Scripture/Sermon of the Day. February 11, 2024
2 Corinthians 4:6
6 For it is the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone
in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Christ.
Mark 9:2-9
The Transfiguration
2 Six 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, 3 and
his clothes became dazzling bright, such as no one[a] on earth could brighten
them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with
Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us
set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did
not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them,
and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved;[b] listen
to him!” 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more,
but only Jesus.
The Coming of Elijah
9 As 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.
Reflection/Sermon:
I. Paul reminds us that God said: “Light will shine out of darkness.” And
right now, he says, God shines from our hearts.”
II. In the Bible, the word “heart” is not a reference to the organ in the
body that pumps blood. According to Harper’s Bible Dictionary, “heart is the
center of emotions, feelings, moods and passions.” So joy, grief, anger, love,
courage and fear all come from the heart. A swollen heart breeds arrogance, in
contrast with the gentle and lowly heart of Jesus.
The heart is the source of wisdom and understanding. The heart discerns good
from evil.
Our conscience also resides in the heart. When the psalmist prays, “Create in
me a clean heart,” he is begging for a clean conscience, one that is not
oppressed by guilt or regret — a conscience that has been forgiven can let go of
a lifetime of afflictive emotions.
The heart is the place of repentance and conversion — it leads us back to the
path of God’s will.
III. So the light of God shines from our hearts. It lit up Moses’ face.
Exodus says, “as he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the
covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because
he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the
skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.”
IV. Imagine that each of us is a reflection of God’s light, or we could say
God’s love. God made us to reflect this — our light is the image of God shining
through us. WE ARE, IN THE WORDS OF BISHOP DESMOND TUTU, LIGHT BULBS.
But light bulbs burn out — and we don’t —
God made us to give off God’s light — God’s love — for a lifetime. But
SOMETIMES THE LIGHT IN US STOPS SHINING —
LIKE WHEN WE HATE, when we WANT REVENGE. RETRIBUTION is a condition of
NO-LIGHT. THERE IS A MAN WHO IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AS RETRIBUTION — NO LIGHT. WHY
ARE SO MANY CHRISTIANS, WHO KNOW BETTER, FOLLOWING HIM?
V. Another thing about light bulbs — they come in different wattages. Our
bathroom light is 5 watts. The lamps are 40 or 60. The kitchen is probably a
hundred. We probably fall somewhere in the middle. Although — that’s not a
concern — it’s really not our business what intensity of light we give off —
because it’s not ours!
Our main job as reflectors of God’s light — is, according to bishop Desmond
Tutu, “to remain screwed-in.” God will decide how much light we give off.
VI. But how do we stay screwed-in? How do we stay connected to God? There
are spiritual practices like centering prayer and meditation and serving others
that have been taught for thousands of years. Many spiritual masters give the
simple advice to “slow down.”
Whatever way we find to keep ourselves “screwed-in” to the one we call God, the
source of life and love,
I believe God will show us the way that’s best — for us. BUT — EXPECT TO BE
CHANGED — THE LIGHT TRANSFIGURES US, AS JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED.