A Man & His Word

Rev. Andrew Prin
February 23, 2020

GodSpeak for the Week of February 23

This week we wrap up our season of Epiphany – and look ahead to Lent, beginning Ash Wednesday – by considering the Transfiguration of Jesus.

Day 1…Read Exodus 24:8-18

  • Consider this – oftentimes God appears to His people from within a cloud.
    • Think about how we view/understand things like: cloudy days, fog, etc.
  • Answer this – how do we typically view and feel about clouds?  Why would God choose this medium from within which to appear to people like Moses?  Why not choose a different medium?

Day 2…Read Exodus 24:8-18 (again)

  • Consider this – numbers often have intentional meaning in the Bible.  In this passage, we have three numbers – 6, 7 and 40.
  • Consider this – keep in mind how God created the world (in Genesis); as well as His peoples’ exodus after their release from slavery in Egypt; as well as the Lord’s temptation in the wilderness.
  • Answer this – why does God keep Moses waiting for 6 days, but speak/invite him into His presence on the 7th?  How does that compare/contrast to what He did in Creation?
  • Answer this – similarly, how does Moses length of stay on the mountain compare/contrast to what He did with His people after Egypt as well as Jesus during His temptation?

Day 3…Read 2 Peter 1:16-21

  • Consider this – Peter notes that he and the other disciples did not “follow cleverly devised stories”.
    • “cleverly devised” is the Greek word “sophizo” (from which our English word “sophisticated” is related);
    • “stories” is the Greek word “mythos” (from which we get the English word “myth”).
      • Therefore, literally speaking, Peter is saying he and the disciples did not “follow sophisticated myths”.
  • Answer this – why is it important that Peter makes this point?  How does Peter tend to debunking any hint that he and the other disciples are following “myth” in the following verses?

Day 4…Read 2 Peter 1:16-21 (again)

  • Consider this – in v. 19, Peter notes that the “prophetic message” (i.e., the books of the Old Testament) are “completely reliable”.
    • The Greek word for this two-word phrase means that which is “stable,” “firm,” “trusty” and “sure”.
  • Consider this – the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod considers the entire Word of God (i.e., all 66 books of the Bible) to be “infallible” (i.e., incapable of leading a person away from God’s will through Jesus Christ) and “inerrant”.
  • Answer this – how is the LCMS’ position on the authority of the Bible similar to what Peter says here?  Why is this important, especially in this day-and-age?  What kinds of things can (and, do) happen if the Bible is NOT considered inerrant and infallible?

Day 5…Read Matthew 17:1-9

  • Consider this – Matthew notes that Jesus was “transfigured” (Greek = “metamorphoo” from which we get the English “metamorphosis”), meaning His appearance was changed such that His face was like the “sun” and his clothes “white as light.”
  • Answer this – why did God have Jesus transfigure at this point?  What was He trying to accomplish? 
    • Why transfigure in front of ONLY Peter, James and John – why not the rest of the disciples?

Day 6…Read Matthew 17:1-9 (again)

  • Consider this – in v. 9, the Lord says to the three disciples, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
  • Answer this – why would Jesus want the three disciples to WAIT to tell others what they had seen?  Why not just start sharing the incredible news right then?

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