People God Trusts: Trust With Revelation
People God Trusts • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro:
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
Today, we will continue with the thought, [People God Trusts], the title of my message is [Trust with Revelation].
When I read our text and saw the word, mountain, I went back to the first time ever saw a mountain in person.
Being from Oklahoma City, the closest I got to a mountain was the Oklahoma City Landfill. We passed it on the way to church when I was really little and that was my idea of a mountain.
I remembering being overawed when I went on my first flight and flew over the Rocky Mountains going to Salt Lake City, Utah. I was in the eighth grade.
I looked out the window and saw a snowcapped mountain at around sunset, I finally understood the lyrics, for purple mountain majesties.
In 2005, our youth group took a trip to Denver, Colorado. We hiked up a mountain and spent time up there. Normally, as a teenager, I was found joking around with my friends. But that day, I sat there just looking over the landscape, taking in the mountains.
Now, I live on a mountain, according to family members who have never really been to the mountains.
But everything feels different in the mountains. The air breathes different. The atmosphere seems to change. The perspective is clearer than when we are at the bottom of the mountain.
Just as being on a physical mountain top is a memorable experience, there are times in God’s presence that feel like we are on the mountain.
For some reason, God likes mountains. In fact, there are around 500 references to hills and mountains.
Almost since the beginning of Scripture, God has revealed Himself on mountains.
Abraham heard from the Angel of the Lord on Mount Moriah
Moses saw God in a burning bush on Mount Horeb
Elijah called down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel
The Glory of God came down in the form of a cloud at Mount Sinai
Jesus kept the pattern going in His life as more than once we read Him:
getting along on the mountain
praying on the mountain
teaching listeners from a mountain
Mountains and hills are a centerpiece in Scripture as we can find much about:
biblical history
doctrine
and supernatural encounters
on a mountain
A little over thirty years after Jesus ascended to heaven, Peter writes about an experience he had with Jesus while on a mountain.
We will see that though Jesus had many followers and twelve disciples, He started revealing Himself to those closest to Him on a mountain.
Why did Jesus start by showing Himself to very few?
He needed to find people He could trust. He did not share EVERYTHING about Himself at first. Instead, He gave revelation to those closest to Him.
What is revelation?
Revelation is defined as a usually secret or surprise that is made known to you.
There is so much to discover about God
There is so much to experience with God
There is so much to learn about God
And He wants us to discover, experience, and learn from Him, but He will only reveal more of Himself to us when He can trust us.
As we’ve noticed every week, throughout Scripture, God desired to fulfill His plan and purpose. For some reason, instead of just doing what He wanted to do, He decided to use people.
He opted to work through people He could trust to accomplish His will.
It is easy to trust God, but does God trust us?
He can never love us more than He does right now, but He can trust us more!
Who wants God to trust us with revelation?
Let’s look at what Jesue chose to reveal on mountains. [Reveals His Plan on a Mountain], [Reveals His Passion on a Mountain], [Reveals His Power on a Mountain], and [Reveals His Position on a Mountain].
Let’s begin
1. Reveals His Plan on a Mountain
1. Reveals His Plan on a Mountain
28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,
31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
When Jesus called His disciples to join Him, they left everything and followed. They knew that there was something unique about Jesus.
They believed He was the Messiah, the Promised One who would redeem and rescue Israel. They were partly right, for that was part of His plan.
They listened to Him teach
They watched Him perform miracles
They lived their lives around Him
But they did not fully understand why He came to earth, for He had not revealed that part of His plan.
He spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, but they thought of an earthly Kingdom.
He spoke of the changes He would bring, but they put everything into earthly terms
They had no way of knowing everything Jesus would do for He had not revealed that part of His identity, it was still a secret.
Over the course of two years, three of the disciples became the closest to the Lord: Peter, James, and John.
One day, Peter acknowledges that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. One week later, Jesus calls, Peter, James, and John and invites them to go with Him.
As they travel, the elevation begins to rise and they walk up a high mountain to pray. Jesus had spent time praying on mountains, but He had not invited His disciples to join Him yet.
They began to pray and suddenly Jesus looks different. He did not change, His being transformed. The Glory of God shone through Him and His face and clothes became dazzling white.
While He this happens, two men arrive, Moses and Elijah. They begin talking to Jesus. Peter, James, and John listen as they hear the three discuss Jesus departure from this world, which would all come to pass soon.
Luke adds something Matthew and Mark do not, he tells the location where Jesus will begin to fulfill His work— in Jerusalem.
While they stand there, suddenly a voice comes from heaven declaring, This is my beloved Son in whom I’m well pleased!
Then as quickly as Jesus was transfigured, He went back to “normal.”
Stunned, they walk down the mountain Jesus casts out a demon and then speaks to all of His disciples.
43 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples,
44 “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.”
What was Jesus doing?
He is trying to help them see that His plans are far greater than their plans!
It is not accident that Jesus went to a mountain for the next few pivotal events took place on a mountain!
He reveals His plan on a mountain— I need to go to Jerusalem to fulfill my assignment, which will include betrayal and suffering.
2. Reveals His Passion on a Mountain
2. Reveals His Passion on a Mountain
28 When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,
38 saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
About a year after Jesus began to reveal His plan on a mountain, it was time to begin the fulfillment of His assignment. Notice that it says He went UP to Jerusalem.
The city of Jerusalem was situated on a mountain. The Old Testament calls the city Mount Zion (Psalms 48:1-2).
Why was Jesus going UP to Jerusalem, to Mount Zion this time?
The crowds and the disciples did not know, but this was the beginning of the His final week. Looking back, many call this passion week.
How did Jesus reveal His passion?
He showed what was most important to Him. He listened as the crowds cried out Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
He knows the events that would happen that week.
He knows on Thursday one disciple will betray Him, another will deny Him, and nine of the others will abandon HIm
He knows on Friday another crowd would cry out Crucify Him, Crucify Him, but He would not stop.
He knows that the religious leaders will falsely accuse Him and conspire to kill Him.
But He kept moving forward, until finally, His passion for the lost was evident on another mountain, Golgotha’s hill, also known as Mount Calvary.
The journey up that mountain was so had that his disfigured and beaten body could not handle the weight of the cross up the hill.
Finally, they called a man, Simon from Cyrene, to help cary the cross up Mount Calvary.
33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.
On top of the mountain, He reveals His passions— FORGIVENESS. He longed to bring forgiveness of sins, and He did so through His passion.
He started by revealing His plan to those He could trust— Peter, James, and John.
He then revealed His passion for humanity to only one disciple who stuck with Him— John.
Thankfully we know the rest, Jesus did not stay dead, He arose victorious over death, hell, and the grave.
But what happens after His resurrection?
He had more to do and it all happens on the mountain.
3. He Reveals His Power On a Mountain
3. He Reveals His Power On a Mountain
7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
After rising from the dead, He takes the disciple up to another mountain according to Matthew 28:16-17, where He and His disciples worship.
It was there that they went back to the plan, aren’t you going to bring the Kingdom. They looked for an earthly solution to a spiritual situation.
They wanted physical power and might, but Jesus promised them supernatural power that will come to them through the Holy Spirit.
He planned to REVEAL HIS POWER, where?
49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
They were to wait in Jerusalem, remember Mount Zion, until the He clothed them with power from heaven.
I find it interesting that His followers listened and recieved power from heaven while waiting in an UPPER ROOM. In a higher place, the Holy Spirit came upon them.
A supernatural wind began to blow in the room
A supernatural fire began to glow on their heads
A supernatural tongues began to flow from their mouths
I wonder how Peter, James, and John felt as they waited there. It had to have been reminiscent of what happened on the Mount of Transfiguration.
This was not their first encounter with the glory of God, and it would not be their last. God revealed His power to 120 believers!
The idea of the power of the Holy Spirit was a secret to them. It was not until Jesus revealed the fulness of the Spirit to them that they realized that His plan and passion was in part so that they might have power from heaven.
Notice how Jesus slowly reveals more of Himself:
His plan to Peter, James, and John
HIs passion to John, His mother and some of the other women
His power to the disciples, His mother, siblings, and other followers
But is that the end of His revelation to us?
4. He Reveals His Position on a Mountain
4. He Reveals His Position on a Mountain
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.
They watch Jesus ascend to heaven, and they stand there waiting. Maybe they are waiting for the Holy Spirit or perhaps they are waiting for Him to return.
Whatever they awaited, angels spoke to them HE WILL COME THE SAME WAY YOU SAW HIM LEAVE.
When will this happen?
There is coming a moment when Jesus will reveal His POSITION of PROMINENCE AND POWER to the whole world!
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
Notice something about His position:
Jesus, who is called Faithful and True,
seated on a white horse, coming from heaven.
He will wear the apparel of heaven’s King .
His eyes are like flaming fire
He is wearing many crowns
His robe is dipped in blood
His titles
The Word of God
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
There will never be another question as to who holds the position of KING OF KINGS! It is Jesus, who was dead and is alive forevermore.
But where will He choose to reveal His position?
Remember the promise in Acts, this same Jesus shall so come in like manner.
Where did He leave the Mount of Olives. Where will He return?
3 Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle.
4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.
He will come back to this earth, split the mount of olives, defeat the enemy, and set up His throne on earth, where He will hold the ONLY POSITION of King!
Close:
Peter did not know that all of this would happen when he joined Jesus, with James and John on the mountain. But he was one of the first eye witnesses of the majesty of Jesus, and it all happened when He was with Jesus on the Holy Mountain.
Supernatural experiences occured when the disciples when higher with Jesus. It was there Jesus revealed His:
Plan
Passion
Power
and it is there He will reveal His position
But notice WHO got to experience this revelation— people God could trust.
He trusted Peter, James and John with HIs plan
He trusted John and His mother to see His passion
He trusted the 120 with His power
And He will take those with Him back to earth who placed their trust in Him
So what should we do today?
I feel that the Lord wants to give mountain top experiences for us.
I feel in my Spirit, God wants us to go to a new level with Him.
How do we do this?
Pray
Read
Fast
Live
Every time we make space for Him in our lives, He takes us to a new level!
For some, Jesus wants to show that He has a plan for our life and that we can trust Him
For others, Jesus wants to reveal His passion and love He has for us
For others, Jesus wants to reveal His power to us
For every one He wants to take the position as King of kings and Lord of lords in our lives!
There was a song that came out around ten years ago entitled Heaven on Earth:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
His anointing is empowering
The kingdom of the Lord is within me
And He's calling me to the heavenlies
Be seated in heavenly places
Just like heaven, just like heaven on earth
To be walking in His favor and graces
Just like heaven, just like heaven on earth
Something's moving, something's changing
See His glory, feels like heaven on earth
Something's moving, something's changing
See His glory, feels like heaven on earth
There is lightning and thunder, miracles and wonders
The sound of many waters, heaven on earth
Lightning and thunder, miracles and wonders
The sound of many waters, heaven on earth
Heaven is calling for you to come higher
See everything from a new point of view
Be seated with Jesus in heavenly places
From His perspective everything is made new
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
TODAY, RIGHT NOW, God wants to take us higher. To allow us to be seated in heavenly places, on those spiritual mountaintops, where we can experience His:
plan
passion
power
and position
So let’s pray, God TRUST ME, help me live in a way that you can trust to reveal yourself to me!