02/06/05

Mountaintop Experiences

Exodus 24:12-18
2 Peter 1:16-21
Matthew 17:1-9

When we use the term mountaintop experience, we usually mean some kind of dramatic emotional or spiritual adventure, some important event, perhaps a significant turning point in one's life, an unforgettable "high." Well, two of our lessons today perhaps are the biblical roots of this common expression - Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, and Jesus being transfigured also on a mountain. It's significant that both Moses and the prophet, Elijah, appear with Jesus on the mountain, Moses representing the Law, and Elijah, the prophetic tradition. In First Kings, Elijah himself encounters God on a mountain. All three are mountaintop experiences.

We will look closely at the mountaintop experience of Jesus this morning to see what we can learn that will benefit our own experiences in life. The story begins: "Six days later, Jesus took with him" three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John. The first question is, "What happened six days earlier?" What's the context of this mountaintop experience? A week before their hike up the mountain, Jesus tells his disciples that suffering and death will be awaiting him in Jerusalem. We remember Peter protesting vehemently, and Jesus rebuking him, "Get behind me, Satan!" Jesus explains to the disciples that the way of suffering servanthood will have to be their way if they choose to continue to follow him.

So, six days later, Jesus and the three trudge up the mountain, and there they experience a mysterious, wonderful event - Jesus is transfigured, radically changed right in front of their eyes, his face shining like the sun. Moses, greatest of all law-givers and Elijah, greatest of all prophets, also appear, and a cloud covers them all. A voice, presumably God, booms forth with a message, and then suddenly they are alone again with Jesus.

It's best for us not to get too hung up on the technical details. Whether all this happened literally as described doesn't matter as much as the meaning behind it - the glimpse of glory to come. For Jesus it is a moment of triumph, the appearance of two great heroes from the past, the voice of approval from God, a moment of shining triumph before the humiliation of the cross. For the disciples it's a moment for strengthening and preparation, so they'll be able to see the splendor through the shame, the triumph through the tragedy, the crown beyond the cross, (i) and the life of discipleship ahead.

I'm guessing many of us have also had mountaintop experiences, maybe not all of them "religious," but still emotional highs - the birth of a child; a wedding; a fun-filled vacation; a close, meaningful experience with another person; being awed by nature: the Grand Canyon, the Rockies, Niagara Falls; a symphony or opera; an art exhibit; seeing the Red Sox win the World Series; another Patriots Super Bowl win; maybe even a worship service or a religious retreat; anything that moved us deeply or evoked great joy. God communicates with us through all these kinds of experiences, whether we call them religious or not, if we are open to God's presence. I believe God is constantly challenging us, urging us to change for the better, encouraging us to risk for Jesus' sake, empowering us to overcome hatred with love, preparing us for whatever lies ahead.

This is what was happening on Mt. Hermon with the disciples. They were given a vision of a bright future, but they were also being prepared for the darkness immediately ahead of them. What was true for them may also be true for us; what they learned, may benefit us as well.

First truth: There is a time to be busy and a time to be quiet. Peter, always a man of action, is thrilled to see Jesus with the holy heavyweights, Moses and Elijah. "Let me build you three tents," he suggests. He's the kind of guy who has to be doing something, but this isn't a time for doing; rather, it's a time just for being still, for contemplation, wonder, adoration, reverence. I often find myself very busy doing, doing, doing, when I'd be better off sitting in silence, listening to God, contemplating God's wonders. (ii) How about you? We all need times of silence.

Second truth: In our times of need, the Lord comes to us. The disciples were flat on their faces on the ground, trembling in fear of the awesome presence in the cloud. But Jesus takes the initiative and comes to them. He doesn't yell over to them, "Get up you 'fraidy cats!" He goes to them and shows them great compassion. So God comes to us when we are overwhelmed. When life knocks us off our feet, we can be sure that God will be rushing to our side to be with us in our time of need.

Third truth: The Lord more than comes to us; the Lord touches us. Jesus "touched them." There's something very powerful in a human touch - the comfort of a hand on the shoulder of someone in distress; the warm handshake of friendship; the hug that says without words, "I really care about you." How much more powerful is the divine touch! At Jesus' touch lepers were cleansed, the blind were given sight, the lame given the ability to walk, the dead were raised. Even today when Jesus touches us, hearts are cleansed, spiritual blindness is turned to sight, broken dreams are made whole, dead hopes are raised to new life. When life knocks us flat to the ground, Jesus comes to us and touches us with reassurance and renewal. (iii)

And fourth truth: The Lord also speaks to us. After he touches them, Jesus quietly says to the disciples, "Get up and do not be afraid." The Lord also speaks to us, if we'll listen, if we'll listen in our fears, in our anxieties, in our times of temptation, when we're discouraged or lonely or confused or bewildered. The same authoritative voice says to us, "Get up and do not be afraid."

When the Lord comes to us in our times of need, touches us with a healing presence, and speaks to us with words of hope and encouragement, we are expected to respond. May I suggest that we do so in two ways. First, let us respond by looking up. The disciples were face down on the ground, at the level of dirt and stones and weeds. And "they looked up." So do we also need to look up from the piles of Christmas bills still unpaid, look up from early income tax calculations, look up from the sink filled with dirty dishes, look up from depressing newspaper headlines, look up from the heavy demands of our jobs, look up from homework piled high. We need to look up from our current situation, up from the sinful things that drag us into the mud and dirt, up from the petty jealousies and resentments. ... Let us respond to God's entreaties by looking up.

Second, let us respond by taking some kind of positive action. The disciples get up onto their feet and go back down the mountain, though they probably don't really want to go. Shortly before, Peter proposes that they build something to commemorate the occasion. They don't want to go back down the mountain to the everyday and common things of life. They'd rather be up there with their Lord, with the wonder, awe, mystery, and nearness of God.

I'll bet we're the same way. Emotional or spiritual "highs" are certainly more pleasant than the drudgery of everyday existence. Mountaintop experiences are more enjoyable than those down in the valley. But the whole point of the mountaintop is what we learn about God and about ourselves, and then what we do about it, to prepare us for working in the valley below.

After the moment of glory when Peter, James, and John see the splendor of Jesus on the mountain, they go back down to the valley of human need and suffering. Such a conclusion to the story must always be kept in mind as we are reveling in the joys of mountaintop experiences, especially spiritual ones. The experience is not an end in itself, but rather, an empowerment for service, for taking some kind of positive action.

The artist, Raphael, painted a magnificent picture of the transfiguration of Christ, the painting divided into two parts. The upper part shows Jesus and the disciples up on the mountaintop - the face of Christ, a revelation of love, beauty, and goodness, shines like the sun. The disciples around him are obviously having one of those peak experiences when it all starts making sense. The lower part of the painting is a picture of human need - a sick boy, a worried father, a mother on her knees in prayer - but we are certain as we look at the painting that the sick boy will be healed, the worried father will find peace, the mother's prayer will be answered. For the disciples, the empowerment of the mountaintop experience will be used to heal the human family in the valley below. (iv)

So also with us. Whatever empowerment we obtain in our experiences of worship, spiritual growth, fellowship and caring here at Pilgrim Church, what we do cannot just stay here, and we cannot just stay here. There is work to do in the valley below, whether that be in our homes, at our places of work, in our schools, in our community, wherever it is that we consciously or unconsciously minister to others in Christ's name. It is here where we are empowered, inspired, and equipped to do what needs to be done. The valley below, sometimes filled with the shadows of human need and suffering, is awaiting us. Christ invites us to come down off the mountaintop and join him in his passion and victory, to be his servants in the service of the whole human family. Let us do so; for as we have been blessed, God calls us to be a blessing to others. Amen.

The Pilgrim Church of Duxbury
Rev. Kenneth C. Landall

i William Barclay, Matthew, Vol. 2, p. 162.
ii Ibid., p. 163.
iii The Clergy Journal, 1/84, p. 20.
iv Winfield Haycock, Doran's '80, p. 174.