Matthew 17:1-9 - Cross & Glory

There is a time to be silent and a time to speak. In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon reminds us that life moves in seasons—times to weep and laugh, to build and tear down, to speak and to listen. Wisdom is knowing which season you are in. On the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17), Peter finds himself in a moment of breathtaking glory. Jesus’ face shines like the sun. His clothes become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear, speaking with Jesus about His coming suffering and death. And Peter—true to form—interrupts. He wants the glory. He wants to stay in the moment. But he still hasn’t fully grasped what Jesus had just told him in Matthew 16—that the Son of Man must suffer, die, and rise again. He wants the crown without the cross. How often are we the same? We long for comfort, success, and visible glory. We are drawn to messages that promise an easier life. We instinctively avoid suffering, rejection, and self-denial. Yet Jesus makes it clear: whoever would follow Him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow. The glory and the cross are inseparably tied together. On the mountain, Peter is interrupted by the voice of the Father: “This is my Son, whom I love… Listen to Him.” As we move toward the season of Lent, that command echoes for us today: Listen to Him. Listen when He speaks of His cross. Listen when He declares, “It is finished.” Listen when He promises forgiveness, new life, and eternal glory. Because in the most unlikely place—the cross—Jesus’ glory was revealed. By His wounds, we are healed. Through His suffering, we receive forgiveness. After the cross came the glory of Easter morning. And because of Jesus, after the cross you bear in this life, glory awaits you too. May this message strengthen and encourage you as we enter Lent—holding fast to Christ, carrying our cross, and trusting that resurrection glory is coming.