The Mountain of God

Exodus 19.1-8 Throughout the Word of God Mountains have played an important roles in meeting with the LORD. Abraham went to Mount Moriah at the LORD’s Command to offer Isaac, his son, as a sacrifice there. Genesis 22.1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” When Jesus was going to reveal His Glory to Peter, John and James He took them up to Mount Hermon. Mark 9.1 And He said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” The Transfiguration 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. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. When Jesus was praying over which of the disciples would be His Apostles He went up on a mountain to pray. Luke 6. 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles:14 Simon (whom He named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. When Jesus ascended back into Heaven He led the Eleven up to the top of the Mount of Olives. Acts 1.9 After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,”they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. Abraham let Lot choose. Genesis 13. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. 14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” So now here is Moses going up on a mountain, at 80 years of age. It was a Holy Mountain. Here the Ten Commandments would be given. Israel would be given these tablets of stone which would be the basis for governmental order throughout the world for the ages. What was it about mountains? I have climbed a few. Pike Peak in Colorado would have been my biggest feet. The summit is 14,115 feet above sea level. My grandfather climbed it as a young man and I decided I wanted to as well. Left at dark to climb to the top of Mount Manitou then at Dawn up Barr Trail to the summit, stopped at a Ranger’s Station for oatmeal and coffee. It was up there the hymn, America, the Beautiful, was inspired and written by Kathleen Bates. President Woodrow Wilson was in that group in a horse drawn buggy. I have climbed Mountains in New Hampshire, Twin Mountains hold special memories for my family, for my girls. Sugarloaf Trail has been trodded on for Five Generations of Mancini’s. The mountain behind my parents’ property was also a climb with a beautiful view. We climbed it often. I would imagine some will make the trek in a few weeks when we gather for my Mom’s Celebration of Life. Will I join them? What is it about Mountains and the LORD? * Mountains Are To Be Climbed. v.3 When Moses went up to God… It takes effort. Going to the ocean or the bay takes little effort. You drive there and get out and sit. Mountain climbing means perspiration. You sweat. It is wise to take some hydration. Mountain climbing is not for the faint of heart. You are on an incline. Mountain climbing shows your strength. The weak should not do it. Warning on the trail leading up to Mount Washington in New Hampshire: Attempt this trail only if you are in excellent physical. Some have died from exhaustion and exposure on this trail. Mountain climbing gives you a different perspective. Similar to flying in an airplane. Looking down is so different than looking at. The view up here is very clear. Some of us need a different perspective this morning. We are living in a valley. You may have been raised that way. You do not need to live there. Climb up today! God is waiting for you. * Mountains Give Us Quiet Times To Hear God Speak. vs.4-6 It is quiet on the mountains. Noise is below. That is true even on a roof! When this old world starts getting me down And people are just too much for me to face I climb way up to the top of the stairs And all my cares just drift right into space On the roof, it's peaceful as can be And there the world below can't bother me Let me tell you now When I come home feelin' tired and beat I go up where the air is fresh and sweet (up on the roof) I get away from the hustling crowd And all that rat race noise down in the street (up on the roof) On the roof, the only place I know Where you just have to wish to make it so Let's go up on the roof (up on the roof) God called Moses up to meet with him. He did not want Moses distracted. God wanted his undivided attention. This was so important. He wants you with Him like this. He didn’t want him judging the hard cases. He wanted him, alone, away. Charlie and I golfing at Robert Moses on Tuesday Morning. Mountains mean little communication with others. Maybe none but a fellow pilgrim. When Habakkuk the prophet gave these words, The LORD is in His holy temple;     let all the earth be silent before Him. Habakkuk 2.20 * God Reveals His Plans on The Mountains. vs.7-8 The whole plan for the Tabernacle for worship was given to Moses on the Mountains. Jesus showed the inner circle what was to come, His Transfiguration. They were told not to telll anyone until after He rose from the dead. Peter wrote of it. II Peter 1. 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain. Promises are made on the mountains. v.8 Committed themselves to obey God. By now you are probably saying, “Pastor, we live on Long Island. There are no mountains here.” This is true. However spiritually we can according to God’s Word… We have this promise and this reality: Ephesians 2.4 But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. This is our experience. This is higher than the mountains of Earth! Because we are United with Christ. This gives us access to all the blessings of fellowship with Him. Jesus raises us up. This is a spiritual standing, one day to become a physical reality. I Thessalonians 4.13-18 We have not come to Mount Sinai but to Mount Zion Hebrews 12. 18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. He has called us Heavenward. Philippians 3. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press ontoward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. God has called us to Higher Ground each day! Get up into the Mountain of God! The LORD’s Supper