Living the Mountain Top Experience
“And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!”  Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.  April 3, 1968 Memphis, TN
The Mountain Top experience.   The words of Dr. King ring out in my ears as we celebrate the feast of Transfiguration.  These were Martin’s last public words and they have left an imprint on the heart of our nation.  As Martin has looked over and seen the promised land, the land of peace, hope, justice, equality, dignity, and life filled with God’s love and grace, Martin recognized that this was not only just for him.   But for his people.   Those who found hope and encouragement in his words and his life.
Today we find Jesus on the Mountain Top the place where one connects with God, and with him are James, John and Peter.  These three seem to be closest to the Lord and always with him.  In the midst of their being on the mountain God enters in deeply that they might know him and come to a deeper understanding of who Jesus, His son is.
Along with them Moses and Elijah come and begin to converse with Jesus.   Moses representing the Law and Elijah the prophesy.   Jesus becomes dazzling In these two with Jesus we see the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets.  The very life, hopes and dreams of the people of Israel is summed up, is fulfilled in Jesus, and James, John and Peter witness this.    They have been to the mountain top, the have looked over and seen the promised land.   That is the fulfillment of God’s promise to His people and that being Jesus Christ.
In the midst of their excitement, they’re in awe and wonder as God is speaking to them.  They become so excited they want to build three booths or tents,  one for each of them, Jesus, Moses and Elijah.    The don’t realize that the mountain top experience is not meant for them to stay in, but rather to return to the valley and to and to enter into Jesus’ very passion, suffering and death.   To be a source of encouragement and strength for their people.  This is what Martin Luther King Jr. did.   Although he had seen the mountain top, he envisioned that one day a people we would get to the mountain top.
Our worship here each week is our mountain top experience.  It is where we encounter God, let us allow it  to be a source of strength to return to the valley and tell of the God things God has done in our life in and through His son Jesus the Lord.   Let us celebrate our mountain top experience this week.  Allow the Lord to speak to our hearts, call us to listen to His Son, and do what he has called us to do.  To share the power of His love to transform our world to the reflect more and more the Kingdom of God.