Podcast of "Tongue Tied' (MP3)
2 Kings 2:1-12
Psalm 50:1-6
2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Mark 9:2-9
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
There is a habit people fall into when looking at the disciples as a group. It is held by pastors and preachers. It is held by teachers and believers. It’s an easy conclusion, a stereotype that makes the work of understanding easier. That habit is thinking the disciples are just dense. Let’s face it, when you look at some of the things they say and some of the questions they ask, it makes you wonder if Jesus picked them because they were clueless. Today gives us one such time to wonder.
Jesus changes his appearance before Peter, James, and John. His clothes take on a whiteness that no laundry will ever match. His clothes are whiter than any bleach will ever make them. This brightness was incredible; the disciples were seeing Jesus come into his glory on the spot, but there was more.
Jesus not only appeared in this whiteness, but he appeared with two of the three persons who according to scripture and tradition didn’t die. Jesus appears in his glory having a chat with Moses and Elijah.
(By the way, the third is Enoch. His story is in Genesis 5:18-24. He doesn’t have a place in this reading, but I knew if I didn’t mention his name it was going to bother some of you until you either remembered, looked it up, or were told. I know I would have been that person.)
This is when Peter, who was frightened along with the others, became completely spooked. He was so taken with fright that he had to say something. So he did. “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.” Now I can’t argue with that. To be in the presence of Jesus as he displays his glory as God of gods, King of kings, and Lord of lords is a glorious thing. It is very good to be there. That’s where he should have stopped. But he didn’t.
He continues, “Let us put up three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah!” So why would Peter want to put a construction project on the side of a mountain? At the Thursday morning study we came up with several reasons. They included creating a memorial, making a shrine, erecting tiny tabernacles, and building a place where they could be worshiped. Many pagan religions built shrines and memorials on mountain tops and sides, it seems like this could have been Peter’s way of showing those others whose God is Lord (and it ain’t theirs!).
This is one of those times when learning the historical, social and theological answers to the question “Why build?” might have satisfied our curiosity, but little else. Scripture says why he said what he said. He said what he said because he was frightened. He was so frightened he was tongue tied. How often have you heard someone say something completely out of character, or worse completely out of line because they didn’t know what to say?
When I was in college, one of my fraternity brothers died[1] from complications of Marfan syndrome. At the funeral, the University’s Dean of Students came up to a small group of us at graveside and said, “Well boys, another learning experience at Emporia State
There’s an old expression used by people who teach counseling and pastoral care, “Don’t just do something, stand there.” There are times, like at a funeral, during times of severe sorrow, in moments of great depression when it is better to just be there. It’s a time to listen. It’s a time to be attentive to the person you are with. It’s a time when greater care can be had in a quiet moment and a shared cup of coffee than with all the well wishes in the world.
I will concede this is easier said than done. We’re a doing people. One of the trademarks of Western civilization is we get stuff done. If it’s not stuff to be done it’s not worthy. If it’s not stuff to be done it’s nothing. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In the quiet moments, the truth is revealed far more clearly than when we’re busy.
This is when the cloud appeared and enveloped them (how’s that for a glorious word, enveloped), and a voice came from the cloud saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.” This harkens back to the words from the heavenly voice to Jesus in Mark 1:11, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” The words spoken at the Baptism of the Lord are heard again at the Transfiguration. The Father shares this word first with the Son and now with the three. See what Peter would have missed if he hadn’t quieted down?
Today we celebrate “Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday.” I find the word “transfiguration” interesting. I can’t think of another time or place that this word is used in the English language. It’s a word we borrow from Latin meaning “to change appearance.” Jesus didn’t change and Jesus doesn’t change; he did change how he appeared to these disciples. This is the difference, appearance.
This is a part of our challenge everyday, how does Jesus change his appearance around us everyday to show us God is at work in our world? How does Jesus show himself to us everyday?
Lately, I have been talking about “what we need to do” in sermons. Today I want to remind us that not only do we need to do something, we need to just sit there and listen first. We need to take the time to listen to him just as the voice from the cloud instructs us. God loves the Son, if we fail to pay attention it’s at our peril.
People tend to fall into patterns in prayer. One of these patterns is speaking to God and failing to wait for a response. This is why during the Confession of Sin and Prayers for the People I invite us to spend time in silence. This is a time to lift what is on our hearts to the mercy seat of God, and even more it is a time to listen for an answer. This is how we follow the command from the cloud to listen in our corporate prayers
We also do this in study, like the one we will begin a week from Wednesday about Christ’s final words from the cross.[2] Camp is a wonderful place to learn this too. So, in a few minutes, we are all invited to join in the Fellowship Hall for a spaghetti dinner provided by the youth as they earn funds for camp.[3]
Peter, along with the others was so frightened he was tongue tied. He wasn’t being stupid or ignorant or any other thing he just blurted out the first thing that crossed his mind. God provides us the remedy for fear and uncertainty, his Son. It is upon us to listen for the word of the Lord and it is up to us to respond before sharing that remedy. When we listen first and then share the word with the world, we do as our Lord commands.
[1] My fraternity brother and “pledge son” Philip Anthony Berg died on April 17, 1985 in Emporia , Kansas and is buried in Neodesha , Kansas
[3] Camp Fund P.O. Box 667 , Marshall , TX 75671-0667 Camp Fund
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