[0:00] Stories from the sl Uni Fem Есть Inter contre Quину Thank you.
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[2:58] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right.
[3:08] I'll try it your way. All right. Lord. I need a miracle. I'm desperate. I need your help, Lord.
[3:20] Please reach into my life. What the hell? I got you. I got you. Ah.
[3:44] Hey. Hey!
[4:14] Fine! The gloves are off, pal! Come on, let me see a little wrath. Smite me, almighty smiter! You're the one who should be fired!
[4:27] The only one around here not doing his job is you! Answer me! Sorry, don't know you.
[4:51] I didn't call you if I did. Did he pray?
[5:05] He did. Did he get the answer to his prayer? He did. But he didn't see it.
[5:18] Not only did he pray for an answer that came in signs and a variety of ways, but God showed up.
[5:38] And he did not have eyes to see God. So you could ask the question, was it, if you watch that, and I hadn't just said that, you might think, well, did he pray and God didn't answer his prayer?
[5:59] Or did God answer his prayer and he didn't see it? I think it's kind of a combination of things.
[6:10] Because when we pray and we say, God, show up, God doesn't always show up in the way that we imagine.
[6:22] And in this morning's scripture readings, we're going to talk about fire and being lit up like the sun and imagining that sometimes when that happens, the shining reflects off of us.
[6:41] Not just the shiner, but the one the shining is reflected on, which is all of us, we pray. Let's pray.
[6:52] Lord, we ask you to guide us. Help us to see the way that you shine upon us, the way you show signs, the way that you show us your care or your direction.
[7:08] Because, Lord, it might be some way we never even imagined. So guide us. Take us where you want us to go. We pray and give thanks in Jesus' name.
[7:22] Amen. I'm going to invite you all to stand if you're able.
[7:38] Because today we are going to be singing with our bodies as we shout to the north, south, east, and west. Men of faith rise up and sing of the great and glorious King.
[8:09] You are strong in who you need In your brokenness complete You ready? Shout to the north and the south Sing to the east and the west Jesus, your Savior to all The Lord of heaven and earth Rise up women of the truth Stand and sing to broken hearts Who can know the healing heart Of our glorious King of North Shout to the north and the south Sing to the east and the west Jesus, your Savior to all Lord of heaven and earth Shout to the north and the south
[9:11] Sing to the east and the west Jesus, your Savior to all Lord of heaven and earth We've been through fire We've been through rain We've been refined by the power of His name We've fallen deeper in love with you We've fallen deeper in love with you You've burned the truth on our feet Shout to the north and the south Sing to the east and the west Jesus, your Savior to all Jesus, your Savior to all Lord of heaven and earth Shout to the north and the south Sing to the east and the west Jesus, your Savior to all Lord of heaven and earth Rise up church with broken wings
[10:14] Fill this place in the east and the east and the east Fill this place with songs again Fill this place with songs again Of our God who reigns on high By His grace again we'll fly We'll fly Shout to the north and the south Sing to the east and the west Jesus is Savior to all Lord of heaven and earth Jump to the north and south Sing to the east and the west Jesus is Savior to all Lord of heaven and earth One more time Jump to the north and south Sing to the east and the west Jesus is Savior to all Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth
[11:16] Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Amen. Please be seated.
[11:35] So I've determined that my other title is the chief beggar. So what am I begging for today?
[11:49] What goes in these? You guys know more than I do. Candy. We are going to do an Easter celebration with an Easter egg hunt.
[12:01] It's going to be done differently and it may be that we're out there poking them in holes in the snow. But we're still going to do it. And we need candy for the eggs.
[12:14] I was trying to figure out how many pieces of candy and Adrian said just one. I was like, just one? Well, one if it's bigger and a couple if it's smaller and you guys know what you're doing.
[12:29] And so we're looking for candy to go into the eggs and helpers, egg stuffers. Candy's due by February 28th.
[12:40] So that's that announcement. Second announcement is this is a ways out.
[12:51] But the first Wednesday in March, I'm going to be starting a study on this book. It's going to be at my house. From a safety perspective, I can only have six people.
[13:04] But I will also be doing it, bringing people into the room by Zoom if you want to. Please email me.
[13:16] It's easier if you email me than just tell me. Because if you tell me on a Sunday morning, there's a good chance I'll forget. So that comes the beginning of March.
[13:27] And then what starts on Friday? Bishra. Now let's get something straight here. Because fish fry starts Friday, but what starts Wednesday?
[13:40] It's Ash Wednesday. It's the beginning of Lent. So we got fish fries. But you don't eat fish fries until Lent starts.
[13:54] And Lent starts on Wednesday. Because they are not recommending the application of ashes this year, we are, the three of us, are going to be doing, each of us, a video.
[14:11] And it will be shown at 7 o'clock on Wednesday evening. And I welcome you to be a part of that. And then next Sunday, we begin our Lenten journey, which this year, it's a Lenten journey towards recovery, about healing and the healing stories in Scripture.
[14:32] So I invite you to be a part of that. And remember that fish fries are big. Lent is bigger. I know.
[14:42] I know. I know. So, and Carl's talking on the radio tomorrow, being interviewed. Am I right?
[14:54] So it's WLVL. That's a radio station I found out last night. It's not a TV station. 8.40 a.m. tomorrow morning, sharing the message.
[15:08] We're hoping to get a link so that we can get it shared too. So that's my, I'm all done begging. Unless you call the invitation to the offering begging.
[15:22] But I don't do that. I invite people with their hearts and their lives and their service and their gifts to offer themselves to God in love and gratitude.
[15:37] And there's these ways to give if you'd like. There's boxes in the back that you can put money or checks in or things like that.
[15:49] And we just invite you to take in this music with an attitude of gratitude. Thank you. Thank you.
[16:28] Thank you. Number. Number.
[16:39] Number. Number. Number. Umm Music Thank you.
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[19:19] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[19:31] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[20:09] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[20:21] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[20:33] the gift that is this day, a time in which love is brought to the forefront of thinking in our world and in our nation. But Lord, we as your people know that love is the foundation of all that we are and all that we do.
[20:47] You have given us this example. You have shown us the true meaning of love in the way you have treated us. By the depth of your grace when we have fallen short.
[20:59] By the depth and generosity of your provision of all that we have. By the ways in which you have continued to pick us up and carry us when we are weak.
[21:12] By the ways in which you have continued to heal us when we are sick or injured. By the way you come to us to counsel and lead us when we are wounded and when we are broken in spirit.
[21:25] Yes, Lord, you have shown us love in so many ways. Loves that envelops our lives and our very selves. And we, your people, are grateful.
[21:38] Eternally grateful for what this love means to us. Lord, help us to honor the love you have given us by the ways in which we show love to all your children in the world.
[21:51] By the ways in which we continue to offer comfort for those who need healing as they struggle. Struggle as they survive the virus that they have, that is among us right now.
[22:04] Those who offer comfort and care the way we offer support and continued encouragement to them. For those who are offering care at home and on their own. That we would continue to hold them up.
[22:16] To give them what they need in order to be at their best for those who are making their way back. Lord, for those who are in need among us. Whether it be hunger, whether it be shelter, whether it be companionship.
[22:30] Whether it be counseling in relationship. Whether it be simply a friend to sit with them in a time of struggle. Let us make love real the way you have made love real for us.
[22:45] And Lord, of course, as we deal with hard struggles across our world and across our nation. Let our love for one another not be buried underneath other forms of difference.
[22:59] Let our love for one another always be what motivates us, pushes us, and continues to help us to stand for what is right and what is true. Lord, you have shown us the way.
[23:13] And on this day, let us have a gentle reminder that no one should feel alone. No one should feel unloved. Because you have shown us by who you are that no one is unloved.
[23:26] So let us be your people in a world that is so broken and so hurting, yet still beautiful and still holds so much.
[23:38] But Lord, as we come today, we celebrate love most importantly in you. Jesus, the one who has shown us the meaning of love.
[23:50] The one who saved us. The one who counsels us. The one who leads us still. For it is in his name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[24:00] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[24:11] Amen. Amen. Amen. Good morning.
[24:36] The first reading today is from the book of Exodus, chapter 24, verses 12 through 17. The Lord said to Moses, Come up to me on the mountain and wait there.
[24:48] I'll give you the stone tablets with the instructions and the commandments that I've written in order to teach them. So Moses and his assistant Joshua got up, and Moses went up God's mountain.
[25:02] Moses had said to the elders, Wait for us here until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur will be here with you. Whoever has a legal dispute may go to them. Then Moses went up the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
[25:17] The Lord's glorious presence settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day, the Lord called to Moses from the cloud.
[25:28] To the Israelites, the Lord's glorious presence looked like a blazing fire on top of the mountain. The second reading is from Matthew, chapter 17, verses 1 through 7.
[25:40] Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, his brother, and brought them to the top of a very high mountain. He was transformed in front of them.
[25:52] His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus. Peter reacted to all of this by saying to Jesus, Lord, it's good that we're here.
[26:08] If you want, I'll make three shrines for you. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, look, a bright cloud overshadowed them.
[26:20] A voice from the cloud said, This is my son, whom I dearly love. I am very pleased with him. Listen to him. Hearing this, the disciples fell on their faces, filled with awe.
[26:34] But Jesus came and touched them. Get up, he said. Don't be afraid. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Amen. Amen. I don't want to give you any excuses for not paying attention to me.
[27:11] Thought maybe it went again. Can you imagine, what do you suppose, Moses and Elijah and Jesus were talking about?
[27:22] You got Moses leading a group of people who, when he's just going to go up to the mountain for who knows how long, and he has to put somebody in charge in case there's a dispute. There were lots of disputes.
[27:35] So you suppose maybe Moses was like, Oh my gosh, these people. They make me crazy. Complain, complain, complain. Elijah?
[27:47] I don't know what Elijah would be talking about. And Jesus, Jesus, who was starting to talk about the end of his ministry and his life, might have been getting some encouragement from these prophets who had gone before him.
[28:12] Because Jesus, yes, God, but also, yes, human. In both of these stories, we've got up the mountain, where when Moses calls, when God calls Moses up there, and it's all on fire, but things aren't being burned, and then there's Moses, who doesn't look, because to look upon the face of God meant death.
[28:43] And all the people down at the base of the mountain watching, wondering, what in the heck is going on? And Jesus, who lights up like the sun was shining from within him, and the disciples, who just like fell on the ground, like, we're just, we can't even look, we're so amazed, we can't not look, but we can't look.
[29:11] And for the second time, we hear that voice that comes in the cloud. This is my son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.
[29:29] My son, my beloved is here. That's my son Marty and his partner Jules. I, did I not want to embarrass them?
[29:46] Well, supposed to. Anyway, it's, but we used to say that, especially my husband would say that to them.
[29:58] You, this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. But if you imagine the disciples hearing the voice of God in this cloud, so many amazing things happen, and we just got started in this new year.
[30:16] So, let me ask you a question. When does the year start? Do you think there's a wrong answer?
[30:29] When does the year start for us? January 1st. Does anybody know when the church year starts? It's the beginning of Advent.
[30:42] Advent is the first liturgical season of the year. as we wait for Jesus to be born. So, we wait for Jesus to be born.
[30:55] Jesus is born. And then on January 6th, by which time you're allowed to take your Christmas tree down, but I, you know, I don't, whatever. January 6th is when we honor the fact that the wise men found Jesus, and they followed what to get there.
[31:17] A stone. Do you know what we call that day? Epiphany. See, this is like going to confirmation class.
[31:30] You know, these are the kinds of things that often we realize people don't know or don't remember. epiphany is probably one of those few churchy words that actually gets used out in the world.
[31:45] I just had an epiphany, which means I just had a great idea. Finding Jesus was a great idea. Then we have the baptism of Jesus.
[31:58] And, Jesus is baptized, and that's the first time that we hear that voice from God saying that this is my son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.
[32:11] And now we're at transfiguration. Now, how many of you have used the word transfiguration this past week?
[32:21] Month? Month? Anytime that you can remember? It's not one of those words. If I use transformation, then would you say you use it more often?
[32:38] Even kids know what transformers are. I don't know if they call them transformation when they transform into whatever they transform into.
[32:48] But transfiguration is what we honor and celebrate. This is the last Sunday in the extended season of epiphany.
[33:00] Epiphany starts a new season of the church, and it ends today. Ends with Ash Wednesday. So, think about the things today.
[33:10] Think about the fact that over these past weeks, we have been doing a series called, Who Are You? Or, Who You Are?
[33:25] We talked about the fact that in baptism, we are claimed by God. And that no matter where we go, no matter how the winds blow of politics or snow or COVID, that in our baptism, we remember the core of who we are.
[33:47] And then the next week, we talked about our names. And if you were here, there was this note board up here and wrote names.
[33:58] There's the names that other people might call us. Even more hurtful sometimes, there's the names we call ourselves. And then there's the names that God calls us.
[34:13] And the hope in that exercise would be that we would know that some of the names that we call ourselves and other people call us that are not building up are never the names that God would use for us.
[34:37] The names that God uses for us. You can use all kinds of language. Saved, accepted, forgiven, loved, never left out, always belonging, and it goes on and on and on.
[34:58] Then we talked about what it means to live with integrity as Pastor Scott talked about. We can have these beliefs.
[35:10] We can lean on these beliefs, but do we live our beliefs? And it is in the living of our beliefs that we remember that we're named and claimed and now we're asked to live.
[35:25] And then Pastor Sherry talked about Beatitude Living. And she did a little danced in the morning and danced at the night. And yeah, if you find me, if there's emotions and feet, if there's ever line dancing at a wedding reception and you're there and I'm there, I'll be in the middle.
[35:45] because I never want to be when the thing turns, I never want to be in the front. But Sherry talked about, yes, we do the dance.
[35:56] We do the dance in the morning, in the dance at the night, the dance of the Lord. But the prayer is that we do that in Beatitude Living by honoring what the Beatitudes offer us.
[36:16] And then last week, relationships. The hard parts of relationships. The parts that involve going to someone who you might have offended or might have offended you and working at Jesus' version of reconciliation.
[36:35] Oh my goodness. I can read through all of those lists and think, how many times did I fall flat on my face this week? At least a couple of times.
[36:49] So not perfect. Not perfect. But if we go through all those places and now here we are at the transfer transformation.
[37:00] Transfiguration. What I want you to think about is this glowing. This glowing of a fire on a mountain. This glowing of Jesus as he is lit up by what we can imagine or think of as God's Holy Spirit that shows here he is.
[37:21] And then he is back a normal person and he talks to the disciples and they start down the mountain and Jesus says to them don't tell anybody.
[37:37] Wait, what? I just saw the most amazing thing and you're telling me don't tell anybody? He says more. Don't tell anybody until after the Son of God, the Son of Man is raised from the dead.
[37:53] So the disciples, these three, have now heard and seen this is my son, he's with Moses, he's with Elijah, he glows in the dark and it's amazing and then Jesus comes and touches them and says do not be afraid and let's go.
[38:14] Then he says don't tell. it's like we've gone from the birth to the death to the resurrection all in this little thing, this little passage of time.
[38:30] But what does the transfiguration mean to you? Now, if I was a person who was like into pyrotechnics or even good visual effects, I could show you that what would happen is that if Jesus was standing here and he was transfigured and he was all alight with the glow that God has given him, not only would you see him all lit up, but the glow of his light would be shining on you.
[39:10] So who's the lighting up for? Pastor Scott taught about keeping the salt flavor of our faith.
[39:25] Don't let the salt lose its flavor. It's the same here as we begin to go into Advent. Don't let the light, the light that comes not only from without, but from within because you have been claimed in baptism, named beloved, you have been given the salt of the earth, you have been given the attitude living which shows how you are loved and cared for, you've been given instructions for how to be in community.
[40:01] Not only is the light of Christ shining out on us, but Jesus has said, let the light shine from within you. You be transformed, be transfigured.
[40:17] And then what happens? We go out into the world and for those of you who have been long-term churchgoers, you know, this little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.
[40:35] Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. That little light of yours only has to be as big as a mustard seed, which is smaller than a grain of rice.
[40:51] sometimes that's all we have. We think about Jim Carey. He thought he had faith.
[41:05] He got fired. He prayed. He ran into a pothole. He got distracted because he's praying now and he's praying and he's praying and he runs into a light pole and crashes his car.
[41:21] And all the signs go by him. The caution. Danger ahead. The signs on the truck that always, that say, stop, be careful, caution.
[41:37] And then he gets, okay, not a text message, but a page. Anybody ever carried a pager? When I was in Colorado, we carried genuine pagers.
[41:48] And sometimes we had four. Now picture where you put them. Pager with a phone number that he says, I'm not calling.
[42:05] I don't know the number. I'm sorry, I don't know numbers and I don't answer because I have a warranty on my car and it doesn't need to be any renewed or repaired.
[42:17] Doesn't need anything. My health insurance is good. All of that. Bruce Almighty finds his way.
[42:30] The question is, do we? I'm going to share with you a poem that was written about epiphany and I think sometimes yep, I said epiphany.
[42:53] It's transfiguration. My son kept me up too late last night. It's his fault. This is a prayer about transfiguration.
[43:06] I'm not so sure when it comes right down to it that I really want to see you as you are full of glory and might just as I shy away from seeing me as I really am and as I could be.
[43:26] Cover yourself with a cloud, oh Christ, so that I can't see you fully and clearly and through the haze I'll worship you through the fog I will say here is my God but I'll probably be pointing in the wrong direction because of the cloudiness and the fogginess but still I will love you unclearly and a little more adoringly because I will not have to contend quite so honestly with myself through your eyes.
[44:01] I will not have to account for not only my humanity but my holiness not only my blunders but also my belovedness do not reveal yourself transformed for I am not ready to be transfigured.
[44:22] If somehow we keep fogginess so that we can't see God clearly we have this idea that God can't see us clearly and why is that a concern in a prayer because we fear if God can see us clearly see all of us clearly that God might turn his head away or show disappointment it of transfiguration this is the day when the brightest light could shine on every single one of you and God would not turn his head away from any any not one and not one online and not one here and not one who's driving by God would not turn his head so if nothing else as we leave this season of epiphany and we go into Lent remember the light of Christ shines upon you even in the darkness and nothing can take the darkness away and in that light of Christ that shines upon you
[45:48] Jesus sees that you are light you are light because Jesus lit you up as we prepare to receive communion be reminded that's how we stay lit that's how we stay shining is to receive this sacrament of communion time after time because we forget and we fall and we fail and we come to communion and we're reminded that the greatest love there ever was it's for you and for me we come to the table as beloved children of God an offering of grace for each and every one of us as God knows us all fully and loves us all fully and offers grace the Lord be with you lift up your hearts let us give thanks to the
[47:13] Lord our God it is right and a good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you Father Almighty creator of heaven and earth you formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life when we turned away and our love failed your love remained steadfast you delivered us from captivity made covenant to be our sovereign God and spoke to us through your prophets and so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn holy holy holy Lord God of power and might heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest holy are you and blessed is your son Jesus Christ your spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people he healed the sick fed the hungry and ate with sinners by the baptism of his suffering death and resurrection you gave birth to your church delivered us from slavery to sin and death and made with us a new covenant by water and the spirit on the night in which he gave himself up for us he took bread he gave thanks to you and he broke the bread he gave it to his disciples and said take and eat all of you this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me and when the supper was over he took the cup he gave thanks to you he gave it to his disciples and said drink from this all of you this is my blood the blood of the new covenant poured out for you poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins drink from this often remembering me and so in remembrance of these your mighty gifts in Jesus Christ we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ's offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith
[49:56] Christ has died Christ is risen Christ will come again pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine make them be for us the body and blood of Christ that we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by his blood by your spirit make us one with Christ one with each other and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet through your son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit in your holy church all honor and glory is yours almighty father now and forever amen now let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us saying 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 day of the 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 and the power and the glory forever and ever amen now if you'll carefully remove your masks if you'd like to partake at this time on the bottom of the chalice is the bread the body of our Lord broken for you take and eat the blood of our Lord shed for you thanks be to God amen amen amen love
[52:01] Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.
[52:30] Oh, what a fortes of glory divine. Heir of salvation, purchase of God.
[52:42] Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story, this is my song.
[52:53] Praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song.
[53:04] Praising my Savior all the day long. Perfect submission, always at rest.
[53:15] I in my Savior am happy and blessed. Watching and waiting, looking above.
[53:27] Filled with His goodness, lost in His love. This is my story, this is my song.
[53:38] Praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song.
[53:49] Praising my Savior all the day long. One of the best, best nights of the year is Christmas Eve.
[54:11] And one of the very best things about Christmas Eve is candles and silent night. I see some people nodding their heads.
[54:23] And yes, there is some wonder in watching kids playing with candles and turning them into shapes. There is wonder, most of all, in seeing the flame-lit faces of the congregation.
[54:49] And some of you didn't get to do that this year. And we pray for next year. But here's why it's so special. Because I look out here and what I see is the very flame of the love of God in Christ shining on your faces.
[55:12] Shining on your faces. And I'd like to say, the candles might get blown out. But you can never get away from that love that shines on you.
[55:27] May you feel it. May it fill you. May it guide you. And may you know that you are claimed and named and loved and held and given direction in life.
[55:44] And you are transfigured in your faith. Go in that peace and light up the world. Amen. Amen. Thank you.
[56:23] Thank you.
[56:53] Thank you.
[57:23] Thank you.
[57:53] Thank you.
[58:23] Thank you.
[58:53] Thank you.