When You See the Elders by Rev. April G. Johnson

And then they were gone.  Like Elijah for Elisha, leaving his mantle on the banks of the Jordan.  Like Jesus for Peter, leaving his cup of salvation and the courage to drink from it for Peter.  Like Martin for a nation, having left an awakened social and economic conscious of justice. . .and then, just like that, they were gone. 

I got the news on Facebook.  While on the phone with one colleague another beeped in.  “April, is Billye really gone?” she asked.  “You know what’s her name posted R.I.P. Billye on Facebook and well I just really need to confirm.”   I had to confirm the sad news.  When I hung up the phone, I heard myself asking, ‘why did she leave?  My prayer had been all week for her to have the will to live.  Why didn’t she stay?  Like Peter on the mount of transfiguration, I needed you. . .I mean I wanted you to tabernacle, to tarry, to stay with us a while longer.  

I had to confront my own dis-ease with my earlier resolve that I do not get to pray for her will to live.  You see, that prayer is founded in my own selfish desire that she make choices I think she should make.  Doesn’t everybody want what I want?  Quite honestly, if people would just listen to me . . .well we all know where that thought is going.  Just minutes earlier, I was listening to the haunting Negro spiritual “Hush, Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name.” 

The lyrics of that song are:

Hush, hush somebody’s calling my name (3x).

Oh my Lord, Oh my Lord what shall I do, what shall I do?  
Sounds like Jesus, somebody’s calling my name. (3x)

Oh my Lord what shall I do, Oh my Lord, what shall I do?

In the tradition of the Negro spiritual this song was a double entendre.  The slave masters assumed it was a work song.  If the master or the overseer took any note of the lyrics toward any effort to interpret them they likely understood it to mean that they were singing about Jesus calling them to the great by and by and this trouble won’t last always.  There would be happiness on the other side in heaven.  Well, if that would have been the case, then the slave holders would not have been too far from the truth.  As many of us now know, the Negro spiritual is the original music of the freedom movement.  These were songs whose titles and lyrics signaled the path toward freedom.  Hush, hush somebody’s calling my name signaled to the runaway slave and the conductors on the Underground Railroad to lay low.  It meant the bounty hunters or the slave master was on the move near and about the path of runaway.  Later these lyrics also added the words, the death angel is knocking at my door, oh my Lord, oh my Lord what shall I do, for those times when a person was on death watch or was dying. 

Therefore, it occurred to me in that moment while listening to Della Reese belt out that song that I should pray not my will for her Lord, God.  I needn’t pray that she accept the choice I believe I would have made given the circumstances and my understanding.  No, I will simply hush, while you call her name. 

This Sunday is the last Sunday in the liturgical season of Epiphany.  Ash Wednesday, our commemoration of the journey to the cross begins in three days.  Many of us when we look to the cross we see the crucifixion.  We see pain and death.  In John’s gospel however, Jesus tells his disciples and reminds us today that in this world there will be trouble, see (behold!) He has overcome the world.  Acknowledging that trouble is a known aspect of life’s journey, the Christian journey is no less immune.  I propose that the journey to the cross is less about pain and suffering than it is about getting serious about mission and ministry. 

In our gospel lesson this morning, we are dropped into a meeting of the Elders with Jesus.  Peter, James and John are led by Jesus up a “high” mountain where once there they witness a great light enveloping Jesus along with the elders Moses and Elijah.  Peter asks out of nervous chatter and need to helpful and heard “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here, let us make three dwellings (tabernacles) one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  Who doesn’t just love impetuous Peter!  Then a cloud engulfs them and out of the cloud a voice.  “This is my Son, My Beloved, Listen to him!”  And then they were gone.  The Elders were suddenly gone.  As quickly as they appeared, it would seem even more quickly they were gone.

What do you do when you see the Elders? I want to share three observations I garnered from the text in my effort to answer that question.

First, they recognized the Elders.  It is said that the test of a true prophet was their answer to the question ‘have you seen Elijah’.  I am not sure that an affirmative response is not all that was required.  What is the proof that a prophet as seen Elijah.  Elisha as we heard earlier at least had his mantle, a physical representation of Elijah’s passing the mission forward to Elisha.  More important, I believe Elisha had the works of Elijah.  This world is not looking to see Elijah as these three disciples were able to do on top of that mountain.  Today, we are looking for the works of Elijah.  Have you had an epiphany moment with regard to addressing a sick economy by helping the widows take what is in their cupboard and turning it into industry and food like Elijah with the widow?   So they recognized Elijah and the recognized Moses even without live streaming and a FB profile.  Who are the elders you recognize and what do you do because of their faithful witness?

Secondly, no one speaks to the three disciples in the story except God.  Is it me or does anyone respond to Peter’s question to make tents and stay there on the mountain top?  Here me now, we have the privilege of perspective and we now know, when we’ve been to the mountain top much will be expected when we emerge.  So I saw the mountain speech of Martin King this week at the Civil Rights museum in Memphis.  I have been there at least five times.  This time, I say the video clip of the speech at the Masonic Temple the night before his assassination and I saw something I never say before.  You could say I had an epiphany.  If you look closely, Dr. King when he says the famous words “We’ve got some difficult days ahead.  But it really doesn’t matter to me now because I’ve been to mountain top.”  His facial expression and body language clearly indicated his resolve that he knew he would be a sacrificial lamb for social justice movement.  And then he was gone but his mantle remains! 

Lastly, God said Listen, the prophet says keep silent.  So God says, This is my Son, my Beloved.  Listen to Him!  He says as they are leaving the mountain, keep silent. 

Here we see three disciples who have the privilege to attend this manifestation of Jesus’ divinity.  They are at the very least witnesses to the magnificent visit of the prophets of old (the elders).  Moses and Elijah were taken up by God.  Their burial sites if at all are unknown to humanity and here they stand with Jesus on this mountain top.  Commentators say this about their presence and their witness.  “Although the healing before and after the transfiguration here indicate Jesus’ divine power, this group of disciples do not demonstrate exceptional insight or fidelity.”  This is funny and true!  Jesus took disciples who are much like you and me up to the mount of transfiguration.  He allowed the arrogant, the impetuous and the timid to experience an epiphany to prepare for the mission and their ministry.  Basically after all they have seen and even now in the presence of the Elders they remain ignorant and clueless to Jesus’ references to his impending suffering and death. 

I had the pleasure to meet one the remaining elders from the Civil Rights movement that worked with Dr. King.  His name is Dr. Virgil Woods.  He said that the question of this hour how do we respond to the need for Jubilee.  Dr. Wood said in the Upper Room Jesus gave his disciples tools for Jubilee.  He anointed them for the mission of recovery of sight to blind  . . .and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.  (Luke 4).  I asked him, where is the Upper Room now for this third and fourth generation of unchurched young people.  He said they have to come to the Elders and ask for their wisdom while they are living now!