Luke 9:28-36 (The Message)
S
While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white.
O
An implication is that this is what prayer actually does to anyone who prays. Or, Luke could be saying this is what dear, dear love looks like between the Normal Father and Son.
S
... At once two men were there talking with him.
O
An implication is that they were there all along, vide supra. Or, this is once again what prayer does--it brings unlooked, unexpected comfort and assistance.
S
...
32-33Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him.
A
I take it that Peter was the leader in sleeping.
...
"Master, this is a great moment! Let's build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He blurted this out without thinking.
O
Peter here clearly thinks the show is over.
S
...
As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God.
A
If you've ever wondered how to explain your awareness of God to someone without the relationship, well, I have too. This would be a good place for me to do further research on the Greek to get at what Luke is precisely conveying.
S
... Then there was a voice out of the cloud: "This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him."
And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.
O
And the glory that came before, the ennobling of Messiah, the appearance of the witnesses, the cloud of glory and the wonder of the Presence, all this is capped by this recognition.
A
It should be called the Election and the Presentation, not the Transfiguration.
The apparent weaselliness of the end of the text for today would make me suspicious if I were dubious about Scripture or God as he's revealed in the Bible.
Hebrews 4:14-5:6 (The Message)
S
Neither did Christ presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the One who said to him, "You're my Son; today I celebrate you!"
A
The nature of the Kingdom of God is that none of us choose the honor of our duties; He gives to each of us exactly what is Best in the way of charge.
P
The thing John Sewell says, about how the way to really please God is to believe Him and His promises, rises up within me. You know I'm yours; now you know that I know I'm yours, bought with ultimate love. So whatever's up today, whatever you're doing, I want to join in.
Thank you for Thomas, Thomas, Kevin, Nikki, Roger, Becky, Mike, work, school, my kids in Sunday School, the whole community of faith, the wide world of the lost, and how they intersect unit to unit and part to part.
Amen.
