"ON THE MOUNTAIN AND IN THE VALLEY'

Sermon by Pastor John Hollis

Preached February 3, 2008

Text: Matthew 17:1-9, 14-20.

The lectionary reading for today is from Matthew 17, where we find the record of the transfiguration of Jesus, in the company of Moses and Elijah. Accompanying Jesus on that occasion was Peter, James, and John.

Mountains have always played an important role in God's scheme of redemption. In the Old Testament (Exodus 34) we read the story of Moses being called up to the top of Mount Sinai to receive the law from God that was to govern the Israelites for centuries. Later, Moses was called up to the top of another mountain to view the promise land which the people of Israel were about to enter. Moses was not allowed to go into the land of promise, but he did view it from Mount Nebo where he died, as recorded in Deuteronomy 34.

Another mountain gains considerable attention in the Old Testament: Mount Carmel, (1 Kings 18). This is the record of Elijah's battle with the prophets of Baal, and the prophets were soundly defeated.

Coming into the New Testament, the first mountain we read about is the mountain of temptation (Matthew 4). Jesus is called up to the top of this mountain by Satan, and is offered all the kingdoms of the world which he could view from this mountain, if he would fall down and worship Satan. But Satan is defeated by the words of Jesus, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only."

In our text we read that Jesus takes Peter, James and John and brings them to the top of a high mountain. At this place and time, Jesus is transfigured before them. "His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light." Moses and Elijah appear and are talking with Jesus about his soon departure from Jerusalem, that is, his death.

Referring back to Moses and the Sinai experience, it was a separation of God's people from the nations around them. Elijah and the Carmel experience was a separation between idolatry and true worship. The Transfiguration of Jesus experience was a line of separation between the law and the prophets and the message of Jesus.

This was a significant event and a choice place to be, and Peter wanted to do something special to honor the occasion. But God spoke to them and instructed them to listen to Jesus' words - his teachings. The voice that spoke to them came not from the mountain but from heaven. It was the voice of authority.

This privilege of being with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah and hearing the voice of God was a great privilege: but what is the meaning of all this?

Luke's record of this event (Luke 9:28-36) says that it was while Jesus was praying that the "appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming." It was a time of prayer. Being in the presence of the Son of God on a mountain top where the beauty of God's creation was all around was enough to bring one to prayer. However, Jesus was not on this mountain to see the sights of nature, but to discuss with Moses and Elijah "His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." What they specifically discussed we do not know. This has not been revealed to us. We do know, however, that it was something about the death he was to die at Jerusalem.

From this event we recognize that God was represented in Moses, Elijah and Jesus. God had called Moses to be the leader of his people while they were in bondage in Egypt. Moses did not want to fill this part in God's scheme of things, but God persuaded him to take the responsibility of leading the people of God, with the promise that he would be with him. According the writer of the New Testament book called Hebrews, Moses was "faithful in all his house." (Hebrews 3:2). He faithfully performed all the duties that God gave to him.

Elijah was one of the faithful prophets of God, but he became discouraged at times and felt that he was inadequate to do what God wanted him to do. He cried out to God, "Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, they have torn down Thine altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life." (Romans 11:3). But Elijah was assured by God that he was in charge and that all things would turn out right.

The time would come when the work of Moses and the work of Elijah would culminate in the work of Jesus. All of the work of God in Moses and Elijah would be summed up in Christ. (Ephesians 1:10). It is on the occasion of Jesus' transfiguration that we have a glimpse of this bringing together all things in the fulfilling of God's scheme of redemption: the law and the prophets would be fulfilled in Jesus the Christ.

This bringing together in Christ, all things that had preceded him, is clearly indicated in the words of God, when he spoke to Peter, James and John on the mountain: "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; hear him!" The works of the law were being fulfilled in Christ; the prophetic utterances of all the prophets were being fulfilled in Christ. The people were no longer to listen to the law for guidance; they were no longer to listen to the prophets for guidance; they were to hear the teachings of Jesus Christ. When Jesus met with his disciples after his resurrection, he said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He said, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (Luke 24:44-47). When Peter, James and John didn't know what to do, God told them to listen to Jesus; in him all things were being brought together.

Peter, writing some time later, gave his conclusion to this matter, when he was reminding his brothers and sisters that what he had proclaimed to them was authentic. "For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased' - and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (2 Peter 1:16-21). We will do well if we take heed to these teachings today.

It was a great privilege and a great experience to be with Jesus, Moses and Elijah on the mountain, but such experiences do not last forever. They had to come down from the mountain, from the voice of God and the presence of Moses and Elijah. They reluctantly returned to the valley.

Just as there had been privileges on the mountain, there were privileges also in the valley. However, the privileges they faced in the valley were not as exciting as what they had known on the mountain.

When they arrived at the place where the other disciples were, a man came to Jesus and asked for mercy. He had brought his son, an epileptic, to the disciples for healing, but they could not heal him. He was brought to Jesus and he healed him.

Jesus rebuked his disciples for their lack of faith. Here they had a great opportunity to do a good deed, but their faith was too little. They were, for all practical purposes, in the "valley of the shadow of death." However they had forgotten the "rod and staff" of comfort; they could not give comfort to this father of the epileptic and they could not give comfort to the epileptic because their faith failed them. They failed to recognize from where their power should come.

We can imagine that Peter, James and John probably came rushing up to the other disciples and said, "you should have been with us. You won't believe this, but we saw Moses and Elijah, and we heard the voice of God speaking to us. You really missed something." But the other disciples were not ready to hear this. They had failed in the valley of the shadow of death, and now they were in the valley of humility. Their failure had humbled them.

Remember how Moses told God he was not able to lead the people of God? Remember how Elijah thought he was the only one who was left trying to do God's will? There came to them the reassurance that God was and would continue to be with them. When the disciples privately asked Jesus why they could not cure the epileptic, he told them it was because of "the littleness" of their faith. God had not abandoned them. His power was still there, but their faith had failed.

Throughout our lives we will have mountaintop experiences; and throughout our lives we will have valley experiences. There will be times of exhilaration, and there will be times of pain and sorrow. There will be times when our faith is strong, and there will be times when our faith is weak. We may in times of pain and weakened faith ask: "Where is God?"

These disciples could well have asked this question, and the answer could have been that God was on the mountaintop. God was on the mountaintop, for Peter, James and John had heard him speak. But he was also in the valley. The disciples there did not recognize that God was in the valley. When we face pain and sorrow in other's lives, and in our own lives, we often ask: "Where is God?" The question comes from a failure to understand that God is always with us. His promise is: "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5).

We need to remember that people who have needs do not dwell on mountaintops but in valleys. Those disciples found themselves in a place of need, and they failed. Almost every day we are in a place of need, will we fail? I am reminded of the words of a song we used to sing often. The title is: "Down In The Valley". The words are:

Are you dwelling in the sunlight?

Is your path with roses strewn?

Do you walk with buoyant gladness

In the steps that you have hewn?

Have you reached the top of Pisgah,

Climbing always firm and true?

Don't forget that in the valley

There is someone needing you.

Is your day one round of pleasure,

From the morn till set of sun?

Know you not of pain or sorrow?

Are your victories all won?

Lend a hand to help your brother,

Who is struggling hard and true,

Don't forget that in the valley

There is someone needing you.

Sweet it is to dwell in sunlight,

Where the shadows never rise,

Where the balmy, wafting breezes

Kiss the blue, o'er-hanging skies;

But there's always in the shadow

Some poor mortal, brave and true,

Don't forget that in the valley

There is someone needing you.

It's nice to always be on the mountaintop, but it is the valley where we are needed. There is another song we used to sing:

To love someone more dearly every day,

To help a wand'ring child to find his way,

To ponder o'er a noble tho't and pray

And smile when evening falls,

And smile when evening falls:

This is my task.

This is the way we make a statement with our lives. One time when Mahatma Gandhi was traveling by train, a reporter asked him to make a statement about his life. Gandhi answered: "My life is my statement." What are the statements we are making with our lives? On mountaintops we are blessed; in the valleys we are needed. "Don't forget that in the valley there is someone needing you.

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