{"id":780,"date":"2024-02-15T17:42:01","date_gmt":"2024-02-15T17:42:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=780"},"modified":"2025-12-15T20:46:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T20:46:50","slug":"lessons-from-the-mountain-top","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/lessons-from-the-mountain-top\/","title":{"rendered":"LESSONS FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LESSONS FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark 9:2-9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, if you have your Bibles \u2014 turn with me to Mark 9. It\u2019s there that Mark (an associate of the apostle<\/strong> Peter<\/strong>), tells us a story about Jesus.<\/strong> In fact, this is one of the most significant stories in all the BIBLE. It\u2019s one of those stories that shows up in several places in the New Testament \u2014 revealing the importance of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s here, in this story that Jesus reveals His identity and defines His greatness to 3 of His closest friends. It’s a story we often refer to as The Transfiguration.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it just happens to take place \u2014 on a mountain top!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mountains are such curious things. Did you know, the Bible mentions mountains over 570 times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, I know y\u2019all live here by the water, so I\u2019m guessing most of your are beach people.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And why wouldn\u2019t you be? This coastal area is so beautiful. Within about 10 minutes you can be on the sand or soaking in the sun, listening to the waves crash against the shore. It\u2019s amazing here. And I bet it was the water and the sand and the sun that brought some of you to this area.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, as much as you may love the coast \u2014 I love the mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think I\u2019ve always been a mountain guy. Even as a young boy. I grew up in South Florida, near the beach and the sand. I grew up collecting shells and sand-dollars, and going deep-sea fishing. But\u2026there was something about the mountains that always intrigued me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every year (as a boy) my family would escape the heat of South Florida and head for the cool air of the Smokey Mountains. We vacationed there (every summer). When I was 7 or 8, my dad bought several acres on the top of a mountain and built a beautiful cabin there for our family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, I have so many memories from that place. One of my favorite things to do was hiking in the woods. I would get up in the morning \u2014 and play outside until dark. I remember picking wild berries and splashing in the streams. Some days I\u2019d fish the river, or tube down Deep Creek. When evening came, I would collect lightning bugs in a mason jar. And go to bed\u2026dreaming about doing it all over again. I just love the mountains!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, the mountains have a special place in my heart and mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But one thing I learned early on \u2014 was that Mountain Tops are important\u2014 but that\u2019s not where we live. We went to the mountains to rest and retreat \u2014 to find inspiration, and encouragement. But we didn\u2019t live there. We lived in Florida\u2026but those mountain top moments seemed to charge us up for living our lives down below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s one of the lessons we learn in the story found in Mark 9. Mountain top moments prepare us for life down below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you\u2019ve got your Bibles \u2014 turn the with me. Mark chapter 9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRANSITION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow along as I read. Beginning in verse 2,<\/strong> Mark<\/strong> writes…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.\u00a03 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.<\/em> 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.\u00a0<\/em> 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters \u2014 one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)<\/em> 7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.\u00a0<\/em> 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark 9:2-9<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow, what a story! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus was transfigured before them. CHANGED! That\u2019s a special word \u2014 it\u2019s actually the word from which we get our scientific word \u201cmetamorphosis.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you remember that word from your middle-school science class? A met<\/strong>amorphosis<\/strong> is that change that caterpillars go through as they transform into butterflies.\u00a0It\u2019s that change in their being that reveals something MORE<\/strong>! And that\u2019s what happens here to Jesus<\/strong>. He reveals something MORE!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul reminds us that this wasn\u2019t the first time Jesus transformed. In fact, when He came from Heaven to Earth, He transformed into human form. As Paul put it:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6<\/em><\/strong>(Jesus), <\/em>Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;<\/em> 7<\/em><\/strong> rather, <\/em>he made himself nothing<\/em> by <\/em>taking the very nature<\/em> of a servant, <\/em>being made in human likeness<\/em>.<\/em> 8 <\/em><\/strong>And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death\u2014even death on a cross!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, Jesus, WHO IS GOD \u2014 first transformed himself into the form of a man. But then on that mountain top, He was transformed again, revealing His true identity\u2026showing them that He was God in flesh\u2026(100% God \u2014 100% man). Or as the\u00a0 4th century Nicene Creed<\/strong> puts it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HE IS\u2026\u201cGod of God, Light of Light, very God of very God;\u00a0begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s who He is. Jesus is fully God! .\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And they needed to know that\u2026because Jesus was about to leave them and head to the cross. And His death would shake them up\u2026but they would be able to look back upon this moment \u2014 this mountain top moment and remember the LESSONS Jesus taught them.\u00a0They needed the MOUNTAIN TOP MOMENT\u2026and so do we!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MESSAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, in the time that remains, I want to give you three lessons that we find in this story \u2014 <\/strong>to help you live well! <\/em><\/strong>To help you<\/em>walk in victory when life gets hard. <\/em><\/strong>And the first one is this: Like these disciples\u2026we must GET ALONE WITH GOD!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. We Must\u2026GET ALONE WITH GOD.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notice again\u2026in verse 2, Mark<\/strong> tells us,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 \u201c\u2026Jesus took (them)\u2026with him and led them up a high mountain, <\/em>where they were all alone<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus<\/strong> took them to a place without distractions. A place, where they could be alone with Him. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the places they went were crowded with people<\/strong>. Most of the places they went filled with busyness and stress and serving others. But Jesus<\/strong> knew that you can only pour out what has first been poured in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the way we refill our lives is by GETTING ALONE WITH GOD! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s what happened on that mountain top.\u00a0 Understand \u2014 the time we spend alone with God has the potential to change our lives.\u00a0When Luke writes about this\u2026He describes their ALONE TIME as PRAYER TIME. He says they went up the mountain “to pray.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n