Hi everyone,

This Sunday is the last Sunday before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, so our readings on the Transfiguration of Jesus provides a bridge between the “Epiphany” of Jesus as the Christ and preparation for Christ’s death and resurrection throughout Lent. 

We are reminded that God’s wisdom is not of our world.  God is both the “consuming fire” on Sinai and the compassionate Lord who touches the trembling disciples and says “Get up, Do not be afraid”.

Pastor Tim
“God has led you to the desert, and spoken to your Heart.”

Mount of Olives Lutheran Church

3546 E. Thomas Rd

Phoenix, AZ 85018

602-956-1620 office

Moving from Information to Transformation through the Wisdom of God.

We live in an age of information overload, but we are starving for wisdom. We can recite facts about God, but do we actually know God?

The Scriptures for this Sunday, from the crags of Mount Sinai with Moses to the heights of the Mount Tabor with the Transfiguration, invite us into a mystery. They show us that God’s wisdom isn’t a secret code for the “intellectual elite”; it is a radiant person, a transformative presence, and a voice that speaks out of the cloud.

The Invitation to the Ascent (Exodus 24:12-18) In Exodus, God calls Moses up to the mountain. Note the timing: Moses waits for six days while the glory of the Lord settles on the mountain like a consuming fire.

• The Lesson: Wisdom requires waiting. We often wantinstant answers to complex life problems. But God invited Moses into the cloud to wait upon God’s timing.

• The Wisdom of God: Real wisdom begins when we stop talking and start listening for God’s small voice. It is found in the “thick darkness” where God dwells, proving that even when we can’t see the path ahead, we are held by the One who is the Path.

The Majesty of the Son (Matthew 17:1-9) In our Gospel reading, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up high onto a different mountain.  Suddenly, the veil of His humanity pulled back. His face shines like the sun; His clothes become white as light.

• The Connection: Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets) appear. They aren’t there to compete with Jesus; they are there to testify to Him.

• The Core Message: The Father’s voice interrupts Peter’s nervous rambling: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

• The Wisdom of God: Divine wisdom is not a set of rules; it is the Person of Jesus Christ. To be wise is to “Listen to Him” above the noise of our own anxieties and the world’s demands.

The Reliable Word (2 Peter 1:16-21) In our New Testament reading, Peter recalls his time on Mount Tabor with Jesus, Moses and Elijah.  He insists this wasn’t a “cleverly devised story.” He was an eyewitness.

• The Light in the Dark: Peter calls the prophetic word a “light shining in a dark place.”

• The Wisdom of God: We don’t have to stumble around in the dark. God has given us a “completely reliable” word. True wisdom is grounding our lives in the Scripture, which Peter reminds us wasn’t cooked up by human will, butcarried along by the Holy Spirit.

We cannot stay on the mountain peak forever. Eventually, Moses had to come down with the tablets; Peter had to come down to face the cross; and we must go back to our jobs, our laundry, and our messy relationships. So how do we walk down our mountain?

1. Stop Building Tents: Peter wanted to build three shelters to “trap” the moment. We often try to box God into our Sunday routines. Wisdom realizes God is not a monument to be visited, but a Spirit to be followed.

2. Stand in Awe of the Lord: When the disciples saw the glory, they fell on their faces. Wisdom begins with Awe of God’s majesty.  If we lose our sense of wonder at who God is, we lose our compass.

The Wisdom of God is this: The same God who is a “consuming fire” on Sinai is the same Jesus who touches the trembling disciples and says, “Get up. Don’t be afraid.”

God is majestic enough to command the stars, yet intimate enough to touch your shoulder in your deepest fear. That is a wisdom worth living