Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)
Jesus seems to get grumpy and annoyed that this father asks him to heal his son. Why? Could it be that Jesus expects not only his 12 disciples, but all of his disciples to be able to do the things that he does? We are tempted to think that working and serving God is reserved for special people, but it is a task for all people. Because you are saved by grace through faith, you are called to serve like Jesus. A couple of chapters before this passage the 12 disciples are called, named, and immediately sent as apostles, there was no lag time. In your baptism you are called and commissioned as an apostle of Jesus.
Sometimes people ask me to do things as a pastor. I ask them, “Why”? They say that I am their personal conduit or connection to God. I say, “No. I am not.” I really mean that. If you expect me to be your conduit to God, then you will be terribly disappointed. I am no holier than anyone else. Through baptism, we are all the priesthood of all believers. A pastor is more like a coach, who has taken time for extra education, and made a commitment to serve the church in a professional capacity. But spiritually there is no ontological difference between a pastor and a lay person.
When Jesus was transfigured before the disciples God’s own voice said to “Listen to him.” You are invited to listen and learn from Jesus to be his disciple and his apostle commissioned and sent to preach, teach, pray, and let God’s spirit heal.
Exodus 34:29-35
Moses wore a veil after he spent time with God, because it made his whole face to glow. His glowing face would distract the people and prevented them to receiving the Law, the Wisdom God shared with Moses. Imagine the isolation and loneliness Moses felt. Maybe some were tempted to think that such a proximity to God was something that couldn’t be shared, that the people could not receive it because they weren’t good enough. But this wrong. The people innovated a kind of wearable technology, the veil, that allowed fellowship to be restored and for the sharing of all the commandments. So all flesh, all people, are able to receive this word of God!
2 Corinthians 3:12 – 4:2
The irony and challenge of interpreting the reading from second Corinthians is the likelihood of missing the point completely. On the face value it would appear that Paul is judging people based on their ethnic identity. Some have tried to use this passage as a proof-text to make prejudicial judgments against Jews, as if there were some kind of problem with their minds. But it is just the opposite. You will remember that Paul is a great missionary and evangelist who wanted to expand the scope of the church to include non-Jewish people within the worshiping community of Jesus. What Paul is saying is that there is a veil over our minds when we think that God’s promises are for only certain groups of people. Faith is a spiritual gift: it does not depend on flesh. The Lord is Spirit, and the Lord will move in the hearts of anyone who accepts this Spirit. What unites us isn’t anything with the flesh, but it is the Spirit that brings us together. You are saved by grace through faith and not by works!
One time I went to Nicaragua in college, one of my friends went with me, James Pike. We were in college. Our pastor, shortly after arriving to this remote village, prayed for a sick girl, and the girl was miraculously healed. So many people came to be healed as well. Unfortunately our pastor had to leave because his father had died. So we were without a pastor and had to the praying on our own. We did have at least one nurse in our group too, who did much of the healing work. Though difficult at the time, it taught us that we are expected to do the same things as our pastor. We are each expected to be an apostle of Jesus.
Leave a Reply