I want to start by apologizing to those of you expecting a well-crafted sermon on the Holy Trinity. That’s not really going to happen today.

May God keep sending us the Spirit to remind us in ways bright and grand, subtle and small, that we are God’s own and loved forever.

It is intriguing that Paul wraps up his letter with a discussion on death because we aren’t so keen to do so.

It’s poetic! It’s got love in it! It’s perfect. This passage was made for weddings. 

Except, it’s not about weddings.

Has Christ been divided? Of course not.

We “Jasons” are often only associated with the Argonauts or Friday the 13th movies, but now we are a character in God’s story.

This story incites our inadequacies over miracle performance.

Today things go back to normal, but they aren’t the same. 

That’s the difference, I suppose, between reading a story and being in it.

They gather for a Passover meal. It is a meal that means more than eating; it is remembering.

We don’t start with a pity party - we start with an actual party. A parade. A celebration!

Many Christians have pondered the question asked by Peter, James, John, and Andrew: “When will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to happen?”

These teachings range from traditional insights up to warnings about being like the scribes. There is a lot packed into these verses.

This story is simply unrelenting in its illogical events and violent encounters.

Today, we get two scenes following Jesus’ third prediction, and they are tied closely together by one simple thing…

“What were you arguing about along the way?”

The Transfiguration shows us God’s glory, and because of God’s glory seen in Jesus the Messiah, everything changes.

When we look at our extensive Gospel lesson for today, there is a safe, easy way and a not-so-safe, harder way to go with the sermon.

…as I wrestled with the various approaches to writing a sermon, something struck me: I love the Jesus we get in today’s story.