EPIPHANY 6B February 15, Kings 2: Corinthians 4:3-6 Mark 9:2-9 Thomas Bray Missionary & Reformer Feb 1730 St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2015

Collect for Epiphany 6B O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Collect for Epiphany 6B O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA -- Adult Lectionary Forum 2015 Prayer for Epiphany 6B [Thomas Bray] O God of compassion, who opened the eyes of your servant Thomas Bray to see the needs of your Church in the New World, & led him to found societies to meet those needs: Make the Church in this nation diligent at all times to propagate the Gospel among those who have not received it, & to promote the spread of Christian knowledge; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives & reigns with you & the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever & ever. Amen. Prayer for Epiphany 6B [Thomas Bray] O God of compassion, who opened the eyes of your servant Thomas Bray to see the needs of your Church in the New World, & led him to found societies to meet those needs: Make the Church in this nation diligent at all times to propagate the Gospel among those who have not received it, & to promote the spread of Christian knowledge; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives & reigns with you & the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever & ever. Amen.

E PIPHANY 6B: I’ LL N EVER L EAVE Y OUR S IDE [2 K INGS ] When God summons faithful ones to heaven, death is the Jordan through which they must pass…The death of Christ divides those waters, allowing those of us who his death ransomed to pass over: “ O death, where is thy sting, thy hurt, thy terror!“ Time Stamp: c. 895 B.C. Elijah's ascension to heaven in a whirlwind often paired with Jesus’ Transfiguration. Elijah’s Departure Validates Elijah’s authority before his witnessing successors Only OT figures mentioned more were Moses, Abraham, & David That Elijah had disciples makes him a rare OT figure, but apt figure for Jesus 2 Kings more like Acts 1 (Ascension) than Mark 9 (Transfiguration) --Elijah departs from Elisha & disciples  Elisha assumes mantle & deeds --Jesus returns to his disciples  Expects them to do even greater deeds in his name …Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah & Elisha were on their way from Gilgal…[and] Elisha said, "As the LORD lives, & as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha & said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent." St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2015

Time Stamp: 57 AD The truth of the gospel is clear to all who are destined for salvation. Those whose minds are closed to Christ cannot comprehend the good news. Veiling God’s Light God, not Paul, veils Gospel from those who won’t listen To Paul, the Law: --Cannot provide life --Points out Sin; doesn’t vanquish it --Reveals Sin’s pervasive power --Wages of sin ~ Death Through Christ, veil of truth is set aside Christ embodies God’s glory He is a transformative light in our world You’ve a chance to help spread light But 1 st ask yourself how you might be veiling God’s light from our world? Epiphany 5B: Spreading the Light! [2 Corinthians 4:3-6] St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2015 Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 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." He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. E PIPHANY 6B: A ND T HEN T HERE W ERE 3 [M ARK 9:2-9] Synopsis In the presence of 3 loyal friends, Jesus transfigures to reflect God's glory. God's voice declares Jesus is his beloved Son. Transfiguration 3 disciples don’t fully appreciate thieir experience until reflecting on it after Jesus’ crucifixion --Birth, preaching, dying are easy for us to understand --Immaculate conceptions, miracles, raising dead folk & transfigurations require faith Mountain-top experience a watershed --6 days after Peter confesses Jesus as Christ, Son of The Living God --Signals end to Jesus' smooth sailing --Begins time of opposition climaxing on the cross. Glimpsing behind the veil --Moses/Elijah –OT law /prophesy --Their presence points to Jesus as the annointed one --The Voice: this is my SON --Listen to HIM—not Buddha, Muhammad or the Dali Lama—HIM St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2015 Then a cloud overshadowed them, & from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, my Beloved; listen to him!" Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. 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.