“Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light.” —Matthew 17:1-2
Who doesn’t love a mountaintop experience? They energize us and often reveal a deeper aspect of our faith or a different side of Jesus. In fact, one of the first mountaintop experiences involved Jesus! He led Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain and revealed to them his glory as the Son of God. While they didn’t understand everything that was happening, they were forever changed.
For decades now Crossroads has sent our middle schoolers to The Great Escape every July. Originally it was held in Williams Bay on Lake Geneva; now for several years it has taken place at beautiful Green Lake. No matter where it’s been hosted, the band that performed, or the speakers giving the messages, every year our students find themselves on the mountaintop with Christ. Their faith is energized. They see Jesus in a new light. They trust him in deeper ways. And, when they are confirmed as 9th graders, many of them point to The Great Escape as the place where faith became especially real to them!
Mountaintop experiences can be super important to our journeys of faith. They remind us that joy and wonder are integral to our relationship with Christ. They provide refreshment after a difficult season. They give us the strength and vision to follow Jesus as he stretches our faith and invites us to follow him onto a new path. On the mountaintop, we realize that we are not alone. On the mountaintop, we get a glimpse of eternity!
Last week I got the chance to spend about 24 hours with our middle schoolers at The Great Escape. And it was a mountaintop experience for me! I watched our students worshiping with abandon. I witnessed our high school students throwing themselves into ministry to hundreds of middle schoolers. I saw our adult leaders and volunteers plan a phenomenal experience, offer care whenever needed, and guide students up to the mountaintop and back down again.
We can’t stay on the mountaintop forever. That is one of the lessons as we grow into maturity of faith. But these experiences hold an important place in our walk with Jesus. Pretty soon, we’ll be inviting Crossroadians back to Green Lake for a retreat of our own: The Great Getaway. I hope you’ll consider attending.
May the God who is with us on the mountaintops and in the valleys be especially present to you this day. May the Spirit lead us to places that build our faith and position us to bring hope to others. May we walk with Christ and be changed by his joy and steadfast love.
Grace upon grace,
Pastor Scott
