A View From The Mountain Top

A View from the Mountain Top

To Experience the Mountain Top you need to

Let Jesus Lead Us

Look at Jesus as He Really is

Listen to Jesus Words to Us

Intro

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We were on vacation last week.

We went to visit Laura’s parents in Arizona.

Arizona is great.

Whenever we go there though, her parents like to plan small excursions.

I prepare mentally for this because I like down time.

The only thing that I told Laura that I wanted to do was climb Camelback Mountain.

We tried this a few years ago with the kids and we did not plan well enough either in time or water, so we never made it to the top.

This year, I wanted to give ourselves a full day to go and accomplish this feat.

So this past Monday, we ventured out to Camelback Mountain with plenty of water and plenty of time.

After waiting for our parking spot and taking care of bathroom duties, we began our trek.

We had to rest after the first 15 minutes.

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But it was a nice place for a family picture.

We continued on and made it to the top.

After a quick rest at the top,

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we were able to take in the beautiful view that it offered of the whole Phoenix area

It was exciting to climb camelback and to have seen the view from the Mountaintop.

How can we have that same experience in our spiritual life?

That is what I want to take a look at today.

If you would turn over to Matthew 17:1-9,

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we are going to take a look at Peter, James and John and the mountain top experience they had and draw out some principles for ourselves so we might be able to experience those spiritual mountain tops in our lives.

Matthew 17:1-9

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don’t be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

(from New International Version)

If we are going to experience the spiritual mountain tops, we need to

Let Jesus Lead Us

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Matthew 17:1

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. (from New International Version)

Peter, James and John were not going there own way.

They were following Jesus.

If we are going to experience Spiritual Mountain Tops, we need to Let Jesus Lead.

That sounds so easy, doesn’t it.

Well, I am here to tell you that this is going to be a daily struggle of life.

Why?

Well, we have others vying for leadership in our lives as well.

Satan

Our fleshly nature

Ultimately, we want to do what we want to do when we want to do it.

We want to be in control or at least have that sense of control.

I am going to let you in on a secret though.

You are not in control no matter what you think.

You are following someone.

Now our choice is to either

follow Jesus or

follow Satan and the ways of the world.

You may be saying there is no way I will follow Satan.

Listen to what Jesus says

John 8:42-44a, 47

42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire… 47 He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."