"Listen to Him" - Matthew 17:1 - 9
A Sermon by Alex W. Evans, Pastor
Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA
Matthew 17:1-9
“Listen to him”
We are so delighted that we have a great and permanent organist – Kathy Toole. I hope that many of you are getting to know her.
My father died 14 years ago but I can still hear his voice – and remember his laugh – especially telling this story about an organist.
On a certain Sunday, the regular organist was out and a substitute organist came to fill in. Just prior to worship, the substitute organist asked the preacher if there was anything unusual happening in the worship service. The preacher said that the service would flow just as the bulletin indicated. But, . . . there would be a point in the service when the preacher needed to ask the congregation for some additional money. The roof was leaking, and the building needed attention, so the preacher was going to ask folk in the church family to step up their giving to meet these needs. The preacher told the substitute organist to “try to play a little something when we get to that part of the worship service.”
So sure enough, the service unfolded according to the bulletin and the substitute organist was doing just fine. Then, at a certain point, the preacher began to speak about the building needs. He said it was going to be expensive. He said all the money was in the room – but it was in the wallets and bank accounts of the people – not the church. So, he asked the church family, to make an extra gift. And he said, if they were willing to support the building needs, would they please stand up to indicate their commitment. By standing up, the church would learn who would be supportive and whether they could pay for the upgrades.
With that, the substitute organist launched into a rousing rendition of the national anthem - “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Everyone stood up!
And that is how the substitute organist became the permanent organist.
Sometimes things happen that make us see totally differently.
I am pretty sure most of you do not keep up with these kinds of things, but today is the last Sunday of Epiphany. Ash Wednesday is this week – as we have shared – and then we move into the season of Lent.
On the last Sunday of Epiphany – which means “showing forth” – or being enlightened – we have the story of the Transfiguration – which is one of the most prominent “showing forth” moments in the Scriptures. In the verses preceding this Transfiguration, Jesus has just articulated what is arguably his most disturbing, difficult teaching of all: that he must suffer, die, and rise again — and that anyone who wishes to follow him must “deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow” (Mt 16:24).
The Transfiguration’s “showing forth,” then, acts as a kind of reassurance for the disciples – and us. It is as if Matthew is reminding us – the way of faith and discipleship is difficult, the way can be dark and challenging, but fear not; you do not go alone. The light and presence, the mysterious and amazing ways of God will always go with you.
Hear again this story of the Transfiguration – Matthew 17:
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4Then 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.” 5While 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!” 6When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. 9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Sometimes, things happen that make us see totally differently.
It has been quite a whirlwind for the disciples. They have heard Jesus speaking in the Sermon on the Mount – all those wonderful but challenging words about what Jesus expects in the coming reign of God. Life is not just about following rules and the law – but developing a heart – full of compassion and care. It is not just about doing things in a certain way, but trusting God, living into God’s kingdom. The disciples have also seen Jesus healing people, cleansing lepers, confronting the religious leaders, stilling the storm, multiplying loaves and fishes, feeding people. And, as he just said, all this is going to lead to his persecution and death – death on a cross.
This Transfiguration passage starts out with the conspicuously specific “six days later” and a reference to a hike “up a high mountain.” Astute listeners and readers might perk up to another reference to “six days” – also related to a mountain. That is how long Moses stayed in the clouds, on Mt Sinai, before God sent him down, according to Exodus 24. There is also this reference to “shining garments” and “white robes.” All of this depicts a very holy moment – like other holy moments with Moses, . . . or the angels in their white clothes in the tomb on Easter Sunday.
Then there is the cloud and the voice. All this combines to create what we might call a “thin place” when God’s presence and activity come very near. Matthew offers a moment here that is filled with power and glory, in the paradigm of the most holy moments where we have seen God acting, speaking, instructing, empowering God’s people.
What is really happening here? It is impossible to explain. It is impossible to know if it was real, . . . or an illusion, . . . or a memory, . . . or a moment created later to make a point about Jesus.
But whatever – this scene intends to help us see things differently!
We need to see things differently because we, too, can so quickly get caught up in the whirlwinds of our lives. What we are inclined to focus on is mostly what our culture values. Throughout every day, we have pressures on us – to look a certain way, to wear certain clothes, to worry about various things.
How many times a day does the message come – creating questions – are you good enough? Do you have enough? These thoughts generate anxiety and even fear.
Do you have the latest gadget to enhance your life?
Is your insurance adequate, or do you have cut-rate insurance that will leave you in trouble – mayhem?
Do you have enough to make it through retirement? For some reason, that question keeps nudging me?
Is your life as fulfilling as it could be?
Or, . . . here is a question for many of us – who are you following? That would be on Facebook, or Instagram, or TikTok, or YouTube?
See – in many ways, what our culture values is – who, and how many followers do you have? And who are you “following?”
This is absolutely big business. And this kind of big business – where we get caught up in a whirlwind of pursuits and plans - can carry us a long way from what this Transfiguration story really wants to teach us.
See, the voice in the clouds, behind the dazzling light, and white garments, and all the fumbling and mumbling by the disciples really wants us to hear two things: “this is my beloved, . . . . listen to him.”
Jesus has just predicted that he would suffer and die on a cross – and invited those who seek to follow to deny themselves and suffer too. But then this scene – “this is my beloved, . . . . listen to him.”
We have all these voices and pressures coming to us, coming at us; Jesus takes the disciples up on the mountain to hear those two messages – “this is my beloved; . . . . listen to him.”
When we really listen to Jesus, and not all the loud and swirling voices of our culture, what do we really hear?
I hope we hear what we heard at the Baptism today – life is a gift from God. God loves us before we can love ourselves or love God. And God claims us forever, promises to hold us and go with us forever; and our job, our calling is to love God and love others and follow Jesus in the world.
I hope we hear – regardless of whatever you are dealing with today - that encouraging word from Jesus that we all often need to hear – “come to me – especially if you are heavily burdened.” Life can be so tiresome. Jesus knows that. Jesus says come, and find rest, and then love and serve God.
I hope we hear – so loved and sustained by God, we treat everyone how we want to be treated – with compassion and respect. We spread help and care wherever we go; we recognize the face of Jesus in everyone we meet, especially the less fortunate, the widow and orphan, the lonely and forgotten, the hungry and thirsty. How we treat them, is how we treat Jesus, he says.
When we listen to Jesus, we know we belong to the shepherd who always watches over the sheep; we know that worry about our life gets us nowhere. Jesus says “look at the birds of the air – they neither sow nor reap, and yet the heavenly father feeds them.” When we listen to Jesus, we root our lives in God’s care – and focus our lives on loving God and loving others, forgiving, sharing, spreading light and peace.
Sometimes we need to see things differently in order to hear, to be opened, to re-frame our lives. God’s love covers us. We seek to do justice, love kindness, walk humbly.
And here is how it might speak to some of you today. A church in transition – which is where this church is headed in a few months – usually opens the way for two different options for people in the congregation. When a transition comes in pastoral leadership, there are some who take the option of stepping back, to wait and see what happens, to assess and re-assess. Or, the other option is – during a leadership change – to maintain the health and vitality of the congregation – to step up, to step forward, to recognize that your energy and gifts and devotion are truly needed.
The bulletin reminds us – we are all ministers. Life is full of change. But remember – the voice says – “this is my beloved, . . . listen to him.” This story of the Transfiguration is to get the attention of the disciples and all of us – and help us get on and stay on the journey of faith and life. We listen; we trust God’s presence and care; and we keep seeking to step up, to embody with our own lives, our relationships, our actions, our compassion, our commitments, the peace, love, hope, justice, and joy that God intends in the whole world. May it be so. Alleluia. Amen.
Prayer of Commitment: O Lord, to turn from you is to fall; to turn to you is to rise; to hear your voice, to listen, to strive for the ways of discipleship in love and serve – that is to abide forever. We seek that way following Jesus. Amen
Alex Evans, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, preached this sermon during Sunday morning worship on February 19, 2023. This is a rough manuscript.