February 22, 2004

Mindekirken February 22, 2004
Pr. Jens Arne Dale

Luke 9.28-36

Life has its highlights. For some it may be becoming a father or mother for the first time. To others, a chance to meet special people may be the greatest experience. For some, a highlight may be an experience in nature, maybe a hike. For others, it may be at a concert hall, or gallery. We need these special moments in life – the joy, the inspiration and the challenge of the totally extraordinary.

Also, in one’s faith, it’s good to have highlights. For some, the greatest experience is to be converted, to receive Christ as one’s personal savior. Others may have felt that their prayers have been heard in a special way, or felt God in the sound of sheer silence, like Elijah. I Kings 19:12. David Belgum writes in a book about his Norwegian grandfather Hans Johnshoy. He immigrated from Valdres, Norway, and settled in Starbuck, Minnesota. For 25 years he served as "klokker" at his local church. One of the things he did was to read the "inngangsbønn" in front of the congregation. That’s the prayer right at the beginning of the service.

I thought when I read this: Maybe the highlight of one’s spiritual life could be something other than a single event. Maybe it could be the words of the liturgy which were used week after week, year after year. Belgum doesn’t tell what kind of an impact it made on his grandfather to serve as "klokker." But reading this prayer every Sunday for 25 years might very well have been a treasure for his life of faith: Lord, I have come into your holy house to hear what you, God Father, my creator, you Lord Jesus, my savior, you Holy Spirit, my comforter in life and death, will tell me. Lord, open my heart by your Holy Spirit, so that I may learn from your Word to repent of my sins, to believe in Jesus in life and death, and grow day by day in grace and holiness.

When the disciples looked back on their lives, I’m sure they regarded the three years they walked together with Jesus as the highlight of their lives. And who knows, if they should pick one single incidence, maybe the transfiguration on the mountain would be the highlight.

The experiences on the mountain of transfiguration were so strong that Jesus ordered them not to tell about it before the resurrection. It was so unreal that Peter, in his letter, almost had to pinch himself in the arm and ask if he were dreaming. But no, he says: We were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Peter 1:16-18. And the vision of the transfigured Lord became an important part of the great story of Jesus when the gospels were written.

What did they experience there on the mountain with Jesus? I think they might have been brought behind the scenes of history. Time and space were limitless for a while. They saw connections and explanations which were not obvious to the bare eye. The celebrities of the OT showed up. Moses and Elijah. They had been dead for hundreds of years. But now they suddenly stood there, speaking with Jesus. In the presence of Jesus, death doesn’t divide people any more.

Therefore, we confess every Sunday, the belief in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Death will be extinguished. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies. John 11:25. The mountain of transfiguration is a sign that tells us we’ll meet in another life.

Moses and Elijah were great personalities in the old covenant. About both of them, it is said that they spoke with the Lord. Exodus 34:34 and 1 Kings 19:14. Now they were speaking with the Son of God. It’s as if they were giving him a recommendation. Yes, this is the one we predicted, the law and the prophets looked forward to this Jesus. For as many as God’s promises are, in him they have got their Yes and their Amen. 2 Cor. 1:20.

It was a wonderful moment. Think of seeing the fulfillment of what God’s people had longed to see for more than a thousand years. Peter wanted to freeze the situation, to keep this wonder forever. Let’s make three dwellings… Maybe he was inspired by the Arbor Festival. But that won’t happen. Moses and Elijah are not there to stay, but to confirm. Jesus is on the right track.

Which way? Down from the mountain and towards Jerusalem. There, not a King’s crown was waiting, but a crown of thorns, and suffering and death. A cloud came and hid everything from their sight. A cloud is used many times in the Bible as a symbol of God himself. And now his presence is made clear by the voice saying: This is my Son the Beloved; listen to him! Wasn’t that the same as what was said when he was baptized? Yes: You are my Son, is quoted from Psalm 2:7. It’s about the Messiah. Jesus is, with other words, the promised King of Salvation.

But his power would be shown through impotence. The Beloved, is quoted from Isaiah 42:1, where it’s sung about the suffering servant of the Lord. The text culminates in Isaiah 53 with the words about he who is wounded, punished and crushed, and dies on behalf of his own people. It’s the Father who presents his Son: This is the Messiah, the promised king. But he is also my suffering servant, he who gives his life for the sin of the world.

Listen to him! The voice from heaven said. We can trace a repetition of the old Israeli creed: Listen, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one. Deut. 6:4.

The American Constitution has many amendments which are part of the constitution. Listen to him! Sounds like an amendment to the old creed. Until now the law and the prophets have accounted for the word of God one should listen to. From now on, Jesus is the one we’re supposed to listen to. Listen to him! Listen to him who is called the Word, John 1.1. Heb 1.1 states it like this: Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son.

Listen to him! When the liturgy for the main service of the Norwegian church was revised a generation ago, they took out the "klokkerbønn". It was too individualistic, they said. But hardly any prayer matches the encouragement of the Father to listen to Jesus better than this prayer. It’s an intense prayer for a listening heart. It’s a prayer about seeing one’s own sin and to believe in Jesus in life and death. It’s a prayer about living in righteousness. All this comes from listening to him.

Listen to him! Became even stronger when the cloud disappeared. Then Moses and Elijah were gone and they saw Jesus alone. It must have been a fantastic experience for the three disciples. Afterwards, they must have known more about who Jesus really was, even though it was first after Jesus’ resurrection they fully realized what this was all about.

Nobody lives his life on the mountain of transfiguration. The demands of everyday meet us all the time. But we need the Sundays, we need the gatherings around the word of God, so we may hear what God tells us. And like the disciples, we need the moments where we see Jesus alone.

Glory be to God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.

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