This unmediated view of the living God happened once, and only once in the Old Testament. On the days when I find myself worrying about temporary issues I need to take a step back and look at life as if I was looking at the world from a mountaintop. For six days Peter and the other 11 disciples have their heads spinning by the prediciton that Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, would die on a cross. We cant leave them behind us. Wood burning fireplace, gas grill, washer and dryer, central heat. Here is our startling recognition: the Christian's mountaintop experience is to come in contact with the Word of God. Many of us have walked through our own mountain top experience. Jesus would die on the Cross, be buried in a borrowed tomb, and rise again three days later. Check out my Recommended Resources list. . In those moments, do we lose the passion and the awe we once felt on top of that mountain? Simon Peter and the brothers James and John accompanied Jesus one day up on a high mountain (Matt. Frankly, I cant imagine being stuck in a dense mountain fog for six days with absolutely nothing to do but look at the fog! The Word communicated the fullness of the glory of God manifested to them. Peter, James, and John thought that Elijahs appearance on the mountain with Jesus that day surely was a fulfillment of prophecy. Most of us have had a similar experience, maybe not as intense, but a "mountain top" experience nonetheless. These moments can be truly genuine and beautiful. Then in Matthew 17, Jesus is once again climbing a mountaintradition says it's Mt. Of course, except for Jesus, even people who undergo mountaintop transformations remain flawed. But if we dont use what we have experienced on the mountain to affect the valley, then they might as well just be quick reactions to a fleeting moment. When I heard that story, I identified with it so very much. Still, nearly a thousand people everyyear train vigorously, pay steep fees, and make the trip to south Asia for the opportunityto enjoy an ultimate mountaintop experience. Don't start to rationalize it, no matter how unbelievable it may sound to some. These men where dedicated and devoted to Jesus; these three men went on to be. Moses and Elijah were known by Peter, James and John. But what, biblically speaking, is a mountaintop experience? The goal is "Living All Out For Jesus". And we forget the promises we made to our Holy God in the midst of that mountain top experience. He reflected on the massive amount of time, effort and energy it took to reach the specific goals that he had laid out for his life. A variety of day trips, long weekends, and extended . You come down from the mountaintop ready for a changed life. The Cross was a great accomplishment; not an accident, tragedy, disaster! To get on higher ground, to climb above the mundane, and get in the place where the glory of God can touch our lives, and we can see JESUS as He is in glory and power, and hear God speak to our hearts. adj. Moses and Elijah had disappeared, the voice of the Father was silent, and the three disciples saw only Jesus! This past week I attended a two day conference in Atlanta for facilitators of a program called Listen to Your Life. Remember, it was on top of Mt. We experience gratitude most naturally and intensely when a giver (1) unpredictably and (2) at cost to him- or herself (3) transfers to our full possession (4) a benefit that pleases us. It is a high point in your life when youre with Gods people and Jesus in his glory shows up! Now, as we review Exodus 24 and Matthew 17, I want us to notice certain traits of mountaintop experiences. for who he really is, in all of his love, grace and glory, it is a mountain-top experience! was the founder of Israels worship of God. Moses is a prime example of this. Sinai again and again to commune with God and to better understand not just the essential laws for the life of the community, but the rhythms and cycles of what their covenantal life together will be like in the Promised Land. And it happened at the foot of Mt. In the Bible, mountains are often the places where God encounters His people, changes their lives, and sends them back down to the world with a prophetic message. 1:19). After a certain amount of time the caterpillar comes out of the cocoon a butterfly. In later reflection, Peter described what he heard as the Majestic Glory (2 Pet. My time in Dallas was informative and meaningful and challenging, but I would not say it was a mountaintop experience. You can read my full article about the importance of the mountaintop experience HERE. goats), the guys get to the true subject at hand. This past week we spent our vacation at the base of the Rocky Mountains and went into the National Park each day to climb this mountain or that mountain - all reasonable morning hikes. Despite this uncertainty, the definition of a mountain is a landform that rises significantly above the surrounding landscape. Scripture gives us stories of literal mountain top experiences that color our expectations for what it means to encounter the divine - Abraham and Isaac climbing together in an act of extreme devotion to God and experiencing the mercy of God at its apex. The fact that the transfiguration is reported in all three of the Synoptic Gospels (Matt. He has it all in control. You come down from the mountaintop ready for a changed life. For this reason, friends, its only fair to tell you that mountaintops can be dangerous places. In the Old Testament, the mountains of Sinai and Zion are most significant. In the last days the mountain of the Lords house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. Properly understood, it is something we receive just like our salvation. For six days Moses lingered in the cloud of God at the top of the mountain. revisiting them will prove a way to spur us on as we continue to live changed. You learn something new about who God is. You feel overcome by a greater awareness of God's reality. On that mountaintop I realized that all the problems and worries that suffocate me daily were so worldly. Death moves our soul to another place, and that particular place is determined by what you do with Jesus in this life. When Jesus entered this world, he came as a man, he was born in a stable, wore peasant clothing, and worked as a carpenter in a small town. 17:1). They would come down that mountain knowing without a shadow of a doubt who Jesus Christ was! Cable TV and high speed internet. . A time when you just felt like Gods Spirit was all over you, and around you, and joy filled your heart, and you just felt like you were going to bust! I have had my fair share of mountain top experiences, both literal and spiritual. Here is our startling recognition: the Christians mountaintop experience is to come in contact with the Word of God. Mountaintop. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountaintop. My purpose is to lead believers into a deeper relationship with God, resulting in them becoming A Bold Christian. I love to see goals attained after hard work. First off, there are a variety of flavors, from White Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice, Mint, Caramel and the list goes on. And I find myself squirming when I read that Moses spent six days engulfed in the clouds on the top of Mt. The word, . Everything is tiny and nothing seems to matter when you are that far away from people. At least, that pattern held true for the likes of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. Jesus climbing to the top of a mountain not to receive, but to give a new interpretation and understanding of those laws shaping our communal life together as Christians through the Sermon on the Mount. TheLordis your keeper;theLordis your shade at your right hand. That had to be a long six days. Peter a man who always had something to say when nothing should be said; said: V:33-Jesus, master, it is good for us to be here. When the Word is preached, the power and majesty of God are communicated to His people. If youll notice, neither Moses nor Jesus retired on top of a mountain. Maybe thats why to this day so many Christian retreat centers are on top of or around mountains. We stayed just outside the park, in full view of the snow-topped mountain range. After his death, would come his resurrection and exaltation! First things first, don't be afraid to talk openly about mountain top experiences with your students. Sinai still a third time because he shattered the tablets bearing the Ten Commandments upon hearing that the Israelites had manufactured and worshiped a golden calf in his absence. But dedication to Jesus is the key to blessings. Others need to share with a close friend a detailed description of all they experienced. It had been six hundred years since anyone in Israel had seen the Shekinah glory cloud. Jesus would rise in a glorified body, ascend to heaven and sit on the right hand of the throne of God. mountain noun [C] (VERY LARGE HILL) A2 a raised part of the earth's surface, much larger than a hill, the top of which might be covered in snow: The Matterhorn is one of the biggest mountains in Europe. A review of both the Old and New Testaments makes it clear as daywhen it comes to entering sacred space where you can meet God and/or Jesus face to face, theres no substitute for a mountaintop. top maun-tn-tp Synonyms of mountaintop : the summit of a mountain Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web Barkley spent his final four seasons with the Rockets, but the team's big threecomprised of him, as well as Olajuwon and Clyde Drexlerwas never able to get them back to the NBA mountaintop. As a result, God often reveals himself on a mountaintop in the text. Old truths and new stories of the Appalachian experience. And then there was Jesus. 1:17), the words of Scripture are words from God as carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. Now this isnt to say drop everything you are doing in life because it doesnt matter. I lift up my eyes to the hillsfrom where will my help come? That is the reality of the experience of this thing we call life. It matters not that the mountain is composed of a lot of "stuff". Finally, Jesus directed the three disciples not to tell others about their experience until after His resurrection. . Ironically, remaining on the summit for more than just a few minutes can be dangerous for climberseven life-threatening. Then, only Moses and his associate, Joshua moved further up the mountain. Mixed in with all of that were some great memories and wonderful times of happiness, too. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the sensation of inexplicable awe. The aspect of a beautiful mountaintop experience has a whole new meaning when you realize that it does not matter what the mountain is made of. Tabor. God doesnt intend for us to live in a perpetual state of emotional highs when it comes to faith. This looks differently for everyone, but its a step we cannot ignore. A bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud. DISC Certification, Speaker Boot Camp etc. 3. a huge amount: a mountain of mail. Once weve processed our mountain top experience, well be able to face the valley without resentment or guilt. It involves a series of visual maps which are designed to help us sort through the chapters of our life story and rediscover clues about those places in our life where God has been, and is continuing to work. There are several reasons. They saw things they had never seen before, they were aware of things they were never aware of before, they were in the presence of God! 4. of or pertaining to mountains. Dear Lord, I thank you for every mountaintop experience I have had and look forward to more of them. In the presence of Jesus with the saints, talking about the Cross! Thats why he wanted to build dwellings or booths on top of Mt. But God never intended for us to live there. As for how this takes shape in the coming future, I dont really know and I am okay with that because I am very confident that my job is to be willing and available and He will open and close doors. It is interesting to imagine what it would be like to staff other peoples mountain top experiences. What was the difference? The sum total of all of the things he had done and experienced in life had brought him to the place where he stood at that moment in time. tain maun-tn often attributive Synonyms of mountain 1 a : a landmass that projects conspicuously above its surroundings and is higher than a hill The sun set behind the mountains. V:30-31-And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. What we should do is go back every now and then to the memories, the journal entries, the conversations. Jesus was God incognito, dressed in human flesh. The transfiguration was a foreshadowing of that event, but Christs followers would not be able to clearly see that until after the resurrection. The Rockies are a mountain chain / range in the western United States. Keep reading Matthew 17 and youll see that during their descent from the mountain the disciples have a frightening encounter with a demon from hell. Then in Matthew 17, Jesus is once again climbing a mountaintradition says its Mt. How does a congregation go I recently heard a man say that he had worked all of his life to get to the top of his own personal mountain. The mountain top experience was a sanctuary, and a challenge. If there ever was a time for silence, this was it.
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