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<DIV><FONT size=4>Early readers of Matthew's gospel probably heard echoes of
Exodus 24 as the events of the Transfiguration unfolded in their hearing,
enabling them to perceive Jesus as the "new Moses" who leads and empowers the
people of God. They know that older story. Leaving Aaron behind along with the
elders, Moses took Joshua with him into the mountain, where, after six days, the
glory of the Lord burned on the mountain top and God spoke to Moses in that
place, giving to him the words of the covenant with God's people (Exodus
24:13-18). Similar echoes of Moses' experience sound in the account of
Elijah's mountaintop encounter with God (1 Kings 19:8ff).<>...another
mountain, to which Jesus has directed his followers after his resurrection. In
that place, in the company of the gathered community, Jesus' followers receive
the promise that his story and their story will be forever
intertwined</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=2/3/2008&tab=4"><FONT
size=4>http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=2/3/2008&tab=4</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Audrey West, 2008</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>...His partner cried out, "Don't tell me you pulled over the President of
the United States?"<BR><BR>The shaken cop insisted, "No, he's even bigger than
that!"<BR><BR>His partner retorted, "Bigger than the President of the United
States? Who in the world is bigger than the President of The United
States?"<BR><BR>The first officer answered, "Well, I'm not exactly sure, but the
Pope is his chauffeur!"<BR><BR>Peter, James, and John might have wondered who
was bigger than Moses and Elijah. God let them know it was Jesus, God's Beloved
Son. The importance of Elijah and Moses faded away when placed next to
Jesus.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.sermonsuite.com/content.php?i=26307&key=eUolwwshkiAg36fw">http://www.sermonsuite.com/content.php?i=26307&key=eUolwwshkiAg36fw</A></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Gregory L. Tolle</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN lang=EN><FONT size=4>This also suggests that we as pastor might need
an inner group of leaders/supporters who share special moments with each other,
that aren't necessarily shared with other leaders or members in the
congregation. In fact, Bill Easum says two things that relate to this. (1) "The
pastor should not see the whole congregation as his/her flock, but the staff
(paid and unpaid) is his/flock -- those people who are giving extraordinary time
to the church."</FONT> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/matt17x1.htm">http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/matt17x1.htm</A></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: normal"><FONT size=4>Brian
Stoffregen</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>When all else fades -- and indeed, soon enough all will become
dark indeed -- yet Jesus remains, reaching out in help and healing. At the very
close of Matthew's account, he will gather with these and all of his disciples
on another mountain, and promise that he will be with them even to the close of
the age.<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=3/6/2011">http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=3/6/2011</A></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>David Lose, 2011</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4>- - - - -</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4><FONT
size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV><FONT
size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>
<DIV>...consider the vision described in Daniel 10:5-6. Daniel says,</DIV>
<DIV>I looked up and saw a <STRONG>man clothed in linen</STRONG>, with a
belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like <STRONG>beryl
</STRONG>[which is a mineral], his face like <STRONG>lightning</STRONG>,
his eyes like <STRONG>flaming torches</STRONG>, his arms and legs like the
gleam of <STRONG>burnished bronze</STRONG>, and the sound of his words like
the roar of a multitude.</DIV>
<DIV>These verses from Daniel sound<STRONG> </STRONG>like Matthew’s
Transfiguration in which Jesus’ “face shone like the sun, and his clothes became
dazzling white.” Perhaps even more strikingly, in Daniel 10:11 the blazing
figure says to Daniel, “<STRONG>greatly <EM>beloved</EM>,</STRONG>
<STRONG>pay attention to the words that I am going to speak to you</STRONG>.”
These word choices echo in
Matthew...</DIV></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4><FONT
size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.patheos.com/community/carlgregg/2011/02/25/lectionary-commentary-practicing-transfiguration-for-march-6-2011/">http://www.patheos.com/community/carlgregg/2011/02/25/lectionary-commentary-practicing-transfiguration-for-march-6-2011/</A></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Carl Gregg, 2011</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4><FONT size=4>- - - -
-</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV><FONT size=4>
<DIV>Like Peter, I might have babbled about building them booths or tabernacles
to stay forever up on the mountain with me (Mt. 17:4). Perhaps Jesus
didn't want them to leave either. I wouldn't presume to say.</DIV>
<DIV>But this memory comes to mind. When I was in the throes of a very long
labor with my daughter, Rebecca, I remember clinging to the hand of a kindly
nurse, who was trying to extricate herself from my grasp. "Give me back my
hand now, honey," she said, kindly but firmly. "My shift is over now. I've
gotta go home." I allowed her to pry my fingers from her hand. She smiled
at me, and said, with that wonderfully practical manner that nurses have: "If
one of us has to leave, it better be me. Because you're the only one who can
have this baby."</DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Finding-Ourselves-in-the-Story-Alyce-McKenzie-02-25-2011?offset=2&max=1">http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Finding-Ourselves-in-the-Story-Alyce-McKenzie-02-25-2011?offset=2&max=1</A></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Alyce McKenzie, 2011</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT size=4>In place of Mark’s description of Jesus’
metamorphosis, "And his garments became very shining white such as a bleacher on
earth is unable to whiten," Matthew has substituted the language of an
apocalyptic theophany, "His face shone as the sun and his garments became as
white as the light."</FONT> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.goodpreacher.com/shareit/readreviews.php?cat=28">http://www.goodpreacher.com/shareit/readreviews.php?cat=28</A></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT size=4>Herman C. Waetjen</FONT> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
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