Sunday March 5, 2023
Call To Worship: 2nd Sunday of Lent (Jesus’ Transfiguration)
Matthew 17:1-9
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
Songs:
Praise to the Lord, The Almighty
Verse 1
Praise to the Lord
The Almighty the King of creation
O my soul praise Him
For He is thy health and salvation
All ye who hear
Now to His temple draw near
Praise Him in glad adoration
Praise Him
Verse 2
Praise to the Lord
Who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth
Shelters thee under His wings
Yea so gently sustaineth
Hast thou not seen
How thy desires e'er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth
Chorus 1
Hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah
Verse 3
Praise to the Lord
Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee
Surely His goodness and mercy
Here daily attend thee
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do
If with His love He befriend thee
Verse 4
Praise to the Lord
O let all that is in me adore Him
All that hath life and breath
Come now with praises before Him
Let the Amen sound from His people again
Gladly fore'er we adore Him
Shield About Me
Verse 1
Thou O Lord are a shield about me
You're my glory You're the lifter of my head
(REPEAT)
Chorus 1
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
You're the lifter of my head
(REPEAT)
Teaching: Seeking God’s Kingdom First: Kingdom Origin Story
Seeking God’s Kingdom First: Priests in the Kingdom
One of the great mysteries of life with Jesus is the moments where Heaven and Earth meet. Where the extraordinary of the divine intersects with the ordinary of humanity. There are many ways and spaces in which this happens:
Prayer
The Holy Spirit in Us
Sacraments:
Baptism
Eucharist
Worship
In all of those moments what is happening is God is speaking the truth of himself intus us so that we will in turn love him, love the people around us, and bring TOV to the world.
We become the Conduits of the fullness of God to the people around us.
To speak as representatives of God to the people and to speak to God on people’s behalf.
An important role in the kingdom is that of the priest.
Often in the history of God’s interaction with humanity, an intermediary was used as the go-between between us and God.
Those mediaries were called Priests in the Old Testament and the nation of Israel was called to be a “Priest Nation”
Exodus 19:4-6, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on Eagles wings and brought you to myself. Now, therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.”
Israel was called to be the people who would then speak to the rest of the world on God’s behalf. To make him known among the nations. This was their priestly duty.
Within the nation of Israel existed the Tribe of Levi (Levites) whose sole occupation was to be the priests among the priest nation Israel, helping Israel experience God through worship, through his character, through helping them become right with God.
They also administered justice.
Their primary role was to help people experience this mystery of heaven and earth coming together.
Catholic and Orthodox traditions still use the office of the Priest. And they function much like the OT priests would have.
As conduits of God’s presence, his forgiveness, grace, mercy, justice & righteousness, and his very voice to the rest of the people.
In addition to the religious duties of the priests, they played a role in civil matters.
They were consulted on legal disputes and were responsible for interpreting and applying the law of Moses.
But their main role was leading people into the presence of God.
And when the people disobeyed God, it was the role of the priest to go before God and plead for forgiveness and to make the ritual sacrifice atoning for the sins of the nation.
Exodus 32:1-14 is the story of the Golden Calf.
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because YOUR people, whom YOU brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-neckedpeople. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”11 “But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against YOUR people, whom YOU brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on YOUR people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’”14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.”
Watch what happens when Moses confronts the people for their sin…
Exodus 32:30-32 “on the next day Moses said to the people, “you have sinned a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin. So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “alas, this people has sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will only forgive their sin-but if not, please blot me out of the book that you have written.”
Part of the role of the priest was to be the bridge between God and humanity. To plead with God on behalf of the people, and to at times, be willing to surrender themselves for the good of the people.
Moses tells God “If you don’t forgive them then take my name out of your book.”
Moses stays on the mountain and has a dialogue with God. God’s goodness passes in front of Moses and as Moses comes down from the mountain he has the glow of God around him.
Tangible moment of heaven touching earth through Moses.
All through the OT we find priests, and priest Kings like David, who show glimpses of the ideal expectation of priests in God’s kingdom but who ultimately fail to live fully into it.
King David was a priest King who led the people in worship to God, and then has a man killed to hide up the abuse he committed against him and his wife by impregnating his wife.
God consistently prophecies that a Royal Priest would come who would restore God’s intention and do what all the priests before him could not.
He would bridge the distance between the divine and the ordinary, between heaven and earth, and make the voice of God known throughout the world forever.
Jesus’ baptism moment is the anointing moment Israel had been waiting for, showing Jesus to be the royal priest and Messiah.
The Transfiguration in Matthew 17 reflects back on Jesus’ baptism and this moment 1500 years earlier between Moses and God.
Jesus is with Peter, James, and John. Suddenly Elijah and Moses arrive and the disciples want to build 3 temples, one for each of Jesus, Elijah and Moses.
The Temple was the place of God’s presence on Earth.
Jesus then is transfigured and shines with the glory of God like Moses did 1500 years earlier.
Jesus enters the final stage of his ministry, heading to the cross.
The priestly duty was to plea before God on behalf of the people. And to make the ritual sacrifice so God would forgive the people.
Jesus sees the brokenness of humanity and goes before God to plead on our behalf. Only he doesn’t surrender the life of a lamb…he surrenders his own life, becoming the sacrificed lamb for all people, for all time.
The Temple was the place of God’s presence on earth. Where heaven and earth intersected.
The priests worked in the temple, entering the inner part where God resided, to listen to God.
They would then enter back into the space where the rest of the people were carrying the presence of God with them and his words for them.
Jesus presented himself as the True Temple. The ultimate place where Heaven and Earth not only touched but were fully one, in him.
This is why Jesus’ death and resurrection and then his sending of the spirit into all people is so important.
Because Jesus, the true high priest, infused within his people the very presence of God, his living and active spirit.
What does this mean for us?
The role of the priest has been passed on to each of us.
We are now empowered to be the priests who bring the very present of God within reach for all people.
We are not empowered to receive the words of God to give to the people around us.
Words of love, of TOV, of life and beauty.
And it becomes our calling to go before God on behalf of the people around us.
To plead for them and to, at times, be willing to surrender ourselves for their good.
Communion:
Come up and take communion then head back to your seat for 2 times of guided prayer
First time of Prayer:
Think about the moments you know you are in the presence of God.
Where are you? When is it? What are you doing?
Then pray this simple prayer “Lord, meet us, or continue to meet us in these spaces, so we can experience your presence and love.”
If you don’t have these kinds of moments that is ok. Spend time praying about moments where you feel most at peace. And invite God to fill those spaces with you.
Second time of prayer :
Reflect on the places in your life frequent regularly.
work
gym
cafe
pub
class
etc.
Think of the people in those spaces.
their names
their faces
Pray this simple prayer after a time of reflection, “Lord, use me as a conduit of your goodness and love for these spaces and for these people.”
Benediction:
Our Father in heaven,
May your name be revered as holy.
May your kingdom come.
May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.
May the strength of God pilot us;
May the wisdom of God instruct us,
May the hand of God protect us,
May the word of God direct us.
Be always ours this day and for evermore.
Amen
Places for Further Study on Priests