Kinlochleven Church - the next service is on Sunday 8 March at 10.00 am led by the Rev. Marion Kinnear.
Duror Church - the next service is on Sunday 8 March at 10.30 am led by the Rev. Malcolm Kinnear.
Nether Lochaber Church - the next service is on Sunday 15 March at 11.30 am led by the Rev. Malcolm Kinnear and held in the church hall with tea and coffee to follow.
South Lochaber Parish :
Bible Study - on 3 March at 10.45 in Jeremy's home - continues on "Joseph".
Bible Study - Kinlochleven on Friday 6 March at 11.00 am.
Sunday 1 March 2026 South Lochaber Church - available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Na-1iuFmB70
Opening Verse ‘When Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him, and in seeing him, will become like him’. (1 John 3:2)
Chorus
I need thee, oh! I need Thee:
Every hour I need thee:
Oh, bless me now my Saviour,
I come to Thee.
Prayer Lord, you are so good. Help me feel the nearness of your love. Prepare me to see the glory of the risen Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible Reading Matthew 17:1-9 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. They realized that Moses and Elijah were there in deep conversation with him. Peter said “Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain, one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?” While he was going on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: “This is my Son, whom I love, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. Jesus came over and touched them. “Don’t be afraid.” They opened their eyes and looked around. All they saw was Jesus, only Jesus. Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. “Don’t breathe a word of what you’ve seen. After the Son of Man is raised from the dead, you are free to talk.”
Message John Keats was a famous poet from London. In 1818 he travelled north to see the Highlands. The experience was not all he had hoped for. On Mull he caught a nasty cold. He went up Ben Nevis. He found the views exhilarating but hated the descent. He wrote a poem, a ‘Sonnet written up the top of Ben Nevis… There is sullen mist, even so much mankind can tell of heaven’. He headed off home to find his brother Tom seriously ill with TB, and he nursed him.
After Jesus came down from the mountain, which was probably Mount Hermon, he was straight into a challenging situation with a distressed parent with a troubled child. The other disciples had been unable to cure him, and Jesus was needed. In our Christian life we may occasionally have spiritual experiences, but soon we must return to our daily challenges. Jesus often went to lonely places to pray, for these times apart prepared him for the challenges he faced. We need times of intimacy with God for the tasks ahead. We need them to be made ready to engage in costly self-giving sacrifice. We follow Jesus who gave himself fully, and whose commitment led to the cross.
When the three disciples were up the mountain, an amazing sight unfolded before them. They saw a heavenly vision. Jesus was talking with Moses and Elijah, the great heroes of the past. They were still living. Elijah had been taken right up into heaven. He never died. And Moses probably was taken the same way; his body was never found. A voice from heaven, the voice of God, declared that Jesus was his Son, and that he should be obeyed. Then the two Old Testament figures receded. It was just Jesus now. This speaks of the importance of Jesus for faith. It was also God’s sign of approval for the course of action Jesus had embarked on. Jesus came as the suffering servant.
The three disciples Peter, James and John had been chosen to share in this heavenly vision. They saw the transfigured Jesus, the glorified Saviour and God’s Son. Later at Gethsemane they would see him as agonising Saviour. The other disciples lacked sufficient awareness at that point to take it in. Jesus instructed the three to maintain secrecy.
There are times when we need to maintain confidentiality. Later may come the time when information can be shared. Jesus often asked people not to publicise that he was the Messiah. There was a teaching that God himself had to reveal who the Messiah was. Jesus came in great humility; it was not for him to declare his messianic status. God declared him messiah on the mountain, at his baptism, and later when He raised Jesus from the dead.
Prayer God of love, may our lives display the glory of the risen Lord and the beauty of holiness. Amen.