14th February. 2021. Service.
February 14th 2021
The Transfiguration of Jesus
Prelude: “Siyahamba”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGOiANtGmhE
Let us Worship God
Hymn “Lord, I lift your name on high!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQ6cni_TG8
The Collect for today
O God, who before the passion of your only begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn “Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDe0ABw5IHs
Call to Prayer
God said, “Let light shine in the darkness!”
Lord, shine your light into our lives.
We see the glory of God in the face of Christ.
The light of Christ is with us day by day.
Let us follow the light of Christ together.
Let us worship God with thanks and praise.
Prayer of Adoration and Confession
God of grace and glory,
to this worried world, you reveal your presence
with radiant glory and in gentle whispers,
on mountain tops and in shadowed valleys,
in classrooms and hospital beds,
in homes and churches,
in the quiet of nature and on busy streets.
Yours is the presence that pushes out our fear and calms us.
Yours is the love that transforms our doubts with reassurance.
We come to rest awhile in your presence and offer you the praise you deserve.
God of mercy and forgiveness, we confess that many things keep us from trusting your love and grace as we should.
We are often distracted by our own desires and disappointments.
We hold on to anger and resentment and can be unkind and thoughtless in our relationships.
We are afraid of the future rather and find faith hard to hold on to allowing doubt to spoil our peace.
Forgive us. Shower us with your love and grace and let us see and reflect your glory
and give us courage to follow Jesus wherever he leads,
for we pray in his name. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
St. John declares that God is love and that God’s perfect love casts out fear.
Friends, we are promised that those who abide in love abide in God and God abides in them.
Claim God’s forgiveness and know that:
God’s perfect love abides in you through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer for Understanding
Holy One, all wisdom comes from you. Guide us now as we read and think about your holy Word. May your Holy Spirit lead us into a deeper understanding of it and how we may become more like Jesus, our Lord in whom we offer our prayers. Amen
The Lords Prayer (in the words familiar to you)
Hymn: “O for a closer walk with God”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wWVpafJX8A
Invitation to the Offering
St. Valentine’s Day reminds us of the transforming power love has in many lives. Gifts we offer to God from the heart also transform lives. Let your offering today express your love for God and God’s love for the world in Christ Jesus.
Prayer of Dedication
God of life and love receive our gifts as tokens of our love. Bless them so they strengthen the ministries of love we undertake in Jesus’ name. May our lives shine with hope in these difficult days of wintertime, as we wait for healing and renewal through Christ our Lord. Amen
The Readings
Kings 2: 1-12
2 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, ‘so be quiet.’
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, ‘so be quiet.’
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 from 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, it will 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 garment and tore it in two. Amen.
Mark 9:2-9
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. Amen
Psalm 50:1-6
A psalm of Asaph.
1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
3 Our God comes
and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.
4 He summons the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 ‘Gather to me this consecrated people,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.’
6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice. Amen.
1 Corinthians 4:3-6
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. Amen.
Hymn: “O love that will not let me go”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt69WDtYNLo
Sermon
Transfiguration Sunday ends the season of Epiphany, during which the focus is upon the revelation of the Light of God in Jesus Christ. In the transfiguration event on the mountain top, the disciples, Peter, James and John are given a glimpse of the glorious light of heaven as Jesus is revealed in his divine resplendence.
In the story of the translation of Elijah, the same glory is glimpsed by his successor, Elisha who is prepared for his ministry by this vision whereby he received a double portion of the Spirit of God.
St Paul also had a vision of the light of heaven in his encounter with Jesus upon the Damascus Road. He was temporarily blinded by the brilliance of Christ, and after his recovery at the hands of Ananias, he began his ministry.
In each of these cases the light of God illumined the lives and souls of those who would serve him. They were given a special revelation which transformed their lives. This is not uncommon today as people who have had dramatic near-death experiences display similar conversions following their experience of the light of heaven and begin a new life of fearless service and love.
Today we are taking a different approach to this event, looking instead at the response to Paul’s ministry preaching and revealing the good news of the radiant Christ.
If our Gospel is obscured, it is obscure only to those who are set on self-destruction. They have allowed the false gods of this world to blind them, to keep them from glimpsing the light within the good news of the radiant Christ, who reflects the likeness of our God.
It appears that Paul comes down rather hard on those who refuse his message when he says many have chosen to allow the false glitter of life to blind them to the true light. He maintains that they have deliberately chosen such a path. They are responsible for their unbelief. Moments of True Light have come to them, but many choose to ignore these moments or scorn them.
This may not have been a once for all decision, but by an accumulation of small refusals and rejections of the opportunities for choosing to have faith they have arrived at a settled attitude of unbelief.
The Gospel of John takes a similar hard stand. Right at the start of the gospel, John indicates that people judge themselves by preferring the works of darkness to the works of light. They choose to walk with eyes closed, even in the presence of the wonderful light shining in the face of Christ Jesus.
Some today may be inclined to take an equally hard line stand against those who refuse to believe. My immediate response is to accept what the scripture says, but to leave the matter of judgment to God. One thing that is notable about the NDE literature is that the experience is most often reported by people who were agnostic or hostile to the gospel and that their dramatic confrontation is an act of divine mercy as it was in Paul’s case.
As people of faith, we must always maintain a loving empathy with those who doubt or have difficulty with faith. After all, faith is a gift from God, and we do not have the right to make judgments about those who struggle with it.
Some may be anxious souls who seem to have learned from an unhappy childhood to be always on their guard; to be perpetually distrustful of any person. Such folk may find it difficult to have faith.
Then there are those who seem to be genetically predisposed to doubt everything and everybody. And yet others who are subject to such dark times of depression that all light seems absent and faith an impossible dream.
We cannot take all unbelievers, heap them in one basket, and condemn them as wilful unbelievers, cursed by their own wilful choices. Always tread softly when dealing with people who have difficulty with faith
Even Paul and John, who make such hard generalisations, when dealing with particularities, show ample signs of a generosity towards lost souls. Paul expresses this in terms of the free grace of God to the sinner, and John in terms of love – God’s immense love for us and our love for another.
If our Gospel is obscured, it is obscure only to those who are set on self-destruction. They have allowed the false gods of this world to blind them, to keep them from glimpsing the light within the good news of the radiant Christ, who reflects the likeness of our God.
Having said, that it is true that there are people who deliberately choose darkness over light, deceit instead of truth, and who are ruthlessly egocentric rather than being God-centric. There are folk whose actions are evil and who appear to have no conscience or love for anyone other than themselves They may forward all kinds of arguments and every variety of excuse, often dressed up in clever intellectual rationalisations. There may have been a time when they knew the light but chose to hide from it, until they arrived at a grim stage of spiritual blindness.
Is it possible that the sight of a transfigured Jesus would have been of no benefit to such lost souls? If such people had been on the mount of transfiguration with Peter James and John, would they not have noticed the cloud of holiness, nor seen the transfigured Christ, nor heard the Voice that spoke out of the cloud of holiness? We cannot tell, but sometimes bitterness of soul will predispose them to reject the experience, and they might pour derision on those who see the glory and seize their moment in faith.
Such people may have been given their times of opportunity, either tiny enlightening encounters with God, or maybe one massive one, but they did not want to know about it. They did not want their lives and selfish plans interfered with. They set their own course of self-destruction.
In this dualistic world of light and dark, we cannot escape the painful reality that there are those who freely choose to reject the light of God in Christ. We can only trust and pray for the light to overcome whatever darkness they inhabit.
When we speak about the light of God dawning in the human soul, we should include many widespread experiences where this glimpse of light happens. Do not confine them to what is normally seen as orthodox Christian religion. Do not exclude those of other faiths, be they Moslem, Parsee, or indigenous forms of spirituality. The secular world is not impervious to the Divine, nor is the religious sphere of other cultures. God have never left himself without witness. The light has always shone in the darkness, and always will.
However, for us, the crucial, ultimate blaze of light flames forth in the life of Jesus: from Bethlehem to Nazareth, Galilee to Jerusalem, from betrayal to the awful cross, and from that cross to the vibrant Easter dawn. For a Christian, this Christ-light is the decisive test of our own spirituality. Any personal experiences of enlightenment must be stringently assessed and judged by this one definitive outpouring of the light of God.
We have been well taught by Paul and John, and by many others, on this score. For them, as I hope for us all, the light of God has made one categorical appearance. One unmistakable, convincing revelation. The coming of Christ Jesus.
It is the same God who at the beginning of creation said: “Let there be light!” who has shone into our hearts, giving us the knowledge of Divine glory shining in the face of Jesus Christ.
Faith is saying “Yes” to the glory of Jesus. Those who catch a glimpse of his glory believe.
Believers are those folk who have their own mini-transfiguration moments. They have seen the light of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and they have “yes” to it; placed their whole trust in it. Staked their lives on its beauty truth and love.
For many that light may have come through an accumulation of precious moments as they grew up in a Christian environment.
For some it has arrived with a burst of glory as they gave their lives to Jesus Christ, either in their confirmation or at an evangelical mission or in one of the more dramatic ways we have indicated.
For others, the moments of transfiguration have happened when they have engaged in spiritual disciplines during a retreat, or when overwhelming tragedy has engulfed and left them at their wits end.
And there are some patient souls who, after years of dutifully attending church without much elevation of spirit, to their own surprise suddenly experience the mists lifted and they see more clearly the Light that they had dimly sensed through long years.
The mountain top awaits those who are willing to climb there with Jesus, to watch and pray. Really pray. Pray with a mind and heart and soul that are sincerely open to God. Pray and think about the message of the gospel, it is more than “give your heart to Jesus,” or “be born again.” You cannot do that to yourself, only the Spirit of God can give the second birth, but you may pray for it if you think you lack it. The gospel has many facets which the twenty-seven books of the New Testament reveal; each of which may bring a moment of revelation to a searching soul. And the thirty-nine of the Old Testament add their weight to the testimony.
On our mountain, be it a high lofty peak or a modest hill, we can say “Yes,” to our moments of Christ-Light and find a joy that nothing can ever plunder. Or we can say “No,” and live with the shadows and darkness that the junk of negativity accumulates about us and within us.
Hard line or not, Paul touched a raw nerve. If our Gospel is obscured, it is obscure only to those who are set on self-destruction. They have allowed the false gods of this world to blind them, to keep them from glimpsing the light within the good news of the radiant Christ, who reflects the likeness of our God.
As we said, Paul himself was caught up in his own darkness until something dramatic happened while he was on the Damascus road. Such things still happen.
I came across this story about a man called Bruce Kiehne.
Nowadays Bruce leads a highly creative and productive life. He is the inventor of special surgical equipment, including the safety scalpel and a safety hypodermic. He now works in partnership with some medicos in their own company.
Things were not always like this. Bruce left school with a dismal record. Became a tough young man, street wise and desperate. For a period, his only accommodation was an old motor car. He was not at all religious. A hardened street fighter who soon wore the scars of many brawls.
Bruce Kiehne was not happy, and he knew it. He did not hide from the mess he was making of his life.
His life changed when at about 3.00 am one night Bruce woke up to see his room filled with the light of Christ, and he experienced the miracle of the unconditional love of God.
He chose to embrace that light and for him, all things became new. His life y improved dramatically, and things started to work together for good enriching his life
These days Bruce is a family man with a business to run. He is a determined character and always hopeful. As he sees it, the future is an open door.
His close medical friend and partner in business, Dr John, wryly says “I don’t believe in God. But with my dealings with Bruce, I must say there has been a number of what I would describe as “fortunate coincidences.”
Ah yes! Those “fortunate coincidences” happen when the light shines and is welcomed and totally trusted. BP
The story of each of our lives is still being written. We may not have experienced the dramatic, 3.00 am, turn-around that came to Bruce Kiehne. But the light does shine and we either respond positively and find a life of hope-full-ness, or we slide into a life of increasing doubts and darkness.
Large and small transfiguration moments still happen every day. What we chose to do with them makes the difference between highest joy and deepest misery. The light of God still shines, and we are all invited to open ourselves to it now
It is the same God who at the beginning of creation said,:”Let there be light!” who has shone into our hearts, giving us the knowledge of Divine glory shining in the face of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
God of life, God of love:
You created us and placed us in relationship with each other—
in families and neighbourhoods, communities and countries, cultures, and nations.
We thank you for all the supportive relationships which bring meaning and encouragement into our lives, especially so in these times of limitation and isolation.
Help us to give what we can to sustain the wellbeing of our community for all who call it home.
God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of our faith and our future, there are so many pressures on homes and families today.
Be with people who are struggling with economic difficulties and who are feeling insecure,
We pray for all who are burdened by challenges to their health and well-being this winter and for those who are grieving alone or are separated from those whom they love during the pandemic.
Work on behalf of parents and children, married partners, and next-door neighbours
who face conflict in their relationships that they may find solutions, express mutual respect and resolve tension.
Help our own congregation support families, whatever their size or situation,
as well as people living on their own, to know your love.
God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of mercy and forgiveness,
You call us to live together in peace and unity.
We pray for our neighbourhoods and our nation.
Where people are divided and bitterness turns into resentment,
show us how to work for reconciliation.
As the pandemic stretches on,
we pray for all those whose skill and dedication is needed
to support our common life.
Wherever we can, may we offer words of encouragement and appreciation
that others know much they matter to you and to us all.
God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Today we thank you for our church family
and for the years of worship and witness offered in our community here.
So much has changed for us over these past few months
and we pray you will bless our leaders
who have to think carefully and creatively so that congregational life may continue.
We remember those of our number in need of your special attention today…
(Hold a silence)
Guide us all with your wisdom and insight to find ways to reach out to each other in support and friendship.
Make us aware of opportunities to reach beyond our own fellowship as agents of your healing and hope to those whom you would bless. For this we offer ourselves to you in Jesus’ name and ask that you will hear this and all our prayers.
Hymn “God is love”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyYWW_P9MH4
Benediction
Get ready to serve the Lord. Go in peace and joy, sharing the good news of Jesus’ transforming love and power for all.
The grace of the Word of life rest upon you; the love of the Source of life embrace you; and the transforming power of the Breath of life help, strengthen and surprise you, today and all your days. Amen.
May God’s blessing surround you each day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_3O_N49GiU
Postlude: Christ be our light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ma4H9XtobM
For Children
I have some beautiful pictures to show you this morning. They are pictures of some beautiful mountain peaks you can imagine. Have you ever been on holiday in the mountains? I enjoy seeing mountains and hills and have often climbed them.
Why do you think people enjoy a holiday in the mountains? There are several reasons. One reason is that they may want to get away from the heat. In the summer months, the heat in some countries can become almost unbearable at times. It is refreshing to go up into the mountains where the air is cool. Another reason is to enjoy the beautiful view. When you are down in the valley, it is often difficult to see and appreciate the beauty around you, but from the mountain top, you can clearly see the beauty of the world below. Finally, many people enjoy getting away to the mountains to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is good to get away from the pressure of work and busy schedules, and just sit back and relax. When we are enjoying a getaway in the mountains, we sometimes find it hard to go back to our day-to-day life.
Did you know that Jesus enjoyed getting away for a mountain retreat? The Bible tells us that one day Jesus took Peter, James and John high up into the mountains so that they could be alone. While on the mountain top, Jesus’ appearance changed. His clothes became a dazzling white, whiter than any bleach could get them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking to Jesus. Peter exclaimed, “Teacher, it is wonderful for us to be here! Let’s build three shelters — one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Then a cloud passed over and covered them. From the cloud came a voice saying, “This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to what he says!” Then when they looked again, they saw only Jesus.
I imagine that Peter, James, and John would have been happy to stay up there on the mountain top, but did they? No, Jesus knew that the purpose of their experience on the mountain top was to renew their strength for the difficult days that were ahead of them, so he led the disciples back down from the mountains into the valley.
You and I sometimes need a vacation in the mountains to help us cope with the heat and stress of our everyday life. We also need mountain top experiences in our daily walk with Jesus. We need those experiences to renew our strength for the difficult tasks that we face as we follow Jesus each day.
Which of the mountains above did Jesus and his disciples climb?
*Answer below…
Dear Father, we are thankful for the wonderful mountain top experiences you give us to renew our strength for our daily walk with you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Intimations
The Inverkeithing Kirk Session will meet via Zoom at 7:00pm on Thursday 18th February.
The fortnightly Bible Discussion Group will be held on Tuesday 16th at 7:30pm via Zoom. If you wish to participate for the first time, please contact the minister at calston@churchofscotland.org.uk to receive the Zoom details.
The minister’s new address is 32c Townhill Road Dunfermline KY12 0QX. The telephone remains 01383 621050.
*Right hand mountain is Mount Tabor which we think Jesus climbed. The left-hand mountain is Ben Nevis, the biggest in Scotland and the UK.