Should I Stay or Should I Go
Sermon for the Sunday before Lent – 2 March 2025 – St Mary’s, Playford
Text: ‘A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’ 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone.’ (Luke 9v35-36)
God give you peace my Sisters and Brothers.
First a word from Wembley
The problem with the Transfiguration is where does it fit in on our journey of faith? It has a message for so many different parts of the church year. We keep the Feast of the Transfiguration (more or less) between Easter and Ascension when Jesus departs into heaven. Some say it fits in at Advent with its emphasis on a coming Redeemer who will fulfil the Law and the Prophets, and today we have it at the beginning of Lent as Christ turns towards Jerusalem and his exodus – a very deliberate choice of word by Luke – which will occur on Calvary.
It is also a case of ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’. Jesus looking for strength to go down from the mountaintop to climb the hill of Golgotha whilst the Disciples would much rather pitch some marquees and gaze on the glory of God for a while longer. What’s it all about?
It is a story that requires careful unpacking, Luke does warn us at the beginning of his Gospel that he is writing ‘an orderly account’ and it is chock full of symbolism and meaning so it may help if you had the passage open in your pew bible for the next bit of the sermon.
Eyes down and look-in for a Full House…
About eight days: In the Bible numbers are important so when a fixed number is given there is a reason. After all Luke could have said ‘a week later’ or ‘about a week later’ but instead he chooses ‘about eight days’. Why? Because the eighth day of the week is the first day of the new week. The new creation flowing from the New Covenant Jesus brings re-starts the clock and preludes a new hope for all.
Went up onto a mountain: If a mountain is around then God is close by. Everything significant in the Scriptures on a mountain. Be it the towering Mount Ararat were Noah’s Ark finally rested, Mount Sinai where the Ten Commandments were given, Tabor – the mountain on which scholars think the Transfiguration occurred, and the mountain at the end or the beginning of our journey, Calvary.
His face changed: Shining faces in the Bible do not happen to everyone. They are proof that either you have been gazing on the face of God, or that you are God. Something which Peter had twigged when he proclaimed Jesus to be God’s Messiah earlier in the same chapter of Luke
Moses and Elijah: This double act from the Old Testament reminds new Christians with a Jewish heritage that Jesus is their successor and also reminds Christians with a Gentile heritage that Jesus taught them that the Old Testament could not be discounted.
They spoke about his departure: This is the ‘Should I Go’ part of our story. Moses in his exodus led the children of Israel across the Red Sea from slavery to freedom. Elijah made his exodus from this world in a whirlwind accompanied by a chariot of fire. The exodus of Jesus was much deeper and world encompassing as he dies, rises, and then ascends to glory promising the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Let us put up three shelters: Peter plays the ‘Should I Stay’ part of our theme. He knows something big is happening and, rather than going towards Jerusalem with Jesus, and we all know how he coped with Good Friday, he seeks some sort of safe holy huddle where everything was fine and safe and you don’t have to go down into, literally, the valley of the shadow of death.
A cloud appeared and covered them: A deeper reference to the presence of God. The cloud on Mt Sinai hid the presence of God. The pillar of cloud that led the Children of Israel through the Wilderness and then filled the Holy of Holies in the Temple was the presence of God. When you enter the cloud you were next to God. Fear descended on them because they all knew that ‘No one can see God and live.’
This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’ No doubt left. The words spoken at the Baptism in the Jordan are repeated and now have a command is added to them for us to obey regardless of our fear of God’s presence in the cloud at the Transfiguration or the darkness that awaits as we travel with our Beloved Redeemer whose face is set on the road towards dark Gethsemane.
They found that Jesus was alone. This is the key part of the story, the pinnacle of the mountain if you will. The disciples (and us) are to leave behind all the noise of those around them, all the anger and envy of the Scribes and the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Herodians and focus on Jesus alone. If ever there was a message to us in the mess of today’s world this may well be it! There is so much greed and envy going around the world today and people are dying because of the hubris of those who already have more than they need. If ever we need a time to stand apart. A time to lay things down. A time to give up the things of this world. A time to take Lent seriously. A time to ‘Turn our eyes Upon Jesus’, now is that time!
(Online readers may like to check this week’s words from Nadia Bolz-Weber)
And that is where I’m going to stop today’s sermon, or was it a Bible Study? Luke has much more to say in this passage which will be good to return to at another time – not least of which is why the disciples kept this to themselves.
Our task now is to choose to not stay where we are comfortable alongside Jesus, Moses and Elijah but to leave the mountain and go and meet the world in the valley below. We are not called to live in some sort of Holy Huddle protected from all the woes of this wicked world but instead journey with Jesus to Gethsemane, to Calvary, and to the hope brought with the Empty Tomb of Easter Day.
‘Should I Stay or Should I Go?’ We are called to fix our eyes on the One who is the author and perfecter of our faith and follow where’re we are called.
My all-time favourite Gospel Singer Amy Grant says it all. So I’ll end with her song ‘Mountain Top’
[This blog ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ is copyright © Andrew Dotchin 2025 and may be reproduced without charge on condition that the source is acknowledged.]
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The Transfiguration
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,[a] which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ (He did not know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’ 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. (Luke 9v28-36)
[a] Luke 9v3: Greek exodos
Suffolk Vicar 