Greatness: Matthew 14-20Sample

We live in a world desperate for glory. We chase success, pursue brilliance, and approval. But this kind of glory is always fleeting. Once we feel it’s within reach, it slips like sand through our fingers. That’s because true glory is not something to be attained or grasped by human hands, but to be reflected from the original source, Jesus. The Transfiguration is a startling interruption to our futile pursuit of personal glory. It’s a moment where the veil is pulled back and Jesus stands true, clothed in radiance that never fades.

How would you respond to such a scene? I imagine that much like Peter’s instincts, you’d say, “Let’s stay here. Let’s build tents.” You might even take a selfie. In other words, you would want to hold on to the moment, bottle it, and take it with you. However, Jesus doesn’t allow it. This mountain top isn’t the destination but a glimpse. It’s a revelation meant to strengthen His disciples for the valley, the cross, and their journey to come.

It’s no accident that Moses is there. Moses, whose face once shone after speaking with God (Exodus 34, ESV). In contrast, Jesus is not reflecting glory but is radiating it. He is not the messenger of God’s glory, like Moses once was to His people. He is the source.

In this moment of awe, the voice of the Father doesn’t say, “Look at Him,” but rather, “listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5, ESV). The glory of the Lord is to be obeyed. Jesus isn’t just showing them who He is, He is inviting them to follow, even as He walks down the mountain and towards the cross.

You and I might not see Jesus’ transfigured face today as the disciples did, but we can listen to Him as exhorted by the Father. In doing so, we are changed, not with a borrowed radiance like Moses, but with a transforming glory that stays, changes us and shapes us from the inside out to be more like Jesus.

Today, ponder this: Where in your life are you seeking fleeting glory, instead of listening and reflecting Jesus, whose glory alone can transform you?