Your Faith Journey - Finding God Through Words, Song and Praise

This is a special musical performance from the Joyful Noise Childrens' Choir of Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan

This is a special musical performance of Just As I Am, Without One Plea by Barry and Van Valey and performed by the Joyful Noise Childrens' Choir and with Gwynne Kadrofske on Flute.

This is a special musical performance of Just As I Am, Without One Plea by Barry and Van Valey and performed by the Joyful Noise Childrens' Choir and with Gwynne Kadrofske on Flute.

Last Tuesday at our noon Bible Study, when we were talking about this gospel reading, Elaine Harrison mentioned that the “dazzling white” description of Jesus’ clothing stuck out as we read today’s passage.   These words made her think of the multiple Tide Ad commercials shown during the Super Bowl last Sunday.  The ads were quite funny as each showed brilliant white clothing which supposedly had been washed in Tide.  While this was very humorous, and we had a good laugh because of it, I think there is a connection to what is really happening in this passage.   You see, the gospel writer is telling a story that says something about the dazzling light of God’s presence shining through to us and around us as we daily live our lives.  It is a light we often do not see as we go about the ordinariness of daily life.

When we look at all that is happening in the world around us, I have a feeling many of us tend to ask, “Where is God in all of this?”  We live in a culture in which we think God is out there somewhere.  Maybe way up there, far removed from our everyday experience.  In fact, religion often teaches that we should seek out the presence of God.  However, the reality is that we cannot seek out God’s presence, we cannot earn God’s presence to us, we cannot prove ourselves worthy of God’s presence, nor can we do anything to prohibit God’s presence to us.  The deepest truth given to us in today’s story is that we are totally and completely enveloped in the presence of God.

As we look at today’s gospel reading, whatever happened on top of that unnamed mountain remains a mystery. There simply is no rational or logical explanation for this event that was witnessed to by Peter, James, and John.  Whatever actually happened, the transfiguration, as it came to be known, is an event that was primarily for the disciples’ benefit. Counter to what some suppose, this cannot be the revelation of Jesus’ divinity; if it were, then it would make Elijah and Moses divine as well. Neither should this be read as a final dispensation of prophetic genius in line with Moses and Elijah as if Jesus is in rank with their company.  After all, it is Jesus who is distinguished from these historical figures, and it is he who is left standing alone when the divine voice enters the scene.

First and foremost, we should understand this is a story and we should let go of our need for facts and allow a deeper truth to speak.  In fact, preeminent New Testament scholar N.T. Wright suggests that when we look at this story, “the veil of ordinariness that normally prevents us from seeing the ‘inside’ of a situation is drawn back, and a fuller reality is disclosed.”  The veil is drawn back so we can see a deeper truth.

In verse three something dramatic but not permanent happens to Jesus.  His garments “became glistening, intensely white,” indeed so white that even the best experts in bleaching, not even Tide, could obtain such a result. This is the “transfiguration.”  The Greek word used for transfiguration is metamorpho.  It means that Jesus changed in outward appearance or form.

Now this brings up an interesting question: Is the transfiguration a story of metamorphosis where Jesus changes into something he was not before?  I don’t think so.  Metamorphosis is permanent.  But, this experience is really a revelation more than it is a mutation. For the benefit of the disciples, Jesus’ outward appearance transforms, and his inward nature of God’s pure, light-filled presence is revealed.  “The veil of ordinariness is drawn back, and a fuller reality is disclosed.”  And, because the veil is drawn back, the disciples see something extraordinary for the first time.  Jesus is totally and completely enveloped in the presence of God.

Have you ever looked at a magnified picture of a snowflake?  If you have, from that point on, there is a sense in which one marvels at the beauty and uniqueness of every single snowflake.  Or, do you remember the first time you looked at a speck of dirt through a microscope?   What up until then had seemed a boring little speck of dirt, suddenly becomes something full of pattern, color, and even beauty.  What you see through that microscope opens up a whole different world and, from that point forward, you never look at specks of dirt the same way.  And, you can begin to realize that, yes, everything now has the potential to be more than it seems.  You see, the world we live in has many layers, many dimensions, and sometimes these dimensions, normally hidden, may appear.  There is a much deeper reality than the ordinariness we see with the naked eye.

         As the disciples see Jesus in today’s story the veil is drawn back, and they see a deeper truth, a fuller reality – God is very present in this one they call Jesus.  And, the disciples discovered they, themselves, were already living in the presence of God.  Yes, “The veil of ordinariness has been drawn back, and a fuller reality is disclosed.”   The truth is, we need moments where the veil of ordinariness is drawn back, and a fuller reality is disclosed.  We need the kind of experiences that allow us to discover a deeper truth.  We need the kind of experiences that give us pause so that we might be reminded that we, too, are already living in the presence of God.  So often we ask God to be with us or with other people and we try to attain God’s presence.  But, as Franciscan priest Richard Rohr, puts it: “We cannot attain the presence of God because we’re already totally in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness.”  Yes, what’s absent is our awareness of the light of God’s presence to us throughout the ordinariness of our daily lives. 

I have shared this story with you before, but it is worth sharing again.  When I worked at First Lutheran Church in Muskegon, Michigan, Pastor Bill Uetricht and I would go and lead worship at the local nursing home the first Sunday of each month.  I loved those monthly, afternoon services.  The residents, whose bodies and minds had been devoured by the effects of aging, often unable to comprehend or communicate much of anything, would come alive in beautiful ways as we experienced worship together.  I remember one special dear lady named Savannah.   She was a wheel chair bound, 94-year old African American woman whose body and mind suffered greatly, broken from the ravages of old age.  I remember Savannah because, at one of those treasured worship experiences, she spontaneously and surprisingly burst into song, gifting us with her vocal rendition of the Lord’s Prayer.  Now, as a trained musician, I love quality performances and thought I knew what beauty was.  However, as this very feeble old woman sang this prayer with her aged, weak, scratchy, shaking voice, I heard one of the most beautiful offerings I will ever hear.  It was a moment of transcendent beauty, a sacred moment in time when the light of Jesus became so brilliant and so very present.  In that moment, “the veil of ordinariness that normally prevents us from seeing the ‘inside’ of a situation [was] drawn back, and a fuller reality [was] disclosed.”  In that moment, I discovered we were enveloped in the presence of God.  And, in that moment, I was changed!

Last Tuesday at our noon Bible Study, when we were talking about this gospel reading, Elaine Harrison mentioned that the “dazzling white” description of Jesus’ clothing stuck out as we read today’s passage.   These words made her think of the multiple Tide Ad commercials shown during the Super Bowl last Sunday.  The ads were quite funny as each showed brilliant white clothing which supposedly had been washed in Tide.  While this was very humorous, and we had a good laugh because of it, I think there is a connection to what is really happening in this passage.   You see, the gospel writer is telling a story that says something about the dazzling light of God’s presence shining through to us and around us as we daily live our lives.  It is a light we often do not see as we go about the ordinariness of daily life.

When we look at all that is happening in the world around us, I have a feeling many of us tend to ask, “Where is God in all of this?”  We live in a culture in which we think God is out there somewhere.  Maybe way up there, far removed from our everyday experience.  In fact, religion often teaches that we should seek out the presence of God.  However, the reality is that we cannot seek out God’s presence, we cannot earn God’s presence to us, we cannot prove ourselves worthy of God’s presence, nor can we do anything to prohibit God’s presence to us.  The deepest truth given to us in today’s story is that we are totally and completely enveloped in the presence of God.

As we look at today’s gospel reading, whatever happened on top of that unnamed mountain remains a mystery. There simply is no rational or logical explanation for this event that was witnessed to by Peter, James, and John.  Whatever actually happened, the transfiguration, as it came to be known, is an event that was primarily for the disciples’ benefit. Counter to what some suppose, this cannot be the revelation of Jesus’ divinity; if it were, then it would make Elijah and Moses divine as well. Neither should this be read as a final dispensation of prophetic genius in line with Moses and Elijah as if Jesus is in rank with their company.  After all, it is Jesus who is distinguished from these historical figures, and it is he who is left standing alone when the divine voice enters the scene.

First and foremost, we should understand this is a story and we should let go of our need for facts and allow a deeper truth to speak.  In fact, preeminent New Testament scholar N.T. Wright suggests that when we look at this story, “the veil of ordinariness that normally prevents us from seeing the ‘inside’ of a situation is drawn back, and a fuller reality is disclosed.”  The veil is drawn back so we can see a deeper truth.

In verse three something dramatic but not permanent happens to Jesus.  His garments “became glistening, intensely white,” indeed so white that even the best experts in bleaching, not even Tide, could obtain such a result. This is the “transfiguration.”  The Greek word used for transfiguration is metamorpho.  It means that Jesus changed in outward appearance or form.

Now this brings up an interesting question: Is the transfiguration a story of metamorphosis where Jesus changes into something he was not before?  I don’t think so.  Metamorphosis is permanent.  But, this experience is really a revelation more than it is a mutation. For the benefit of the disciples, Jesus’ outward appearance transforms, and his inward nature of God’s pure, light-filled presence is revealed.  “The veil of ordinariness is drawn back, and a fuller reality is disclosed.”  And, because the veil is drawn back, the disciples see something extraordinary for the first time.  Jesus is totally and completely enveloped in the presence of God.

Have you ever looked at a magnified picture of a snowflake?  If you have, from that point on, there is a sense in which one marvels at the beauty and uniqueness of every single snowflake.  Or, do you remember the first time you looked at a speck of dirt through a microscope?   What up until then had seemed a boring little speck of dirt, suddenly becomes something full of pattern, color, and even beauty.  What you see through that microscope opens up a whole different world and, from that point forward, you never look at specks of dirt the same way.  And, you can begin to realize that, yes, everything now has the potential to be more than it seems.  You see, the world we live in has many layers, many dimensions, and sometimes these dimensions, normally hidden, may appear.  There is a much deeper reality than the ordinariness we see with the naked eye.

         As the disciples see Jesus in today’s story the veil is drawn back, and they see a deeper truth, a fuller reality – God is very present in this one they call Jesus.  And, the disciples discovered they, themselves, were already living in the presence of God.  Yes, “The veil of ordinariness has been drawn back, and a fuller reality is disclosed.”   The truth is, we need moments where the veil of ordinariness is drawn back, and a fuller reality is disclosed.  We need the kind of experiences that allow us to discover a deeper truth.  We need the kind of experiences that give us pause so that we might be reminded that we, too, are already living in the presence of God.  So often we ask God to be with us or with other people and we try to attain God’s presence.  But, as Franciscan priest Richard Rohr, puts it: “We cannot attain the presence of God because we’re already totally in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness.”  Yes, what’s absent is our awareness of the light of God’s presence to us throughout the ordinariness of our daily lives. 

I have shared this story with you before, but it is worth sharing again.  When I worked at First Lutheran Church in Muskegon, Michigan, Pastor Bill Uetricht and I would go and lead worship at the local nursing home the first Sunday of each month.  I loved those monthly, afternoon services.  The residents, whose bodies and minds had been devoured by the effects of aging, often unable to comprehend or communicate much of anything, would come alive in beautiful ways as we experienced worship together.  I remember one special dear lady named Savannah.   She was a wheel chair bound, 94-year old African American woman whose body and mind suffered greatly, broken from the ravages of old age.  I remember Savannah because, at one of those treasured worship experiences, she spontaneously and surprisingly burst into song, gifting us with her vocal rendition of the Lord’s Prayer.  Now, as a trained musician, I love quality performances and thought I knew what beauty was.  However, as this very feeble old woman sang this prayer with her aged, weak, scratchy, shaking voice, I heard one of the most beautiful offerings I will ever hear.  It was a moment of transcendent beauty, a sacred moment in time when the light of Jesus became so brilliant and so very present.  In that moment, “the veil of ordinariness that normally prevents us from seeing the ‘inside’ of a situation [was] drawn back, and a fuller reality [was] disclosed.”  In that moment, I discovered we were enveloped in the presence of God.  And, in that moment, I was changed!

This is a special musical performance of They Shall Soar Like Eagles by the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

This is a special musical performance of They Shall Soar Like Eagles by the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

This is a special musical performance of Morceau Symphonique a Baritone solo with Sam Kadrofske and accompanied by Kathy Richardson.

This is a special musical performance of Morceau Symphonique a Baritone solo with Sam Kadrofske and accompanied by Kathy Richardson.

Shalom!  Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace.  Shalom is used as a word of greeting and farewell.  Shalom is not only about peace, it is about a healing wholeness, completeness and well-being.  The peace of shalom is not limited to the political domain and it is not a peace that is just about the absence of war.  It is not limited to the social domain and is not only about the absence of quarrel and strife.  Shalom is about a peace that covers many contexts and includes this cosmic principle – the manifestation of divine grace.  Shalom is the blessing of well-being and wholeness God desires for all people.  Shalom is all about God’s dream for this broken world. 

As I have been thinking not only upon the experience of our mission trip, but also current events in our present culture and all that is happening around the world, I am again reminded of how desperately this world needs to hear of God’s healing grace, God’s healing love, God’s healing peace, and God’s healing message of shalom.  Healing was a major focus and aspect of Jesus’ ministry.  Jesus lived this sense of shalom as he healed people with all kinds of diseases and ailments.  Jesus lived this sense of shalom as he proclaimed God’s dream for this world wherever he went.   

As Jesus encounters us in today’s gospel reading, he has just been teaching in the synagogue.  While there, he was rudely interrupted by a man possessed with an “unclean spirit.” Jesus had then ordered the unclean spirit to leave this man and the man was healed.  It was Jesus’ first miracle in the gospel of Mark.  And, it was an action that was all about healing and enabling that man to again be restored to life and full participation within the community. 

This morning, we find the gospel writer continuing this narrative by connecting that story to what we have as today’s gospel reading.  Jesus leaves the synagogue and he “immediately” goes to Simon’s house where he finds Simon’s mother-in-law sick with a fever.  It is still the same day, the same Sabbath, only a matter of hours later, and we find Jesus again giving life by healing Simon’s mother-in-law.  He walks over, touches her – an action that was considered unclean – then, he takes her by the hand, and lifts her up, or “raises her up.”  The Greek word Mark uses for “lifted up” or “raised up” is the same word used to tell of Jesus being lifted up on a cross.  And, it is the same word used in the gospel narrative describing Easter morning when we hear the words “he is not here, he is risen!”  This is not coincidence.  Simon Peter’s mother-in-law is raised up from her illness.  And, what does she begin to do?  She gets up from her bed and begins to feed people.  She begins to serve, to minister to others.  Healed from her illness, she begins to live into a sense of purpose and a sense of vocation.  This woman who has been touched and healed by Jesus becomes the first active witness to what a healed and resurrected life in Jesus looks like.

Healing, deliverance from pain and illness and setting people free are the hallmarks of that great prophetic dream called the Reign of God.  That dream of God is expressed in one way or another as it is threaded throughout the entirety of scripture.  The dream of God is always describing a reality where no one goes hungry, the ill and grieving are healed, and those in various kinds of prisons are set free to live abundant life, life that truly matters.  Over and over again, we hear that Jesus “went about healing many who were sick or possessed by demons.”  Healing and setting people free were foundational to Jesus’ ministry.  And, healing and setting people free are foundational to the ministry we share as members of the body of Christ.  This image of healing and setting people free is something we share because, in baptism, we too have been raised to new life.  We too have been set free.  We too have been raised to live life that truly matters and live into the ministry of serving others.

As I was growing up, my mother would frequently remind me about the fact that we are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world.  Our very bodies, the way we use them, what we do and the way we live enables us to become God’s instruments of healing in this broken world.  I was reminded of this on the Mission Trip as I listened to people’s stories about loss, the loss they experienced during Hurricane Irma.  The devastation and loss were enormous.  In the mobile home community in which we worked, 27 homes had to be totally demolished, 34 homes had already been restored, and many more need to be either demolished or restored.  Our work supervisors estimate they will still be working on this two years from now.  And, the work we did was just a small portion of a much larger effort to bring restoration and healing to that community, a community that needs to be raised up. 

We live in a world that is desperate for healing.  The need in this world is so great.  We live in a world where people desperately need and long for the touch of a caring hand.  I think each one of us has probably experienced that need at some point in our life, and we will likely experience that need again.  I also know that God’s healing, life giving presence is closer to us than the air we breathe.  And, as we live together participating in the community of faith, we live into God’s healing, gracious love, that sense of shalom.  Gerald May was a medical doctor who practiced psychotherapy in Washington, D.C.  He wrote of the importance of community in the healing process.  He writes:

God’s grace through community involves something far greater than other people’s support and perspective.  The power of grace is nowhere as brilliant nor as mystical as in communities of faith.  Its power includes not just love that comes from people and through people but love that pours forth among people, as if through the very spaces between one person and next.  Just to be in such an atmosphere is to be bathed in healing power. (Gerald G. May, Addiction and Grace, 173.)

Friends, this week we begin a whole new ministry as we welcome our first refugees to the parish house.  This ministry is a form of healing, reconciliation and shalom as we share God’s boundless grace with the young men who will live in the parish house.  This is just one way that we, as a community of Faith, continue to live into God’s healing, gracious love.  And, as we participate in this reconciling work, God is not only raising up these young men to a life of hope, God is also raising us up, just as he did Simon’s mother-in-law.  God is raising us up, lifting us up so that we can live shalom, so we can live lives of service to others and bear God’s creative and redeeming love in this world. 

Frederick Buechner, an American pastor and theologian, has said something that has meant so much to me in my life, and I think it will mean something for us as we think about this new ministry to which we are called.  He writes, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”  Each one of us has been called.  Live into