Tag Archives: Jesus

Transfiguration Sunday and the Longing of Epiphany

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Yesterday was transfiguration Sunday which marks a peak of ascent in the Christian calendar and journey. It is from the vantage point of the mountain of transfiguration that we see behind us the season of Epiphany and before us the season of Easter. Behind us is Christ’s baptism and before us is his death and resurrection.  It is from this vantage point that along with Peter and James, we see Christ transfigured before us and then from out of a cloud of unapproachable light, we hear the words, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” (Matthew 17:1-9).

These words spoken from God the Father act as a segue from Epiphany into the season of lent. From the action of Christ’s baptism (in Epiphany) to its meaning for us (Easter). The first phrase from the clouds of the Mountain of Transfiguration was first spoken at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel:

“And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:16-17

After these words were spoken at Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3, we find Jesus being, “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights.” (Mat. 4:1) This brings us to the longing of lent:

  • To not live by bread alone, but by the words that come from the mouth of God. (Mat. 4:3-4)
  • To not put the LORD to the test (Mat. 4:5-7)
  • To dismiss Satan with our worship of “The LORD our God, serving him alone.” (Mat.4:8-10).

On the mountain of transfiguration where we stand in the Church calendar we are invited into this season of Longing, of Lent with the words, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” So we respond to the Epiphany of Jesus as God with obedience; listening and following Christ into a wilderness season of Lent that leads to the death and new life of Easter.

February 2011 – In – Review

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The Mission Front:

Anna turned five months old this month! It seems just like yesterday she was born … and yet, I cannot imagine emotionally a time that she has not existed. She has been such a blessing from the Lord and I am so proud to be her father! During this month Anna has learned to roll-over, sing songs in baby language, do the ground-pound (a way she slams her heels simultaneously on the floor). She has also learned to sit up in her high chair, eat rice cereal (and her foot), and most recently she has begun the teething process! Bridgette started nannying a 2-year-old, Caleah! It amazes me how wise and gracious Bridgette is as a mother. She is so steady, loving, and filled with grace towards Anna and daddy (me). She has taught me a LOT about parenting.

On the job front, we are getting more and more discernment from the Lord where we will end up. I feel an assurance that it will be in the Lord’s service – most likely, within the Anglican Mission or Anglican Church of North America. Bridgette and I are really finding our hearts turned back to a zip code somewhere in North Eastern Ohio and are hoping to one day plant a church there. So would you join us in prayer about this transition? Hopefully in the “March 2011 – In – Review” I will have more for you on this front.

February marks a new monthly post called, “In – Review.” At the end of each month I will write-up highlights from the month around two themes: 1- what’s going on in my family, ministry, and life. 2- What was posted last month. It is a way for me to reflect back on the past month in my life and action.

February also marked the beginning of the end for my tour of duty at Asbury Theological Seminary (well at least as an M.Div. Student). Ironically, this semester I do not any classes during the week and am in Exegesis of Exodus and two 1-hr Christian Discipleship classes at various weekends throughout the semester. I am also taking two Philosophy classes online (Apologetics and Suffering, Tragedy and the Christian Faith). I am active in Theta Phi (a theological honor society)  as Treasurer|Secretary and am planning for Marva Dawn to come and speak at Asbury in March. I am also very  thankful to be working with JD Walt and the rest of the Worship Design Team this semester at the chapel office. My season at Asbury has been one marked by deep inner-healing, spiritual formation, and theological education – I am more whole for ministry in Christ as a result of my tenure here in Wilmore.

The Blog Front:

February was my most productive month of Blog writing to date! Posting 22 different times in 28 days is remarkable and I hope to continue writing in this 20-25 posts a month range in the future. Part of the writing discipline I am trying to abide by going forward is keeping my posts 333 words or less. Something that you could read on the toilet, or in a taxi, or in less than 3 minutes. With some posts, I will inevitably break this rule  (most likely with Philosophy/Theology/Technical posts – but hardly anyone reads those anyways). So the following is a sampling from last month:

  • Journey through Epiphany - I have been taking the Lord’s Day, Sunday as a time to reflect on the Church Season and abide in a different time-line.
  • Bob Dylan and Exodus - Folks seemed to really like this post (and it was one of my favorites as well). The Book of Exodus put to the tune of Bob Dylan. Look for more  posts from Exodus in March.
  • Eating Words - Another popular post, in “Eating Words” I discussed my practice of reading the Bible devotionally throughout the year.
  • Poetry Fun – I only posted one poem in February, it was goofy, ironic, and just fun ( I cam up with it during a meeting).
  • The V-Day Tax Money Bet – So read this post if you want to hear about a bet my wife and I made concerning a portion of our tax return … Update: I barely made it a week and Bridgette is still holding strong.
  • Revolution, Revival and the Book of Joel – Some “thought strings” that I attempt to connect together concerning the ME revolutions/demonstration/whatever, Revivalism, and the Book of Joel.
  • The Adjustment Bureau - Last week I got to see an early showing of the upcoming movie, The Adjustment Bureau. People were really interested in these posts for some reason. I also attempt a post on the MANY symbols/images/types/motifs used in the movie (the over-saturation of images/types can make the movie a bit unruly.

The Epiphany of Suffering

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During this past week suffering and death have been ever before me: From a philosophy class I am taking on Suffering, Tragedy and the Christian Faith, to a Time article written by Rob Bell concerning him getting his call to be a pastor in the midst of severe headaches, to a guest lecturer in Chapel talking about growing up in the persecuted Church of Columbia, to filling out ACPE (Association of Clinical Pastoral Education) applications about my views of spiritual care and suffering, and last night hearing a friend’s testimony about God’s presence with him in the midst of his young wife’s death. These events bring me to today:  the Lord’s Day, Sunday, the First day, and the eschatological eighth day… and then I’m reminded of the “reason for the season”, Epiphany – Christ being revealed as God in the Gospels… in the midst of suffering.

Before the Passion of Lent and the Resurrection of Easter comes the Epiphany of the B.C. proclamation in Isaiah 53, “Surely he has borne our infirmities   and carried our diseases;  yet we accounted him stricken,  struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions,  crushed for our iniquities;  upon him was the punishment that made us whole,  and by his bruises we are healed.”

The picture  and the Isaiah 53 passage above are an attempt to articulate the reality of suffering, tragedy, sin and death in light of the reality of Jesus as LORD. It attempts to show that the cross is not only a historical event, but it is also a reality of God’s cruciform love for the world. I remember Robert Mulholland saying in class, “The Cross is not just something Jesus DID, it is a revelation of  WHO God is.” During the season of Epiphany we see Jesus transfigured before us as God: Healing diseases, exorcising demons, and raising the dead. We follow the reality of Jesus as God in Epiphany into the reality of Christ’s cruciform love revealed in the Passion of Lent.

Are You a F.A.T. Disciple?

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I was a year into living the Christian witness when I transferred to Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. After 10 months of intense mentoring and training by a Navigator in Florida, I was now faced with a base that at the time did not have a Navigator missionary on staff. It was during this time I was sharing a meal with a new friend who was discipled by my former mentor in Florida.

In one of our first meetings he called me a FAT disciple… I never heard that before. When I heard it I thought, “Phat”? What’s this guy playing at? Is he trying to spit slang ?” He obviously noticed my glazed over eyes at his comment, and with a smile said, “You know… F-A-T. – Faithful. Available. Teachable. The qualities in a disciple of Christ.”

Looking back at this story now, I can honestly tell you  that at the end of a tour as an M.Div. student at Asbury Theological Seminary, I am still very F.A.T.! I am called to be faithful both the “head and heart” knowledge and experiences that I have been PRIVILEGED to learn. I am still very much available to be mentored and to mentor. Finally, I humbly report that I have failed to live up to the standards of the name of my degree, Master of Divinity. I have not mastered the divine and am still very teachable by God’s Spirit, Word, and Church.

So… Ph.D.s, senior Pastors, priests, missionaries, Seminarians, social activists and writers .. have you managed to keep your weight on? Have you remained F.A.T.?

The ‘Great Litany’ Adaption

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I was asked by my friend Gabriel Lawson to prepare something “liturgical” for the  young adults that meets on Sunday mornings at First Alliance Church in Lexington, Kentucky.  Being a good Wesleyan, I went strait for my Book of Common Prayer and looked up the litany. I adapted some of the language (dropped the “Thou”s and “Thee”s), made it more gender inclusive, and changed a few words/phrases that didn’t culturally jive.  I also included a “what” and “why” section below for those of you who aren’t familiar with litany or liturgical practices.

What is “litany”?

The word litany comes from the Latin: litania and the Greek: λιτανεία (litaneía), which in turn comes from: λιτή (litê), meaning “supplication”.  My definition of litany is a type of corporate prayer that is in agreement with the supplications of saints throughout all the history of the catholic (universal or according to the whole) church.

Why the “litany”?

The litany is historical; it has endured over 1500 years of church history.

The litany is ecumenical; chanted (occasionally sung) by Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and some Protestants.

The litany is corporate; including the collective supplications of the local (and universal) church to the Lord.

My Prayer for you, when you pray this “litany”:

May you “know the surpassing love of Christ which surpasses knowledge”.

May you know that you are praying in agreement with the saints down throughout the ages.

May you be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”

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The Great Litany (adapted from the Book of Common Prayer by rm Kocak)

O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth,

Have mercy upon us.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful,

Have mercy upon us.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,

Have mercy upon us.

Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses

of our forefathers; neither reward us according to our sins.

Spare us, good Lord, spare your people, whom you have

redeemed with your most precious blood, and by your mercy

preserve us forever.

Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and wickedness; from sin; from the crafts

and assaults of the devil; and from everlasting damnation,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain glory, and

hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all want

of earthly treasures,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all unwarranted and sinful affections; and from all the

deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all false doctrine, heresy, and church division; from hardness

of heart, and contempt of your Word and commandment,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and

flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all oppression, conspiracy, and rebellion; from

violence, battle, and murder; and from dying suddenly

and unprepared,

Good Lord, deliver us.

By the mystery of your holy Incarnation; by your holy Nativity

and submission to the Law; by means of your Baptism, Fasting, and

Temptation,

Good Lord, deliver us.

By your Agony and Bloody Sweat; by your Cross and Passion;

by your precious Death and Burial; by your glorious Resurrection

and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Spirit,

Good Lord, deliver us.

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in

the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,

Good Lord, deliver us.

We sinners beg for you to hear us, O Lord God; that

it may please you to rule and govern your holy Church

Universal in the right way,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to illumine all Church laity and clergy with true knowledge and understanding of your Word;

and that both by their preaching and living, they may

set it forth, and show it accordingly,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to bless and keep all your people,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to send forth laborers into your

harvest, and to draw all humanity into your kingdom,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give to all people increase of grace

to hear and receive your Word, and to bring forth the fruits of

the Spirit,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to bring into the way of truth all such

as have erred, and are deceived,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give us a heart to love and fear

you, and diligently to live after your commandments,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to rule the hearts of your servants:

the President of the United States of America, Congress, the Supreme Court,

Wall Street as well as Main Street,  and all others in authority,

that they may do justice, and love mercy,

and walk in the ways of truth,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to see wars cease throughout the entire world;

to give unity, peace, and harmony to all nations;

and to bestow freedom upon all peoples,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to show your pity upon all prisoners

and captives, the homeless and the hungry, and all who are

desolate and oppressed,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give and preserve to our use the

bountiful fruits of the earth, so that in due time all may enjoy them,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to inspire us, in our several callings,

to do the work which you have given us to do with singleness of

heart as your servants, and for the common good,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to preserve all who are in danger due to their vocation or their travels,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to preserve, and provide for: all

women in childbirth, the unborn,  young children, and orphans,

the widowed, and all whose homes are broken or torn by strife,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to visit the lonely; to strengthen all

who suffer in mind, body, and spirit; and to comfort with your

presence those who are failing and in poor health,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to support, help, and comfort all who

are in danger, in need, or experiencing tribulation,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to have mercy upon all humanity,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give us true repentance; to forgive

us all our sins,  our carelessness, and our ignorance; and to sustain

us with the grace of your Holy Spirit to amend our lives

according to your holy Word,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to forgive our enemies, persecutors,

and slanderers, and to turn their hearts to you,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to strengthen our resolve; to

comfort and help the weak-hearted; to raise up those who

fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.


That it may please you to grant to all the faithful departed

eternal life and peace,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to grant to this fellowship of believers at

First Alliance Church along with all the saints throughout the world, to attain to your heavenly kingdom,

We boldly ask you to hear us, good Lord.

Son of God, we boldly ask you to hear us.

Son of God, we boldly ask you to hear us.

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,

Grant us your peace.

O Christ, hear us.

O Christ, hear us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Now would you please join me in praying as the Lord Jesus Christ taught us to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy Name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.