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Sermon for Sunday, February 3, 2008

“Shhh... Listen”
Matthew 17:1-8

Peter just seems to always be talking. Talking too soon and listening too late. It is the story of his life: talking too much and listening too little. You remember the night when Jesus came and was walking on water? Peter couldn’t just sit there in the boat and watch. No, he had to get out and try his hand at walking on the water. (Matt. 14:25) And when Jesus was trying to do some teaching about his death and suffering, it was Peter who couldn’t keep quiet. He had to give Jesus a little sound advice: “Now, Jesus we don’t want to talk like that. It is not good for business. We’re headed for the big time, not suffering and death.” (16:21) And then there was the night Jesus was arrested and he began warning the disciples that the coming hours would bring such pressure upon them that they would scatter to the four winds and find places to hide, it was Peter who interrupted Jesus to say, “The others might do that, but not me. I’m going to be with you til the end, come what may.” (26:69) That’s pretty much the way that Peter did it. Talking too much and listening too little. Probably characteristic of a lot of us.

And yet, knowing that Peter was that way, we would think that maybe even he would be at a loss for words by what he sees and experiences in the gospel story this morning: “Jesus led Peter, James and John up a high mountain…and Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. And sudden there appeared Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.” Surely Peter would be speechless, quiet, in awe not able to say a mumbling word. But no. Not Peter. Peter isn’t easily stunned into quietness. The Message Bible says he kept on “babbling.” He is on his cell phone ordering lumber: “this is a great moment, let build three memorials here on the mountain – one for the three of you.” (Message Bible)

Matthew then says that God had to interrupt Peter...”While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “this is my Son…listen to him!”

We have called this the transfiguration of Jesus. What exactly happened is not exactly clear but we do know that Jesus was changed before their eyes. Transfigured, transformed. The Greek word is “metamorphosis.” “meta” means change…”Morphis” means form. Jesus’ form was totally changed…like a cocoon is transfigured into a butterfly. Like a flower bulb is changed into a beautiful daffodil. The human Jesus was transfigured into the divine Christ. Those three with him could see who Jesus really was, the very presence of God. It must have been a magnificent experience and should have brought silence except for Peter. He wanted to build memorials to the occasion until God interrupted him and his plans, “This is my Son…listen to him.” I wonder how many times God has interrupted you and me.

With those words come the practical side of what happened on that mountain. There is a practically lesson for us to bring down the mountain. The lesson is “listen.” Listen to Jesus. God interrupted Peter’s plans…”Listen.”

But there is a problem. The problem is that Jesus isn’t here for us to hear. We are not on the mountain of Transfiguration. So we don’t get to listen TO Jesus. Instead, we have to listen FOR Jesus.

And how do we do that? One way we do that by reading the four gospels over and over again, until the words of Jesus get way down into bones. That takes time, discipline and a lot of listening. You see, until we have listened and listened to the words of Jesus, we are not ready to understand the rest of scripture. We are not ready to say what Paul said in his words or what a verse in Leviticus means because until we have learned the words of Jesus we have no standard by which to interpret the Bible’s many voices. We have to interpret the Bible by some standard and for Christians, that standard is Jesus Christ. The simplest way for us to listen for Jesus is to read the books that record what he said and did --- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Until we’ve done that kind of listening we aren’t ready to make church decisions or to interpret the Bible.

And then beyond our gospel reading, there is the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in the gospel of John, “The Holy Spirit will lead you into the rest of truth.” But the Spirit isn’t always easy to hear. It takes careful listening to know the Spirit’s voice and then we have to measure what we think the Spirit might be saying against the words of Jesus in the gospels or else we’ll be free lancing claiming that the Spirit told us to do this or that when in fact it is what we are deciding to do on our own. We will be like Peter on the mountain, talking, talking, never listening. We won’t be hearing God saying ….”listen to him!”

It is not easy to listen, quietly, patiently. We like to hear ourselves talk too much and when we talk too much, we’ll miss hearing what Jesus has to say to us.

As we get ready to move into the Lenten and Easter season it might be good discipline for you and me to begin to listen for Jesus. Too often during this season of preparation people talk about giving something up. Maybe this year you can take something up---try reading all four gospels as a way of listening for Jesus.

Now there is risk to that. Well, actually there are two risks – one major and one minor. The minor risk is that over the next six weeks you will spend the time that it takes to read the four gospels, only to find that it has changed nothing about you and your way of thinking and you might think that I have wasted your time as well as exaggerated the power of the gospels. That is the minor risk. The major risk, of course, is that you will spend all that time reading the gospels and you will be changed…you will be changed.

So, shhh….listen for Him. He’s here and wants to meet you at the Table.

— Robert Thompson
Pastor
First Baptist Church, Ashland

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