Order, Words, & Voices

02.19.23 Life Moments, Matthew 16:24-17:8

Order

Pre Worship Music

Opening Song Great Are You Lord Christian/Isaiah

Give me Jesus

Call to Worship Response/Lord’s Prayer Segun

Reading Matthew 16:24-17:8 Beth

Songs   Another in the Fire Christian/Isaiah

Message Life Moments Rick

Music 10,000 Reasons Christian/Isaiah

Community/Closing Peace Rick

Benediction Rick

Post Worship Music

Slides Note: There is a blank title slide between each Section

Music (slides)

Great are You Lord

V1-V1-C-V1-C-C-B-B-B-B-C-C

Verse 1

You give life You are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope You restore ev’ry heart that is broken

And great are You Lord

Chorus

It’s Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

We pour out our praise

It’s Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise to You only

Bridge

And all the earth will shout Your praise

Our hearts will cry these bones will sing

Great are You Lord

Give me Jesus

V1-C-V2-C-INST-V3-C

Verse 1

In the morning when I rise

In the morning when I rise

In the morning when I rise

Give me Jesus

Chorus

Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus

You can have all this world

Just give me Jesus

Verse 2

When I am alone

When I am alone

Oh when I am alone

Give me Jesus

Verse 3

When I come to die

When I come to die

Oh when I come to die

Give me Jesus

Call to Worship/Lord’s Prayer (Slides)

Leader: When Jesus found out about the brutal death of John the Baptizer, Jesus withdrew from the people to grieve.

Response: But the crowds found Jesus and followed him.

Leader: When the crowds became hungry, Jesus said to his disciples, “Give them something to eat.” The disciples could not see how to do this.

Response: Jesus saw bread and fish and fed the crowd.

Leader: When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water he asked if he also could walk on water, Jesus invited him to step out of the boat onto the water.

Response: After a few steps Peter began to only see the waves and began to sink.

Leader: When the disciples saw the Canaanite woman attempting to speak to Jesus, they ushered her away.

Response: Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith is great.”

Leader: Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?”

Response: Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Leader: Jesus told his disciples, “I will suffer, be killed, and then resurrected from the grave.”

Response: Peter reprimanded Jesus saying, “Don’t talk like that.”

Leader: Jesus said, “Do not be a stumbling block for me.”

Response: Jesus said, “Set your mind on God’s purposes.”

Lord’s Prayer (Slides) ‘Join me in the prayer of Jesus’

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, while we forgive those who trespass against us. And, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen

Reading (Slides)   Matthew 16:24-17:8

Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 

For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every person according to his deeds.

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Six days later, Jesus *took with Him Peter and James, and his brother John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And Jesus was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

And Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You want, I will make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 

While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!” 

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And raising their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

Matthew 16:24-17:8

Music (Slides)

Another in the Fire

V1-C1-V2-C2-B-V3-C3

Verse 1

There’s a grace when the heart is under fire

Another way when the walls are closing in

And when I look at the space between

Where I used to be and this reckoning

I know I will never be alone

Chorus 1

There was another in the fire

Standing next to me

There was another in the waters

Holding back the seas

And should I ever need reminding

Of how I’ve been set free

There is a cross that bears the burden

Where another died for me

There is another in the fire

Verse 2

All my debt left for dead beneath the waters

I’m no longer a slave to my sin anymore

And should I fall in the space between

What remains of me and this reckoning

Either way I won’t bow to the things of this world

And I know I will never be alone

Chorus 2

There is another in the fire

Standing next to me

There is another in the waters

Holding back the seas

And should I ever need reminding

What power set me free

There is a grave that holds no body

And now that power lives in me

Bridge

And I can see the light in the darkness

As the darkness bows to Him

I can hear the roar in the heavens

As the space between wears thin

I can feel the ground shake beneath us

As the prison walls cave in

Nothing stands between us

Nothing stands between (us)

Verse 3

There is no other name

But the Name that is Jesus

He who was and still is

And will be through it all

So come what may in the space between

All the things unseen and this reckoning

I know I will never be alone

I know I will never be alone

Chorus 3

There’ll be another in the fire

Standing next to me

There’ll be another in the waters

Holding back the seas

And should I ever need reminding

How good You’ve been to me

I’ll count the joy come ev’ry battle

‘Cause I know that’s where You’ll be

Message – Life Moments (No Slides)

Introduction:

In the final segment of the Harry Potter series, just before Harry is to face death, the ‘deads’ appear to Harry. His mother, who along with his father, was killed shortly after his death, she says a very motherly thing…

Mother: You’ve been so brave.

Potter: Why are you here, all of you?

Mother: We never left.

Potter: Does it hurt, dying?

Sirius: Quicker than falling asleep.

Father: You’re nearly there, son.

Potter: You’ll stay with me?

Father: Until the end.

Potter: Stay close to me.

Mother: Always.

Harry drops the resurrection stone giving up his safety net, his ‘out’ should he change his mind.

Transfiguration

•Transfiguration Sunday

•Transfiguration Explanation

• As Jesus stood in the midst of this faith heroes he began to radiate, to shine. This was probably much like when Moses came down from the mountain after sitting before God and receiving the Law, we learn that he too had a radiance about him. A radiance that the people soon requested that he cover because it was impossible to face him or even look in his direction. Moses’ radiance was because he had been in the presence of God, and, much like a sunburnt face after a football game day, Moses had been externally marked, a mark that eventually faded but in the moment there was no doubt from those that saw him of a holy encounter. Jesus, radiance, however, was not external, it was an eternal rising up and out. Jesus was holy but his radiance had not been visible in an earthly world. Now, here, where the air was clear and holiness was present, there was no veil over his face. His heart, his mind, his intentions, his purpose, his love, all were visible in and  on his person.

•Tie to Harry Potter

•Faith figures from Past and Church Leaders of Future (Gethsemane,sleep)

•Six Days after Jesus’ Warning to Disciples

Necessity of turning toward Jerusalem and that, there, [Jesus] would ‘suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and then raised on the third day‘ (Matthew 16:21)

Comfort/Encouragement – Not sure what words were said among these three men, but I am pretty sure it was very similar to the question asked by Harry Potter. ‘Does it hurt to die?’ Here, Jesus stood among these greats of the faith, men who had experienced fear, rejection, retribution, hostility, humiliation. Men who knew what vulnerability, threats, pain, brutality, meant in the human experience. Two men who stood now on the other side, understanding almost everything that Jesus was about to face. 

I am sure that in this life moment, these two men encouraged Jesus, they affirmed not only God in the flesh but also accepted Jesus’ very real human fear. This was going to hurt, the lies told about Jesus were going to devastate and sting, the rejection by those that had pledged their lives was going to disappoint, the hatred of those who had been given love and grace was going to bruise, the abandonment by Jesus disciples was going to was going to leave Jesus isolated and alone. The sins of all mankind piled on Jesus was going to squeeze the very life from him.

Elements

• Present
• Descent

Present – Simon Peter

Let’s narrow those in attendance to just one of the disciples, Simon. Simon is a true two steps forward one step back kind of guy. He is us! He was a hard worker and a hard seeker, even before Jesus called him on, Simon was awaiting and looking forward to the coming Messiah. As Simon reveals his character and genuine faith, Jesus renames him Peter, Petras, Rock. Peter has an authentic desire to fully trust God, but he also carries a very real human fear of letting go of control. Peter asks Jesus if he can join Jesus who was walking on water, As Peter stepped out onto the water he soon could only see the frightening waves and failed to look at Jesus. Peter is the first to fully recognize that Jesus is the Son of God, the deliverer but when Jesus explains that the cross is ahead, Peter reprimands Jesus about being so negative. Jesus warns Peter that he will deny knowing Christ, Peter scoffs but soon realizes that Jesus was right. Peter was absent at the cross but the first to run into the grave after hearing news of the resurrection from Mary. When Jesus tells Peter he will suffer death for sharing the good news, Peter lashes out asking why Jesus is not saying this to the disciple John. And then, as an apostle, Peter is the first to speak the gospel to the gentiles – then he backtracks on this move and Paul has to confront Peter. In the end Peter dies for speaking the name and work of Jesus.

Somehow, even in his greatest failures, Peter manages to keep his faith. He abandons Jesus but then runs unabashedly toward the prospect of the empty grave. He follows the religious laws but is willing to step outside of the restrictions of cleanliness in order to go to the gentile home of Cornelius. He argues with Paul but then accepts his confrontation. He is guaranteed a bad end but still, he continues to follow God.

Peter shows us how to be a follower of God even though we are flawed and skeptical human beings; he shows us to get up, even though our own struggle with right and wrong will often leave us defeated. Peter shows us a faith that depends on a fervent trust in the God of compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and love. Peter understands this and does not wallow in pity and self loathing after he has denied Jesus, instead he runs to the tomb at the possibility that there he will once again see Jesus.

Descent 

• • When you go up, eventually you have to go down. The time spent up the mountain is based on personal desire and when you are needed back at the bottom of the mountain, or the valley. When being up on the mountain is a great moment, it is more difficult to begin your descent, and when being in the valley is a grind, a grind that brings suffering and misery, beginning the descent is a mentally difficult decision.

Peter, and probably James and John, loved being on the mountain, more than any mountain they had ever been on. Not only did they have the surreal moment of standing in the midst of these faith heroes that had past centuries before, but there was also a great distance between them and the reality of life at the bottom of the mountain. There was no suffering here, there was no hostility here, there was no doubt or pain here, this was a perfect place to stay, a perfect place to live. I would imagine that on the top, there was an assumption that they would spend becoming holy, learning from these men of their direct experiences. Why would anyone leave?

• • The Great Awakening in the United States was a series of religious revivals that took place in the early eighteenth and late twentieth centuries. 

• Asbury University, a Holiness University

Sounds alot like Peter wanting to stay up on the mountain. Classes were interrupted, employers were left attempting to fill in for those that chose to stay in the chapel rather than work. Staying on the mountain rather than descending to the valley.

Growth Only In The Valley

• Episcopal Priest Cynthia Bourgoult reminds us that it is in our descent from the mountain that we experience transformation. “”The path of descent is the path of transformation. Struggle, failure, relapse, death, and woundedness are our primary teachers, rather than ideas or doctrines.” (Center for Action and Contemplation)
• Father Richard Rorh describes our struggle in the valley as a struggle with our shadow, “Human consciousness does not emerge at any depth except through struggling with our shadow. It is in facing our own contradictions that we grow. It is in the struggle with our shadow self, with failure, or with wounding that we break into higher levels of consciousness.” (Richard Rorh, Center for Action and Contemplation)
• In the Valley we live with the contradiction, evil in the midst of good, disagreement even within faith, difference in interpretations, values, doctrines, agendas, practices, under the following of the same Savior.
• Speaking to the contradictions in the valley, author Saul David Alinsky theorizes, “As we begin to accept the concept of contradictions we see every problem or issue in its whole interrelated sense. We then recognize that for every positive there is a negative, and that there is nothing positive without its accompanying negative. (Saul David Alinsky, Author, American community activist, Political Theorist)
• In the Valley we can see true holy, not the emotion of the moment but the long lasting holiness of the moment of holiness that shines in the midst of the unholy. (holy moments)

Application/Challenge

• The word transfiguration that defines this radiance of Jesus is the greek word metemorphōthē. Meaning to have a change in outward appearance – in a spiritual sense it means that you began to show on the outside what is true in your heart and mind – your outside begins to reveal your inside. Jesus transfigured, he metamorphosed so that he could be seen for what he truly was. 
• Moses’ radiance was a result of being before God and in God’s presence. It was a result of an external engagement with God. When I lived in Colorado Springs, every Sunday as folks arrived at church we could quickly discern those who had been to the Air Force Academy Football games from those who had not. And among those who had gone to the game, we could differentiate where they had sat in the stadium. The effects of the Colorado Sun was undeniably visible. 
• Jesus’ radiance was an internal engagement that was visibly present on the outside. Now, as his appearance was no longer hidden by the struggle of humanity, here on the mountain in the presence of God, the radiance of Jesus was on display. It wasn’t that his inner heart and mind were not visible down amongst humanity, but the glaze of struggle and pain, hindered humanity from seeing.
• This also, is the same word used elsewhere in the New Testament but transliterated at Transformed.
• “Present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed, be metamorphosed, be transfigured,  by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)
• Paul has talked about the process that took place before the metamorphosed moment. It is a “DO NOT” ‘Do not be conformed’, and a “DO” ‘Do be transformed.’ A process that is not about actions, and it is not about a disingenuous, a phony, presentation of self, it is the salvation path, the journey, of knowing God well enough that you can fall flat on your face in your struggle with evil, and then jump up to see God at the first thought that God is near. It is a not just a “DO”, but also a “BE” – Be transformed, let your light shine, let you salt be tasted. Let the world see the world you are living in, the God you seek to know more and more.
• “The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed, are being metamorphosed, are being transfigured, into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (II Corinthians 3:17-18)
• The example and the call of Jesus is for us to be seen, and not just heard. To show Jesus, to reflect God, in our lives, our actions – through mercy, compassion, justice, and love. To live peaceably and in harmony, even with those we disagree. However, the call on us in the story of the transfiguration is much more defined. It is a call to come down from the mountain. It is a call to live in the midst of the human struggle. To live a vulnerable life before God.
• God is in the midst of the struggle, in the midst of the valley where we live. It is here that God notices us, guides us, and stands ready to help us get up from our falls and failures. Where God is ready with open arms to receive us when we return.
• Peter’s hesitancy is warranted, the valley is difficult, no sooner do they reach the bottom of the mountain than they’re confronted by a father and his demon possessed child. They are immediately confronted by the very real and personal suffering of the world. It is in this world, however, that lasting transformation will take place – through the personal suffering and the experience of traveling the journey of struggle. 

Music

10,000 Reasons

C-V1-C-V2-C-V3-C-E

Chorus

Bless the Lord O my soul O my soul

Worship His holy name

Sing like never before O my soul

I’ll worship Your holy name

Verse 1

The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning

It’s time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes

Verse 2

You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger

Your name is great and Your heart is kind

For all Your goodness I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

Verse 3

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing Your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Ending

Sing like never before O my soul

I’ll worship Your holy name

Worship Your holy name

Worship Your holy name

Community

• Next Sunday, Matthew 18:15-35, The Reciprocity of Forgiveness
• Wednesdays Noon Bible Study, February 29-April 5, Lenten Season, (Starting Date Change)
• Spring Gathering, March 26
• San Francisco Immersion Trip, May 17-22, if interested speak w/Rick
• Prayer for Larry (prayer texts available at Flocknote) Ukraine, Prayer for Turkey and Syria after earthquake, prayers for our world

Benediction (Blank Slide)

May we go with Jesus’ radical words ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who have been persecuted. May we go, with the challenge to be salt and light, to be a light shining before others and in so doing, may we see with God’s eyes and glorify God.

Closing Peace

Leader: May the Peace of the Lord go with you.  Response: And also with you.