For the parent: Read each part aloud and work through the questions together. Your answers are printed in blue italics, so no preparation is needed. Your child uses the Student Edition.
Step 1 · Understand the Collect
A collect is a short prayer the pastor prays for the whole church. Here is today's collect:
O God, in the glorious transfiguration of Your beloved Son You confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah. In the voice that came from the bright cloud You wonderfully foreshowed our adoption by grace. Mercifully make us co-heirs with the King in His glory and bring us to the fullness of our inheritance in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Words to know. Transfiguration: when Jesus' appearance changed and shone with God's glory. Testimony: witness. Foreshowed: showed ahead of time. Adoption: being made part of a family. Co-heirs: people who share an inheritance. Inheritance: what a child receives from a parent.
1. Moses and ______________ appeared with Jesus. Answer: Elijah.
2. God's voice came from a bright ______________. Answer: Cloud.
3. We ask God to make us co-heirs with the ______________ in His glory. Answer: King.
Step 2 · Understand the Gospel
Matthew 17:1-9
1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."
5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."
1. Whom did Jesus take up the mountain? Answer: Peter, James, and John (verse 1).
2. What happened to Jesus' face and clothes? Answer: His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light (verse 2).
3. What did the voice from the cloud say? Answer: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him" (verse 5).
4. What did Jesus say when the disciples were afraid? Answer: "Rise, and have no fear" (verse 7).
Step 3 · Find the Collect in the Gospel
Say to your child: Our prayer talks about Jesus shining in glory and about God's voice from the cloud. Let's find our prayer in the story.
1. The collect speaks of Jesus' glorious transfiguration. How did Jesus look? Answer: His face shone like the sun, and His clothes were white as light (verse 2).
2. The collect names Moses and Elijah. What were they doing? Answer: Talking with Jesus (verse 3).
3. The collect speaks of the voice from the bright cloud and our adoption. What did the voice call Jesus? Answer: "My beloved Son" (verse 5). We are baptized into Jesus, so God calls us His children too.
Parent note. The disciples were terrified, but Jesus touched them and said, "Rise, and have no fear" (verse 7). When they looked up, they saw "Jesus only" (verse 8). That is the goal of every Sunday: to see Jesus only.
Step 4 · The Small Catechism
The Third Commandment. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.
1. God said, "Listen to him." What does the Third Commandment say we should do with God's Word? Answer: Hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.
2. Where do we listen to Jesus today? Answer: In church, when His Word is read and preached, and at home when we read the Bible and pray.
Step 5 · Wrap It All Up
Pray today's collect together one more time. Then ask:
1. What does Jesus do for you when you are afraid of God? Answer: He comes to me with His Word and says, "Rise, and have no fear." For Jesus' sake, God calls me His child.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible. Small Catechism quotation from Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, © Concordia Publishing House.