Mountain Top Views While Living in the Valley
Matthew 17: 1-9 – Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday
With Celebration of Our Lord’s Supper
Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ March 6, 2011
Matthew 17: 1-9
Who is Jesus? For a brief mountain retreat, three of his disciples see who he really is and still don’t get it. This man who is God, is more than most disciples can ever take in and understand.
Jerry Gobel writes about this passage that:
"Our Lord left behind his comforting relationships, his glory, and his celestial throne in order to enter into our sin and set us free. He took on our carcass, lived under our laws, and died under our tyranny. He did all that so that we could know God’s reality. "
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4Then 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.” 5While 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!” 6When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. 9As 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.”
SERMON
When you have a problem that is just eating away at you, which is the best help: Someone telling you what to do or someone showing you what to do? Showing is the best help, because it gives us perspective. It is why we need maps and GPS tools to find our way through unfamiliar areas. Jesus is giving these three disciples perspective on who he is from a mountain top retreat. We know from the Old Testament that encounters with God often happen on a mountain top. Noah’s ark finds the first dry land after the flood on a mountain top. Abraham pitches his tent on a mountain east of Bethel right after answering God’s call. He also attempts to sacrifice Isaac on a mountain. Moses is given his call out of a burning bush on a mountain, later he is given the law on Mt. Sinai and just before Moses dies he sees the promised land from a mountain top. Or, think about Mt. Carmel, which is composed of several peaks. It was there that Elijah challenged the false prophets of Baal. Later it was a still small voice on a mountain in which Elijah heard God voice.
Peter’s comment about building booths for Moses, Elijah and Jesus may come from his desire to stay on the mountain top in awe and worship. Who wouldn’t want to preserve that time of exhortation and wonder.
I had a mountain top experience this week at the first NEXT Leadership Conference held at 2nd Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. There were great speakers, wonderful worship with 350 full throated singing sustained by a four manual pipe organ. There were times when the music literally vibrated in my body. There is a huge rose window over the organ and art throughout the building. There were prayers that brought me to tears and the vision of 70 seminary students sharing their passion for our church was all wondrous and gave me perspective and joy about the future of our church.
But we live in the valley. Where there are phone calls to answer, sermons to write, a grieving family to comfort and Presbytery meetings. We all need mountain top experiences that give us a new perspective and re-energize us to serve. But every single Sunday gives us an opportunity to see God’s grace and amazing love. To lift us to the mountain top so we can live and serve the Lord everyday in the valley. Today we are especially blessed as we taste and see how good Christ is in the sharing of the bread and the cup.
After their amazing experience, Jesus says to his disciples, “Get up and do not be afraid.” Every Sunday, we have a change to see Jesus transformed in all his glory and then he sends us back into the world to serve in the valley unafraid. Amen.
Resources:
Jerry Goebel: 2005 © http://onefamilyoutreach.com/.
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