Mirrors 2 Corinthians 3:12 4: 2 February 10, 2013 (Transfiguration) Rev.

. Deborah Dail Denbigh Presbyterian Church 2 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 Gods 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 Gods word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. Sermon When I was growing up, my family lived in a ranch style house which had only one bathroom. But, somehow five of us my parents, my two brothers and I managed to all get ready for school, work and church. There were times when two or three of us would be gathered around the small sink over which the mirror hung. My dad was famous for saying as he gazed in the mirror patting his face with aftershave and
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combing his hair: I just didnt think it was possible I could get any better looking, but I think I have. I am a handsome devil! Every day we look in mirrors. We may have a favorable assessment of ourselves or a not-so-favorable response when we look in the mirror. Most of us look in the mirror and immediately think of something wed like to change unless youre like my dad. We might focus in on the zit or the wrinkle; the hair thats too curly or straight, thinning or non-existent. In a full-length mirror we take it all in and admire or disdain our shape our height, width, weight. Many of us gaze at the mirror and have some areas we would like to change. In fact we imagine our perfect look and image and sometimes even consider what we might do to get that look. We might even fantasize about a makeover. Journalist Diane Sawyer once interviewed Phyllis Porter on Good Morning America. Phyllis had undergone a 6-hour cosmetic surgery and many treatments to transfigure her body and face. She spent more than $25,000 for her makeover. When Diane Sawyer asked the 80-yearold Phyllis Porter about the wisdom of undergoing the extensive makeover at her age, Phyllis answered: What difference does it make if youre 2 or 82? There was no point in waiting until I got older and Im not getting any younger. (illustration from The Rev. John H. Pavelko The Barrell, crossroadspc.org/thebarrell; interview More Elderly Seeking Cosmetic Surgery). Clearly many are very interested in physical transformation. Some of us would be open to changing at least some of our physical features. But what about changing something deeper? What about spiritual transformation? What about, as Rev. John Pavelko has termed it, a spiritual makeover? Sometimes when we look in our spiritual mirrors, we see big mouths that open too often and speak unkind words, oversized ears that are eager to listen to gossip, deeply etched worry lines that reflect torment instead of peace, flabby arms that have spent too much time crossed over hardened hearts, piercing eyes that judge, smooth hands that have not labored or gotten dirty in service, noses that are bent out of shape at some past offense or stuck up in the air with pride and prejudice
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and slumped shoulders from the weight of shame and the burden of self-improvement. You and I might say, Well, were just too old to change. Im set in my ways. Ive tried. I cant seem to change. When I do its just baby steps. Sometimes its one step forward and two back. Im too told to change. But the truth is whether were 2 or 82 God can change us. God can transform us. God can transfigure us. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter, but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3: 4) Those words are from 2 Corinthians, where our New Testament lesson for today is found. In our lesson from 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul is writing to a church full of people who, like us, looked in the mirror, didnt always like what they saw and didnt know what to do about it. Paul is writing to a church full of people who, like us, also at times lacked self-awareness about their need for transformation. Paul was writing to people like us who had concluded that maybe being a Christian is just too hard. Paul contrasts the Law under which Gods people lived before Jesus and the New Covenant given in Jesus. He basically says that under the Law you looked in the mirror and saw yourself and all the ways you couldnt measure up. You tried to do your own makeover. With the New Covenant we look in the mirror and see reflected there the glory of God the presence of God -- Jesus. Yes, we see ourselves and our sin. But we see Jesus, too. We see the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror and are transformed into the same image the image of Jesus from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. Paul reminds us Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. We look in the mirror and see Jesus. We see his glory. He shines on us. We are transformed and made over. We are transformed into the image of Christ from one degree of glory to another. Then we shine. Paul reminds us that all this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
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Paul refers back to Moses. When Moses received the law from God, Moses face shone with the glory of God. But it faded when he wasnt in the very presence of God. Professor Carla Works comments: If the written code, which brought death, could transform Moses face for a time, it is certainly the case that the Holy Spirit -- which brings life -- will exceed that transformation. The Spirit is written not on stone tablets but on our hearts. (workingpreacher.org) Paul then says: Therefore, since it is by Gods mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. (4:1) Paul had lots of reasons to lose heart. He looked in the mirror and saw his own inadequacies. The people at Corinth and elsewhere at other churches sometimes criticized him and questioned what he was doing. He was also persecuted for his faith by those outside the church. But when he looked in the mirror he saw the glory of God he saw Jesus first and foremost. He knew he needed a makeover, but he knew God was doing it. God was transforming him from one degree of glory to another. He knew he didnt need a veil to hide from God, or hide any fading glory on his face. He knew the Spirit of the Lord made him shine and nothing anyone said or did could change that. So Paul didnt lose heart and neither should we. But we all know how hard it is not to lose heart. We all know that we are prone to line up our own plastic surgeon and to try all sorts of methods to improve ourselves after we look in the mirror. We all know how discouraging it can be to look in the mirror and only see ourselves. As believers in Christ we dont have to keep doing this to ourselves. We can look in the mirror and see Jesus who by his mercy is transforming us into his image. But is there nothing we need to do? I appreciate what Rev. John Pavelko says on this matter: Spiritual transformation requires a healthy balance of the active and passive. When Paul says . . . we are being transformed into the same image . . . he reminds us that Gods intended vision for our lives will be accomplished with or without our assistance. God will set events, guide us through experiences and even force us into situations to bring about our transformation. But Rev. Pavelko also reminds us of the story of Jesus being tempted in the
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wilderness for 40 days. He says that while Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit and he passively went Jesus actively resisted the devil and obeyed God. Pavelko argues that spiritual transformation requires both an active and passive posture. In a few moments we will sing Shine, Jesus, Shine. I would like for you to especially pay attention to the third verse: As we gaze on your kingly brightness, so our faces display YOUR likeness; ever changing from glory to glory, mirrored here may OUR lives tell YOUR story. Shine on me, Shine on me. As we stand at our mirrors, I pray we will first see Jesus and his light shining upon us. I pray that our faces would display the likeness of Jesus wherever we go. I pray that our lives may mirror and reflect Jesus and his story of love. I pray that we will not lose heart when we cannot see Gods work of transformation as quickly or completely as we had hoped in ourselves and in others for whom we are concerned. Parents, this is especially important for us to remember as we look at our kids and often fret over them. Dont lose heart. God is at work in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones and friends. God promises to be faithful in completing His good work begun in his children. Finally, I pray that as we look in our mirrors we might see ourselves as we are as children of God and say I didnt think it was possible for me to look any better, but I do. I sure am a beloved, blessed and forgiven devil. Friends, we are beloved. We are children of God. He is at work. Dont lose heart. Shine.