“Turning Points”
Mark 9:2-8
There are two major turning points in the stories about Jesus in the New Testament. The first of these was his baptism. When Jesus came up out of the River Jordan following his baptism by John, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, descended upon him. A voice from heaven declared, “You are my Son, my beloved, with you I am well pleased.” In this event Jesus turned from his life as a carpenter in Galilee to his role as a teacher whose mission was to declare that the Kingdom of God is at hand.
The second turning point in the life of Jesus is the one that catches our attention today. We call it the transfiguration. Jesus went up on a mountain with three of his disciples – Peter, James, and John. While they were there the appearance of Jesus was transformed. His clothes became dazzling white and his face glowed like the sun. Then Elijah and Moses appeared to him. Elijah was the great prophet and Moses gave the law given to the Jews and delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Mark does not record this in his account of the transfiguration, but Matthew adds that there was a voice out of heaven that declared, “This is my Son the Beloved; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
Matthew, Mark and Luke place this story of the transfiguration strategically so that it becomes a turning point between Jesus’ Galilean ministry and his going to Jerusalem where he would die on a cross. Following the transfiguration Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem and the fate that awaited him there.
Before we go on too far with turning points we need to explore the significance of Elijah and Moses appearing to Jesus on that mountain top. The Jewish people in that day considered Elijah to be the greatest of the prophets of Israel. And they believed that Elijah would return to earth to herald the coming of the Messiah and the beginning of the last days when the Kingdom of God would be established on earth. The first century Jews who became the followers of Jesus believed that Elijah had returned in the form of John the Baptist who preached a gospel of repentance in the wilderness before Jesus began his public ministry. John the Baptist had been captured and killed by Herod and that is the reference Mark makes when Jesus said to the three disciples, “But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.”
Moses was revered by the Jews as the law-giver and the person who delivered his people from slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness, to the Promised Land in Canaan. Again, the early Christians saw Jesus as the person who was fulfilling the role of Moses in this heavenly drama. Jesus would take the role of the Suffering Servant to deliver his followers from slavery to sin leading them to the freedom of forgiveness in the Kingdom of God.
So John the Baptist became the new Elijah and Jesus became the new Moses in the thought of these first century Christians. They looked at Jesus as the one who through his death and resurrection brings deliverance from sin. Through his death and resurrection Jesus fulfills the role of Moses in leading his people to the kingdom that God has promised for his followers.
All of us experience a variety of turning points in the course of our living. These turning points include graduating from school and beginning a job, marriage, having a child, taking a new job, and retirement to name just a few. It may be tempting to dwell on these this morning, but I want us to look at spiritual turning points in life.
Certainly the most significant turning point in our spiritual experience is the decision we make to follow our Lord. Traditionally we make this decision when we first unite with the church. At that time we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, that we intend to be his disciple to obey his word and show his love, and that we will be faithful Christians throughout all of our days. However we know it is not quite that simple.
Those of us who grew up in the church reached the point of being confirmed as Christians when we reached a particular age, usually in our early teen years. At that time we joined the church. And while we may have answered all the questions correctly and really meant what we said we had not necessarily reached the point of true discipleship. Making the decision to join the church is a turning point, but it may not be a turning point in which we turn completely and fully to discipleship. There may be many turning points along the way.
And we must acknowledge that not all spiritual turning points are in the right direction. There was a young man in seminary at the time I was there who had a real gift as an evangelist and preacher. He came to seminary to understand more fully the scriptures and the theology of the church. He completed his studies and went out to work as an evangelist. After several years of serving in this capacity he reached a turning point. I don’t really know what happened, but the news I did receive was that he had turned away from faith, had become an agnostic and the last I heard he was working at a radio station in Canada. I’m certain all of us can tell stories such as this one. Not all turning points are in the direction of greater commitment to Jesus Christ.
For those of us who have made a commitment to follow Christ it is important that we continually turn in the direction of greater commitment and deeper levels of spiritual maturity. Our turning points may not be so momentous as were the turning points in Jesus life, but they have no less significance for us. The Christian life is a journey that has many decision points along the way. We may be hardly aware of some of them. Your decision to be here today is one such decision point. Regular attendance at worship is important to keep us focused on the way of discipleship. Not every worship service will be a time of great significance in your walk as a Christian, but out of every worship service should come some spiritual insight that helps you to keep moving in the right direction in you commitment to serve Christ.
There are times when we make decisions to step up our level of commitment and those decisions represent a turning point in our journey as a Christian. Not too long ago I learned that a person I am acquainted with lost a good friend in an accident. Out of that event came the realization that life is an uncertain venture. That represented a turning point in her life in which she decided she needed to to make a more determined effort on building a stronger faith and on maintaining and building stronger relationships with family and friends in her life.
We are about to begin the season of Lent in which we prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord. Traditionally the season of Lent is a time when we give up something. As I suggested in my article in the last issue of our church newsletter, instead of giving up something for Lent why don’t you add something for Lent. And I made some suggestions of what you might add and you can add some things you would like to do to increase you level of spiritual growth. I suggested that you take four nights during Lent and in those four nights read one of the gospels through. Instead of reading a little bit here and there from the Bible, read a whole book to get the message Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John have for the you. Getting the bigger picture of the story of Jesus may become a turning point in your experience of faith.
Another suggestion is that if you have not established a time for daily devotions and prayer, pick up one of the devotional books that are available in the vestibule and during the season of Lent take a few moments each day to read and pray. If you spend a lot of time in front of the computer go to the web site Ourdailybread.com and use that as your material for spiritual growth during Lent. Yes, instead of giving up something for Lent, add something that will help you become more secure in you faith. It could be a real turning point for you.
In the transfiguration, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem where he was destined to suffer and die. But that was not the end of the story, for he would rise again from the dead to become the new Moses leading us from slavery to sin, though the wilderness of life, to the promised land of the Kingdom of God. I invite you to experience a similar turning point in your spiritual growth during Lent. Add something to your life that will help you to be a stronger person in your spirit and a more committed follower of Jesus Christ.
Havre de Grace 2/19/2012