Pay Attention
006 Pay Attention
2 Peter 1:16-21
September 26, 2010
Last week, as we studied Peter’s letter
We listened to the heart of a Shepherd who explained why
He is so diligent in reminding his people about the truths of God’s Word.
He knows that the strong need to hear it over and over
To make sure they don’t stumble.
He knows that the sleepy need to be awakened
And must learn to pay attention.
He knows that the survivors need to have something
To remind them of the truth in that day when they are standing all alone.
And so Peter told us that:
To the Strong he is Thorough
To the Sleepy he is Urgent
To the Survivors he is Diligent
He is always ready to remind of the truth.
In our text this evening Peter continues but instead of focusing on his diligence, Peter focuses on the truth he diligently presents.
Here he tells us why the things he is preaching
Are worth being repeated over and over.
Two Reasons
#1 OUR TESTIMONY IS TRUE
2 Peter 1:16-18
I love what Peter says here.
“We did not follow cleverly devised tales…”
Two things are implied there.
The stories originated with us (“we did not follow”)
The stories are not fabricated (“cleverly devised tales…”)
In other words, this is not just some good story
That has been passed down to us
That we feel the need to pass down to you.
If this were just some story, we might have told you once,
But we most certainly would not have told you over and over.
This is not some “made up” story.
Now, we know the world is full of made up stories.
Joseph Smith had a dream in which the angel Morani showed him the way to find golden tablets written in Reformed Ancient Hieroglyphics, which he translated into “The Book of Mormon”. Of course they don’t have those golden tablets, so the story accounts for the cleverly devised way in which they were all lost.
Or you can follow the dream of a man named Muhammad who was supposedly visited by an angel in which he dictated the book we know as the Qur’an.
Or you can read the story of a young man named Guatama Buddha who was pampered with worldly riches but who had no satisfaction, so he put himself through self-deprivation, until he found enlightenment under a Bodhi tree.
Or you can listen about the bears who live in Care-a-Lot who go on missions of caring while trying to avoid the evil Professor Coldheart.
The point is this world is full of made up stories.
And some of those stories are so “cleverly devised”
That they have been deceiving people for centuries.
But Peter says, this is no “cleverly devised” story.
“when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, …we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”
REMEMBER THE STORY?
TURN TO: MATTHEW 17:1-8
Peter says when we tell you about the “majesty” of Jesus,
You can rest assured we are not making it up. We saw it.
(17-18) “For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased” – and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”
This is not some made up testimony, we both saw it and we heard it.
This is not some clever tale, it was real.
Interestingly enough, it was the POWER, MAJESTY & RETURN of Christ that was specifically under attack as Peter wrote this letter.
2 Peter 3:1-4 “This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."
At the time when Peter wrote this letter,
There were those who were denying
The very thing Peter claimed to have witnessed.
Peter’s point here is that he is not a story-teller, he is a witness.
And their lives form tremendous proof for all of us.
Suppose Peter and James and John really did concoct this story.
Suppose that day with Jesus, they just got lost, and to avoid embarrassment, they made up this story about the transfiguration.
And there are some who would say that.
I had a woman in my office this past week
Who essentially told me that very thing.
She didn’t believe the Bible was true.
She didn’t believe hell was real.
She didn’t believe what the Bible said about anything.
“That is just a book written by men,
And a man can write anything in a book.”
She was essentially saying that
This was just a well-concocted story,
And while it might make for interesting reading,
There is no reason to take it seriously.
Was Peter really making all this up?
There is one issue
That really seems to cause a problem with that view.
Peter,
At what point while being flogged, do you admit you made up the story?
At what point while being imprisoned, do you admit you made up the story?
At what point while watching the crucifixion of your wife do you admit you made up the story?
At what point while enduring your own crucifixion do you admit you made up the story?
How about you James?
At what point James when you are being stabbed with a sword do you admit that you made up that story?
Or John?
At what point John when you are being arrested do you admit you made up the story?
At what point of being imprisoned at Patmos do you admit you made up the story?
DO YOU GET THE POINT?
If this is a cleverly devised tale,
Then why stick to it all the way to the death?
Acts 4:18-20 “And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Acts 5:27-32 “When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."
Acts 5:40-42 “They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
Obviously the point is that Peter didn’t create this story, he witnessed it.
And so here Peter tells the flock,
I tell you these things over and over because it is true.
OUR TESTIMONY IS TRUE
We saw the glory, we heard the voice of God.
But of course for many people that is not nearly enough.
So what Peter vows that it is true…
So what he died for that story…
I still don’t believe it.
Well, if Peter’s experience is not enough for you,
Then listen to Peter’s second reason he knows it is true.
First – Our Testimony is True
#2 THE SCRIPTURE IS SURE
2 Peter 1:19-21
Depending on the translation you read, verse 19 can be a little misleading.
The NASB says, “So we have the prophetic word made more sure”
And when you read it like that it sounds as if Peter is saying, “We know the prophets are true because we saw the glory of Jesus with our own eyes.”
In other words “Our experience validates the Scripture.”
But that is a tad bit misleading.
The actual and literal Greek translation says, “We have the even more sure prophetic word”
The KJV is actually more accurate when it says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy”
That actual order indicates that Peter is saying,
Even if you don’t believe my experience, so what,
We have something here more convincing than experience
And that is the Scripture.
You see this is actually a fundamental issue.
Let me ask you:
WHAT DICTATES WHAT YOU BELIEVE?
Obviously we answer: Scripture.
But do you realize that there is an entire movement out there which is dictated by something else?
There is an entire movement of “Christianity”
That is based not on Scripture, but rather on experience.
“It happened to me so it must be real”
The point here is that Peter is making a very important distinction.
He is putting Scripture ahead of experience
In regard to dictating what you believe.
That is what it is regrettable that the order of the translation often gets reversed.
Peter is pointing out that even if you don’t believe his testimony that’s fine
All you have to do is turn to the Scriptures and see for yourself.
And of course Peter is referring to the Old Testament Scriptures here.
And then Peter tells us to “pay attention” to those Scriptures,
And I will return to that in a moment.
But for now, look at verse 20 where Peter again emphasizes the accuracy of the prophets.
(20-21) “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
This is another fundamental Scriptural truth.
At first reading it sounds as though Peter is saying that
When you read the Scripture, you do not have the right to interpret it.
And that by the way is true.
1 Corinthians 2:11 “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:14-16 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.”
Divine truth cannot possibly be interpreted by natural man.
Scripture is the thought of God, and therefore only God
Has the right to interpret it.
We don’t have the luxury of reading Scripture and then saying,
“What does that mean to me?”
The accurate question is “God, what did you mean?”
And so we do not have the right to interpret Scripture.
But that is not what Peter is referring to here.
The word “interpretation” translates EPILUSEOS (epeelusis)
“to loose” or “to solve” or “to explain”
In other words Peter is not referring to our ability to understand,
But rather the origin from which it is explained.
What Peter is saying is that
No prophet ever gave his own thoughts on the matter.
No prophet ever explained his own ideas.
Instead, the prophets only gave God’s thoughts on the matter.
The prophets only ever “loosed” what God was saying.
This is further explained in verse 21 “for no prophecy of Scripture was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
Peter is saying you may not believe my testimony,
But you can certainly believe what the prophets said
Because the prophets only spoke the words of God.
And common sense validates that claim as well.
Look back at the prophets.
And one thing becomes obvious.
NONE OF THEM PREACHED THEIR OWN MESSAGE.
HOW DO WE KNOW?
Because most of them preached a message
Opposite of what they wanted to preach.
Isaiah 6:9-13 “He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.' "Render the hearts of this people insensitive,
Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed." Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered, "Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people And the land is utterly desolate, "The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. "Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak Whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump."
Jeremiah 20:7-9 “O LORD, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; Everyone mocks me. For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the LORD has resulted In reproach and derision all day long. But if I say, "I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name," Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it.”
Amos 7:10-15 “Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. "For thus Amos says, 'Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.'" Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Go, you seer, flee away to the land of Judah and there eat bread and there do your prophesying! "But no longer prophesy at Bethel, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal residence." Then Amos replied to Amaziah, "I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs. "But the LORD took me from following the flock and the LORD said to me, 'Go prophesy to My people Israel.'”
And don’t just look at the faithful ones.
Remember Jonah?
Jonah 3:4 “Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk; and he cried out and said, "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown."
Jonah 4:1-3 “But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD and said, "Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity."Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life."
How about Balaam?
Remember he wanted Balak’s money. He wanted to curse Israel.
Numbers 23:4-12 “Now God met Balaam, and he said to Him, "I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar." Then the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus." So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab. He took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab's king from the mountains of the East, 'Come curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!' "How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? "As I see him from the top of the rocks, And I look at him from the hills; Behold, a people who dwells apart, And will not be reckoned among the nations. "Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, And let my end be like his!" Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have actually blessed them!" He replied, "Must I not be careful to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
Had any of those men said what they wanted to say,
The message would have been much different.
· Isaiah would have preached a message that comforted people.
· Jeremiah would have preached a message that made him popular.
· Amos would have never preached a message at all, he would have stayed with the herds and the figs.
· Jonah would have never warned the Assyrians.
· Balaam would have cursed Israel.
These men did not speak a message that came from themselves,
It was the message of God.
And that helps us then to understand what Peter wrote in verse 19.
“So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.”
Since we know the words of the prophets are true.
Since we know their words are certain.
Then you ought “to pay attention” to them.
And Peter even goes a little further.
“as to a lamp shining in a dark place”
We know this world dwells in darkness.
We know that we also live in it.
But there is a light.
Psalms 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
We have something that helps us navigate through
The deception and depravity of the world.
It is the word of God.
· In a world that says adultery is fun…
· In a world that says money is the source of happiness and security…
· In a world that says self-esteem is our greatest need…
· In a world that says tolerance is our greatest virtue…
We need something that helps us discern what is really the way to walk.
And Peter says you would be a fool not to pay attention to it.
“as to a lamp shining in a dark place”
WHY DO YOU TURN ON THE LIGHTS IN YOUR DARK HOUSE?
So you don’t break your neck.
Do you ever turn on the lights and then close your eyes to walk through the room? (Do you ever ignore the light?)
Do you ever turn on the light and then purposely walk into the wall, like the light is not telling you the truth?
Of course not.
You listen to the light. You obey the light.
You do act upon the information that the light gives you.
And Peter says you ought to do the same with the Scriptures.
Now there is coming a day when “the day dawns and the morning start arises in your hearts.”
I have told you many times that when Christ died, night came upon us.
John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
John 9:1-5 “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world."
John 12:35-36 “So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light." These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.”
John 13:27-30 “After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast"; or else, that he should give something to the poor. So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.”
And now we live in the night.
But we are waiting for the morning.
Romans 13:12 “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
We are waiting for the morning.
Psalms 30:5 “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
Psalms 46:5 “God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”
The morning comes when Christ returns,
And at that time we will know fully.
1 Corinthians 13:9-12 “For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”
But right now, we are in the darkness
And we need all the light we can get.
And this is Peter’s point.
YOU MAY NOT BELIEVE ME
Trust the word and do what it says,
It is your only defense against the coming deception.
It is the Scripture that helps us recognize error.
Romans 7:7 “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.”
Was it not the Scripture that helped Jesus survive His time of temptation?
Pay attention to the truth I keep preaching to you over and over,
Because it is your only hope of survival.
For according to the very next chapter,
Deception is coming and you need to be protected.
Christian, get to know the truth, hide it in your heart,
And pay attention to what it says,
For it is the only way you will keep from being deceived.
2 Peter 1:19 “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.”