This Sunday’s story will be the account of Jesus’ a confab with Moses and Elijah. Though He doesn’t provide a lot of clarification on what was going on, the back story that precedes this event suggests that it may have been a matter of giving Peter, James and John a little glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven. Notice that before the transfiguration, Jesus specifically promised that some who were alive at that time would see His Kingdom. We know that the final establishment of His Kingdom has not yet fully come – For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets – (Acts 3:21),so it is quite likely that this meeting with Moses and Elijah, and His Father God is what He was referring to.
We also know that Jesus continually and consistently preached about the Kingdom of Heaven (because the Kingdom IS God’s endgame for creation), so it seems appropriate that we wrap up the “miracle lessons” with this amazing glimpse of His kingdom where we see a picture of the culmination of Scripture; both the law (represented by Moses) and the prophets (represented by Elijah) point to Jesus as the ONE who ,His work on the cross, will be the path to God’s kingdom for those who put their faith in Him.
This account found in Matthew 16:13-17:9, Mark 8:27-9:10 and Luke 9:18-36.
Memory Verse: The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. Matthew 13:44
Handout: The Transfiguration of Jesus
Activity: Hidden Treasure: glue beads to a sheet of paper and cover with a “flap” of soil. Children past the words of the memory verse below.
Narrative:
Jesus said many things about the Kingdom of Heaven. And every miracle He performed, and every parable He shared helped those He taught get word glimpses of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. In this week’s story, God gives Peter, James and John a visual, experiential glimps of the Kingdom in the account of the transfiguration of Jesus.
The story begins with Jesus making this promise:
”I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.”
28 About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus.31 They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.
32 Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials[f]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”34 But even as he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them, and terror gripped them as the cloud covered them.
35 Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One.[g]Listen to him.” 36 When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen.