Peak Experiences - A Sermon from Last Epiphany 2025

Breathing prayer:

Inhale: Jesus, our light

Exhale: Show us who we are

Have you ever had a transformative experience that changed your life, and everything was different afterwards? I’ve had a few, but I think that becoming a parent for the first time is near the top of that list for me. The moment when you first see and hold your newborn child is filled with wonder, awe, humility, and a decent amount of terror. You only get to enjoy that precious and sublime sense for a short time though, because pretty soon you have to take that baby home. And then reality sets in – you now have to figure out how you are going to take care of this crying, eating, pooping little creature for the next 18 or so years. You might find yourself wanting to go back to that moment of newborn bliss!

Today’s gospel reading (Luke 9:28-43) is the story of another transformative moment, which happens in the life of Jesus but also in the lives of some of his followers. In the church we call this “the transfiguration”, and it’s a mystical story about the truth of Jesus’ identity being revealed on the top of a mountain. It’s the very last story in the season of Epiphany, which is the season where we reflect on just who exactly Jesus is. And it leads into Lent, which is a season where the focus shifts from who Jesus is to what he is called to do – confront the powers that be and be executed on a cross.

One thing that’s interesting to note in the story is that the disciples see Jesus differently as he starts to pray. Jesus doesn’t snap his fingers and become bathed in heavenly light – the disciples are just able to see him for who he really is as he allows himself to connect with the source, with the divine. I wonder what that could tell us about our own life and practice of prayer – maybe that it’s less about asking God for what we want or need, and more about getting in touch with who we really are, to the divine that is within all of us. A direct experience of connection with the Creator of the universe.

Those are the sorts of religious experiences, just like holding your newborn baby for the first time, that can be transformative. The problem is, we have a natural tendency to want to hold onto those experiences for the good feelings they provide – and then we end up chasing that same feeling all the time.

We see this in Peter, who wants to set up camp on the mountain and just hang out there for a while. And can you really blame him? When I go somewhere beautiful, I want to stay there. I don’t want to go back to mundane life with all its problems and stresses. I try to think of excuses to stay.

I think that we do this in the church as well. We come for comfort, for spiritual community, for safety. And those things are important. But if those things are ends in themselves, instead of ways of preparing us for the actual hard work of living out the gospel in our lives, then they will prevent us from becoming who we really are.

What is the most important part of a church service? You might think it’s the sermon, or maybe the Eucharist. But it’s actually the dismissal – the part where we say, “Go now in peace to love and serve” and then we go out and do those things. Where we take the risk that comes with being led right into the heart of the suffering of the world to be healers and agents of transformation.

That’s why the transfiguration story doesn’t end on the mountaintop, and why Peter doesn’t get to set up his tents. Because as followers of Jesus, they are called back down into the valley, where the oppressed and the demon-possessed are looking for some transformation to happen in real time. And in the story, Jesus’ followers aren’t able to provide that healing because they haven’t quite gotten it yet – they still haven’t figured out how to live into who they really are.

This is our first Sunday gathering as a church community here in downtown Oceanside. My hope is that this message will guide us as to the purpose of why we are gathering here in the first place, as we go forward into living out our call together. We’re here to pray together, sing together, celebrate together, encounter God together – but only so that we can go outside these doors and bring healing and transformation with us wherever we go. And especially into the places and to the people that no one else wants to see or touch.

I am so excited to be on this journey with all of you. I pray that this will be a safe place for you to explore your faith, to share your passions and gifts for the good of those who need them, and that we’ll walk together in the mountains and the valleys in the way of Christ’s love for all.

- Rev. Brian Petersen