My friend Anne makes her living reading movie scripts.

She gets hundreds of them every week. They first land on her assistant’s desk where he whittles them down to a few dozen. He then attaches a one-page synopsis. Then Anne gets them.  After reading the synopsis, Anne picks up the script. And the first place she turns is the ending. Anne wants to know where the story’s going, where the viewer will be left, how the journey will be affected by the result, and certainly what the production ramifications might be for her company.

Knowing the ending removes stress and enables her team to get behind the project and row in the same direction.

This Sunday you and I will hear the familiar story of Jesus taking his three best friends to the top of a mountain and being transfigured into shining light before being joined by Moses and Elijah, the Old Testament icons of The Law and The Prophets. His three friends, James, John, and Peter will be awed and humbled by this experience. They will then head back down the mountain, and begin the journey to the Cross that will require every ounce of their faith.

This magical mountaintop event is meant to help them do that.

Jesus is showing them the end to give them faith.

He shows them who he really is and what the ending will look like to take away the stress and help them row in the same direction.

Today Jesus wants to show you and me the ending.

He wants us to know that the culmination of our stories lies in him.

The journey is arduous, but not without purpose.

Our end is in God and everything will be alright.

So be faithful.

Be encouraged.

Be hopeful.

God has not abandoned us, but has gone ahead of us.

Together, with joy, let us follow.