Worship Helps for Transfiguration
Elijah Taken Up in
a Chariot of Fire
Angeli Giuseppe
Worship Theme:
The season of showing his glory to those he has called is coming to a close. We
stand at the threshold of the season of his ultimate humiliation. But before we
go down to the valley of the shadow of death, he gives us a glimpse of the
glory which he hid so carefully even while he was revealing it. Lent is coming;
hang on to the glory that soon will be covered in shame and washed with blood!
The
season of Epiphany comes to a close with another episode of revelation
regarding Jesus’ identity. Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a high
mountain. There, He is transfigured before them. Moses and Elijah stand next to
Jesus in His dazzling appearance. And a voice comes from the heavens saying,
“This is My beloved Son; listen to Him” (Mark 9:7). This statement from God the
Father reiterates the statement He made to Jesus at His Baptism at the
beginning of the Epiphany season: “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well
pleased” (Mark 1:11).
The
color for Transfiguration is white to reflect the line from Mark’s Gospel that
Jesus’ “clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could
bleach them” (Mark 9:3).
Old
Testament: 2 Kings 2:1-12a
When the Lord
was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah was traveling with
Elisha from Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I
will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3The sons of the prophets who were in
Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking your master away from
you?”
Then he said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
4Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay
here because the Lord has sent me
to Jericho.”
But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I
will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5Then the sons of the prophets who were in
Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking your master away from
you?”
He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
6Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here
because the Lord has sent me to
the Jordan.”
But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I
will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.
7Then fifty men from the sons of the
prophets came and stood and watched them from a distance, while the two of them
were standing at the Jordan. 8Elijah took his cloak, folded it
together, and struck the water. The water divided to the right and to the left.
Then the two of them crossed on dry land.
9When they had crossed, Elijah said to
Elisha, “Ask me for whatever I can do for you before I am taken from you.”
Then Elisha said, “Let there be a double portion
of your spirit on me.”
10He said, “You have asked for a
difficult thing. If you see me being taken from you, it will surely be yours.
But if not, then it will not.”
11While they were walking and
talking, suddenly a chariot of fire, and horses of fire came and separated
them. So Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12Elisha was
watching and crying out, “My father! My father! Israel’s chariot and its
charioteers!” Then he did not see him anymore.
1. Why was Elisha upset?
2. What request did Elisha have for Elijah?
3.
How was Elijah taken away into heaven?
Epistle: 2 Corinthians
4:3–6
3But even if our gospel is veiled, it is
veiled among those who are perishing. 4In the case of those people,
the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from
clearly seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is God’s
image.
5Indeed, we do not preach ourselves, but
Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For
the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” is the same one who made
light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God in the person of Jesus Christ.
4. Why don't all people trust in Jesus' blood?
5.
In short, who is Jesus, this man who appears in such glory on the Mount of
Transfiguration?
6.
If you trust in Jesus― unlike many― why is that? (See 4:6.)
Gospel: Mark 9:2-9
2After six days Jesus took Peter, James,
and John with him and led them up a high mountain where they were alone by
themselves. There he was transfigured in front of them. 3His clothes
became radiant, dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. 4And
Elijah appeared to them together with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
5Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good
for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one
for Elijah.” 6He did not know what to say because they were
terrified.
7A cloud appeared and overshadowed them,
and a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen
to him.”
8Suddenly when they looked around, they no
longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.
9As they were coming down the mountain,
Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man
had risen from the dead.
7. Who met Jesus
and his disciples when they climbed this high mountain?
8. Why did Peter make the suggestion he did in verse 5?
Answers:
1. He realized that his master, Elijah, was going to be
taken away from him.
2. Elisha asked Elijah for a double portion of Elijah’s
spirit. He knew he would need spiritual strength when Elijah was gone. In those
days the oldest Jewish son would inherit a double portion of the estate, so
Elisha seems to be asking to be Elijah's heir/successor.
3. A chariot and horses of fire separated Elijah and
Elisha, then Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind.
4. All people do not trust in Jesus' blood because the
devil, “the god of this age,” has blinded the minds of unbelievers. Result:
They cannot see the light of the good news.
5.
Jesus is the image of God. When we see Jesus, we see exactly what God the
Father is like.
6. The God who did the miracle of making light at the
beginning, just by saying, “Let there be light,” did a similar miracle in you.
He made light where there was only darkness. He gave you light to know the
glory of God in the face of Christ.
7.
Jesus and his three disciples met Moses and Elijah, who were generally
considered by the Jews to be the two greatest prophets in the Old Testament.
8. Peter wanted to build shelters on the mountain for
Jesus, Moses and Elijah, in order to keep the glory of God all to themselves.
Mark the Evangelist suggests that Peter was speaking foolishly. Jesus needed to
head for Jerusalem, where he would suffer death on a cross to secure eternal
glory for his followers (verse 9).
Putting your faith
into action
Walking together along the dusty path, two men head for
destiny. It would have been too easy for Elisha to stop somewhere and let
Elijah walk on. And it is too easy for us to watch someone else work for the
Lord. But the stakes were too high for Elisha, the benefit too wonderful, too
necessary! Our journey in ministry is also too important and too full of
blessings to stop walking together.
You must honor Baptism and consider it glorious. For God Himself has honored it both by words
and deeds. Furthermore, He confirmed it
with miracles from heaven. Do you think
it was a joke that, when Christ was baptized, the heavens were opened and the
Holy Spirit descended visibly, and everything was divine glory and majesty?
I encourage again that these two—the water and the Word—by
no means be separated from each other and parted. For if the Word is separated from it, the water
is the same as the water that the servant cooks with. But when the Word is added, as God has
ordained, it is a Sacrament. It is
called Christ’s Baptism. Let this be the first part about the holy Sacrament’s
essence and dignity.
Since we know now what Baptism is and how it is to be
regarded, we must also learn why and for what purpose it is instituted. We must learn what it profits, gives, and
works. We cannot find a better resource than Christ’s words, “Whoever believes
and is baptized will be saved” [Mark 16:16].
The power, work, profit, fruit, and purpose of Baptism is this—to
save. For no one is baptized in order
that he may become a prince, but, as the words say, that he “be saved.” We know that to be saved is nothing other
than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil. It means to enter into Christ’s kingdom [John
3:5], and to live with Him forever. – Large Catechism, Part IV, Baptism (paragraphs
21-25)
Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I'd love thee, Truly I'd serve thee,
Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown.
Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands,
Robed in flow'rs of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer;
He makes our sorr'wing spirit sing.
Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
Than all the angels in the sky.
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be thine!
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