With this Sunday, we come to the end of the Epiphany season and we celebrate the Transfiguration. Instead of reading about Jesus performing miracles, it is Jesus himself taking center stage and something happens to him. He takes three disciples up on a high mountain where he becomes transfigured.
Here is an excerpt of the text from Sunday's Gospel:
"Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white." Matthew 17:1-9
You kind of wonder what it was like for those disciples to have had such an experience. They were familiar with him being a human being like them but somehow possessing some magical powers as he performed miracles. Now we observe that his very being gets transformed. After this event is over and they are walking down the mountain, Jesus tells them to tell no one the vision until he has been raised from the dead.
Could you keep this kind of event to yourself? Was Jesus wondering perhaps if others would doubt what they had seen? Whatever the reason, these disciples caught a glimpse of divine glory. Wouldn't they need assurance of his being considering what would happen to him - with him being crucified?
Think about your own life in preparation for Sunday. Have you had such moments where you experienced divine glory? Maybe it is as you are out walking in nature, where you see something that is absolutely breathtaking. You've caught a glimpse of the beauty of God's creation. Or maybe it is that in some fashion you experienced the intervention of God in your own life.
For this Sunday, I would invite you to reflect on your own life and where YOU might have had such a moment. The full reading is Matthew 17:1-9 You might want to read several Bible translations as part of your preparation.
Pastor Marty
Here is an excerpt of the text from Sunday's Gospel:
"Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white." Matthew 17:1-9
You kind of wonder what it was like for those disciples to have had such an experience. They were familiar with him being a human being like them but somehow possessing some magical powers as he performed miracles. Now we observe that his very being gets transformed. After this event is over and they are walking down the mountain, Jesus tells them to tell no one the vision until he has been raised from the dead.
Could you keep this kind of event to yourself? Was Jesus wondering perhaps if others would doubt what they had seen? Whatever the reason, these disciples caught a glimpse of divine glory. Wouldn't they need assurance of his being considering what would happen to him - with him being crucified?
Think about your own life in preparation for Sunday. Have you had such moments where you experienced divine glory? Maybe it is as you are out walking in nature, where you see something that is absolutely breathtaking. You've caught a glimpse of the beauty of God's creation. Or maybe it is that in some fashion you experienced the intervention of God in your own life.
For this Sunday, I would invite you to reflect on your own life and where YOU might have had such a moment. The full reading is Matthew 17:1-9 You might want to read several Bible translations as part of your preparation.
Pastor Marty
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