Old Testament
1. Do not do the same wicked things the people around you do, they are detestable to God.
2. You are set apart from other people.
3. Mediums and those who consult the dead are put to death.
4. Instructions to the priests. "...I am the Lord who makes them holy."
New Testament
5. The Transfiguration
- The sequence of events is important here. Jesus has just told His disciples of His coming death and resurrection, and pointed out the disciples too could be transformed if they would only give up their old lives for Him. The Lord tells them, "I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!"
- Six days later Jesus visits the Mount of Transfiguration. There, with Peter and James and John watching, Jesus "was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them."
- The glory that lay ahead for Jesus, a glory to be visible to all when "the kingdom of God comes with power," was shown to the three disciples.
- The bible tells us that Elijah and Moses appeared and taled with Jesus, while a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him."
- The disciples were given a glimpse of the splendor to come after the Cross. Death truly was the pathway to glory.
- This incident reassured the disciples, and should give reassurance to us as well. The daily cross of the disciple is hard to bear. Often we are called to make choices that seem to us to involve great cost. What we need to remember is that beyond each cross God calls us to bear, and beyond the little death that obedience may seem to involve, lies the splendor of transformation for you and for me.
-The disciples did not yet understand the meaning of what they had seen. They had not yet even grasped the fact that Jesus would be crucified, and they discussed what "rising from the dead" might mean. But rather than asking Jesus, they moved to safer ground, and raised a theological question:"Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?" It is not wrong to ask these theological questions. But what is most important is in simple faith to take heed of the words that were heard on the mountain. " This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him."
- If we simply listen to Jesus, and do what He says, our lives will be transformed!
6. Jesus heals the Demon-possessed boy.
- Jesus then went on to instruct the disciples in the kind of life they would be expected to live.
- Prayer. There are two lessons here:
a. God demand perfect faith in people. We do believe. But we still need help in our unbelief. Jesus accepts even imperfect faith and generously works His miracles in our lives.
b. For the challenges of our lives as Jesus' disciples we must rely, not on our own strength, but completely on God's. And we express that dependence most perfectly in prayer.
- Servanthood
- Nonjudgmentalism
- Harmony
Psalm
7. "Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!"
Proverbs
8. "...slandering others makes you a fool." Didn't we talk about gossipers yesterday? ;)
See you next post...
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