Miracles and Maturity

• Transfiguration Sunday

with Mark 9:2-9  and 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

www.FirstChurchBville.com    @FirstUMCBville   @kerrfunk

A video of this sermon can be found here: https://youtu.be/cSAFwXBsoMQ

• I’m re-reading a favorite book lately, savoring the taste. It’s the 2001 debut novel by Leif Enger Peace Like A River, name from the hymn It Is Well With My Soul, and I think of it every time Transfiguration Sunday comes around.

How is it with your soul, by the way?

Miracles are disturbing. Every miracle requires a witness.

read excerpts:

“Let me say something about that word: miracle. For too long it's been used to characterize things or events that, though pleasant, are entirely normal. Peeping chicks at Easter time, spring generally, a clear sunrise after an overcast week--a miracle, people say, as if they've been educated from greeting cards.” 

“Real miracles bother people, like strange sudden pains unknown in medical literature. It's true: They rebut every rule all we good citizens take comfort in. Lazarus obeying orders and climbing up out of the grave - now there's a miracle, and you can bet it upset a lot of folks who were standing around at the time. When a person dies, the earth is generally unwilling to cough him back up. A miracle contradicts the will of the earth.”

“No miracle happens without a witness. Someone to declare Here’s what I saw. Here’s how it went. Make of it what you will.” 

How then is it that at the transfiguration Jesus says Don’t tell til later?

It was not an opportune time.
Peter wasn’t ready.
Peter had some maturing to do.

Peter was eager, but impulsive and not seasoned.

• Yesterday I participated in a workshop having to do with maturing disciples. From membership to discipleship. In our biblical narrative, Peter goes from eager to Peter empowered. How? By spending time with Jesus & others, by setting self aside, by working and serving.

• What do people want from church as they mature? More relationship with Jesus, more Bible understanding, more challenge, more opportunity to serve (and give!)

Christianity is not something you graduate!

As Christian maturity increases, so humility and hunger for God increase.

• 2 Cor 4:5 We are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ,
and we are your servants because of him.

• To make [maturing] disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

As Peter needed to mature so we do.

Lenten reflection and discipline for spiritual growth: Pray, fast, listen, respond.

• Because of the gift of Jesus, the love of Jesus.

• Hymn 172 My Jesus I Love Thee

Mark 9:2-9 (HCSB) 

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transformed in front of them, ³ and His clothes became dazzling—extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them. ⁴ Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— ⁶ because he did not know what he should say, since they were terrified.

⁷ A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud:

     This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!

⁸ Then suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.

⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, He ordered them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ò

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (HCSB)

³ But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glorious Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. ⁶ For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. ò