Title: Conquering The Mountains
Theme: Surviving the Ascent to the Height of Spirituality
Introduction: There is a misunderstanding about the Christian walk. Many have convinced themselves that once you have surrendered your life to Christ, there is an easy pathway that is leveled out for you to follow, one that is clearly marked, one that just takes you right to the peak of spirituality. Someone once said, "On the Mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow." (Friedrich Nietzsche) Mark Udall said, "You don't climb mountains without a team, you don't climb mountains without being fit, you don't climb mountains without being prepared and you don't climb mountains without balancing the risks and rewards. And you never climb a mountain on accident - it has to be intentional."
Proposition: I would propose to you that God has set before you mountains that you must intentionally climb; mountains you cannot climb alone, mountains you must spiritually train and condition for.
Interrogative Sentence: What are the mountains everyone must climb? How can these mountains be Biblically conquered?
Transitional Sentence: Before Christians can begin their climb, they must acknowledge the risks involved as well as acknowledging the reality, there is a devastating enemy of their souls. 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
The Bible has given names to our enemy (ὁ ἀντιδικος ὑμων [ho antidikos humōn]), which clearly describe his character: adversary, the devil, a roaring lion. As an adversary, he is the enemy that pleads your soul to follow his example while he litigates against you. As the devil, he is the grand accuser of all the brethren; this title is derived from a word which signifies to strike. He would strike our human nature, so to poison the soul. As a roaring lion, he is hungry, fierce, strong, and cruel, the fierce and greedy pursuer of souls as prey. (Matthew Henry Commentary; Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the whole Bible) Satan is called "Apollyon" (Revelation 9:11, Bible Knowledge Commentary) meaning destroyer, he is "the tempter" (Matthew 4:3), he is "the evil one" the one who has the world under his control (1 John 5:18-19) presiding over mankind's anti-God life styles. (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4)
While you live on this earth, God may have your heart, but Satan will have free reign to attack your mind; therefore, putting you in a position of having to constantly plan and work hard to overcome his schemes. You will have to seek out a team, keep yourself spiritually fit and balance the risk with the rewards in order to survive his persistence. .
"There is the story of a lady who never spoke ill of anybody. 'I believe you would say something good even about the devil,' a friend told her. "Well,' she said, 'you certainly do have to admire his persistence." Satan is an adversary who is unbeatable apart from the protection and empowerment of Jesus Christ as we ascend to the mountaintop of a satisfying Christian walk. He knows how to stalk us in the wilderness of sin. (Genesis 6:5; Psalm 53:3; Isaiah 53:6; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:23)
Transitional Sentence: In this message we will consider four mountains that everyone must face. In addition, these mountains must be climbed many times during our lifetime on this earth. However, there is great news: Jesus gave a teaching about having faith in Him through the power of prayer.
Jesus said, "you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea, and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:21-22) The Lord is asking us to completely trust His empowerment and authority as we take on the hard things, things that seem totally impossible. Jesus is teaching us to use the channel of prayer to tackle and remove mountains of difficulty. (Daily Study Bible Series; Bible Knowledge Commentary) The point, "If you believe" is the issue at hand. (Matthew Henry Commentary; The New Bible Commentary; The Bible Exposition Commentary) As Christians live in this sin-cursed world it is imperative they have faith in prayer to petition the Christ who can move mountains, because He has promised help, guidance and eternal life.
Transitional Sentence: Once faith is established, Christians can seek the Lord to enable them to conquer Mount of Olives. Mount of Olives is a mountain everyone must climb in their walk with the Lord. Mount of Olives is known as the "Mount of Corruption" (Tyndale Bible Dictionary) and the "Mount of Offense." (Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
Four great events took place on the Mount of Olives: the triumphal entry. (Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1), the Olivet Discourse (the prediction of Jerusalem's eventual overthrow and the description of the signs of the end times) (The Handbook to Bible Study, Matthew 24:1-25; Mark 13:3-37) and Jesus' place of agony prayer and betrayal by Judas. At the base of the Mount of Olives was the Garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26:36-56 records the written account that led to Jesus' prayer, betrayal and capture, (Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The New Manners and Customs of the Bible) where Jesus revealed to His disciples of His knowledge of their falling away, deserting Him. (Matthew 26:31-35) and finally, the Ascension of Christ, the men of Galilee stood and watched the resurrected Christ be risen up to heaven. (Acts 1:11-12; Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
As we are climbing the mountain to reach the peak of our spirituality, like the disciples who walked with Jesus on the Mount of Olives, everyone will be given that opportunity of staying faithful to their pledges made to the Lord. On the Mount of Olives Peter declared, "even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." It is interesting the Bible records that, "all the other disciples said the same thing." (Matthew 26:35) As also recorded when Jesus was arrested, all the disciples deserted Him. (Matthew 26:56)
Good people who want to serve the Lord can be over-confident of their own strength and stability. We think we are able to with stand the strongest temptations and jump right into the biggest battle for the Lord. (Matthew Henry Commentary) All of us are able to make a noble speech and we mean well. (Word Pictures in the New Testament) The Bible has a warning for us all; 1 Corinthians 10:12, "So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you do not fall." St. Augustine made a comment about Peter that fits us as well, "He thought he was able."
The great news: through Jesus' prayer, Peter conquered his failure on the Mount of Olives. Luke's written account, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-13 NIV)
As we climb our mountain of keeping our pledges to the Lord and as we rejoice over the fact Jesus prayed for Peter, we can rest upon the truth Jesus prayed for us. (John 17:6-26) It must be understood, while on that mountain of failure, Peter's denial was certainly proof that he was not yet able to assume his predicted position in the Body of Christ. (Tyndale Bible Dictionary) Everyone who climbed the Mount of Olives with Jesus failed their ascent in their walk with the Lord; however, they conquered their Mount of Olives later.
We know Peter had two events lead to the new empowered Peter who fills the pages of the Book of Acts with all the mighty works he did under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, which also enabled him to write 1 and 2 Peter. In John 21:15-17 we read of Jesus reinstatement of Peter. In Luke 24:34 and 1 Corinthians 15:5 we read of the resurrection appearance of the Lord to Peter. (Tyndale Bible Dictionary)
That is exciting news to me; many times I have failed my pledge to the Lord and I several occasions later conquered my Mount of Olives.
Transitional Sentence: It was at the base of the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus made His pledge to the father during a desperate prayer, "Yet not as I will, but as you will," (Matthew 26:39) which led Him to Mount Calvary. Mount Calvary is the mountain that Jesus and two criminals were crucified on. Listen to what Luke writes, "As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus." (Luke 23:26) "Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left." (Luke 23:32-33) "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: 'Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don’t you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this Man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.'” (Luke 23:39-43)
"Calvary's Hill had three crosses. Christ on the center one, the 'Cross of Redemption.' It is the place where judgment is no longer held against Christians because of their sins. The payment due for those sins have been completely paid for by the sacrificial death of Christ. On one side was the Cross of Reception—a sinner who received the shed blood of Christ as payment for his sin. The Cross of Reception shows the grace and mercy of God, even though it was a last-minute salvation. It could also be called the Cross of Repentance. Christ told him, 'Today, you will be with Me in Paradise,' (Luke 23:43). This is the cross of Rejoicing. Are you on the Cross of Reception? On the other side, the Cross of Rejection - a sinner who rejected Christ's payment; This criminal remained on the Cross of Eternal Remorse and Regret." (David E. Matthews - AMG Bible Illustrations) The only way of conquering Mount Calvary is to embrace the "Cross of Redemption," by accepting Jesus as personal Savior and Lord.
Transitional Sentence: Conquering Mount Calvary leads you to the covenant of Mount Sinai. The Bible says, "In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt... they came to the Desert of Sinai. ... Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, 'This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel... Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...’" (Exodus 19:1-6 NIV)
"Covenant" (בְּרִית berîṯ) is a noun meaning an alliance, agreement based on a special relationship with God. (The Complete Word Study of the Old Testament; Tyndale Bible Dictionary; Strong's Hebrew #1285) Psalm 25:14 says, "The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.
The Mount Sinai covenant is for us today, 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)
In both Hebrew and Greek, the phrase means “priest whom God has complete sway over.” (Daily Study Bible Series) Christians who successively ascend in their walk with the Lord, conquer Mount Sinai by getting ready to hear from God. (Exodus 19:9-15; Willmington's Bible Handbook) We are to be like the people who made their way to Mount Sinai, "We will do everything the Lord has said." (Exodus 19:8)
The only way of reaching the summit of Mount Sinai is to walk in full obedience to the covenant the Lord has made with you. Everyone who has served the Lord knows that hearing from and enjoying the Holy Spirit's presence in ones life is to get done all the Lord has called you do. After accomplishing all you can comes more provision, direction, and protection from the God who calls you His treasured people.
"The first act of grateful Noah was to build an altar and worship God, thanking Him for deliverance from the flood. Then the Lord made a covenant with Noah. Never again would he destroy the world by water. The rainbow was given as a covenant sign." (Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary) I think of that covenant every time I see a rainbow.
Transitional Sentence: Conquering Mount Sinai through obedience to God's covenant brings us the final mountain, Mount Moriah, known as "The Mountain of Sacrifice." (Smiths Bible Dictionary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary)
It was on Mount Moriah, Abraham offered the son he loved as a sacrifice. Genesis 22 says, "...God tested Abraham... take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you. ...When they had reached the place God had told him, Abraham built an altar, arranged the wood... bound... Isaac and laid him on the altar... Then [Abraham] took the knife to slay his son. ...The angel of the Lord called out to him... 'do not lay a hand on the boy... Now I know that you fear God, because you have not with held from Me your son.'"
What determines the success of our ascent up Mount Moriah is our willingness to freely give our entire lives and everything we own to the Lord as a sacrifice unto His work. "It is on this mountain the Lord ask for all or nothing." (Rev. Mario A. Bruni D. Div.) God gave His all for us upon the altar of sacrifice, the Cross of Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)
Jospeh Stowell wrote, "The New Testament is the full allusions to sacrifices, sacrifices that we perform in the cathedral of our bodies instead of at a temple. The totality of our being is to be 'living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God...' (Romans 12:1) (Fan The Flame, J.Stowell, Moody, 1986, p 74) St, Augustine wrote, "Thus a true sacrifice is every work which is done that we may be united to God in holy fellowship, and which has a reference to that supreme good and end in which alone we can be truly blessed." (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, St Augustine's City of God and Christian Doctrine)
The American Bible Society shared the story of one of my heroes of the faith who conquered his own Mount Moriah. "Hundreds of years ago, it was a crime to own the Bible in the English Language. The ban was broken by a few courage's men of God whose eyes were open to the need of the people of having a Bible they could read. One of those in that company was William Tyndale. Because he vowed, 'Every plowboy should know the Scriptures,' he was forced to leave his native England, never to return. Working in Europe, he labored long years to translate the Bible into English. He printed the first New Testament in 1525 and with the help of friends smuggled thousands of copies into England. Finally he was arrested and held in solitary confinement in a cold, dark jail in Vilvorde, Belgium. Then he was burned at the stake. His last words were, 'Lord, open the Kings of England's eyes.' (Kinight's Treasury of 2,000 Illustrations) Because of him and others who sacrificed their lives, you and I have the Bible in the English language today.
No enemy can overcome what God has spoken forth. He will use all who are willing to give their all for Him. When God brings us to Mount Moriah, will we freely become the sacrifice God requires?
In Closing: Every born again believer must face the four mountains: the Mount of Olives, that spiritual challenge of staying faithful to our pledges to the Lord; Mount Calvary, that spiritual place were he have put our lives and hearts under the Cross of Redemption; Mount Sinai, that place where Christians must learn from Him so they can be a special people serving God whole heatedly; lastly, Mount Moriah, that spiritual heart that is willing to sacrifice it all for the cause of Christ, His kingdom, and the reaching out for souls of mankind. Let us pray!
