We all have them, people we learn from whether or not we call them mentors. Mentors teach you and you end up, in some ways, acting like them. If Jesus is your mentor, your teacher and the one you follow, you are his disciple. Welcome to Jesus’ discipleship program: hearing his Word, receiving his sacrament, and living a changed life. It’s why we’re church: to be Jesus’ instrument to make disciples. And it starts with us learning from and following Jesus. May the Spirit bless your encounter with Jesus’ discipleship program today.

Who’s the greatest singer of all time? The greatest pitcher? Quarterback? It’s not enough to be great. We want to know who is the greatest. Sometimes, that becomes personal. We, like Jesus’ disciples, evaluate our merits against others. So, Jesus takes a seat and invites us, like he invited his disciples, to have a seat and listen to what he has to say. He told them he was going to a cross. Listen, he’ll tell you, too, what he’s done on his cross. What he did and what he has to say will shape you. We’re all here to be shaped by Jesus’ cross. We’re glad you’re with us to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen.

In Mark’s Gospel (9:1-13) we have a record of what it was like for the disciples to experience Jesus’ glory: the clear and obvious evidence that he is God. And we have a record of what happened to them next: a time of testing (Mark 9:14-29). Expect the same. Enjoy coming into the presence of God today. Experience him in Word and Sacrament. Be filled with his glory. That’s worship. You’ll need it for the week ahead. When you come off the mountain you’ll be tested. But because of your worship today, you’ll be ready. That’s why we’re here. May the Spirit convince you of that.

Have you heard of the phrase “mountaintop experience”? Typically, mountaintop experiences are events so incredible that they change our perspectives and impact our lives in profound ways. Can you remember the last mountaintop experience you had? Perhaps it was a vacation to some new and exciting place, or maybe for a few of you it was being at Wrigley Field or Miller Park in the past few days. Today, we are taken to a mountain top in northern Israel where Jesus momentarily reveals his divine glory to Peter, James, John, and us.