By: Rev. J. Loren Russell, BA, MDiv.
Mark 9:2-9 (NKJV)
“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.! As they descended the mountainside he told them never to mention what they had seen until after he had risen from the dead.”
Most of us would like to have a mountaintop experience like Peter, James, and John, to witness first-hand the transfiguration of Jesus before their very eyes. An experience where they saw His clothes begin to shine and blaze in a brighter white than any laundry detergent could produce. An experience that enabled them to see in great splendor Moses and Elijah join Jesus and talk about His great mission to the world.
Peter, James, and John would go on to be the forefathers of the church, but right then, they were as amazed as any of us would be if we found ourselves in similar circumstances. The impetuous one known by the name of Peter, couldn’t hold his excitement and blurted out, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter wanted to freeze this experience and last his entire lifetime. He wasn’t yet aware that this mountaintop experience was for his ordinary realities.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached his own home-going service. On April 3, 1968, the night before he was assassinated, he talked about a mountaintop experience when he said, “Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place, but I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will, 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. So I’m happy tonight, I’m not worried about anything, I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
Rev. Dr. King realized that his mountaintop experience was for ordinary realities. To those who were with him and those who were there to hear his sermon, to stay at that Mason Hall and bask in the glory of those great words would have been nothing short of amazing. But like Peter, James, and John, the lives of the people was where the essence of that experience would gain its true meaning. They saw Jesus’ transfiguration, the brightness of His continence, the appearance of the prophets, but that was for the message they would take to ordinary realities, not for them to memorialize with a statue. The attendees of that sanitation workers union strike in Memphis saw their leader, heard his impassioned plea, felt his great love, but it was not to build a shrine in his honor, but to be encouraged to stand up for justice, equity, righteousness, and equality, ordinary realities, even if it cost them their lives.
Jesus knew the cross was awaiting Him, but He also knew that His crucifixion was the way of salvation. Rev. Dr. King could sense his death when he peered over the mountaintop and saw the Promised Land. Both mountaintop experiences were for ordinary realities; salvation and justice for humanity.
In 2024, should your mountaintop experience come, will you be ready to apply it to ordinary reality?
Be Blessed +++
Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at Goodwill Baptist Church and is the spiritual leader of the Evangelical Church of God, both in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company/J Loren R Consulting, LLC for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting (718-328-8096) and is the producer and host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Monday nights from 8:00 – 10:00 PM on The Matters of Faith YouTube channel. Be sure to ‘Friend, Like, and Share.” Email us at mattersoffaith.mof@gmail.com. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The eBook at www.smashwords.com/books/view/993177
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