Mark 9:1 - 29

Jesus continues to demonstrate His amazing power and person.  After promising His followers that some would see the glory of the Kingdom prior to their death, He takes three of them to a private place in the mountains where He is transfigured before them.  That's a word we hardly use anymore, so think of the metamorphosis process.  His appearance was drastically and totally altered, so that they could see the glory that He truly possessed.  These three followers (Peter, James and John) would never be the same after that incident.  Read their written works elsewhere in the New Testament and see how that theme of God's glory in Jesus permeates their thoughts!

Rejoining the group of followers, Jesus and the three are confronted by a crowd assembled to watch the followers of Jesus attempt to exorcise a demon from a child.  Their failed attempts only highlighted the fact that Jesus alone has the power over the universe and its forces.  The child is delivered; the followers learn another lesson about dependence on Christ.