Rev. Dr. Sharon L.

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1) Sermon: At the Cross Road of Change & Choices: What Happens Next 2) 17:1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them privately up a high mountain. And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Then Moses and Elijah also appeared before them, talking with him. So Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 3) While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to him! When the disciples heard this, they were overwhelmed with fear and threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. But Jesus came and touched them. Get up, he said. Do not be afraid. 4) When they looked up, all they saw was Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, Do not tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead. I continue to be amazed by Gods goodness and grace. There were many times in my life, where Ive been to the mountain top, where Ive experienced unusual turns in events, unanticipated celebrations and triumphs. (slides 5) And, some of those mountaintop experiences were precious moments, like when I was sitting here one late morning with my kids. A real mountaintop experience! My heart was full of awe and thankfulness that day. There are times in our lives that are exhilarating, breath-taking, and you feel like you are on top of the world. (Slide 6) There are also those unexpected trials, heart-wrenching sorrows. Times when you wonder how you will make it through another day. Perhaps the anxious waiting for long anticipated news, only to be devastated again, and suddenly life goes on hold. But, what is true no matter what circumstance I have found myself, in both triumph and trial, I can say that (Slide 7) God is faithful. Can I get an Amen?

In spite of choices that brought sorrow or pain to my life, God is faithful. In spite of circumstances that I didnt choose, and things fell apart, my God is faithful. In lack, in prosperity, in deep pain and tears, in joy for good news, my God is faithful. If you know Christ and live by faith, then you know that one thing is sure, beyond all doubt, God is faithful. Yet, we wouldnt be human if we didnt admit that there are times, (Slide 8) when we reach a cross-road in life, where we dont know which way to turn, when we dont have answers and we feel abandoned by those closest to us, friends or family, or even God. In looking back though, we see with all sense of certainty, that God was faithful? Yet, when you stand in the midst of sudden and tragic news or trials, and when the future looks uncertain, when we hear a diagnosis that threatens our life; when we feel betrayed God can seem very far away. Most of us have lived long enough to have reached several personal cross roads in life and have experienced many set backs and lived through crisis. We all cross these paths, whether in leaving home, going to school or work, in marriage, in the birth of children, in growing older and seeing those children leave. And Cross Roads come in unexpected events of life, where we are forced to make decisions we wish we never needed to make. (slide 9 This is a picture of my mother, Beverly, she had a stroke on July 2, last year, was hospitalized for 2 months, in rehab, 4 months, and has moved to long-term care. She will never go home again. One day was full of hope, the next full of despair. I would have never dreamed that this brilliant, independent, pianist and artist wouldnt talk or be able to use her right hand to paint again.

Sometimes, we get to places where the burdens of life are just too great to bear. Like the disciples, we want to build a tent on a mountain somewhere. Get away and just linger in the word and in prayer. I want to forget the cares of the world. In every event and change in our lives, we come to cross roads and we ask, (slide 10) sometimes desperately, Oh my, What Will Happen Next? In some sense we know that can depend on our attitude, our beliefs and the choice we make about how we will respond to our new circumstances. And our faith in determines how we live through (or for some of us survive) the change. Our attitude and our faith, make all the difference in whether we move beyond the crossroad or stay stuck, frozen in time and unable to move forward. (slide woods) We get stuck so often because rather than moving forward with hope believing, we struggle and worry or kick and fuss because we want what we want now. It is human nature to want certainty, to demand answers. We dont like cross roads in life, we want to either be told which way to go or we want to know the way before we step out in faith. With information access as it is today, we want and instant message, obsessed with the idea of knowing and explaining everything. And sometimes we dont understand, but we got to keep going (slide 12) A story is told of a little boy who lived in a religious home whose father expressed the usual before dinner command -- "Hurry up, and wash your hands and come to the table so we can say a prayer and eat." As the boy went toward the bathroom, he was heard to mutter, "Germs and Jesus, germs and Jesus! That's all I hear around here, and I can't see either one of them."

(Slide 13) In our passage today, Jesus and the disciples have come to the mountaintop There are three accounts of this event are found in Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, and Luke 9:28-36.Peter, James and John experienced the heavenly manifestation of the glory of God! Jesus was lingering in this northern region where the tide of popularity began to turn against him. The religious leaders were at that very moment working to discredit him; and make a case to arrest him. Jesus is about to turn his face toward Jerusalem, knowing of his impending death and the torture he would face. This trial looms on the horizon before him, just as he had warned his disciples that he would suffer, be killed, and be raised to life (Luke 9:22). (Slide 14) Jesus, as he had done so many times before retreats from the crowds to the wilderness for prayer, and in this case, to the mountains. He chooses his trusted and close friends, Peter, James and John, and they embark on a journey, archeologists and biblical scholars believe to be the place known as Mount Tabor; Which is located in Lower Galilee, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, was the site where the Prophet Deborah led the army of Israel against Sisera. Today, it is believed by many Christians to be the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Some believe it was on Mt. Hermon or OHair-om, (which is higher and snow covered) in the far north, located north of where Ceasarea Philippi are situated. (Slide 15) In any event, when they arrived, an incredible supernatural manifestation of the majesty and glory of God broke in with a voice booming out of the heavens, a blinding light shone around them, and, Jesus suddenly changed. Peter, the extrovert, who had to speak then think, said, Lord, it is good for us to be here. Then he said to everyone, hey I got a plan so that we can stay here, We can rig up a tent Lord, for you and Elijah, and even one for Moses. Yep, lets all just

stay here, because no one is going to believe this. You can see him nudging James and John, saying, right boys? and whispering, Lets convince him to stay here because no one will believe us and if we tell anyone, we will be committed to the insanity pit. Peter was undoubtedly referring to the booths that were used to celebrate of tabernacles for 7 days (Lev. 23:34-42). Symbolically, the appearance of Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets. But Gods voice from heaven Listen to Him! - clearly showed that the Law and the Prophets must give way to Jesus. Jesus, the Messiah has now come, replacing the old He is the fulfillment of the Law and the countless prophecies in the Old Testament. Representing the Law and the Prophets respectively, or the whole Old Testament jointly, Moses and Elijahs presence represented the main truth in all of Scripture (CLICK) I will be your God, and you will be my people. For John, it certainly looked a lot better, and felt a lot safer to stay there on the mountain top, to get away from the life of trials they knew on a daily basis. Do you ever want to run away when you feel tired, scared, or stressed? Or in the face of a big decision, and just put it off. How often have you come up with a plan to get out of it, whatever it is or perhaps you just ignored it or what you knew you had to do, but just let it go? Jumps up to bite you eventually, doesnt it? (Slide 17) Slide of wooded crossroad - Do you know, that in moments when you are most scared and frozen, God stands at the cross road with you, a very present help in your time of need? God is waiting for you and you thought you were waiting for God! What God most wants you to see as you are in the midst of doubt, is that you stand in the middle of the road, in the middle of the cross. Its the cross that is the only way through; ultimately in the cross of Christ we find our way home. What do I mean?

(slide 18) Our choices in our most difficult hour, in that moment of decision can be made with inner assurance and peace, when we totally surrender and are willing to leave the familiar or what we clinged too, even the familiar and comfortable; perhaps even what has been entrenched in your history and our tradition. We are only ready to go back down the mountain and face the life dealt to us, when we are willing to risk being changed by God - in the way we think and willing to risk trusting God in the unknown. (Slide 19) God gave Jesus the vision and strength he needed to face the cross-walk off the mountain knowing the journey ahead. And the transfiguration shows us that God will do the same for you. God alone gives us the strength to face the fears, setbacks, failures, and regrets of our lives. (Slide 20) It is God who gives us the vision at the very crossroads of life and woos and calls us to a life of sacrifice and courage, again and again. It was not there on the mountain where Gods glory was meant to dwell, nor is it in this temple (church) where Gods glory dwells, nor in this one-hour a week. It may be here that you see and are touched by the Spirit of God, It may be here where you are transformed and come to Christ in renewed commitment. It may be here where you sense Gods healing touch but HERE you cannot remain, or hide, or even think that because you were touched by God in this place, that somehow you will settle in the same old pew, and not tell others what you have seen and heard! Are you willing to risk trusting God? As a Christian can you accept that your very life is a Cross Walk! In the hour of trial and triumph we need to renew our walk of faith and devotion to one another. Empowered in our worship of God, renewed by our own personal

transfiguration, and energized by our unified purpose which is the mission that God has called this church to in this time. (SLIDE 21) John wrote in his gospel, We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only (John 1:14). Peter also wrote of it, We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain (2 Peter 1:16-18). (Slide 22) The disciples knew that day a difficult road lie ahead. The way of the cross is not and has never been the comfortable way. The way of the cross is always the difficult choice. Every time we hit a high mountain in life, things are going great, we want for things to stay as they are, dont change. Then when change is thrust upon us we get stuck in the cross road, because we take our eyes off Christ or looking for God to light our path. We must put our trust in Christ, alone; again, knowing that (slide 23) GOD IS FAITHFUL. Whatever path God leads you to take, in the crossroads of life, you can know one thing: God is faithful. If you know that God is faithful, then there is only one choice for you: Choose, to Walk the way of the cross. When you stand and your church stands in the middle of the cross roads, your night will be like day and even in the mystery you will know be assured that no matter what happens next God is faithful.