May 20, 2007
The Glory
John 1:1-14
Leonard Slatkin, music director of the National Symphony
Orchestra, was asked a hypothetical question: “What would happen if one of the
world’s great violinists performed incognito before a traveling rush-hour
audience of over 1,000 people?” “Let’s assume,” Slatkin said, “that he is not
recognized. . . and just taken for granted as a street musician. . . Still, I
don’t think that if he’s really good, he’s going to go unnoticed. He’d get a
larger audience in Europe . . . but, okay, out of 1,000 people, my guess is
there might be 35 or 40 who will recognize the quality for what it is. Maybe 75
to 100 will stop.” “So, a crowd would gather?” he was asked. “Oh, yes.” The
interviewer concluded, “Thanks, Maestro. As it happens, this is not
hypothetical. It really happened.” It happened with former child prodigy
Joshua Bell, who now at 39 is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso. Earlier
this year Bell had filled the house at Boston’s stately Symphony Hall, where you
had to pay over $100 for a good seat. But on January 12 of this year, at 7:51
a.m., in the middle of the morning rush hour, Joshua Bell was just another
beggar in the Washington DC Metro Subway Station, competing for the attention of
busy people on their way to work. He positioned himself against a wall beside a
trash basket, wearing jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a Washington Nationals
baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin — a rare Stradivarius made
in 1713, and worth over $4 million. Placing the open case at his feet, he began
to play. For the next 45 minutes, in the D.C. Metro, Bell played Mozart and
Schubert as over 1,000 people streamed by. Most of them hardly took notice.
Only 27 people stopped, who threw a grand total of $32.17 in his violin case.
The Washington Post said that it was “an experiment in context,
perception, and priorities — as well as an unblinking assessment of public
taste. In a banal setting, at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?”
They videotaped the performance, part of which you can see on
YouTube. In the video, one man riding the escalator turns to see from where the
music is coming. His name is John Picarello. He hit the top of the escalator
just after Bell began his final piece, a reprise of “Chaconne.” In the video,
you see Picarello stop dead in his tracks, locate the source of the music, and
take up a position past the shoeshine stand, where he does not budge for the
next nine minutes. A reporter, telling him only that he was being interviewed
about his morning commute, asked if anything unusual had happened to him on his
trip into work. Of the more than 40 people interviewed, Picarello was the only
one who immediately mentioned the violinist. He said, “There was a musician
playing at the top of the escalator at L’Enfant Plaza.” “Haven’t you seen
musicians there before?” the reporter wanted to know. “Not like this one.”
“What do you mean?” “This was a superb violinist. I’ve never heard anyone of
that caliber. He was technically proficient, with very good phrasing. He had a
good fiddle, too, with a big, lush sound. It was a treat, just a brilliant,
incredible way to start the day.” Picarello knows classical music. He is even
a fan of Joshua Bell — but he didn’t recognize him.
Greatness is not always recognized or appreciated. John, in his
gospel, makes the amazing statement concerning Jesus: “He was in the world, and
though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came
to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:10-11).
Even when the divine glory was shining out of Jesus, the world did not see it or
understand it. But John said, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and
Only” (John 1:14).
The first thing I believe John is saying is: The Word dwells
among us. John identifies Jesus as the Word. The invisible became
visible. The untouchable became touchable. The unknowable became knowable.
Spirit became flesh. It is the greatest miracle the world has ever known. When
John says in his Gospel that “the Word became flesh,” he used a Greek word with
which those in that culture were familiar. It was the word logos. In
Greek philosophy logos was the rational principle that gave order to the
universe. This abstract principle became equated with God. But the abstract
word becoming a spoken word would do the world little good. The world was full
of words already. John used logos to say that this divine power became
real, living flesh and blood. If the Word became just more words, then we would
have Scripture, but not a real person who could make the Scripture come alive.
But this Word became flesh. He stepped out of the words of Scripture so
that we would have more than a prophecy or a moral code, we would have God
himself standing among us — Emmanuel.
The Bible says, “For this reason he had to be made like his
brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful
high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of
the people” (Hebrews 2:17). This is the mystery and the glory of Christ. When
John says that Jesus “made his dwelling among us,” the word he uses is
eskenosen (ťskĐnwsen)
which means to pitch a tent. It literally means, “he pitched his tent among
us.” He came to live among us. He threw in his lot among us.
The original place of worship for the Hebrews in the Old
Testament was a tent, or what they called a tabernacle. The Tabernacle was the
place where God dwelled. It was called the “Tent of Meeting” where people could
communicate with God (Exodus 27:21). For the Hebrews it was important that
God’s presence resided in a tent, or tabernacle, rather than a building. It
meant that wherever they went in their wanderings, they knew that God would go
with them. They could move away from a building, but they could not move away
from the tabernacle, for it would go with them. And when John says that Jesus
“tabernacled among us,” he is saying that Jesus’ body was a walking sanctuary
with the presence of the living God inside. He lives with us and goes wherever
we go.
The interesting thing about the Old Testament Tabernacle was that
the glory of the Lord could be seen over the part of the Tabernacle called the
Holy of Holies. This cloud of glory was understood to be the very presence of
God. By day it was a glowing cloud to protect the people from the desert sun
and intense heat. By night it was a pillar of fire to give the people warmth
during the cold desert nights as well as give them light and protection. The
brilliant cloud of glory was called the Shekinah. The Shekinah glory was what
appeared on Mt. Sinai when Moses went up to get the Ten Commandments. It was so
overwhelming that the people were afraid and did not want to go near the
mountain. It was this cloud of glory that parted the Red Sea and led them
through the wilderness.
The second thing that John is saying is: The Word is the glory
of God. To associate the term “glory” with Jesus was saying something about
his divine character. And when John uses the term “glory,” he is not talking
about Christ’s future coming in glory. He is emphasizing the appearance of the
long-awaited glory that had now become present in the world. What is John
thinking about? He is thinking of Jesus’ baptism when the glory was seen as the
heavenly dove descended on him and the voice from heaven spoke just as it had
from Sinai. John is thinking of the many times he saw Jesus heal people. He is
thinking of the times the glory of God was seen as Jesus fed thousands of people
by multiplying the fish and bread. He is tying it to how Moses miraculously fed
the people in the wilderness. John was there when the widow’s son (Luke
7:11-15), Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:22-43), and Lazarus (John 11:1-44) were
raised from the dead. He saw the glory!
John was there when Christ was transfigured before his eyes. He
saw the glory as Christ’s face began to shine like the sun and his clothing
become as bright as light (Matthew 17:1-10). Moses and Elijah appeared to
Jesus, representing the law and the prophets. Matthew says, “While he was still
speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This
is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” (Matthew
17:5). The cloud is once again seen, just as it was in the Sinai peninsula.
Peter was also at the transfiguration, and when he saw the glory radiating from
Jesus, he suggested putting up what the NIV translates as “shelters”: one for
Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus. Actually, the word used in the Greek
is “tent,” or “tabernacle.” Peter wanted to build a new tabernacle where a
“Tent of Meeting” would once again be a place where people could meet and talk
with God.
John is also thinking of the glory of the resurrection. Many
times Jesus appeared to his disciples and others. John is thinking of the
ascension, as Jesus ascended into the heavens, returning to the Father, while
they looked on in amazement. To be sure, John had seen God’s glory, and it was
Jesus, the Word of God.
The third point that John makes is that: The Word shares his
glory. This is the incredible thing about the grace and love of God. He
does not keep his glory to himself. He shares it with his children. The Bible
says, “He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:14). The apostle Peter says
in his letter: “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness
of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed”
(1 Peter 5:1). Human beings in their present earthly state continually fall
short of God’s glory. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God.” But his glory is to be manifested in his people, who are to
be the new tabernacle of God: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of
the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your
own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body”
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB). People are to see the glory of God in us: “In the
same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and
praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Paul wrote: “So whether you eat
or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians
10:31). Paul tells us: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that
you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked
and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe”
(Philippians 2:14-15). He writes to the Corinthians saying, “And we, who with
unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his
likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the
Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Paul wrote the Romans saying, “Now if we are
children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed
we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I
consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that
will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:17-18). That is one of the most amazing and
humbling truths in all of Scripture. What a wonderful and loving God we have!
The word for glory in the Hebrew is the word kabod. It is
a word whose root meaning is “heavy.” It has weight. It is something real. It
has substance. To have the glory of God is to be real, authentic. God
attributes worth to you. This is often something that we resist in our minds
since it seems proud, or something beyond us. And most of all, we are not sure
we want to have to live up to this. But this is what God’s ultimate plan is for
us. He wants his glory to shine through us to a dark and unbelieving world. It
is the answer to what so many are looking for today, although they reject the
very thing that would fill the void in their lives and lead them in the way
which would bring significance to their living. People today are no more
comfortable with glory than they were at Sinai.
Max Lucado tells the story about a tribe of people who lived in a
dark, cold cave. “The cave dwellers would huddle together and cry against the
chill. Loud and long they wailed. It was all they did. It was all they knew
to do. The sounds in the cave were mournful, but the people didn’t know it, for
they had never known joy. The spirit in the cave was death, but the people
didn’t know it, for they had never known life. But one day they heard a
different voice. ‘I have heard your cries,’ it announced. ‘I have felt your
chill and seen your darkness. I have come to help you.’ The cave people grew
quiet. They had never heard this voice. Hope sounded strange to their ears.
‘How can we know you have come to help?’ ‘Trust me,’ he answered. ‘I have what
you need.’ The cave people peered through the darkness at the figure of the
stranger. He was stacking something, then stooping and stacking more. ‘What
are you doing?’ one cried, nervously. The stranger didn’t answer. ‘What are
you making?’ another shouted even louder. There was still no response. ‘Tell
us!’ demanded a third. The visitor stood and spoke in the direction of the
voices. ‘I have what you need.’ With that he turned to the pile at his feet
and lit it. Wood ignited, flames erupted, and light filled the cavern. The
people turned away in fear. ‘Put it out!’ they cried. ‘It hurts to see it.’
‘Light always hurts before it helps,’ he answered. ‘Step closer. The pain will
soon pass.’ ‘Not I,’ declared a voice. ‘Nor I,’ agreed a second. ‘Only a fool
would risk exposing his eyes to such light,’ said another. The stranger stood
next to the fire. ‘Would you prefer the darkness? Would you prefer the cold?
Don’t consult your fears. Take a step of faith.’ For a long time no one
spoke. The people hovered in groups covering their eyes. The fire builder
stood next to the fire. ‘It’s warm here,’ he invited. ‘He’s right,’ one from
behind him announced. ‘It is warmer.’ The stranger turned to see a figure
slowly stepping toward the fire. ‘I can open my eyes now,’ she proclaimed. ‘I
can see.’ ‘Come closer,’ invited the fire builder. She did. She stepped into
the ring of light. ‘It’s so warm!’ She extended her hands and sighed as her
chill began to pass. ‘Come everyone! Feel the warmth,’ she invited.
‘Silence!’ cried one of the cave dwellers. ‘Dare you lead us into your folly?
Leave us. Leave us and take your light with you.’ She turned to the stranger.
‘Why won’t they come?’ ‘They choose the chill, for though it’s cold, it’s what
they know. They’d rather be cold than to change.’ ‘And live in the dark?’ she
asked. ‘And live in the dark,’ he replied.”
It is a frightening thing to come to the glory.
Rodney J. Buchanan
May 20, 2007
Mulberry St. UMC
Mount Vernon, OH
www.MulberryUMC.org
Rod.Buchanan@MulberryUMC.org
Mulberry
Street United Methodist Church