Each one of us can remember those special transforming moments in our lives. We remember and can recall with great detail a life-changing experience. We describe such a time as once in a lifetime experience. Some of us might remember meeting an important person, or a celebrity, and gladly retell the story to anyone who will listen. We may recall a time when our faith came alive, when we met Jesus through the love of a Sunday school teacher, a friend, or a pastor. Those are the experiences we carry with us.
Carl has experienced the transforming power of God at work in his life. “From a young teenager,” Carl claims, “I have seen and felt God in and through Jesus Christ mold and direct my life.” Looking back over his sixty years Carl says that “God has truly been my strength in stressful and difficult times.” His faith is more than just a Sunday habit, he claims, “God in my life has been a daily reality and defining force.”
“God has helped me see through my own selfishness and pride to understand a bit, and truly only a bit,” Carl reflects, “of the human condition.”[1]
The disciples who traveled with Jesus must have also had those special memories of the events they witnessed firsthand during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Later when they traveled from place to place teaching about Jesus they would recall their own personal experiences. The apostle Peter remembered well all the times he spent with Jesus. With great fondness he recalled the day when Jesus called him. At the time he was fishing and Jesus promised that from that moment he would be fishing for women and men for the kingdom of God. Peter willingly obeyed and began following Jesus. He did not know what the future would hold but he trusted Jesus. There were other events that Peter must have spoken about as he preached the gospel in an effort to convert new people to the faith. Some incidents probably made him smile, like the time he tried to walk on the water, became scared, and began to sink. Then Jesus’ strong arms reached down to pull him to safety. Peter recalled with great detail his many experiences with Jesus even though decades had passed.
From time to time problems would arise among the believers and they would turn to the wise apostles for guidance. The book of Second Peter was concerned with false teachers who led the people astray presenting a serious problem. Peter tried his best to set the people on the right path once again. He clarified questions about the true identity and unique status of Jesus Christ.
With all the authority Jesus had given him, Peter tried to reassure the people, that what they were taught and believed was true. He wrote, “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 had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.” Peter knew what he was talking about. He was present at all the critical moments in Jesus’ earthly ministry. He was there when Jesus was led off to die on the cross, and he was present when the risen Lord appeared to the disciples. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not a fairy tale, a made-up story, or “cleverly devised myth” but was the truth. Peter was there as it happened. Now years later after growing in his faith and relationship with the Lord Jesus, Peter had a better understanding than ever.
First-century Christians had believed that the second coming of Jesus would certainly take place during their lifetimes. Decades had passed and still Jesus had not returned. When Jesus’ triumphal return was delayed, the false teachers began telling the people that the whole notion was a “cleverly devised myth.” Because Jesus had not returned they reasoned that it must not be true. The apostle Peter knew better and sought to set the matter straight once and for all. Peter knew how dangerous it would be to discard this foundational truth. The church would open itself to all sorts of irresponsible behavior.
Peter recalled the time when he accompanied Jesus along with fellow disciples, James and John to the mountain. While they were there a change came over Jesus. Then Jesus began speaking with two Old Testament prophets, Moses and Elijah. Like all such moments it was over too quickly. One minute Jesus was conversing with Moses and Elijah and the next he stood alone. As if that were not enough Peter and the other two disciples heard the voice of God speak, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” Peter told the people, “We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.” Today we refer to this event as the Transfiguration.
The Christian faith is real because of credible witnesses. Most of us are here today because someone loved us enough to share the story of Jesus with us. Then we claimed the faith for ourselves by accepting and believing in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. In turn we have a responsibility to share our faith with others, especially the next generation. Faith becomes real precisely because of other credible people. And so the Christian faith is passed from one generation to the next. Peter was older and knew that he would not live much longer; he wanted to make absolutely certain that the people had a proper understanding of the faith.
Not only was Peter an eyewitness to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection his certainty also stemmed from his understanding of the prophets. As he grew in his faith he came to understand that everything that happened to Jesus during his earthly ministry was in fulfillment of scripture. Prophets centuries before the birth of Jesus told of his coming. “So,” Peter the wise elder stated, “we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed.” Then he counseled his readers on the importance of paying attention to God’s Word found in the scriptures. The Bible becomes for us, “a lamp shining in a dark place.” We hold onto that Word as we would a light in the darkness for it provides direction, focus, and hope.
Peter wanted the people to understand that there was a difference between the prophets of old and the false teachers who were leading the people astray. Think for a moment of some of the Old Testament prophets. Some were reluctant to speak the word of the Lord. Some felt unworthy — remember Isaiah? “Woe is me!” he said, “I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” Other prophets were actually frightened. Who wants to tell people something they do not want to hear? Someone had to speak words of judgment to those who had the power to kill them. There could be dangerous consequences; some of the prophets even were stoned because of their convictions. It was a risky business to be a prophet. Apparently the false teachers did not share this sense of reluctant reverence as they misled the people.
The believers whom Peter was addressing did not have printed scriptures. They relied on prophets, preachers, and teachers to bring them the Word of God. The only reference they had was faithful individuals like Peter. We are fortunate today to have our own Bibles. The Bible has become “a lamp shining in a dark place.” When people with questionable motives or teaching approach us we always have our Bibles to guide us. That is why it is important to read our Bibles so that we are not led astray. We are after all people of the book, the Bible. While we are strengthened by reading our Bibles daily, the scriptures truly come alive when we are with other believers, in Sunday school, Bible study, or worship. We come each week to hear God’s Word for us. “No prophecy of scripture,” Peter claimed, “is a matter of one’s own interpretation.” Peter was offering a word of caution to the believers. The false teachers who were causing problems were a little bit too sure of themselves or we might say loose in their interpretation of scripture. In the presence of other believers the Word of God comes alive.
The Bible is first and foremost about God and not us. Peter was clear about this “Because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit.” The prophecies of old were not devised by humans but by the power and prompting of the Holy Spirit.
We strive to be credible witnesses ourselves as we share the love of Jesus with others.
Roynell Young played professional football in the 1980s. “I retired from the game and we moved down to Houston,” he said, “where I took a job selling insurance.” As he drove through neighborhoods with aimless, hard-looking teenage boys clustered on corners, something kept nagging at him. “They reminded me of me,” he said, “or what I would have been if there hadn’t been a bunch of people looking out for me.” He wondered who was looking out for them.
One day Roynell and a friend stopped and began playing basketball in one of those neighborhoods. When the youth first saw them they ran off thinking they were police officers. Three boys stayed to watch. After a few minutes Roynell challenged them to a game, “You beat us, I’ll buy you all the pizzas and soda you can handle. We beat you; you sit down and talk with us.”
Even though Roynell and his friend were older they won the pick-up game and took the boys out for pizza anyway. He asked them about their family, neighborhood, and if they had considered their life’s purpose. As they were leaving one of the youth asked if they would be back the next Saturday.
Before too long there were 100 youth; then 300! Roynell pooled some friends and they rented an old storefront across from the basketball court. The number of youth kept increasing, they soon ran out of space and had to move to a larger place, eventually they had enough money to open a charter middle school. Thinking of all the people who impacted his life, Roynell proudly claimed, “We’re changing lives.”[2]
Our faith is alive because of the faithful witness of others. We have the testimony of the apostles who were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ teachings, miracles, and most importantly his life, death, and resurrection. We have the church where the scriptures are read and taught. And we have the Holy Spirit in our lives that prompts us to say and do things we could never say or do on our own. The Holy Spirit gives us the power we need to live out our lives as faithful modern day disciples of Jesus Christ. Amen.
1. www.thisibelieve.org.
2. Roynell Young, “Game Changer,” Guidepost, March 2009, pp. 74-78