Many years ago when I was in the seminary, a group of us took a hike up one of the Catskill mountains in New York. When we reached the top, we stopped and enjoyed the beauty all around us, below us and above us. It was December, late afternoon. We realized that we had arrived just before sunset…Mistake! It would be taking us much longer to come down the mountain than it would take for the sun to drop in the western horizon. It became dark…we lost out way. Most of the group and I made it down the mountain, but three others spent the whole night in the cold mountains. We were scared! As it turned out, everyone was OK the next morning.
Jesus and three of his disciples do something similar. They want the joy of being with Jesus on top of the mountain to go on and on, yet the disciples couldn’t stay there; they had to come down. It wasn’t a pleasant descent for them because Jesus was talking about his coming suffering and death. What a change from the glory of Jesus’ whole being completely changed up there, to the other changes for Jesus and for them that would be coming!
The good news for us on the mountain and for the three friends of Jesus is that no matter what happens or will happen, Jesus will be walking with us all the way.
On Sundays we follow the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
These Firestarters are from a new edition of The Bible Through the Seasons being developed for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook. You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or table! Check the menu options at the site for more information.
The Bible Through the Seasons 