Call to Worship
Let us go to the mountain to share the light that is Jesus.
StF 706: Longing for light, we wait in the darkness.
Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
Light for the world to see.
Refrain:
Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts,
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.
Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has power to save us.
Make us your living voice. (Refrain)
Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
Shared until all are fed. (Refrain)
Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
Walls make of living stone. (Refrain)
Many the gifts, many the people,
Many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come. (Refrain)
Prayers:
Let us be still & feel the presence of our Lord God; remembering our brothers & sisters in Christ who will be worshipping, praising and praying to our heavenly Father just as we are doing. Be still & feel his presence.
Dear Lord, Father God, we come to worship and to praise you. The One who touches each of us with love. The One who shares our joys & sorrows, the light & darkness of our days, giving us the strength, will & faith to climb mountains.
We glory in your holy name. As we praise & worship you we also bring to you our thanks. For the wonder of this world that you have given us, our family and friends, and the love and friendship they give us, & for the faith that you have given us through the love and sacrifice of your son, our Saviour, Jesus.
Merciful God, you love all of us and we know you will never turn away from us, but we know there have been times when we have turned away from you, putting our own selfish needs before yours. Times when we have harboured anger or mistrust, times when we have not given others the love and support we should.
For all the times we have let you down we say sorry Lord, and ask that in your mercy you will forgive us.
Forgiven and loved may we serve you and one another with confidence, hope and trust. In Jesus’ name we pray.
AMEN.
Bible Reading
Luke 9:28-36
The transfiguration
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ (He did not know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’ 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
Message:
I am sure we all have had times in our lives that remain special to us.
Special occasions close to our hearts that we will always remember with tears and smiles. There must have been many such times for Jesus’ disciples as they recall their travels with him, and the ministry he taught them.
High on that list would have been the experience of Peter, John & James on the mountain. The experience that we now recognise as ‘The Transfiguration’.
They witnessed Jesus’ face light up as he prayed, and then Moses and Elijah appearing with him. Two men, one representing the Law and the other the Prophets, and now here they are with Jesus the fulfilment of all their hopes and dreams the salvation for us all.
The disciples knew they had been privileged to witness something remarkable, confirmed with Peter’s words ‘How good it is that we are here’. Followed by the voice confirming ‘This is my Son, listen to him’.
There are many stories in the Old Testament (Exodus 24 & 34) of Moses meeting God on Mount Sinai, his face shining as did Jesus’. Incredible images of Moses and now here Jesus meeting God.
We may not find God in the way Moses and Jesus did. We may not feel the need to go up a mountain to seek Him, but we all have special places where we go to meet with Him & to pray, pouring out to Him our joys and sorrows, our concerns, our needs.
A need that is met with comfort, instruction, guidance, peace and love.
We must never underestimate his power, his might, and his joy when we go to Him. All we have to do in return .is listen.
We will always have a need to go to the mountain of the Lord, wherever that is.
Up that mountain to everlasting peace and light. The light that our Lord God has given us the light we call Jesus.
Let us pray
Imagine being one of Jesus’ disciples & journeying with him up the mountain.
What conversations you might have with him, and then imagine seeing God’s glory.
Soak in that radiance, the joy you feel and your face shining because of what you have witnessed.
Dear God, we know you will always be with us, whether on a mountain top or valley depth, days of sunshine and days that are dark. Thank you that with the dying of winter we have the promise of Spring. Thank you for the glory we can feel when we are in your presence, always & everywhere.
AMEN.
Intercessions & Lord’s Prayer:
As we sit quietly let us recall in our minds what we have seen and heard in the news this week. Let us remember those suffering loss, health, safety, peace, employment, home, marriage, friendship, loved ones. Merciful Father hold them in your loving comforting arms and bring them comfort, security, reconciliation, healing, hope, peace and love.
Finally dear Lord be with us and give us strength, hope, guidance and love, in the name of Jesus who taught us when to pray to say the Lord’s Prayer…
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
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.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen.
StF 259: Jesus, on the mountain peak
Jesus, on the mountain peak,
stands alone in glory blazing;
Let us, if we dare to speak,
Join the saints and angels praising:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Trembling at his feet we saw
Moses and Elijah speaking.
All the Prophets and the Law
shout through them their joyful greeting.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Swift the cloud of glory came.
God, proclaiming in its thunder,
Jesus as the Son by name!
Nations, cry aloud in wonder:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Jesus is the chosen One,
living hope of every nation.
Hear and heed him, everyone;
sing with earth and all creation:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Closing Prayer:
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us and remains with us always.
AMEN
