The First Sunday of Lent 2010

SERMON: IST SUNDAY OF LENT 2010

TEXT: LUKE 4: 1-15

IN THE NAME OF GOD: CREATOR, PAINBEARER AND SPIRIT OF LOVE AND LIFE

I need not tell you that today is the first Sunday of a season the church calls Lent. It begins on Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter. It spans 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter Saturday but excludes Sundays as this First day of the week’ is the day the church regularly celebrates Jesus’ resurrection . The word we use in English – Lent - was derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Lencten, meaning spring (It is the northern spring – a factor we often overlook). In France the season is called Careme, and in Italy it is Quarestima, both derived from the Latin Quadragesima.

Lent in the Western Churches was originally a period of forty days of fasting and penitence, readying the Christian for the great feast on the ensuing Easter Sunday and is held as a period of sober reflection, self-examination, and spiritual redirection.

The period of forty days had an important symbolic meaning in the ancient Jewish religion. Moses and Elijah spent forty days in the wilderness; the Jews wandered forty years searching for the Promised Land; Jonah gave the city of Nineveh forty days' grace in which to repent and Jesus retreated into the wilderness and fasted for forty days to prepare for his ministry. It was for Him a time of contemplation, reflection, and preparation.

So by observing Lent, most Christians join Jesus on His retreat.
The naming of the Lenten period of forty days owes its origin to the Latin word Quadragesima, originally signifying forty hours. This referred to forty hours of complete fasting which preceded the Easter celebration in the early Church.

The main ceremony then was not the Eucharist as we know it but the baptizing of the initiates on Easter Eve, and the fast was a preparation to receive this sacrament.

Lent has always represented a period of fasting, prayer and contemplation in the Orthodox Christian church. I would like to ask – ‘What does this time mean for you?”

For some of us it would be exactly what I have described - a period of self-examination, reflection and prayer. But I am willing to bet that for most people in church congregations it is a time where lip service is made but not much else.

Perhaps a token relinquishing of the evening pre-dinner drink? Perhaps we give up sugar in our tea or coffee. Perhaps we hide the box of Haigh’s chocolates until Easter when the Easter Bunny (or Bilby as the case may be) finds them and our little indulgences are restored.

Have we given thought to what the message of Lent really conveys? Is it not a message of sacrifice? Think about it! To take oneself off into the desert for forty days (or some long period) without provision for food and shelter would today be considered sheer madness.

I seem to recall a story of a young man who, a few years ago, caused considerable anxiety when he decided to travel across one of Australia’s deserts with little or no supplies and backup. His intention did not arise out of some religious conviction. He just wanted to prove a point, prove to himself that he could do it and get his 15 minutes of fame in the process. He achieved all that and a sigh of relief went up when he arrived safely.

These people of ancient times however were not looking for fame nor were they trying to prove something to themselves or others, they were deliberately putting themselves in a place of sacrifice and physical deprivation in order to become closer to God.

I remember a song from some years ago which carried the line “in the desert you can remember your name and there ain’t no one for to give you no pain” (obviously the grammar suggests it is an American composition – it’s actually called “A Horse with no name”). It’s a sad song as it ends by saying there is no human love in the cities.

Is that true- that we need to test ourselves with rigour and deprivation in order to find God? Is it really necessary to travel into some inhospitable and uncomfortable place to find peace and love? I think not.

I do agree though, that it is necessary to find a quiet place and some sort of refuge from our busy and noisy world. We can do that without taking ourselves off into the desert. We can close our door, disconnect the phone, turn off the TV and radio and sit quietly in our own home. During the last few months I have often done just that. I have ceased listening to talkback radio and choose instead to listen to music appropriate to my mood. I feel that I have not missed anything of importance but have avoided a great deal of stress. I recommend it to you.

I still feel that this is all still self-serving though. It might be helpful for me but I have to ask is it helpful for anyone else? It’s obviously not – except that we might become more relaxed and easier to live with.

What I am trying to say is that sacrifice is of little or no value unless it changes something in the world for the better.

You know, the greatest positive sacrifice we can make is to cease our self-indulgence – our self-centredness.

There is nothing more self-centred than a child. Obviously this trait which is found in all humans is some sort of primeval survival instinct. A human child without parental support will quickly die. They need food, clothing, shelter and something too often denied – love. When any of these necessities seem to be withheld the child suffers and lets parents know in the only possible way for it – it cries and loudly!

Too often we carry this childish self-centredness into our adult life. It even seems to grow larger as we age, as we become less self-assured and begin to sense our power and independence waning. This is when we begin to compensate by often becoming pedantic and inflexible in our ways. We are totally unable to tolerate any form of change. We assume as personal effrontery and persistently close our ears to some suggestion which could make changes to our community. We find it uncomfortable when new people enter our circle.

Last Christmas the Archbishop gave me a book entitled ‘Facing the Future’ in which various Bishops from around Australia have written essays on their vision of a future church. It is sub-titled ‘Bishops imagine a different church’.

The evangelical Bishop of Armidale has written on the challenges facing the church in rural Australia (particularly northern NSW) and how that Anglican Diocese is proving most successful in dealing with the future. He says this in part: (Facing The Future: Bishop’s imagine a different church, Hale S & Curnow A. (eds). Acorn Press, Brunswick East, Melbourne, Australia, 2009.) PP 106- 07, 108.

Bishop Peter Brain also says: “Urban living, with its ease of anonymity and sheer weight of numbers, can so easily mask the sacrificial service of city and suburban pastors and people”. Too often the wider community doesn’t even know we exist as a faith community – except when they find themselves I need of help.

The message I felt I had to speak today has not been easy to compile. But I truly believe that in prayer God had something to say to our parishes!

These are hard issues! There have been many and considerable sacrifices made by the clergy in these parishes in order to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the widest audience possible. It takes many years of financial sacrifice and focussed study to find oneself in this position. It is not done for the money I assure you! Mostly people acknowledge and respect sacrifice in anyone. There are many sacrifices made by members of these churches on a weekly basis and there are detractors who would undermine and prevent changes because they cannot bear to see the status quo change. How often do we give thought to the fact that someone may need a respite from work they do and have done for a very long time on a regular basis?

When we consider these things is it possible for us to somehow enter the church of the early centuries and relive the depth of meaning those people put into Lent?

Can we sacrifice those things in our hearts and minds that would destroy our relationship with God and our neighbours – our club mentality and our sad refusal to honour others‘sacrifices?

The Archbishop’s Lenten study is about Jonah who found it hard to face up to what God was calling him to do. He eventually was forced albeit with ill grace to accede to God’s demands. Will we make it necessary for God to figuratively ‘prepare a great fish to swallow us up’ and drag us kicking and in ill humour back into fellowship with Him and His church?

They are hard questions aren’t they? But I believe it is vital we address them especially as we enter into this season of Lent for 2010. Very much food for thought.

THE LORD BE WITH YOU

The story of the transfiguration of Jesus

IN THE NAME OF GOD – CREATOR, PAINBEARER AND SPIRIT OF LIFE AND LOVE

TEXT: Luke 9: 28-36

Today we read a story which is contained in all three of the Synoptic Gospels; the story of the transfiguration of Jesus. It is a fascinating story and one’s first reaction has to be “why is this story included in the Gospels?”

To get anywhere near an answer to that question we must first set down some parameters of just what these writings that we call the Gospels are; when they were written, and why they were written. Are they meant to be historic fact or is there some other purpose? Is the culture, world view and thought processes of these ancient writers the same as our western culture and world view? How much of these writings purporting to set down a record of the very words of Jesus of Nazareth is that sort of verbatim record that we are so used to reading in this 21^st century. Is there a connection between the Gospels and the Hebrew Scriptures that we call the ‘Old Testament”?

These are just a few of the questions that we must address if we are to come to any sort of reasoned understanding of this story. They are confronting questions to many people – they are unsettling because they bring into question many of our preconceptions of Scripture that have been laid down by the early orthodox western church and have gradually set like concrete in our minds.

Rev Dr Andrew Dutney, a lecturer in theology at Flinders University in Adelaide, wrote a book with a rather intriguing title. It was Disillusionment: Reflections on the Experience of Theological Education.

I can attest that his choice of title was spot on. Doing theology did indeed prove to bring ‘disillusionment’. Some people in the classes were simply unable to cope with the necessary shift of understanding that dawned upon us when we were instructed in the history and background of the Biblical writings – and dropped out (sadly). They were simply unable to cope with becoming ‘disillusioned’.

I on the other hand found the revelations liberating. I was very happy to have my ‘illusions’ removed. It was like having blurred vision and then suddenly being fitted with a pair of spectacles – the clarity and sense that it made was almost blinding.

But back to the questions and the setting of some parameters.

Scholars agree that this gospel was written by a Gentile (non Jew) possibly at Antioch sometime perhaps during the last decade of the first century – some 60 to 70 years after the events it purports to describe. It is clear that it was written to support the expansion of “The Way” of Jesus of Nazareth beyond the traditional male controlled Jewish synagogues.

Scholars also agree that these writings are not and never were intended to be read or heard as historic fact as we now understand it. They are religious treatises based around the liturgical year of the Synagogue and their declared intention was to convert people to join the community of the early Christian churches.

Scholars also agree that they do carry some kernels of the remembered words / sayings and events of Jesus’ life. It is a great mistake though to assume that all the words and events attributed to Jesus are literal. Many clever literary devices have been used.

These are very competent writings. Luke’s Gospel relies heavily on the earlier Gospel of Mark, which in turn drew on a source now no longer extant called ‘Q’ for ‘Quelle’ – the German word for ‘Source’. This was a document which has just left traces of itself in the gospels – like shreds of mist which remain across the hills after sunup. It is universally believed to have existed about 20 years after Jesus’ crucifixion and contained some sort of written record of his words and actions as remembered by his followers.

The Gospels do draw heavily on the Hebrew Scriptures - Matthew particularly. Luke not so much as his intended audience was not the Jews in the synagogues – his Gentile audience would have found the intricacies of the Jewish traditions opaque.

Today however we read a story of Jesus climbing a mountain with three friends named as Peter, John and James. Whilst deep in prayer we read that the appearance of his face was changed and his clothes became dazzling white.

Does this scenario ring any bells for you? Remember Exodus chapter 34, our Old Testament reading for this morning? The very same thing happened to Moses. He also took three men up the mountain with him. It would be good to also read II Kings Chapter 2. In this ancient story Elijah, the other man Jesus ‘met’ on the mountain, avoids death and is taken up to Heaven on a chariot of fire – what a way to go!

There was also a tradition that Moses did not die as all humans do.

Now here they both are with Jesus in some sort of supernatural state having a conversation.

The Transfiguration is a Christological festival in the church year. (Christology is the theological study of the person and deeds of Jesus). It neatly closes off the period of Christmas and Epiphany before we enter Lent on Ash Wednesday this coming week. The two festivals complement each other in striking ways.

When we understand that in the Hebrew scriptures God's holy light had always connected the people of Israel to God's presence, the Jewish doctrinal elements in the story of Jesus' transfiguration become even more obvious. This tradition of being connected to God's light began in the wilderness, when the pillar of fire guided Israel by night and the pillar of cloud guided Israel by day. Both the fire and the cloud were symbols of the divine connecting light.

The Orthodox Church’s belief and teaching is that in the Incarnation celebrated at Christmas, the divine enters into the human world. In the Transfiguration, the human Jesus shares in divine glory.

The Orthodox Church’s belief and teaching is that in the Incarnation celebrated at Christmas, the divine enters into the human world. In the Transfiguration, the human Jesus shares in divine glory.

In the Incarnation, God takes on human form and resides with us mortals on earth. In the Transfiguration, the earthly Jesus shares the company of two great and worthy residents of heaven, Moses and Elijah.

Peter, James, and John are happy to see Jesus glorified. He had talked previously about his forthcoming suffering and death. But that was horrible, and now for at least a moment it appears that all that can be bypassed.

Jesus is in glory already, and they are with him. They want to camp out with him on the mountain. That is a natural reaction.

People seek inner peace, and they try all kinds of things to achieve it — anything that will promise much, but demand little.

In the story Moses and Elijah talk with Jesus. They know the mind and will of God. They speak of Jesus' forthcoming "exodus" or "departure," his forthcoming death and resurrection, which Jesus had spoken of before going up the mountain (see verse 22).

They confirm that this is the will of God for him.

The way of God for Jesus cannot bypass the cross.

This is at the heart of our Christian faith. Jesus has come to reveal God and redeem humanity. And the way that God has chosen to carry out this redemptive purpose is to send Jesus, to bear our sins upon himself at the cross.

Again, in the story God speaks of Jesus as his Chosen One, for Jesus has accepted his role. Moreover, the disciples of Jesus are to listen to him. What he has said about himself and what is to happen is God's will.

What he says about discipleship is also to be heeded. All his teachings about love for God and for our fellow human beings are to be observed.

The Transfiguration of Our Lord is a day that gives us a glimpse of the coming future glory of Christ at Easter. But it also reminds us that the way to Easter is through the cross.

A few verses after today’s reading (Luke 9 verse 51) Luke writes that Jesus "set his face to go to Jerusalem," where all that has been spoken of will take place for him.

For us Lent begins on Wednesday when we will figuratively follow in Jesus footsteps through to Good Friday and then to the joy and mystery of Easter Day.

There is another aspect of this day that I want to briefly consider – a much more personal aspect.

Transfiguration means a marked change in form or appearance; a metamorphosis; a change that glorifies or exalts.

In the ancient traditions that we have been contemplating this metamorphosis is brought about by close proximity to God.

Jesus of Nazareth, who was in close proximity to and intimate with God, changed the world and brought humanity to the point where we are able to see (albeit vaguely and often indistinctly through our blurred vision) a path that, if only we were resolute enough to follow, can take us deeper into the mystery that we sometimes perceive within us and which we call God.

God is the unfathomable mystery whose presence we as self aware creatures sense deep within our innermost being – the very Spirit of life itself – all encompassing – all permeating – universal yet so personal – the source of our love and our life.

God within us and we within God.

To quote from the commercial world, “Oh, What a feeling!”

The trouble is that one cannot be close to God without experiencing transfiguration – metamorphosis. It is an experience that sets us on that path that we must then follow no matter what life brings.

There is, like Jesus, no turning back if we are to find the rewards of God’s peace and strength in our lives.

To grasp this idea is to become changed – a different person. It means following Christ and having my world view changed from introspection (only what suits and benefits me regardless of the effect on others around me and my community) to extrospection whereby my world view has changed to be outward looking and mindful of others – my family, my community and the wider world.

If only you and I could experience such a transfiguration! What a difference it could make. The future is in our hands.

May we pray for the guidance and resolve to follow Jesus Christ through the experience of transfiguration so that we too might be found close to God and reflect some of that brilliant light into our broader communities – light that will attract those who are searching and groping in the dark for direction in their lives.

MAY THE LORD BE WITH YOU

I acknowledge use of the text Commentary from the book by Bishop John Shelby Spong, LIBERATING THE GOSPELS: Reading the Bible with Jewish Eyes, pg. 78-80.]