Bible Studies

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The Gospels
Matthew 17:1-9 - Rooted in Glory
Key Verses: (MSG)

• 1: "Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain." - Just prior to this Peter had been chastised as being Satan when he rebuked Jesus for predicting His death. Now Jesus takes him into the mountains to experience the glory of God.
  
  
• 2: "His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from His face. His clothes were filled with light." - "So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us." (John 1:14, NLT)
  
  
• 4: "Peter broke in, 'Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain--one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?'" - Immersed in the moment and wanting to prolong the experience as long as possible, Peter's heart burst with the desire to do something.
  
  
• 5: "While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: 'This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to Him.'" - There are times when words say too much and sound as babble and then there are times that the simplest of phrases can echo through eternity with hope, joy, and love.
  
  
• 6-7: "When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. ⁷But Jesus came over and touched them. 'Don't be afraid.'" - The revealing love of God changes lives and opens the doors to a new reality. The new future that lies ahead can appear daunting and fearful. Paralyzing terror could take hold if it were not for the knowledge that God is with us and we need to fear no more.
  
  
• 9: "Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. 'Don't breathe a word of what you've seen. After the Son of Man is raised from the dead, you are free to talk.'" - The disciples were cautioned to secrecy until they more fully understood what it was they had experienced.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Have you been on a Walk to Emmaus¹ or other spiritual retreat? Do you remember these mountaintop experiences? Do you recall who you were and what you were thinking prior to this experience? Were you struggling with your identity? Were you wrestling with God? Peter must have been in a very confused state of mind after his argument with Jesus. If you had been in Peter's shoes, what thoughts would have been going through your mind? Would you have been worried about the all the unfinished tasks being left behind? Would you have been skeptical about what lay ahead? Would a debate have been raging in your mind over the struggles in your life and the timeliness of this journey? Would you have been filled with high expectations or focused on the details of the accommodations and travel arrangements?
  
  
• Have you seen the glory of God? Have there been moments when you clearly could see and understand God's actions in your life? What was your reaction? Did you feel like charging out into the world, filled with a confidence that would move mountains? Did you feel like you had to do something - anything? Or did you feel that this glimpse of the Holy was a time for worship? Did you lift songs of praise? Did you try and bask in His glory as long as possible - perhaps building memorials to honor the event?
  
  
• Did you feel fear in your spiritual encounter? As you were being swept away with the glory of God did you suddenly realize how changed your life had become? Was a new future revealed? Did a new pathway open up before you? Were you overwhelmed with these changes? Were you struck with the realization that your call into ministry would mean risk and require steps of faith? Were you unsure if you could actually do what you knew God wanted you to do? Did you utter "Why me?" or "Are you sure I can do this, Lord?"
  
  
• Why not tell the world of your experience? "Jesus swore them to secrecy" - why? When you returned from the mountain, could words fully express your experience? Did you find yourself struggling in your attempts to share? Did you simply say, "You should have been there?" Did you struggle with understanding how to use this experience with your friends and family? Did you become better suited for this as time passed? Did this passing of time help you bring the understanding of your experience more fully into the context of your life?
  

Promises of the Gospel:

Peter, James, and John experienced a holy moment that would stay with them their entire lives. The glory of God is a wonder to behold. They are incredible moments of worship as the full impact of God's love enters our hearts. But no matter how wonderful these experiences are or how changed by the experience we become, we cannot stay on the mountain forever. We are not to build holy sanctuaries to their memories. We have tasks to perform, lives to live, and a kingdom to build. The good news is that the memories of our close encounters with God last a life time. It is not an experience like a roller coaster ride that wears off and solicits repeating. It is an experience that we will always strive to understand more fully and mesh into the context of our lives. As we leave the mountaintop and reenter the world we come to realize that the event itself is a personal moment that is difficult to share. We may not be able to tell anyone what truly happened but we will be fueled and energized into the ministries in which God has intended. The mountaintop becomes the foundation for our faith for the rest of our lives.

¹What is Emmaus?, sponsored by The Upper Room, a ministry unit of the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church.

FUMC Devotionals
BLOG: Reflections from the Left

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