Transfiguration, Series C February 14, 2010
Lessons for Transfiguration (Lutheran Service Book)
Deuteronomy 34:1-12 ~From the top of Pisgah, Moses saw the land God promised to Abraham’s descendants.
Psalm 99 (antiphon: v. 9)
Hebrews 3:1-6 ~ The hope we have in Christ, God’s own Son, will lead us in the days ahead, to future glory.
Luke 9:28-36 ~ As the glory of God shone in the face of Christ, the three disciples saw His road to the cross.
GATHERING THE TEXTS: It is a Matter of Vision.
The question is the range of our visibility. It takes a good vantage point to see a long way. Moses climbed Mount Nebo, and God gave him a view of the promised land. He saw the future of God's people. On the mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John caught a glimpse of Jesus' future and the glory of eternity. In the gospel message of salvation we see the light of Christ's glory and God's promise of heaven. How do we translate that into the journey that lies before us? What kind of future, what kind of mission and ministry do we see for our congregation and community?
PRAYER BEFORE THE SERVICE: Holy Lord Jesus, it is surely good to be here with You and catch a glimpse of divine glory in Your face! Help me to see clearly the path of life and service that You set before me, that in all things I may live in Your promise, day by day, and for eternity. Amen.
STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT: God has given us many material things that make our lives more comfortable, but sometimes they hold us back because we want to hold onto them. By releasing them in service to God and to our neighbors, these blessings can carry to others the promise of God for a blessed future in Christ Jesus.
OFFERING PRAYER: Lord, we don’t need a shelter; we don’t need a booth;
In Jesus You are near, Your glory and Your truth!
We know that You are with us every single day,
Now bless these gifts we bring, and bless us on the way.
CONVICTION AND COMFORT: The future is unsettling when it depends on our efforts, but seen as the promise of God, it becomes a hope of God’s glorious presence. Moses was denied entrance into the promised land because he had struck the rock in frustration over his inabilities to lead the people. Peter was more comfortable with the wilderness image of God’s presence in the tabernacle than he was with the idea that God could be present at the suffering of the cross. So long as we are planning our conquests and building our booths, we will miss the glory built and given to us by the chosen Son of God. When we see who Jesus really is, we see the future God has chosen for us.
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