Transfiguration Sunday Exodus 34:29-35

Exodus 34:29-35

Psalm 99

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

lectionary:

Season of epiphany, Year c

Author

Andrew Van Kirk

Keywords (13)

Scripture (4)

Date Added

Oct 30, 2024

Preaching Commentary

Between God and God's People

This whole Sunday’s worth of texts is about the relationship of God to God’s people.

In what way has God been present among us in the past?
How is God present now?
How will we know?

This Exodus passage gives one answer, albeit an answer located in a specific place and time: the Israelites would know God is present by the shiny face of Moses. Moses was the mediator, the go-between shuttling between the presence of God and the body of the people. His glowing visage proved it.

Today we live a great distance in time and space from shiny Moses, and so it can be hard to see what difference it makes to us that Moses came down the mountain and his face looked…

Discussion Questions

Are there moments in your life when God feels especially close or present? How do you know?
Have you ever felt or witnessed the presence of God in your body or someone else’s?
Does Christianity, lived well and fully, have an effect on our physical selves?
If you’ve ever had a…

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Author

Andrew Van Kirk

The Rev. Andrew Van Kirk is the 2nd Rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in McKinney, Texas, where he has been on the clergy staff in one capacity or another since 2013. St. Andrew's is a growing suburban church committed to serving the community, compelling Biblical preaching, and building relationships with one another that lead to Christ. Andrew leads a staff of 11 that support a vibrant and generous congregation doing the work of ministry.

Father Andrew grew up in Dallas before attending Duke University (B.A. History and Computer Science) and Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM – New Testament). In between institutions of higher education, he wrote software for Amazon.com and was on the launch team for Amazon Prime.

Prior to coming to St. Andrew’s, Andrew served as the Associate Rector at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Dallas and as Director of Christian Education at All Saints’ Church in Princeton, New Jersey.

He and his wife Stephanie, who also has an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, have three children, Henry, Addie and Drew. The older two are now teenagers, which is strange because Andrew does not feel that old.