Finiteness: life defined by limitations
Eternity: life defined beyond limitations
Today’s scripture readings are biblical lessons about the intersection of finiteness and eternity. The first biblical lesson is told from the perspective of finiteness, life defined by limitations after Moses encountered God on Mount Sinai in Exodus 34:29-35. The second scripture reading is told from the perspective of eternity, life defined beyond limitations after Peter, James, and John encountered Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration in Luke 9:28-36.
Finiteness: life defined by limitations. Moses’ encounter with God on Mount Sinai was defined by limitations. The sight of Moses’ glowing face is such an unexpected sight that Exodus 34:30 reports that “when Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him” as their lives were defined by the limitations of their fear.
Why were they afraid of the light that shone from Moses’ face? Perhaps it was because they had never seen anything like this before in their lives. Perhaps it was because they could not comprehend the sight of Moses’ face that was glowing from his encounter with the eternal God. Perhaps the reason they were afraid to come near Moses was that they were afraid of life that could be defined beyond limitations.
As we read this account of Moses’ shining face, it is important to remember that the story is not only about how Aaron and the other Israelites responded to the light of God that was reflected through Moses’ face. It is also the story of how Moses responded to the light of God that shone through his face. Today’s scripture reading from Exodus reports that Moses put a veil over his face so the Israelites would know when he was speaking on behalf of himself. In turn, after meeting with God, Moses would remove the veil so the Israelites would see his face glowing and know he was speaking on behalf of God. In II Corinthians 3:13, the apostle Paul reports that Moses “put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.”
Whether the story of the light of God shining on Moses’ face is told from the perspective of Exodus or the perspective of II Corinthians, the reality is that the story of the light of God’s glory that shone through Moses’ face is a story about life being defined by limitations as Moses places the veil over his face.
Rev. Charles Swindoll tells a story about his family reunions at his grandfather’s bay cottage near the Gulf in deep south Texas. Since the crowds were large, the family would hire the same man to help with the cooking His name was Coats. Swindoll says that Coats’ quick smile and comments are a lasting memory. Swindoll reports that one of those lasting memories occurred when he was standing near Coats one evening at sunset, watching him smear the sauce on chunks of beef cooking slowly over a pit of coals. Coats was telling Swindoll about his life which had been etched with trouble and tragedy. Swindoll reports that as Coats shared about his life, he knelt down and said, “Little Charles – the hardest thing about life is that it’s so daily.”
Finiteness: life defined by limitations
Eternity: life defined beyond limitations
Today’s scripture reading from Luke 9:28-36 is a biblical lesson told through the perspective of eternity. It is a story of how life can be defined beyond limitations as Peter, James, and John see Jesus beyond the daily living of their lives through the light of eternity. In this story about Jesus’ transfiguration, Luke tells of how, like Moses, the appearance of Jesus’ face changed as his clothes became dazzling white as finiteness and eternity intersected. It is in this transformation of finiteness that the three disciples experience the light of eternity as they see Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus.
In the reality of this eternal moment, Peter tells Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Responding to Peter’s finite suggestion, the voice of the God of eternity is heard as God states, “This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him.”
All of us have times in our lives when we hear the voice of God speaking to us as the eternal intersects with the finite. All of us have times when life takes on new meaning as we experience the eternal God in our daily living. All of us have times when we hear God’s voice even if just for a passing moment.
Today is Transfiguration Sunday. It is the day when we hear God’s voice, even if just for a passing moment, as we see Jesus in the vision of eternity and of life beyond limitation.
Today is Transfiguration Sunday. It is the Sunday that precedes the season of Lent that begins on Ash Wednesday when we confess that we are finite persons who live with eternal faith in Jesus. Today is the Sunday in the church year when we consider what it means for Jesus to define the finiteness of life as he begins the journey to the cross.
Today is Transfiguration Sunday. It is the day we hear God’s voice as we listen to Jesus, the day when our daily living is transformed by the vision of eternity.
Several years ago, there was a fellow United Methodist pastor who died after an extended illness. He was struck down in the prime years of his life – a tragic testimony to the finiteness of life. He spent the last days of his life on this earth at the parsonage surrounded and comforted by family and friends and eternal faith in Jesus Christ.
His wife, in recounting the last hours of her husband’s life shared this message.
My husband and I never knew the joy of a child being born. I always wondered what it would be like to experience the joy that parents talked about at the birth of their child. Now, I know. In the last few hours of my husband’s life, I saw him being born. Not into this life, but into heaven. It is a joy to see a soul being born into the presence of God.
Finiteness: life defined by limitations
Eternity: life defined beyond limitations
On this Transfiguration Sunday, how is your life being defined?
Finiteness and Eternity
by Pastor Marc Brown
February 27, 2022
Accompanying Scriptures: Exodus 34:29-35
Fort Hill United Methodist Church
Order of Worship for February 27, 2021
Scripture Lesson Exodus 34:29-35 & Luke 9:28-36
The Good News “Finiteness and Eternity”
Music “Shine Jesus Shine” by Graham Kendrick
Prayer
Blessing
Closing Music “At the Rising of the Sun” by David Paxton
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