II Peter 1:12-21
The testimony of Grace
“Would you open your Bibles with me to...”
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Pray
Into
√ Blind faith or logical conclusion?
Is the Christian faith a leap of “blind faith”? Does one have to turn off their intellectual capability and rational thought to believe in Jesus?
Will faith in Jesus hold up to critical evaluation?
Is the Christian faith unique? Or are all faiths equally valid, as so many would tell us today?
Peter reminds us in this section of his letter that faith in Jesus is reasonable, rational, and logical, and offers as evidence the testimony of…
Eyewitnesses
The Father
The Word
…to remind us that the faith we have placed in Jesus is not a blind faith, but a reasonable – rational conclusion based upon a mountain of evidence.
An important reminder to those Peter was writing to because they were suffering greatly – some to the point of death – for their faith in Jesus.
Peter writes to encourage them that their suffering for Jesus is not in vain…
…that they can have confidence in Him whom they have placed their very lives – their eternity – because everything they’ve heard about Jesus is true!
Ap. That we might know
that the Christian faith stands alone as the one path to God.
Remember! (vs. 12-15)
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√ Remember
Peter is writing from a prison cell – a dungeon. He realizes that he will soon be crucified, just as Jesus had told him he would be many years before (John 21).
As he faces his own death he wants to write to others who are also suffering, some of whom are being tempted to abandon their faith to avoid persecution.
He encourages them by reminding them of what they already know to be true…
…that their faith has been well placed in the Person of Jesus Christ of whom Peter and others had testified was the Son of God…Almighty God revealed in human flesh Who had promised them eternal life.
In short, Peter tells them that they will find strength in the time of temptation, and courage to face their trials, by remembering Whom it is in whom they have placed their faith.
Ex. Endurance events
One of the strategies long distance runners use to combat the games one’s mind plays – is to focus on the objective – to remind oneself of the prize at the end of the race.
Ap. We need to be constantly reminded of God’s promises
Christians, like all people, are easily distracted from that which is important in life…
Faith
Family
Friends
…the things which are eternal.
And become consumed by the distractions in life, which are not important in view of eternity…
Career
Possessions
Sin
Part of what God does when we spend time in His Word and time together as the Body of Christ, is to remind us of what is really valuable in life.
So, Peter calls us to remember Whom it is that we have trusted with our eternity.
The testimony of eyewitnesses (vs. 16)
2Pet. 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
√ The testimony of eyewitnesses
Peter wants those reading his letter to remember that the message he brought to them about Jesus Christ isn’t a fairy tale!
Rather, he reminds us that he was an eyewitness of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Specifically, Peter reminds them that he was there on the mountain of Transfiguration with James and John when Jesus was revealed in glory!
√ Important testimony
Why? Because it was there on the mountain that they saw with their own eyes that Jesus was more than just a great man…
…that He was in fact God in human flesh!
That was a vital truth for these people to be reminded of as they faced harassment, jail time, and even torture and death for their faith in Jesus.
Rational people don’t suffer and die for something, or someone, that is not true!
You’ll remember that it was this same Peter who years before was afraid to tell people that he even knew Jesus!
Now we find him facing a cruel and painful death with unwavering faith because he knew that Jesus had the power to bring him safely to heaven…
…because Jesus is God!
√ In fact, you will find that is an important theme throughout the New Testament – that many people were willing to put their lives on the line and testify that they were eyewitnesses of all that is ascribed to Jesus.
Ex. Dr. Luke sent to make sure what he and his master’s household had believed was based in fact.
Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
Luke 1:2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
Luke 1:3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
Luke 1:4 that you may know the certainty of those
things in which you were instructed.
Luke’s Gospel is the result of his careful research into the claims of the apostles who preached that Jesus was sent by God to save us from our sins!
Note; Luke’s gospel is recognized as one of the premier examples of accurate historical recording.
Ex. Paul reminds the Corinthians that there were hundreds of eyewitnesses still alive to collaborate his Gospel!
1Cor. 15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
1Cor. 15:4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
1Cor. 15:5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
1Cor. 15:6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
1Cor. 15:7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.
1Cor. 15:8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
√ The power of their testimony
Why is that so important?
Because many people have made claims about themselves or others to try and convince the world that they are special, or a “god”, or were sent from heaven.
Ex. North Korea’s dictator – the people are taught that he was born on a sacred mountain in North Korea under double rainbows!
The truth – he was born in a poor village in Russia.
Ex. Sun Yung Moon claims to be the new messiah.
What separates Jesus from all others is not that He claimed to be God, many have done that…
…but that He provided proof of His claim by…
Doing what no one else has ever done
Speaking what no one else could say
Coming back to life
And all of that confirmed by the testimony of hundreds of eyewitnesses.
√ Confidence in the reminder that this is all true – not just “pie in the sky”!
Peter’s point was that he could face death without fear, and full of confidence for what lay ahead, because he was an eyewitness of Jesus’ glory.
Ap. Therefore, he tells us - remember the testimony of the many eyewitnesses!
The testimony of the Father (vs. 17-18)
2Pet. 1:17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
2Pet. 1:18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
√ The testimony of the Father
When Peter, James and John had seen Jesus revealed in His glory on the mount of Transfiguration, they had also heard the audible voice of God the Father!
Peter reminds us what it was that God spoke…
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
…the point, that God testified that Jesus was in fact His Son!
Ex. Star witness!
Talk about a "star" witness - can you get any better than God?!
Would you ask Him to place His right hand on a Bible…
"I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help Me, - Me."
You see its one thing for someone to say they are God's Son, it's quite another to prove it.
However, if you can get the Father of the Son to testify on His behalf, then you have irrefutable evidence of the fact.
√ The Father's testimony
More than this one experience which Peter reminds us of, God the Father confirmed that Jesus was in fact His Son through many testimonies.
At Jesus' baptism - voice from heaven
The miracles which Jesus did - "that you may know that the "son" has authority to forgive sins…"
Jesus' resurrection from the dead
Ap. So then, in addition to the eyewitnesses'' accounts to support Jesus' claims of divinity…
…we have the testimony of God the Father.
The testimony of the Word (vs. 19-21)
2Pet. 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
2Pet. 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
2Pet. 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
√ The testimony of the Word
Peter's final witness is the Bible, the Word of God.
He reminds us the God's Word is filled from Genesis to Malachi with God's prophetic instructions for identifying His Son - so that when He showed up, we'd know it was Him!
Things that no one could counterfeit, enough specifics so that no one could fulfill the prophecies by "chance".
Ex. The credentials of the Son of God
God told us His lineage…
Abraham - Judah - Jesse - David - (prior to AD 70)
God told us where He would be born…
Bethlehem
God told us that there would be an attempt to kill Him as a child…
Bethlehem
God told us that He would have a PR man…
John the Baptist
God told us that He would where He would grow up…
Nazareth
God told us He where He would begin His ministry…
Galilee
That He would be…
Betrayed by a close friend for 30 pieces of silver
The money returned and used to buy a cemetery
Regarding His death…
How He would die
What He would say as He was dying
That He would rise from the dead…
I think we get the point! J
Jesus fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies during His 33 years on earth!
√ The prophetic word confirmed
Peter reminds his readers that their (our) faith is well placed in Jesus because…
…God made known to Mankind the credentials of His Son. All anyone would have to do is check Jesus against the list given in God's Word.
Ap. Only Jesus meets the standard!
Close
√ How's your faith this morning?
Do you question the validity of what you believe?
Are you concerned that maybe you've invested you life into the wrong Person?
Has someone challenged your faith?
Peter says…"remember" the testimony of…
Eyewitnesses
The Father
The Word
…the faith we have placed in Jesus is not a blind faith, but a reasonable – rational conclusion based upon a mountain of evidence.
So, you can trust Him with your life and your eternity.