The Mount of Transfiguration:

  "Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them" Matthew: 17:1

Mountains, in the pages of the Holy Bible are places of great significance They are seen as places where humanity encounters the Great God: The Place where people meet their God.

In the Book of Genesis: 22:1-18, God "tested" the Patriarch Abraham upon a mountain, asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Issacs; to whom God had assured Abraham would be the heir of great promises that would impact not only Abraham's descendants, but all humanity.

God reached out to Moses upon Mt. Sinai in the burning bush, Exodus:3, and the again God spoke from the top of Mt. Sinai Exodus19 & 20, manifesting His glory in fire, smoke and the shaking of the Earth. 

After the presentation of the Covenant Moses and 70 elders of Israel ascend Mt. Sinai and met their God and "ate and drank" with Him. Exodus: 24:9-11

We can read throughout the Psalms of Mt. Zion, that place where God and His people came together, where God reveals Himself and meets His people. These are just some of the examples how God uses mountains showing us that to meet Him to know Him is the highest thing. Knowing our God is the summit of existence, to know the great God, to experience His divine self-disclosure to each of us in the person of his Holy Son Jesus Christ.

Mountains are that place of meeting between God and each of us.

Mount of Transfiguration

In 2Peter: 1:16-17, the Apostle St. Peter recounts to Christians of his day, and to all of us throughout the ages when he, St. James and St. John saw the glory that is revealed in Jesus there upon the "holy mountain" ,that is , when they saw Jesus Christ Transfigured, and they heard the conformation out of the Heavens that this "is My beloved Son" . 

 "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and  his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus." Matthew: 17:1-8

The Transfiguration is, that moment when we see this truth, that Jesus is the Son of the living God. It is the summit of our lives when we see that Jesus is the One by Whom the Great God reveals Himself, that is, we see Jesus in a way that we might never had thought of before. He is then transfigured in our hearts and minds. He is seen as much more than just a philosopher or historical personality, we see, that He is the Son of the Living God.

He Takes Us Up

As it says:  "Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them" Matthew: 17:1

It is Jesus Himself who leads each of us to the high mountain of revaluation. It is a moment for all of us, when the notions and views which we once held are rolled back and we see the glory of God in Jesus. We grasp that truth , that all Scripture was written for this moment, to tell us about Jesus and all that He accomplishes for each of us and, that is:

"Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus." Matthew: 17:3

 All the law, symbolized by Moses and the Prophets, symbolized by Elijah speak of the Great God meeting us in the person of Jesus. Jesus is the point of it all. It is all about Jesus. All the Bible itself points us to Him.

 "Search the scriptures, for you think in them to have life everlasting; and the same are they that give testimony of me "John:5:39

 There is nothing higher, nothing greater. God has given us His Son, and in His Son, He gives us Himself. Jesus' mission was to reveal the Father, the Great God.

" I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes unto the father, but by me." John: 14:6

Some may ask "how have we seen God?" ...Jesus answers them in the same way He answers the Apostle St. Phillip:

 "From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Philip said, “Lord, show us the father and that will be enough for us. ” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. 

How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." John:14:8-13

If we see Jesus, we are seeing the Great God. It is , as if we are there on that high mountain with Jesus and the glory of God is seen in Him, when we see this we can have but one response that is to worship in deep reverence. that is what is being acted out , even in the Apostles as as they are overwhelmed by the glory of that moment and they fall prostrate, it symbolized the response of any who see the glory of God and come top grasp that Jesus is the Son of God.

 "When the disciples heard this, they fell face-down to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus" Matthew:17:6-8 

 He Touches Us

When we see this there on that mountain of our lives, that place where Jesus is transfigured before us and we see who He is we can have no the response in deep reverence but to worship. It is at that moment of worship that Jesus comes to us, as He did to the overwhelmed disciples and touches us clamming our fears as He did theirs' .We raise our eyes to see Him alone. None but Jesus. It is Jesus alone that makes this moment of Transfiguration what it is.

He is the One that God shows us Himself in, it is that High Place of seeing the Glory of God in His Son. This is the mountain of He invites to ascend and meet Him in Jesus. There is no higher mountain than that of the Mount of Transfiguration

Benediction: May we each and all ascend the Holy Mountain ,as did the Apostles, and see our Lord Jesus Christ Transfigured , Today, Tomorrow and Forevermore ... Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”  

Water into Wine

 While Jesus and His disciples were attending a wedding feast in the Galilean town of Cana He performed His first recorded miracle, that of turning ordinary water into wine.

The Wine Runs Out

Wine was always an important part of any celebration but here in Cana, unbeknown to the guest at large, it was, during the festivities discovered that the wine had run out. When Mary, the mother of Jesus, became aware of the need she approached her Son instinctively knowing that He would solve the problem.

"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” Jhn:2:1-3

It seems that, at first Jesus is a little reluctant to act, yet His mother acts none the less, seemingly with the faith that Jesus would do whatever is needed in the situation.

" Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Jhn:2:4-5

 Stone Ritual Jars

 Now, there was on hand six stone ceremonial washing pots for the purification rituals which the Jews were careful to observe. These stone vessels could hold up as much as twenty or thirty gallons of water. 

 "Jesus said to them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim" Jhn: 2:7

 The servants followed Jesus' instructions and filled jars full. He then tells them to draw some of the water out and take it to the Master of the feast. When they draw it out, they find that it is no longer ordinary water but wine, and not just wine but the best of wine.

"Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he  called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” Jhn: 2:8-10

 Transformed

What now filled the jars, was more than what anyone could have thought or even hoped. These jars were no longer vessels of a ritualistic uses, but rather had become, through the word of Jesus, receptacles of His grace and power. It was not just water to quench a thirst, but wine to gladden the heart and reflect the blessing and joy of God.

"So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine" Pro:3:10

 "And wine that makes glad the heart of man" Ps: 104:15a

 What Jesus is showing through this miracle, is, that He is the one Who transforms us , brings us out of the stone dead ritualistic religion symbolized by the stone jars, into a new and joyful relationship of being vessels of His grace , filled with the new wine of a new life that is better than the old.. "but you have saved the best till now."

 This speaks of new life we have in Christ, this relationship in which we are transformed, is far above any religion, which was as the Old Covenant. He has done this for us, making us vessels of His mercy and grace.

 "And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared to glory," Rm:9:23

The wine used at the start of the Cana wedding which ran out, that is, it will not last, this world and any and all that it offers is only temporary and will fade away, that is, it will run out.

 Fermentation

 Wine naturally is the result of a process, which is known as fermentation, it makes mere juice, wine. This new life is the result of process of the Holy Spirit changing us into new creations. It is this water into wine miracle that is presented in the Gospel of John at the very beginning as foretaste of the entire mission of Jesus, He came to bring humanity new life, now and forever more, a life that is transformed and new. He is inaugurating a spiritual fermentation for us. 

This speaks to us that this is not just a past miracle, at Cana alone but an ongoing one in the lives of any and all who will but freely receive it.

 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."2Cor:5:17

 Wedding Supper to Come

  We are filled with this new life, this new wine, which is cause for us to be filled with His Joy, looking forward with anticipation of Eternal Celebration of the Wedding Supper, that all weddings even the one at Cana is but a faint copy at best.

 "And he said to me, Write, Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God." Rev: 19:9

 This is the one that we all will rejoice in for all eternity in the eternal life in Jesus. That is a message of Jesus turning water into wine.

Benediction: May we each and all be transformed into vessels of God's grace through the world of Jesus, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”  

Nunc Dimittis: “Now You Let Depart.”

 "From His birth and infancy, our Lord Jesus Christ was demonstrating 

His place as the One who would accomplish everything needed for our salvation"

We can read of the Presentation of our Lord at the Temple at Jerusalem   in the Gospel of St. Luke. Luke: 2:22-40. 

 Under the Old Covenant a woman was considered to be ceremonially unclean for 40 days after giving birth, in which case she was unable to enter the Temple and join in the worship of God. 

At the end of this period, she would come to the Temple and be declared "purified “and again be able to join in the community worship. This is part of what we are reading about here when Joseph and Mary come to the Temple, with Jesus.

Purified and Presented

But in the Gospel account we see more than just the completion of Mary's purification. Joseph and Mary have brought Jesus with them, Jesus, being the firstborn is to be dedicated to the service of God under the terms of the Old Covenant. 
 

"Because all the Firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the Firstborn of the Land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal, they will be mine: I AM the Lord" Number:3:13

  "Consecrate to me every firstborn male; the Firstborn of every womb among Israel belong to me, man or animal" Exodus: 13:2     

What we witness, thru St. Luke’s account, is two events, Mary’s “Purification” which allows for her to be readmitted into the worship in the Temple. She now, due to the purification offering, has the right to be there in the Temple, and along with her purification we see the dedication of Jesus who is the firstborn of all firstborn and His consecration, 40 days after His birth, to be a servant of the Most High God.

The Consecration scarifies and the presentation of the firstborn, were conducted at the Temple in Jerusalem.

“And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Luke: 2:22

Law Fulfilled by Jesus

ST. Luke makes sure in his Gospel that part of what we see here fulfills the Law of Moses . This speaks of what Jesus came to do for each and all what we could never have done ourselves. Jesus is working out our salvation even as an infant.

Even his circumcision on the eighth day, we see Jesus, shedding his blood, looking ahead to the cross still 33 years in his future. Now the presentation on the 40th day, when Jesus enters first enters the Temple Jesus is fulfilling the Law of God on all of our behalf. 

This Jesus did, and continued to do all His life right up to the cross. But Jesus’ life, in every way fulfilled the Law the way it was meant to be, even as an infant.

Jesus makes sure that we all are "purified" and able to join in the community worship of the Great God, it is all through Him we are made pure, and able to approach the Great God.

“so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault” Philippians:2:15a

“But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians: 2:13

The Consecration

The consecration of the firstborn began with the Exodus and the plague of the death of the firstborn of the Egyptians, which God placed on Egypt. This was the 10th and last plague, which resulted in the freeing of Israel from captivity.

The Israelites, whose homes were marked with the blood of the lamb, were spared and the angel of death passed over them. The firstborn of Israel was spared. Because of that, from that time forward all the firstborn sons of Israel now were to be set apart, holy, consecrated to the service of the Lord. This law applied to all tribes of Israel. The firstborn sons of all twelve tribes were to be set aside for the Lord’s service.

The Priesthood

God had established the Levites as the priesthood tribe before God in Israel but the law provided an exemption. The Levites took the place for all those firstborn sons in the service of the Lord. The Levites were the tribe who served at the tabernacle and later at the temple of God

The priesthood came from the tribe of Levi. But for the firstborn sons from all the other tribes, the parents would offer up a sacrifice at the Temple so that released their sons from that obligation.

This part of what Joseph and Mary were doing at the Temple for their firstborn son, since they were not Levites but from the tribe of Judah. From which of Judah kings came.

Jesus was born from the tribe of Judah; however, he also is a firstborn, which means he is consecrated to the service of God, at his presentation at the Temple on the 40th day.

 Jesus the Priest of God

Even though Jesus in not of Levi, and even though the sacrifice is offered to release him from priestly service, he still is holy, set apart, consecrated to God. Regardless of what tribe he was born from. Jesus’ life was consecrated to Lord’s service even in His infancy. 
 
Jesus offers the greatest priestly service of all for all, when he offered up his own life as the perfect sacrifice for all sin. His body and His blood are the offering, whole and holy and complete.

When we see Jesus is presented at the Temple, on the 40th day, as the firstborn, this is a foreshadowing of His entire priestly service for all of us. 

33 years later, on Calvary, Jesus would shed his blood on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for all humanity, fulfilling the Law in our stead, bringing forgiveness and salvation us.

Death passes over us because we are marked with the blood Jesus the Lamb of God. All this is taking place when this Jesus firstborn son is presented at the Temple of God at Jerusalem.

Simeon and Anna

At The Temple, there were two persons who served God, Simon and Anna, and seeing Jesus at the time of his presentation discerns this. The Holy Spirit spoke to them and reveals this truth, that this child, Jesus, is the Savior who has come to fulfill the all-Messianic prophecies given to Israel, this is the One, which they waited for and hoped for, the One who bring Salvation.

Not only is Jesus the great High Priest, greater than any from the tribe of Levi, He is also the great King from the tribe of Judah, the Messiah, the Christ.  Simeon and Anna can see this. This truth was revealed to Simeon and Anna by a special work of the Holy Spirit. They see Jesus, and they recognize the Savior, the fulfillment of what they had been waiting for.

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God. . . .” Luke: 2:25-28

"Jesus is the great High Priest, above any from the tribe of Levi; He is also the promised King from the tribe of Judah, the Messiah, and the Christ. Simeon and Anna see this."

Simeon was waiting for the “Consolation of Israel.” “Consolation” is a word means “comfort.” 

Isaiah 40:2- “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, and that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”

Simeon had been watching and waiting for, looking for, longing for. The Lord had showed that Simeon that he would not die until he saw the consolation come in the person of Jesus, the Messiah. Now here was that One, finally, Simeon sees Him, in the person of the infant Jesus now brought into the Temple courts, the long-awaited Messiah! 

Then Simeon with, Jesus in his arms and exclaims: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared  in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke: 2:29-32

Nunc Dimittis

The declaration of Simeon has come into the liturgy of the Church as the Hymn called the Nunc Dimittis, which means “Now You Let Depart.”

Often this hymn is sung it after the sharing of the Communion after we encounter the Lord Jesus, when we take him into our arms, that is embrace Him personally, we can now to depart in peace just as Simeon declared he was able to do, we have now no fear, even departing this life. When we come to believe in Jesus, our lives have accomplished everything a human life was intended to accomplish.

Simeon held Jesus in his arms and beheld with his own eyes, the Lord’s salvation in the person of the Jesus. When we come to believe in Jesus, we express it though sharing the Lord’s Supper, the Communion, we are truly ready and able “to depart in peace”. 

Simeon declared openly that this child is the salvation God has prepared “in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

For all peoples, all nations, not just Israel, will be blessed in and by Jesus’ coming. Gentiles will come to see the light.

Darkness of the Cross

This glorious salvation and light came through suffering and darkness of the cross there at Calvary. The shadow that shrouded the world, as Jesus was upon the Cross accomplishing our salvation and redemption is foreshadowed at His presentation. 

Simeon tells Mary she will have grief, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke: 2:34-25

Jesus faced great opposition in His ministry. He was be spoken against by the religious leaders of the day the Scribe and Pharisee and Sadducees, the Chief Priest and Elders of people. They conspired against Jesus to stop him and to have Jesus killed.

The death of Jesus, Mary's firstborn son, was like a sword piercing Mary’s soul, bring great grief, as she stood at the cross and sees Jesus dying. 

This is the only way that our salvation could be accomplished for us. It would take the death of God’s only begotten Son come in the flesh, Mary’s firstborn son, to accomplish it for us.

Only Jesus’ holy blood alone.  Jesus' priestly service of offering up the perfect sacrifice himself would accomplish it. His life could never have ended any other way. 

The cross was the logical conclusion to a life based on complete conformity to the will of God; the cross declares that Jesus would rather die, than found outside the will of God.

Jesus’ sacrifice was not just one day at Calvary, but rather, Jesus scarified his whole life, His Whole life. All His Life, All His Life. Jesus was fully consecrated to his Father. That day at the Temple, and at Calvary years latter   only shows what has always been true.

  Jesus' Sacrifice is more than enough, to accomplish our salvation. We are saved from eternal death and condemnation. We are saved for life and peace with God and eternal life beyond the confines of this world in Eternity. This is the consolation of Israel that Simeon and all of us are waiting for it found in Jesus alone.

For the power of the blood is found in the value of the life that it sustains, the blood of Jesus sustained the life of God in the flesh, therefore His life as fully God, is more valued than the sum total of all humanity, but being fully human could die for all humanity. John: 1:1-3,14, and Colssians:2:9

Now Anna

Prophetess Anna was one the other saint of God. Scripture tells us that Anna was among those “waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” “Redemption” meaning being set free, liberated.

Anna as well sees our Redeemer, our liberator, in the child Jesus. Jesus Christ is our Lord who has redeemed all of us lost and condemned humanity, purchased and won for us freeing us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. 

He brought this redemption by his holy blood and his perfect innocent suffering and death. This redemption Jesus has won for us is, eternal life in the kingdom of God.

 Like Anna, we too will begin to give praise and thanks to God and to speak to others about Jesus. 

Consolation and redemption, salvation and peace. All of these Jesus brought with Him when He enters the Temple for his Presentation. Jesus is the firstborn, the High Priest, and the Messiah. In the Temple, even in the Church, the people of God, his Temple, we still find the same Jesus and so we receive his blessings.

Jesus is here in the Church, the Temple, that the firstborn Son is still being presented to and for us, and so we all can sing the Hymn Nunc Dimittis with Simeon “Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation.”

Benediction: May we all see the salvation in the face of the Holy Son of God and know that because of Jesus we can be at peace, today, tomorrow and forevermore Amen,

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”