February 20, 2005 At Saint Mark Church in Norman, OK
Genesis 12:1-4 + 2 Timothy 1:8-10 + Matthew 17:1-9
Lent’s second week: first it was Adam, now it is Abraham.
Moses, David, and Ezekiel are yet to come in this pilgrimage through Lenten Sundays. The holy ground of “paradise” where intimacy with God and harmony with all creation was lost by the willful choice of Adam and Eve is not lost forever.
Now another couple step before us in this season who make a different choice,
and through their story we get a vision of Jesus Christ and his disciples on holy ground.
Abraham’s response to God is critically important to notice.
Unlike the man and woman in the garden of Eden who disobey God,
who listen to a serpent and not God,
who choose to listen to something created rather than the creator,
Abraham is obedient and begins his journey to the new land.
The story of Sara and Abraham is the story of Israel and the new Israel of Jesus Christ.
Without hearing any biblical details as to how the voice Abraham heard came or sounded, we know that the speech of God to which Abram listened placed at the center of his life, a promise, a purpose and a presence other than his own.
God’s speech, God’s words call into existence for Abram that which did not exist until God spoke. Abram is indeed reborn, fresh from the word, as an old hymn puts it, and with a new name, he leaves behind all that is familiar and common for an unknown future. It is the foundational journey of every human life.
Promise is at the heart of this narrative. Listen again to the text.
I will show…I will make….I will bless….I will make….I will bless. It’s all Promise!
New Life is the Purpose of this narrative.
It is offered to our Father Abraham, and he accepts.!
With that acceptance comes a new name and a prosperous future never imagined.
Life now has purpose – the journey, the return to the land of promise and presence.
The promise and the purpose is PRESENCE – life in the presence of God.
That is Holiness and Wholeness.
What was broken will be healed.
What was spoiled will be cleaned.
What was divided will be united.
Through that rich memory of revelation and covenant
Matthew tells the story of Presence
as Peter, James, and John get a glimpse of the heavenly paradise, the holy ground
where the deepest hope and highest aspiration is fulfilled.
Moses and Elijah are present, representing the Law and the Prophets, the means by which the will of God had formerly been made known to humankind.
Suddenly, they are absent from the vision, and the voice explains it all.
From that moment on, Jesus, who fulfills the Law and the Prophets will be the one who sets forth the new law and speak as prophet for God. “Listen to Him.”
“Listen” is exactly what Abraham did.
He set out without a map, without a clue as to where he would go, and simply did what was asked of him in faith.
No wonder he is called the “father” of faith!
We are two weeks into our Lenten pilgrimage.
As children of Abraham, we learn to listen.
It is an essential discipline of this season.
It means we must quiet the external noises of this world.
Silence the commercials, silence the serpent like voices of this world,
and listen for God, for His Word, and for His call.
We are invited as disciples of Jesus to ascend the mountain,
to stand on the Holy Ground again, and return to paradise,
where our deepest hopes and highest aspirations, UNION WITH GOD
is our constant Joy.
In the deepest recesses of our hearts and souls, our longing for God keeps us restless.
It may take some time to work itself into our conscious decisions,
but it will as we learn like Jesus to listen and obey.
When we understand what is revealed on the mountain:
we will be filled with hope for is to come: Promise,
have courage to listen and obey: Purpose,
and then one day find ourselves again in that holy land called “Paradise”
where we shall live again in the company of our God: Presence.