CUMC

Sermon Outline:v Do you like surprises?

Ø Probably depends on the kind...

Ø The disciples had their share in Matthew 16 & 17:

§ In chapter 16, Jesus began to share the news of His death and resurrection. Peter rebuked (!) Jesus, and was compared to Satan. And Peter had identified Jesus as the Messiah.

Ø Then in 17, the Transfiguration:

§ Always a little surprising, maybe because we're not sure what to make of it

§ Significant but mysterious, almost like a parentheses "(...)"

§ Let's try an "old preacher's trick," and move from reader to participant...

v Viewing the Transfiguration...

Ø As a reader of Scripture:

§ Is this "solving" the problem of 16:28? "And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom."

· He does look like the Jesus of the book of Revelations...

§ Jesus is standing "framed" by Moses and Elijah, by the "Law and the Prophets" (Elijah must come first? The "two witnesses" of Revelations?)

§ But wait, we're on a "high place"...

· Moses on a mountain? Mt. Sinai? The giving of the Law? Seeing God's "receding glory" as He passed by?

· Elijah on a mountain? He was also on Mt. Sinai in 1 Kings 19:11-12 "Go out and stand before me on top of the mountain," the Lord said to him. Then the Lord passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks—but the Lord was not in the wind. The wind stopped blowing, and then there was an earthquake—but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire—but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice."

· The "high place" was where Moses and Elijah met with God. And here is Jesus transfigured before them...

Ø As the disciples:

§ Expecting Jesus had come to defeat the Romans and institute God's (military) rule on Earth, their thoughts might have been, "well, FINALLY!"

§ Jesus, transfigured, on a high place (maybe in the clouds?) would have fit right in line with their expectations of the Messiah. Next would come the wrath of God on the unbelievers (us!).

§ Basically, after the shock, they would have set back to watch God move into long-awaited action

· They were expecting to be spectators

· Are we different when we think "the Day of the Lord"?

Ø As Jesus

§ Hard to imagine ourselves there, "into" the mind of the Transfigured Lord who is never more "Other" than now

§ But we do know this: He knew what was to follow.

· He knew Peter would betray Him

· He knew the cross was before Him

· This was the "tragedy" of the Transfiguration, this moment of power and glory, before the trip down the mountain into pain and sacrifice...

v The Unexpected Triumph

Ø Up until this point, the Old Testament program for the Day of the Lord was going forward without a hitch.

§ As Peter proved, even when Jesus tried to tell them about His suffering and death, they couldn't seem to "hear" Him

§ The Transfiguration had to leave the 3 disciples wondering, "why did the glory fade?"

Ø We are the true "parentheses..."

§ The Gospel, grace, Christianity, the dying-and-rising Messiah... All of this hidden in, yet perfectly consistent with, the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible)

§ God "pressed the pause button" on the Day of Vengeance, to usher in the Day of Redemption for each of us.

Ø No better way to head into Lent, a time of self examination and humbling ourselves before God, than to be thankful for this extraordinary chance we have been given, this amazing Promise of Life in Christ!

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It’s Not What You Got (on earth) Matthew 6:19-34

v Trouble in Paradise?

Ø Trouble seems to emerge...

§ In our relationships, in our sense of security, stability

§ When our well-ordered lives (paradises) are thrown into chaos

· And we long for Jesus to say, "Peace, be STILL!"

Ø A Case Study in Worry...

§ When your car blows a radiator...

· And everyone is so helpful!

· And it could have caused a BAD accident!

· And you KNOW God was taking care of you!

· ...And then the bill...

· ...And then they say, "It got real hot; hope it's OK"...

v Between Order and Chaos

Ø ...And then Jesus says not to worry!

§ He lists basic human needs, and seems to define worry as dreading/dwelling on the possibility of things falling apart.

§ But what about when they really are falling apart?

Ø We LIKE orderly lives

§ dependability, security, stability, predictability, fulfilled expectations

§ When things all apart, we feel justifiably threatened, like the disciples on the boat in the storm

Ø Jesus says...

§ From Jesus' examples He is confronting the fear of things falling apart

§ His prescription is our seeking the Kingdom of God first

§ So do we pray hard, and stop paying our insurance bills?

v First things first

Ø Understanding "treasures"

§ "treasures" = those things of ultimate importance in your life, which direct your core desires, and keep your focus (your "mind's eye") on them

§ worry tends to focus our minds those things which keep life stable, like wealth, and turn them into treasures

§ (health as well, but a lot of health is wealth-based, just ask the fast-food industry)

§ Of course modern culture would have us define our worth by our wealth

Ø Seek Ye First the Kingdom...

§ MORE THAN JUST BEING PIOUS

§ The Kingdom is...

· Loving God, loving others, being part of a Christian community, etc...

· Loving God - when bad things happen your first reaction may be to as God WHY? Then the relationship you've developed with Him kicks in...

· Loving Others - A person who has been kind and Christ-like in their loving actions to others will reap what they sow...

· Joined to a Christian community - This means you are never without a family, and real poverty only happens when you have no wealth and no family to "have your back"

Ø A re-purposed illustration for a culture that says, "Focus on the real world!"

§ (the time-management application's always been dicey to me)

v If you are struggling with bad news right now...

Ø God loves you and will bring you peace in the midst

Ø The kindness you've done will be shown to you in return

Ø And your church family has your back!

§ (Please don't let our culture's tradition of self-reliance keep you from letting your family help!)

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Love in a Time of Hate Matthew 5:43-48

v Not Feeling the Love?

Ø Rough few weeks leading up to Valentine's Day

§ Instead of sappy pictures of sweethearts...

§ ...we get heated rhetoric and violence.

· "Anger, fear, aggression... the dark side are they...."

Ø So, we take one day for love and then go back to the battlefield?

§ That is the opposite of the trajectory God has set...

v Justice and Anger, Love and Forgiveness

Ø The Old Testament

§ Lamech:

· Descendant of Cain

· Inventor of polygamy

· Gen 4:23b-24 (the "song of the sword"): "I have killed a man who attacked me, a young man who wounded me. If someone who kills Cain is punished seven times, then the one who kills me will be punished seventy-seven times!” The first instance of...

§ ...The Rule of Escalation

· And it is still with us...

· This is why "eye or eye, tooth for tooth" was a (Grace-filled) innovation!

§ The Rule of Retaliation - Exodus 21:23-24 "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." NIV

Ø The New Testament

§ Jesus said in Matthew 5: 38-42 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow." - The Rule of De-escalation

§ Matthew 18:21-22 "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." - The Rule of Forgiveness

v The Jesus kind of love...

Ø Remember that model of the individual, head (intellect & knowledge), heart (the will or core), and guts (feelings/emotions)...

§ Going with just feelings or just knowledge? BAD idea...

§ Why we need Jesus at the core...

Ø This is a Love that doesn't give up when it is met with anger and violence

§ This is a Love that practices de-escalation and forgiveness, that creates opportunities for reconciliation, that doesn't respond in anger to perceived injustices, but works patiently to HEAL them...

Ø May we be blessed as recipients, vessels, and givers, of such a godly, stubborn Love this week!

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