Mountaintop Experiences

A Mountaintop Experience

Matthew 17:1-13

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

Introduction

Of all the experiences that a human being can have while on this earth is not a glimpse of our Savior the most treasured event one could ever receive? Living in this world that is not our home (Hebrews 13:14) we are constantly being bombarded by temptations to join the world on the broad path of pleasure (Matthew 7:13) and bow to the god of self. Even though we have the Spirit of truth living inside of us (John 16:13) there still wages a war between our old nature and our born-again self that like Apostle Paul we must admit we often lose by conforming to the sinful patterns of this world (Romans 7). If we as Christ’s ambassadors and royal priests are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing unto God (Romans 12:1-2), i.e. living our lives following in the footsteps of Jesus (1 Peter 2:21), then we simply must have our minds renewed by and in the presence of the Potter who molds the clay (Isaiah 64:8)! Is it not precisely in His presence that we become aware of and get the divine might to know and carry out His good, pleasing, and perfect will? Yes, but despite being told that in Scripture that we can boldly come before God’s throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) for centuries most believers struggle and yes many fail to even get a glimpse of their Savior! The following sermon is going to review the glimpse of Christ’s glory that Peter, James, and John received in Matthew 17:1-13 and suggest that solitude, listening, reverence, acceptance, and desire to proclaim the truth concerning Christ is the key to seeing Christ!

Being Alone with Jesus

Verse one begins by stating that Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into the mountain by themselves. While tradition suggest it was Mount Taber, due to it not being a high mountain (about 1900 feet), not being located on the six-day journey Jesus and the apostles took from Caesarea Philippi to Capernaum and being occupied by a Roman garrison which made it a poor place to be alone; many scholars suggest that the mountain was either Mount Hermon or Mount Miron. Many important encounters with God happened in the Bible both in solitude and upon a mountain. For instance, Moses encountered God in the burning bush on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:1-4:17) and later received the Law on this mountain (Exodus 19-24), God answered Elijah’s prayed on Mount Carmel by sending fire to consume his sacrifice (1 Kings 18:16-40) and would later be on a mountaintop when God whispered to him (1 Kings 19:11-12), Jesus was taken to an extremely high mountain and tempted by Satan to bow to him (Matthew 4:1-11) and in this passage was transfigured before His inner three leaders. It is not so much going to a mountain that ensures an encounter with God but “clearing our calendars” and finding a place where one can seclude from the world and all its distractions and temptations that is key to hearing from God. While we can hear from God anywhere and at anytime, inviting God to make us “lie down in the green pastures and by the still waters” (Psalms 23) increases our likelihood of drawing nearer to Him through meditation, prayer, and total submission to hear and obey His will!

A Glimpse of His Glory

Ever wonder what the first few moments in heaven will be like? While Peter, James and John were not transported up into heaven they did receive a glimpse of Christ’s glory when while He was praying Jesus was “transfigured” before their very eyes. While we don’t fully know what happened from this obscure word “metamorphoo” that is used in this passage, it seems that Christ was not “transformed” into another image but lifted the corner of His veil and gave the inner three disciples a glimpse of His “preincarnate glory (John 1:14, 17:5; Philippians 2:6-7) and His coming exaltation (2 Peter 1:16-18; Revelation 1:16). By showing them His face shining like the sun and His clothes becoming white as the light (verse 2) one day the apostles would look back at this glorious event and marvel at Christ’s “self-humiliation that brought Him to the cross and the height to which He had been raised by His vindicating resurrection and ascension.” While the heights, depths, lengths, breath of Christ of His fullness is beyond our human capacity to comprehend, in faith the glimpse we can see of Christ is breathtaking, thought provoking and life changing! How sad it is that even though God’s very own Spirit seals every spiritual blessing imaginable in His own, very few saints can genuinely say they have even seen a glimpse of He who bought them this privilege with the cost of His very life! Even if one had to be persecuted for righteousness’ sake and walk-through great fires of tribulations (only a willingness to do so is often required to see the Lord) would not one gladly do so to please one’s Creator? So, to get on the mountaintop and see our Lord all we need is faith and a desire to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus and the patience to wait upon the Lord to reveal us a mere glimpse!