03/03/2019: “Let’s go up the Mountain”
Call to Worship: Psalm 99
The Lord Our God Is Holy
1The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2 The Lord is great in Zion;
he is exalted over all the peoples.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!
Holy is he!
4 The King in his might loves justice.
You have established equity;
you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt the Lord our God;
worship at his footstool!
Holy is he!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.
They called to the Lord, and he answered them.
7 In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;
they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.
8 O Lord our God, you answered them;
you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
9 Exalt the Lord our God,
and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
NT Reading: Luke 9:28-45
The Transfiguration
28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit
37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God.
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
While everyone was marvelling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Questions:
- Have you ever had what could be called a “mountain top experience”? Have you ever experienced something so “mind blowing” or “special” that it took your breath away and you wanted that time to last forever?
- Unpack the reading from Luke – make a list of some of the key moments that occurred during Jesus’ “mountain top” experience:
- Why do you think the disciples often struggled to understand what Jesus was trying to tell them (see vs.44-45)?
- Do you think the disciples’ lack of understanding of Jesus’ ministry was a problem for Jesus; for example, when he needed support from them, they in fact tried to “pull him” in another direction (see vs.46-50)?
- Have you ever been in a place of pressure and crisis and needed support and encouragement from those closest to you… and yet the more you shared with them, the more you realised they did not understand what you needed; and you “were on your own”?
- On the mountain Moses represented _________________; and Elijah the _____________________.
- What did they speak about with Jesus (see vs. 31), and why was this important?
- What are some of the lessons we can take away from this powerful, magical, mountain-top experience?
God bless for the week ahead.
Rev.Tim Rist