The Character of God: Revealed in Life and Glory

Introduction (5m)

But God is even bigger

Suggest something really big, then something bigger, e.g. gorillas are big, whales are bigger.

Then repeat each statement, adding But God is even bigger/higher/greater/more wonderful.

Completely amazed by the greatness of God

Death of Elijah and transfiguration of Jesus both stories where ordinary people were completely amazed by greatness of God.

When events like this happen, like a crash course in learning things about God.

Has anyone ever been on a crash course? Why are crash courses needed?

No good going on any crash course, or learning anything, unless willing to put it into practice.

Elisha, J’s disciples discovered some wonderful things about God, but needed to discover what it meant in practice.

Explanation (5m)

Elisha Discover God’s Greatness

Elisha knew something unusual was about to happen.

He wasn’t very happy.

Emoji B.

What was he unhappy about?

A group of prophets had told him his master Elijah was soon to be taken by God.

He might have preferred not to talk about it.

But determined to be there when the inevitable happened, despite the conflicting emotions he felt, and his sense of confusion.

Elisha so worried he refused to let Elijah out of his sight.

Then came terrifying chariot and horses of fire!

Emoji A.

What was God doing?

Elisha cried out in a mixture of wonder, terror, and grief.

He had lost the man who was like a father to him.

Elisha’s greatest wish was to take Elijah’s place as God’s prophet and do the same things Elijah had done.

So he asked Elijah to give him twice as much power as he had.

Not a gift Elijah could give, could only come from God.

Elisha was left completely alone.

After crying with sorrow, he picked up Elijah’s cloak and immediately tested whether Elijah’s God had given him the power he asked for.

Struck waters of the River Jordan, and at his very first attempt, repeated one of Elijah’s miracles.

This crash course was just the beginning of Elisha’s service for God.

Emoji C.

From now on, Elisha had learned to expect God to do great things!

The Disciples Discover God’s Greatness

Jesus had gone up mountain with three of his disciples.

Jesus changed right there in front of them.

Disciples simply didn’t know what was happening or why.

Emoji A.

Peter terrified when Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on mountain that he started to say things he didn’t really understand.

He was scared.

Emoji B.

This encounter, often called Transfiguration, was something of a crash course for Peter, James, and John.

What on earth were Moses and Elijah doing?

Actually, it would have made some sense to Peter, James, and John, who were Jewish.

The Jews were waiting for Messiah. They knew all about those important characters in history of Jewish faith.

The appearance of Moses and Elijah was like a sign of approval of Jesus.

On way down mountain, J explained disciples were not to tell anyone about what they had seen, until after he had come alive again.

He was preparing them for his own death, something they could not understand.

It only began to make sense after Jesus had died, risen, and returned to heaven.

For now, they were simply aware there were things that they had to do and they went on expecting J to do great things.

Emoji C.

Application (5m)

God Does Not Do What We Expect

Many things about God might confuse us or even upset us sometimes.

Emoji B.

There may be things about God that amaze us.

Emoji A.

As Elisha, Peter, James, and John discovered, God does not do what we expect!

They were caught up in awe and wonder at his power and might and what we might call “transcendence”.

As they had to learn, so we too have to learn that we can’t freeze what we have discovered, seen, or experienced of God.

We have to take in what we have learned about him (sometimes, as part of a crash course) and then put it into practice.

Emoji C.

God is bigger and more amazing than the limited pictures we have of him and he wants to communicate wonderful things to us.

Next Steps

Prayer Activity