Words of Welcome

  Colossians 3:1-14 Mark Twain famously said that “Clothes make the man.” With that in mind, there’s a nonprofit called “Dress for Success” that provides appropriate clothing for job seekers. So, even in this much more casual era, clothes still stand for something. The Colossian letter speaks of life in terms of  “before and after.” Once upon a time, the majority of Colossian believers were pagan Gentiles. Then, when they received the Gospel of Jesus, they in essence put on new clothes to represent their new status as children of God. Although they once lived in darkness marked by sinful idolatry, now that they have clothed themselves with Christ, they live in the light. These new clothes represent the new, transformed self (Col. 3:9-10).  In our reading this morning, we see Paul contrasting the difference between the old and new clothes by providing the reader with a list of vices and a list of virtues. The list of vices represents their old life, their old clothes. These vices

  Matthew 17:1-9, Exodus 24:12-18 This morning we return to the Mount of Transfiguration. We looked at Luke’s version back in February, and now we turn to Matthew’s version of the story. This version, like Luke’s, invites us to experience a moment of revelation as Jesus is transfigured and transformed.  Matthew invites us to ponder Jesus’ identity. He invites us to ask: Who is this Jesus we claim to follow? And, how is God present in and with him? The story of the Transfiguration takes us to one of those “thin places” where the metaphorical membrane separating heaven and earth becomes transparent and we can see the things of God more fully and clearly. We get to see Jesus unveiled, with his full identity shining through, even if only for a moment.   Matthew tells us that the Transfiguration event takes place six days after the conversation recorded in Matthew 16. In that chapter, Jesus asks the disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responded to that question with what