The Transfiguration
Pastor Judy Richie
18 February 2007


Questions for Reflection and Discussion Focusing on The Transfiguration.

1) Have you had a spiritual experience that changed your life that you would be willing to share?


2) Have you had a time where you knew God was speaking to you, or to be consistent with this week’s message, a time when you were “listening to God.” Either through an impression, reading the Scriptures or some other way that had a life altering effect?


3) What are the purposes of spiritual experiences in our lives?

The Transfiguration
Pastor Judy Richie
18 February 2007

Text: Matthew 17:1-13

Opening
50% of Americans claim that they have had a spiritual experience that has transformed or altered their lives.

The Transfiguration
What are the rightful places of those kinds of experiences in our lives?
Why was this preserved in the Scriptures in 3 out of the 4 of the gospels?
Isn’t it interesting how it was right after Peter’s confession of Jesus being the “Christ” (Mt. 16:13). And then Jesus predicts his death. Peter must have been quite confused. Then came the transfiguration
Peter tried to hold onto the moment by suggesting they build three houses for Jesus, Moses and Elisha.
We are not meant to hold on to the moment.We are not meant to hold on to our last great spiritual experience or our last great moment at a retreat.
But we are meant to keep moving forward by seeking and following God
What did they see? They saw the glory of God. They got a glimpse.

How did they respond?
They tried to hold on to the experience.
They were terrified.
They couldn’t tell anyone.

Jesus did not:
use this as a recruiting device.
use this just to give the disciples a cool spiritual experience
do this just so they could understand God’s glory.

Key Phrase: “This is my Son. The Chosen. Listen to Him.”
God speaks to them out of the cloud – “This is my son who I love. Listen to Him”.
Listening implies obedience. If you are not obeying then you are not listening.
What are the purposes of spiritual experiences in our lives?
We are warned not to get caught up in the experience but rather “listen to Jesus.”

St. Francis of Assis’ Mountain Top Experience
St. Francis of Assisi was repulsed by lepers but one day the Lord spoke to him to go back to a leper that he just passed and embrace him. He obeyed and that experience profoundly changed him to the point where his ministry to lepers is still visible today. St. Francis describes this as his “mountain top experience.”

Summary and Call to Action
Matthew 17:5 “ This is my Son. Listen to Him.”

One Vine, Many Branches
Pastor David Lenz
4 February 2007

Questions for Reflection and Discussion Focusing on One Vine, Many Branches.

The phrase “Remain in me” was used 8 times in 8 verses. How can we “Remain in Jesus?”
Individually?
As a church body?
Any personal examples you would like to share?

Give example of how Jesus prunes us that we may bear more fruit?
Individually?
As a church body?
Any personal examples you would like to share?

As we merge with Oliver, David listed examples of what bearing fruit might look like. What were some of the evidences he listed? What others can you add?

One Vine, Many Branches
Pastor David Lenz
4 February 2007

Text: John 15:1-8

Opening story: The Ivy Covered Church in Iowa.
David’s church in Des Moines was covered in ivy. The ivy was destroying the mortar between the bricks. But the church got it’s community identity from the ivy covered structured. Like good Presbyterians the committee delayed the difficult decision on whether to cut down the ivy. In the mean-time a hearing impaired member of the committee showed up the next morning with a chain saw and severed all the trunks of the ivy branches near to the ground around the entire church. The disconnected branches withered and died just as the text in John 15 stated.

Vine/Branches/Fruit: A Fully Integrated System
Jesus is the vine.
We are the branches.
The objective and focus is on the fruit.
What does it mean to bear much fruit? What does that look like? Three indicators:

Quality of our Conduct. How do we live? – Luke 3:9-14
If you have 2 coats give one of them to someone who needs a coat.
If you have extra food, give some to someone who is hungry.
If you are a tax collector, be honest.
If you are a soldier don’t extort money.
Be satisfied with your wages.

Quality of our Character – Galatians 5: 19-24
Works of the flesh
Fruit of the Spirit

Quality of our Love- John 13-34-35, John 15:12-17
Our love for others indicates fruit.
Our love for others shows that we are His disciples.

Cutting and Pruning
Branches not bearing fruit are cut off.
Branches bearing fruit are pruned.
We are pruned for a purpose: to bear more fruit.

Key Phrase: “Remain in Me”
Used 8 times in 8 verses.
Summary and Call to Action
John 15:8 –“ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my Disciples.”