St. Edmund's Church, Crickhowell

An Encounter with God -

the Transfiguration

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GLORY

The Transfiguration was a turning point in two ways: for the disciples it marked a further phase in their deepening understanding of who Jesus was; and for Jesus it marked the end of his ministry in Galilee and a turning towards Jerusalem where the culmination of his whole ministry would take place.

WELCOME

This episode took place on a "high mountain". Have you had any experiences, spiritual or otherwise, on mountain tops?

WORD

Read Mark 9: 2 - 32.

Up to the heights (2 - 13)

  1. To be transfigured simply means to be changed in appearance. What is the only thing that Mark tells us about that change? Is that helpful? Revelation 1: 13 - 16 may give some impression of how he appeared.
  2. Why was it Moses and Elijah who met Jesus on the mountain? What was particularly significant about them?
  3. Do you have any idea what Peter meant about building the three shelters? (It may be that he was so overwhelmed that he had no idea what he meant!)
  4. Try to imagine how the disciples felt when the cloud descended and they heard the voice of God.
  5. In the transfiguration the three disciples were given a glimpse of Jesus in glory? We use the word "glory" often in our services ("Glory be to the Father ...") what does it mean for you?
  6. Why was it important to stress the death and resurrection of Jesus so soon after his transfiguration.
  7. In verses 11 - 13 is Jesus speaking about the same Elijah as he had just talked with on the mountain?

Back down to earth (14 - 32)

After the transcendant experience on the mountain-top it was back to the everyday hassle when Jesus and the disciples came down.

  1. Why were the disciples unable to heal the boy? What two prerequisites for healing are stressed in this passage?
  2. Does the ministry of healing play an important enough role in the life of the church today?
  3. Can you identify with the boy's father in v24?

... and finally

What have you learned from looking at this passage about the following questions?

  1. Who was Jesus?
  2. What was he like?
  3. What did he come to do?

WORSHIP

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth. [John 1:14]

Sing some songs together which glorify Jesus. "Jesus is the name we honour" might be good for a starter.

 

5/10   pgm   Last updated 19/10/2004