The Call to Higher Ground
Sermon notes for February 15, 2026
First Reading: Exodus 24:12-18 Second: Matthew 17:1-9
Exodus 24:12-18
The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there; I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up onto the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come back to you. Look, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.” Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the Israelites. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
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Matthew 17:1-9
Christ revealed as God’s beloved Son
17:1Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.
17:2And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light.
17:3Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.
17:4Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
17:5While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”
17:6When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear.
17:7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.”
17:8And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
17:9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
From The Mountain To The Valley.
The Texts: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain and stay here…’” — Exodus 24:12
“There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun…” — Matthew 17:2
1. The Call to Higher Ground: From “To-Do” to “To-Be”
I remember watching Sesame Street with my kids. There was the time that Grover was demonstrating near and far. He would move very close to the camera and say, “Near” then he would move a long way away from the camera and say, “Far!” He repeated it over and over. It was very memorable.
I mention this because these two scriptures also, in their own way, demonstrate far and near. The messages from Exodus and Matthew are a move from far to near.
At Sinai, the people stood at the base of the mountain, trembling. They were far from God, who they witnessed as a fire that consumed. The relationship was negotiated through stone tablets. It was transactional: “Do this, and live. Fail this, and perish.”
In the Transfiguration, the fire doesn’t destroy the person; it reveals the person. Jesus doesn’t bring new rules to memorize; He brings a New Life to participate in.
The Law is a mirror that shows you how dirty your soul is.
The Transfiguration is what actually cleanses it.
2. The Art of “Staying Put”: Resisting the Impatient Spirit
We live in an age of “Life Hacks” and “3-Minute Devotionals.” We want the wisdom of a sage with no more effort than microwaving a burrito. But Moses and the Disciples remind us that revelation requires duration.
God told Moses to “stay here.” Why? Because it takes time for our internal noise to quiet down enough to hear the “still, small voice.”
The Six-Day Silence: Moses waited six days for God to speak. That’s a lot of time to think. Maybe God was waiting for Moses’s soul to grow quiet so he could really listen.
Sometimes staying put means resisting the urge to “fix” our lives and instead letting God “fill” our lives.
3. Spiritual Metamorphosis: The “Butterfly” Effect
The Bible says that Jesus was transformed. The Greek word used was metamorphoō; it implies a change from the inside out just like a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.
This isn’t just an external change, that would be like putting a tutu on a pig. It doesn’t change the pig into a ballerina. She’s just a strangely dressed farm animal. Transformation is about becoming a new creature entirely.
When we accept Christ we also are metamorphosed, as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!
We may not glow like the Son but Christ’s light should shine through us
Moving toward Christian Perfection can be thought of as building a house. Just as a house is not complete without a strong foundation. Our spiritual growth and relationship with God needs a solid foundation as well. As we strive to become more Christ-like, we must not only focus on the superficial areas of our faith, but also the deeper, hidden aspects of our lives.
It is not enough for God to just come and tidy up the living room of our faith, we must also allow Him to renovate the basement and the attic – the hidden parts of our hearts and minds. Only then can we truly experience the fullness of God’s love and live out our purpose as His children.
When the light of Christ fills a room, the shadows (our pride, our ego, our need to be right) naturally flee. Perfection is often associated with being flawless and without any imperfections. However, true perfection is not just about the external appearance.
It goes much deeper than that. Perfection is about having a heart that is so pure, kind, and full of love that it has no room for malice. It’s about being faultless in terms of having a loving and compassionate nature towards others. It’s about cultivating a heart that is free from negativity and hate, and instead filled with empathy, understanding, and love for all.
4. “Listen to Him”
Peter’s reaction to glory was to start a construction project. “Let’s build three shelters!”
How often do we do the same: we experience a moment of grace and immediately try to treat it like a new law or systematize it, or market it, or turn it into a 5-step program.
The Father’s voice literally interrupts Peter. Verse 5 says, While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”
I’ve often thought that “Be still, and know that I am God” in Psalm 46:10 was just a polite way of telling me to “Shut up and listen!”
Listen to him: If what you’re hearing in your head doesn’t sound like the grace, mercy, and truth of Jesus, it’s not the Father speaking.
Listening to God is a crucial aspect of living a Christian life. By focusing on the teachings and guidance of Jesus, we can move away from the noise and distractions of the world and follow a single, guiding voice.
This allows us to cut through the confusion and simplify our approach to living as a Christian. By following Jesus, we are able to prioritize our actions and decisions based on his teachings of love, compassion, and grace. But to know his teachings we have to actually read the Bible.
5. Taking the Glow into the Valley
The mountaintop wasn’t a retirement plan; it was a refueling stop. The disciples wanted to stay on the peak, but the miracle was meant to be taken with them back down the mountain. This enlightenment is meant to be shared.
Real spirituality isn’t measured by how inspired you are during worship, but by what you take with you when your feet hit the road. We must live daily in the reality that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God.
Just as the moon has no light of its own but only reflects the sun’s light, we don’t have our own light. We just have to spend enough time near the Light Source to reflect the Son’s light into the dark corners of our work places, schools, and homes.
Perhaps a lighthouse is a better analogy than the moon. In a traditional lighthouse, the light source (Christ) remains steady while a lens or a mirror rotates to create a sweeping beam to help guide the way.
So be the lighthouse. Lighthouses just shine steadily while the storm crashes around them. Your peace in a crisis is the most powerful sermon you’ll ever preach.
Because, in a crisis, people instinctively look for a “non-anxious presence.” When you remain grounded in your faith, you provide an anchor for everyone else. You aren’t just telling them things will be okay; you are showing them that you are okay, which is infinitely more convincing.
The mountain shouldn’t be a place to hide from the world. Peter wanted to live on the mountain top. It’s a great place to visit. Those mountaintop experiences are truly life altering but we need to live that new life in the valleys among others where it truly matters.
Amen.
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Opening Prayer
Gracious and Almighty God, You are the One who speaks in the thunder of the mountain and the silence of the heart. We ask that you help us to leave our checklists, our laundry lists, and our “to-do” lists at the trailhead so we can focus entirely on You.
Lord, we admit we are often like Peter. We start talking before we’ve started listening. Silence our inner chatter. If our hearts are like those stone tablets, cold and hard, write Your love upon them with Your own finger today. Transfigure our thoughts and clear our vision, so that we might see Jesus. We don’t just want to hear a talk about You; we want to encounter the Living Light that is You.
Amen.
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Closing Prayer
Lord God, we thank You that You don’t leave us shivering at the foot of Sinai, wondering if we’ve been “good enough.” Thank You for the gift of Your Son, who stepped into our darkness so we could share in His light.
Forgive us for the times we’ve tried to build “booths” around our spiritual experiences trying to bottle up Your Spirit instead of letting Him change us. We ask now for that heart strangely warmed and a life completely surrendered. As we prepare to head back down into the “valleys” of our Monday mornings, our offices, and our kitchens, don’t let the glow fade. May the love we’ve found here become the love we share out there.
Amen.
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Benediction
Now, as you go down from this place, May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He give you a “Moses-like” courage to seek His face, A “Peter-like” passion to follow His lead, And a “Jesus-like” light that shines through your very skin.
Go forth with your hearts warmed, your minds cleared, and your lives transfigured.
Don’t just carry the Word; reflect the Light.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Go in peace. Amen.
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