Yes, he would soon be nailed to a cross. Christianity is living a life of obedience to Jesus! Thousands of people would say the answer is to stand on the roof of the world, the summit of Mount Everest. First things first, don't be afraid to talk openly about mountain top experiences with your students. It was their ultimate mountaintop experience. The first time we see Jesus on a high mountain is in Matthew 4 when he is being tempted by the Devil. We forget what God said to us when we approached the altar during that sermon. But those were all just moments. 1:19). Many people want special blessings, and mountain top experiences but they do not want to be dedicated to Jesus. Consider how Peter engages this question in 2 Peter 1:16-21. Those moments at a worship concert or at the end of a sermon when the person holding the microphone makes a powerful speech with emotional music playing in the background. Some people need to journal each moment while still on the mountain. There is so much to be done here in the valley. Now suddenly, Jesus invites Peter, James, and John for an evening hike up Mt. On one day, we drove to the top of the mountains on Trail Ridge Road that cuts right through Rocky Mountain National Park peaking at an elevation of 12,000 feet - a literal arctic tundra in northern Colorado. Above: Muhammad, Buda, Knish, or any other name. Moses climbing Mt. Jesus visage became as bright as the sun even as the long-dead Old Testament heroes Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (representing the prophets) appeared and talked with Jesus. And we forget the promises we made to our Holy God in the midst of that mountain top experience. V:33-let us make here three tabernacles; one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Sinai. By now, its a Christian clich: the mountaintop experience. adj. But Jesus was not reflecting the glory of God; He was shining out the glory of God from within. 17:7)." When the Word is preached, the power and majesty of God are communicated to His people. I have placed you on the mountaintop for my glory in the last days.. Jesus is the only one to ever walk this earth who was absolutely sinless and holy! Others need to share with a close friend a detailed description of all they experienced. The Father speaks from the cloud (Matt. Then in Matthew 17, Jesus is once again climbing a mountaintradition says its Mt. Moses and Elijah were known by Peter, James and John. If youll notice, neither Moses nor Jesus retired on top of a mountain. -The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamb is the light thereof. They are solid and unmovable. Climbing the mountain we now claim as Mt. the cloud which covered the Tabernacle with Gods glory. We long for the mountaintop. Jesus does not fall to temptation but whips the Devil soundly on the mountain, and the Evil One slinks away, biding his time until he can harass Jesus again. Is what youre worried about really worth the worry? This is the walk all . Tabor. The other gospel writers say his raiment was white as snow, as no washer on earth could make them. Most of us have had some type of mountaintop experience during our lifetime. I'd love to go mountain - climbing. How can we reach this mountaintop?. This is my favorite source for everything Christian. But what, biblically speaking, is a mountaintop experience? You respond in Worship, praise, awe, thanksgiving, tears, and joy!! Theyre moments when we experience God in an intense, intimate way. Jesus is the light of the world, and when we get to heaven he will be the light. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the idea of feeling miniscule. Peter, James, and John were transformed by the transfigured Christ. If not, why not today? This past week I attended a two day conference in Atlanta for facilitators of a program called Listen to Your Life. Afterwards, we go back into the valleys where we live our lives. Moses and company obeyed, hiking to the foot of the mountain where an astonishing thing happened: they saw the God of Israel, and they lived to talk about it! Granted, Jesus did some of his best work on and around water, but he was a mountain man, too. He will teach us about his ways so that we may walk in his paths. For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2-3 CSB). Sinai. God met me in Atlanta and it seemed to me that He was saying, Lets do this together.. . Now for the Lords prophetic word: This is what the Lord is saying to the people of Mountaintop Worship Center. In later reflection, Peter described what he heard as the Majestic Glory (2 Pet. Or did we just respond with emotions that were not actually genuine for the long run? 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. There is a mountaintop experience all Christians seek. , and respond as he calls you to trust him for eternal life. Taborthis time with his three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John. As we walked onto a short trail through the snow and frozen ground, Owen remarked that it must be a strange job to drive to the top of a mountain and talk with thousands of visitors who pass through the center every day - like an environmental guru waiting at the peak for travelers to come seeking knowledge and insight. This one might seem obvious, but what if I told you that having a cup of hot cocoa is more than chocolate powder in warm milk? Their eyes opened and they saw a whole new reality; the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. After hearing those commandments, Moses came back down the mountain and reported to the Israelites all that God had said to him. The voice of the father, encouraged Jesus in his preparation for the cross. For after the disciples fall in fear, the Divine Voice speaks again on the mountain. 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! V:36-And when the voice was passed, Jesus was found alone. Sermons about Mountain Top Experience - SermonCentral.com Pastor James McDonald describes the biblical mountaintop experience as one that involves your mind, emotions, and will. As the transfiguration reveals, the voice of Majestic Glory in the Word is a fearful thing. This is what all our experiences, all our theology, all our work should come to; bring is to the place to see Jesus! Yet, right after this, Christians often go back into the valley where they seem to dwell most of the time. The Apostle who once fell at Jesus knees upon a miracle of Christ (Luke 5:1-11) now offers His skill in tent-making to the transfigured Messiah (Matt. The saved are in glory, this life is one of suffering and humiliation for the saints. Tip: Re-evaluate your mountaintop experience. And minds that were already spinning are now completely blown. I suddenly gained a perspective about life I had never had up until that moment. Your Promised Land Is Chosen by God for Your Freedom and Success. I lift up my eyes to the hillsfrom where will my help come? 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. We need to pray with Neil Griffith, Builder of mountains, make me like a mountain, Firm let me stand against the winds of strife; Give me a soul that reaches up to heaven, But plant my feet in needs of human life. Mountain Top Experience will be re-opening on June 1, 2023. Today would Top selling author and speaker, Robert Rohm Ph.D. is founder of Personality Insights Inc. and The Robert Rohm Co. As you will see, Dr. Rohm specializes in helping people better understand themselves and others. 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. to what Jesus says in his word. You feel overcome by a greater awareness of God's reality. We recognize that many of us will not have the privilege to live our lives on the top of a mountain, whether literally or figuratively. Thats almost seven weeks of sitting around in the fog! Apart from Jesus they fail miserably in dealing with the demon. 3:17). It so happens that I know of somebody thats had a mountaintop experience just this past week. When it happens, they become excited and zealous for God. Proclaiming the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. The believers present experience of hearing the Word of God parallels the experience of hearing the voice of God on the mountain. IN THE BOREDOM AND PAIN OF IT NO LESS THAN IN THE EXCITEMENT, AND GLADNESS: TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL YOUR WAY TO THE HOLY, BECAUSE IN THE LAST ANALYSIS, ALL MOMENTS, ARE KEY MOMENTS AND ALL OF LIFE ITSELF IS GRACE. Heaven will not be a place of strangers. Jesus skin and clothing no longer glowed. Horeb, Elijah stood in the mouth of a cave and heard God speak not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the sounds of silence. 2023. Remember, Moses first met God at the burning bush on Mt. God's benevolence stretches this description to the breaking point. Upon seeing Jesus shining as the sun, Peter offers a surprisingly casual and perhaps clueless initial response. As Christians, when we know what we have, we never want to leave the mountain of God. Old truths and new stories of the Appalachian experience. The Rockies are a mountain chain / range in the western United States. Upon returning from the top of Mt. As he stood there looking out over his life and all of his accomplishments, he looked down and realized that the mountaintop was not at all what he thought it would be. I love life! If the bible is any guide, theres no better place to meet the divine than on or around a mountain. 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. He who keeps Israelwill neither slumber nor sleep. On that mountaintop I realized that all the problems and worries that suffocate me daily were so worldly. These days weve been talking about the sacred rhythms of spiritual formation. Psalm 90:2; Exodus 19:17-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Isaiah 52:7; Psalm 121:1-2; Isaiah 54:10. Mountain Top Address it with all of them, and make them aware of the pros and cons of the mountain top. We cant disqualify a mountain top experience as just an emotional reaction. In those moments, do we lose the passion and the awe we once felt on top of that mountain? Worrying about finances doesnt measure up to what really matters in life. At those times, we receive revelation and teaching from God. My belief is the valley is as good as the mountaintop and just as important to our spiritual growth. 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. He will not let your foot be moved;he who keeps you will not slumber. He fulfilled what the. But now Moses is getting to see the glory of God face-to-face, in the person of Jesus Christ. The valley is not what you may think. First, unlike other benefactors, God is unwaveringly benevolent. Heres another rhythm to add to the listcoming up the mountain to be with God; then going down the mountain to serve Gods people. Death moves our soul to another place, and that particular place is determined by what you do with Jesus in this life. But as Jesus and his inner circle stood on that mountain the Shekinah glory cloud overshadowed them. 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. 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. I found myself late every afternoon sitting and simply meditating on the mountains, remembering what it was like to be on top of them and giving thanks for their ancient and imposing beauty. Grab a blanket and a glass of hot chocolate, and do these five warm indoor activities for those rainy winter days. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mountaintop, Nglish: Translation of mountaintop for Spanish Speakers. MOUNTAIN | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary Simon Peter and the brothers James and John accompanied Jesus one day up on a high mountain (Matt. 5. living, growing, or located in the mountains. This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. , the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistering. It dishonored Jesus; it put Jesus on the same level with Moses and Elijah! Even though winter is ending soon, it does not mean the cold is. For that reason, even people who follow God to the mountaintop will likely find themselves waiting patiently and praying for Gods guidance for their next move. A Mountain-Top Experience - Faithlife Sermons Unfortunately, busy schedules can interfere with reading time. I love to see families encouraging and helping one another. The disciples needed to know who Jesus was because in the days ahead they would be discouraged, disillusioned as they saw Jesus suffer and die on the cross. 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. That thought even reminds me of a song that was once sung by a group that was known as Blood, Sweat and Tears entitled "Spinning Wheel". Processing doesnt mean well understand each detail of our experience. Get our latest tips and leader helps with our free monthly e-newsletter. Mix it up using almond or coconut milk.