At cemeteries all over the land, the mournful notes of "Taps" will be played tomorrow. Memorial Day is one of America's most important annual observances.

We pause to remember with gratitude the 1.1 million Americans who have died in the service of our country, including 1,703 in the war in Iraq.

We have done so since 1868, when the first Memorial Day was first observed. It was then called Decoration Day, as flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. After World War I, the holiday was changed to honor those who died while fighting in any of our nation's wars.

The most moving story I read in preparation for this Memorial Day was the account of Canadian Army Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD. He spent 17 days treating the wounded and dying during an especially horrific episode of World War I. One of his friends and former students was among the dead; Dr. McCrae performed his burial in the absence of a chaplain. He then sat down, looked over the makeshift cemetery where his friend and so many others were buried, and wrote a poem into his notebook. It has become one of the most famous war poems of all time:

Today we give thanks for such sacrifice. And we pledge that we will not "break faith" with those who have died. The torch of freedom has been passed to our keeping, and the torch of eternal freedom as well. That second, spiritual torch is the subject of God's word for this Memorial Day weekend. When today's worship is complete, I pray that both torches burn more brightly in our hands and hearts than ever before.

Here's the setting: six full days have passed since our encounter with Jesus at Caesarea Philippi. Now he took his three closest friends with him to a "high mountain by themselves" (Matthew 17:1). Mount Hermon is nearby, standing some 9,000 feet tall, and is most likely where this event took place.

Nothing else before Easter reveals so fully the price Jesus paid to come to earth for us. Standing before Peter, James, and John, he was "transfigured." The Greek word is metamorphothe, meaning to be changed or transformed. Here his external appearance changed so that "His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light."

This is how Jesus appeared before his Incarnation. In his last prayer before Gethsemane, Jesus asked, "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began" (John 17:5). This is that glory.

This is how he appears now. When John met the risen Christ on the prison island of Patmos, he saw this: "His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire…His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance" (Revelation 1:14, 16).

This is how he will appear on that day of final victory forecast by John: "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:11-16).

On that day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

But for 33 years he masked all of that, with this one exception. He gave up all of that, for us. He left eternity for time, heavenly glory for our fallen planet, the worship of angels for the disobedience of men. See the price he paid to follow his Father's will.

And this mountain would lead to another, one we call Calvary. Moses and Elijah appeared with him, representing the Law and the Prophets. Luke 9:31 says that they discussed together Jesus' impending death. He gave up heaven for earth, and a throne for a cross.

His disciples would never be the same. This was the day which started them down the road of service and suffering, ministry and martyrdom.

They "fell facedown to the ground, terrified" (Matthew 17:6).

They joined Isaiah, who saw the glorified Lord and cried, "Woe to me!" (Isaiah 6:5). They mirrored John's later response to seeing the risen Christ on Patmos: "I fell at his feet as though dead" (Revelation 1:17).

If we have not been awed by God, we have not truly worshiped him. We have not seen him as he really is, and ourselves as we really are. Think about the last time you met a truly famous or great person. Were you flippant or careful with your words? Superior or humbled by them?

I was recently in Austin, where I met for the first time with Tom Craddick, the Speaker of the House. I would not have known him before, and would have been polite but not awed to meet him on the street. But standing with him behind the Speaker's platform, watching him wield his gavel and control the political affairs of the entire State, was impressive indeed. Knowing who he was led to awe at who he is. When last did you stand before God in that way?

When we see God as he is, we realize that he is worth all it costs to serve him. Jesus had warned them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead" (Matthew 17:9). But after he was raised, they would not stop until they had told the world about their glorious Lord. The torch of global salvation was passed into their hands, and they would not let it fall. They would "take up his quarrel with the foe." They would assault the gates of hell. They would die before they would let his message die. And we are here today because of them.

Now you and I have the same privilege and responsibility as was theirs. Just as those who have died for our country have passed its freedom and responsibility to us, so have those who have died for our Christ. Their torch is now in our hands, and ours alone.

Memorial Day is a good time to remember the price paid by the first Christians for their faith. According to early tradition:

Peter was crucified upside down, since he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same manner as did his Lord.

James was beheaded by King Herod.

John was exiled to Patmos, and the only disciple to die a natural death.

Andrew was crucified on a large X, forever known as a St. Andrew's Cross.

Philip was martyred at Hierapolis.

Bartholomew was beaten to death.

Thomas was martyred in India near what is now called Mt. St. Thomas.

Matthew was martyred in Ethiopia.

James the younger was crucified in Egypt.

Jude was martyred in Persia.

Simon the Zealot was crucified.

Paul was beheaded by Nero's order.

From Jesus' death to AD 1900, some 14 million Christians died for their faith. In the last century, 26 million died for following Christ. More Christians have been martyred for their faith than followers of all other religions combined. Some 159,000 will die this year alone for serving Jesus. But each has found a cause worth its cost. Each believed the promises of God:

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me" (Matthew 5:11).

"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).

"Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29).

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

We cannot out-give God. Everything it costs us to be fully surrendered to his will and word is a sacrifice he will more than compensate, a cost he will more than repay.

A farmer known for his sacrificial giving to his church put it well--when his pastor asked how he could be so generous he explained, "I shovel into God's bin and he shovels into mine, and he's got the bigger shovel."

This is no health-and-wealth gospel. I'm not promising you earthly treasure for heavenly investment. But I am promising that his cause is worth its cost. The sense of purpose and peace, significance and meaning he can give is worth any price. The future reward for present faithfulness is eternal. Whatever you must give up to be fully his, will be more than worth its price.

So, is something keeping you from full surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? An act of service or witness you're afraid to give? A sin you don't want to stop? A financial commitment you're not willing to afford? Why are you afraid to make such a radical commitment to the God whose Son paid everything for you? You can trust such a Father. And you can know that freedom isn't free, that God asks more than we can spare, that good comes at a price. But the cause is worth its cost and more.

We began the message with "Taps," reminding me of Winston Churchill's self-planned memorial service. He had a trumpet player stationed in the dome of Westminster Abbey to deliver those mournful notes. But then, as soon as the last note had died, another trumpet player on the opposite side of the dome was instructed to play Reveille.

Mr. Churchill wanted us to know that death leads to life, grave to glory, time to eternity. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and everything else will be added to you (Matthew 6:33), now and forever. This is the promise of God.