Bible Text: Exodus 24:12-18, Matthew 17:1-9 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes |
A couple years ago I decided that I was going to try to see 200 different bird species in North America. Nearly all my trips that year centred around going to key birding sites from Whitehorse to Tucson. Birders are a strange breed of people- we spend most of our time with our are necks cranked upward, we shush people when we hear an unfamiliar call and we get excited about little brown birds that all look the same. Yet, the reason I began this year of intense birding is because I am struck by the oddity and beauty of some birds, whether it is the funny beak on the very common Surf Scoter or it is the bright red legs of an Oyster Catcher. I find it easy to be awed by some species, especially as you wait patiently for a Amercian Avocet to come out of the bull rushes or as you gather with a bunch of birders from all over North America waiting for the Citrine Wagtail to make itself known. Birding is a hobby that cannot be rushed and takes some practice but when you find yourself in a forest and a Western Tanager lands on the stump beside you- the awe you experience when seeing those vibrant colours is worth it. Well- at least for some of us. For others awe can be experienced in seeing a great piece of art, or after a long mountain climb, or while swimming in a river. But then there are times when something that once caused awe becomes ordinary. I remember the first time I nearly lost it when a Anna’s hummingbird came to our feeder- and admittedly I still get somewhat excited but I no longer feel awe. Capturing and keeping awe is a nearly impossible thing to do and thus experiencing true awe can also be a rarity. Today’s passages are about capturing awe or as many would call it, having mountain top experiences or if you’re a birder you might say, “seeing a lifer”.
Moses is one of the few people to have a literal mountain top experience with God. The setting is Mount Sinai, a location that will dominate the rest of the book of Exodus and even into the book of Numbers. In truth Mount Sinai takes over for the next 72 chapters until Numbers chapter 10- which actually tells me that eventually the awesome power of this mountain would have worn off and we hear that as the people grumble, turn away from and then turn back to God. However, while our passage this morning is not the first time Mount Sinai is mention it is certainly the most intense encounter. The mountain is not simply a designation of geography but is also meant to symbolize how God is present among the worshipping community, something that should bring us awe.
God instructs Moses to come up the mountain and wait. Moses leaves Aaron and Hur in charge of the Israelites while he sets out with his assistant Joshua. It would appear, although it is somewhat unclear, that eventually Moses leaves Joshua and continues to ascend the mountain alone. As Moses makes his way up, a cloud descends upon the mountain- which for most mountain climbers would cause panic and concern but in this case the cloud settles for six days and then on the seventh day God calls Moses. Before we go any further there is an important connection to make. Notice the strong links to the creation story in which God creates for the first 6 days and then finds rest on the 7th. This is likely quite intentional because the writers want us to see how our worship of God is not like the rest of our weekly activities, precisely because God is with us in a special way when we come to worship. Perhaps there were times this week when it felt like you were surrounded by a cloud- maybe literally, or maybe in a cloud of confusion or a cloud of concern for a loved one or in a cloud of busy schedules and stressful encounters. But here in worship that cloud should be transformed into glory and awe.
Also notice how similar the words are in the beginning of our Gospel passage regarding the transfiguration. It says that six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John- possibly the first to be called and therefore charter members of Jesus’ disciples – and led them up a high mountain. These disciples will experience a worship like no other. And I would argue that in both stories the details are not so much that Moses or Jesus and his disciples ascend mountains but rather that God descends to deliver a message. The central point of both these stories is the descent of God to the mountaintop into our world to meet, be seen and experienced by others-that is awe-inspiring worship.
But for Moses, those six days in a cloud are not enough, he then spends 40 days surrounded by a devouring fire on top of the mountain. Forty days being the biblical shorthand for “a long time.” This tells me that meeting God- in an awe-inspiring way- can require time and patience. In a world where we want instant gratification, it is hard to imagine all of this time spent waiting around. Birding has taught me to be patient and wait in silence for that special call. Too often we expect everything to be instantaneous- but sometimes we need to be patient and wait. And an authentic encounter with God can not be rushed and the presence of God in this world is never casual.
This is made all the more obvious with the description of the cloud and fire. Note that Moses does not see God but rather he sees the glory of God. But then I think of the various images we have seen lately of the fires in Australia or the explosions of volcanoes or the frightening power of destructive weapons (OR SOME OTHER RELEVANT NEWS ITEM) and I wonder- if God’s glory were to appear on Mount Albert Edward in the form of a cloud and fire would we recognize the glory? We have become numb to images that used to draw awe because we are over saturated. I think that we have even lost our ability to capture awe in mountain top experiences or even worship. How do we recapture the wonder of encountering God?
The word transfiguration is one of the many strange words the church uses when a more recognizable word would work. Transfiguration literally means to be transformed or changed. The Good News translation, often known for its oversimplification, translates the transfiguration as “a change came over Jesus.” In Matthew’s telling of this story, the active hand of God is recognized in the transfiguration, transformation or change of Jesus. Jesus is then joined by Moses and Elijah representing the Law and the prophets, of which Jesus is the fulfilment. And we know from our Exodus passage that Moses conversed with God, and if you know Elijah’s story you know that he too conversed with God. Now we see Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus which is a gentle pointer to Jesus’ divinity.
Peter then offers to build shelters- in part because he wants to capture the awe of the moment but then as Peter blabbers on he is interrupted by the glory of God. Sometimes we need to be interrupted by the glory of God in order to be awed by God’s presence.
Notice how the glory of God is still represented as a cloud but instead of fire it is now a bright cloud from which a voice reiterates the words spoken at Jesus’ baptism with the addition of “Listen to him!” Thus helping the disciples recognize the authoritative nature of Jesus’ teaching- but this also causes the disciples to collapse in fear. Now that’s a truly awe-filled response to God’s glory. Matthew’s version of the transfiguration is a little different from the versions found in Mark and Luke in that when the disciples fall in awe Jesus comes and touches them saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.”
In many ways Jesus’ words are the answer to the question, “how do we recapture the wonder of encountering God?” We get up, we do not fear, and we come down the mountain. God’s presence in our world is never casual but it also isn’t always in the form of clouds, fire and light. Sometimes it is in the ordinary. You know the Song Sparrow is one of the most boring looking little brown birds but it has a beautiful song to sing yet most don’t notice because they are busy not listening or not looking because they are seeking out something bigger or better. Take notice of the awe of God’s presence that is around us and be ready to be used by God to cause awe in others. Amen