As we gathered on Transfiguration Sunday, worship lifted our eyes to Christ—the conquering Lion and the redeeming Lamb—and reminded us that moments of holy clarity are gifts meant to shape how we live when we come back down the mountain. This Sunday marked the close of Epiphany and the threshold of Lent, a season when God invites us to move from bright revelation into faithful, everyday discipleship.
Drawing from Luke, Matthew, and 2 Peter, the sermon, Living Beyond the Mountaintop, reminded us that Christian faith is not built on “cleverly devised myths,” but on eyewitness encounters with the living Christ. Peter’s testimony anchors our hope: the gospel is trustworthy because it was seen, heard, and lived—and because Christ still meets us today.
Like Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration, we cherish mountaintop moments when God feels near and faith feels effortless. Yet the gospel story never ends on the peak. The disciples descend the mountain and immediately face suffering, confusion, and need. Faith must be lived on Monday morning—amid grief, questions, responsibilities, and a watching world that is often skeptical or hostile.
Peter’s counsel in 2 Peter 1:5–8 offers a path forward. He urges believers to add to their faith: goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. This is not a checklist for perfection, but a Spirit-shaped rhythm for growth. Love—especially love that crosses boundaries, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 5 and illustrates through neighborly compassion—is the summit of maturity.
As United Methodists, we hold fast to the mission to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” That transformation begins not with labels, but with lives formed by prayer, Scripture, worship, and service. Lent is a gracious season to close the gap between what we profess and how we practice.
A Lenten Invitation to Prayer
During this holy season, we invite the entire Lakeside family to pray intentionally:
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Pray daily with Scripture, beginning with 2 Peter 1 this week.
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Pray for growth—that God would shape our character and deepen our love.
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Pray for neighbor and enemy alike, that Christ’s compassion would flow through us.
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Pray as a community, committing to worship, study, and fellowship throughout Lent.
May we resist the temptation to camp on the mountain and instead follow Jesus back into the valleys where love is needed most. As we pray and practice together, may the Morning Star rise in our hearts and shine through our lives.
Gracious and merciful God, plant what is true and right in our hearts; nurture it into fruit that blesses neighbor, enemy, and world alike. Empower us by Your Spirit to live faithfully and love extravagantly. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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