Worship
Service for March 2, 2025
Prelude
Announcements:
Call to Worship
P: Let the nations tremble.
L: The Lord reigns.
P: Let them praise God’s holy name.
L: The Lord reigns.
P: Let the peoples rejoice in awe and wonder.
L: The Lord reigns.
P: Let them shout in exultation!
Opening Hymn – Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty #210/482
Prayer of Confession
Lord, You call us to draw
near, yet we fail to hear Your voice. We
sleepwalk through life, ignoring the needs of people all around us and worrying
about our own desires. Forgive us: When we
shut out the call to climb into Your presence; when we make excuses to put off
that journey. Have mercy on us, O Lord,
as we silently open our hearts this morning and confess our sins. Hear our pleas, O God, and lift us to newness
of life. (Silent prayers
are offered) AMEN.
Assurance of Pardon
L: We worship a forgiving God, whose mercy is
never ending, whose heart abounds in steadfast love.
P: Because of the redemptive power of Jesus
Christ, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Thanks be to God! AMEN.
Gloria Patri
Affirmation of Faith/Apostles’
Creed
I believe in God the Father
Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under
Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the
third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on
the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge
the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the
resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN
Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s
Prayer
Lord, you are the
mighty one, You created light; You send Your light around the world. You sent Your son into the world of darkness
as the one true light, the light that brings hope to all. And yet we want to capture it like a firefly
and keep it to ourselves so that only we have the good feelings and experience. At the same time there are those who would
reject Your light, try to find any way imaginable to cover the light. But God, You told us to be the light of the
world and to let our light shine. And so
today as we pray, we want to let our light shine for others whose light may
have grown dim, or has almost gone out or yes even for those who are in the
dark. We want to shine the light of hope
to those who are discouraged, dejected, despondent, and disappointed. We want to shine Your light of love to those
who are our enemies, are hated, are bullies, abused, bullied, and disenfranchised. We want to shine Your light of grace to those
who have given up, don’t believe God loves them, and on those who don’t feel
wanted, who feel lonely and needy. We
want to shine Your light of faith, for those who are hungry to believe yet are
not sure, those who have struggled a long time with chronic illnesses, frustration,
anger and disbelief. Lord, we carry Your
light into this world for all to see what a glorious and wonderful God you are.
We pray for those whom
we love, our friends and our family.
This day we lift up to You….
Gracious God, hear the
cares and concerns that burden our hearts as we lift our deepest prayers up to
You in silence…
It is through the power
of the Holy Spirit and the words of our Lord Jesus Christ that we pray to You
saying together…Our Father who art in heaven.
Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive
us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and
the glory, forever. AMEN.
Hymn – Fairest
Lord Jesus #306/87
Scripture Reading(s):
First Scripture Reading – Psalm
99
Second Scripture Reading – Luke 9:28-36
Sermon
– Machu Picchu and the Transfiguration of
Christ
(A
Mountain-top Experience; based on Luke 9:26-38)
As you know Walter and
I went to Peru for vacation last week, but many of you probably don’t know why
we went there. I’ve always had a
fascination with ancient civilizations.
Years ago, we’d visited the Mayan and Aztec Ruins in Mexico and both of
us were interested in visiting the Inca Ruins in South America. One of those places, well-known to most of
the world, is the fascinating site of Machu Picchu in Peru, a settlement found
in the Andes Mountains – one of the longest mountain chains in the World.
When we had made the decision to visit
Peru last summer, I started scouring the internet for cheap flights and find
one from Pittsburgh to Lima for February of this year. Knowing that this was a GREAT DEAL, I
immediately booked the tickets. Unknown
to me at the time of booking those flights, February is the rainiest time of
the year in that part of Peru. In fact,
the Inca Trail – a famous hiking trail that goes from the Sacred Valley down
below Machu Picchu up the mountain is closed to everyone during the month of
February because it is too dangerous to hike. As our trip got closer and closer, I kept tabs
on the weather reports which forecast rain every day that we would be there. I watched YouTube videos of people who
visited Machu Picchu during this time period only to see that nearly every
video showed cloud covered mountains, people huddled under rain ponchos and
only close up views of the stone ruins.
Nothing that compared to the legendary landscape I’d wanted and waited
my whole life to see.
But,
we were determined to go and not let any of that keep us from going. We landed in Lima and took a tour bus down
the Western Coast of Peru driving through desert regions of the country. We used a company called PeruHop, a UK
company that had been in operation for the last 12 years in Peru. They were efficient, always punctual, very
personable, our guide Franco was incredible, and we got to see a lot during
those touring days. We saw the remnants
of the ancient civilizations of the Paracas, the Palpas, and the Nazcas. Each of those civilizations were pre-Inca, at
about 2500-3000 years ago and are known for their incredible lines in the
desert sand.
(The
first picture on the screen – powerpoint presentation – is from the Paracas – a
geoglyph carved into the hardened sand and is called The Candelabra. Although this geoglyph dates back 2500 years
ago, the purpose of why it was carved into the hillside remains a mystery.)
(Next
slide – the next picture on the screen is from the Palpas, another pre-Inca
civilization that is about 500 years older than the Paracas and is also carved
into the hardened sandy hillsides of the Peruvian desert region)
(And
finally, the more well-known geoglyphs in this area of Peru are the Nazca
Lines. These figures were carved into
the flat plains, rather than the hillsides of the Peruvian Desert and are
absolutely huge in scope and you can only really see them from the air.)
The
last two pictures I showed you are from the internet and not ones I took,
because, as we got closer and closer to The Sacred Valley, before leaving the
Peruvian Desert behind, we stopped at a town called Huacachina, an oasis in the
desert. The moment we arrived it began
to pour down rain and all of our excursions were cancelled for that day. Including our flight out to see those
geoglyphs of the Palpas and Nazca Lines.
The area hadn’t seen rain like that in over 12 years.
Due
to the rain, we were only able to see the Nazca Lines from an observatory
tower, which I did take pictures from.
But, it is really difficult to understand what you are seeing from those
photographs as you really need the height and distance of an airplane to catch
the visual of these geoglyphs. Again,
making it even more mysterious as to the purpose and even how these pictures
were created by a civilization that lived 3,000 years ago.
The
constant and heavy downpour of rain did not bode well for our continued trip to
Machu Picchu.
At Puno, a bit further south, we went
out on Lake Titicaca to the floating islands created by the Uros, a people that
fled the encroaching Incas by taking their reed boats out onto the lake.
(Change
slide)
Over
time, they built their houses on top of the boats to stay safe from the Incas,
then lashed their boats together to create a larger threat against the Incas,
until finally floating islands were created by heaping reeds that grow along
the shallows of the lake on top of the boats.
Now on those floating islands the reeds must be replaced every week as
the bottom reeds decay. And each island
is completely replenished every 25 years.
There are a total of about 120 of these islands either inhabited by a
small group of families or as large as a small town of 200-300 people on the
largest of these islands. They have been
living this way on Lake Titicaca for over 500 years.
We traveled overnight to Cusco, where
our local guide Hilbert met us. We spent
the day visiting a variety of Inca sites in the Sacred Valley.
(Change
Slide)
Here
is a site that was discovered in the Sacred Valley dedicated to agriculture and
the Incas’ experimentation on growing a variety of foods, including foods that
normally wouldn’t grow in this area, by using these types of tiered plantings
in the round to create a greenhouse effect.
We
visited a variety of other ancient Inca sites, then took a 2 hour car ride up
to Ollantaytambo, one of the highest towns in the area before taking another 2
hour train ride up to Aquas Calientes, the town closest to Machu Picchu. This whole time it rained – every day.
On
Saturday morning we woke up to a slight drizzle, boarded the bus that would
take us up to the entrance of Machu Picchu.
It was a 30-40 minute ride up the mountain making switchback turns every
100 ft or so. If you have a problem with
motion sickness, you should have taken your medicine and if you’ve never had
motion sickness before, you have it now.
Speaking of illnesses, Machu Picchu is so high up in the Andes that you
need to take medicine for Altitude Sickness as the air is much thinner. While Denver is known as the Mile High City
here in the US, Machu Picchu sits another 2-3,000 feet above that.
We
arrived at the entrance. I had been
taking my Altitude Assist medication, I had my hiking poles, I was decked out
in my rain gear, if necessary, but the morning proved to be relatively
sunny. And we started up. And when I talk about hiking up, I mean we
hiked up and up and up and up. Some of
the steps were relatively easy, while others were as tall as up to my knees. Which for a short person like myself, makes
climbing steps rather difficult. Where
the step climbing might have been easier for a taller person, what I found
easier was acclimating to the thinner air.
Peruvians are short – and I mean shorter than me, even. Taller people seemed to have much more
difficulty getting that little bit of oxygen that was in the air all the up to
their brains and out to their longer extremities.
As
we came up Circuit #2 on the backside of Machu Picchu and climbed the last set
of steps….there it was.
(Change
slides)
Just
a tad bit covered in clouds that quickly moved aside, revealing the ancient
Inca city in all its mystery and wonder.
(Change
slides)
I
had anticipated seeing absolutely nothing due to the cloudy and rainy forecast,
but instead we were greeted with an amazing view of the city.
Today’s
scripture passage (I am getting to it!) from Luke talks about Jesus taking
Peter, James and John and going to the top of a mountain. There his appearance changed and was
transfigured before them, shining in all his splendor, revealing his essence of
purity and light. As I looked out over
Machu Picchu I wondered about this story.
Maybe it wasn’t Jesus that changed that day on the top of the mountain,
transfiguring before them. Maybe it was
the disciples that changed instead. I
had expected to see nothing of the great and wonderful city of Machu Picchu
because of the forecast. I had expected
to see clouds and darkened skies. And if
all I saw had been clouds, that didn’t mean that Machu Picchu wasn’t there. I had hoped for glimpses of the spectacular
that I’d seen in picture books and on TV and there it was – Machu Picchu hadn’t
changed. In 500 years – The only
difference was – I could see it – right there, in person.
Jesus
had always been the same before his disciples.
What was different was – now they saw him – they saw the real him, the
light and essence of his being. Just
like I was seeing the true light and essence of this glorious city.
From
our passage in Luke, Peter immediately comes to the conclusion that their
purpose on this mountain was to build tabernacles for Moses, Elijah and Jesus. In the middle of saying this, a cloud
envelopes them and a voice out of the cloud and mist says, “This is my Son, my
Chosen, listen to him!”
At
Machu Picchu, as the clouds rolled in and out, I wondered; why am I here? I know why I came, but why am I really here? What is my purpose for being here? I thought of the voice that came out of the
cloud in Luke. “This is my Son, my
Chosen, listen to him!”
But
no voice spoke.
We
continued to climb down a bit and walked among the ruins of the city. The day remained clear. I thought, I wondered, I tried to grasp the
elusive. The wisps of mist floated among
the ruins.
Jesus
didn’t change on that mountain in Luke, Jesus was and is and always will be,
the only thing that changed was the disciples’ view of him, so if Jesus hasn’t
changed, what’s changed in me?
The
pandemic, which is now five years passed its onslaught, had been hard on all of
us in a variety of ways, including the church.
But, even before that, we’d been lamenting the exodus of so many church
members overall in the Christian faith, the closing of churches, the general
seeming lack of interest in church anymore.
Even I had grown weary of trying to come up with answers, programs,
ideas. What I realized just then at
Machu Picchu was that I had gotten distracted by what I thought was my purpose;
to innovate, to re-invigorate, to hold on to what was good, to build
tabernacles.
“This
is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!”
But,
what was Jesus telling me?
We
climbed down some more. Our guide spoke
of the mysteries yet to be uncovered by these ruins, the wonder of the Incas,
the spectacular advancement of their civilization. He pointed out the viewing circles for them
to map and understand the night sky, that helped them tell time. He wondered at the walls built by stone that
had to have been carried from a distance and yet laid, without mortar, next to
one another in exact perfection.
I
was haunted by the question, “What is your purpose?”
“This
is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!”
“Why
are you here?”
“This
is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!”
“What is your purpose? Why are you here?”
My
mind held so many questions and battles – of the past and the present, of
scripture and the ancient Incas.
I
wanted to shout; I don’t know why any of THIS is here. I don’t know why I’m here. Inside I wanted to shout at God, “I can’t hear
You. I can’t know You! I don’t even know
who I am anymore!”
We
climbed down. At the bottom of the stone
steps there was some exhilaration for having climbed up and back down – we made
it! It had been a beautiful day. But my mind still raced.
God
speaks to each of us in various ways.
Over the past week, I’ve been bombarded with the answers to my questions
on the top of Machu Picchu, perhaps in a similar way that what Jesus taught and
showed the disciples after the Transfiguration was made much clearer to them. On the plane ride home and nearly every day
since being home, I’ve gotten news articles and reports that re-establish for
me, my purpose. My purpose is to simply follow
where God leads, to preach the good news, to embrace those who are hurting, to
listen to those who have no one who’ll hear them, and in my small corner of the
world, to make it a better place to live not just for me, but for everyone
around me, to tell the world about the love of God in Christ Jesus.
One
of the articles that came to me since returning was the lead article in this
month’s newsletter.
(Read
it) From the New York Times
“When we frantically
look for the next big “fix” for our ministry, we assume that we are the driver
of innovation, that we are the ones who must unlock our creativity and
(perhaps) move fast and break things.
But this is not the gospel. Nor
is it healthy. It is, and always has
been, Christ who is the innovator, the one in whose body we are drawn into the
life of Father, Son, and Spirit. And it
is the Holy Spirit – who has been poured out on all flesh – who is actively
agitating, disturbing, creating God’s promised future. We innovate in ministry, then, by paying
attention to the Spirit by developing a healthy curiosity about the people whom
we serve and the place in which we are located, by developing intentional and
robust habits of listening where we are open even to disconfirming information,
by being a learner, and by rhythms of regular discernment in community.”
In
addition, I’ve read that current Barna and Pew research, independent of one
another, have both come to the conclusion that the great exodus of Christians
has slowed and perhaps has even stopped.
There are still 92% of adults who believe in some form of a higher
power, some form of religion.
So,
our job (our purpose) is to continue to be the beacon of light in our
community. To show others that they are
valued, respected and cared for. To show
them that we are Christians by our great love because God first loved us.
Thanks
be to God.
AMEN.
Offertory –
Doxology –
Prayer of Dedication –
Generous God, it is through Your mercy that we
have this ministry – the ministry of our talents and treasure, the ministry of
our passion and purpose. Strengthen our
hearts for Your service, and accept the grateful offerings we lay before
you. AMEN
Communion
Closing
Hymn – Just As I Am #370/488
Benediction –
Led by the
Spirit, go forth in God’s love.
Illumined by the Spirit, shine with Christ’s light. Go in peace.
AMEN.
Postlude
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