Surfing is a sport that confounds
popular wisdom. Most outsiders can marvel at the beauty of the ocean and the
obvious joy that riding waves brings to the sport’s enthusiasts. But at the
same time, most outsiders view surfing as inherently too dangerous.
The most common question asked of
surfers: “Aren’t you afraid of getting attacked by a shark?” Most surfers laugh
at this question. Of course, no surfer desires to experience a shark bite. Most
surfers would prefer to not even see a shark! But the bottom line is this: Surfers
don’t worry about sharks because they are in the water to ride waves.
If you interview a few surfers, you
discover the secret of these aquatic daredevils. They will tell you that
catching their first wave was a life-changing event. From the moment they
caught their first wave, they were forever thereafter transformed. When catching
a wave, surfers have a mystical experience in which they become one with the
ocean. The board lifts up, the wind rushes past the ears, time stands still,
and the surfers feel as though they are flying. This initial experience keeps
every surfer coming back to the beach for more.
Our biblical text describes a
life-changing, paradigm-shifting, high-altitude encounter with the divine that
forever shaped Jesus’ disciples into world changers. It gives us a glimpse into
the future resurrection of Jesus. Christ’s followers remember this moment as
Transfiguration Sunday.
Our text follows on the heels of
Jesus’ sublime conversation with his disciples at Caesarea Phili
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