Mountaintops and Valleys
Mark 9:2-9
February 26, 2006 – Transfiguration Sunday
University Christian Church, Seattle, WA
Rev. Sandy Messick

• It happened one day, in three different places, in three different ways, but it happened all the same.
• A man, standing hip deep in the ice-cold waters of a mountain stream. As he performs the perfect fly-fishing cast, his eye is caught by an eagle overhead. Unbidden, the words of a song rise to his lips, “And I will raise you up on eagle’s wings…” Suddenly, he’s in the presence of God.
• A young person on a church retreat gathering with her friends for the closing circle. With their arms around each other, they thank God for new friends, new faith. As they share their closing words, suddenly she knows she’s in the presence of God.
• A woman in a chapel sitting silently, a crumpled tissue in her hand. The familiar strains of the old familiar hymns wash over her, and she hears again the comforting words of favorite scriptures as they are read. Even there, as she lays her husband to rest, she too knows she’s in the presence of God.
• When have you felt like that? When and where were those moments when God felt most real? When have you been filled with the power and spirit of God and knew, without a doubt, that wherever you were, God was there too?
• Some of us find it here, in worship, when the choir drives you to applause or tears, and you find yourself praising the Great Composer of the Universe.
• Others find it at home, when holding a small child, or a tiny infant, and you find yourself praising the Source of all Life
• Some find it in nature, as the snow falls, or the sun sets, or the leaves change their color, and you find yourself praising the Creator of Heaven and Earth.
• Some even find it in the most lowly of places, in the homeless shelter, the AIDS clinic, the refugee camp, when faith somehow becomes more real, and you know without doubt that the God who loves and cherishes all people is alive and in your midst.
• When have you felt like that? When have you been filled with God’s spirit? When have you known, without a doubt, that you were in the presence of the living God.
• Some call that a mountaintop experience. I don’t know where that expression came from…maybe it came from this passage of scripture and others like it:
• Moses received the 10 commandments where? On a mountain.
• Elijah encountered God, not in fire, wind or an earthquake, but in a still small voice, where? On a mountain.
• And now, here in this passage from Mark, on this last Sunday before Lent, the story of the transfiguration. And where does it happen? On a mountain.
• For the disciples, for Peter, James, and John, the day started out like any other. Jesus led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. The disciples probably thought they were going to pray, to gain strength for the day, to be filled with Jesus’ words and teachings. But then, in the no frills manner of Mark, the gospel tells us that Jesus was transfigured before them. That his garments were made white, whiter than any Clorox commercial ever made. And there, do you see them, standing with Jesus, Elijah and Moses, two big names from the prophet hall of fame. Tradition held that both would reappear at the time of the Messiah, and here they were.
• And then, and then, a voice from heaven, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”
• Peter began to babble, because that’s what we do when we’re confronted with the unknown. “Jesus, it’s good we’re here. We can build booths for you. One for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah. Let’s see we’ll need wood and some nails and a nice plaque marking the spot, and a Visitor’s center and tour guides and…” Mark says that Peter “did not know what to say for they were exceedingly afraid.”
• Peter babbled because he was afraid. And because he wanted the moment to last. And because he wanted to stay on the mountain, capture the moment, freeze time. Jesus had already told them what was coming. He’d already warned them that he would suffer and die. Peter had already been rebuked for daring to tell Jesus to think positively and “surely that won’t happen to you.”
• Peter babbled because he was afraid, not only of what was happening but of what would happen and perhaps he thought that if they could just stay there, away from everything, safe on the mountain with the reminders of this experience around them, well then, maybe everything would be OK after all.
• Only just like that, the moment was gone. When Peter stopped talking and looked again, it was just Jesus standing there. And Jesus was telling him, “Come on Peter, it’s time to go home.”

• It would be nice, wouldn’t it, to stay on that mountain top. It would be nice, I suppose, to live eternally in the mountaintop experience. To remember the glory days, to build monuments to past greatness, to surround ourselves with memories of what was, the booths we have built in tribute, the scrapbooks we’ve collected. Like Peter, we want to babble on, “Lord, let us stay here, that we can truly worship you.”
• But like Peter, Jesus won’t let us do that. Jesus won’t let us stay on the mountain.
• Jesus came and touched Peter’s shoulder. “Come, arise, it’s time to go.” Peter looked up, the shining lights were gone. Moses and Elijah were gone. The moment had passed. It was time to leave the mountain and go back to the real world.
• And the truth is, life isn’t lived on the mountain, life is lived in the valleys. Life is lived in the everyday world.
• When Jesus came down from the mountain, he was immediately met by a man in need, his son was suffering from epilepsy. And Jesus healed the boy. In the valley. Away from the mountain. That’s where ministry takes place.
• But the Good News is that it is the memory of those mountaintop experiences that sustain us. It is the moments when we feel God’s presence most strongly that give us a glimpse of who God is, and who we are. And it is the memories of those mountaintops that give us strength to live out our ministries down below, in the valleys, on the streets, in all the places where God’s children are.
• And the best news of all my friends, is that it is Jesus who leads us down from the mountain. It is Christ who walks beside us even in, especially in the lowest places of life. Thanks be to God.