Raman Kapur is a pastor in India and is part of the Advance Network of churches along with Mercy Commons. Raman also ministers to and disciples other church pastors all around India & Nepal. Raman reminds us of the power of the gospel and what it is meant to achieve in the church around the world.

Jesus’s transfiguration was an act of confirmation and continuity. God is affirming Jesus’s identity as the Son of God. He is not another prophet, but the Messiah who must follow the way of the cross. It is also a moment of continuity. This is what God had planned from the beginning. The law and the prophets were fulfilled in Jesus (Moses received the law on a mountaintop, Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on a mountaintop and now Jesus is affirmed as the Son of God on a mountaintop.) Peter had already confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God six days before seeing His transfiguration.

Confessing Jesus as the Messiah will materially shape who we become, how we live, and what our reward will be.

We shouldn't be surprised when we face difficulty and doubt. Jesus told us to expect storms. To overcome doubt, we are called to take a step of faith and keep our eyes on the Lord.

Peter is a historical figure that the churched and unchurched can connect with. We don’t even really know when he settled his faith in Jesus. Peter was one of the slowest to grasp the gospel of the kingdom because of his inconsistency and humanity but once he did, laid out a powerful vision for what a church, built by Jesus, empowered by the Spirit, and living for the glory of God should look like.

Access to God through the resurrection gives us peace and purpose.

On Good Friday, not only did Jesus take our place on the cross and bear our sins on Himself, but now we have access to His place – the most holy place with direct access to an intimate relationship with Almighty God who is now our Father. This truth is symbolized by the veil that tore the moment Jesus died.

Jesus' kingship is characterized by humility and compassion rather than conventional grandeur and authority. His humble entry into Jerusalem and His meaningful encounters with people such as Zacchaeus contrast His approach to kingship with the worldly expectations of a king. As believers, our life should embody Jesus' example of servitude, humility, and sacrificial love.

Hebrews 13:7-25 // There are three final invitations from the book of Hebrews to the church: to remember, respond to, and pray for leaders; to embrace their identity as outsiders in the world; and to focus primarily on Jesus as the ultimate example and leader. There are complexities of church leadership, including the potential for hurt, the importance of humility, and a Christ-centered approach to both leading and following.

Hebrews 12:18-29 // Jesus Christ surpasses all - from angels to the old covenant - and presents a new, unshakable kingdom that invites us into a living, joyous, and eternal relationship with God. Our charge as believers is to examine our worship and relationship with God. Our lives should be marked by gratitude, acceptable worship, and a deep awareness of the grace and mercy received through Jesus.