Refuge in His Presence

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Matthew 17:1–9 NIV

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

2/15/2026

Order of Service:

AnnouncementsOpening WorshipPrayer RequestsPrayer SongPastoral PrayerKid’s TimeOffering (Doxology and Offering Prayer)Scripture ReadingSermonClosing SongBenediction

Special Notes: Standard

Opening Prayer:

Prayer of Confession

God of shining glory, we confess that we are often blind to Your majesty and love. We focus on the mundane and petty, while failing to seek Your presence and grace. Forgive us and open our eyes to Your glory, so that we may walk as faithful disciples. We pray this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Call to Worship

Leader: The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!

People: Holy is He! Let us worship at His footstool.

Leader: Jesus was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun.

People: We have seen His glory, full of grace and truth.

Leader: Come, let us worship the one who reveals God’s glory.

All: We lift our voices in praise to the King of kings!

Refuge in His Presence

Movement 1: We Are Uncomfortable with God's Presence

We don't really want to be in a relationship with God. Not truly. If you really think about what it means to stand before the God who created the universe with a few words, who holds all of creation in His hands, who is the source of all life, holiness, and light... it's terrifying.

Many people believe it's impossible for us to have a relationship with God because we cannot stand before a holy God. We fear we'll be struck down, because everything He is, we are not.

So He came to us in the person of Jesus Christ. His godliness became flesh so that He would not just tower over us but truly dwell among us, inviting us into relationship. But to be honest, we're not sure we want a relationship with Jesus either, because the more we get to know Him, the more we see God in Him. That puts the same fear in us.

It's the same fear everyone had in the Old Testament. When God showed up on Mount Sinai, the people didn't even see Him in any visible form, just a glowing light in a cloud. But they heard His voice like thunder, fell on their faces, and sent Moses up the mountain so they wouldn't have to be in His presence. We tell ourselves that Jesus changed all that. But I know from my own experience that discomfort with God's presence still creeps in.

When I'm visiting another church, not preaching or leading, I find judgmental criticisms rising up in my mind. Why did they pick those songs? Is that really a good illustration? I wouldn't have done that. I know those thoughts have no place in worship, so I work hard to push them down. But there are deeper questions beneath those criticisms, questions they were covering up. Does my voice sound okay? Do I know these songs well enough to sing along? What am I supposed to do with my hands? Is anybody looking at me? Too often, the service is over before I even have a thought that this whole event was supposed to be about me being in God's presence.

Over the last two weeks, we've been learning about God's ways: how He invites us to live according to His desires and design, and how He transforms us in that process. But how does He transform us? [KEY STATEMENT 1] Not by what we do for Him. By being with Him.Throughout this season, God has been revealing His Son. At the Baptism, the Father declared, "This is my Son." Now, at the Transfiguration, He says it again and adds a command: "Listen to Him." God continues to draw us closer into His presence, even though we often resist.

I can remember times in my past when I actually let myself be in God's presence, even when it was uncomfortable...

Movement 2: Uncomfortable Transformation in God's Presence

When I was in college, our ministry had a leadership retreat. We camped out with people I was just getting to know. We were there to plan a year's worth of ministry events, getting a head start before the semester began, and we would all be overwhelmed by studies and tests.

I don't remember much about planning the worship services or mission events during that time. I was young and new to the group, feeling a little out of place. But I do remember spending significant time together in worship. The songs we sang then are some that we sing now in our church services, but back then, they were brand new to me. There, in that place where nothing was comfortable, I finally let my guard down, let myself be, and focused on being with Jesus. It became an incredible time of worship for me that I'll never forget.

I remember another retreat I went on as a young teenager. As part of this youth retreat, we spent an entire evening in silence. Many people were huddled together, whispering to one another, but I chose to use that time to be with Jesus, block out the noise, and listen to Him. Once I got over the discomfort and allowed myself to let my walls down and just be in Jesus's presence, I found myself able to hear Him clearer than ever before. That experience shaped how I understand what it means to be present with God.

Neither of those events was a comfortable moment, but they were transformative because I chose to be present with Jesus rather than try to manage my discomfort. That's exactly what happened on the mountain in our Scripture reading today. Jesus took His disciples into an uncomfortable encounter with God's presence.

Movement 3: The Transfiguration — Jesus Brings Us to the Father

Jesus didn't force His disciples into this uncomfortable encounter with God. He invited them. He invited Peter, James, and John away from the crowds, away from the sick, the possessed, the hungry, and the hurting, away from all the work and ministry. He invited them into a place of rest.

At the top of the mountain, Jesus was transformed before them. He began to glow with that holy, glorious presence of God that the ancient Hebrews saw coming from the top of Mount Sinai. Suddenly, they saw Moses and Elijah standing with Him.

We often think of Moses and Elijah as symbols of the Law and the Prophets. They are that. But for the disciples standing there, this was much more, because these weren't just symbols. These were real people. In Jewish tradition, Moses and Elijah were the "deathless ones," taken up to heaven without leaving a body behind. They were expected to return and usher in the Messianic Age. Here they are with Jesus, who will conquer death entirely. Sometimes we focus so much on symbols that we miss the power of who these people are and what it means to be in relationship with them.

The disciples were filled with awe. Peter wanted to do something with the moment. He offered to build shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. He wanted to mark this experience, memorialize it, make something of it. Already he was disconnecting from simply being in God's presence and focusing on what he could do for Jesus instead of simply being with Jesus.

While Peter was still speaking, the voice of the Heavenly Father interrupted from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. With Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" The same words He spoke at Jesus's baptism, but now with a command added. There was no more wondering. There was no more doing. They were unmistakably in the presence of the divine. That old familiar feeling of discomfort came rushing back. They were terrified. They fell facedown to the ground.

Jesus understands. He chose these three disciples to share in this encounter, yet even they found themselves terrified and wanting to disconnect. So He comes to them in mercy and grace, touches them, and says, "Get up. Don't be afraid."

They didn't need to build shelters or memorials. They didn't need a safe barrier between themselves and the power of that moment. [KEY STATEMENT 2] Jesus is the refuge. He is the shelter. We don't need to build something to hide in. We just need to be with Him.

But that's not what we want, is it? All too often, we'd rather hide.

Movement 4: The Problem of Hiding vs. Being Present

In my daily devotional reading this past week, I read a chapter about hiding in the shadow of the cross. It's a phrase used in some church circles to describe humility, seeking spiritual protection, and finding grace. The intention is for us to never think more of ourselves than we ought to. But sometimes it can become a Christianized version of what Adam and Eve did: hiding in the garden from God after they realized their sin and shame.

When we desire to hide in the shadow of the cross, we don't want to be directly in Jesus's presence. We don't want to look at Him suffering there. We want the symbol of the cross without the relationship with the Savior who hung there.

Jesus didn't take those three disciples up on the mountain so they could build tents and hide in the shadow of His radiance. He took them there to put them in direct connection with His Heavenly Father.

As you follow the disciples through those three years with Jesus, leading up to His death and resurrection, you see that the more Jesus revealed who He was, the less those disciples wanted to be near Him. By the time He showed His true glory on the cross, only one of the twelve remained, along with His mother and Mary Magdalene. The others had fled, seeking refuge somewhere away from Him. For them, it wasn't just the cross. It was His presence and what that meant in their lives.

The cross itself, without Jesus, doesn't provide refuge. It doesn't have any power. Two thieves were crucified beside Jesus on their own crosses. Both experienced the cross firsthand, but only one entered the Kingdom. The difference was not the cross itself but Jesus's presence. Without Jesus, the cross is just an instrument of death. In His presence, it becomes an instrument of transformation.

This idea of finding refuge in His presence is much older than the cross. In Exodus 33:14, God told His people, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." In John 15:4-5, Jesus told His disciples, "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine."

The refuge we need is not hiding from Jesus behind a symbol. It is hiding in Jesus Himself, making Him our refuge.

So what does that look like for us practically?

Movement 5: With Jesus, Not Just For Him

It's the difference between doing things for Jesus versus doing things with Him. When we think of that call to discipleship Jesus gave to all His followers—to pick up their cross, deny themselves, and follow Him—many activities and forms of service come to mind. One common example is how we raise our children and grandchildren. Sometimes we think raising our children well is our version of taking up our cross, on both our good days and our bad.

Yet if we're raising our children for Jesus instead of with Him, we cannot raise them any higher than we ourselves can stand. History shows us that children usually grow to mimic their parents, strengths and flaws alike. It often doesn't matter whether those children are trying to be like their parents or rebelling against them. Either way, they often end up with the same strengths and flaws as those who raised them. You cannot lift someone higher than your own secure footing.

What would it look like for our children to see and hear Jesus in us in ways we never even realized ourselves? That doesn't come from working harder. It comes from being more present with Jesus.

Lent begins this Wednesday, and you have an opportunity right away to practice being present with Jesus. This Wednesday morning and evening, we are offering prayer stations for you to walk through and spend time in Jesus's presence as you begin your Lenten journey. It's not a service where you sit and listen. It's a time for you to be present with Him, to take your time, to let Him speak to you, to take refuge in His presence. We've offered these prayer stations several times, and many who have participated have found them meaningful. If you have never experienced anything like it, this is a great opportunity to try.

Throughout Lent, we also have Bible studies meeting each week, some doing special Lent studies. We have a prayer group that meets every Monday to pray for the needs of our church family and community. There are opportunities to serve and to give. Any of these may be part of your Lent experience this year.

The key is this: whatever you do this Lenten season, make sure you're doing it with Jesus, not just for Him. Let Him lead. Take refuge in His presence.

Let me share an example of what I mean by that.

Movement 6: What Refuge Looks Like

Before finishing my seminary training, I interned as a hospital chaplain at Riley Children's Hospital, covering overnight and weekend shifts. One evening, I got a call from the emergency room to visit a 10-year-old boy. He had a bicycle accident, hit his head, and was unresponsive. Both of his parents were in the room, but the nurse told me before I went in that the parents were separated and there was tension about who was supposed to be watching him when this accident occurred.

I walked into that hospital room, an uncomfortable place, more than a little terrified. I had no idea what to say or do. So I introduced myself. I prayed a very short prayer, just asking for Jesus's help. Then I sat there with them in silence for probably the longest 20 minutes of my life. When I felt like I'd put in enough time, I stood up, told them my name again, gave them the chaplain's office phone number, said I'd keep praying for them, and left feeling pretty useless.

The following day, the parents called the chaplain's office and thanked them. They said the chaplain who had been sent told them exactly what they needed to hear. I have no idea what they heard, because I didn't say anything in that room.

That night changed how I understand ministry. I learned that my job was not to have all the answers. It was to be present with Jesus and not get in His way. It was a crisis situation, a need for healing, grace, and pastoral care. They didn't need me. They needed Jesus. He was right there with us.

That experience taught me that taking refuge in Jesus's presence doesn't mean I have to perform. It means I have to show up and let Him lead. When I stop trying to do things for Him and simply be with Him, He does what only He can do. That's what it looks like to take refuge in His presence.[KEY STATEMENT 3] It's not hiding from Him or from the situations around us. It's not building shelters to block out the world or His voice. It's being so present with Him that others encounter Him through us.

Reflection Questions

Where in your life today do you feel the greatest need for refuge? For shelter, safety, provision, a place where you can simply be?

How is Jesus calling you away from everything else to be in His presence? Whether on a mountaintop or in your own home. Whether alone or with two or three others gathered not for fellowship but simply to be with Jesus.

How is Jesus inviting you to make Him your refuge today?

Final Call

Jesus is your refuge. This Lent, stop hiding. Stop doing things for Him at a distance. Come be with Him. And let Him transform you.

Closing Prayer

Lord, You are holy and good and merciful and righteous and full of grace—all of the things we know we are not. It is Your kindness that leads us to repentance. It is all those marks of Your powerful love for us that make us afraid to come into Your presence, because we know we are not worthy. We know we are not worthy now, nor could we ever be worthy of how good You are.

As we enter this season of Lent, remind us again that Your love, Your mercy, Your grace is greater than our sin. Remind us that the sin in our lives we cannot overcome, You can conquer. The guilt that stains us and holds us down, You can redeem. As much as we do not deserve the gift of being in relationship with You, the gift of taking refuge in Your presence, You desire us to be there. You desire us.

Lord, help us today, with our brothers and sisters as we enter the season of Lent together, to allow Your will, Your desire to be done in our lives.

In Jesus's name, Amen.