2Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
9As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.
Stranger Things Have Happened
It wasn’t as if Peter, James, and John had not been surprised by Jesus before. On the contrary, just the week before Jesus had fed four-thousand people using 7 loaves and a few fish and a few weeks before that he fed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. At another time Jesus defied religious law and ate with a woman and a sinner at that. And before that Jesus calmed the winds and the sea by walking on the water toward them. And before that he healed the sick – a woman with a fever, a man who was paralyzed, someone with leprosy, another who was deaf. So when Jesus led them up to a high mountain, I am certain they expected something a little different to happen. After all, when Jesus was around, stranger things usually happened.
But then again, I am also certain that they were not expecting to meet up with Elijah and Moses. Elijah had been whisked off to heaven in a chariot of fire 9 centuries earlier and Moses, he had lived somewhere around 1400 years earlier. The last thing Peter, James, and John expected to see were two people who had lived and died hundreds of years earlier. But then again, with Jesus, stranger things had happened.
But then again, I am also certain that they were not expecting to meet up with Elijah and Moses. Elijah had been whisked off to heaven in a chariot of fire 9 centuries earlier and Moses, he had lived somewhere around 1400 years earlier. The last thing Peter, James, and John expected to see were two people who had lived and died hundreds of years earlier. But then again, with Jesus, stranger things had happened.
Peter considered it an honor to be in the presence of Elijah and Moses. He wanted to build them houses, keep them around for a little while. All he could think was . . . “Finally we’ll get some answers!” Finally Moses can tell us what he meant when he received all of these laws! Finally Elijah can tell us what really happened during the time when he lived! Finally the Word of the Lord will be taught to us authentically, by the people who lived the stories in the first place . . . no more distance from the social context of 1400 years ago, . . . no, we can get the whole story and perhaps understand what we can DO with that law. And so Peter tried to hear what Moses and Elijah were saying, but it got harder and harder to hear because a cloud came down upon him and James and John drowning out all voices except the one that belonged to God.
Imagine trying to hear the voices of those who helped to form your religion. Would you not strain to hear what was being said? Would you not want to make them the finest houses and clothe them in the clothes of royalty? And would it not knock you off your feet for God to cloud your understanding of what they were saying so that instead you heard the voice of God? Why, God’s voice trumps the human founders of your faith any day! God’s voice is like a homerun! A royal flush! Hearing God’s voice is like winning the lottery! And that’s what Peter James and John hear. They hear God’s voice, and they realize it’s no longer important what Moses and Elijah are saying. God says, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” God says, don’t worry about what Moses and Elijah are saying, listen to Jesus, my Son. He knows what he is talking about.
This is HUGE. It’s the equivalent of God telling a Christian – don’t worry about what the Bible says, listen to this person instead – he’s my child. As God’s voice enveloped Peter, James, and John, they were told that what was truly sacred was standing right in front of them. More holy than the scrolls of even Moses, than the stories of even the great prophet Elijah, Jesus was the holy one.
As they walk down the mountain, they had to start believing that nothing stranger than this had ever happened. Surely they had seen it all. Except Jesus had spoken of the resurrection of the dead. With Jesus there was always more. The possibilities opened themselves up before him. When someone was sick, he would heal. When someone was a sinner, he would forgive. When someone was hungry, he would feed them. When someone was afraid, he would calm not only the winds and the waves but hearts as well. In the presence of Jesus, stranger things ALWAYS happen!
And that’s the good news, folks. When you’ve reached the end of your rope and feel that there’s not a chance on this earth that your situation will improve, you are reminded that stranger things have happened. When cancer takes over your life and healing seems a distant thought, remember that stranger things have happened. When your bank account seems empty and you wonder how you will ever pay all of your bills, remember that stranger things have happened. When it appears divorce is your only option, that your spouse will never understand what it means to love, remember that stranger things have happened!
Because stranger things HAVE happened! Transfiguration happened as Jesus’ clothes became radiant white on that mountaintop. And resurrection happened – life after death. If we truly “Listen to him” and believe the message that Jesus lived and proclaimed, then stranger things will happen!
When the session of this church last met, we dealt with the fact that we had a mold problem in the education wing. The bid from those who could get rid of the spores for us is running around $6000. As we met around the table, aware of our responsibility, one of the elders spoke up – “it has to be done, guys. The money will come from somewhere.” And we recognized that she was right. She reminded to us all that stranger things have happened than God providing for a church. The week after that, a church member called me up and asked if there was any pressing need that the church had. This week I brought an anonymous check for $6000 to the church office. Stranger things have happened.
Peter, James, and John kept forgetting that stranger things had happened. Someone would be healed and they would be amazed. And then someone else would be healed and they would be amazed. And then the winds and the waves would become calm and they would be amazed. And then they saw Jesus transfigured and they were amazed. And then they saw Jesus die and come back to life and they were amazed. Stranger things always happen. As Christians who believe that God is able to do stranger things than this, why do we continue to forget that stranger things have happened? Why do we continue to be amazed when stranger things happen?
I stand here to remind you so that you don’t forget. Stranger things WILL happen. All we must do is realize that Jesus is God’s beloved Son. Then we must listen to him. We will be amazed. Our situations will change. Our needs and desires will be met. For in the presence of our resurrected Lord, stranger things ALWAYS happen.
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