The text this morning is from Peter’s second epistle, the first chapter:
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.Thus far the text.
My dear friends in Christ,
Ah, Peter. The quintessential foot-in-the-mouth apostle. You know, very few times in the whole of Scripture does God the Father speak. When He does, you know it’s important. So, when He speaks at Jesus’s transfiguration, we’re surprised to find that it’s to shut Peter up. Peter doesn’t know what he’s saying when he offers to build three tents, so God the Father basically says to him, be quiet. I mean, wow, what do you do if you’re Peter? It’s hard enough when someone in front of you tells you to shut up, much less God. I think we’d all probably have a mess to clean up after such a word from God out of heaven.
But, it seems that this event served to cement Jesus’s standing in his mind. In fact, almost any time Peter speaks to Jesus from this point on is in the form of a question. He hears God’s Word and obeys it; he listens to Jesus. But Peter says there is a greater thing than having been on the mountain, and you have it.
The transfiguration is kind of a weird event for us. It’s where Jesus’ divinity shines through His humanity. It’s a glimpse into who He is, as He has hidden Himself in His flesh, that He might truly be one of us. Peter and the apostles had seen Jesus do amazing miracles. They had heard His marvelous teachings. They had followed after Him for quite a while and there was no doubt in their minds that He was incredible. Some had started to really hear His teaching that He truly is the Son of God, meaning that He is God in His substance, and some had started to believe it. But now, in this transfiguratory state, these three chosen apostles, Peter, James, and John, witnessed a small dose of the reality of this truth. They saw Jesus’ divinity for a moment, and it was glorious.
So, put yourself in their shoes. See, for us, we know Jesus is God and we believe it. It’s a “duh” moment for us. Otherwise, why would we be gathered together to worship this man if He were not God. You may forget that we have 2000 years of this knowledge on our side. We have known, by the power of the Holy Spirit, through faith, that Jesus is the Son of God and He shall reign. But, we’re lucky. We can imagine Jesus coming in fire and cloud. We see him as the holy and righteous judge that John later describes in his revelation. But, Peter, James, and John didn’t have that advantage; they had to learn as they went. And it didn’t always go well. James and Peter ran away from Jesus at His crucifixion, Peter denied he even knew Him. John stayed at the cross, but got in trouble earlier arguing about if he was going to be Jesus’ number one number two. The apostles weren’t always very smart. They didn’t get it like we do today.
Here’s the thing: we only get it today because they got it… eventually. They saw what they saw, they heard what they heard, and they wrote it all down for you that you might hear from them the truth of Jesus Christ in all of His glory. The reality is that the apostles suffered and died for what they saw and what they delivered to you. Peter says they did not follow cleverly devised myths. Basically, what this means is that nothing was made up. After all, no one could make up what they wrote down, especially since it corresponds so well with all that came before it in the Old Testament. But, beyond that, no one is willing to die for a cleverly devised myth. Not one person is willing to die for a lie they made up.
Think of cult leaders who convince their sheep to commit suicide but figure out a way for themselves to escape. Cult leaders aren’t dumb. They know what they’re peddling is a lie. They don’t want to die any more than you do. So, they try to figure out a way to escape. Most of the time, it doesn’t work. The apostles were the same. Not being dumb men, if they were peddling a lie, they would have given it up at the threat of death. Instead, for the sake of Christ, for the sake of the majesty Peter and the others witnessed on the mountain, on the cross, in the resurrection, they would lay down their lives. Peter would be crucified upside down in Rome after watching his wife tortured and crucified. Paul would be beheaded in Rome. Others were boiled, driven through with swords, stabbed with spears, cut apart, flayed open, all for the sake of the Gospel. Not one of the apostles ever gave up their message in the face of the worst tortures imaginable. Would you, if you knew that Jesus was a lie?
Instead, they testify to the majesty, to the divinity of the Christ. And they hold fast to that, because if it’s true, then whatever it is that others are bringing to bear on you, whatever torture they devise, means nothing in the face of the promise of the resurrection from the dead. In today’s epistle lesson, Peter is telling you the exact same thing that Matthew tells you. They saw Jesus changed in that transfiguration, where the divinity of Christ showed forth, where honor and glory were bestowed upon Him in the face of the apostles. Peter says then he heard the voice of God the Father. And as real as that was, and as sure as they were over what they saw and what it meant for who Jesus is, you are even better off from them.
For now you live in an age when the prophetic word of Christ is more fully confirmed. There are no more prophets or prophecies. There is no more waiting. Now you live in an age where all is known about the Messiah and it all points to Jesus Himself. All of it. Your salvation is now fully known. Even the apostles lived in an age where it wasn’t. They were born in a time when no one knew who the Messiah would be. And you now are receiving this in a time when the Messiah is known, revealed, manifested, for all to see. Peter is saying this has all been so that the good news of Jesus Christ could be and would be shared with all people, including you, and you, because all is finished, have a better word that even those who saw it first-hand.
Think about it. What makes you happier, watching the Packers trail behind the Cowboys all game, or hearing later that they came back and won it all? I don’t know about you, but the former kind of game, I get nothing but frustrated with. They could call the plays better, they should be better in sync, whatever it is. But, if I miss a game, hearing that the Packers beat the Cowboys after trailing the whole game, brings me so much more joy. Peter watched the game; you get the news afterwards. It’s a better result for you because you know how the story ends.
And you’ll do well to pay attention to this, because just as Jesus shined through with His divinity, so, too, does the news of Jesus Christ, shine into all the darkened world. It lights it up through you and in you until He returns and lights the entire world on His own, showing that everything you believe about Jesus is absolutely, 100% true. There will be no question, for nothing in the Scripture was written down without God working in it and through it. Nothing came without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And everything is true, and everything points to Jesus, and you can know that with certainty.
Take it from the eyewitnesses: Jesus is Lord, Son of God, and Son of Man. Take it from the eyewitnesses: Jesus is the only way of salvation. Take it from the eyewitnesses: there is nothing you can do to be saved. Take it from the eyewitnesses: this is worth laying your life down. Take it from the eyewitnesses: Jesus lived. Take it from the eyewitnesses: Jesus died. Take it from the eyewitnesses: Jesus rose from the dead. Take it from the eyewitnesses: Jesus ascended into heaven. Take it from the eyewitnesses: He will come back again. Take it from the eyewitnesses: your sins are forgiven. Take it from the eyewitnesses: this is the surest thing you can know. Take it from the eyewitnesses: this Jesus is all in all. Take it from the eyewitnesses: Jesus loves you, cares for you, and wants you with Him for all time and eternity.
You can know all of this, because the apostles tell you so, the apostles who were eyewitnesses and gave up all things just so that Jesus’ word and His love for you would reach you today. Peter tended to stick his foot in his mouth, but here he is most eloquent: in the Word of God is hope, a light shining in the darkness, a light that points you to Jesus. God no longer is telling Peter to shut up but inspired him to share the word of Christ for all the world, and so he did, that you may know that this Jesus is the Son of God, and you should listen to Him. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord! Amen.
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