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Week:08, Season:1,
2012
Posted on Saturday by PCT
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Peak Experience
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Scripture：《
Mark 9:2-9
》
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.
5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
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The song of praise Let Me, is often sung by young people, and is one which I like very much. Composed by Hsieh Shu-Li, with lyrics by Liu Hung-Wen, it goes something like this: “You saved me with a heavy price, let me escape from the river of sins, made the humble me rescued by faith; You sent the Holy Spirit to help me, made the new I be better than the old I, Lord lead me climb toward the spiritual peak. Let me praise You more than just lyrics, let me worship You more than just styles, let me serve You more than just hands, let me pray more than just mouth; let me love without mock, let me treat people with my full heart, let me learn to obey, and decorate my life in Your holiness.” (Translated from the original Chinese lyrics; not authorised.)
These words describe the progression of personal spiritual development, inviting us to pursue with eagerness the path of personal spiritual growth toward the ‘peak’ (a metaphor for spiritual experience, rather than a real mountain peak). In the passage we read today, what Jesus and his disciples show us on the mountain is a unique ‘peak experience.’
Why did Jesus take his disciples up the mountain？
It was six days earlier that Jesus had predicted the time of his crucifixion, telling his disciples that he would die and be raised up on the third day. The disciples were at a loss to understand why Jesus constantly spoke about his death and resurrection. So that they might fully understand the costly price that he was about to pay, and how great the salvation he was destined to fulfil, Jesus took Peter, James and John to the mountain to be alone. There, in front of their very eyes, Jesus underwent his transfiguration. His clothes became a dazzling white, and the three disciples saw Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. Then a cloud seemed to come down and obscure the three of them, and they heard a voice – which it was clear to them all was the voice of God – coming from the cloud commanding them to listen to Jesus, God’s Son, “ – whom I love. Listen to him!”
During this unique experience, the first response Peter had was one of being intoxicated with a feeling of great happiness. He said to Jesus, ““Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” But then he and others were so frightened that they did not know what to say.
Our understanding is that this passage (which also appears in Mark 17:1-13 and Luke 9:28-36 and refers to the transfiguration of Jesus) conveys several messages:
1. Jesus is predicting that after His crucifixion and coming into glory, he will sit on His throne;
2. The work of the laws of the Old Testament and prophets will be fulfilled in their entirety through this Messiah;
3. God speaks, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!” revealing the identity, the mission and the authority Jesus owns.
These visions shocked and confused the disciples; not surprisingly, this unique experience was beyond the scope of their understanding. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man [has] risen from the dead.” Owning such an astounding, exceptional, and holy experience whilst not being allowed to share it with others must have made its impact even greater. (Peter even mentions this unique ‘peak experience’ again in 2 Peter 1:16-18 when he talked about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power!)
More easy to have “peak experience” in the mountain？
Perhaps psychologist Abraham Maslow had read the story of the transfiguration of Jesus. His famous hierarchy of needs, published in 1943, progresses from those which are basic – in other words, physiologically necessary – to those which he states are required for ‘self-actualization’. He talks about the concept of ‘peak experience’, applying the term to those particularly temporary joyous and exciting moments in life, involving sudden feelings of intense happiness and well-being, wonder and awe, and possibly also involving an awareness of transcendental unity or knowledge of higher truth. They usually come on suddenly when entering an overwhelming state which is often inspired by the beauty of nature, exposure to great art or music, or intense feelings of love. At that moment, we experience the integration of heavenly feelings: purity, goodness, beauty and holiness. In religious terms, the idea of ‘peak experience’ refers to a holy experience of the highest spiritual status.
Although the ‘peak experience’ does not have to happen on a mountain, our knowledge of Scriptures indicates that the mountain seems to act as a bridge between heaven and earth. People feel closer to God on (the summit of？) the mountain, more easily able to seek and experience the Lord. No wonder some Christian organisations have established the ‘prayer mountain’ (insert a clause explaining what this is). It helps people set a time aside from their daily responsibilities, in which to try to seek and feel the unique and holy ‘peak experience’. Of course, after this ‘peak experience’, people still need to go back to the ordinary demands of their everyday life – just as the disciples of Jesus needed to leave the mountain. Even so, after such a transformative experience, the recognition of faith life and sense of missionary are changed. We can say that ‘peak experience’ is an essential process of our spiritual growth.
Aboriginal church is our important spiritual asset
Since ‘peak experience’ is so precious and significant, surely the aboriginal church in the mountain district must be one of our most important spiritual assets？ For a long time, geographical and logistical constraints have rendered Taiwan's indigenous people more vulnerable in terms of economic, educational, health care and other resources. They need help from churches in the city. At the same time, the aboriginal church is a great blessing to the local church. In the past, the indigenous ministry was called the ‘20th century’s miracle’ in terms of Taiwan’s mission, where Christian faith became integrated into the indigenous lifestyle and brought about Christian spiritual fulfilment in aboriginal life. Today, aboriginal churches connect with their local sister churches closely through fellowship and the sharing of ‘peak experience’. They also invite local sister churches to the mountain to experience ‘peak experience’ so that they can understand and support each other. This is what ‘the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain’ brings us, along with a reminder of “Indigenous Ministry Sunday”. May we pay more attention to the aboriginal church, this important spiritual asset.
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For discussion：
1. Why did Jesus take his disciples to the mountain and undergo his transfiguration in front of them？ What help comes from this to the disciples？
2. Share your ‘peak experience’. How did such an experience help your faith to grow？
Please pray for：
1.Pray that we can identify and keep separate a special time, away from our daily work, to seek and feel the unique and holy ‘peak experience.’
2.Pray for the aboriginal church in the mountain district. May we learn to cherish such a valuable spiritual asset, and thereby help and support each other.
Prayer：
Dear Jesus, thank you for leading your disciples to the mountain and transfiguring there to reveal the mystery of your crucifixion and glory, your identity, mission and authority. You are the sum of all laws and prophets. We fear you! Human weakness often makes us lost to the earthly concerns and business of everyday tasks. Please help us learn to separate ourselves and attain the highest mountain summit, where we can seek your face and receive the ‘peak experience.’ May this become our motivation to move forward. Please bless our brothers and sisters from the aboriginal church. May what they lack be fulfilled. May the richness of their spirit become others’ blessing. May both of our communities come closer together through the ‘peak experience’ granted by you. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Something you can do：
1.Open the catalogue of church in Taiwan and pray for the aboriginal churches near the place you live.
2.Consider holding church meetings/fellowship meetings at the aboriginal church. Furthermore, establish a sister church, unifying your church and one of the aboriginal churches. Develop a long-term relationship and work with each other.
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