Some of you know I was a youth director before I went to seminary. And during my time at Holy Trinity in Thousand Oaks, CA working with the junior high kids, a pastor came to serve that church, who I greatly admired. He was only there for a short time as an interim. But we know how even short stays with dynamic leaders can be such a gift (I’m thinking of Pastor Elijah here). This new pastor was so kind to the people of that congregation. He was very intentional in all of his conversations; he was very good at connecting people with one another; he visited the sick; he met with the youth kids; and he started up a small group program while he was there. The church grew during his short time. I knew this man as a kind and loving pastor, truly a shepherding spirit, caring for God’s people, loving them, feeding them with Holy Communion. He was just so nice.
But the more I listened to his sermons and read his book, I started to realize that he was something more than just a nice, loving pastor. This man was a prophet for justice and equality for all. When he preached, it was like the prophet Amos or Isaiah standing in front of us, crying out on behalf of God for peace in our world and for the end of all oppression. Like Moses, “Let my people go!” He called us out on our self-centered, white-privileged ways, that fail to extend the same love that we’ve received to the margins: to the immigrant, the stranger, the outcast and the forgotten. He even talked about justice for the earth and all the creatures of God! It was the first time I had ever considered that the United States may just be the new Roman Empire, and he reminded us often about Jesus‘ ministry over and against...actually under...the most powerful nation in the world. We squirmed uncomfortably in our pews, but something cracked me open and I saw him in a new way.
God is calling us to be more than just a nice place and nice people that gather for worship once a week, he prophesied. God is calling us to do more than just offer some charity to the poor, offer some generous handouts, down to those who have less. All these things are good, but God is calling us, he would preach, to be about radical, systemic change, dreaming and risking it all for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even if it means our lives. And then he would kindly greet us with a handshake or a hug, always a nice smile, as we came out of the church at the end of our service.
This pastor I’m talking about is George Johnson...of blessed memory. He was my friend, he was nice, he was a gentle pastor...but at one point I suddenly started to see him in a new way too. He was a fiery prophet calling for justice and change, challenging us to risk our lives and be actual disciples, followers of Jesus, not just safe, comfortable believers in Jesus.
As we look at our text today, and as we’ve been looking at the Gospel of Mark in this cold season, I think it can be easy and even tempting to conclude that Jesus is a just prophet for social justice and change. That’s because he is. Just like Pastor George was just a kind, loving guy.
Up to this point — Chapter 9 in Mark — Jesus has turned his world on its head with his love and care for the poor and the outcast, with his casting out the demonic systems and illnesses. Bringing women and children to the center, touching and healing the ritually unclean, the bleeding, the dead, the foreigner. I mean, he’s advocating truly universal health, education and equality for everyone. It’s not a detached, complicated, sanitized spirituality with Jesus in the first 9 chapters of Mark. He’s not hovering, esoterically; he’s rooted and radical and real. It’s ministry on the ground, and in the trenches — tangible, immediate and welcoming. Yes? I’m always amazed how this social justice of Jesus gets suppressed and even denied, many times by Christians themselves, only seeing him as a spiritual savior of individual souls...rather than an incarnate savior of whole communities, particularly, especially those who are oppressed or overlooked. Mark 1-9 reeks of Jesus’ radical justice agenda.
But, just like good ol’ Pastor George was more than just a nice, sweet pastor — which he was — there was more…
Jesus is more than just a prophet for social justice and radical welcome of the stranger and the outcast — which he is and always will be. But there’s more...
And in our text today, a few of the disciples (and us, by the way) get cracked open, and see Jesus in an even larger way.
This isn’t about getting someone wrong, and suddenly seeing them in a totally new and different way. (That happens too.)
But this is about getting a person right, but suddenly seeing them in an even more expansive way. Setting our mind not just on earthly things but even more, on divine things.
This prophet Jesus (he was such a prophet that some were mistaking him for John the Baptist and Elijah) — this prophet for social justice and change, was even more than that, friends in Christ:
This prophet was God’s own Son. “Listen to him, listen to his agenda.” All this stuff he’s been doing, is more than just earthly revolutionary activist-for-change behavior, upturning traditions and challenging assumptions...
(!) This is divine presence come down to be among us...to be for us, and for everyone. Jesus is God’s Son. What a way to end this season after Epiphany and move into Lent — with another Epiphany, a divine revealing: “This is my Son, the Beloved.” And then a command: “Listen to him.”
Transfiguration is the mountain top experience of this time of the church year, before we drop down into Lent this week.
Know that the one you follow, the one who brings children and women to the center, who heals the sick and the demon-possessed, who welcomes the outsider, even if their religion or their appearance is different...know that the one you follow, who calls and empowers the people of his time — and us — to imitate him in this radical business of — not just donating — but moving aside and faithfully sharing. Know that that one you follow isn’t just a human prophet for justice. He’s even more: he’s God’s own Son. He’s the salvation of the world. He’s life eternal for you and for all. He’s love everlasting. He’s grace and peace that the world cannot give. He’s freedom and joy. He’s hope for the future and thanksgiving for the past. He’s bread and wine, body and blood poured out for you and for...everyone...even the creatures. He so loves this whole earth, that he gave his whole self away.
Know that the one who heals the sick and raises the dead raises you too — right now! — from that which holds you down and hold you back from being the beloved child that God has created you to be. Know that this prophet Jesus, is forgiveness of all your sins, all your self-centered behavior, all your ignorance and shame, and greed and envy. GONE. Jesus is God’s Son, not just a social prophet. And you are made new today because of it!
Your slate has been wiped clean! And you are being sent back out there, into this Lenten season, into this coming spring, renewed, hopeful, at peace, and ready to serve, pray, fast, and give (just like Jesus did).
So let’s listen to him, siblings in Christ. Let’s listen to him. Let’s hold out our hands, and open our ears and our minds and our hearts, as we move off the icy and foggy mountain top, and listen. For God’s own son has got something to say and something to give. Thanks be to God. AMEN.
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