February 26th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
A slow Sunday morning at the office allowed me to visit Bethel Lutheran Church in Fort Smith. It was the only LCMS church in the area to have a completed web site.
The Bible study was on Amos 4-5. The elder who taught often deviated, but he made good points doing so.
A vicar from another congregation officiated while Bethel’s pastor communed that congregation. The service was LW Divine Service II, First Setting. Bethel is already raising funds to fill their pews with the new Lutheran Service Book coming out this year. Bethel has a worship director, 27 years old (he happened to sit next to me in Bible study), which reminded me of recent articles covering some in the younger generation’s thirst for tradition (though I can’t find these articles for some reason).
The congregation has an interesting Lent tradition. They passed out envelopes within their bulletins. The envelopes contained prayer request cards. The cards are filled out then returned in the offering plate. At the end of the service there is a random drawing so that another person prays for the concerned. The people don’t find out who prayed for them until Easter.
Bethel normally prints its pastor’s sermon text as a handout. Since the vicar preached his own sermon here is a summary, based on the Transfiguration, Mark 9:2-9. Standard disclaimer applies:
One of the favorite events in the lives of children is the choice of a Halloween costume. During this time children can choose to be a hero or other figure. Two years ago Spider-Man was the most popular costume, and last year Darth Vader sold the most. Often kids may not tell others what their costume is until they wear it on Halloween—they keep their identity secret.
Three of Jesus’s disciples were faced with a case of secret identity. Frequently, when Jesus needed a break from the crowds at the temple, Peter, James, and John would follow Jesus into the mountains. This time, something different takes place.
Most comic-book superheroes have a secret identity. Spider-Man was Peter Parker. Superman was Clark Kent. Wonder Woman became Diana Prince. They maintained their secret identities to function in the mortal world.
In Mark’s Gospel we see the secret identity of a hero finally revealed. The disciples had clues: the feeding of the 4000, the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida, the healing of the deaf man. What Peter, James, and John witness would change their lives forever. On the mountain, Christ’s godliness is revealed, and Peter is dumbfounded. The first thing Peter says is good: “It is good that we are here”. The experience emboldened the apostles’ ministry; they go on to start the Church.
The next thing Peter says makes little sense within the divine plan. Peter suggests that they start building shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. He wants to be able to enjoy the glory of God on the mountain, away from the sick and needy in the valley. We could come up and see His glory whenever we want, Peter thinks. We find it more enjoyable on the mountain than in the valley of sin, death, dying, enemies, Pharisees, Romans, and other things that get in the way of delivering the Gospel.
I had always imagined, incorrectly, that in the Transfiguration Jesus was transformed into something He was not before. Take what I wear for an example. Under my white robe I wear black clothes, and when the robe is pulled back, the blackness of my sin is revealed. My white robe then covers my sin with God’s grace and forgiveness. I had thought that Christ had put on this robe of holiness during the Transfiguration. Instead we see that when Christ reveals what’s inside, that’s when His glory shines. Christ is already filled with truth and light, to glorify the Father. We see Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets. The fullness of His glory comes bursting through.
Like all superheroes, Jesus had enemies. Most supervillians try to bring down the hero by revealing the hero’s identity. Satan tries to do this too. Demons tried to reveal who Jesus was before His time, like in the first chapter of Mark. The proper revelation of Christ’s natures occurs at the cross and at the empty tomb. We are most fortunate to have a Savior who is no longer hidden. He is found where the Gospel is preached and the sacraments are properly administered.
This truth is proclaimed from the mountaintops to us in the valley who need it. As in our Epistle, 2 Corinthians 3:14-4:2, we are very bold. We have no veil. God has called use to share this great hope with everybody in Fort Smith and Sebastian County. May this truth of His glory strengthen us. Amen.
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