Transfiguration Sunday

Call to Worship

L: I will praise you, O God, for you have lifted me up.

P: You did not let my foes rejoice over me.

L: You, O God, have healed me,

P: You have brought up my soul from the pits of hell.

L: I will sing and praise you, O God.

P: I give thanks for your holy name.

L: You have turned my mourning into dancing.

P: You have clothed me with joy.

L: My soul will praise you, O God, and it will not be silent.

P: O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

First Reading: Psalm 50:1-6

1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord,

speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to where it sets.

2 From Zion, perfect in beauty,

God shines forth.

3 Our God comes

and will not be silent;

a fire devours before him,

and around him a tempest rages.

4 He summons the heavens above,

and the earth, that he may judge his people:

5 “Gather to me this consecrated people,

who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,

for he is a God of justice., 

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ps 50:1–6.

Second Reading: Mark 9:2-9

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mk 9:2–9.

Sermon

Beyond the covenant God made with Abraham, there were other demonstrations of the grace of God. For instance, the nation of Israel was the only one to whom the law was specifically given. Now, there is no doubt in my mind that our gracious God put a conscience into the heart of every individual. Paul in writing to the Romans said, “18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:18-20)

Even though people have a conscience, God gave the law to the nation of Israel. And He did so through His servant Moses. It was while they wandered the wilderness that God called Moses to the mountaintop and gave to him the law.

A second gift of the grace of God were the messengers He sent to His people, the prophets. As far as we have record, men who were sent by God, mostly to the nation of Israel, to speak words of judgement against their disobedience and forgiveness for their repentance.

And if Moses was the name associated with the Law, Elijah was the name associated with the prophets. Probably because Elijah is the one prophet whose death is never recorded. Instead, we read how Elijah was taken up to heaven.

The names Moses and Elijah were synonymous with the law and the prophets. But it was also believed that these two would be a sign of the Messiah.

So not only do we have these disciples with front row seats to Jesus’ earthly transfiguration. They see Moses and Elijah talking to Him. Every indication here God is up to something. But like normal, they make it not about what God is up to, but they attempt to make it about themselves.

Peter says, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters.” Whether Peter says this in an attempt to stay on the mountain, or whether he says this as a way to keep this experience isolated, but it demonstrates the bigger meaning is in danger of being missed.

But God speaks and says, “This is my Son, whom I love, listen to Him”.