When we paused yesterday, we'd said that there was much to do "in the valley." That the mountain-top experience, while amazing, was not where they could stay.
Sometimes we must remind ourselves that Jesus came to earth for the people.
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free,19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16-21)Jesus quoted from Isaiah, and He gave the reason for His being here on earth..... He didn't come for the religious leaders, or the wealthy patriarchs. He came for the poor and the imprisoned; He came so that the silent could speak and the lame could walk. He was here to lift people from their poverty -- the poverty of body and soul.
He came because there were so many people who didn't understand the wonder of how God truly cares about us and our needs. Their spiritual lives were as dry as the dust on their sandals. He came to serve them. And that's why He couldn't let Peter, James, and John build shelters on the mountain. There was too much to do in the valley!
Worshiping on the mountain would have been great, but there was other "stuff" to do.
Now, don't get me wrong..... worship is vitally important to us as believers. But worship leads us to service. It was time for the disciples to come down off the mountain and engage -- time to get involved in the lives of people who needed healing of their hearts and souls. True success lies in service, and that flows out of a grateful, worshipful heart.
By today's standards, I guess the disciples and Jesus would not have seemed a success. But Jesus redefined success.....it's when we serve faithfully in the midst of people's needs.
How do we spell success?
What's important to us?
What are our goals in 2019?
Are we willing to come down off the mountain and get involved helping people who need Jesus?
It is very true that what we regard as success can be and usually is the polar opposite to God’s view!
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