Transfiguration/Apocalypse

Transfiguration

Used to Jesus stories about teaching, or healing This one's a bit strange Climb up a mountain Visions of long dead heroes of the faith

Moses, as we know went up the mountain of God, and in cloud and fire received God’s law for his people.

When he came down from the mountain, from the presence of God, his face shone.

But the presence of God was too much for the people, and Moses had to veil his face to protect them from the glory of God

Elijah, too, went up the mountain, hid in a cave, and waited for the presence of God to go past. This time the presence of God was not in the storm, or the earthquake, or the fire, but in the still small voiceand as the angel of the Lord passed by, the glory of God shone all around.

But, again, Elijah brought the word of hope to God’s people, but the presence of God was left behind on the mountain.

In this strange little story, Moses and Elijah are up the mountain once more, and who do they meet with? They meet with Jesus. And the glory of God shines on their faces.

So, Jesus, like Moses and Elijah shines with the Glory of God. Jesus, like Moses and Elijah brings God’s word and hope for God’s people.

But this time, no veil is required. No priest or prophet is require to stand between us and God.

In Jesus, the presence of God has come among us, offering us hope and life, wherever life takes us.

Building a Tabernacle Three times in marks gospel sometime similar happens

Baptism, Transfiguration, Crucifixion

Apocalypse

volunteer Can't un see it Who Jesus really is Moses Elijah How the world really is Beauty and brokenness For God so loved the world How we really are Image obscured Even think we're ugly

Jesus cleanses us. Washes away the things that get between us and seeing God, seeing ourselves. When we see Jesus for who he truly is we see the world in a whole new way We even see ourselves in a whole new way

Over time the grime builds up again.

We can find ourselves spiralling around the same old things taht have held us back. Even worse, there can be new lies that creep into our lives that we don’t even notice.

We need to come back to the presence of Jesus, again and again, and find him there.

Let him be revealed to us and in us

Lifting the lid.

But, there’s a higher bar here.

Looking in the mirror is not enough

Jesus does not stay on the mount of transfiguration, communing with Moses and Elijah.

He does not allow Peter to build a tabernacle.

He has work to get on with, in our lives and in the world.

The apostle James puts it like this:

James 1:22–25 NIV

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Just as Jesus and the disciples needed to go to the mountain, but did not stay on the mountain, so too do we need to see Jesus revealed in our lives, but life in Christ is not a life of pure, inward reflection. Life in Christ is about shining the Good News all around. As Jesus said at the beginning of his ministry, “Behold! The Kingdom of God has come near.” That’s Good News, not just for us, but for everyone and for everything. Do something about it Love the Lord your God Love your neighbour as yourself Invite God into every aspect of your life

Parish council

40 Days and 40 nights

After his baptism Jesus was tempted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights

After his resurrection, Jesus stayed with the disciples 40 days and 40 nights

Transfiguration Sunday is celebrated before the beginning of Lent Jesus 40 days and 40 nights to understand who he was We have 40 days and 40 nights to re orient our lives around Jesus once more New things will be revealed Are you ready to look under the cloche?