The Mirror

For Those not familiar with an Anglican Service; there are 4 Scriptures read prior to the Message. Today's assigned readings are: Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; and Luke 9:28-43.

After being away for some time on a business trip, ... Bill thought it would be nice ... to bring his wife ... a small gift.

"How about some perfume?" ... he asked the cosmetics clerk.

She showed him a bottle ... costing $60.00.

"That's a bit much," he said, ... so she returned ... with a smaller bottle ... for $30.00.

"That's still quite a bit," ... he complained.

Growing annoyed, ... the clerk brought out a tiny $15.00 bottle.

"You know," ... he said, ... "What I mean is ... I would like to see something ... really cheap."

So the clerk handed him ... a mirror. (Pause)

Today ... I would like us to look ... at who we are.

To take a long hard look in the mirror ... and see who we what is in the reflection.

Not who we act like, ... not who others perceive us to be, ... not what we have been ... in the past, ... but "who we really are".

Our text from Corinthians speaks to this mirror and to our image.

BIBLE "And all of us, ... with unveiled faces, ... seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, ... are being transformed into the same image ... from one degree of glory to another; ... for this comes from the Lord, ... the Spirit." END (2 Corinthians 3:18-19 NRSV)

What is reflected in the mirror ... what do you see in the mirror? (Pause)

A certain private school ... was faced ... with a unique problem.

A number of 12-year-old girls ... were beginning to use lipstick ... and would put it on ... in the bathroom.

That was fine, ... but after they put on their lipstick ... they would press their lips to the mirror, ... leaving dozens ... of little ... lip prints.

Every night, ... the maintenance man would remove them ... yet the very next day, ... the girls would put them right back ... on the mirror.

Finally, ... Mrs. Hatcher ... the principal ... decided that something ... had to be done.

She called all the girls into the bathroom and met them there ... with the maintenance man

She explained that all these lip prints ... were causing a major problem for the custodian ... who had to clean the mirrors ... every night.

To demonstrate how difficult it was ... to clean the mirrors, ... she asked the maintenance man to show the girls ... how much effort ... was required.

He took out a long-handled squeegee, ... dipped it in the toilet, ... and cleaned the mirror with it. (Pause)

Since then, ... they have had no problems with lip prints ... on the mirror. (Pause)

Paul in his first letter to the believers gathered in Corinth ... also spoke of ... looking at our image ... in a mirror.

BIBLE "When I was a child, ... I spoke as a child, ... I understood as a child, ... I thought as a child; ... but when I became a man, ... I put away childish things. For now, we see in a mirror, dimly, ... but then face to face. ... Now I know in part, ... but then ... I shall know just as I also ... am known." END (1 Corinthians 13:11-12)

Now, Ancient mirrors, ... which were manufactured in the great city of Corinth, ... were made of metal ... and gave a very dim reflection.

Thus Paul's words ... "Now we see in a mirror, dimly".

This is an illustration ... of our imperfect knowledge ... on this side of eternity.

Now, ... when we cross over to the other side of eternity ... when we are in heaven, .... we will know all things ... knowledge will be full ... it will be complete.

But ... on this side of eternity ... it is dim ... it is imperfect.

Have you ever seen your reflection ... in a metal spoon?

I hope I'm not the only one who has ever done that.

The reflection in the metal spoon ... is a strange image ... isn't it?

It is dim.... It is imperfect.

Mirrors in Paul's time were metal ... and you could not see a very accurate reflection of yourself, ... it was much like looking into a metal spoon.

But in today's age, ... we have mirrors .... that very much display .... what we really look like.

You can clearly see yourself ... your image ... what you look like.

But this too ... is not the mirror ... we should be looking into.