Wouldn’t you like to have been on that mountain? On the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus turned as bright as the sun and his clothes flashed like lightning. Wouldn’t you like to have seen that? When the other disciples heard what Peter, James, and John had witnessed they must have felt like we do when someone tells us about an awesome northern lights display we missed. At least if you miss the northern lights, chances are you’ll still see pictures of the display in the paper the next morning. The same can’t be said of God’s glory though can it? No camera recorded the events on the Mount of Transfiguration. Nor was there a video crew capturing the time Moses spent enveloped in the consuming-fire-like glory of God on Mt. Sinai hundreds of years earlier. You know, as a 21st century Christian I feel a little cheated. God’s glory seems to make regular appearances to the people of the Bible but not to us. Oh, but that’s not true, says the Apostle Paul in our text this morning. He insists that we have seen God’s glory. Where? Let’s find out.
It’s understandable if you think Paul must be joking when he says that we have seen God’s glory. I dare say that when you return home from a Sunday service you don’t feel as if you’ve witnessed anything glorious. No angels led the singing. No fireworks accompanied the pastor’s sermon. “Boring.” You may have even used that word to describe your worship and your faith. According to our Old Testament lesson, however, “boring” is not the word that would have come to the minds of those under the leadership of Moses. Whether Moses went for a hike up Mt. Sinai or for a stroll into the backroom of the tabernacle it ended in a gust of glory. God’s presence was manifested with such intensity that Moses’ own countenance started pulsating with this glory - so much so that when his brother Aaron and the other leaders saw Moses they ran away in fear (Exodus 34:29 ff.).
Yeah. That’s what I’m talking about Lord. Give me some of that glory so that when people walk through these doors they’re wowed by your brilliance, not simply amused by the sheen reflecting off my chrome dome. I do have thoughts like that from time to time but today the Apostle Paul sets me straight. He makes it clear that Moses’ ministry, as glorious as it was, doesn’t compare to the ministry of New Testament heralds. Paul put it this way in the verses leading up to our text: “Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!” (2 Corinthians 3:7-11)
How can Paul say that our ministry is more glorious than Moses’ ministry? Maybe this will help. The last time I went to see a movie I was fifteen minutes late…on purpose. They may say that your movie starts at three but what will really start then are twenty minutes of previews. I don’t go to the movies to watch previews, do you? The reason the ministry of New Testament heralds is more glorious than Moses’ ministry is because Moses could only offer his people previews of what Jesus would come to do to save us. And what do you see in a movie preview? You see the problem, a scary scene followed by a hint of the solution. How unsatisfying! In the same way Moses was able to easily show his people that they had a problem with God, the problem of sin. That was pounded into their head every time an animal was sacrificed. The knife slitting the throat of that hapless lamb should have been severing the artery of the person bringing the offering. That’s what we deserve for our selfishness, our false humility, and our lack of eagerness for God’s honor. But there was hope for the Israelite. For the time being God accepted the animal for human sin. But this was only a preview. It was only a hint of the real solution found in God’s lamb, Jesus who positioned himself in the crosshairs of Calvary to take the impact of God’s wrath over our willing treachery with Satan. We have the full record of what Jesus did for us. Moses’ people could only watch previews for hundreds of years.
Moses knew that what he had to offer was only a preview because when he was done speaking to the people, the glory shining in his face would fade. That’s why he covered his face. He didn’t want them to see the glory fade from his face and so take his message less seriously. In contrast Paul wrote about New Testament believers, “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away” (2 Corinthians 3:12, 13a).
We have seen God’s glory, says Paul. Where? It shines forth in truth and grace. The glory is God’s declaration of forgiveness in Jesus. Just how glorious is that declaration? Think of how a cancer patient would jump up and down for joy if his doctor should announce: “You’re cancer free! Go home and live your life.” The declaration of forgiveness is even better, for if I should get cancer and then beat it, it just means that I’ll die by some other cause. God’s pronouncement of forgiveness on the other hand is more glorious because it assures me that even though I will die one day, my death won’t end in hell. It will be the start of my life in paradise.
But no, the message of truth and grace doesn’t seem very glorious does it? When little Evylyn was brought to the font this morning we looked on expectantly. It’s not everyday that we have a baptism. But when it was all said and done did you feel a little disappointed? No tiny halo appeared over Evylyn’s head with a little pop and a puff of smoke. But what happened here is glorious. The Holy Spirit worked in accordance with God’s promise that when water is applied with God’s name, God adopts that child into his family. There are many Haitian children now who are glad to flee the devastation in their country as they are adopted into caring Canadian families, but baptism offers a better adoption. It promises you a room in heaven and a place at your heavenly Father’s banquet table forever.
Because God’s glory is revealed through his truth and grace we won’t be timid in sharing the message of forgiveness. Paul wrote: “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:1, 2). Those two verses are a wonderful encouragement to me because what I do as pastor at times feels more laborious than glorious. Hours spent in counseling don’t always save marriages. Carefully crafted Bible classes don’t always convert skeptics. But Paul tells me not to worry about that. My calling and yours is simple: share the Word in its truth and purity. We are messengers not marketers. The glorious message of salvation through Jesus doesn’t need to be dressed up for it to work. In fact when we try to make it more “palatable” we usually end up just confusing the issues. Share the simple message of sin and grace. Let God do the rest and through the Holy Spirit he will reveal his glory to sinners.
And there’s more. God’s glory isn’t just revealed in his truth and grace. Paul goes on to say: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18a). No, you’re not shining as did Moses but God’s glory is revealed in you when, motivated by God’s love, you take out the trash even though it’s not your turn. Or when you sit with your grandma and patiently listen again to that story about how she met Grandpa. Or when you drop off a meal for a family that rarely enjoys a home-cooked meal. And one day you will visibly shine when Jesus comes to take us to heaven.
But don’t forget, we’re a lot like a glow-in-the-dark toy. We don’t have the ability to shine on our own. Instead we need to stay in the Son’s light. The more we do the more obvious it will be in our daily lives. The encouragement for you, Lorraine and Justin, is obvious. Little Evylyn was part of something glorious today but don’t think she’s set for life. Bring her back next week, and the week after that. Teach her about Jesus at home. Continue to expose her to God’s glory through the truth and grace of his Word and you will see that glory reflected in her life…and yours. A loving heart, a kind attitude, concern for others, these characteristics won’t just happen in Evylyn. They need to be taught. They need to be modeled. They need to be encouraged. Above all they need to be empowered. Only God’s Word can do that so that one day Evylyn too will visibly shine with glory when Jesus returns.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the northern lights, and I was bummed that I didn’t see that meteor last year which streaked across the province so brightly that it lit up the afternoon sky. But that’s how it is in this world. Glory is fleeting. Your newly renovated home may look great now but wait a year. You’ll have to replace some linoleum or touch up a wall with paint to keep it looking great. And the diamond that sparkled and flashed at the jewelry store looks dull under the 100-watt bulb at home doesn’t it? This world’s glory may be fleeting but God’s glory is not. His declaration of forgiveness forever stands. And that promise of forgiveness continually works in our hearts so that we can, will show love to others. Yes, Moses saw God’s glory but so have we. Through eyes of faith we see it in God’s Word and we see it one another. Amen.
