On The Mountain-Top

What Is The Purpose of Mountain Top Experiences?

In today’s society-people can recall events of meeting a celebrity, baseball player or some other event that was special. The most important event in a person’s life is when they ask Jesus into their heart and surrender their will and life to the Lord. The sad fact is few people can describe the moment they were saved and gave their life to the Lord.

Matthew 17:1-9 “After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, Lord it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said: This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him. When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground terrified. But, Jesus came and touched them get up, he said. Don’t be afraid. When they looked up, they saw no-one except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man, has been raised from the dead.” (NIV) This scripture shows the disciples had a life changing experience. Every person who accepts Jesus as their Lord and savior should experience God’s transforming power. Some ways to experience God’s transforming power is through: prayer, Bible study and communicating with other Christians. The first step is to have that personal relationship with Jesus and to ask Jesus into your heart.

God has the power to transform us even if we feel hopeless. Matthew 16:21-28 “From this time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, Never Lord!, he said. This shall never happen to you. Jesus turned and said to Peter, Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men. Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (NIV) This scripture shows Peter was afraid to be alone and did not want Jesus to die. The transfiguration established the divinity of Jesus. This transfiguration experience gave Peter and John courage to obey. John was living on the isle of Patmos and was faithful in writing the book of Revelation and Peter preached to a huge crowd on the day of Pentecost (Peter was not well educated).

People love the mountain top experiences with the Lord and want to live in that on a daily basis. The purpose of the mountain top experience is to prepare people for service. So, if you are trying to to keep that mountain top feeling-you are missing what God’s purpose was for this experience. God has a plan for people to reach out and make a difference in other people’s lives and to spread the good news of Jesus.