Mark 9:2-13

You can try to make Jesus into the Messiah you want him to be, but he's too big for your job description! Max Lucado reminds us that Jesus defies description and won't fit into any boxes that limit him and make him manageable.

In a world full of noisy distractions and competing messages, how do we know which voice we should obey and which sign we should follow? Phil Ware continues his short series on becoming a cruciformed people -- disciples transformed by the cross of Jesus -- by talking about the focus on the story of Jesus' transfiguration.

Peter thought it was good to be in that moment in time, but he had no idea the greatness of Jesus that he was missing! Phil Ware reminds us not to miss the truth about Jesus by getting too caught up in the heavenly fireworks of the Transfiguration.

"Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed,...."

"[After the Transfiguration, the disciples asked Jesus,] "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah..."

"Then [the three apostles asked Jesus], "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?" Jesus..."

"[At the Transfiguration,] Peter exclaimed, "Rabbi, it's wonderful for us to be here! Let's make three shelters as memorials — one for you, one for..."

"[After the Transfiguration, as Jesus and the three apostles] went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the..."

"[During the Transfiguration,] a cloud overshadowed [Jesus, Moses, Elijah, and the three apostles], and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly..."

"Then a cloud appeared and enveloped [Jesus and his disciples, Peter, James, and John], and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to...."

"[After the Transfiguration, when Peter, James, and John suddenly] looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them."

Inspirational illustration of Mark 9:7 -- Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

Can you see beyond the storm clouds in your life Tom Norvell talks about taking off in the pea soup of bad rainy weather and lifting up through the clouds and finding the sun and tying this all to our need to look beyond the clouds.