Brothers and sisters in Christ, good morning! Today in the church year is called the Day of Transfiguration. It is the last Sunday before Lent, and so, with your good will, I have preached about as much as I can on questions people ask, and so I'd like to go back to preaching on the morning gospel. I assure you that the "Ask the Pastor" series will return, and we will once again give you the opportunity to ask questions, and I'll do my best to answer them.

As I read the gospel this morning, there was one phrase that just jumped off the page at me. And the phrase is this: "A change came over Jesus." A little background to the story: Jesus knew that He was on His way to Jerusalem . He knew that His sacrificial death on the cross was coming. And He needed encouragement. So, He took three of His most trusted disciples, and He said, "Let's go up higher. Let's go up to the mountain." And they agreed.

So, from the valley of despair, Jesus and three trusted friends went up to the mountain. What happened? What happens when you climb a mountain? Well, you can see really far. Little things take their perspective. The air is good and clear, and you begin to feel refreshed again.

That's not all that happened that amazing Transfiguration Day. The apostles tell us that they were watching Jesus, and as they watched Him, a change came over Jesus. They said that His face began to glow with radiant light, and His clothes were energized with light. It reminded them of the story of Moses that we heard. They were amazed. And then they said they saw two people, two men talking to Jesus. They just knew that one was Moses and one was Elijah. And they were talking about His experience to come in Jerusalem . They were encouraging Jesus. It was amazing. Here they were on the mountaintop, and they were looking at Jesus, and a change came over Him. He was glowing with light, and they were glowing, too, in the reflecting light of the Lord, beholding Elijah and Moses. Oh, it was remarkable!

And they said, "Lord, it is good that we are here." They wanted to build shelters for the three of them.

But let's stop the camera there. Jesus was transfigured. He was transformed. And so were the disciples in the light of His glory. Oh, my friends, why preach on this text today? Let me tell you why – because I just have this feeling that there are people in our congregation who need some lifting up. And so, I ask you to take this idea with you into the week: God is transforming me now. Say it out loud. "God is transforming me now." Yes, that is my prayer for you. I pray that you would go into this week seeing yourself surrounded by the light of Christ, and having the feeling, starting at your heart, that you are filled with the light of Christ. From this Transfiguration Sunday onward, may you be transformed by God.

I know some of the trials that some of you have been carrying, but I don't know all of them. That's for sure. But I do sense that each and every one of us needs the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. God is transforming me now – say it again. "God is transforming me now."  In whatever area of life you need a lifting up, my prayer for you is that you would be surrounded and transformed by His transforming light.  Won't you take that image into the week with you? When you feel downtrodden, when you feel challenged, when you feel as if the situation is hopeless…No! It's not! God is transforming you now. How? Well, perhaps God is transforming your faith, your hope, and your love.

Let God transform your faith. How? Maybe somebody will speak to you an encouraging word that bolsters your faith this week. One of our church members gave me an article from the New York Times. It was written by a woman who said that she was an atheist. So was her husband. This young couple has a little boy. The husband, who is in the military, was sent to Iraq . There was nervousness in the household. One day, the mother and the son were sitting watching television when the news came on. It was a newscast about our soldiers in Iraq .

As they watched, the mother glanced over at the little six-year-old boy and saw something that amazed her. The boy was sitting with his hands folded and his eyes closed. She didn't say anything. When the telecast was over, he opened his eyes and leaned back and she said, "Honey, what were you doing?"

"Oh," he said, "I was saying a prayer for Daddy."

It took her breath away. Here was a little child who had a faith that they had never taught him. And she found herself a little jealous. She asked herself how this could be. It reminded her of Christian friends that she'd walked in the woods with who, upon seeing a brook, were thrilled and amazed and talked about the beauty of God's creation. She shook her head; she only saw a babbling brook. But here, in her own living room, was her little son, who had said a prayer for Daddy. She was wistful, and she wished she had that kind of faith herself.

Maybe she will someday. I hope so. But God is transforming you. Somehow, God wants to inspire and transform and lift your faith. How will it come to you this week?  Maybe you will be the catalyst for someone else's faith-lift.

God is transforming your hope. Oh, friend, if you have felt down in that valley where Jesus had found himself, just know that God is filling you with light. I have a friend here in the church who goes regularly to cardiac rehab. He talks about the encouragement of the nurses and the goodness of the program. But he says that one of the things that's most inspiring is the realization that, "well, I have my share of aches and pains and difficulties, but I look at some of the other people and I see how tough they have it, and I think about how fortunate I am." How about you? How about me? How about for all we're going through, is there somebody who has it worse? Do we have blessings to count? I'll bet we do. God is transforming you now and filling you and surrounding you with light and lifting you hope. He is transforming your hope.

And God is transforming your love. Friend, there is somebody who needs you, a friend who thought about giving up, a friend who thought about throwing in the towel, a friend who is just plain despairing; there is somebody who needs you. God is transforming your love. You are an irreplaceable blessing. No one can love the way you do. No one can bless the way you bless. Let God empower you. Let God transform your love. Remember how important you are.

This week, on Ash Wednesday, we'll have a table at the front of the church. You'll have an opportunity to take a spoonful of ashes from one bowl and put them into another. It will represent the casting off of negative thought, of doubt, of fear, of sin, of mistake, of something you want to cast away from your life. And you'll have the opportunity to cleanse your hands with water and be free, and to take on the transforming love and power of God.

My prayer is that it may be so for you. God is filling you with His light, surrounding you with His love, and transforming you now. God loves you. I do, too. Have a blessed week. Amen.