Transfiguration Sunday: Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Proverbs 30:1-4, 24-33

In this passage, we read the teacher say that there are things that do not look like much; a lizard, locusts, but yet they do much. Greatness does not come only from size, but from being faithful to your task. Sometimes we think that we cannot do great things for God because our faith is not that of Mother Teresa. That is not what God asks of us. All He asks of us is to be faithful. If we are faithful, He will do the rest. John Wesley said Christians should be the happiest of people, because all they can do is be faithful in their ministry, and then leave the rest of God, and He will work it out according to His plan. It doesn't matter how old or young we are, how much money we have, how long we've been in the church. All that matters is that we are faithful. And, even the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. True faith, even in small amounts, is very powerful and God can change the world with it.

New Testament Lesson

Philippians 3:1-11

Sometimes in like in the Proverbs text we think God can't use us because we aren't much. And then sometimes, like what Paul alludes to here, God can't use us because we think too much of ourselves. Paul warns us today put no confidence in the flesh. He had every reason to do so, but he said that these things were worthless when compared to the knowledge of Jesus.

Too often, we put too much stock into what have done. I heard a sermon once where the preacher said that they asked someone to talk about their faith and their salvation, and they talked about being Chair of the Administrative Board, talked about being on the PPRC, talked about being on different committees. We can think that if we just do stuff, we've done all that we should. Paul said today its not about that, it's about that faith, that walk, that relationship with God through Jesus by the power of the Spirit. All else is worthless other than that, and it must be the foundation of all that we do.

Gospel Lesson

John 18:28-38

Pilate asks the $64,000 question today. What is truth? That is the question that so many people ask today. Truth has become subjective, and what is right for me might not be right for you. Pilate today has Jesus Christ standing before him and does not recognize the Son of God in his midst because He is not the truth that he wants. Quite often, we want truth to agree with us, so that what we want to do is right. Jesus doesn't do that. He does not affirm what want to do, He commands us to do what He wants us to do. Through prayer, we must ask God for wisdom and truth, not merely ask God to bless what we've already decided to do. We must seek God's truth and then follow when we know it. For, the only thing worse than not knowing the Truth is to know the Truth and not follow.