Experience the Mountain and the Valley (2)

Luke 9:28-36

A story is told about Napoleon during the invasion of Russia. He somehow got separated from his men and was spotted by his enemies, the Russian Cossacks. They chased him through the winding streets. Running for his life, Napoleon eventually ducked into a shop of furs. Gasping for air and talking at the same time he begged the shopkeeper to save him. The shop owner said, "Quick hide under this big pile of furs in the corner." Then the man made the pile even larger by throwing more furs on Napoleon.

No sooner had he finished when the Russian Cossacks burst into the shop. "Where is he?" they demanded to know. The shop owner denied knowing what they were talking about. Despite his protests the Russian Cossacks tore the shop apart trying to find Napoleon. They poked into the pile of furs with their swords but did not find him. They eventually gave up and left the shop.

After some time had past, Napoleon crept out from under the furs, unharmed. Shortly after Napoleon’s personal guards came into the store. Before Napoleon left, the furrier asked, "Excuse me for asking this question of such a great man, but what was it like to be under the furs, knowing that the next moment could surely be your last?

Napoleon became indignant. "How dare you ask such a question of the Emperor Napoleon?" Immediately he ordered his guards to blindfold the furrier and execute him.

The man was dragged out of the shop, blindfolded and placed against the wall of the shop. He could see nothing but he could hear the guards shuffling into a line and preparing their rifles. Then he heard Napoleon call out, "Ready!" In that moment a feeling the shopkeeper could not describe welled up with him. Tears poured down his cheeks. "Aim!"

Suddenly the blindfold was stripped from his eyes. Napoleon stood before him. They were face to face and Napoleon said, "Now you know the answer to your question."¹

Transfiguration is an event that we can experience. Each of us can have probably had the “mountain” experience. As Christians, there was a time when God touched us in a special way words are not enough to explain.

When I look at the events of transfiguration, I find important points that I like to share:

1- God declares, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." (vs 35) An important declaration about Jesus on his way from “the mountain to the valley”. There was a similar declaration on his baptism. "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased" (Luke 3:21-22). Jesus is hearing one more time God’s assurance that he is chosen for an important ministry, the plan of salvation for you and me, for the universe. In the Armenian sermon, I mentioned that before this event Peter declared Jesus as Christ. It was a human affirmation. Now we hear God’s affirmation one more time.

2 -There were two important biblical figures in that scene: Moses and Elijah.

Moses is the man who brought God’s Law. He is the one who led the people out of Egypt. He gave God’s law to His people. Jesus was the completion of that law. Jesus did not break the law; he came to fulfill it.

On the other side was Elijah. He represents the prophets. He was God’s champion on Mount Carmel. Jesus was not just fulfilling the law, he was fulfilling the prophesy. God’s plan is moving on.

3- This event happened during prayer. “²⁸About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. ²⁹As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning” (Luke 9:28-29).

I am stressing prayer almost every Sunday. Without prayer nothing can happen. Unfortunately, some of you take this lightly. Transfiguration happened in a prayer meeting. Prayer means being in the presence of God. Prayer means we can talk to God, and He talks back to us. Prayer is communication.

4- The cloud represents the presence of God.   “³⁴While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."

I am afraid of clouds. Driving in the mountains from Beirut to Ainjar, I’ve often been surrounded by clouds and fog. I was once lost and there were times when I was completely sightless.

The image of a cloud is great. It is a biblical image of God’s presence. The cloud, the presence of God, led the Israelites through the wilderness. When Solomon’s temple was dedicated, God filled the temple as a cloud.

In a cloud, we are totally without control. There, in the cloud, when you are not in control, you see God is in control. There you start a new vision with God. There, in the cloud, God will heal you. Will take your fear and give you strength. Right where there is uncertainty, we learn to trust God. When you do not see in front of you, when you do not know about tomorrow, when you are not in CONTROL, you hear God’s voice saying: “Here I am with you, trust me, and walk with me.” I experienced this especially in Lebanon when there was war. When we did not know about next hour, next day. We were surrounded by clouds; we trusted God to direct us.

5 -Let us stay on the Mountain; “Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.) (Luke 9:33)

The experience is so good; one does not want to go to the “valley.” If you remember, one of my early sermons in CACC was entitled “Get out of the boat!” Peter was secure in the boat. Yet, Jesus challenged him saying, “Get out of the boat!” We all need the mountain experience, where we experience God. But we can not stay on the “mountain.” We need to move on. We need to go to the “valley.” As mentioned in the Armenian sermon, Vartan and his friends were in the field. Jesus did not stay on the mountain; he moved on too. We read, “The next day, when they came down from the mountain…” (vs 37) The church needs to go out to its neighborhood, to its friends and relatives, to the sick and poor, to the broken hearted, to the crowd. The church should be the prophetic voice in SF and Bay Area.

I was not happy with the immoral acts that happened in the City Hall of SF. Unfortunately, I did not hear any church from SF saying a word about it. Where is the prophetic voice of the church in the “valley”?

Therefore, let us go with the new experience of transfiguration:

There are clouds. Good, we learn to trust God more and to be ready to serve Him.

Amen

1 Rev. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Adapted from a story by Rev. Richard Hayes Weyer.