Transformed by Love

2-14-21Sermon Notes“Transformed by Love”
Years ago, I knew a couple that you would have called “the odd couple.” They were so different. She was always smiling, happy, and positive. He was always frowning, grumpy and negative. Honestly, I always thought he was just…mean. I witnessed him on several occasions being rude to his sweet wife. I wanted to smack him upside the head. (I didn’t actually DO that, but I wanted to).
Instead of me smacking him, a brain tumor did the smacking. He started having severe headaches, went in for some tests, and was told he had a tumor on his brain that would have to be removed. I went to see him in the hospital before his surgery. I said a prayer for “Mr. Grumpy” and stayed with his wife during the surgery. When the surgery was over, the doctor came out and told us the good news that he was able to get all of the tumor removed! His wife wept tears of joy!
A remarkable thing happened after that surgery. This mean, grumpy, negative man was transformed. He was happy, positive…he was the sweetest thing to his wife. Honest-to-goodness 180 degree turnaround! I know there is a medical explanation for what happened to him, and that any time someone has brain surgery that all sorts of things can happen (not all of them good). But I believe that this man was transformed by more than surgery. I believe he was transformed by love… transformed TO love.
I don’t really have the words to explain it. Sort of like Peter didn’t really know how to explain what he saw on the Mount of Transfiguration.
2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (Mark 9: 2-9 NRSV)
On this Valentine’s Day, you are invited to be transformed by love…and transformed to love. We will have both in-person and livestream worship, and will serve Holy Communion at 9:00 and 11:00.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Sam