Today's sermon from Mark 9:2-9, 10 entitled, "Transfiguring" looks at a defining moment when the apostle Peter's confession - "You are the Messiah" - is confirmed. Pastor Craig Janney invites us to consider the words uttered of Jesus by God on the mount of Transfiguration: "This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him!"

During the 40 days of Lent, a season for reflecting and preparing for Easter, Saint Stephen's United Church of Christ will be reading through the Gospel of Mark looking for and listening to the clear commands of Jesus in the red letters. Our goals for this exercise are to read the Gospel of Mark and listen to Jesus.

Investing your time to grow closer to the LORD by reading the Scriptures and letting the Holy Spirit minister to you will transform you from a reader, to a hearer, to a follower, to a disciple, to a disciple-maker. Like the disciples in today’s reading, you will probably have questions - great! Living by faith is trusting the One who makes promises through moments of sacred uncertainty, scary suffering, and delightful celebration.

// // //

Mark 9:2-10

2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.