Mountain Top Experiences
Notes
Transcript
This is Transfiguration Sunday.
This is Transfiguration Sunday.
This is the last Sunday before the Lenten Season beginnings. The traditional reading for this day is Matthew 17: 1-8, or Mark 9:2-13, and the story is also found in Luke 9:28-36. The story goes, Jesus took Peter, John, and his brother James up on Mount Moriah, it is believed, to meet with The Prophet Elijah and the Law-Bringer Moses.
We are not going to bring up Peter’s embarrassing moment today regarding him speaking without fulling understanding what was going on. We all have done it. Of course an experience like the one that these three disciples had, of seeing God’s Son speaking with these two most prominent leaders of their faith was supernatural and awe-inspiring.
Instead, I want us to talk about what we know now about this time-bending and and world fulfilling moment including what Peter understood about it decades later.
Let us pray and read this story from Matthew 17:1-13
1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 He replied, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things; 12 but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
This is truly an amazing moment in history! Essentially, Jesus is doing the same thing that these two great individuals of faith did during their lifetime. Both Moses and Elijah had mountaintop experiences with God that transformed their mind and renewed their strength for the calling that God had on their lives.
Moses would go up to Mount Sinai to converse with God. One most important mountain top meeting between God and Moses was when the Ten Commandments were written on two stone tablets. This is the Law being given from God to Moses who would instruct all of God’s people to follow. This moment was recorded as being one of many times that Moses’s face was transfigured by the encounter with God. Exodus 34:29-35
29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
As for Elijah, hearing God and doing God’s will brought victories and threats. Elijah runs away from the threats and retreats to Mount Horeb. There he meets God in an unsuspecting manner. 1 Kings 19:11-13
11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah vents all his fears and trials saying that he has no hope and no future. Yet, God responds, “ Here is your hope and your future.”
In all three experiences, God spoke with them about who they are and what is to come. Yet, Jesus’s experience was a little different because He was and is the very Son of God, is God, and has the Spirit of God within Him. Jesus did not go up the mountain to talk with His Father as He normally would do this time. Instead, this was an important gathering where Jesus would show these three very important and close friends of Jesus not only who He is, but discuss what He would do for all of humanity. In meeting with Elijah the prophet and Moses the establisher of the Law, Jesus demonstrates that He fulfills their very work, the law and the prophecies. Jesus is the Law for all humankind and all prophecies point to who He is and what He means for all of God’s creation.
Peter did finally understand the meaning behind what was happening. He explains it to us himself in his letter to the church. 1 Peter 1:16-21
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Understand that these mountain top experiences are very holy moments. These prophets and leaders, including the One Above All went to the mountain to be alone and away from all others. No distractions, but to focus on God and communicating with God. This is why Scripture is trustworthy and not open to diverse interpretation. God speaks to those who have given all of themselves to Him, heart, mind, ears, eyes, and mouth. Nothing should contradict what is truly spoken by the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever had a mountaintop experience? You don’t have to physically go up to a mountain to communicate with God. All you need to do, is go to a place where you will be alone and doing nothing other than praying to God. Be silent as Elijah was, and let God speak truth to you about who you are and what your future holds. He speaks truth to you and means well for you. Jesus is our hope, holiness, future and purpose. Go to Him!
In the Name of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen