Blinded By The Light
Blinded By The Light
Sunday, February 10, 2002
Selma Original Free Will Baptist Church
THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
17Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves.2There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light.3And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him.4Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you want me to, I will make three shelters here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’5He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ 6When they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear.7But Jesus came up and touched them, saying, ‘Stand up, do not be afraid.’8And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus. 9As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, ‘Tell no one about this vision until the Son of man has risen from the dead.’
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD
LET US PRAY: COME HOLY SPIRIT….AMEN.
WELCOME
THANKS
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
· Jesus took Peter, James and John
JESUS IS ALWAYS ASKING US TO GO WITH HIM
· led them up a high mountain
BLINDED BY IGNORANCE, JEALOUSY, PREJUDICE
· in their presence he was transfigured
HE IS NOT CHANGED, OUR VIEW OF HIM IS CHANGED
· his face shone like the sun
LIKE MOSES HIS FACE REFLECTS THE GLORY OF GOD
· his clothes became as dazzling as light
UNLIKE MOSES EVEN THE CLOTHES OF JESUS DAZZLE
· suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared
JESUS IS A NEW LAWGIVER…A NEW PROPHET
· Peter spoke to Jesus.
PETER, LIKE US, JUST CAN’T KEEP QUIET
· ‘Lord, it is wonderful for us to be here
YES, IT IS
· I will make three shelters, for you, for Moses, for Elijah.’
PETER WANTS TO HOLD ON TO THE MOMENT
· a bright cloud covered them with shadow
NOW, GOD SHOWS UP IN THE CLOUD
· from the cloud a voice said
GOD HAS ANOTHER PLAN…NO SHELTERS
· ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’
GOD’S SON…MY FAVORITE…LISTEN TO HIM
· the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear.
FEAR…BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
· Jesus touched them
HEALED THEIR BLINDNESS
· saying, ‘Stand up, do not be afraid.’
NO NEED TO BE AFRAID OF GOD’S GLORY
· when they raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus.
THE OLD LAW AND PROPHESY HAVE BEEN REPLACED
· As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order
WE MUST COME DOWN THE MOUNTAIN…HEALED
· ‘Tell no one about this vision until the Son of man has risen from the dead.’
THE JESUS STORY IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION…THE REAL GOOD NEWS IS NOT THAT OUR VIEW OF JESUS HAS CHANGED…THE REAL GOOD NEWS IS THAT JESUS IS ALIVE…RISEN FROM THE GRAVE…ABLE TO CHANGE US AND OUR VIEW OF WHO WE ARE…ABLE TO RESURRECT US FROM THE DEAD.
WE ARE NO LONGER TO BE BLINDED BY OUR IGNORANCE, BY OUR JEALOUSY, BY OUR PREJUDICE…WE ARE NOT EVEN TO BE BLINDED BY THE LIGHT, BY THE GLORY OF GOD…WE ARE TO BE HEALED BY THE TOUCH OF JESUS…WE ARE TO FOLLOW JESUS DOWN THE MOUNTAIN INTO THE VALLEY…WE ARE TO FOLLOW HIM TO JERUSALEM, EVEN TO THE FOOT OF THE CROSS…BUT WE ARE ALSO TO BE RESURRECTED WITH HIM INTO A NEW LIFE…A LIFE WHERE OUR BLINDNESS IS TAKEN AWAY AND WHERE WE SEE CLEARLY WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US DO FOR THE KINGDOM.
FOLLOWING JESUS OFF THE MOUNTAIN OF TRANSFIGURATION MEANS GOING WHERE WE WOULD RATHER NOT GO…IT MEANS FEEDING THE HUNGRY, GIVING TO THE POOR, SHELTERING THE HOMELESS, HEALING THE SICK, VISITING THE PRISONER, AND PARTICIPATING IN THE RESURRECTION BY SHARING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST WITH THOSE AROUND US WHOSE LIVES ARE DEAD AND BURIED IN HOPELESSNESS AND SIN.
AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS WE KNOW THAT OUR SINS ARE DAILY FORGIVEN…WE KNOW THAT OUR HOPELESSNESS IS TAKEN AWAY DAILY AS WE JOURNEY WITH JESUS…AND WE KNOW THAT WE ARE CALLED AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS TO SHARE THIS GOOD NEWS TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD IT OR WHO HAVE NOT YET BELIEVED IT.
WE SHARE THAT GOOD NEWS NOT ONLY WITH SERMONS AND RELIGIOUS HANDOUTS…WE SHARE THAT GOOD NEWS WITH THE LIVES WE LIVE. AS FRANCIS OS ASSISI SAID, “PREACH THE GOSPEL AT ALL TIMES, IF NECESSARY, USE WORDS.”
IF THERE ARE ANY HERE HAVE NOT YET MADE A PUBLIC PROFESSION OF FAITH TO FOLLOW JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR, I INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD DURING THE SINGING OF OUR COMMITMENT HYMN. A DEACON OF THE CHURCH WILL PRAY WITH YOU AND EXPLAIN HOW YOU MIGHT BECOME A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY OF FAITH.
THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED TO FOLLOWING JESUS, I INVITE YOU TO RENEW THAT COMMITMENT AS WE SIGN HYMN ________.
AND NOW UNTO GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, BE ASCRIBED ALL MIGHT, MAJESTY, DOMINION, POWER, AND GLORY, THIS DAY AND FOREVERMORE. AMEN.