“Bliss is Bliss”
January 20th, 2008
Mark 9:2 - Principle #3 for Happiness in 2008 is “Get Connected With Your Truth.” This might sound kind warm and fuzzy, but in the Christian context it means to truly allow Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life. We hear that phrase a lot and wonder what it means. It means that we truly let Jesus be the shepherd of our lives, to guide us and lead us. Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John and Peter wanted to build an altar. But, God said, “Listen to Him.” There will be time enough for altars. The task now is to listen to the voice of Christ as it speaks to us.
“Bliss is Bliss”
Mark 9:2-8
1. About 8-10 years ago, I decided to do something that I had never done before.
A. There was an initiative on the ballot that I passionately disagreed with. I became involved in the effort to defeat it. Wrote letters, talked it up, etc.
B. But the new thing that I did was that I joined a protest march. I carried signs. I chanted slogans, the whole bit.
C. My nephew, who was about 14 at the time, said he wanted to come along with me. So, I talked to him about why I was going and explained my position.
D. He asked questions. And he decided he wanted to participate.
E. The day came, and it was a beautiful Saturday. I thought he would back out, but he didn’t. He was with me the whole time.
F. On election day, he watched he returns with me, and when the initiative passed, he looked up and m and said, “we lost.”
G. I can’t tell you what joy filled my heart. “We lost.” He had actually bought in.
H. Even in defeat, my nephew had already learned the absolute joy in giving oneself to something bigger ourselves.
2. Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain alone. Can you see them walking up the hill. James and John jockeying for position on the trail, each wanting to be closer to Jesus.
A. Peter trying to figure out what this whole hike was all about.
B. Jesus was transfigured before them. Transfigured = transformed in some way.
C. Elijah and Moses were with him. Elijah = first prophet of Israel. Moses = lawgiver of Israel.
D. This is all very apocalyptic stuff according to the Jewish theology of the day.
E. Their presence at this event was a signal that Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s promise to save his people.
F. Peter was much afraid and did not know what to say, so (being Peter) he just blurted out the first thing that came to his mouth.
G. Mark 9:5
3. You know, here is a general rule when you are reading the gospels, the first four books of the NT. If Peter is speaking, he is probably wrong (not always the case).
A. He is impetuous, and impulsive. It is not until the book of Acts, after he has received the Holy Spirit, that we really hear Peter say anything intelligent. He is almost childlike.
B. Last week, I took Corran to his karate lesson. The sensei had worked with him on several blocks.
C. He asked Corran - how many blocks did we learn? All eight? Corran said yes.
D. The sensei questioned and questioned, obviously implying that they did not learn all eight. He even demonstrated all eight blocks. How many did we learn?
E. Corran’s response - “eight.” I don’t know where that boy gets his stubborn streak from.
F. Just as Corran was missing the point the point the sensei was trying to teach (they eventually got it all worked out), Peter was about to miss the whole point of the transfiguration.
G. He was about to make three tent’s, three dwellings. These dwellings were generally considered places where God could reside.
H. Peter wanted to build them to preserve the moment, to have a place where he could come and reaffirm what he had witnessed.
I. His priorities, as usual were all out of whack.
4. But, before we judge to harshly, we have to ask how often in our own lives do we behave just like Peter? We so desperately cling to the outward trappings of something because we are perhaps afraid of what might happen if we let go.
A. We seek happiness in all kinds of ways that do not give life.
B. Many if us seek it in our work, assuming that if we get to a certain level of success, the elusive happiness genie is going to appear and grant our wishes.
C. All the while what we are really doing is sacrificing the very things that lead to true happiness.
D. There is a story that my dad has told me so many times, it is indelibly imprinted on my brain. Insurance adjustor whose wife wanted to spend an extra on vacation.
E. No one ever asked for more time at the office.
F. But, he had bought into the myth that says as a person earns, so too are they defined.
G. What myth do we buy into? Money, beauty, status, the next rush, getting ahead, not falling behind?
H. We too, just like that insurance adjuster, have not yet learned the third principle for happiness in 2008. “Get connected with your truth.” (write it down)
5. Well, my friends, I am going to give you a gift this morning. It is a gift straight from the mouth of God.
A. For almost 2000 years, scholars and preachers and teachers have taught that this story of the transfiguration is essentially a miracle story put in place to prove Jesus’ identity as the Son of God.
B. And that it is - to be sure. But, I want to suggest to you this morning that the real meat of this story is not in the transfiguration itself, it is in what happens next.
C. Mark 9:6-8
D. “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.”
E. That is the gift. Like I said straight from the mouth of God, “Listen to Him.”
F. The verb that the Lord chose is very important. He didn’t say believe in Him, worship Him, praise him. He said “listen to Him.” Listen to him.
G. The third principle for happiness for 2008 is “get connected with your truth.” The truth that God calls us to get in touch with is “Listen to him.”
6. And that is why I love my faith. Because the “truth” of Christianity is not in proper doctrine, or worship style, etc.
A. Those things are important, but only to the extent that they get us to where we “listen to him.” Where we truly allow Jesus to be the Lord of our lives.
B. So often, we hear this story, and we think “ooh, aah, Jesus was transfigured.” But, that is not even the point of the story (or it would have ended there).
C. The miracle of the transfiguration set up the commandment from God. The miracle established Jesus’ authority. But, the words of God established the mission.
D. “Listen to him.”
E. Get connected with your truth. Real truth. Not myth (like the myth that we are the most important people on the planet, that our lives somehow have more meaning to God, etc).
F. The truth, that we are being called to get connected with is simply that Jesus is Lord, and we should listen to him.
G. It really is that simple. But, not that easy. Because Jesus is not asking for part-time help. He is asking for full-time disciples. People who will not only praise Him on Sunday, but who will work for His kingdom the rest of the week.
7. I recently read an article in “Scottish Life” magazine that broke my heart.
A. The article recounted how many old church buildings in Scotland are being sold off and turned in to bars and restaurants and nightclubs.
B. The article extolled the virtues of the builders that were preserving the ancient architecture, as if they were doing the church a favor.
C. But, to me, those buildings were just like the tents that Peter tried to build. Somewhere along the line, the outward trappings of faith became more important than a personal, transforming, meaningful walk with Jesus.
D. And when that happens. When we become more consumed with how pretty things look, we begin to become less and less relevant to the people we are trying to reach.
E. And then we are sold off and turned into bars and restaurants and nightclubs.
F. The third principle for happiness in 2008 is “get connected with your truth.” The truth that we are invited to participate in is that God has entered into human history in a radical way. He has inaugurated a new kingdom with new rules - rules like love your neighbor as yourself.
G. If you want happiness in 2008, give yourself over to that truth. Because that is the one and only truth I know that can give life - and give it abundantly.
H. Amen.
Sermon delivered 1/20/08 at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church, Anaheim Hills.
