Shine, Jesus Shine

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Early First United Methodist Church

February 18, 2007

Rev. Eddie Smart

Luke 9:28-36 (NIV)

About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. ²⁹As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰Two men, Moses and Elijah, ³¹appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. ³²Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. ³³As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)

³⁴While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." ³⁶When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.

My favorite baseball player from the past is Yogi Berra. I couldn't tell you why. I just liked Yogi. It has only been in recent years that I have heard so much about the saying of Yogi. He had many mind boggling things to say. One of my favorites is: "If people don't want to come to the ballpark, how are you gonna stop them?" This great American philosopher has a word for us today. Yogi said, "The future ain't what it use to be."

We experience all kinds of change in this life. We gain a spouse, a house and a baby, and "the future ain't what it use to be." With the house you get grass that grows and toilets that overflow. With the addition of a baby, parents lose sleep the rest of their lives. We lose a loved one, a job, or respect, and "the future ain't what it use to be." We experience a loss and our dreams fade away. Our future stories are often altered by what happens today.

Once upon a time, a long time ago Peter, James and John walked to the top of a mountain with Jesus to pray. They had done that very thing many times before, but this time their future would be forever changed. They would experience the presence of God in a transforming way. As Jesus is praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became dazzling white. The New International Version says they "became as bright as a flash of lighting."

Peter and these sons of Zebedee were half asleep when Jesus is joined by Moses and Elijah. There they stand as the three disciples come to their senses. It must have been an awesome sight. As Moses and Elijah start to leave, it is Peter who is eager for them to stay. He offers to build three shelters, one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus.

If it weren't enough to see Jesus in his heavenly glory, there appears a cloud. Throughout scriptures the appearance of the cloud represents the presence of Almighty God. In the book of Exodus (13:21-22) the Lord goes before the Israelites in a pillar of clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night. At the baptism of Jesus the cloud appears and there is a voice from heaven. But in this appearance the cloud is not only present, Peter, James and John enter the cloud. It is frightening. Again there is the voice declaring, "This is my Son." These humble disciples are in the very midst of Almighty God as Jesus is declared His Son, my Chosen. They hear the command, "Listen to him." What an incredible moment!

It had been eight days earlier that Jesus had asked the disciples, "Who do you say I am." It was Peter who answered "The Messiah of God." (NRSV) "The Christ of God." (NIV) I have the feeling that at that moment Peter knew in his head that Jesus was the Messiah. It would be 8 days later on top of a mountain, in a time of prayer, in the midst of God's presence, standing before Jesus as he had never seen him before that Peter knew in his heart that indeed Jesus is the Christ. Peter, James and John had an epiphany--an experience of the living God. In that very moment their futures were changed forever.

Yes, Peter would still exhibit his human frailty and deny Jesus at the time of Jesus' trial. Yes, Peter had his own agenda in mind as he offered to build shelters and remain on the mountain top. Yes, but Peter had experienced epiphany. Peter experienced the touch of the Master's hand, and things would never be the same.

In the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles we overhear Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost. Peter must have preached with incredible passion that day. Peter knew in his heart that Jesus was the Christ and that is what he preached. On that day, 3000 persons were baptized in that very same belief.

In the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles we find Peter before the Jewish authorities. They are questioning him about following Jesus, about healing in the name of Jesus. Peter declared, Yes I heal in the name of Jesus that very one you crucified. The one that God raised on the third day. Peter stood boldly declaring Jesus as the Son of God, the chosen one.

Peter, James and John had experienced epiphany. They had experienced an awe-inspiring, holy moment. J. Peter van Eys made this observation in a devotional I read this week. He said, "Humans not only have moments of experiencing the holy by meeting God; humans may be conduits of God's presence for others." Peter, James and John experienced the holy, and they became conduits of God's presence for others.

I read an interesting articles several weeks ago by Fred Smith entitled "Are You the Pipe or the Pump." He describes the experience of leading a men's retreat over a weekend in California. On his return flight to Dallas, Fred realized that although he was the only speaker during those three days he was feeling exhausted after such a strenuous weekend. He wrote that he learned from that experience "that with God's presence permeating the meetings, God was the source; I was only the spokesman." "In other words," he said, "God was the pump, and I was the pipe. The pipe never gets tired.

Smith then poses the question first asked by Jim May in his book, In His Place. The question, "Are you working for God or is [God] working through you?" Let me ask you this morning, Have you experienced the holy? Have you been upon the mountaintop with Jesus, the Christ? Have you experienced Christ Jesus like Peter, James and John?

Van Eys points out that Jesus is not only our ultimate encounter with the holy, He is also our example for living a holy life, one that reflects God to the world. Do we reflect God's love in this world? Are we living conduits for God's presence for others?

Listen to this story by J. Peter van Eys. A child of six with incurable cancer was soon to die, and she knew it. She had battled the disease for over two years with varying results...Though the hospital was over two hundred miles away, I traveled to see her at least every other week. On one of my visits, I was listening to the child talk when she abruptly jumped up and ran over to another girl being wheeled down the corridor. The two of them vanished, and I sat for quite some time before she returned. She explained that the other girl was about to go through a painful procedure, one she assured me that she knew about firsthand, and "no one should have to endure that alone." I felt sure that I looked upon the face of God as she spoke to me.

As we gaze on your kingly brightness, / so our faces display your likeness;

ever changing from glory to glory, / mirrored here may our lives tell your story.

Shine on me, shine on me.