Rev. Franke's Theme Thoughts

Transfiguration, Series A March 6, 2011

Lessons for the Festival of the Transfiguration

Exodus 24:8-18 ~ Moses entered the cloud of God’s glory and received the tablets of the Law.
Psalm 2:6-12
2 Peter 1:16-21 ~ Peter recalled the Majestic Glory of Jesus to affirm the truth of the Scriptures.
Matthew 17:1-9 ~ Peter, James, and John saw Moses and Elijah, and Jesus transfigured in glory.

GATHERING THE TEXTS: The Final Epiphany
Light, a constant theme through all the Epiphany season, is today described as shining like the sun from Jesus' face and his clothes. Peter declared that God's witness through the prophets, pointing to Jesus, is a "light shining in a dark place." Moses, one of the prophetic witnesses and one of the witnesses at the Transfiguration, saw God's glory "up close and personal" on Mt. Sinai. The light of God's presence in Christ enlightens our lives.

PRAYER BEFORE THE SERVICE: Lord Jesus, just as the disciples saw your glory and heard the witness of Moses and Elijah and our heavenly Father, so I have seen your glory in the witness of Peter, James, and John. Let their word be enough to keep my faith sure until the time comes when you will receive me into your eternal glory. Amen.

STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT: God has burst into our world with a vision of His glory that gives us promise and hope of His victory. With that assurance, all our lives, our goods, and our powers are taken captive by His claim.

OFFERING PRAYER: Shelters we would like to build, O Lord, and rest here in this place,
But You have called us forth from here to share Your love and grace.

CONVICTION AND COMFORT: We need the witness of God’s glory to get us through tough times, but when we see God’s power and majesty, it is more than we can stand. We either dismiss it as the product of imagination or miss the point entirely. God will not let us off the hook so easily. He has placed His word before us in Jesus, His beloved Son, and in the clear witness of His prophets. In Christ, God has burst into our world to rescue us.