Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends on this the first day of March 2023.
I wonder what significant things might happen in your life this month which, years from now you’ll still be talking about, with clear recollection, as having been life impacting events? We’ve all had them. Defining moment experiences. Sometimes wonderful, sometimes tragic, these ‘defining moment’ experiences are so powerful that we are today who we are, in part, due to those ‘defining moment’ experiences in our past.
Let’s rejoin Peter today as he writes about this near the end of his first chapter of his second letter to Christians in about the year 67ad.
Peter writes: “We did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty! Jesus received glory and honor from God the Father when the Voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Jesus on the sacred mountain.” (2 Peter 1:16-18)
Do you remember the ‘defining moment’ event Peter is describing here? Matthew, Mark and Luke, all three, record this event in their Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, yet none of these three were on the mountain that day with Jesus! (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36) Peter, James and John were the only men Jesus had invited to accompany Him up the mountain that day. They are the only ones who then experienced seeing the ‘transfiguration’ of Jesus; and the appearance of Elijah and Moses; and finally hearing the voice of God! Now, more than 35 years later, this event still powerfully resonated in Peter’s mind and heart as he reflected on his time with Jesus.
Now pause right here for a moment. What are some of the most powerful, ‘spiritually defining moments’ you’ve had in your life? Why, my friends, why did those experiences so powerfully affect you?
The apostles Peter, Paul and John, all three, made statements which boldly declared the authenticity of their personal encounters and experiences with Jesus! (1 John 1:1-3; Gal. 1:11,12) Do you see Peter wants to be sure his readers understand that he writes not only from conviction but from ‘life defining moments’ he personally had with Jesus! Is there any more reliable witness than an eyewitness?
But Peter also wants his readers to understand God has been speaking to him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, after Jesus ascended back to heaven. The Holy Spirit was instructing Peter to write God’s words for the people both in the present and the future. Peter writes: “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19) From the days of Moses, the “prophet” was a very important person in Jewish society. This was the man or woman who had such a special relationship with God that God would speak to them with messages God wanted communicated to His people. Occasionally it was a message for one specific person, but most often God’s messages were for all His people. Peter is saying that he was receiving messages from the Holy Spirit of God which he felt certain he was supposed to be writing down and passing on to those who had trusted in Jesus and were therefore God’s people.
Do you see Peter’s advice? “…you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
So, honestly now, how seriously do we take Peter’s two letters, and the rest of the Bible, as God’s message for you and me and all humanity? Do you find God’s Word to be a light shining in the darkness of our world? Like the first rays of daylight blossoms into a sunrise and then the full light of day, is that how God’s Word penetrates the darkness of your soul, then brings the hope of new life, and then brings clarity and guidance into your life? Peter continues with one of the most important statements in the Bible: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20,21) There it is my friends, the bold statement that authentic prophets of God spoke and wrote what the Holy Spirit of God spoke into their minds and hearts.
This Scripture, along with Paul’s statement in 2 Timothy 3:16, declare God’s Word to be inspired by God Himself: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Now I urge you to pause for a moment and ponder the very powerful declaration of both Peter and Paul regarding the trustworthiness and the integrity of the Scriptures! Is that how you view the Bible? How highly do you value what you read in the Bible and how much effort do you place in integrating God’s Biblical truths into your life, my friends?
Do you see a warning here about disregarding God’s truth in the Bible or distorting the Bible to say what you want it to say or discounting the Bible as being written a long time ago and thus not valid or applicable to us in our day? God’s truths are timeless and applicable to all generations in all societies, right? Both Peter and Paul call us to account regarding our attitudes toward the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit guided Word of God.
It’s very appropriate we begin a new month today with these words from Peter and Paul. Are you in full agreement with them and the significance in your life of God’s Word? Let’s spend a moment talking to God about these statements and then let’s worship with this simple but powerful song…
Today’s Scripture is 2 Peter 1:16-21.
Choose below to read or listen.
 |  |
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.