Pilgrim Uniting Church, Adelaide SA SUN 23-FEB-2020 - 11.00 AM Sermon Rev Dr Greg Elsdon Transfiguration Sunday – As recounted in the day's gospel passage, while Jesus and three of his disciples were up on a mountain, the disciples were scared out of their wits when God spoke out of a cloud to affirm Jesus as his beloved son; but Jesus gave each of them a gentle pat, and assured them that there was nothing to be afraid of. Most of our lives do not dazzle with non-stop special effects like that; but all of our lives do contain the sacred. We have a challenge, to cultivate the insight for seeing God in the darkest and murkiest of places. This scripture reading is about affirmation. God's affirmation of Jesus calls on us to listen to Jesus, who exemplifies God's intentions behind the Law and the Prophets. How do we go into the community in such a way that people will feel affirmed and encouraged, not chastised and made to feel worthless? How can we acknowlege the shining presence of God in each other? Matthew 17: 1-9 Playing Time   –   21:40