Sylvania Wesleyan Church 1
Sunday Morning 2/15

      • 2 Peter 1:16–21NIV2011

  • Good Morning. I am so glad that we can be here together and join in worship this morning. We have been journeying together through the lectionary and the readings of the church and the history of the church.
    Today is an important Sunday in the calendar of the church. This is the last Sunday after Epiphany. This marks the end of one season and begins another. This Wednesday is the beginning of Lent and we celebrate that with Ash Wednesday.
    As a church we will be gathering at 6:30 for an ash Wednesday Service. This service is the start for us in the easter season. It is a call to fasting in preparation to Easter.
    Yet, this morning we end this season of Epiphany and move to lent with a powerful one. A reminder and powerful image of our faith.
    This lead to the question I have for you this morning which is this question that is before you.
    Did I just see that?!
    Have you ever had that moment where you saw something just simply can be described as unbelievable.
    A simple example of that might be something like this.
    I remember a time I was sitting at an intersection waiting for the light to change. As we are sitting there I watch a SUV make a turn suddenly and when they did this they must not have been paying attention because they ran into another car.
    Now you might say, oh you saw a fender bender. No this turned into something else completely. Instead of just a fender bender. When the SUV hit the car instead of the normal crunch it was high enough above the other car it drove up onto the hood of the other car and then the wheel sunk into the windshield of the other car.
    The wheel sat inches from the face of the other driver. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt but it was one of the most unexpected accidents I have ever seen.
    There are any number of explained, strange, or unexplained events you might have seen in your life but I am sure all of us can probably come up with a story where we were saying after it was done.
    Did I just see that?!
    I have to imagine that this mornings passage the disciples experienced the same thing. Let’s turn together to Matthew and read the word of the Lord.
    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.”

    The Context

    It is important when we study scripture that we look at both the before and after of scripture. To examine every passage within the context of the book and what is said before and after. This passage it is also important that we do the same thing.
    Before this passage in chapter 16 we read the story of Peter declaring who Jesus is in verse 13-20.
    This is immediately followed by Jesus predicting his death. He also shares one of the more potent passages of scripture on the life he is calling us to as believers.
    Matthew 16:24–28 NIV
    24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. 28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

    The Context

    Jesus is calling them to the cost of being a disciple but he is also doing something else in the passage.
    He is delivering a promise to the disciples.
    The promise that some of them will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
    Can you imagine that. That is a big promise.
    Let’s look at the passage that follows this mornings though.
    Matthew 17:10–13 NIV
    10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

    The Context

    This passage is a recasting of OT prophecy and showing the disciples the very fulfillment that is in front of them. Helping them see that the word of God is coming into fulfillment.
    At the end of this day we are reminded by the context of the passage of who Jesus is and what he came to do.

    Jesus

    Jesus is and will be the Son of Man. Now I know you might hear that and say oh that means he is human. It’s quite the opposite. This is a title that speaks to the divinity of Jesus.
    Daniel 7:13–14 NIV
    13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

    Jesus

    This is essential for us as Christians that we hold the importance of this passage as a constant reminder that Jesus was not just a great teacher, he wasn’t just another prophet he is the Song of God.
    There are many people and religions that recognize Jesus as a great teacher, man or prophet but they deny the reality of who the Bible says Jesus is.
    This story is one of the most powerful reminders that we have that Jesus is a fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament and even the promises made in the New Testament.
    Without the recognition of who Jesus the cross looses its meaning.
    The cross the moment of sacrfice the price paid for our humans sins is fulfilled by the Son of man who has taken on the cross so that we could gain freedom from the price of our sins.

    Ash Wednesday

    I shared earlier that we will be having an Ash Wednesday service. This service in the Christian church has often been thought to be something that is exclusive to the Catholic church.
    It is more than that though. The idea behind this service is to be reminded of our mortality, sin, and the somberness of the reminder that we are called to follow after Christ and the cross.
    It is here that we examine ourselves for sin. To look deep and recognize that the Season of lent draws us to the cross and the repentance that we must earnestly seek.
    We recognize that Easter is the most important moments of the Christian church so we use this time to reflect that there are things that we must give over to him.
    We also remember this by fasting for the 40 days leading up to easter. One important thing that we need to remember about fasting is that this is not something we should just take trivially as many people do. I challenge you to think through what you should be fasting from. A time that as you give something up you open yourself up to what God has for you.
    The easy things are I will give up candy. I know that might be a real sacrifice for some of us but this is about more than just improving ourselves. Fasting at it core is about refocusing on God. When you are missing that piece of candy or whatever it is that you have given up you are turning to him in prayer and reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus did for us on the cross.
    Earlier in the service we read a passage from 2 Peter. I want to draw our attention back to it.
    2 Peter 1:16–21 NIV
    16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
    Peter shares this message of what is happening and calling the reader back to the Transfiguration.
    Like we are to be drawn back when we fast to be reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. because at the end of the day we need to remember.
    2 Peter 1:19 NIV
    19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
    We better pay attention and remember that the word of God is reliable and we can trust That Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that one day he will return and we have a hope in the future. Till that day we need to be ready and look to him in all things.

      • Matthew 17:1–9NIV2011

      • Matthew 16:24–28NIV2011

      • Matthew 17:10–13NIV2011

      • Daniel 7:13–14NIV2011

      • 2 Peter 1:16–21NIV2011

      • 2 Peter 1:19NIV2011

Sylvania Wesleyan Church 1
1 member • 1 follower