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828 W. Main St., Grass Valley • (530) 273-9631
A Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
We are created for good works—to reflect the goodness of God in everything we say and do. The reason for all this is so that God gets the glory. That’s what it means to say we are church. We are a people called out to be ambassadors in representing Christ in the world, so that God gets the glory, so that God’s power, love, forgiveness and mercy are reflected into our world.
God’s rainbow is the sign of a promise. It is a “covenant”, an agreement or a contract (they are all the same). Like modern day contracts, there are two sides with each having a responsibility in order for it to work. Each side keeps their part of the agreement.
“I am church” is much more. “I am church” about who we are. “We are church” is an all the way through identity. “I am church” is the essence of our inner being, our inner commitment. Being Church is the fruit of the essence of being deeply connected, rooted in Jesus, and filled with Jesus. “We are church” is at the heart of who we are as God’s people.
So what about this “transfiguration” story? As far as I can tell, it is pointless to asks how this all took place. I don’t think it has to do with Jesus “aglow” in the dark. I don’t think it has much to do with Moses and Elijah appearing there. I don’t even think it has to do with the disciples wanting to stay on the mountaintop.
Epiphany 4B; Lectionary 4: This is the story of Jesus and the person possessed by an “unclean spirit” from Mark’s Gospel–about the clash of powerful forces–the clash of good and evil.