Transfiguration

Transfiguration

2/19/12                       Mark 9:2-10

Standing in the Awkward

Yikes:  Foot in Mouth, can’t stop talking.

1.   Jr. Year geography

2.   I was at a seminar on Wednesday... I hate just sitting there for 9 hours. I want to participate.

          I can't shut-up. I want to be involved.

The "awkwardness" of silence.

          Target = my favorite & least favorite store to shop at. No background music.

Question:

      Are we willing to slow down, and be quiet and listen?

v If we were continuing the "Spiritual Disciplines" series today: our title would be the Spiritual Discipline of Meditation.

§  Sitting, Being, LISTENING.

Mountain Top

v Our Gospel text is about a "Mountain Top Experience"

§  Do you long for the Mountain Top Experience?

¨     What about it draws us in?

v 2 weeks ago I was presented with an opportunity to have a MOUNTAIN Top Experience.

§  Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

¨     Why?

1.               See God's creation like never before.

2.               Be involved in the transformation.

3.               Continue to be inspired (and inspire) us to participate in God's Upside Down Kingdom... Where we give of ourselves!

v In our culture many of us long for the next high.

·        Be it drugs, extreme sports, or God's presence.

§  Drug High: I've had friends who lived for the next physical high... trapped in the cycle of drugs - trying to outdo the last emotional drug HIGH

§  Emotional/Physical High: I've had friends who try crazy trick after crazy trick - trying to out do the last emotional sports HIGH

§  God High: I've had friends who want to stay on the mountain top. Not wanting to come down into regular life - trying to maintain or outdo their God HIGH

Yet –things happen right before us, right around us. And we Don’t notice.
          Often God is working – without us ever noticing.

Story:

"A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning (in 2007).  He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. 

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule. 

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk. 

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work. 

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on. 

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. 

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. 

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. 

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context? 

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: 

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?"

Question:

      Are we willing to slow down, and be quiet and listen?

v In the Spiritual Rhelm:

§  How many other things are we missing?

¨     What are our priorities?

·        Are we willing to slow down, and be willing to be quiet and listen?

Standing in the Awkward

v When Jesus is transformed... and is dazzling white - the disciples are terrified and don't know what to say...

§  So of course - Peter says: wow. This is great. We should build you a and Moses and Elijah tents so you can stay here...

v We like Peter: He's like us.

§  He just puts it out there.

§  He's blunt.

§  He's got that "foot in mouth" disease.

v As Christians: Our OBJECTIVE is to hear God, follow him, and "change the world"

§  hard to do when we won’t stop talking…

§  hard to do when we desire to plant our feet and get settled.

§  hard to do when we look to our own needs - through our own eyes...

and not to the needs of Christ - through HIS eyes.

v Standing in the awkward

Peter says all this "stuff" cuz he doesn't know what else to do or say...

Ø  And God simply says: This is my son, listen to him.

§  Here's Moses - the one who brought you the law. He's good.

§  Here's Elijah - the prophet, who you highly regard. He's cool.

§  Here's Jesus - my son. stop. drop. and listen. He's IT!

§  God Says: You don't need to look to the law or the prophets...

¨     Here’s Jesus.

§  He is all of them in one.

§  He hasn't come to abolish them - but to fulfill!

v In the midst of our spiritual Disciplines and Christian life/walk

§  Sometimes it can be easy to miss the God things taking place right beside us.

§  Sometimes it can be easy to want to talk and do things - when what we really need to do is slow down and listen!

v The story of the violinist - makes me wonder

§  how often the greatness of God goes unnoticed

¨     because, we're to busy (with our own agendas, talking, thinking we're doing the right thing)

¨     that we don't listen to what God actually has for us or wants of us.

v We like Peter. (we can relate to Peter)

§  But in this instance - we shouldn't be LIKE Peter.

§  Let’s try to stand in the awkward Amazement of who Jesus is!

§  Let’s stop talking.

§  Let’s begin listening.

v When we are on the Mountain Top.

v When we are in the Subway.

§  May we stand in awe

§  May we stand in Reverence

§  May we stand and listen to the ONE. 

¨     The one true God.

v Let's stand in AWE.

Ø  Let's worship the God of Transformation, Resurrection, and Redemption. 

As you go, May you slow down and listen when God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, show up and do the AMAZING - on the mountain tops and in the valleys of your life. Go and Love.