Description
Mark 9:2-9
Don’t you love Peter? He sees Jesus in all His glory – the divine seeps through the seams of the human. It’s an event before which most would be silent. But not Peter. He wanted to commemorate the event with historical markers. You know why? He thought Jesus had arrived. He assumed Jesus had reached the pinnacle of Who He was to be. Little did Peter know that Transfiguration was not the destination. There was still a journey to a cross – a journey which demanded humility and surrender, not glory. We are like Peter. We prefer the destination, because the journey is so difficulty. We want the glory – and we want to build monuments. But Jesus bids us follow Him, on a journey – to a cross.
We Lift Our Hearts In Worship
[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor In the name of God the Father, Who sent His Son to be the Light of the world.
ALL In the name of God the Son, Jesus Christ, Whose glory was revealed on the mount of Transfiguration – a glory made perfect on a cross;
Pastor In the name of the God the Holy Spirit, Who empowers us to journey with Jesus, living in surrender and humility.
ALL Amen.
Opening Prayer
Pastor Lord Jesus, on the mount of Transfiguration Your glory was revealed. Yet, that mountain was not your destination. You left the mountaintop and entered the valley, and journeyed to a cross. And You have called us to follow You – not to the mountaintop, but to the valley. Fill us with the power of Your Spirit, that we might journey toward the cross, living in surrender and obedience. We pray this in Your name, and through the power of Your Spirit. Amen.
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor We bring before our Lord our sins, and our sinfulness…
(silence)
Pastor We confess, Father, that we prefer the mountaintop to the valley.
ALL We want the glory without the struggle; the destination without the journey; Easter without Good Friday.
We want to find a place of arrival, and sit back and relax.
We want to feel we’ve reached the goal, and can enjoy our accomplishment.
We want to place markers on our mountaintops, and hold on to our “highs”
And yet You call us to journey, to continue living and loving in ways of surrender and obedience, as we live in the valley, where glory is only a memory and a shadow.
Forgive our reluctance to live in discipleship.
Pastor As Peter, James and John heard on that mount of Transfiguration: “This is My Son, Whom I love. Listen to Him!” We listen to Jesus. He tells us of the Father’s love. he speaks of grace and mercy. He proclaimed forgiveness on a cross and shouted new life in an empty tomb. And He calls us to journey with Him and toward Him; sometimes He whispers and sometimes He thunders. We listen to Jesus, and are forgiven. We listen to Jesus, and walk through the valley. We listen to Jesus as we journey.
ALL Amen.
Time of Praise and Worship
So Long Self
Barry Graul, Bart Millard, Jim Bryson, Mike Scheuchzer, Nathan Cochran, Robbie Shaffer, ©2006 Simpleville Music (Admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc.) Wet As A Fish Music (Admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc.)
Shout To The North
Martin Smith, ©1995 Curious? Music UK (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Say Say
Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, & Kristian Stanfill, ©2010 sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Vamos Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Sweater Weather Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
O Wondrous Type, O Vision Fair!
EH 136; ELW 316; LBW 80; LSB 413; LW 87; NCH 184; PH 75
Glorious Is Thy Name, Most Holy
BH 75 419; CH 677; HWC 454; HFG 510
How Firm A Foundation
BH 75 383;BH 91 338; CH 408; CHH 618; EH 636,637; ELW 796; HWC 275; HPW 38; HFG 32; HLC 224; HGP 162; HSP 121; LWB 507; LSB 728; LW 411; NCH 407; PH 361; RH 221; STTL 689; WC 612; UMH 529; WAR 411; WHM 342; WIS 1
We Hear God’s Word
First Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-12
Elijah is taken into heaven, leaving behind Elisha, who receives a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.
1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “but do not speak of it.” 4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. 5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on. 7 Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not.” 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.
