Dazzling - Matthew 17:1-9 - Transfiguration - 2-23-20

Sermon podcast from today at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL  Transfiguration. February 23, 2020.  Matthew 17:1-9

Video sermon preview

"Dazzling" podcast

Dazzling

Transfiguration Sunday 2017 sermon podcast from St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL
"Dazzling" podcast

Glow

Have you ever experienced ‘face glowing?’ Maybe not in the same way it’s described in this week’s Bible reading from Matthew 17:1-9, but in more common, yet wonderful situations.

• The glow of a child's face as they open a birthday present
• The glow of a student who is walking up the aisle to graduation
• The glow of someone on their wedding day
• The glow of a parent's face when they see their new baby for the first time
• The glow of a parent or teacher who sees their student accomplish something they have worked on for a long time

I think that when you see someone "glowing" -- it's not something that is frightening. It's wonderful and awe-inspiring.

How about the glow of a person who has experienced unconditional love -- or an extravagant welcome? Is that one harder to see?

What if that person's face was physically shining?

Would you be startled? Would you feel uneasy? Would you freak out?

Imagine it -- "Hey Gloria, your face looks like it has a light bulb in it. What's going on? Are you going alien or something on me? Did you just get taken up in a spaceship? Or have you been hanging around the nuclear waste facilities? You are really glowing! I think you should see a doctor or something about it."

Now what if you thought you were in a supernatural situation -- maybe something like Jesus with his disciples on the mountain?

What would you do?

Familiar situation

This week's Bible reflection (That time Jesus glowed) starts off Sunday's Transfiguration sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL
"Familiar Situation" text
"Familiar Situation" podcast

That time Jesus glowed

Here's this week's Bible reflection:

Stop me if you’ve heard this. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain. Then Jesus glowed. Then Moses and Elijah were there. Then Peter offered hospitality or just did something because he didn’t know what else to do. Then God’s voice came out of a bright cloud.  It said “This is my Son, the beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” Then Peter, James, and John were scared and they dropped to the ground. Then Jesus told them go get up and to not be afraid. Then Moses, Elijah, and the Shiny God cloud were gone. Then Jesus told them to keep quiet about the vision until he had been raised from the dead.

Wait. Did you stop me?

You’ve heard it before but you wanted me to go on because you love poorly formed paragraphs? Matthew 17:1-9 is your favorite Bible passage? You couldn’t stop me because you were reading? You have no ideas what is going on but you’re going to see where this all goes? 

It was an extraordinary experience. Glowing faces and clothes, dead guys talking, cloud voices. It was something they would remember for the rest of their lives. 

And Jesus told them . . .

Not to tell anyone? Sure. He did that. There are other times Jesus told people to keep quiet and they didn’t. I’m guessing Peter, James, and John didn’t keep quiet. But Jesus told them something else.

Don’t be afraid?  Yup. He said that too. And there are many other times where Jesus told folks to not be afraid. And I’m sure they were still afraid. But Jesus told them something else.

He said that their experience was a vision.
What do you make of that?

Dazzling

Things are really shiny here in the Midwest today. I think we got about 10 inches of snow! It's also a shiny Sunday coming up. This week's i.ucc.org Bible study blog entry (Face glowing) was polished up as it became Sunday's sermon at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Somonauk.
"Dazzling" text
"Dazzling" podcast

Face glowing

Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc.org:


Have you ever experienced ‘face glowing?’ Maybe not in the same way it’s described in this week’s Bible reading from Matthew 17:1-9, but in more common, yet wonderful situations.

• The glow of a child's face as they open a birthday present
• The glow of a student who is walking up the aisle to graduation
• The glow of a bride or groom on their wedding day
• The glow of a parent's face when they see their new baby for the first time
• The glow of a parent or teacher who sees their student accomplish something they have worked on for a long time

I think that when you see someone "glowing" -- it's not something that is frightening. It's wonderful and awe-inspiring.

How about the glow of a person who has experience Jesus' unconditional love -- God's extravagant welcome?Is that one harder to see?

What if that person's face was physically shining?

Would you be startled? Would you feel uneasy? Would you freak out?

Imagine it -- "Hey Gloria, your face looks like it has a light bulb in it. What's going on? Are you going alien or something on me? Did you just get taken up in a spaceship? Or have you been hanging around the nuclear waste dumps? You are really glowing! I think you should see a doctor or something about it. And I think I want to move a little farther away from you."

Now what if you know you were physically in the presence of God's Glory -- like Jesus with his disciples on the mountain?

Would you fall on our face? Would you be overcome with fear?

What are your thoughts?