Jesus took his friends to pray with Him because he understood the need to communicate with God, to make sure He was within God's will, and to receive the necessary strength to face the difficulties which lay ahead. If the Son of God needed to pray with friends for these reasons, surely we need to do the same. By having a group of prayer partners in whom you may confide and seek support, we may have additional verification that we are within God's will and preparing for the future.
II. Enjoy the Mountain Top
Peter asked Jesus if they could build three shelters (temporary housing) for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Often the spiritual highs of life are so good, we never want to leave. Our preference is to stay permanently.
Advertisement
However, Jesus recognized that he had a task to complete, a mission to fulfill, and a destiny to embrace. He welcomed the affirmation from his Father, "This is my Son ... listen to Him." He rejoiced in the confirmation from Moses and Elijah about his necessary death. But God had blessed Christ with these events so that Christ could head down the mountain and be an everlasting blessing to the world.
When God blesses you with a spiritual high, it is because God has a purpose for you to pursue. He wants to equip you with the necessary resources to accomplish this purpose. So enjoy the moment, but never pro-long it. You have a future to be embraced.
III. Embrace the Future
Rather than staying, the next day Jesus, Peter, James and John came down from the mountain. Immediately confronting them was a demon-possessed boy who needed healing. Jesus healed the boy and then told the crowd of his impending betrayal, but no one understood. Instead, the disciples began to argue about which one of them would be the greatest.
As soon as you come down the mountain, expect a challenge; especially from Satan. There is nothing the devil would rather do than destroy a spiritual high by defeating you in the valley either through one of his agents (demon) or from within the body of believers (bickering and division). By anticipating this opposition, you can overcome whatever may come your way. Forewarned is forearmed.
Jesus had been "transfigured". He was prepared to set his face towards Jerusalem, die on the cross, and be resurrected on the third day. If we will follow his example by taking time to pray, enjoying the moment and embracing the future, we too can be equipped to recognize the coming difficulties and fulfill the purpose of God for our lives. (Craig Christina)
Sermon briefs for this issue are written by: Mark A. Johnson, Managing Editor, Preaching; Greg Barr, Pastor, Potomac Crest Baptist Church, Woodbridge, VA; Joseph Byrd, Pastor, Stewart Road Church of God, Monroe, MI; and Craig Christina, Public Relations, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY.