For those not familiar with an Anglican Service, there are four Scriptures readings before the Message. Today's assigned Lessons are: 2 Kings 2:1-12 Psalm 50:1-6 ; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 ; and Mark 9:2-9 .;
Children's stories .... Can often bring insight... to greater Spiritual Truths.
In the Book ......"Winnie the Pooh and the North Pole" .....Christopher Robin ....has organized ....a band of animal friends for a journey... to the North Pole.
The preparation for this expedition ....is going quite well ....except for one minor problem...........no one is quite sure ....where the North Pole is located ....or .....what "It" even looks like; not even Christopher Robin ....who proposed .....this grand expedition... to find " It" ....the great ....North Pole. (Pause)
It seems to me ....that this expedition . ....is symbolic .....of our culture's quest....for finding the meaning of life....... for finding "It" .....the spiritual.........our Culture's unknowing quest....... for God.
The world .....is ......in search of something ....yet no one .....seems to know ....what it looks like ....or where it is located.
In our..... meaning hungry, ....spirit thirsty, ..... curious world .....we are flooded .... With men and women .....that are in search .....of the spiritual.
Fundamental ....to the Christian life .....is our call as follower's of the Christ.....to share with the world ......with our culture....that we have the guidebook that tells us.... ....not only where we are going .....but how to get there.
The Holy Spirit...... through Scripture ......provides us .....with a comprehensive map to the...... Quote... "North Pole,".
And today's lectionary text ....in particular .....offers us .....helpful guidance ....in our search ...for an authentic ...to the true answer. (Pause)
Our reading today.... takes place ....late ....in the ministry ....of Jesus.
Now early in His ministry......Jesus selected the twelve .....from A larger group of disciples.
These twelve.... have seen him feed the 5000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish .....and feed the 4000 with 7 loaves.
They were terrified ......when he calmed the storm .....and they stood in amazement .....as he walked on water.
They listened attentively .....but often with confusion ......as he taught them powerful truths ... to be applied ....to their lives.
They watched the religious .....become increasing agitated ....by his teaching.
They could feel the tension ..... escalating.
They were not certain ....what it all meant .....then Jesus asked Peter..... "The question"...... "Who do you say that I am?"
They all certainly remember Peter's response,...... "You are the Christ, ....the Son of the Living God." ( Mark 8:29 )
They all ....should have been able ...to proclaim those words.
No one.... was able to say it .....with any degree of certainty ....until the impetuous fisherman ....proclaimed boldly the truth.
Yet, .....immediately after issuing a response .....that demonstrates ....his theological brilliance,..... Peter shows his humanness....his shortcomings ..... by rebuking .....the one he called the Christ..... when He spoke of his future suffering and death.
Peter is truly ....a model..... of us all.
In one moment .....he stands as a stalwart of faith..... and in the very next .....he cowers... in doubt.
In one moment ....he walks in courage .... in the next, .....he runs in fear.
In one moment ....he displays wisdom .....but in less than a breath..... unbelief.
This man .....Peter .....shared the same struggles .....that you and I wrestle with .......each and every day. (Pause)
Now the Scriptures tell us that: Six days after his statement of faith, ....Peter joins the sons of Zebedee, .....James and John,... on a short excursion with Jesus.....up a mountain.
Why did Mark mention 6 days.... we nothing is in the Scriptures by accident.
Well, the mention of the number six .....may serve ...a dual purpose ....for Mark.
While it conveys .....a chronological record of time.... .....Six days.........It also holds .... A symbolic value.
In Jewish thought, .....the number six ...represents .... incompleteness.
Mark also may have been making...... a theological statement.
The life of a disciple ......a follower of the Christ....is also incomplete ..... it is never complete......It is an ongoing process.
Throughout our lives,..... we too display.... faith and commitment ....yet also ....foolishness and doubt.
Like Peter, .... We are on a journey.....we have not arrived.
We have no reason .....to be filled with pride for our achievements ....Or.... filled with shame ....for our failures.
We are truly..... a work in progress.
God is not .....finished with us.... Yet! (Pause)
There are truths to be found in our text today.
Beloved......(1 Finger) Our Spiritual Life ....Begins with God.......It is initiated by God.
Six days ......after Peter makes his proclamation of faith ......and ....his statement of rebuke,..... Jesus takes this impulsive disciple.... along with James and John ....up the mountain.
In our take charge .....make it happen world, .....we are uncomfortable .....with the suggestion .....that we ..... are not in control.
Peter, James, and John .....were..... taken up the mountain by..... Jesus.
They did not ask.
They did not make an appointment.
They...... responded.... They responded.....to the Lord's call..... in obedience.
(1 Finger) So Our Spiritual Journey.... Begins with God....... It is initiated by God.
(2 Fingers) And Secondly this expedition of faith .....requires us ....to recognize and understand ......that we do not walk the journey ...alone.
Jesus took three disciples with him to the top of the mountain. .......He did not .....go alone.
Yet,..... In contrast ....our culture .....tends to enjoy .....it's spiritual experiences.... alone. (Pause)
In his book entitled,.... We the Lonely People, ......The author....Ralph Keys states.... "That above all else ....we Americans value ....mobility, convenience ......and privacy.... and of these three .....our most cherished value .....is ....privacy." (Pause)
This demand for privacy ....and the value that we place on individual autonomy ....is relatively new in social thought.
Prior to the 1500's ....western culture ....placed a greater importance ....on community.
A person's identity ....came from their membership ....in their family, ...tribe, .... guild.... Or Church.
One historian noted: ...... "It took the invention of print .....to tear us from our community ....and plant the dream .....of isolation in our brains."
To which the theologian, Charles Swindell comments,..... "I suppose ....(this) is another way of saying .........that most of us ....would rather curl up ...all alone with a book .....than with.... another person."
The writer of Ecclesiastes understood the danger of living in isolation .....and the advantages of community..... when he wrote:
BIBLE "Two are better than one, ....because they have a good reward ...for their toil. .....For if they fall, ....one will lift up the other; ....but woe to one ....who is alone .....and falls ....and does not have another to help. ..... Again, if two lie together, .....they keep warm; .....but how can one keep warm alone? .... And though one might prevail against another, ....two will withstand one. ......A threefold cord is not quickly broken. END (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
The theologian and martyr.... Dietrich Bonhoeffer issued ....a double edge.... warning:
"Let him .....who cannot live alone .......beware of community ...........Let him who cannot live in community .....beware .....of living alone."
His words ....underscore the importance ....of both solitude ....and community .....in our spiritual journey.
We need time alone with God .....but our experience in God .....is incomplete ....unless done in relationship ....with others.
The Christian faith .....is not ....just a set of doctrines, .....it is not.... A philosophy, ....nor is it a set of rules ......that one may follow .....on their own.
The essence of the faith..... is relationship,.... a relationship ....that we enjoy .....with our God.
And....It is.... also a relationship ........that is discovered, ....strengthened, ...enhanced, ....and nourished.... in community.
Jesus did not tell Peter .....that his personal faith ....would become so strong .....that the gates of hell .....would not prevail ....against......... him.
Jesus said, BIBLE "I tell you,... you are Peter....and upon this rock.......I will build my church, .....and the gates of Hell ...will not prevail ....,against ....It" END ( Matthew 16:18 )
The gates of Hell...will not prevail...against ...........His Church.
There is power .... Within the Church....within the Community of Faith.
Our strength ....is not found ....in an isolated faith ....but in relationship..... a relationship with God ... AND with one another.
We may experience God at times.... alone on the mountaintop.
Yet those isolated experiences .....become deepened ....they become strengthened... through relationship ....through community.
(1 Finger) Our Spiritual Journey .....Begins with God. .....It is initiated by God.
(2 Fingers) Secondly Our expedition of faith.... is not a journey ....that we walk .....alone.
(3 Fingers) Thirdly....Jesus is always at the Center....of our Spiritual Life.
Christopher Robin ...and his friends ....had a lovely journey ....that day.
They meandered ....through the countryside ....and they encountered various difficulties......along the way.
Each animal in the community......contributed ....at some point ....in helping to solve .......the various challenges.
At one point... little Roo ....falls into a stream ....and the whole group rallies ...to his rescue.
Pooh ....grabs .....(Slow) a pole ....and fishes him out.
Pooh is standing ....with the pole in his hand ....when Christopher ...exclaims....."Pooh . . . where did you find ....that pole?"
The bear looking puzzled says.... "I just found it, ....I thought it to be useful...... I just picked the pole up."
Then Christopher Robin ....joyfully announces... to all,.... "Pooh, ....the expedition is over, ....you have found..... "It" ..... You have found...... the North Pole."
Together they stick the pole .....in the ground .....and Christopher Robin .....ties a message on it ....that reads, ....."North Pole .....Discovered By Pooh."
Beloved..... Our culture ..... is much like that.
Many are looking for the answer ... for a vaguely defined spirituality .....for their..... "North Pole".
Every once in a while .....one of them ....picks up something .....or discovers something that they find insightful....and boldly announce, ...."That's it .....I have found the Answer."
And many ....may agree..... for a time,..... that it looks like..... "It."
And someone,.... usually a... "quasi spiritual authority".... a Christopher Robin, .... hangs a sign on..... "It".... That declares: ..."This is it... This is the Spiritual Answer."
And then everyone goes home again, .....until ......the next expedition.... to find ..."It".... is proposed.
People are attracted to .........."The Spiritual".
Fresh expeditions for the "North Pole".... set out almost daily ....across this country....and across the world.
Many are searching .... In fact....Many ....we encounter are searching..... for their North Pole.
They are searching...because....There is an emptiness within them....that they need .....to fill.
So they search for their...... "North Pole" .... For the meaning of existence... for the spiritual answer.
Beloved .....We know the answer.... And.... (Slow) we know the Way.
His name is Jesus..... And He did not hide the Truth.... he shared the truth with the world:
BIBLE "I am the way ....and the truth and the life ... No one comes to the Father ....accept through me."END ( John 14:6 )
While standing on the mountain.... Peter, James and John ....were amazed ....amazed at the transfiguration of Jesus in all his glory.... Amazed also....at the appearance .....of Moses and Elijah.
But after .... God spoke.... and the cloud lifted, ....Mark records, ....they saw no one ....only ......Jesus.
Beloved.....Our expedition of faith .....has an ultimate destination .....it is not to a place ... it is not a feeling..... It is a person.
And His name is Jesus... Jesus....Name above all Names.
And He alone... is able to fill that yearning .... That empty space..... that lies within .....each human heart.
Do you know him? ..... Do you truly know Him?
You can... He is the Way.... He is the Truth... and He is the Life.
His name is Jesus......And He is calling you .....home.
Amen and Amen!
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