Matthew 17:1-9 (Matthew 16:13-28)
Today we give thanks for the generosity of many people – a generosity of their time, their skill, their money - that enables the life and mission of this Minster community. As we think about being church in this place, I want to set the scene by looking at the events leading up to the Transfiguration.
In the previous chapter, Matthew tells us that Jesus took his disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a city built in honour of Rome, on the site of Banias, an earlier Greek city and major shrine to the nature god Pan, who had, it was believed, died and descended into the underworld. Indeed, the shrine was located at the mouth of a large cave known as THE GATE OF HADES; and the worship was reputed to involve the wildest of orgies. It was not the sort of place good Jewish boys would frequent. If the disciples’ mothers had known that this was where Jesus was taking them, they would have intervened.
As they approached this place of competing ideas, Jesus asked them, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ Several theories are put forward. And then he asks, ‘And what of you? Who do you say that I am?’ And Simon responds, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ You’re the one who will rescue us from...all this.
Jesus replies, ‘You are blessed, because this has been revealed to you by my heavenly Father. You are known as Simon – as “Listen!” - the fisherman’s son; but I’m re-naming you Peter – “Rocky” - and on this rock I will build my church, and these intimidating Gates of Hades will not prevail against you.’ This place, the most inappropriate of places imaginable to be in, is the place Jesus chooses to introduce the very idea of his church.
From then, Jesus starts to tell his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer and die, and three days later rise again. And Peter - Rocky - takes him aside and rebukes him. Jesus responds with strong words: ‘You’re speaking as the Adversary, not for God! You are the rock, but rather than being a foundation on which I can build, right now you are a stumbling block for me.’ Peter goes from being affirmed to being rebuked, from feeling good about himself to feeling small, from Rocky back to Listen!, pay attention!
If Jesus is going to build his church, it will be built Jesus’ way. In this moment, where Peter goes from foundation to stumbling block, Jesus speaks about investing in what he is doing. He says that whoever invests all that they have in order to secure their own life will ultimately lose everything; but that whoever invests all that they have in what Jesus is doing will receive a great return on their investment. Jesus says that whatever we choose to invest in - fame, fortune - will cost us everything we have; but that the return in investing in what he is doing turns out to be the richest experience of life.
While the disciples are still pondering that, Jesus takes Peter and James and John, and goes up a mountain to meet with Moses and Elijah. Moses, the great prophet through whom God led his people out of slavery in Egypt and gave them the Law, the framework for becoming a nation. Elijah, the greatest prophet to call the people back to that covenant relationship with their God. Can you imagine?!
Peter has some making up to do. He steps forward and suggests that he might build three shelters, for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. After all, he’s a builder now, the one chosen to build the church. This time, God speaks from heaven, declaring his love for Jesus and telling the disciples to listen to him. And then, in a moment, Moses and Elijah are gone.
What has any of this to do with how we give of ourselves within the church? I want to suggest three things.
Firstly, we need to be reminded that it is Jesus who builds his church. It seems to me that Peter runs into trouble because he hadn’t quite heard what Jesus said, because he thought that he was being commissioned to build the church. The church in this place will not be built because of me, or because of our Church Wardens - wonderful though they are - or because of you. And that is good news: it takes a lot of pressure off! It doesn’t depend on us.
Secondly, Jesus challenges us, as a group of his disciples, to invest our lives in what Jesus is doing. I want to thank you for the different ways in which you give of yourselves to invest in what he is doing among us.
Some of you invest financially, towards our running costs.
Some of you invest your expertise, particular skills you have learnt.
Some of you invest your being present, serving on groups of one kind or another, when you could be somewhere else.
Some of you invest relationally in this community, as we care for one another pastorally.
Some of you invest your prayer - perhaps all the more so as you feel less able to invest in other ways.
Many of you have invested in several or even all of these different ways. Again, thank you. I know that at the point of making the investment - being present at a meeting, for example - it can feel like you have lost something of your life that you won’t ever get back...but, I hope, that overall our experience is that Jesus gives us a generous return on our investment. This church is full of life, full of people on journeys of faith together. This is a place of living stones being built together: among the parents and toddlers, and the six adults currently preparing for Baptism and Confirmation, to give just two examples.
I want to encourage each one of us to look at everything God has given us and to ask, ‘How can I invest my life in something that will last?’ As a guideline, the Church of England invites members to invest 5% of their disposable income in their own church community, and a further 5% to support other things Jesus is working through, such as charitable organisations. That might be a challenge to work towards, or to discuss further.
And might what applies to our money apply to other things we can invest? Perhaps you might consider joining us here for Morning Prayer on one or more mornings during the week, for half an hour from 9.00 a.m. Or, as my seven-year-old son has done, you might consider joining the Welcome team on a Sunday morning, investing friendliness.
Thirdly and finally, I want to return to the Transfiguration. Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Jesus, who takes Peter and James and John along with him, to learn from him. Moses, who took Joshua when he went up a mountain to meet with God, raising up his successor. Elijah, who raised up Elisha to take his place when Elijah was taken up to heaven. You see, Peter missed the point. He wanted to build a monument to the past. But God gives Moses and Elijah, two great prophets who invested in the next generation, the privilege of seeing the future, of seeing Jesus.
One of the things that can happen when we invest our lives in what Jesus is doing through his church is that we come to see our value as being found in what we do. The idea that someone else might help, let alone replace us, becomes threatening: as if we are no longer valued. I want to say this: you are not valued here for what you do, though what you do is appreciated. You are valued here because you are loved, because you are members of God’s family and our family. Old, young, and those in the middle: you are loved. You cannot be loved more or loved less, cannot earn it or lose it: you are loved.
To those who give in any way, I want to thank you. But I also want to challenge you to ask yourself, ‘Who can I invite to do this alongside me? Who can I invest in, who can I train up, to whom can I pass on the baton?’ That way, you won’t only be giving for now, but creating a legacy.
And as we invest our lives in what Jesus is doing, with attention to those who will be here after we are gone, the gates of hell in Sunderland are shaken, and we may glimpse Jesus’ glory as he builds his church.
Today we give thanks for the generosity of many people – a generosity of their time, their skill, their money - that enables the life and mission of this Minster community. As we think about being church in this place, I want to set the scene by looking at the events leading up to the Transfiguration.
In the previous chapter, Matthew tells us that Jesus took his disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a city built in honour of Rome, on the site of Banias, an earlier Greek city and major shrine to the nature god Pan, who had, it was believed, died and descended into the underworld. Indeed, the shrine was located at the mouth of a large cave known as THE GATE OF HADES; and the worship was reputed to involve the wildest of orgies. It was not the sort of place good Jewish boys would frequent. If the disciples’ mothers had known that this was where Jesus was taking them, they would have intervened.
As they approached this place of competing ideas, Jesus asked them, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ Several theories are put forward. And then he asks, ‘And what of you? Who do you say that I am?’ And Simon responds, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ You’re the one who will rescue us from...all this.
Jesus replies, ‘You are blessed, because this has been revealed to you by my heavenly Father. You are known as Simon – as “Listen!” - the fisherman’s son; but I’m re-naming you Peter – “Rocky” - and on this rock I will build my church, and these intimidating Gates of Hades will not prevail against you.’ This place, the most inappropriate of places imaginable to be in, is the place Jesus chooses to introduce the very idea of his church.
From then, Jesus starts to tell his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer and die, and three days later rise again. And Peter - Rocky - takes him aside and rebukes him. Jesus responds with strong words: ‘You’re speaking as the Adversary, not for God! You are the rock, but rather than being a foundation on which I can build, right now you are a stumbling block for me.’ Peter goes from being affirmed to being rebuked, from feeling good about himself to feeling small, from Rocky back to Listen!, pay attention!
If Jesus is going to build his church, it will be built Jesus’ way. In this moment, where Peter goes from foundation to stumbling block, Jesus speaks about investing in what he is doing. He says that whoever invests all that they have in order to secure their own life will ultimately lose everything; but that whoever invests all that they have in what Jesus is doing will receive a great return on their investment. Jesus says that whatever we choose to invest in - fame, fortune - will cost us everything we have; but that the return in investing in what he is doing turns out to be the richest experience of life.
While the disciples are still pondering that, Jesus takes Peter and James and John, and goes up a mountain to meet with Moses and Elijah. Moses, the great prophet through whom God led his people out of slavery in Egypt and gave them the Law, the framework for becoming a nation. Elijah, the greatest prophet to call the people back to that covenant relationship with their God. Can you imagine?!
Peter has some making up to do. He steps forward and suggests that he might build three shelters, for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. After all, he’s a builder now, the one chosen to build the church. This time, God speaks from heaven, declaring his love for Jesus and telling the disciples to listen to him. And then, in a moment, Moses and Elijah are gone.
What has any of this to do with how we give of ourselves within the church? I want to suggest three things.
Firstly, we need to be reminded that it is Jesus who builds his church. It seems to me that Peter runs into trouble because he hadn’t quite heard what Jesus said, because he thought that he was being commissioned to build the church. The church in this place will not be built because of me, or because of our Church Wardens - wonderful though they are - or because of you. And that is good news: it takes a lot of pressure off! It doesn’t depend on us.
Secondly, Jesus challenges us, as a group of his disciples, to invest our lives in what Jesus is doing. I want to thank you for the different ways in which you give of yourselves to invest in what he is doing among us.
Some of you invest financially, towards our running costs.
Some of you invest your expertise, particular skills you have learnt.
Some of you invest your being present, serving on groups of one kind or another, when you could be somewhere else.
Some of you invest relationally in this community, as we care for one another pastorally.
Some of you invest your prayer - perhaps all the more so as you feel less able to invest in other ways.
Many of you have invested in several or even all of these different ways. Again, thank you. I know that at the point of making the investment - being present at a meeting, for example - it can feel like you have lost something of your life that you won’t ever get back...but, I hope, that overall our experience is that Jesus gives us a generous return on our investment. This church is full of life, full of people on journeys of faith together. This is a place of living stones being built together: among the parents and toddlers, and the six adults currently preparing for Baptism and Confirmation, to give just two examples.
I want to encourage each one of us to look at everything God has given us and to ask, ‘How can I invest my life in something that will last?’ As a guideline, the Church of England invites members to invest 5% of their disposable income in their own church community, and a further 5% to support other things Jesus is working through, such as charitable organisations. That might be a challenge to work towards, or to discuss further.
And might what applies to our money apply to other things we can invest? Perhaps you might consider joining us here for Morning Prayer on one or more mornings during the week, for half an hour from 9.00 a.m. Or, as my seven-year-old son has done, you might consider joining the Welcome team on a Sunday morning, investing friendliness.
Thirdly and finally, I want to return to the Transfiguration. Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Jesus, who takes Peter and James and John along with him, to learn from him. Moses, who took Joshua when he went up a mountain to meet with God, raising up his successor. Elijah, who raised up Elisha to take his place when Elijah was taken up to heaven. You see, Peter missed the point. He wanted to build a monument to the past. But God gives Moses and Elijah, two great prophets who invested in the next generation, the privilege of seeing the future, of seeing Jesus.
One of the things that can happen when we invest our lives in what Jesus is doing through his church is that we come to see our value as being found in what we do. The idea that someone else might help, let alone replace us, becomes threatening: as if we are no longer valued. I want to say this: you are not valued here for what you do, though what you do is appreciated. You are valued here because you are loved, because you are members of God’s family and our family. Old, young, and those in the middle: you are loved. You cannot be loved more or loved less, cannot earn it or lose it: you are loved.
To those who give in any way, I want to thank you. But I also want to challenge you to ask yourself, ‘Who can I invite to do this alongside me? Who can I invest in, who can I train up, to whom can I pass on the baton?’ That way, you won’t only be giving for now, but creating a legacy.
And as we invest our lives in what Jesus is doing, with attention to those who will be here after we are gone, the gates of hell in Sunderland are shaken, and we may glimpse Jesus’ glory as he builds his church.
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