2 Peter 1:16-21 “Knowing God: A More Sure Word”
Pray
Opening Illustration – I remember the afternoon God spoke to me. AUDIBLY! Has God ever spoken to you?
Throughout Scriptures there are recordings of God speaking audibly to people, where they hear the very voice
of God.
- Moses – as a man speaks with his friend
- Prophets
- Jesus’ Baptism
- In the text we read, Peter references the Mount of Transfiguration – Where Peter is on a mountain,
joined by James and John and eventually Moses and Elijah, and sees light explode and hears the voice of
God saying “this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him”
-
In John’s Gospel as Jesus is conversing with his disciples in front of some Greeks, the sky again parts
as Jesus has just said “Father glorify your name” and then a voice comes from heaven that says “I have
glorified it and I will glorify it again.” In that moment the people ask themselves, “is that thunder and
others say perhaps it was an Angel speaking”
Question: Has God ever spoken to you? Have you ever heard the voice of God like these people have? Some
people say they have heard God speak audibly to them. Have you?
Transition to the Main Point - What is amazing about this passage is that it is painting a picture that we have
heard the very voice of God in the Scriptures.
However, there is danger in this Room with this topic – this subject and this text have been working on me
for almost a year and half… so I speak with a little caution because I am afraid we may make think this to
ELEMENTARY
But there are other dangers as well:
- There is real danger in “how” we view the bible:
o A guidebook to help with better living – sort of an Sort of an Aesop’s Fable that gives us good
moral principles and advice to live by
o Instead of seeing it is the Word of God written down for us upon whom the ends of the ages
has come….
o A book that is not first giving us moral principles, but instead is God’s actual Word given
to us that points to His Son our rescuer.
Main Idea– Trust that the Scriptures have power because they are the very voice of God and so they are
sufficient and authoritative for all matters of life and godliness
- Know God – And at Imago Dei we want to Know God, we do that by the Scriptures… and we do that
by knowing Christ, which Matt talked about last week, and the only way we know Him is by the
Scriptures.
If someone created you, would that Creator not be worth knowing? And more than that worth devoting
one's life to:
- Illustration – MJ
- A God that gives you Life, Breath, Energy... is deserving of your praise and your life, and you should
want to know this God, you know Him through the Scriptures
- God has spoken - And in these words are life and they show to us the unsearchable riches of Christ, and
if this is true, then we should love the Scriptures for the glory of our God and for our joy and life!
So lets look at the text and unpack this main idea:
I.
Verse 16: There is power in the Scriptures/the Apostles eyewitness account (Read)
There is power in the plain eyewitness account – which is what the NT Scriptures are unpacking and how
the Apostles pass on the message – doesn’t need silly, clever devices accompanying it
- The Scriptures are Trustworthy because they are Eyewitness Testimony – These are historical
happenings and Peter wants us to know that is so. Contrary to what the False Teachers in 2 will say and
write, I was there and I saw what happened!
- Greek Term - The term used here (gnorizo) has the idea of imparting new revelation. So Peter is
making a giant claim about their eyewitness testimony. “My testimony to these events is on par with the
OT” – THIS WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER ON
And what is it they “made known”? – It was Christ. Simply, the Gospel. “THE POWER AND COMING
OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST”- Peter is saying I was there, I saw it and now I am passing it to you!
- Romans 10 - And we only know the gospel by the Scriptures, which record the eyewitness testimony, so
we know salvation only through the Scriptures – which both justify and sanctify us!
What is the Central Message they are passing down? EXAPLAIN THE GOSPEL – There is one who has
come to crush the dragon’s head and overturn what took place in the FALL. This one who can rescue you from
your sin has come in Power and shown that He can save you by vacating a Palestinian grave! Turn to Him and
He will save you! AND THAT IS THE MESSAGE WE HOLD OUT TO OTHERS! THIS MESSAGE DOES
NOT STOP WITH Us!
- That is the message they are passing down. They are saying that day that was promised of a deliverer
coming, WE SAW IT. And now we are telling everyone about it
- Our Response - We should pass this testimony on as well, it is the power of God unto salvation, it
changed their lives, they could not help but tell of the things that they had seen, and so it is with us
- Illustration – Mexico – simple evangelism – be an eyewitness
- Illustration – If you saw something amazing happen, like being on that plane in the Hudson… we
have a greater story – PASS IT ON
Further Explanation - They did not do pass on the story with clever devices
- We didn’t use fancy techniques or elaborate stories, we didn’t fool or trick you, we were simply
eyewitnesses and we told you the gospel
- We didn’t try to help the truth, we just told it to you! We just gave you the Message/The Scriptures!
- Kreeft – That is what NT is, an eyewitness to Christ passed down... how do you know Jesus was raised
from the dead?
o "I was there... my family (the Church) has been passing down this message to me for 2,000
years, and we will pass it on as well"
Implication – Trust that God’s Word by God’s Spirit will do God’s Work (Romans 10) – WE DON’T
NEED TO HELP IT OUT with clever devices, just be plain speakers of His Power and Coming!
- If not, I am afraid we undermine the authority and sufficiency of the Word!
- Real Danger Here – especially for those considering ministry – Exiles
He tells the story of an innovative pastor who thought Frost would be impressed that their church had recently
driven a tank on stage as part of the Sunday morning festivities. He simply asks the questions, “Do you think
Jesus would do such a thing… Driving a tank into the pulpit might be cool (well, it would certainly grab
everyone’s attention, I suppose), but is it a reflection of the Christ?” (50-51).
Want to know the gospel? Look at THE SCRIPTURES… The Power and Coming of our Lord we have told to
you... not myths, not frills, just a message and the message doesn’t need help. It is good!
II.
Verse 17-21 – We see the Scriptures are the Voice of God
Explanation: Here Peter compares the prophetic word and the eyewitness testimony with the very voice they
heard on the mountain.
-
Floored me – and this is why this passage has floored me, because it seems to be painting the picture
that the written revelation of God is “AS SURE” as the voice on the Mountain.
In verse V. 17 we see that God honored Jesus on the Mt. of Transfiguration – “borne to Him” gives
the sense that God spoke to His son and gave him the honor He is due as the King of Creation and
Salvation
And in V. 18 – We see that Peter was an eyewitness “we ourselves heard this very voice” - we got
eyewitness testimony because we were there when God spoke to Him – and we are passing this on to you
o This phrase “we ourselves heard this very voice” seems to indicate Peter’s amazement at
having seen this, first by pointing out this event was a historical fact, but then being blown
away that they got to be a part… AND SO DO WE
V. 19 But what seems most radical here is what Peter is saying about the prophetic word and the
Eyewitness account – “And we have something more sure, the prophetic word”
- All on same level – Peter points out here that the (prophets/whole Old Testament ) “prophetic word”
and the (New Testament) “Eyewitness Testimony of the Apostles” are as sure as God’s Words on the
Mountain – AMAZING TRUTH!
- Illustration – Red Letter Bible: When you read the Scriptures it is as though Christ himself is standing
there speaking to you – meaning we shouldn’t have read letter bibles, unless every word in there is red
letter
Russ Moore quote: We say wouldn’t it be great if I could see Jesus… and some of us may say, you know I am
just lacking such direction in my life but if Jesus would appear to me, if Jesus would just be there on the edge of
my bed, if I could just go up into the mountains and I could see Jesus exploding in light and I could hear God
saying Here He is, follow Him do whatever he tells you to do – but notice what Peter says, “you have something
that is more sure than that” – Do you realize that you have a more certain word from God than Peter himself
had, Peter who understood and knew Jesus’ accent… he says you have a more sure Word, and what is that
more sure Word, he says it is the prophetic Word, it is the Scripture!
And in case we don’t get the point about the apostles writings – Peter says at the end of this epistle false
teachers twist the Letters of Paul they do the “other Scriptures”
So, The Scriptures are the Word of God so they should Guide US – (19) “you will do well to pay attention
to them”
- This is Central Theme of this Text – The Scriptures should guide us/be our authority, not friends,
culture, experience, Oprah…
- If it is as sure as the voice of God, they address our lives and are AUTHORATATIVE and
Sufficient for us
o Illustration – Soul Mates - - TELL STORY. So there may well be soul mates, but if we just take
on that belief without searching the scriptures, we do not trust their sufficiency.
They Illuminate us – They light our path
- Illustration: Need something to light your path if you are walking in the dark or in the woods –
Jonathan branch going in his head
- The scriptures reveal the dark areas in our lives... by pointing to God who is light, who is holy, we
need light shinned on the dark areas of our lives, we need the cockroaches to scatter - The gospel
scatters them for us
“Morning Star Rises in your heart” – Again the Scriptures do this by pointing to the Gospel and not
morality… If the Word does not produce the morning star rising in our hearts, we have missed it!
- Why Should Morning Star rise in your heart? REVELATION 22:16 – I, Jesus, have sent my angel
to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the
bright morning star.
It should rise in our hearts so we Don’t become Pharisees: IF we miss that the Scriptures point to Christ
and not morality, we miss the whole point of the bible and we are not hearing God! Just look at the
Pharisees…
Truth Is: We can know the Scriptures and still miss God
Barnhouse: “If Satan took over Philadelphia, all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and
pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The
children would say, “Yes, sir” and “No ma’am,” and the churches would be full every Sunday…but Christ
would not be preached.
We have seen in v. 18 and 19 Peter compares the Scriptures to the voice of God and now in V. 20 and 21
he will tell us why!
(Read 20-21) The Scriptures are sufficient/Authoritative because they are Inspired by God – “carried
along by the Holy Spirt.”
Not from Man, or man’s opinion – In case you are wondering why you should see power behind the Prophetic
Word, this prophecy doesnt come from man, nor is man's opinion, but from the Spirit
- These are not helpful words from Oprah these are the Words that God intended for us to read
- Peter explains why we would do well to listen to the prophetic Word, because the Scriptures have their
source as the Creator of the Universe!
Definition of Inspiration – Men spoke God’s Words, using their own personalities, knowledge, background,
vocabulary, and style. They were carried along implies that the inspiration of Scripture was invisibly directed
by the Holy Spirit, though without overriding the personalities of the human authors (TFC)
So is it really our guide?
Do we see Scriptures as our lifeblood, as our daily bread needed for growth in godliness - IT IS!
IMPLICATIONS FOR US IN THIS ROOM:
1. We should affirm the inerrancy, sufficiency, infallibility, and authority of the scriptures – BUT
WE MUST REALLY DETERMINE IF THAT MATTERS FOR US?
The question of whether or not you believe the bible is not the question of whether or not you say you believe
the bible, that’s very easy, the question of whether you believe the bible comes down to when then bible starts
conflicting with what you want, who wins? There are some of us who believe the bible with all of our heart and
you are willing to stand up and fight for the truth of the bible, but when the bible tells you who you cant marry
or who you cant divorce suddenly the bible is silence – THIS A BIGGER DANGER FOR US THAN
HERETICAL FALSE TEACHING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH
I am afraid we to often put authority in Experience – Divorce – Pastor Friends “God wants me to be happy”
- What is your authority when you make decisions? Experience? Family? Friends? Pop Culture?
- And will we as the leaders be willing to see this as our authority in the face of opposition?
o Would we tell a millionaire that could fund a new building that he cannot leave his wife for
another woman?
o Would we be willing to stand up and say Christ is the only way even if it were illegal?
2. We should dedicate our lives to reading it, knowing it, and memorizing it – it should be on our lips,
prayers, conversations… the Scriptures should shape our worldview and all our decision-making. DOES
IT?
Read it in alone and in Community – and ask Spirit to guide you to hear the Voice of God and not reject it
3. Stop waiting for “extra” revelation – You have the Voice of God
Illustration – Piper Blog -- It is a great wonder that God still speaks today through the Bible with greater
force and greater glory and greater assurance… than can be heard through any voice in any human soul on the
planet from outside the Bible…. This is why I found the article in this month’s Christianity Today, “My
Conversation with God,” so sad. Written by an anonymous professor at a “well-known Christian University,” it
tells of his experience of hearing God. What God said was that he must give all his royalties from a new book
toward the tuition of a needy student. What makes me sad about the article is not that it isn’t true or didn’t
happen. What’s sad is that it really does give the impression that extra-biblical communication with God is
surpassingly wonderful and faith-deepening. All the while, the supremely-glorious communication of the living
God…through the Bible everyday is passed over in silence.
I am sure this professor of theology did not mean it this way, but what he actually said was, “For years I’ve
taught that God still speaks, but I couldn’t testify to it personally…” Surely he does not mean what he seems to
imply—that only when one hears an extra-biblical voice like, “The money is not yours,” can you testify
personally that God still speaks. Surely he does not mean to belittle the voice of God in the Bible which speaks
this very day with power…ten thousand times more decisively than anything we can hear outside the Bible.
I grieve at what is being communicated here. The great need of our time is for people to experience the living
reality of God by hearing his word personally… in Scripture. Something is incredibly wrong when the words we
hear outside Scripture are more powerful and more affecting to us than the inspired word of God. Let us cry
with the psalmist, “Incline my heart to your word” (Psalm 119:36).
Further Implications – Be careful to speak on behalf of God: “God Told me to marry you/break up with
you”
- Illustration – Jonah Story – I want to stay but God is telling me to Go!
This is certainly not to say that the Spirit doesn’t guide us, and prod us – but we need to be careful with
God told me because that would certainly need to come to us with as much authority as the words written in
Romans 3!
Conclusion – Psalm 1 says about the Word: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on
his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its
season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Is this verse talking about us? I hope it is and continually is… but the only way to be a people like this, is
through Christ Jesus who truly honored and followed the voice of His God.
- The only man who truly never walked in the counsel of the Wicked
- Who meditated and was the ultimate doer of the Word, confronting Satan in the Wilderness with
“Man does not live by bread alone but by every voice that comes from the Word of God” and who in the
garden would say to his authoritative father “not my will but yours be done!”
- And because He was this tree planted by streams of Water, He prospered, He vacated a Palestinian
grave, and now God has highly exalted Him…
- Do we want to bring Glory to this Great King? Do we want to love the Scriptures?
o Then look to Christ and be found in Him, want to know Him and God as Jesus Did… Believer
and Unbeliever
I left off the final part of Revelation 22 which speaks of Christ as the morning star, here is what it says: I,
Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the
descendant of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who
hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without
price. (Revelation 22:16-17 ESV)
And we now Imago Dei, the Bride of Christ, are saying to all “Come” let the one who is thirsty come and
drink the water of life without price – we would want to talk to you about that in just a minute
Do we love these Scriptures and desire to know them?
John Piper asks: "Where are the men who count God's Word as more important to them then their daily food...
where are the men who like Moses of Old commune with God face to face as a man speaks with His friend... "
All My Fountains: I hope that is us at Imago Dei, I hope a day is coming for us when we long for that portion
of our Corporate gathering where we read the Scriptures as much as we do for Donnie and the band to play
“All my Fountains”
Nehemiah 8 – Recently, I heard a preacher who reminded me of a day when people revered the Word like
that….
- Set the Context… they stood, bowed, and even wept
- He asked what if we were a people like that?
- Are we a people like that? Do we want to know God? Here they are
Dr. Moore says: When we come to the scripture we hear the same voice he heard on the mountain, we see the
same glory he saw on the mountain, but we see it in the story of the gospel, do you hear that voice, do you see
that glory? It is in all of the Scripture!
- So do we see and hear this glory? Or are we like the Greeks hearing Thunder?
-
But I remember the morning God spoke to me, it happened about thirty minutes ago… and it happens
every time we read the Scriptures – I just hope I’m Listening!