Words of Welcome

  2 Peter 1:16-21 The season of Epiphany begins with the magi following a star to the home of the Holy family. It ends with Jesus climbing a mountain with three of his disciples, who witness the revealing of Jesus’ glory and mission. From beginning to end, the season of Epiphany invites us to embrace the light that shines in the darkness, revealing God’s love for the world.  As we gather here on Transfiguration Sunday, we get to once again climb the mountain with Jesus and his three disciples. As we approach the mountaintop, we can ponder the age-old question: Who is Jesus? In the Gospel of Matthew, Peter answers that question by proclaiming that Jesus is the messiah, the Son of the living God ( Matt. 16:16 ). While Peter got the right answer, it’s clear from Matthew’s account that he wasn’t sure what that meant. He needed more information, such as the resurrection of Jesus. Soon after Peter made that confession, he witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus ( Matt. 17:1-13 ),...

  Micah 6:1-8 Back during my teen years, a bumper sticker appeared with a request: “Please be patient with me, God is not finished with me.” There’s truth in that request, because God isn’t finished with us. But, hopefully, we’re moving toward spiritual maturity, which, according to the Ephesians letter, means reaching “the measure of the full stature of Christ” ( Eph. 4:13 ). This is a lifelong process. Unfortunately, I think this meme often served as an excuse for bad behavior, especially when that statement was placed on the back bumper of a car that cuts you off.    While I’m thankful that we’re justified by God’s grace, if we read scripture, we discover that God has high expectations of us. This is the message we hear from God through the words of the eighth-century prophet Micah, who lived outside Jerusalem. This prophet was deeply troubled by what he observed taking place around him, as the rich exploited the poor. Throughout this book, the prophet envisions Go...