Friday, February 25, 2022

Jesus’ Coming Out Story: A Reprise

Transfiguration of Our Lord

 

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns and other prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

 

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

 

Introduction to the Day

Witnesses to the glory of God in the face of Jesus reflect that glory in the world. It was true for Moses. It was doubtless true for Peter, James, and John. We pray that it will be true of all of us who see God’s glory in the word and in the supper and who are being “transformed into the same image” by God’s Spirit.

 

Thanksgiving for Baptism

Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, the fountain of living water, the rock who gave us birth, our light and our salvation.

Amen.

 

Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness. Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.

 

We give you thanks, O God,

for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters

and by your Word you created the world,

calling forth life in which you took delight.

 

Through the waters of the flood, you delivered Noah and his family.

Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom.

At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit.

By water and your Word, you claim us as daughters and sons,

making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.

 

We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life,

and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ.

Shower us with your Spirit,

and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.

 

To you be given honour and praise

through Jesus Christ our Lord

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Amen.

 

Gathering Song – Beautiful Savior (ELW #838)

            Listen Here

 

Greeting

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

 

Kyrie – Kyrie Eleison

            Listen Here

 

Canticle of Praise – Glory to God

          Listen Here

 

Prayer of the Day

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray.

Holy God, mighty and immortal, you are beyond our knowing, yet we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Transform us into the likeness of your Son, who renewed our humanity so that we may share in his divinity, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

 

Readings

A reading from the Book of Exodus 34:29-35

Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

 

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Psalm 99

            Listen Here

 

The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!

    He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

The Lord is great in Zion;

    he is exalted over all the peoples.

Let them praise your great and awesome name.

    Holy is he!

Mighty King, lover of justice,

    you have established equity;

you have executed justice

    and righteousness in Jacob.

Extol the Lord our God;

    worship at his footstool.

    Holy is he!

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

    Samuel also was among those who called on his name.

    They cried to the Lord, and he answered them.

He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;

    they kept his decrees,

    and the statutes that he gave them.

O Lord our God, you answered them;

    you were a forgiving God to them,

    but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

Extol the Lord our God,

    and worship at his holy mountain;

    for the Lord our God is holy.

 

 

A reading from the Second Letter from Paul to the Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

 

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Gospel Acclamation – Alleluia

            Listen Here

 

The Holy Gospel according to Luke 9:28-43

Glory to you, O Lord.

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.

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples,

 

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

 

Sermon

Grace, peace, and mercy are yours from the Triune God. Amen.

I have decided to do a reprise of my sermon from last year’s Transfiguration Sunday for two reasons – one, I never got the chance to deliver the sermon because of the shut-down and, two, with the news coming out of Texas this week, I thought it might be a good idea to give these words again.

 

If you haven’t heard, the governor for the state of Texas is calling on “licensed professionals” and “members of the general public” to report the parents of transgender minors to state authorities if it appears the minors are receiving gender-affirming medical care.

 

Gender-affirming medical care could be anything from puberty blockers to surgery.

 

The directive was part of a letter the governor sent Tuesday to the Department of Family and Protective Services, calling on it to “conduct a prompt and thorough investigation” of any reported instances of minors undergoing “elective procedures for gender transitioning.”

 

The letter follows an opinion piece released Monday by a Texas Attorney, which stated that allowing minors to receive transition care such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery is child abuse under state law.

 

Texas is not the only state that has tried to pass such a law. Over the last year, nearly two dozen states considered legislation that would bar access to some or all gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. Some states, including Texas, considered bills that would’ve charged parents or doctors who provide transition care with a felony.

 

It may feel like all this doesn’t matter because it’s happening in the US and not in Canada. But it does matter because there is an entire community that needs to know it is supported.

 

When someone experiences feelings that their gender identity does not match the sex recorded at birth, the first course of action should be to support the person in exploring their gender identity and to provide mental health support, as needed.

 

This is especially important with children and teenagers. Studies have shown that allowing room for the person to explore their gender freely significantly lowers the cases of depression and rates of suicide attempts.

 

I’m sure you are asking yourself, “what does this have to do with today’s Gospel reading?”

 

Jesus and his three closest friends, Peter, John, and James went up into the mountains.

 

There Jesus transfigured before them. The appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Jesus transformed, changed.

 

Two other men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and spoke with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which was about to be brought to fulfilment at Jerusalem.

 

Jesus’ friends were so scared to be seeing all of this that they had no idea what to say or do, so Peter suggested they build three shelters, one for each of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.

 

While Peter was speaking, a great cloud covered them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

 

Suddenly, only Jesus stood with them. Moses and Elijah had disappeared, leaving his three friends to wonder what just happened and what it all meant.

 

The season of Epiphany is bookended by two different declarations from God about Jesus’ identity.

 

In the beginning chapters of Luke, Jesus is baptized, and a conversation takes place between him and God, where God says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” It’s not clear that anyone else sees the heavens slashed apart or the Holy Spirit diving into Jesus. But for Jesus, he knew that God had his back and would be there to support him.

 

The Transfiguration is a very different kind of a revealing, however. Jesus becomes a beacon, like a lighthouse planted in the middle of the desert. The heavenly voice addresses all the witnesses – Peter, James, and John – declaring, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” This time the message was for Jesus’ friends, so that they would know God was present and that God wants them to have Jesus’ back and be there to support him.

 

The story of the Transfiguration is Jesus’ coming out story.

 

Ok, so maybe not for his sexual orientation or gender identity, but it was a coming out story in his own was, his chance to be who he truly was, his chance to tell his friends who he really is.

 

This beautiful passage can be a source of hope for someone who is gay or lesbian or transgender or non-binary and is tired of living in hiding.

 

One of the greatest challenges a person of the LGBT* community has is having to come out to friends and family, sometimes over and over again depending on school, work, and life situations.

 

Anyone who is heterosexual or cisgender doesn’t have to tell people this is who they truly are; it is just assumed.

 

The struggle for anyone who is coming out or has come out about their sexuality or their gender identity is that they be seen and known for who they truly are, that they are loved for who they are, and that they are accepted for who they are.

 

It is fitting that Jesus takes his closest friends up onto that mountain, the ones he trusted the most out of the group of twelve. He takes them up the mountain to have a private conversation with them. It is at this moment that he reveals his deepest and closest-held secret about himself.

 

This passage from Luke has many resonances to my own coming out experience, choosing a select handful of people in the beginning with whom I trusted my story.

 

It has been my experience, that those who are just starting to come out of the closet, do so to their closest friends. It is almost like a test, to see how it feels to say the words out loud and to see what people think about it. It is also the hope that your closest friends will then become your fiercest allies.

 

For Jesus, it was important that his friends knew who he really was because not only was he needing to live as himself, but he was about to have some stuff happen to him where it was going to be important to have allies, people who would stand up for him during a time of duress.

 

One of the significant pieces of this story is God’s declaration of “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”.” Not only was God giving a public lecture to the disciples about how they need to be there for Jesus, but God was publicly declaring divine support for Jesus’ coming out as his true self.

 

While most won’t get such a grand exit from the closet as Jesus did, this passage is so beautiful because there is this moment where so many of us can read our queer experience into the text, and I think that is a really wonderful thing.

 

It is a moment of such great tenderness and vulnerability. When those of us in the queer community make the decision to come out to others, we become very vulnerable in that moment because we don’t know what the reaction of the person or people in front of us will be.

 

It is the same for Jesus in this passage. While he hopes that his friends will be accepting, there is that moment of vulnerability in his coming out as his true self.

 

Peter, John, and James have an understandable reaction. They are confused and not sure what to do with the information. And while they continue to walk with Jesus, which is really all we can hope for when we come out to our friends, they continue to walk with Jesus, and they question what it means and what it will do to their friendship.

 

No matter that they were confused by the whole situation, Jesus’ friends stood by him during his most vulnerable time. The declaration from God that “this is my Son, whom I love” is also important to take to heart because not everyone queer person who has a coming out, leaves the conversation with love and support. Many lose family and friends after coming out.

 

I pray that everyone who comes out with one of the many queer identities has someone, whether it is a parent, a friend, a priest, a teacher, someone who can say to them “you are loved, good, worthy, and righteous just the way you are” just as Peter, John, James, and God did for Jesus.

 

Still wondering what all this has to do with us?

 

Here is a quote I came across on Reddit this morning. It is from an Orthodox Rabbi, someone who believes the entire Torah, both written and oral, is the divinely inspired word of God and is therefore literally true and that society should have no influence.

 

Here is the quote:

 

“For those wondering why I, an Orthodox Rabbi, am outraged by the Texas trans law, aren’t I supposed to stand up for Torah Values? I don’t like it when kids kill themselves. [Period.]”

 

There is an entire community who is being told to hide their true self, or face hatred and persecution, and even death.

 

Jesus’ Transfiguration shows us the importance of living as one’s true self, and that God supports it wholeheartedly.

 

And so should we.

 

Amen.


Hymn of the Day – Christ, Be Our Light (ELW #715)

            Listen Here

 

Creed

Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say the Nicene Creed:

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

 

Prayers of Intercession

The Spirit of the Lord is poured out upon us in abundance; so we are bold to pray for the church, the world, and all that God has made.

 

Silence

 

Transform us by your greatness, O God. Send us down the mountain to share joy with all people. Make us agents of change, confident that your hope will vanquish despair and your goodness will conquer evil.

God of grace,

Hear our prayer.

 

The mountains and valleys sing your praise. Dazzle us with your presence in every landscape: bluffs built by ancient glaciers, canyons carved by flowing rivers, flat horizons with uninterrupted views, and sands shaped by ocean tides.

God of grace,

Hear our prayer.

 

You love justice and establish equity. Strengthen leaders of local governments, community non-profits, and grassroots campaigns. Bless them with gifts of integrity, creativity, and sound conscience. Build up safe and joyful communities where all people may thrive.

God of grace,

Hear our prayer.

 

Heal those who are in distress. Give patience to those waiting for answers. Grant hope to those who have reached the limits of treatment. Give compassionate hearts to those who accompany loved ones through illness and uncertainty.

God of grace,

Hear our prayer.

 

Today we shout alleluia from the mountaintop; this week we enter the wilderness of Lent. Bless all who prepare and lead us in worship during this change of season: pastors, deacons, musicians, and all who contribute to our worship life.

God of grace,

Hear our prayer.

 

Please take time to offer your own intercessions or pray in silence.

 

Blessed are they who listened to Christ’s voice in this life and now rest with him. Transform us from glory into glory, and give us your peace, that we do not lose heart.

God of grace,

Hear our prayer.

 

Since we have such great hope in your promises, O God, we lift these and all of our prayers to you in confidence and faith; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Amen.

 

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

 

Hymn of ThanksgivingBe Thou My Vision (ELW #793)

            Listen Here

 

**Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your offering to the church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry is still taking place.

 

Thanksgiving for the Word

Let us pray.

O God of justice and love, we give thanks to you that you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, awaken us to the needs of others, and at the end bring all the world to your feast; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever.

Amen.

 

Lord’s Prayer

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.


Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever. Amen.

 

Blessing

God, who leads you in pathways of righteousness, who rejoices over you, and who calls you by name, bless your going out and your coming in, today and forever.

Amen.

 

Sending Song – We Are Marching in the Light (ELW #866)

            Listen Here

 

Dismissal

Go with Christ into a weary world. Share the good news.

Thanks be to God.

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