Let me show you what I mean. \u00a0(I projected the following on slides for others to read)<\/span><\/p>\nRadiance and spectral radiance are measures of the quantity of radiation that passes through or is emitted from a surface and falls within a given solid angle in a specified direction. They are used in radiometry to characterize diffuse emission and reflection of electromagnetic radiation. In astrophysics, radiance is also used to quantify emission of neutrinos and other particles. The SI unit of radiance is watts per steradian per square metre (W\u00b7sr\u22121\u00b7m\u22122), while that of spectral radiance is W\u00b7sr\u22121\u00b7m\u22122\u00b7Hz\u22121 or W\u00b7sr\u22121\u00b7m\u22123 depending on if the spectrum is a function of frequency or of wavelength.<\/p>\n
Radiance characterizes total emission or reflection. Radiance is useful because it indicates how much of the power emitted by an emitting or reflecting surface will be received by an optical system looking at the surface from some angle of view. In this case, the solid angle of interest is the solid angle subtended by the optical system’s entrance pupil. Since the eye is an optical system, radiance and its cousin luminance are good indicators of how bright an object will appear. For this reason, radiance and luminance are both sometimes called “brightness.\u201d<\/p>\n
After I read this enough times to begin to understand it, I was excited again because in my lay person\u2019s language I think it boils down to this:<\/p>\n
Radiance measures the brightness of light or other particles after they have flowed through or reflected off of something and when the definition includes words such as angles and optical systems I think it means that what you see depends where you stand.<\/p>\n
I have an example: (slide)<\/p>\n
The radiance of light flowing through and reflecting off of this glass is so powerful it almost projects an exact replica of itself on a plate behind it on my shelf at home.<\/p>\n
When I noticed this I thought it was a remarkably beautiful sight and so took a picture. \u00a0Also beautiful are the scientific principles that can measure and study this phenomenon.<\/p>\n
I invite you to think for a moment about an experience of radiance that caught your attention. \u00a0Maybe light reflecting off of water or light reflecting off of snow comes to mind? \u00a0This kind of radiance seems to sparkle \u2013 or can even be blinding depending on the angle and the optical system, I mean depending on how the light hits your eye.<\/p>\n
I recall another moment of radiance.<\/p>\n
The last time I was at my cabin, the first rays of the sun as it came up and flooded the valley in front of the cabin seemed to make the winter naked branches of the trees glow from within. \u00a0There was no way I could even pinpoint the exact colour that was being reflected \u2013 it was so much more than yellow or orange or gold or pink, the only word for it was \u201cglowing\u201d<\/p>\n
At times like that the experience of radiance is so beautiful \u2013 I find myself wanting to hold on to the moment, but that\u2019s usually not possible. Photographs are only an approximation of the experience.<\/p>\n
When Jesus was transfigured before him \u2013 glowing, even blinding in his whiteness – Peter wanted to hold on to that moment too \u2013 hence his desire to build three shelters for Jesus and Moses and Elijah \u2013 would that have been the only way to photograph the moment so to speak?<\/p>\n
But the point wasn\u2019t that this was a moment to hold on to.<\/p>\n
The point seems to be that when Jesus climbed the mountain and prayed, spoke with God and God chose to speak back \u2013 Jesus was bathed in God\u2019s glory in such a way that Jesus was transformed \u2013 glowing, radiant. \u00a0This radiance was visible to his disciples and was so outside their normal frame of reference that it was frightening.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the voice that they heard said \u2013 This is my Son, my chosen. \u00a0\u201cListen to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cListen to him?\u201d \u00a0 And what were they supposed to listen to him say? \u00a0Just before this passage in each of the three gospels that record this story, Jesus has just told them that to be the Messiah means that he will be handed over and will suffer and die on a cross and that whoever follows him will need to lay down their life, and take up their cross \u2013 the instrument of their own death and follow him.<\/p>\n
Okay this is hard listening. \u00a0And at the time of the transfiguration the disciples didn\u2019t know what he meant.<\/p>\n
What does it mean to be affected by this radiance?<\/p>\n
2nd Corinthians tries to answer that question, first with a positive image.<\/p>\n
Reading from the Inclusive version 3:18<\/p>\n
And we, who with unveiled faces reflect our God\u2019s glory, grow brighter and brighter as we are being transformed into the image we reflect. \u00a0This is the work of our God, who is Spirit.<\/em><\/p>\nThe beautiful part of the impact of Christ\u2019s radiance in our lives is that like light shining through a glass and creating an almost replica of itself, we also get to be transformed into the image we reflect.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two weeks ago Erika invited me to speak to the Junior Youth about the texts for this service and how I go about preparing a sermon or leading in worship.<\/p>\n
I told them that ideally, when any one of us lead any part of worship we can let the Spirit of God shine or move through us. \u00a0I demonstrated what I meant with water instead of light that day and poured water from a pitcher through a sieve.<\/p>\n
And then I asked them what kinds of things can block God\u2019s Spirit from moving through us. \u00a0They told me that selfishness and greed could do that. \u00a0Thank you for your contribution Junior Youth. \u00a0I think you\u2019re right. \u00a0Selfishness and greed on our part can block the effects of Christ\u2019s radiance. \u00a0If we go back to the light shining through glass metaphor again, it might be like having fingerprints all over the glass.<\/p>\n
And so ho
\nw do we keep our glass streak free? \u00a0Is it even possible? \u00a0Our Anabaptists forbears asked that question. \u00a0They asked it about individuals and they asked it about the community of Christ\u2019s followers and the word they used for it was regeneration. How are we made new or regenerated in Christ and how do we stay that way? \u00a0Does it happen all at once as a work of grace and the Spirit in our inner being publically witnessed to by baptism? \u00a0Or is it accomplished by grace and regular practice of Spiritual disciplines over time? Spiritual disciplines include like reading scripture, worship in community, prayer and acts of service. \u00a0They also asked if it was extremely important to maintain the purity of the community by practicing the ban and shunning if someone erred (got streaks on the mirror) or was the body of Christ a group of persons who needed ongoing healing towards wholeness \u2013\u2013 ongoing regeneration – a bit of polishing from time to time? \u00a0Not surprisingly, they didn\u2019t all agree, and even Menno Simons\u2019 writings on these matters evolved over time from an early softer view on these matters to a much stronger emphasis on communal purity later on.<\/p>\n
However it does appear that our Anabaptist forbears did agree that following Christ meant to become more and more like him. \u00a0 The German word for this is Nachtfolge (following after Christ in life). \u00a0The inner reality that by grace our hearts are being regenerated was publically marked with baptism and that if not all at once than at least over time our outward lives would conform more and more to Christ\u2019s. \u00a0This thinking was and is an important mark of Anabaptism. \u00a0But trying to make sure that this transformation happened in the community led the church down a path of perfectionism that often had devastating results for individuals. Of course it helps to do the hard work of washing our windows every once in a while \u2013 but by this I mean doing work over time in the disciplines of scripture reading\/interpretation\/communal worship\/prayer and service of others and opening ourselves to God\u2019s light, not by closing the shutters on those who have sinned by practicing the ban and shunning. \u00a0It\u2019s what we centre around, not what we exclude that matters. \u00a0For surprisingly God\u2019s radiance finds a way of getting around our imperfections anyway, over and over again, and might even be shining brightly where we least expect it. \u00a0 According to our scriptures in 2nd Corinthians Not only Moses and Jesus can radiate the glory of God, but God, who said, \u201cLet light shine out of darkness,\u201d has shone in our hearts, so that we in turn might make known the glory of God shining on the face of Christ..<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that we might make know the glory of God shining on the face of Christ.\u201d \u00a0Our radiance is not for ourselves. \u00a0Ultimately our radiance is first for its beauty and so that we make known the glory, or beauty of the God from whom our light comes. \u00a0This beauty is like none other. \u00a0This beauty, it comes from God and in our Christ likeness it returns to God. \u00a0 \u00a0If our shining or radiance attracts others, catches other\u2019s attention, then all or everything returns to God.<\/p>\n
I do not have a scientific explanation for where this sermon has gone. \u00a0I don\u2019t know if light that radiates ever returns to its source. \u00a0Maybe others know better than I.<\/p>\n
But if we like Christ give up our lives, take up our crosses and stay focused on the one from whom we receive all things, including our life after we have laid it down to follow him, then we are remade, regenerated, renewed.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as the radiance of God is a power emitted from God to us and through us, so this same power radiates through and out of us and as others are attracted to its beauty it returns to God for Gods\u2019 Glory.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In summary of what I\u2019ve tried to say this morning and what we\u2019ve heard in other parts of our worship service.<\/p>\n
God and Moses spoke with one another and Moses radiated God\u2019s power and glory.<\/p>\n
God and Jesus spoke with one another and Jesus radiated God\u2019s power and glory.<\/p>\n
Do we dare to converse with, share this kind of intimacy with God so that we might radiate that same power and God\u2019s glory? \u00a0Paul in 2nd Corinthians suggests that we can. \u00a0Not all of us will be called to be participants in or witnesses to mystical experiences though I expect these inexplicable moments come to more of us more often than we might imagine. \u00a0Like the disciples it\u2019s just something we don\u2019t talk about very much. But as we listen closely to our scriptural witness we see that as we participate in Nachtfolge (following after Christ in life)<\/p>\n
listening to Jesus \u2013 through scripture and prayer,<\/p>\n
denying our lives and taking up our own cross,<\/p>\n
our lives grow brighter and brighter as we are being transformed into the image we reflect. \u00a0In scientific language \u2013 Radiance characterizes total emission and reflection.<\/p>\n
And radiance is beautiful. \u00a0 Not to be clung to, and as far as we are able, not to be blocked, but merely to reflect this work of the Spirit in our lives so that the beauty and power of God\u2019s Glory in our lives radiates, maybe catches the attention of others and in this way returns to God. \u00a0May it be so. \u00a0Amen.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 View Archived Sermons Listen to this Sermon Radiance February 10, 2013 By Marilyn Zehr \u00a0 Texts: Psalm 99, Luke 9:28-36, 2 Corinthians 3:12 – 4:2 \u00a0 \u00a0 The story of the transfiguration of Jesus has always been one of the most puzzling texts of our gospels for me. In the footnotes of the NRSV we read, \u201cThis account recalls an intense religious experience, the exact nature of which is uncertain. \u00a0The aura of unnatural brilliance is associated with mystical…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons-a-worship-audio"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1331"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1331\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tumc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}