"Six days later,  Jesus tood with him Peter and James, and his brother John,  and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun,  and his clothes became dazzling white"

                                                                                   Mark 9:2

  
Glory isn’t a word we use much in conversation,  but we know what glory is and we recognize it when we see it!   Glory is what someone says when they introduce the guest speaker at a conference:

“Ladies and gentlemen,  it is my pleasure to introduce to you our guest speaker.  She is a graduate of Princeton University,  summa cum laude.  She went on to a highly successful career in her field,  renown for her pioneering work and awarded for her contribution to the field.   She is happily married, has three children and a parakeet who can speak two languages fluently.    Glory!

Glory is sitting on the front porch of the cottage after supper.  The wind has died down,  sun is getting lazy and sinking low on the horizon.  The light dances of the water making it sparkle like a million shimmering diamonds.  Wispy pink clouds hang  in a deep blue sky and as you sit there with your cup of coffee watching the setting sun pronounce the benediction on a beautiful day.   Glory!

It’s the last minute of the forth quarter and the New England Patriots are trailing by two point to the Giants.   But they have regained the ball and are just over the 50 yard line.  It’s fourth in eight and they bring out their kicker. He’s good but is he that good?  Brady hikes the ball …but instead of kicking he passes a long bomb to an open receiver who runs it in for a touchdown.  New England wins the Superbowl -  the topping on a perfect season of football!  Glory.

Oh,  we know glory when we see it.  And so do the disciples.  In today’s passage Peter, James and John are given front row seats to a show where glory is the headliner…glory like they’ve never seen before.  Glory that renders them speechless.  Matthew says it took place just 6 days after Jesus told his disciples that he was the Messiah and he would suffer and die and then be raised again.  Six days after Peter said to Jesus ‘Lord, forbid it!’  Six days after tells them if you want to be my disciples you must deny yourself,  pick up your cross and follow me.  Strange timing,  don’t you think… glory and gloom set side by side like this?

Jesus takes these three – his closest friends,  to the top of a mountain and there he is transfigured before them.  His face shines as bright as the sun,  his clothes become dazzling white and suddenly Moses and Elijah appear beside him and talk to him!  Three of the greatest figures in history are suddenly standing right before these disciples.  Never have they ever experienced anything so glorious as this before.  Peter is so taken by it all,  he wants to capture the moment somehow,  preserve it…you know how fleeting glory can be!  ‘Lord, if you wish I will make three dwellings here,  one for you,  one for Moses and one for Elijah.’  But God interrupts him before he can finish.  A cloud overshadows them and a voice inside the cloud says ‘This is my Son,  the Beloved;  with him I am well pleased.  Listen to him!’  The three disciples are so frightened when they hear that voice they hit the deck – lay flat out on the ground afraid to move a muscle.  When it’s all over and the cloud is gone,  Jesus comes over to them and says ‘Don’t be afraid – get up.’  They get up and together they head back down the mountain and then on to Jerusalem.

The transfiguration stands alone in the gospel – it is without parallel anywhere else in scripture.  It’s a story that reminds us all that there is far more to Jesus than what we have seen thus far.  Yes, he’s a teacher, a healer, a prophet, a friend of many… a nice guy and real down to earth.  But the transfiguration gives us a glimpse into the true mystery of this man Jesus – he’s the Messiah,  the Son of God.   The disciples hear those words loud and clear from God himself:  ‘This is my Son,  the Beloved,  with him I am well pleased.’   It’s the second time God has said those words – he said it at the beginning of  Jesus’ ministry when he was baptized.  But here God adds three more words… ‘Listen to him.’  

      Now why would God say that?  Could it be that the disciples aren’t listening to Jesus?   Could it be that Jesus is about to show these disciples what true glory looks like,  and they aren’t paying attention?  Jesus has told them he is the Messiah and that the Messiah must be rejected and suffer and die.   And the disciples won’t have any part of it!  Where’s the glory of a Messiah whose future is suffering and death?  They see all sorts of glory in Jesus’ past… his baptism,  his teachings,  his healings and miracles, glorious.  But when they look forward – they don’t see any glory in rejection, betrayal,  suffering and death!  So God gives them a glimpse of Jesus’ glory and says ‘listen to him’.

    Matthew’s gospel reminds us that glory in its truest and richest form is not about being first,  being best,  winning the prize.  Glory in its truest form is about obedience to God.  God’s measure of glory is found in living out God’s purposes in our lives…a life of service,  putting others before ourselves And Matthew is about to show us that Christ’s glory is far more evident in the last half of the gospel than in the first half!  Christ’s glory shone brightest when he agreed to set his face like a flint and entered Jerusalem.  Christ’s glory shone brightest  when he stood silently before his accusers,  like a sheep before his shearer.  Christ’s glory shone brightest when he carried his cross to Golgotha  and when he lifted his head to the heavens and said ‘Father forgive them,  they don’t know what they are doing.’   Glory.

    Paul touches on it in Philippians when he says:  (Jesus) ‘emptied himself,  taking the form of a slave,  being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form,  he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.’

        An ancient story may make the point more clear: "Once upon a time," the story tells, "a seeker went from land to land to discover an authentic religion. Finally, the seeker found a group of extraordinary fame. They were known for the goodness of their lives and for the singleness of their hearts and for the sincerity of their service.

    I see everything you do," the seeker said, "and I'm impressed by it. But, before I become your disciple, I have a question to ask: Does your God work miracles?"
"Well," the disciples said to the seeker, "it all depends on what you mean by a miracle. Some people call it a miracle when God does the will of people. We call it a miracle when people do the will of God."

    We celebrated Martin Luther King Jr Day a couple weeks ago…the great spokesman for civil rights in this country.    A friend of mine sent me his speech … the speech he gave on the eve of his assassination.  It ends with these words:
 
‘Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.’
Glory.

We see that glory in this simple meal prepared for us today.
Bread – a symbol of his flesh…his body given for us in service
Juice – a symbol of his blood …poured out for us in love.
Glory.

Amen