LUKE 9:28-36 | NOT ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH

NOT ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH

LUKE 9:28-36

FEBRUARY 7, 2016

IF THIS WAS YOUR FAVORITE SITCOM, OR MAYBE TELEVISION DRAMA, OR RETROSPECTIVE MOVIE, THE DIRECTOR WOULD BE INTERSPERSING SCENES FROM THE FUTURE WITH SCENES FROM THE PRESENT.

THE ACTION WOULD GO FROM SHOWING JESUS ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION, THEN CUT TO JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.

IT WOULD SHOW HIM SIDE BY SIDE WITH MOSES AND ELIJAH HERE, THEN CUT TO HIM ALL ALONE, PRAYING IN THE GARDEN.

BOTH SCENES WOULD INCLUDE JESUS’ CLOSEST DISCIPLES – PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN; IN THE CURRENT SCENE THEY WOULD BE WIDE AWAKE, TAKING IT ALL IN; IN THE SCENE FROM THE FUTURE, THEY WOULD BE SOUND ASLEEP.

HERE PETER WOULD BE TELLING JESUS THAT IT IS GOOD TO BE ON THE MOUNTAINTOP, THAT THEY SHOULD ERECT SOME SHELTER, AND STAY;

FAST FORWARDING INTO THE FUTURE – JESUS WOULD BE TELLING PETER THAT HIS TIME HAD COME, AND THAT THEY MUST BE GOING, TO WHAT INEVITABLY WOULD BE HIS ARREST, AND THE EVENTS OF HOLY WEEK AND EASTER.

ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION, THE VOICE OF GOD SPEAKS FROM A CLOUD – “THIS IS MY SON, MY CHOSEN; LISTEN TO HIM!” AND IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE IT IS JESUS, THE SON, WHO IS SPEAKING, PRAYING: “FATHER, IF YOU ARE WILLING, REMOVE THIS CUP FROM ME; YET, NOT MY WILL BUT YOURS BE DONE.”

YOU SEE, THE TWO STORIES ARE VIRTUALLY THE SAME SCENES, WITH THE SAME CHARACTERS, WITH SIMILAR STORYLINES, BUT DIFFERENT OUTCOMES.

IN BOTH, JESUS KNEW THAT HE MUST MAKE KNOWN THE LOVE OF GOD, HIS DESIRE FOR THE WORLD TO DO THE SAME, AND THAT BELIEVING IN GOD IS MEANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES, AND IN HOW WE TREAT OTHERS.

IN BOTH SCENES, JESUS KNEW THERE WAS NO STAYING IN PLACE; NO REMAINING WHERE THEY WERE; NO STATIC, STATUS QUO; THEY MUST KEEP THE KINGDOM OF GOD MOVING FORWARD, EVEN IF IT MEANT DYING FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVED.

TODAY IS TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY, AND NEXT WEEK WE WILL BEGIN OUR LENTEN JOURNEY TOWARD ANOTHER EASTER;

SO FOR A MOMENT, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON JESUS, THE CENTER OF ATTENTION OF EVERYTHING WE WILL DO IN LENT AND EASTER, I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE DISCIPLES.

SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO FOCUS ON JESUS’ THREE CLOSEST DISCIPLES – PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN.

WHENEVER SOMETHING OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE HAPPENS, WHENEVER JESUS GOES OFF TO PRAY, WHENEVER JESUS’ MINISTRY IS ABOUT TO TAKE A NEW DIRECTION, THEY ARE THERE WITH HIM.

THEY ARE THREE OF THE FIRST FOUR DISCIPLES JESUS CALLS; THEY ARE WITH HIM HERE ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION;

IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE;

THEY STAND AT A DISTANCE, BUT ARE STILL THE CLOSEST OF HIS DISCIPLES IN THE EVENTS OF HIS ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION;

AND THEY ARE THE FIRST ONES THERE (AFTER THE WOMEN, OF COURSE) ON THAT FIRST EASTER MORNING.

BEING HIS CLOSEST DISCIPLES AND PRIVY TO THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS IN JESUS’ MINISTRY, WE KNOW THAT THEY SOMETIMES SHOW FLASHES OF BRILLIANCE AND FAITHFULNESS;

AND AT OTHER TIMES ARE JUST AS LACKING IN ATTENTION AND FAITH AS THE REST OF US.

HERE ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION, EVEN THOUGH THE GOSPEL OF LUKE TELLS US THAT THE THREE OF THEM WERE “WEIGHED DOWN WITH SLEEP” THEY REMAINED AWAKE, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, “THEY SAW JESUS’ GLORY AND MOSES AND ELIJAH STANDING WITH HIM.”

IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, HOWEVER, WHEN JESUS IS PRAYING SOME OF THE LAST AND HARDEST PRAYERS OF HIS EARTHLY LIFE, THEY ARE SOUND ASLEEP; JESUS CATCHING THEM AT IT SEVERAL TIMES, AND BEGGING THEM TO REMAIN AWAKE FOR HIM.

“ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH,” WE SAY.  “ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL.”

“ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH” COMES FROM 19^TH CENTURY AMERICAN RAILROADING, WHEN IT WAS THE TRAINMAN’S DUTY TO SWITCH CARS FROM ONE TRACK TO ANOTHER BY MEANS OF MANUALLY OPERATED LEVERS.

SHOULD HE FAIL TO DO SO, TRAINS COULD COLLIDE.

WITH THE ADVENT OF THE AUTOMOBILE THE SAYING GOT AN UPDATE TO “ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL” WHILE DRIVING WITH SIMILARLY DISASTROUS RESULTS IMPLIED.

WE KNOW THESE TERMS NOW REFER TO GENERALLY BEING INATTENTIVE, NOT DOING ONE’S JOB, TO ANY SORT OF LACK OF ALERTNESS.

AND IF WE WERE TO UPDATE THEM AGAIN TODAY, WE MIGHT TALK OF IT IN TERMS OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING, OR DISTRACTED DRIVING, OR THE NEED TO USE HANDS-FREE CALLING, IF WE HAVE TO CALL AT ALL WHILE DRIVING.

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE TELLS US THAT BY REMAINING AWAKE, PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN BEHELD THE GLORY OF JESUS, AND SAW MOSES AND ELIJAH STANDING WITH HIM;

AND LATER, IN THIS SAME GOSPEL, LUKE TELLS US HOW THE THREE OF THEM SLEPT, EVEN AS JESUS BEGGED THEM NOT TO, SO AS TO BE AVAILABLE TO HIM.

HOW MANY MOTHERS IN AN EFFORT TO ROUST THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF BED SAY TO THEM: “YOUR SLEEPING YOUR LIFE AWAY.”

HOW OFTEN HAVE WE HEARD IT SAID, WHEN SLEEPING LATE, “YOU’RE MISSING THE BEST PART OF THE DAY.”

“THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM,” PEOPLE SAY, WHICH AS SOMEONE HAS POINTED OUT, WORKS OUT REALLY WELL FOR THE EARLY BIRD, BUT NOT SO MUCH FOR THE EARLY WORM!

HOW OFTEN DO WE MISS SOMETHING IN LIFE – SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT – BECAUSE WE SLEEP WALK OUR WAY THROUGH LIFE?

HOW OFTEN DOES BEING “ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH” HAVE, IF NOT DEVASTATING EFFECTS, AT LEAST THE AFFECT OF OUR MISSING OUT ON IMPORTANT THINGS.

INATTENTIVE, UNAWARE, LACKING ALERTNESS, DISTRACTED BY MANY THINGS, HOW OFTEN DO WE MISS OUT ON THE MEANING OF LIFE, MAYBE EVEN THE GLORY OF GOD.

WHAT IF WE SPENT A FRACTION OF THE TIME WE SPEND ON FACEBOOK IN “THE BOOK”?  YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT ACTUALLY SEE THE FACE OF GOD.

INSTEAD OF “CRUSHING CANDIES,” FIGHTING OFF “ANGRY BIRDS,” “SIMMING” SOMETHING, OR “CRAFTING MINES” WE COULD ACTUALLY BE OUT IN THE WORLD ENJOYING SOMETHING, DOING SOMETHING, LEARNING SOMETHING, HELPING SOMEONE, INCLUDING OURSELVES.

THE STORY OF THE TRANSFIGURATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN JUXTAPOSED WITH THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, IS A CONTRAST IN OPPOSITES.

AWAKE/ASLEEP; LIGHT/DARKNESS; MOUNTAIN/VALLEY; STAYING/GOING; GOD SPEAKING TO JESUS AND THE OTHERS – “THIS IS MY SON, MY CHOSEN…”

AND IN THE GARDEN, JESUS SPEAKING WITH GOD, PRAYING, “NOT MY WILL, BUT THY WILL BE DONE.”

MY AIM HERE THIS MORNING IS NOT TO SET OUR FAITH UP AGAINST OUR LIVES; OUR BELIEFS AGAINST OUR ACTIVITIES; OUR RELIGION AGAINST OUR PRACTICES;

RATHER, IT IS SIMPLY TO ASK, “WHAT ARE WE MISSING?”  “WHAT’S MISSING IN OUR LIVES, FOR WHATEVER REASON(S), AND ARE WE WILLING TO CONTINUE TO SLEEPWALK OUR WAY THROUGH LIFE?

HOW MANY GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITIES ARE PASSING US BY BECAUSE WE ARE TOO BUSY WITH MANY THINGS?

HOW MANY CHANCES TO CATCH THE GLORY OF GOD ARE WE MISSING BECAUSE OUR HEADS ARE BURIED IN OUR PHONES, OUR GAMING SYSTEMS, OUR ONLINE PRESENCE?

HOW IS OUR VIRTUAL LIVING GETTING IN THE WAY OF OUR REALLY LIVING?

I SAID TO MY WIFE KAREN RECENTLY THAT I THINK THE SECRET TO LIFE IS BEING FRIENDS WITH OUR YOUNGEST DAUGHTER ASHLEY.

THE LIFE SHE LIVES; THE FRIENDS SHE HAS; THE THINGS SHE AND HER FRIENDS AND PEOPLE HER AGE ARE OUT THERE DOING;

YES, SHE’S ON FACEBOOK, AND SO ARE WE; BUT WHAT I’M REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS THE PICTURES SHE AND MANY OF HER FRIENDS POST.

IN THEM, THEY ARE CAMPING IN SOME OF THE MOST REMOTE PLACES IN THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD; MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS IN THE BACKGROUND, STILL WATERS IN THE FOREGROUND.

THERE ARE PICTURES OF YOUNG PEOPLE TOURING THE WORLD IN SOME OF THE BEST KNOWN AND MOST LOVED CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE;

FRIENDS ARE HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS, PLAYING WITH THEIR PETS, HIKING WITH THEIR DOGS, EATING IN FUN AND FASCINATING PLACES;

MANY OF THEM ARE WORKING, VOLUNTEERING, OR SERVING WITH SOME OF THE MOST DESTITUTE POPULATIONS IN SOME OF THE MOST IMPOVERISHED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.

THERE THEY ARE, STANDING ON THE PRECIPICES OF SOME OF THE WORLD’S HIGHEST PEAKS, WALKING ALONG DESERTED STRETCHES OF OCEAN, HIKING IN DEEP, VERDANT WOODS.

ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE JOYFULLY THROWING THEMSELVES INTO THEIR JOBS, JUST BEGINNING THEIR CAREERS, WITH ALL OF THE EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION OF PUTTING WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED INTO PRACTICE.

TO SAY THE LEAST – I HAVE FACEBOOK ENVY.

MY GUESS IS THAT MANY OF YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY AT TIMES WHEN YOU SEE WHAT THE REST OF THE WORLD IS OUT THERE DOING.

“ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH,” “SLEEPING OUR LIVES AWAY,” “WASTING TIME,” “MISSING OUT ON THE BEST PART(S) OF THE DAY,” IS NO WAY TO SPEND THE TIME GOD HAS GIVEN US ON THIS EARTH.

LIFE IS A GIFT AND THIS IS OUR TIME TO CHERISH IT.

MY GUESS IS THAT PETER WAS SO EXCITED BY WHAT HE HAD SEEN, BY WHAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION, BY FEELING MORE ALIVE THAN HE HAD EVER FELT BEFORE, THAT HE WANTED ALL OF THEM JUST TO STAY RIGHT THERE ON THAT MOUNTAINTOP.

AND HE WAS RIGHT TO FEEL THAT WAY; BUT JESUS KNEW THAT THERE WAS WORK TO BE DONE, STILL, AND THAT IT WASN’T GOING TO GET DONE UP THERE, ALONE, JUST THE HAND FULL OF THEM TOGETHER.

JESUS KNEW THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO THE VALLEY, TO THE REAL WORLD, TO EVERYDAY LIFE, IF MUCH OF ANYTHING WAS GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED;

AND IF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WAS EVER GOING TO ENTER THE WORLD.

IT’S NOT THAT JESUS WAS RIGHT AND PETER WAS WRONG;

IT’S THAT THEY WERE BOTH RIGHT, AND ARE RIGHT.

LIFE IS MADE UP OF ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, RESPONSIBILITIES, ENJOYMENTS, HEARTACHES, ADVENTURES, AND WORK TO BE DONE.

THE GREATEST SIN IS TO BE “ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH” AND MISS WHAT’S GOING ON BECAUSE WE ARE INATTENTIVE OR OTHERWISE DISTRACTED.

“NOW PETER AND HIS COMPANIONS WERE WEIGHED DOWN WITH SLEEP; BUT SINCE THEY HAD STAYED AWAKE, THEY SAW JESUS’ GLORY AND THE TWO MEN WHO STOOD WITH HIM.”

WAKE UP!!

NEVER LET IT BE SAID THAT WE ARE “SLEEPING OUR LIVES AWAY;”

THAT WE ARE “MISSING THE BEST PART OF THE DAY” (WHATEVER HOUR OF THE DAY IT IS);

THAT WE “FAILED TO REMAIN AWAKE EVEN FOR A LITTLE WHILE” AND MISSED THE GLORY OF GOD.

AUTHOR ANNIE DILLARD, IN HER BOOK, PILGRIM AT TINKER CREEK, WRITES:

“THE MOCKINGBIRD TOOK A SINGLE STEP INTO THE AIR AND DROPPED.

HIS WINGS WERE STILL FOLDED AGAINST HIS SIDES AS THOUGH HE WERE SINGING FROM A LIMB AND NOT FALLING, ACCELERATING THIRTY-TWO FEET PER SECOND, THROUGH EMPTY AIR.

JUST A BREATH BEFORE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN DASHED TO THE GROUND, HE UNFURLED HIS WINGS WITH EXACT, DELIBERATE CARE, REVEALING THE BROAD BARS OF WHITE, SPREAD HIS ELEGANT, WHITE-BANDED TAIL, AND SO FLOATED ONTO THE GRASS.

I HAD JUST ROUNDED A CORNER WHEN HIS INSOUCIANT STEP CAUGHT MY EYE; THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE IN SIGHT.

THE FACT OF HIS FREE FALL WAS LIKE THE OLD PHILOSOPHICAL CONUNDRUM ABOUT THE TREE THAT FALLS IN THE FOREST.

THE ANSWER MUST BE, I THINK, THAT BEAUTY AND GRACE ARE PERFORMED WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL OR SENSE THEM.

THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS TRY TO BE THERE.”