Seeing God Clearly- Mark 9:2-9

Seeing God Clearly
PRAY
As I read this scripture I want you to put yourself into this scene- it is Jesus- with three of his disciples- who were close friends- and they saw and felt and experienced something incredible
So as this scripture is being read- try to visualize yourself there- what do you see- what do you feel? If it helps to close your eyes- do it.
Jesus had just been teaching his students- his disciples that he would have to suffer and that he would even have to be killed- Peter scolded Jesus and then Jesus said to Peter- Get behind me Satan- this is the story that sets the stage for our scripture
Mark 9:2-9-- 2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured (metamorphized) before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 6(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Hard scripture to relate to- I mean I read about these guys- Elijah- Moses and Jesus- but I’ve never gone up to Kamiak butte and hung out with them- I have gone up to Kamiak Butte to hike and read scripture- But not once did Jesus transform into a very, very bright white
And then to boot- Father God’s voice booms in- "Hey this is my kid- I love him so much- it would be good if you paid attention to him."- an amazing scene- its just not something that I have had happen in my life much
But on the other hand this is a scripture that we totally relate to- Things happen in our life that we can’t control- sometimes a beautiful change happens- and we want to do the Peter thing- we want to catch and bottle the feeling and stay on that mountain forever- and then before we know it- the honeymoon is over- the mountain top experience has ended and the daily grind has begun again
Peter didn’t want this experience to end- it was the original and ultimate mountain top experience [Illustration]
Many people can have mountain top spiritual experiences at Christian church camp- I can remember I was the speaker for young campers a couple of years ago- It was the very first session and I had just been talking for only a couple of minutes- and a little voice cried out "is this ever going to end"-
Sadly for them my speaking session would end and they would have to endure time on the beach- [very tongue in cheek here]
What I am trying to get at is- don’t dismiss this scripture to quickly as one of those stories thats cool and shows us that Jesus is truly the Son of God- But it has nothing to do with my life- Peter James and John came into the presence of the living God- they saw people who were once dead- and now were alive- and this is our story- "we once were lost but now are found"
I had a teacher that taught me- miracles aren’t as other worldly as we think- that they are actually quite natural- maybe the way nature would be if our history and present as human beings wasn’t so rebellious and destructive-
Jesus in this story went from amazing teacher guy- to an amazingly bright teacher guy
The story was a fast forwarding of Jesus’ ultimate destiny- the three disciples saw that Jesus’ real destiny was a glorious one- even though he had just taught them that he would have to suffer and die- his destiny was bright- shockingly bright and glorious
Jesus was wise- that goes without saying- And he knew his students/disciples were going through a life changing process- a metamorphasis- just as he was- Maybe he wanted to give them a glimpse of the end of the story- a little foreshadowing-
What disciples can learn from seeing God clearly
Life change- Life is full of change- we all started off as infants- we all needed someone to feed us and clean us- We all go through changes
Becoming a Christian- is an important life change. When we embrace that Jesus Christ is the true Son of the Living God- things change- maybe slowly for some, more quickly for others- I remember my friends calling me at college after I had told them I had decided to really follow after Jesus with my life- they were like, "But you can still party with us." My answer was, "Well I can hang with you- but honestly I don’t want to do the things that I used to do." They weren’t impressed by my personal metamorphasis they took it as a judgment of them- We try to tell people what we experienced- why we are the way we are- some accept- love em- some will not- love em just the same.
Faith is not about formulas- it is a relationship with the real- tangible living God.
God is closer than we think- there is more to life than we can see- I can’t see my wife’s feelings- does that mean they don’t exist- I can’t see my future- does that mean God hasn’t given me a calling to do?
I could give you every week- 3 to 5 steps of how to be closer to God- but what it gets down to is you God is so close to you right now- and we just don’t see it- our God is wildly in love with us- he is closer than our own breath- God is here with us and in between us- on our good days- on our worst days- on our boring normal days- God is closer than we realize- so faith is not a bunch of formulas that get you to a point where you have a God you understand- and because you understand him you can be close to him and "" Experience God- no faith is trusting that the God beyond understanding is doing everything to be in relationship with you- his son was birthed into time- His spirit was given to dwell in and between us. I am all for learning- all for reading- if you know me- you know that- but hear this- Reading don’t get you to God- Understanding don’t get you to God- Nothing you do gets you to God- God is already here- just give up- We don’t get to God- God gets to us- and Daily, Daily, Daily- we have to give up our pretensions- our guilty pleasures our ways of avoiding God- and just embrace him- that he’s here
God’s not a concept- God is not an idea- our for crying out loud he’s right here in us and between us and all around us- God is begging us to see that life is more than about what we can see and control- it is about trying to see life as God sees life and therefore giving God control-
Seeing God clearly- is dangerous- it changes things. We realize God’s love for us- but we realize he loves a starving child in Sudan or Nigeria or Congo- just as much as he loves. I dare you to read the words of Jesus and keep your life exactly the same. Lent is starting this Wednesday- we are having an Ash Wednesday service- What if each of us took the next six weeks- to dare God and say "God I dare you to help me see you more clearly"- our end of the bargain is that we will read at least one of the gospels- Matthew, Mark, Luke or John- have prayers of silence. I dare you to read a gospel, I dare you to spend time in silent prayer- I dare you to come to Wednesday evening services
Jesus is not impressed by religious know it alls- we know that because of his encounters with the pharisees
he is not impressed by mere church attendance- it might be crazy and old fashioned to say it- but Jesus is interested in you CHANGING- in living life differently- in seeking to find our how to love God with all you heart, soul mind and body and love your neighbor as yourself. He wants you to transfigure from someone who asks "What does it mean to love God with all my heart soul and mind and love my neighbor as myself" to a person who says "Show me how to do it" God can’t change our nation and redeem the world- with folks who go to buildings once or twice a week to gather religious knowledge- but God can and has and is changing the world through people who give up finding God- and let God find them- people who change not for change sake and not to be better than some one else- but because once they have seen God’s reality there’s no turning Back-
it all caught up with Peter- all the Jesus stuff finally sunk in- and he gave up controlling God- and he let God control him- he let God use his tongue to preach to thousands- and the resurrected Jesus- gives Peter a prediction of the future– the valleys he will have to face
John 21:18- I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
Seeing God clearly- a God who forgave his greatest betrayal- Seeing this Jesus- changed Peter- he became a reckless addict and dealer of love- so much so that it got him in trouble with the empire- and he was killed for it.
God can change the world with people who are recklessly addicted to spreading love and goodness in this world- one day at a time- one neighbor at a time. People who have been to the mountain- and are willing to live in the valley
God is daring us to see more clearly- are you willing to take the dare?
If you need help with this I am here for you- If you are just starting out- please talk to me or fill out a piece of paper and hand it to me.
I dare you to stare at God and remain unchanged.