Scripture Passage
Worship Video
Worship Audio
Sermon Script
What is at the core of Christian belief?
It is that God cares about you and this world.
And because God cares, God is actively trying to make things right. And ultimately, God WILL make things right.
God will make all things right – that is the very core of Christian belief.
But what happens when you lose that belief?
That is the issue that Peter is dealing with in his letter.
He opens today’s passage with this:
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ… (2 Peter 1:16)
People are calling the second coming of Jesus “cleverly devised myths”. That is a challenge to the core belief of Christians.
Jesus’ coming reflects the core belief that God will make all things right. Jesus will come again in power and glory to bring judgment and justice. Jesus will come again to make all things right.
This is the vision the writer of Revelation had when he saw the image of Jesus coming again:
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. (Revelation 21:3-4)
There will be no more injustice. No more suffering.
The early Christians received this message with hope and joy. It gave them strength to endure their difficult circumstances.
If you believe that everything is going to be okay, you can deal with the challenges of the moment.
Like with the Olympics: if you believe that you can win the gold medal, you are willing to go through the pain of training, because you can see the prize.
The belief in Jesus’ coming changed their lives. They found hope and even joy in the midst of their sufferings.
But time passed by and nothing seemed to change. The original generation of apostles and eyewitnesses to Jesus died off. They began to question and wonder if God really cared.
Peter addresses this situation:
First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!” (2 Peter 3:4)
In other words, where is God? Nothing has ever changed, and nothing ever will.
If God cared, God would do something. Since nothing really changes, perhaps there is no God. At least, no God who cares and is involved in the affairs of the world.
That is not just an issue in the church of Peter’s time. It is an issue today as well.
In church, we worship God with our words and our songs. We speak about God’s love.
But if we are honest, many times we live as if God doesn’t exist. We either forget about God or we don’t really believe that God is around.
I call this “functional atheism”.
Our words may say we believe in God. But our thoughts and actions say otherwise.
Many times, when difficulties first come, you respond with faith. You turn to God and hope that God will intervene.
But if things don’t change and those difficulties persist, you begin to question God. You wonder if God will act. You question whether God cares. And a functional atheism begins to creep in.
For Peter, this functional atheism was a grave danger to the church. If functional atheism takes over the belief of the church, it’s game over. It’s the end of faith.
Peter’s whole letter is an urgent plea to guard against this creeping functional atheism.
In today’s passage, he provides two ways to guard against it.
The first is by sharing his personal experience of God. He shares his experience of the Transfiguration.
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty… We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:16, 19)
Transfiguration is a changed reality. What once appeared plain and mundane is now infused with God’s glory.
Peter experienced the glory of God firsthand. In this mysterious, glorious experience, he saw and felt that God was real.
When you experience God in a real way, everything changes. The world is suddenly different. How you see the world and your life changes.
Last week, I shared the story of how I met Jesus. I met him at my first Hi-C retreat. I was so insecure and unsure of myself.
At that moment, I sensed the reality of God washing over me. I felt so loved and embraced. I felt like I was no longer alone in this world.
Over the years, many times I have doubted whether God really cares. I lost hope that God would do anything or change anything.
But that real, personal experience I had of God’s presence keeps bringing me back to faith. When times get really tough, these personal experiences remind me that God is there and that everything will be okay.
I think a personal encounter or recognition of the living God is so important. It keeps you anchored in faith.
If you’ve had it, it’s important to turn to it again and again, especially when your faith wavers.
If you haven’t had this personal experience of the reality of God, seek God. Wait for God.
The second thing Peter talks about is the power of Scripture.
This is what he says:
First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
Peter is talking about the Scripture.
The Bible is no ordinary collection of stories written by human imagination. It is a record of people’s real experiences with God. It is a story of God who is active in the lives of people and the world.
It contains promises that God has made. Especially the promise of how God will make everything right in the end.
The real power of the Bible is when you encounter the God of the Bible in a real way. No longer is it just the people in the Bible who have met God, but now you too encounter the living God.
As a church we stand on this belief, that the Bible is a gift of God’s powerful presence for us. That is why the main activity we do as a church is study the Bible.
The sad reality is that the Bible has been misused and abused by so many people, especially those in power. It is also used and misinterpreted in narrow ways that reinforce your own religious views.
This history has made many people suspicious of the Bible. It seems like an archaic document that has no relevance for today. The word “Bible” conjures negative images in the minds of many people.
But for those of us who have experienced the Bible in its true depth, in it and through it is the living power and Word of God.
So First: Experience God in a real, personal way. Second: Discover the power of God through Scripture.
Personal experience reminds you that God is real. Scripture reminds you that God is faithful.
These two things will keep your faith alive.
That is Peter’s message.
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed (through personal experience of God and Scripture). You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19)
When you are in a dark place where God seems distant, hold fast onto your personal experience of God and the presence of God in the Scriptures. Be attentive to those things.
Don’t get distracted by your worries and stresses. Don’t listen to the millions of voices out there. Don’t let your mood and emotions take you away from those two things.
As time passed, it was really difficult for the early church.
They were surrounded by people who had no regard for God. People did whatever they wanted. The rich got richer. The powerful took what they wanted. There was no justice or righteousness.
In the beginning, their belief that Jesus would come again held them strong. But as time passed, that faith waned.
I feel for people today. There is so much change and turmoil. There is so much meanness, evil and injustice. It is hard to feel hope of a bright future.
At our session meeting yesterday, we prayed for people in our church. We know that beneath the pleasant smiles, many people are facing great challenges and difficulties.
When things remain difficult and don’t change, when things around you seem bleak, it is hard to believe that God is active and will fulfill his promise to make all things right.
At a time when people were losing faith, this is what Peter said:
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
God is not procrastinating and doing nothing while the world burns. God is patiently allowing people to experience God’s grace and power.
I reflected last week that difficult circumstances are not things to merely get over, but are the very place we experience the power of God.
When God’s promises seem slow to come, that is your opportunity to experience God in a real way.
Rather than despair at unending difficulties, this is Peter’s conclusion:
But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. (2 Peter 3:13)
God still cares. And because God cares, God will act to make things right at the right time.
Let that belief be your strength. Let it carry you through dark days.
Return constantly to your real, personal experience of God who loves you. Deepen your knowledge of God through the Scriptures.
And together with all those who believe, wait for God to act.
Leave a Reply