February 15, 2026 - Seeing and Hearing: Matthew 17:1-9

And then in the midst of this cloud that sits on this mountain comes the voice. And I just wanna remind us, the cloud for them has been the presence of God that guided them through the wilderness, if we remember back a few books before. So the presence of God in unknown times, somehow a cloud comes, and in that is the voice of God that says, this is my son whom I love. With him, I am well pleased. Listen to him. Not admire him, not analyze him, not even balance him with all the other influences. Listen to Jesus. [00:42:46] (54 seconds)  #ListenToJesus

But in this moment, God makes something unmistakably clear. Though Moses who represents the way things had always been, and Elijah who represents the hope of what could be, both are gifts, both are important, but god says something very clear. Jesus is not one among many voices. He is the voice that God calls us to listen to. And it is only there where all things become new, where God can take our lives and make us a people holy in a world that desperately needs his love. [00:45:09] (54 seconds)  #JesusIsTheVoice

Holiness is when the love of God reshapes us from the inside out. When anger no longer rules us, when resentment loosens its grip, when pride softens, when forgiveness becomes possible, holiness is not behavior modification, it is heart transformation. Holiness is not cultural adaptation, it is heart transformation. Holiness is not about trying to do more. It is about surrendering all we are to the creator of the universe so that Jesus Christ can form us to be more like him for the sake of others. [00:46:56] (52 seconds)  #HeartTransformation

It's almost as if Jesus is saying, holiness is not about escaping the valley. It is about carrying the presence of Christ into it. Holiness is not withdrawing from the world. It is being sent and set apart with the presence of God for the glory of God and for the sake of others. It's allowing God to shape us into the kind of people who bring peace into chaos, clarity into confusion, patience into tension, mercy into failure, and hope into despair. [00:54:42] (49 seconds)  #CarryChristIntoTheValley

Jesus does not keep them on the mountain. If we're not careful, we become like Peter. Got a soft spot in my heart for Peter. We wanna build memorials and tents on the mountain so we never have to come down. But Jesus does not keep them on the mountain. He leads them down into real life. He leads them back down into their community, into suffering, into confusion, into need. He leads them back to their workplaces, to their homes, to their schools, to their communities, to their neighbors. [00:53:53] (49 seconds)  #BackToRealLife

The voice that we listen to the most, the voice that we listen to the most will shape who we become. The voice that we listen to the most will shape who we become. If fear is the loudest voice, fear will form us. If success is the loudest voice, success will drive us. If approval is the loudest voice, approval will control us. But if Jesus Christ is the clearest voice, love will form us. [00:51:17] (53 seconds)  #VoicesShapeUs

So Jesus takes Peter and James and John up a mountain, and here, without warning, his whole appearance changes. His face shines. His clothes become dazzling and white. Moses and Elijah appear beside him, representing centuries of faith and law, of prophecy, of longing, of respect for where we've been, and hope for where we're going. And it is just overwhelming. It's glorious. It's sacred. [00:42:07] (38 seconds)  #TransfigurationMoment

Listening to him means paying attention when he says, love your enemies. Forgive 70 times seven. That can be a tough one. How about this? Do not be afraid. Was he at the game last night? That was nerve racking. Or how about this? Follow me. Or even this one, abide in me. It means letting the words of Jesus care carry more authority than our impulses. [00:52:10] (51 seconds)  #LiveJesusWords