The Transfiguration, A Mountain Top Experience For Us All.

This sermon was delivered to Holy Trinity in Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 11th February 2018 (a Scottish Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Glasgow and Dumfries).

2 Kings 2:1-12 Psalm 50:1-6 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Mark 9:2-9

Psalm 19:14: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength, and our redeemer. Amen.

1. Introduction

This our last Sunday after Epiphany, we are still in the gospel of Mark, and remember from last time, Mark is very particular in recording his accounts, meaning he only records the accounts that have a special meaning to him. … And so today we find ourselves the with very familiar passage which is simply referred to as the “transfiguration on the mount”.

What has surprised me about this passage is that I did this exact same topic in a sermon to you three years ago; … how time flies, and this has thrown me a bit … because I cannot give you the same sermon again, so we will look at this passage afresh, in a different form, possibly in its simplest form; as an event that is set on a mountain top, (possibly Mount Tabor), where Jesus literally transformed himself to meet with both Moses and Elijah. … It is a short passage, a very strange passage, but a passage but full of meaning.

2. Now mountain top scenes

Now mountain top scenes are rare in the Bible; but all have a strong and powerful message. The first mountain top scene we read is the one where Abraham takes his only “beloved son”, Isaac; the one who was promised by God, to be sacrificed, so that God could fulfil His covenant with Abraham. … Fortunately God intervened and Isaac’s life was spared.

The second mountain top scene is where Moses is on Mount Sinai directly after the crossing of the Red Sea to escape the Egyptian army. … He then left the newly freed Israelites at the bottom of the mountain, a mountain covered in a thick cloud, and it is here the Lord spoke to Moses, and six days later he descended the mountain and delivered the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel.

It is also worth noting that years later when Moses died, God said in Deuteronomy 18:15 that “He would raise up for the people another prophet who would, like Moses … hear the voice of God and teach it to the people. … And when that prophet comes, listen to him”. We will come to that later.

Anyway.the third mountain top scene is the one in 1Kings 19:16 where the great prophet Elijah was desperately seeking God. If you remember Elijah looked for God in a strong wind but could not find him, he then looked in an earthquake; then in a fire to no available; … but he eventually found God in a still small voice; who gave him instructions to anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

I am saying this in the hope you can hear the similarities into today’s Gospel reading: you know, the six days; the cloud; the voice; the beloved son; the command to listen to him. … What a coincidence, that they all come together with presence of both Moses and Elijah? I love coincidences because that link things together.

3 Verse 2, Jesus is transfigured.

Now verse 2 starts by telling us that “Jesus took with him, Peter and James and John” … that means he left the others behind at the base … and it is thought that these three were chosen because they were regarded as “inner circle”, as Jesus on occasion allowed these three disciples certain privileges; like in raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead, and these three would be called to go a little further with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Anyway, verse 2 and 3 continues, ”And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them”. … And Mathew in his gospel tells us that “his face shone like the sun” … and is this too is a coincidence, because Moses too when he delivered the Ten Commandments, his face was transformed also, which means that something very strange is happening here.

… And if that is not unusual in itself, then take into account verse 4 where the presence of two of the world most faith's honoured heroes: Moses, (the great law-giver); and Elijah, (the great prophet); give us both the Law and the Prophets, are in now communion with Jesus.

4 Peter, James, and John are terrified

Here we have both literally, and figuratively a powerful "mountain-top experience"; and this was too much for Peter, James, and John as verse 6 tells us that “were terrified in that glory and presence of God”. …