In today's reflection, we explored the profound story of the Transfiguration, where Jesus ascends a mountain with a few disciples and encounters Moses and Elijah. This narrative, often familiar to many, invites us to ponder its deeper significance. Why did Jesus choose this moment, and what does it reveal about his journey and ours? The disciples, much like us, were often bewildered by Jesus' teachings, struggling to grasp the magnitude of his mission. This story, however, might not solely be about enlightening the disciples but also about providing Jesus with the support and affirmation he needed from Moses and Elijah, who themselves faced immense challenges and threats.

The Transfiguration is a moment of divine light and glory, reminiscent of Moses' encounter with God. It serves as a preparation for Jesus' impending journey to Jerusalem, a path marked by betrayal and suffering. Yet, it also prepares the disciples—and us—for the challenges of faith. Jesus offers comfort to those burdened by life's trials, yet he also calls us to take up our crosses, to engage in the hard work of building God's kingdom. This duality of comfort and challenge is central to our faith journey.

In our contemporary world, fear often paralyzes us, whether it's fear of change, loss, or the unknown. Yet, the story of the Transfiguration reminds us that we are not alone. Jesus, Moses, and Elijah stand with us, offering comfort and guidance. We are called to rise above fear, to embrace the unknown with courage, and to engage in acts of justice and mercy. This is not an easy path, but it is one that leads to transformation and hope.

As we navigate our own journeys, we are reminded of the importance of community and action. Just as the Good Samaritan overcame fear to help a stranger, we too are called to act with compassion and courage. In times of uncertainty, we must choose to walk with Jesus, to set aside our fears, and to work towards a more just and loving world. Let us embrace this call, knowing that we are supported by a divine presence that has walked this path before us.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **The Transfiguration as Support for Jesus:** The Transfiguration may not only be about teaching the disciples but also about providing Jesus with the support he needed from Moses and Elijah. These figures, who faced their own trials, remind Jesus—and us—that we are not alone in our struggles. This moment is about divine affirmation and preparation for the journey ahead. [07:44]

2. **Balancing Comfort and Challenge:** Jesus offers comfort to those burdened by life's challenges, yet he also calls us to take up our crosses. This duality is central to our faith journey, inviting us to engage in the hard work of building God's kingdom while finding solace in Jesus' presence. [16:55]

3. **Overcoming Fear with Community:** Fear often paralyzes us, but the story of the Transfiguration reminds us that we are not alone. We are called to rise above fear, embrace the unknown with courage, and engage in acts of justice and mercy, supported by a divine presence. [23:13]

4. **The Call to Action:** Like the Good Samaritan, we are called to act with compassion and courage, overcoming fear to help others. In times of uncertainty, we must choose to walk with Jesus, set aside our fears, and work towards a more just and loving world. [25:12]

5. **Living with Courage and Faith:** We are at a crossroads, facing deep divides and uncertainties. Yet, we are called to live with courage and faith, embracing the call to justice and mercy, and trusting that Jesus, Moses, and Elijah stand with us, offering comfort and guidance. [23:13]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Building Community
- [01:15] - The Story of the Transfiguration
- [02:45] - Identifying with the Disciples
- [04:00] - Jesus' Journey and Divine Support
- [05:30] - The Significance of Light
- [07:44] - Preparation for Jerusalem
- [09:00] - Comfort and Challenge in Faith
- [11:00] - Overcoming Fear
- [13:30] - Personal Story of Fear and Community
- [16:55] - Choosing Courage Over Fear
- [19:00] - The Good Samaritan's Example
- [21:00] - The Call to Justice and Mercy
- [23:13] - Living with Courage and Faith
- [25:12] - Conclusion and Call to Action

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Transfiguration**

**Bible Reading:**
1. Matthew 17:1-9 - The Transfiguration of Jesus
2. Matthew 11:28-30 - Jesus' Invitation to Rest
3. Luke 10:25-37 - The Parable of the Good Samaritan

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**Observation Questions:**

1. In the story of the Transfiguration, why do you think Jesus chose to bring only a few disciples with him? What might this signify about their roles or understanding? [07:44]

2. How does the presence of Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration connect to their own stories of facing challenges and receiving divine support? [07:44]

3. What are some of the fears mentioned in the sermon that people face today, and how do these fears compare to those faced by the disciples during the Transfiguration? [16:55]

4. How does the story of the Good Samaritan illustrate the call to overcome fear and act with compassion and courage? [23:13]

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**Interpretation Questions:**

1. What might the Transfiguration reveal about Jesus' need for support and affirmation from Moses and Elijah, and how does this relate to our own need for community and support in times of trial? [07:44]

2. How does the duality of comfort and challenge in Jesus' teachings, as mentioned in the sermon, reflect the complexities of the Christian faith journey? [16:55]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that fear can paralyze us, and how does the story of the Transfiguration encourage us to rise above fear? [23:13]

4. How does the example of the Good Samaritan challenge us to act beyond our fears and prejudices, and what does this mean for our daily lives? [23:13]

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**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on a time when you felt alone in your struggles. How can the story of the Transfiguration remind you that you are not alone and that divine support is available? [07:44]

2. Jesus calls us to take up our crosses and engage in the hard work of building God's kingdom. What specific challenges are you facing in your faith journey, and how can you find comfort in Jesus' presence? [16:55]

3. Identify a fear that is currently holding you back. How can you take a step towards overcoming this fear with the support of your community and faith? [16:55]

4. The Good Samaritan acted with compassion despite potential risks. Is there someone in your life who needs your help, and how can you overcome any fears or prejudices to offer support? [23:13]

5. Consider the call to live with courage and faith in a world full of uncertainties. What practical steps can you take this week to embrace this call and work towards a more just and loving world? [23:13]

6. Reflect on the sermon’s message about the importance of community. How can you actively participate in building a supportive and compassionate community within your church or neighborhood? [23:13]

7. The sermon mentioned the importance of setting aside fears to do kingdom work. What is one specific action you can take this week to contribute to justice and mercy in your community? [25:12]

Day 1: Divine Support in Times of Trial
In the story of the Transfiguration, Jesus ascends a mountain and is joined by Moses and Elijah, two figures who themselves faced immense challenges. This moment is not just about teaching the disciples but also about providing Jesus with the support and affirmation he needed. It serves as a reminder that even Jesus, in his humanity, sought and received divine support. This narrative invites us to reflect on the importance of seeking and recognizing divine support in our own lives. We are reminded that we are not alone in our struggles; just as Jesus was supported by Moses and Elijah, we too are supported by a divine presence that walks with us through our trials. [07:44]

Exodus 33:14-15 (ESV): "And he said, 'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.' And he said to him, 'If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.'"

Reflection: Who are the "Moses and Elijah" figures in your life that provide you with support and affirmation? How can you seek out and recognize divine support in your current challenges?


Day 2: Embracing the Duality of Comfort and Challenge
The Transfiguration story highlights the duality of comfort and challenge in our faith journey. Jesus offers comfort to those burdened by life's trials, yet he also calls us to take up our crosses and engage in the hard work of building God's kingdom. This duality is central to our spiritual growth, as it invites us to find solace in Jesus' presence while also stepping out in faith to face the challenges before us. We are called to balance the comfort we receive with the courage to embrace the challenges that come our way, knowing that both are essential to our journey of faith. [16:55]

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel Jesus is offering you comfort? How can you use this comfort to face the challenges you are called to embrace?


Day 3: Rising Above Fear with Community
Fear often paralyzes us, preventing us from stepping into the unknown. The Transfiguration story reminds us that we are not alone in our fears. Jesus, Moses, and Elijah stand with us, offering comfort and guidance. We are called to rise above fear, to embrace the unknown with courage, and to engage in acts of justice and mercy. This journey is not meant to be walked alone; we are supported by a community of believers and a divine presence that encourages us to move forward despite our fears. [23:13]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: What is one fear that is currently holding you back? How can you lean on your community and faith to rise above this fear and take a step forward today?


Day 4: The Call to Compassionate Action
The story of the Good Samaritan is a powerful example of overcoming fear to help others. We are called to act with compassion and courage, setting aside our fears to work towards a more just and loving world. In times of uncertainty, we must choose to walk with Jesus, embracing the call to action that is placed before us. This call to action is not just about grand gestures but also about the small, everyday acts of kindness and mercy that reflect God's love to those around us. [25:12]

Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you can show compassion to today? What is one small act of kindness you can do to reflect God's love to them?


Day 5: Living with Courage and Faith
We are at a crossroads, facing deep divides and uncertainties in our world. Yet, we are called to live with courage and faith, embracing the call to justice and mercy. The story of the Transfiguration reminds us that Jesus, Moses, and Elijah stand with us, offering comfort and guidance as we navigate these challenges. We are invited to trust in the divine presence that has walked this path before us, knowing that we are not alone in our journey. This call to live with courage and faith is an invitation to step out boldly, trusting that God is with us every step of the way. [23:13]

Joshua 1:9 (ESV): "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to live with more courage and faith? How can you take a step today to trust in God's presence and guidance in this area?

jesus knows god's plan for him jesus knows that he is on a journey that's going to lead to a betrayal to a trial and to an excruciatingly painful death what if jesus needed a little time with moses and elijah moses and elijah who faced their own death threats who faced their own terrible turmoils and difficulties moses and elijah who could come and say hey we're with you you're not alone we know the plan we know the plan is hard we have faced hard plans god's going to get you through this god's plan is the right plan and we'll be with you every step of the way what if this moment is about comforting jesus and reminding jesus that he's not alone [00:05:30] (55 seconds) Edit Clip


Because at the end of the day, we can love Jesus and we can love the salvation that Jesus gives us. But Jesus is complicated. On one hand, we go to Matthew 11 and we hear that Jesus has a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. And Jesus comes to bring comfort to those who are afflicted by mental health problems, physical health problems, poverty, job insecurity, difficult family situations, craziness in the world. There is a comfort that Jesus offers. But then Jesus goes and challenges us. Jesus invites us that when times are comfortable, when times are good for us, that maybe there is a cross that Jesus wants us to pick up and walk with Jesus. [00:08:54] (53 seconds) Edit Clip


so then that gave me a really tough question Jesus is getting ready to go to Jerusalem and we all know how that story ends so then the question is am I ready are you ready to walk with Jesus to Jerusalem just where is our journey with Jesus going when Jesus says to pick up a cross what if it's not a metaphor he's talking about what if he is actually asking us to put our lives on the line this is a big thing this is a really big thing now we know that not all Christians have died for their faith just as we know not all rich people have given up everything for Jesus but there is a story where a rich young man comes to Jesus and says what does it take to have eternal life and Jesus like do you love God with all your heart minds soul and strength he's like I sure do I keep the Commandments he's like well then give up everything you have he's like yeah no can't do that and Jesus like yeah it's gonna be easier for a camel to get into heaven than a rich man but we know there were wealthy people who were part of the early church who shared the resources God had given them to help launch the early church Jesus is not always asking everyone to give up everything but [00:10:47] (85 seconds) Edit Clip


this is not easy to think about but these disciples they are told do not be afraid do not fear Moses and Elijah are with us now that Jesus has returned to heaven Jesus and Moses and Elijah they are watching us they are with us they are caring for us they are supporting for us whatever darkness we struggle with in our lives they promise to be with us they have seen it all and they are here to comfort us now since days of Moses hiding in rocks while God walks by God's come up with a little easier way for us to be in God's presence we have been blessed by two sacraments the Holy Spirit comes upon us when we are baptized if you are not yet baptized but would like to have that experience come talk to me afterwards and then when we join together at the table Jesus set for us of communion we receive the presence of Jesus Christ and are filled with his grace and love God has given us new ways to share God's presence without the danger of death like Moses faced God through the sacraments has promised to be with us every day every moment [00:12:33] (85 seconds) Edit Clip


I saw at that moment it was possible to rise above fear it was possible to come together in a beautiful beautiful way but our lives we read the history books and we have all sorts of judgments of the choices that other people made but we know how their stories ended we are still living our story we are in a choose your own adventure story and we can choose a or we can choose B and in 2001 we could have chosen to this beautiful moment of bringing people together and loving each together and encourage and supporting each other or we could choose b where we started a couple wars and reinstated torture when we are in the midst of the story we don't know what the ending is we don't know what the answers are we don't know what the best choices are and that is how we carry our cross with jesus on the way to jerusalem we don't know what is going to happen jesus knew the disciples did it the transfiguration was reminding people god is with you no matter what is about to happen i am going to be with you [00:18:14] (75 seconds) Edit Clip


but he still stopped and he helped the samaritan followed the teachings of jesus and the prophets of micah and amos and moses now when we're talking about what's going on right now i'd like to take a moment and talk to you not as the pastor standing up front with all the answers because i do not have answers for some of the stuff that is facing us right now as a nation i have a master's in public administration from american university in washington dc i've taken classes on the federal budget i know what's going on in washington i do not know what the answers are but each one of us as citizens of this country jesus is calling us to set aside our fears and to pick up a cross and to do kingdom work [00:21:50] (49 seconds) Edit Clip


Jesus is asking us to do justice and mercy. Now my guess is each one of us is being offered a different cross by Jesus. None of us are going to have the same journey over the next couple years. But I think each of us is being called by Jesus to think about what is our fear right now? What is our dark place? And what is Jesus calling us to do when we set aside our fear and give it to him and pick up the cross that he wants us to carry? [00:22:51] (33 seconds) Edit Clip


And Jesus will walk with us as we work towards mercy and justice. And I wonder, in these times, will we step forward with the enthusiasm and the hope of Paul, even though he knew he was on his way to Rome to be killed? Are we going to live with the quiet confidence of Stephen, even as he knew a crowd was getting ready to stone him to death? Are we going to live with the doubt that turns to faith like Thomas had that inspired him to walk across deserts and mountains all the way to India to share the good news of Jesus Christ? Each of us has our own ways of loving our neighbors, and I suspect each of us will have our own call to answer to the needs of our neighbors during this time. [00:26:29] (60 seconds) Edit Clip

Let us pray.

Show us your ways, Lord. Teach us your paths. Guide us in your truth, for you are God, our Savior, and our hope is in you all day long. Amen.

So I just noticed I forgot our building community. One of the parts of our mission here is to bring people together to grow in faith and action. I invite you to pick up the black binders at the end of your pews and sign in. We want to honor the presence that all of you have given us today by coming and worshiping with us. If you're new, there is information about our ministries that you can pick up from there. If you'd like to share your contact information, you can do so to get added to our newsletter list. You can also use the QR code or the prayer request button on our website if you have a prayer request you would like to have included later on in our community prayers.

So today we have this story of the transfiguration. This moment when Jesus goes up a mountain with a few of his disciples and Moses and Elijah show up. Now, some of us have heard this story many times, but as I was looking at it this year, I really started wondering, why? Why did this happen? Like, why did Jesus take just a few of his disciples? Why did he go up to the mountaintop? Why do Moses and Elijah show up? Why is this story included in what we read in the Gospels?

I have to say, sometimes I really identify with the disciples. You know, they get up there and this whole thing happens and they're like, what is going on? Should we build a temple here? Isn't that, you know, like, that's the thing I can do. I can build a temple. I can put up a stone here. I can put an altar. I can do an offering. I have no idea what's going on, but I know I can make an altar. So I'm going to do the thing I feel comfortable doing.

So there's something going on here that I don't understand, so I'm gonna sit at a rock and pray. I can understand that. I get that. And for the disciples, when you go through them, especially Mark, you know we're constantly reading how the disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying. They were clueless. And I just have to say, you know, I fear that if I had been there, I would have been just as clueless as the disciples.

It had to have been hard to understand what Jesus was saying and talking about. At one point, he's like, yeah, I'm gonna take down the temple and rebuild it in three days. What? Like, the Babylonian Empire, they sent an army that destroyed the temple the first time, and by the time this is being written, we know that the Roman Empire has come and destroyed the second temple that had been made all big and fancy by King Herod. It takes a lot to tear down the temple. What do you mean you're going to tear it down and rebuild it in three days? This is crazy talk! What are you talking about? We are so confused.

And clearly after this, Jesus knows his people are confused because he says, "Get up and don't be afraid." Don't be afraid! Jesus knows they don't know what's going on, just like I feel like sometimes we still don't know what's going on.

So I sat with this this week and I'm like, why did this happen? It just seems like one more really confusing thing on top of all the confusing things the disciples already knew. I was reading one commentary, and one person said, you know, what if we stop looking at the disciples in this story? I mean, we want to—they're like us, we can kind of identify with them—but what if this story is not about teaching the disciples something? What if this story is about something Jesus needs?

Jesus knows God's plan for him. Jesus knows that he is on a journey that's going to lead to a betrayal, to a trial, and to an excruciatingly painful death. What if Jesus needed a little time with Moses and Elijah? Moses and Elijah, who faced their own death threats, who faced their own terrible turmoils and difficulties. Moses and Elijah who could come and say, "Hey, we're with you. You're not alone. We know the plan. We know the plan is hard. We have faced hard plans. God's going to get you through this. God's plan is the right plan, and we'll be with you every step of the way."

What if this moment is about comforting Jesus and reminding Jesus that he's not alone? One thing I really picked up on as we're talking about light this season is how the text talks about all the light that is glowing off of Jesus and Moses and Elijah, which is why I picked this picture, this painting of the transfiguration. I thought it did such a great job of really highlighting how bright the glory of God is at this moment.

And then I started remembering, you know, this is Moses that we're talking about showing up here. And when you go through the story of Moses, there is light in the Moses story too. Moses goes up a mountain and Moses is like, "God, show me yourself. I want to know. I gotta see something to really believe you. I'm about to put my life on the line, and I need to know you're real." And God's like, "If I show you all of myself, you will die. I am too much for you." So Moses hides in that crack in the rock and he turns his face away, and God walks by, and he peeks a little. He just sees what? His heel? His foot? The hem of his clothes go by.

But they know if you are in God's presence, there's a good chance you're going to die. So all of a sudden, as I'm thinking about all this light, I'm reminded of the story of Jesus. And all of a sudden, I felt a lot more of the fear that the disciples had. The disciples know if you see God and all of God's glory, you're going to die. Those disciples are probably up on top of that mountain going, "Is it all over? What's happening next?"

Which then made me wonder, is this story a preparation both for Jesus to get ready to go to Jerusalem? And next week, we'll have Mardi Gras, which will be one last party before we start the season of Lent, where we start our own journey of going back to the cross to remember all that Jesus has done for us. Is this moment about preparing Jesus? And is this moment about preparing the disciples, getting them ready for something bigger and more mysterious and more glorious than they have ever imagined?

Because at the end of the day, we can love Jesus and we can love the salvation that Jesus gives us. But Jesus is complicated. On one hand, we go to Matthew 11 and we hear that Jesus has a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. And Jesus comes to bring comfort to those who are afflicted by mental health problems, physical health problems, poverty, job insecurity, difficult family situations, craziness in the world. There is a comfort that Jesus offers.

But then Jesus goes and challenges us. Jesus invites us that when times are comfortable, when times are good for us, that maybe there is a cross that Jesus wants us to pick up and walk with Jesus. That maybe Jesus doesn't want us to just become comfortable in his comfort, but then to take that comfort and help build God's kingdom, which can be hard, hard work.

A devotion I read this week was written by a professor from Garrett Seminary in the Chicago area. His name's Dong Hyun Yong, and he wrote that the yoke of living out the gospel while making ends meet is hard. The burden of keeping passion for social justice is heavy. Apathy and political conflict get in the way. Nevertheless, we persevere because we have seen the transfigured Christ, and we are transfigured with him. We have seen that there is hope because we are not alone. Though we are tired, we believe that God is with us, helping us breathe and live another day.

So then that gave me a really tough question. Jesus is getting ready to go to Jerusalem, and we all know how that story ends. So then the question is, am I ready? Are you ready to walk with Jesus to Jerusalem? Just where is our journey with Jesus going? When Jesus says to pick up a cross, what if it's not a metaphor he's talking about? What if he is actually asking us to put our lives on the line? This is a big thing. This is a really big thing.

Now we know that not all Christians have died for their faith, just as we know not all rich people have given up everything for Jesus. But there is a story where a rich young man comes to Jesus and says, "What does it take to have eternal life?" And Jesus is like, "Do you love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength?" He's like, "I sure do. I keep the commandments." He's like, "Well then, give up everything you have." He's like, "Yeah, no, can't do that." And Jesus is like, "Yeah, it's gonna be easier for a camel to get into heaven than a rich man."

But we know there were wealthy people who were part of the early church who shared the resources God had given them to help launch the early church. Jesus is not always asking everyone to give up everything, but that story with the rich young man and with the disciples being prepared at the transfiguration, I think Jesus is asking us, "Are you ready to go with me all the way to Jerusalem? Are you ready to be at the foot of the cross? Are you ready to be on the cross?"

This is not easy to think about, but these disciples, they are told, "Do not be afraid. Do not fear." Moses and Elijah are with us. Now that Jesus has returned to heaven, Jesus and Moses and Elijah, they are watching us. They are with us. They are caring for us. They are supporting us. Whatever darkness we struggle with in our lives, they promise to be with us. They have seen it all, and they are here to comfort us.

Now, since the days of Moses hiding in rocks while God walks by, God’s come up with a little easier way for us to be in God's presence. We have been blessed by two sacraments. The Holy Spirit comes upon us when we are baptized. If you are not yet baptized but would like to have that experience, come talk to me afterwards. And then when we join together at the table Jesus set for us of communion, we receive the presence of Jesus Christ and are filled with his grace and love. God has given us new ways to share God's presence without the danger of death like Moses faced. God, through the sacraments, has promised to be with us every day, every moment.

So the last big question that all brought to me today: What do I fear? What do we fear these days? And my guess is if we actually had slips of paper and wrote down, there'd be a long list of things that we are fearing these days. We fear discomfort. The world says we should be fearing strangers and fearing inflation. We've got some people saying we should fear transgender people. We fear job and benefit loss. We fear change. Sometimes the changes are just coming way too fast.

There was a time in my life when I was struggling with a lot of fear. When I was 31, my mom got sick with cancer, and I discovered that cancer is a very special kind of fear. You just never know what's going to happen. There is always uncertainty. Every time she went to the doctor, we thought, "Oh, we're going to find out something," and she'd come back, and we still didn't feel like we knew anymore than when she went to the doctor. We waited for tests that would come back inconclusive. My mom tried treatments, and we had to wait in fear. Is it going to work? Is it not going to work? In her case, the treatments did not work, and then we had the uncertainty of how long is mom going to live?

And for those of you who've been with a loved one who is dying from a terminal illness, that is a long wait. I feared death at that time. I feared the suffering that my mother was going through. I got sick. I lost sleep. I gained weight. I was a complete mess because of fear.

But through this process, there was something that happened that showed me the potential for a beautiful life as a nation with the people around us. On September 15th that year, my father decided to retire from his job so he could spend as much time with my mom in her final days as possible. And his retirement party was on September 15th. So our family got together. My son was one year old. My daughter was four. We got some plane tickets. We were living on the farm in Indiana. We were going to fly down to Texas for this retirement dinner. We were going to have one last family photo with mom.

As her hair was starting to fall out, she didn't want a last family photo with no hair from her chemo. So she wanted to get this done. And we were really looking forward to this. But by that weekend, there were no planes flying because it was September 15th of 2001. The skies all over the United States were empty at that point.

So we got in a car and we started driving. We didn't get out of the house as soon as we wanted to. Maybe we only made it partway across Illinois that first night. And we stayed at, I don't know, it was a Days Inn or something. One of those hotels that has that breakfast buffet. I don't know about you, but I don't talk to the hot breakfast buffets. You know, you all just kind of get your thing, sit at your table. I mean, back then we didn't have phones, but these days we're all looking at our phones. We don't talk to each other. But that day we walked into the breakfast buffet. All the tables had moved to the edge of the room. There was a giant circle of chairs. Everyone in that room was there because of 9/11.

We had people from California driving to New Jersey. We were driving to Texas. We had people driving north from Florida. We had a woman who came from Queens, and she could tell us what the smoke smelled like. I've got goosebumps just saying this. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. All of these strangers sitting together and talking in this beautiful way, encouraging and supporting each other in a very dark week for our country.

I saw at that moment it was possible to rise above fear. It was possible to come together in a beautiful, beautiful way. But our lives, we read the history books, and we have all sorts of judgments of the choices that other people made, but we know how their stories ended. We are still living our story. We are in a choose-your-own-adventure story, and we can choose A or we can choose B.

And in 2001, we could have chosen to this beautiful moment of bringing people together and loving each other and encouraging and supporting each other, or we could choose B, where we started a couple wars and reinstated torture. When we are in the midst of the story, we don't know what the ending is. We don't know what the answers are. We don't know what the best choices are. And that is how we carry our cross with Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. We don't know what is going to happen. Jesus knew; the disciples didn't. The transfiguration was reminding people God is with you no matter what is about to happen. I am going to be with you.

I feel like we are at a crossroads time once again in our nation. We have deep divides in our community over what our future should be and how to get there. But it seems to me that many of our debates and discussions are driven by fear—those fears that we were naming before. What are our personal fears? What are our fears for our community and our nation?

And I think today, as we think about the transfiguration and we think about Jesus in all of his glory, Jesus is calling us to walk away from our fear, to leave our fear on that mountaintop, and to walk boldly with Jesus into a new reality, a new kingdom. This is one of the things that disciples struggled with. What does this kingdom look like?

And Jesus had a bunch of parables, but one of them was the Good Samaritan story. He talked about how a guy from Samaria is walking along. He sees a guy beaten up, left for dead on the side of the road, and he stops and he helps. Now, the Samaritan could have been full of fear. The Jewish guys who were of the same nationality, ethnicity, religious group as the guy on the side of the road, they didn't stop because of fear.

Now, their main fear was if we touch him, we will touch blood, and then we'll be ritually unclean, and we have to go through a certain ritual over multiple days to become clean again, and we can't go to the temple. And we're Pharisees, so we're Jewish religious leaders. Our job is to be in the temple doing work, so I would miss work if I help this guy, and I'm afraid to miss work, so I'm going to keep walking on by.

Jesus says the Samaritan was not afraid. The Samaritan stopped and helped. Now, he was stopping and helping someone he wasn't supposed to stop and help. He could have been afraid that someone was going to bully him and badger him, but he still stopped and he helped. The Samaritan followed the teachings of Jesus and the prophets of Micah and Amos and Moses.

Now, when we're talking about what's going on right now, I'd like to take a moment and talk to you not as the pastor standing up front with all the answers because I do not have answers for some of the stuff that is facing us right now as a nation. I have a master's in public administration from American University in Washington, D.C. I've taken classes on the federal budget. I know what's going on in Washington. I do not know what the answers are.

But each one of us, as citizens of this country, Jesus is calling us to set aside our fears and to pick up a cross and to do kingdom work. Jesus is asking us to do justice and mercy. Now, my guess is each one of us is being offered a different cross by Jesus. None of us are going to have the same journey over the next couple of years. But I think each of us is being called by Jesus to think about what is our fear right now? What is our dark place? And what is Jesus calling us to do when we set aside our fear and give it to him and pick up the cross that he wants us to carry?

I was reading about a guy in another time and another place that faced a similar situation in his country. And he supported the leader that he thought had the right plan for his nation. And he was a strong supporter. He was a public supporter. And for years he thought he was on the right path with the right leader. But over time, he came to realize that this leader was not going in the way of Jesus.

And eventually, this guy started speaking out against the leader, and he ended up spending eight years in prison. But afterwards, when he was released, he shared a story that has become very powerful for many people. He said, "First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not in a labor union. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."

His first name was Martin. And I think that's a powerful story that sometimes even when we are just a small person in a small place, the stands we take matter. And sometimes the government comes after us even when we are a small person in a small place.

Another Martin, who we recently celebrated his birthday, Martin Luther King, also spoke of the need to take action like the Good Samaritan, to not walk silently by injustice and pain. I'd like to read one small paragraph from the letter from Birmingham Jail.

"But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the 20th century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust."

What Martin Luther King was saying here is exactly what happened to the church that the other Martin was a part of. The country he is in is, I think, it's like 98% atheist at this point. The young people saw what the church did in that time of turmoil and that the church stood by silently, and the young people have left it.

Like I said, I don't know all the answers for how we move forward, but young people are watching us right now. They want to know, are we taking action to care for people who need mercy and justice in their lives? Martin Luther King was speaking to moderate Christian and Jewish faith communities that were reluctant to get involved in the movement to expand justice in our nation. People who wanted to uphold law and order, even when the law treated some people differently than other people.

This isn't the "I have a dream" vision that we usually turn to from Reverend Dr. King. But just like Micah and Amos, he is a challenging voice in our own times. So this season, I encourage each of us to identify that dark fear within us and give it to Jesus. We do not have to hold onto it. Jesus says, give it to him. And Jesus will walk with us as we work towards mercy and justice.

And I wonder, in these times, will we step forward with the enthusiasm and the hope of Paul, even though he knew he was on his way to Rome to be killed? Are we going to live with the quiet confidence of Stephen, even as he knew a crowd was getting ready to stone him to death? Are we going to live with the doubt that turns to faith like Thomas had that inspired him to walk across deserts and mountains all the way to India to share the good news of Jesus Christ?

Each of us has our own ways of loving our neighbors, and I suspect each of us will have our own call to answer to the needs of our neighbors during this time. In the last week, I have met with some of our own church leaders and with church leaders in the community, and there are some of us who are working to get together with LGBTQ leaders in the Green Bay area to find out what the needs for this community are because this is a group of people that is being treated differently in the law than other neighbors.

I also met with people who want to put together a support group to look for ways to put our love for neighbor into action. Please let me know if you want to be part of these ministries or if you just want to talk about your own fears right now and your own concerns about what Jesus is calling you to do.

I think we are facing a mountain of troubles these days, and it is tempting to be paralyzed by fear and anxiety. It is tempting to stand aside and let others take action when we don't know what to do. But I want all of us to remember that Jesus and Moses and Elijah are standing on the mountain with us. They have been through the tough times, and they are here to comfort and support us. They are here to show us how to lift up our neighbors and set aside the darkness of fear.

So please pick up the spiritual practice cards on your way out to remember that God is with us every day, and let us walk humbly with God as we live lives of justice and mercy, as we find new ways to love our neighbors. Amen.