Social Myths Or Spiritual Truths - Trust Fall SeriesSample
Eyewitness News
In his second epistle, Peter says the reason we come to know the truth is because of what we witness. He uses the transfiguration experience to say, “Don’t follow cleverly contrived myths. Follow the eyewitness account.”
Peter heard the audible voice of God. He saw the brilliance of Christ. He saw Moses and Elijah. His testimony validated that Jesus is God’s Son.
“This is why I believe, because of the eyewitness account.”
Do you know your testimony? Can you share it? If you don’t know if you have one, you can get one. A testimony is what you were before Jesus and who you are now that you have met Jesus personally.
Sharing mine takes me only forty-five seconds, and I have done it thousands of times. I don’t have it memorized, I just say it.
Eyewitness is crucial. In the Bible, there are over 3,000 times where it says: “We saw it.”
Marvin Zindler from Channel 13 in Houston would say after his news reports: “Marvin Zindler: Eyewitness News.” When he said this he meant: “I saw it.”
It is as if Peter was saying, “Eyewitness news! I saw it, and it changed me from a fisherman to a man being used by God.”
Eyewitness testimony is the most convincing thing in court. Consider how things are now in our culture. Every crime or incident now is on video. You will see more videos of accused acts in the next 10-20 years than ever before. We have cameras in buildings. Everybody pulls out their cellphones. People film things when they see them happening because they can say, “Here is the eyewitness testimony that this happened.”
Peter is saying, “I saw it. I was there. It wasn’t just me. It is true.”
Now, Peter is going to say even more than his testimony.
He says that the prophetic word in the Bible was strongly confirmed to us and that we “will do well to pay attention” to it as to a lamp shining in a dark corner, until the day Jesus comes and He rises in our hearts. And then he adds, “First of all, you should know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s interpretation.” They were not making it up. Prophecy never came simply because a prophet wanted it to. Instead, the Holy Spirit guided the prophets as they spoke.
Peter started saying, “I saw it. Jesus is real.” But then he doubles down on it, “And the Bible is true.”
Scripture
About this Plan
In the Trust Fall series, Pastor Gregg Matte takes us on a passage-by-passage journey through the Second Epistle of the Apostle Peter. The purpose of this series is to show us that we can fall back with confidence into our God’s safe arms. This fifth plan of the series unravels the clever myths that could shape our perspective, purpose, what we expect from life and our response to God and His word.
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