We have situations in our lives that trigger such a positive and joyous, even emotional response, deep in our souls, that we describe them as peak experiences.

(3 scenes take place:  a man share his life's passion, a liturgical dancer performs to Pie Jesu, and a mother nurtures a baby.)

What happens when we have these holy moments in our lives, those mountain-top experiences that make us feel at one with life-and the universe!  Carl Jung says that experience is the essence of religion and cannot be disputed: "Religious experience is absolute." Oh, some might say they've never had an experience of God, but too many of us do know of those "God-things," or "God-incidences,"--those transcendent times when we seem pulled out of our normal selves.   If we haven't had such experiences ourselves, we've still heard of those from our friends. if we've listened. Perhaps we need to just become more comfortable with those kinds of experiences.  Emily Dickinson once said, "The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience."

The Christian author Philip Yancey has written a book "Rumors of Another World," where he asks, "What on Earth Are We Missing?" Is the visible world around us all there is?  Is faith in an unseen world wishful thinking, he asks?  Yancey  goes on to say , "A thin membrane of belief separates the natural from the supernatural.  We experience the highest realities through the lowest, and we must learn to pay attention to notice the difference."

I would submit that maybe the extraordinary is simply buried within the ordinary.

It's easy for us to look as far back as the medieval period for women mystics and the experiences they've shared, strong Christian women such as Marguerite Porete, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, Hildegard of Bingen, and so many more.    These women have only recently been dramatically rediscovered for the perspective they can lend us.  Hildegard, for example, began her Book of Divine Works, the last volume of her great theological trilogy, when she was 65 and feeling every bit of it, having come close to death more than once, confronted with excruciating pain, migraines and a fever.   Yet Hildegard, in the 12th century, is more than awestruck at the amazing nature of God, and the relationship God has with us as humans.  She calls us over and over to marvel, to be "singing mirrors," as she reflects that  "Humankind is the signature work of God and a light that is kindled by him."

Do we see that light when it enters our lives?  Where would each of us have been if we had been a part of the Transfiguration story that is our scripture for today?   Would we, as modern-day disciples, have followed Jesus up that mountain, as did Peter, James, and John? It's not the first time those three have been singled out to be with Jesus. And yet, while we' re told that Jesus went up that mountain to pray, our reading leads us to believe that Peter, James, and John just watched-or--was what happened next to be such an important part of their training as disciples, that that's what was meant to be?

For what the disciples saw at that time was the most amazing thing.  In the midst of Jesus' praying, his face changed in appearance, and even his clothes became "dazzling white."  Jesus literally glowed with the love of God that was revealed through him, as he, in turn, went to God with the great love of his prayer.

Friends, how do we even know what to think of such a happening?   For at this point, we are touching upon the miraculous, the mysterious and awesome nature of Jesus' divinity, in a way that we have not heard much of before this time.  Jesus' was not to be like this until the resurrection time, we expected-since we now know the rest of the story.    Is this a clear message of what was to come, for these disciples?  Well, there is still more to the story as our scene gets even more mysterious.  Moses and Elijah-the law and the prophet--appear "in glory"  to speak of Jesus' departure.  The disciples saw this when a mysterious cloud came to settle over them,  with a voice that clarified everything,  "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" There's no question as to with whom they are dealing-and of the power of prayer and of God's great love.   Yet there's one more part to our sequence.

The scripture goes on to tell of the healing that Jesus did the next day. It's a story that is not always included when the Transfiguration is discussed, yet one that I believe is a critical message to Jesus' disciples and to all of us.   If we examine the story of Jesus' transfiguration, with that healing story that follows, we realize that a life of passion and love in Christ is fulfilled by living the gospel message of a life in action.  As Jesus was transfigured, we too are to become transformed-new people in Christ-that we might go out to serve in this world that is so much in need of care and healing.   As for the disciples, Jesus is the model for all of us.  We are now like the hiker in the woods who has climbed a tree to get a clear view of what's coming.  Our faithfulness comes from following Jesus to the cross.   So where do we start?

There are two things we can do beginning today and through the days ahead. First, go see the movie, "The Passion of Christ" when it arrives in our local theaters this week.  There has probably not been a more graphic and moving presentation of Jesus' death and resurrection, those most important events in human history.  No claim is made that this is an easy film to watch.  True to the gospel message, it is gruesome, bloody, violent-and holy.  Be prepared for that.   It will be tough.  It might even drive you to pray!  Learn what Jesus did for all of us.  See how much God loves us. We need to take that resurrection story to heart in our lives, for when Jesus was illuminated in our scripture of today, that reality was revealed. And besides that, this film shares the gifts and insight of Mel Gibson, who put not only his money, but his heart and soul-and his faith--into the creation of it.

Secondly, we need to let our scripture today and what it reveals to us lead us to choose to live out the lives of purpose that God would have for each of us.   Sign up today to take 40 DAYS OF PURPOSE, the Lenten study of the Purpose-Driven Life, for the life-changing difference it can make in your life.   It's jam-packed with relevant scriptures with an astounding message designed to make transformation an ongoing process in your life, and absolutely no previous Bible study or class is necessary to enroll.

Now, you know that it is not my usual custom-or the practice of any of us-to push a particular program in worship.  For this church has much to offer, and that information is generally shared through our brief announcements and the Preview, Reminder, special fliers and other.  It is because of my belief in the intrinsic value of this program for all of our lives that I step aside from tradition to emphasize this program of paramount importance.  40 DAYS OF PURPOSE is the gospel message of the transfiguration for our life. It is my passion and purpose to assist you in becoming a part of it!  If you feel you're being pushed, it's a God-thing!

There are clipboards with signup sheets on them throughout the church, and the course is offered at different times throughout the week, starting on different days and times, so classes should be manageable for everyone.  As classes fill up, we will start more of them, so sign up today, as soon as we break from this service.  Sara's PRACTICING YOUR FAITH is an alternative approach, but choose to make the transfiguration story an every day reality in your life.  You can phone the church office and just leave a message, if that's easier.  But don't forget!

It's difficult to predict the value this 6 week study can have for each person here-and for this church community.  How can we see all the possibilities of the coming Kingdom?   I can tell you of one mega-church in Illinois that gave the book to everyone that attended their Christmas Eve worship services, because they believed so much in the importance of this study.  The largest church in United Methodism is likewise making heavy use of it.     We will make the books available at no charge for anyone who does not wish to pay for one.

But we each need to put ourselves in the middle of a process that will allow for transformation in us, wherever we are on our spiritual journey, that we might have the light of Christ shine through us as we answer that deeply relevant and intensely personal question, "What on earth am I here for?"

Rick Warren tells the story of Andrei Bitov, a Russian novelist who grew up under an atheistic communist regime.  One day, at 27 years old, "while riding the metro in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), he was overcome with a great despair, so bad that life seemed to stop at once, preempting the future entirely, let alone any meaning.  Suddenly, all by itself, a phrase appeared:  Without God life makes no sense.   Repeating it in astonishment, I rode the phrase up like a moving staircase, got out of the metro and walked into God's light."  Friends, if you crave excitement and joy in your life, this is it!

As we determine our purpose, Jesus' peak experience becomes our peak experience, which then becomes that peak performance of living a life of faith in action.  The promise is  "Knowing God's purpose for creating you will reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions, give meaning to your life, and, most important, prepare you for eternity."  Peak Performance is God's best from us.

Can you imagine what this church will become, if we all do this together? Can you imagine what we might do as a church in this world?   A world too full of blackness can be turned to shine and radiate that great beauty of God's love-a world transformed into a magnificent City of God, aflame with the glow of God's brilliance.   We cannot just stop after our peak experience!  We must become people of Peak Performance and let our whole life become a prayer.  

To God be the glory!  Amen.