Matthew 17:1-21 Peter's Progress: On the Mountain

This is a summary of a sermon preached for the people of Friendship UMC in Cincinnati, OH. Listen to the audio, here.There are several research projects being conducted about the effects of photography on ones ability to remember. The rise of camera availability in cell phones, tablets, and watches (soon, I'm sure.), has increased our dependency upon them. No doubt each one of us has been at a game, concert, or parade, where we have our phones out, ready to capture the perfect moment. Well, studies are now showing that when we do that we are actually "outsourcing our memory." That is, we are giving our brains a break, and trusting our phones to do the hard work of remembering. Tragically this means that in our attempt to capture a moment, we are actually distancing ourselves from it.In the text we are considering, we might say that Peter is doing just that. He is so enamored by the moment that he finds himself trying to freeze the it, and make it last forever. We really cannot blame him; after all, he is finally seeing Jesus as he expected him to be all along. Wasn't it just the previous chapter where Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah (but not the suffering one)? Well now, right in front of him, stands a Messiah in the manner of Peter. Here we see Christ draped in glory and radiance, and hanging out with influential people. None of that suffering stuff!If Peter had a camera who could blame him for rushing up and saying, "Would it be okay for me to take a picture of you 3 talking? And Elijah, when I'm done, would you mind getting one with me, Jesus, and Moses?" This is his moment, he loves it here, he doesn't want it to end, so the camera flashes.

"Lord, it is good for us to be here," he excitedly proclaims, "if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

He is so excited about this moment, so wanting it to extend, that he actually interrupts a conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. I think it's good to pause and let that settle in. Peter was so excited that he interrupted a conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah! And all because he wanted to make the moment last forever. But as we saw above, in his attempts to extend the moment, he was actually missing out on it. He was missing out on an important lesson that he failed to grasp in the previous chapter. So he interrupts a conversation that he should've been jotted down notes on.I love the way this story is captured. Peter interrupts Jesus, and then Jesus' Father interrupts Peter! Isn't that fantastic? It's not only fantastic, but it is an incredible symbol of God's grace. He offers Peter a corrective, and advice that, if heeded, will come in handy for the rest of his life.

"This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"

Listen to him. That is what Peter needed to do. That is what we all need to do. We need to learn to hear the voice of Jesus in every situation. We need to be well practiced at hearing what he has to say in every aspect of life. This is how we actually enter more fully into each and every moment. It is not by freezing the moment, but by taking heed to the Word within the moment.As they descend to the valley, another teaching opportunity presents itself. The remaining disciples have been having problems healing a man's son. Jesus calls the boy over to him, heals him, and then deals with his disciples."Why could we not cast it out?" This is actually a good question, because just 7 chapters ago they could cast it out. But now they cannot. Why is it that they cannot now do, what before they could do?The answer is often misunderstood. Jesus says, "Because of your little faith." Then he goes on to tell them that they need faith the size of a mustard seed. I do not think that Jesus is making a size comparison here. Indeed, I like the way the Young's literal translation puts it, "Through your want of faith." So, it's not simply that there faith was small, for a mustard seed is also small, but there faith was wanting. It was lacking a source it could be plugged into. For in the same way that a mustard seed in one's hand is useless, so unsourced, or disconnected faith, is also useless. And in the same way that a seed planted in the right ground grows, and bears fruit, so faith that is rooted in God will grow and bear God's fruit.

This kind of faith, says Jesus, makes it such that everything is possible to the one who possesses it. Indeed, he says that one possessing this kind of faith can command mountains to move, and they will move.Usually this is where the sermon ends. The preacher says, if you have faith in God everything will be possible, and then the benediction is given. But I wonder if there is one more lesson to be learned? I wonder what Peter, James, and John were thinking when they heard Jesus say, "For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."This is conjecture, but it's possible that they might've been thinking, "What mountain? What mountain is it that you're talking about, Jesus? Certainly you're not talking about the mountain we just came down. Why would we ever want to move that mountain?"

See, in Jewish literature the mountain is a place of divine revelation. It is where people expect God to speak to them; just ask Elijah, Moses, and Abraham. And now Peter, James, and John, have had the most impactful experience of them all, and Jesus is talking about how faith can move the mountain.Question: Why would anyone want to move a mountain upon which they had their most life altering God moment?Answer: Because the mountain is no longer necessary to have an interactive relationship with God.Does this mean that retreats and special times away are bad? No, but for those who think that they need to travel up the mountain to encounter the living God, this tells us otherwise. Through faith in Christ, through constantly seeking to hear and obey his word, we will become the kind of people who live in interactively with God, empowered by the Spirit, and nothing will be impossible for us.