Will Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and one of the nation’s best-known preachers, begins today’s sermon, “It’s a Miracle!”, from Matthew 17:1-9 with a story about a pastor friend. This friend used his sabbatical to go listen to other preachers. When Willimon asked his friend about his experience, his friend said, “I learned that if anyone hears anything from a sermon, it’s a miracle.” Willimon says, “On the one hand, my friend’s remark could be taken as a commentary on the sorry state of preaching in North American churches. On the other hand, the observation…could be taken as a basic insight into the inherently miraculous (miraculous=God produced) quality of Christian hearing.” Willimon reminds us on Transfiguration Sunday that we can all experience what happened to the disciples on the mountain top, a “miraculous revelation” from God if we open our ears, minds, and hearts, and are willing to listen.
Manuscript available: click HERE