Mountaintop Experiences

Mountaintop Experiences Luke 9:28-36 Jesus’ transfiguration is electric with mystery and anticipation. On this last Sunday before Lent, we appreciate that the Gospels place Jesus’ transfiguration a week after His first prediction of His suffering, rejection, execution and resurrection in v. 22. And shortly after this event, Jesus told His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands” (v. 44). In verse 51, Jesus “set His face to go to Jerusalem” where these things would become apparent. So we are in a period of transition. The word for transfiguration is similar to the word “metamorphosis.” Here it simply means to change visibly into another form. This form was to give the disciples a glimmer; literally, of the divine nature of Jesus as Peter had just witnessed to - that Jesus was the Messiah. When we see iconic images, faces we admire, we usually associate them with ideas. For example: - Rosa Parks is the face of Civil Disobedience - Martin Luther King is the face of Civil Rights - Lady Gaga ... Pop Culture - Abraham Lincoln ... Freedom - Einstein is the face of Science - Shakespeare ... Literature - Sigmund Freud ... Psychology - Beethoven ... Music - Elvis ... Rock 'n' Roll When we see Jesus, what ideas do you associate with Him? Forgiveness, grace, wisdom, miracles, suffering, death, resurrection…? Can you think of others besides Jesus? Actually, yes. Moses. Moses is the face of "the law." Elijah - is the face of "the prophets." If we saw Moses chatting with Elijah, we could say, "The law and the prophets compare notes." If both of them were talking to Jesus, we might say, "The law and the prophets listen to the Gospel." And this brings us to a mountaintop where Peter, James and John are witnesses to a sort of divine convergence, an historical union, a friendly agreement among friends. Mountains were always mystical places in the Bible, a place where people got away, went up high, to get closer to their Maker, to meet with God. They were known as a retreat, a place to worship, some were called monasteries. On a vacation to Greece our group visited the Monastery of Great Me’-te-o-ron. It is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in central Greece. It is situated on top of a rock called Meteora, which is over 1,360 feet above 2 the valley floor. In olden days the monks would have to raise themselves sitting in a basket from the floor of the plain to the top of this mountain by use of a pulley system. Can you imagine that, lifting yourself up with a pulley system over 1000 feet in the air? Everything had to get to the monastery by use of this basket; supplies and people alike. The day we were there it was not operational so we made it to the top, in a bus, on a goat trail. I think that was almost as frightening. But it was a wonderful experience. Mountaintop experiences are good for the soul. We need a place to get away, to reflect, to be with God, to compose ourselves before we descend the mountaintop to meet the world again, below. In the Bible, we have a number of mountaintop experiences. On Mount Moriah, Abraham assured his son, Isaac, "The Lord will provide Himself a lamb." On Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments were given and the Law of God was set in stone. On Mount Carmel God and Baal had a contest, orchestrated by Elijah, and God won, hands down; because Baal was probably asleep or in the bathroom - so the Bible tells us; and on Mount Zion, the place where Yahweh, the God of Israel, dwells, Jesus is supposed to appear one day. We have Mount Olivet, where the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday started, and finally, Mount Calvary, where Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins. Mountains definitely have a place in our biblical history. I would love to introduce and invite you to an Emmaus Walk I have led many times which many pilgrims consider a mountaintop experience that we have at Sky Lake. There were many more mountaintop experiences we might all have had that could be mentioned today, but needless to say, these experiences give us a foundation that such times and places are important in our spiritual journey. On the mountain today, we have what the Church has called for generations, The Transfiguration. Jesus went to the mountaintop to pray. This was a moment of retreat for Christ. Peter, James, and John were invited to be with Him. Something special happens when you go to the mountaintop. Moses went upon the mountaintop to pray and when he returned, in Exodus 34:29-35, the Bible tells us that His face shone. As Jesus prays, the appearance of His face changes as well, and His clothes become dazzling white. Now, Moses and Elijah, representatives from the Old Testament for the law and the prophets, appear "in glory" with the now dazzling Jesus. Luke tells us what the three are discussing - namely, the suffering and death that 3 is to happen in Jerusalem, followed by a glorious resurrection. Jesus' passion, His suffering, is validated by two of the most powerful figures in Jewish history. At this encounter of the greats, Peter makes quite a common remark, as he offers the two guests food and drink. This was their custom, especially with such luminaries as these guys. But even as he is doing this, the situation changes. A cloud now comes to rest on this mountaintop and this cloud is signaling the approach of the Most High, God Almighty. The disciples are terrified. A voice was heard to say, "This is My Son, My chosen (or beloved.)." As suddenly as this cloud descended, it was gone and so were His guests; and Jesus was alone again with His boys. Something great happened in the midst of prayer! Going to the mountaintop changed the lives of Peter, James, and John greatly. It is obvious that our countenances, our composure, our appearance and our personality can also be changed were we to take time aside and take time to pray and to seek out God in our lives. We need to go to the mountains, if only in our minds. But we can't stay on the mountain. Sooner or later, we have to visit the people in the valley. Life cannot be sustained on the mountain forever. Let's talk about mountains for a moment. What’s it like up there? Often, it is cloudy on top of mountains. On clear days, you can see far into the horizon but on many days, mountains are cloudy. I have visited the Great Smoky Mountains between North Carolina and Tennessee, twice! I’ve heard how people appreciate the beautiful views and smoky blue haze in the valleys. But I never saw the beauty, because every time that I have been to the National Park, it has been cloudy or rainy or both. One time, the fog was so thick, it took me twenty minutes to go four miles. You couldn’t see twenty feet ahead of you, let alone anywhere else. Sometimes, our vision is obstructed and we need to wait on the mountain until the Son (S-O-N) shines through. But then, we need to go and share our vision with those in the valley. For growth, we must go into the valleys, where the water is abundant, rushing down from the sides of the mountain; and foliage is lush and there is plenty to eat and drink. Remember, the greatest spiritual growth in Jesus' life took place in a garden, not on the mountain, but in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He came to know full well the will of God for His life. Mountains are important for they provide the moments in our lives for clarity, for experiencing Christ, with excitement and joy. But we can't live on the mountaintops, we can only visit. We live and inhabit the valleys. There is a song that says, 4 "I thank you for the valley I walked through today. The darker the valley, the more I learned to pray. I thank you for the lilies that were blooming by the way, And I thank you for the valley I walked through today. Life can't be all sunshine or the flowers would die. The river would be desert, all barren and dry. Life can't be all blessing, or there would be no need to pray. So, I thank you for the valley I walked through today." It is important to meet God on the mountaintops, those times of retreat where our spirits are refreshed and ready to start again. I believe that when we have been with God, we are not only more able to return to the valley to minister, but that people can tell by the way we act that we have been enlightened. So what can we learn from this event? As we prepare for this season of Lent, this time when we walk the road that Christ walked, knowing that suffering and death would be at the end of the journey, we need time with God, mountaintop time, if only in our minds, or in a quiet moment, so that we can go out into the streets of our communities; and people will know that we have been with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We can look to the transfiguration as good news, for we are privileged to have glimpses of glory which sustain us as we walk with Jesus, as we set our own faces toward Jerusalem. The transfiguration was a special event - in which God allowed certain apostles - to have a privileged spiritual experience - that was meant to strengthen their faith - for the challenges they would later endure. But it was only a temporary event. It was not meant to be permanent. In the same way, at certain times in this life, God may give us special experiences of His grace that strengthen our faith. We should welcome these experiences for the graces they are, but we should not expect them to continue indefinitely, nor should we be afraid or resentful when they cease. They may have been meant only as momentary glimpses of the joy of heaven to sustain us as we face the challenges of this life, to help strengthen us on the road that will -- ultimately -- bring us into the infinite and endless joy of heaven.