Lectionary
2 Kings 2:1-12 Elijah is Taken Up to Heaven
Psalm 50:1-6 True Worship
2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Spiritual Treasure in Clay Pots
Mark 9:2-9 The Transfiguration
Suggested Hymns (From Denis Towner. TIS= Together in Song; AHB = Australian Hymn Book; SA = Sing Alleluia.)
2 Kings 2: 1-12
For all the saints, who from their labours rest TIS.455 AHB.384
Glorious things of you are spoken TIS.446 AHB.374
Hail to the Lord's anointed TIS.275 AHB.203
Psalm 50: 1-6
How brightly beams the morning star AHB.220
Praise to the living God TIS.102 AHB.7
The heavens shall declare TIS.746 P&W.537
2 Corinthians 4: 3-6
Blessed Jesus at your word TIS.437 AHB.352
Christ is the world's light, he and none other TIS.246 AHB.191
I want to walk as a child of the light TIS.643
Lord Jesus our bright morning star TIS.199 LH.147
O Laughing Light, O first born of creation TIS.255 SFGP.101
The Son of God proclaim TIS.528 SA.84
Mark 9: 2-9
At the name of Jesus TIS.231 AHB.170
Breezes whisper without meaning AT Everybody. 239
Christ is the world's light, he and none other TIS.246 AHB.191
Christ upon the mountain peak TIS.243 SA.19
Christ whose glory fills the skies TIS.212 AHB.140
How good, Lord, to be here TIS.234 AHB.390
Other possible hymns
(Numbers refer to The Australian Hymn Book
and Sing Alleluia.)
SA 48 I set the Lord before my eyes
SA 58 Let all the peoples praise you, O Lord
68 Praise my soul, the King of Heaven
70 All things bright and beautiful
80 Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise
91 Morning Has Broken
125 O Jesus, King most wonderful
144 Ye servant of God your Master proclaim
151 When Morning Gilds the Skies
163 Crown him with many crowns
179 Christ is the world's true light
392 Lord of light, whose name shines brighter
395 God, your glory we have seen in your Son
397 Seek, O Seek the Lord, While He is Near [Vernantius]
423 God, you are clothed with light
523 Now let us see thy beauty Lord
577 Worship, honour, glory, blessing
Sermon summary (Click here
for complete sermon.)
What could a mysterious event on the top of a mountain [Mark 9:2-8] far away and long ago, possibly have to do with us here and now? I believe it is very important. It opens a window on another world and lets us see Jesus in quite a different 'light'. The apostles passed on their experience as eyewitnesses: we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty [2 Peter 1:16-18]. This happened a few days after Peter said Jesus was the Messiah [Mark 8:29]. They were puzzling about who he was and what it meant.
The presence of God: Who is he?
He was transfigured before them,...dazzling
white...Elijah with Moses... talking with Jesus [Mark 9:2-4.] The dazzling
white light signifies a divine presence. [Compare with Paul's experience,
Acts 9:3-5; and see 2 Corinthians 4:6; and his face shone like the sun,
Matthew 17:2;. Luke 9:29; and Moses before the Lord, Exodus 34:29-35; compare
Elijah's different experience on the mountain, 1 Kings 19:8-13; and the
sign of the cloud for the presence of God, Exodus 13:21] This experience
of the disciples with Jesus on the mountain was full of familiar symbols
of the presence of God and his word. The message they received from it,
This is my beloved Son, listen to him, reinforced the confession of
faith Peter had recently made: You are the Messiah. It was similar
to what Jesus himself had experienced at his baptism by John [Mark 1:11].
The apostles were saying that, in their experience, Jesus was more than
a good man. They were saying that he came from God and was God. [cf Philippians
2:6-11].
Nature pointing beyond itself: Our calling
today
We have all had some experience of the wonder
of God. Sometimes it comes to us through the appreciation of nature, sometimes,
indeed, on a mountain. The disciples were afraid: as in true worship, they
were filled with awe and wonder. If they wished to stay it was because
for them a window had opened onto another world in which they saw Jesus
in a new light, in relation to a much grander scheme of things. That is
what we are called to confess: Jesus as Lord of all. We do need to follow
him in humble service in the streets that are busy with human life when
we come down from the mountain, but we will not serve him truly if we do
not acknowledge him as the Lord of our whole lives.
| DB Home | RCL Resources Index | Questions and Comments |
Order of Service - Transfiguration Sunday - Last before
Lent, Year B
CALL TO WORSHIP Let us worship God
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous
works among all the peoples.
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised.
-- Psalms 96:3-4
HYMN 151 When Morning Gilds the Skies
PRAYER OF ADORATION
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Lord Jesus, preaching good tidings to the people,
proclaiming release to captives, setting at liberty those who are bound:
We adore you.
Lord Jesus, friend of the outcast and the poor,
feeder of the hungry, healer of the sick:
We adore you.
Lord Jesus, denouncing the oppressor, exposing
the hypocrite, overcoming evil with good:
We adore you.
Lord Jesus, pattern of gentleness, teacher of
holiness, prophet of the kingdom:
We adore you.
Lord Jesus, dying to save us from our sin, rising
to give us eternal life, ascending to prepare our heavenly home:
We adore you.
Almighty and loving God, you loved the world so much that you gave your only Son to be our Saviour. You allowed him to empty himself of his heavenly glory and become a suffering servant. Yet by grace your we have beheld his glory, such glory as befits the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth. Amen.
CONFESSION
Forgive us our selfish concerns with earthly things and our failure to acknowledge your glory in the face of Jesus Christ, for that blindness to the wonder of your presence that causes us to live our lives from day to day without knowing you. Have mercy on us, give us grace to discern the suffering servant Lord in the midst of our lives, to worship and serve you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The good news is that all who trust in Christ
will have their sins forgiven and receive eternal life. As you hold this
faith, I declare that you are set free from all your sins in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory for
ever and ever.
Thanks be to God.
DOXOLOGY: 577 Worship, honour, glory, blessing
WELCOME AND GREETING EACH OTHER
INTRODUCTION OF THEME: Transfiguration: seeing
the glory of God in Jesus
OLD TESTAMENT 2 Kings 2:1-12 Elijah is Taken
Up to Heaven
PSALM 50:1-6 True Worship
EPISTLE 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Spiritual Treasure
in Clay Pots
GOSPEL Mark 9:2-9 The Transfiguration
HYMN SA 19 Christ upon the mountain peak
SERMON
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ
Jesus.
We believe in Jesus Christ who,
though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something
to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself and became obedient to
the point of death-- even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him and
gave him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
- Philippians 2:5-11
HYMN 390 How good Lord to be here
OFFERING AND DEDICATION
SHARING TIME [Notices, celebrations, requests
for intercessions]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
COLLECT FOR THE DAY
THE LORD'S PRAYER [Front of the Hymn Book]
HYMN 392 Lord of light, whose name shines brighter
WORD OF MISSION
It is the God who said, "Let light shine out
of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. -- 2 Corinthians 4:6
BLESSING
DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.
| DB Home | RCL Resources Index |
| Christian Beliefs | Family History | Public Affairs | Higher Ed Research | Hobbies and Interests | Issues in the UCA | Personal Background | Psychological Research | Templestowe UC | Worship and Preaching |