The Second Sunday of Lent - February 24, 2013
The Second Sunday of Lent
Luke 9:28 – 36
Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” — not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
Within this passage is a statement about the human condition. Even while on this mountain where Jesus was present with Moses and Elijah, the disciples with him were “weighed down with sleep.” They struggled to stay awake.
Only a few years ago did I begin to notice how frequently Jesus used the admonition to “stay awake!” or “wake up!” in the Gospels.
We sleep-walk through our days . . . most days look pretty much the same, or we stumble through the shapes and forms that seem like all the rest. Occasionally, something different happens, or we have a crisis to attend, but mostly our days are “weighed down with sleep.” We commonly miss much of life, relationship, and presence because we have been asleep.
This account says that since they stayed awake, the disciples “saw his glory.” That’s usually how it works . . . we have to experience a spiritual awakening in order to have eyes to see. Like the Apostle Paul, who was blinded after his initial encounter with Jesus then had scales fall off his eyes, we have to wake up.
Of course the reality is that even while we sleep, life goes on. Life doesn’t begin when we wake up. Whether you physically wake up at 6:00 a.m. each morning, or you spiritually wake up at the age of 48, life has been going on already, even as you sleep. You step into a life and world already set in motion by God.
Luke 9:28 – 36
Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” — not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
Within this passage is a statement about the human condition. Even while on this mountain where Jesus was present with Moses and Elijah, the disciples with him were “weighed down with sleep.” They struggled to stay awake.
Only a few years ago did I begin to notice how frequently Jesus used the admonition to “stay awake!” or “wake up!” in the Gospels.
We sleep-walk through our days . . . most days look pretty much the same, or we stumble through the shapes and forms that seem like all the rest. Occasionally, something different happens, or we have a crisis to attend, but mostly our days are “weighed down with sleep.” We commonly miss much of life, relationship, and presence because we have been asleep.
This account says that since they stayed awake, the disciples “saw his glory.” That’s usually how it works . . . we have to experience a spiritual awakening in order to have eyes to see. Like the Apostle Paul, who was blinded after his initial encounter with Jesus then had scales fall off his eyes, we have to wake up.
Of course the reality is that even while we sleep, life goes on. Life doesn’t begin when we wake up. Whether you physically wake up at 6:00 a.m. each morning, or you spiritually wake up at the age of 48, life has been going on already, even as you sleep. You step into a life and world already set in motion by God.
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