Exodus 34:29-35; Luke 9:28-36
vs. 28 "As Jesus was praying, the appearance of His face changed and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning."

eep in mind the story of Moses descending Mount Sinai and the transfiguration story of Jesus, as you listen to the following story.

There is a story told about Napoleon during the invasion of Russia. He somehow got separated from his men and was spotted by his enemies, the Russian Cossacks. They chased him through the winding streets. Running for his life Napoleon eventually ducked into a furrier’s shop. Gasping for air and talking at the same time he begged the shop keeper to save him. The furrier said, "Quick hide under this big pile of furs in the corner." Then the furrier made the pile even large by throwing more furs atop of Napoleon.

No sooner had he finished when the Russian Cossacks burst into the shop. "Where is he?" they demanded to know. The furrier denied knowing what they were talking about. Despite his protests the Russian Cossacks tore the shop apart trying to find Napoleon. They poked into the pile of furs with their swords but did not find him. The eventually gave up and left the shop.

After some time had past, Napoleon crept out from under the furs, unharmed. Shortly after Napoleon’s personal guards came into the store. Before Napoleon left, the furrier asked, "Excuse me for asking this question of such a great man, but what was it like to be under the furs, knowing that the next moment could surely be your last?

Napoleon became indignant. "How dare you ask such a question of the Emperor Napoleon?" Immediately he ordered his guards to blindfold the furrier and execute him.

The furrier was dragged out of the shop, blindfolded and placed against the wall of the shop. The furrier could see nothing but he could hear the guards shuffling into a line and preparing their rifles. Then he heard Napoleon call out, "Ready!" In that moment a feeling the shop keeper could not describe welled up with him. Tears poured down his cheeks. "Aim!"

Suddenly the blindfold was stripped from his eyes. Seeing nothing but Napoleon’s face he heard Napoleon say, "Now you know the answer to your question."

Is it possible for us to see the radiant presence of God as Aaron and the Israelites did in Moses? Is it possible to know the fullness of God’s glory as Peter, James and John did in the transfiguration of Jesus?

Chances are you have had moment or two in your life which you wished would not end or at least last a little longer. Maybe it was a vacation, a wedding, some kind of experience which would keep you from returning to the struggles of every day life. So to some extent you can relate to this story. Who here this morning can say, "I know exactly what this morning scripture is talking about."

"As Jesus was praying, the appearance of His face changed and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning."

Any attempt on my part this morning to describe what Aaron and the Israelites must have seen when they looked at Moses; or to describe what Peter, James and John witnessed on the Mount of Transfiguration will be insufficient. It would be like Napoleon trying to answer the furriers question with words instead of the way he did.

There are some events in life you can not describe unless you experienced them for yourself. If you have never sat by the bedside of your son whose body is motionless because he has broken his neck in a swimming accident; if you have never sat at the bedside of parent whose mind is being destroyed by Alzheimer's or whose body is being eaten away by cancer; if you have never buried a child before she or he was old enough to ride a bicycle, then you cannot begin to know what it feels like.

However, just because I cannot do justice to this morning’s scripture stories, does not mean that you and I cannot see what Aaron saw. It does not mean that you and I cannot experience what Peter, James and John experienced. To say otherwise would be to imply that God does not reveal himself to today’s world.

Moses’ face was radiant, why? Because he spent time with God. Is that why you came to church this morning? To spend time with God? Have you come here hoping that I will have you out of here by 11 a.m. or hoping to experience to what Peter experienced and desiring to just stay here?

Do people know that you come here to church, because they saw you here, or because you told them, or because the radiance of God’s presence is evident in your face, in your attitude, in your life? What is your desire this morning: to be transformed according to the word of God; to have you fears changed into courage; to have your anxieties transformed into perfect peace; to have you weakness transformed into strength; to have your grudges transformed into forgiveness?

"As Jesus was praying, the appearance of His face changed and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning."

Your face may not change. Your clothes may not become as bright as a flash of lightning. Moses and Elijah may not be flanking you. The voice of God may not come booming out of the heavens, however the evidence that you have been with God either through worship or prayer or reading of the Bible should be visible. It is time to unveil our faith or relationship with God.

What Moses and Jesus experienced was not just for their sake and benefit but for Aaron’s and the Israelites, for Peter, James and John. Our experiences with God are not just for our well being but for the good of others. You and I are called to be the light of the world and to the world.

What that means is that you and I are in position to minister in a special way to people. God is able to use your past experiences painful or joyful to help others in a way no else can. If you have raised a child as single parent, if you have suffered the death of a young child, if you have recovered from an addiction, if you have faced the fears of an uncertain future. You are able to minister. Remember what Paul said to the church of Corinth.

The time is now to unveil the radiance of God in your life.

amen