived among us. The word of God is so powerful that Peter falls on the ground - he is speechless this time. And so what does Jesus say to Peter? “Get up and don’t be afraid.” “Get up and don’t be afraid.” Jesus doesn’t just give Peter a physical friendly touch on the shoulder to comfort his fear. His words touch his heart. “Get up and don’t be afraid.”

Before they goes down the hill, Jesus gives Peter a new task. That is not to speak about his plan until he has completed it. Now this is hard for Peter. Stop talking, stop asking. Jesus called for Peter to experience his words. Be the witness of the Word. This is Peter’s story on the the mountain.

Like watching a movie, let’s pause here and think. To Jesus, at that moment on the mountain, he is on a journey too. He has his schedule. Because after the transfiguration, his next journey is to complete his mission on earth as the beloved Son of God. Jesus will continue to shine in the glory of God again but in a different form, on a different mountain. He is ready for the journey of suffering, what about Peter? Does Peter know what is going to happen to himself? No, he does not. At least at this moment, on the top of the mountain, we know that he doesn’t understand what’s going on.

But, one day when he builds the first church, he remembers Jesus’ words. One day when he heals the contiguous lepers in front of him, he remembers Jesus’ words. One day when he faces prosecution like Jesus, he remembers Jesus’ words. Because Jesus’ words touch his heart. “Get up and don’t be afraid.” He will be transformed, but he just doesn’t know that, yet.

Get Up And Don’t Be Afraid

So like Peter, this is the journey we go. A journey of transformation by faith and in his words. Perhaps this is a call from Jesus to us, to a deep listening to Jesus’ words.^[2] “Get up and don’t be afraid.”

Today is the last Epiphany Sunday, next week is the beginning of Lent. Lent is all about the suffering of Jesus, but the glory of God does not stop on this Sunday. Jesus has overcome his fear on earth because God has never forsaken his beloved son. The transfiguration of Jesus perhaps has shown us an example to follow, because we are also the beloved children of God. We will never be alone to face the challenges in our lives. The Word was God and the Word lived among us. When God says “listen to Jesus”, we listen to Jesus. Jesus said “Get up”. And so we get up. Our faith doesn’t just stop at listening, we need to get up, get on our feet. 

Are we ready to get up and walk with Jesus in this journey? When the whole city has been in the fear of running out of facemasks and sanitizers, do we eliminate our fear by buying them as much as we can? Or do we look around and share to those who do not have enough? In this ever-changing world, sometimes the need to change may frighten us. Do we need to know what’s ahead of us so then we move on? Or do we move on because we are strengthened by his words? The peace we have in our faith does not come by owning, but by remembering the need of the others. The Peter we see today, he will change. And so will we. Get up and don’t be afraid.

Let’s have a recap of this sermon. We are all on a spiritual journey with Jesus. Being with Jesus doesn’t mean we are anywhere less fear of what happen around this. Fear still exists. And it is okay to have questions we cannot answer to our lives. But in this journey we go, we look upon to Jesus. The glory we see today calls us to change. Listen to him. Get up and Don't be afraid. As we get up and live by his words, we overcome the fear we face. We gather in unity to live our lives that glorify God - in the work we do, and in the words we speak to the people around us. Let our thoughts always be led by his words. May the glory of God shine through Jesus and also in us.