St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church & School – Transfiguration of Our Lord - St. Stephens Evangelical Lutheran Church and School | Beaver Dam, WI

389 How Good, Lord, to Be Here CW 389

1 How good, Lord, to be here!
Your glory fills the night;
your face and garments, like the sun,
shine with unborrowed light.

2 How good, Lord, to be here
your beauty to behold,
where Moses and Elijah stand,
your messengers of old.

3 Fulfiller of the past,
and hope of things to be,
we hail your body glorified
and our redemption see.

4 Before we taste of death,
we see your kingdom come;
we long to hold the vision bright
and make this hill our home.

5 But you, Lord, do not stay.
With mercy resolute
you leave this glorious hill to die—
our perfect substitute.

6 How good, Lord, to be here!
Yet we may not remain;
but since you bid us leave the mount,
come with us to the plain.

Text (sts. 1–4, 6): Joseph A. Robinson, 1858–1933, alt.; (st. 5): Bryan Gerlach, b. 1954
Text (sts. 1–4, 6): Public domain
Text (st. 5): © 2021 Northwestern Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 712959

(Stand)

In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Confession

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.

Holy God, gracious Father,
    I am sinful by nature
        and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.
    I have not loved you with my whole heart;
    I have not loved others as I should.
        I deserve your punishment both now and forever.
    But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins
        with his innocent suffering and death.
    Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

(Silence for meditation and reflection)

Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Lord, Have Mercy

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

Amen.

Glory to God in the Highest

Refrain: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Refrain

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer, receive our prayer. Refrain

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Refrain

Glory to God, glory to God.

THE WORD

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.

O God, in the glorious transfiguration of your only-begotten Son, you confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah, and in the voice that came from the bright cloud, you foreshadowed our adoption as your sons. In your mercy, make us co-heirs of glory with Jesus our King, and bring us at last to heaven; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

(Be seated)

First Reading Exodus 24:9–18

9Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. 11But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

12The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

13Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. 14He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”

15When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2A You Are My Son Psalm 2A

Refrain

You are my Son; this day have I begotten you.

Why do the / nations rage?
Why do the peoples / plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers assemble a- / gainst the Lord
and against his A- / nointed One. Refrain

He who sits in / heaven laughs;
the Lord / scoffs at them.
Then he addresses them in his anger and frightens them with his fury, / saying,
“I have set my King on Zion, my / holy hill.” Refrain

I will declare the / Lord’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have be- / gotten you.”
Glory be to the Father and / to the Son
and to the / Holy Spirit,
as it was in the be- / ginning,
is now, and will be forever. / Amen. Refrain

Text: translation
Text: © 2021 Northwestern Publishing House (verse text tr.). Used by permission: OneLicense no. 712959

Second Reading 2 Peter 1:16–21

16For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

19We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

(Stand)

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus is the light of the world;

in him we have the light of life.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 17:1–9

1After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise be to you, O Christ!

(Be seated)

388 Down from the Mount of Glory CW 388

1 Down from the mount of glory
came Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Recall the wondrous story,
rich gem in sacred Word.
Again your faith will view him
in double glory here;
the greater homage due him
will in your life appear.

2 Transfigured, Christ, the lowly,
stood radiant in the light,
light found in Godhead solely,
for human eyes too bright.
Then came a voice from heaven,
confirmed what here we see;
the words “my Son” were given
to seal his deity.

3 Yet mark this glory hidden!
See him the mount descend
and, by the Father bidden,
his willing footsteps bend
to seek humiliation
in deepest depths of woe,
to suffer degradation
no mind can probe or know.

4 Strange how his journey ended!
In love that is his fame
our Lord again ascended
a mount—the hill of shame.
Upon the cross he proffered
himself to agony;
his holy soul he offered
to set the guilty free.

5 Then hail the double glory
of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
and let the wondrous story
full peace and joy afford!
The holy mount acclaims him
the majesty divine;
Mount Calvary proclaims him
Redeemer—yours and mine.

Text: Werner H. Franzmann, 1905–1996
Text: © 1968 Werner H. Franzmann, admin. Northwestern Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 712959

Sermon

(Stand)

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

(Be seated)

Prayer of the Church

The nations of the world rage, but your Son, Jesus Christ rules the world in truth and grace. Reveal the glory of his righteousness to all and crown us with the glory of your love.