Do you remember the part in the Wizard of Oz when the Great and Powerful Oz was speaking to Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion for the first time, before they knew that the Great and Powerful Oz wasn’t so great or powerful? There was that big, floating head with the booming voice? They were so afraid they were all shaking in the boots because a disembodied voice was yelling at them when they came in need.

 

The scene in the gospel reminds me of that because the disciples were also afraid of a powerful disembodied voice that was talking to them. They didn’t know what to do or how to respond to this scenario. However, it’s also different from the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy and friends couldn’t get out of there fast enough, but this must have been filled with fear and wonder in a really beautiful way, since Peter wanted to hang on to this moment. Unsurprisingly, no one liked Peter’s idea. God shuts this down with the admonition to “Listen!”

 

This isn’t the only time the voice of God speaks in the gospel of Mark. At Jesus’ baptism, the voice of God proclaims, “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.” While I’m sure that was also an awe-inspiring moment, it doesn’t seem to come with any sense of threat. People weren’t necessarily shaking in their boots about that. Wonder, yes. Fear? Not so much, maybe?

 

But on this mountain top, God says to the disciples, “Listen.” That’s different, because when you’re the one being talked to, it’s personal. It was personal to them (and therefore humans in general) that they were apparently not listening.

 

So, what were they not hearing?

 

Our reading today starts with the phrase, “Six days later…” What happened six days before in the Gospel of Mark? Jesus began teaching about the coming crucifixion. The disciples, particularly Peter, weren’t getting the message. This was the story where Jesus actually turns to Peter and says “Get behind me Satan,” because Peter was trying to talk Jesus out of this path that leads to the cross. Remember this story?

 

So, when we wonder about what the disciples were not hearing, this gives us a clue. Peter was not hearing or not accepting that Jesus’ path was the path of death and resurrection. It was not a path of ease or even Jesus getting his way. It was not a path of “winning” or successfully kicking the Romans out of their land, which is what the Messiah was supposed to do.

 

How could that make sense?

 

Somehow Jesus was going to deliver the people to freedom and new life, not by overcoming or winning, but for all appearances by losing and dying by means of political persecution? It’s not how Moses or Elijah delivered the people, even though they are there with Jesus.

 

What’s the deal? Peter had a point that we would all likely make, but we’re being told in no uncertain terms that the path of winning or dominating in the real world is in fact not the path to God’s Kingdom.

 

The path of God’s new life for us, God’s hope and glory for us, is a path that does not avoid death, endings, or suffering. It is a path that doesn’t perpetuate the logic of domination. After all, we know it’s too easy for humans to free themselves from one form of oppression to only fall into being the oppressors. History is full of these examples.

 

Jesus’ path is the rejection of the logic of oppression or domination. He’s not going to win by beating others, even on Super Bowl Sunday.

 

True new life, redemption, and salvation come through a rejection of that logic for the sake of something new coming through death and endings. That is the way of the cross. That is the way of love.

 

So, what must die in our lives for the sake of new life? What must end?

 

When I think about the wars in Gaza or Ukraine (or anywhere else really), the question is what must die for new life to emerge? Perhaps the idea that killing and brutalizing people is the way to create peace must end. Or perhaps those in power need to let their stubborn pride die. They may need to let their hateful ideologies die or the fear that the oppressed will necessarily become the oppressor over them? We’re all so afraid of each other.

 

Again, the question, “What needs to end so that the love of God can flow freely and we can all be made new in peace and joy in a new world?”

 

When I think about Celebration’s journey through this time after Pastor Dave, there were likely attachments to the way things were that we needed to let go of. You’ve probably felt the grief of doing that letting go over the past few months. There may still be things we all need to let go of for the sake of new life in our congregation can come fully into reality.

 

In our own lives, we all likely have stubborn ideas or situations where we are unhelpfully attached and committed to. We all have things in our lives where we think, “If this one thing works out, then I’ll be OK. Or I’ll feel like I finally belong. Or I can finally relax.” We may think if we just get “it” right or if others just do what they are supposed to do, then we would feel free and life would be like the pharmaceutical ads that make life look blissful.

 

Whatever it is that we’re holding out for…perhaps a healing, a reconciliation, a release from addiction, or even just fitting into that old pair jeans, let us listen and remember. Jesus had a literal “mountain top moment” and nothing really changed for Jesus.

 

He came down the mountain and the disciples were still doing frustrating things and he was eventually still executed. Clearly there was power and might and glory there with God on that mountain top, but God did not take the path of making external realities right. God’s not taking away the problems. For Jesus, there was a path that had to be walked and Jesus knew that. Who didn’t know that perhaps was Peter and the disciples.

 

So, what if the mountain top moment wasn’t for Jesus at all. What if it was Peter and the disciples (and therefore us!) who needed to see that God’s path is not the path where everything just gets fixed and made right, despite all the glory and power that is indeed there? Instead, all that glory and power chooses the cross, chooses the path that is not the path of domination and “fixing” external realities.

 

Why?

 

There are a lot of ways to answer that question. As we enter into Lent, it likely won’t be the last time we ask that question or find different answers to consider.

 

But for today, I like Jim Carrey’s answer the best. He was quoted as saying, “I think everyone should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see it’s not the answer.”

 

It’s not the answer. Getting our external fixes is not the answer. Forcing life and everyone around us to behave is not the answer.

 

The path of love with Christ is the answer.

 

Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. This is a promise that is available to us always. This is also the way of the cross, where new life, love, and resurrection come through death, humility, and endings.

 

The promise is that following the path of humility and self-emptying we are given the gift of new life, perspective, joy, love, inspiration…all the good stuff being born in us as we are, through us as ones who follow Christ. We can’t muscle our way into the flow of God’s love for us or for others. We can’t dominate our way into joy and peace. We can’t earn or hustle our way into being good enough. The gift is given already.

 

God tells us on the mountain top in a very dramatic way, “Listen to him. Listen to Jesus. Listen to his life, what he says, how he teaches and heals, and yes to how he dies and is reborn. Listen.”

 

Listen to the Good News that you are already enough from top to bottom. You are loved. You are invited to step into a life of trust, openness, curiosity, and hope that you don’t have to generate. You don’t have to build dwellings for Moses, Elijah, or Jesus. There’s nothing to be done, but to listen to the Good News of our Lord and give thanks.

 

 

AMEN