Preached January 2015
Order of Service: The Order of Morning Worship, Page 5.
Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 61:10-11.
Epistle Lesson: II Peter 1:16-21.
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 17:1-9.
Sermon: “The Significance Of Christ’s Transfiguration As It Relates To Christ’s Second Coming And As It relates To The Doctrine Of The Holy Scriptures.” II Peter 1:16-21
Hymns: 16, 290, 285, 283
Dear Friends in Christ,
The Epiphany Season can range from two to six Sundays, all depending on how early or late the date of Easter is. In either case, always the last Sunday of the Epiphany season is observed as Transfiguration Sunday. Now even though most of us know what the Transfiguration is all about, young children and new converts to the faith may not know what Christ’s Transfiguration is. Therefore, a review of the Transfiguration is in order.
What then is Christ’s Transfiguration? On one occasion Christ went up an unknown mountain. He took with Him Peter, James and John, His most intimate disciples. Having gotten to the top of the mountain, Jesus was suddenly transfigured or changed in His appearance. His face shown as brightly as the sun, and divine rays of glory radiated out of His body and through His clothing. Thus, even though during His earthly ministry Christ was in His State of Humiliation and looked like any normal person, He was now uncovering His divine majesty as the Son of God. At that moment, these three disciples saw Jesus as they had never seen Him before. At that moment, Christ appeared exactly how He will appear when He comes back on the Last Day. What is more, while He was transfigured, there suddenly appeared with Him in glory, Moses and Elijah. Together they talked with Jesus about His soon to take place decease or death. Their appearance proved that when believers leave this world, they do in fact enter the glories of heaven.
Now then, in our sermon text the Apostle Peter addresses this Transfiguration. In so doing, he explains the significance of the Transfiguration as it relates to Christ’s Second Coming, and how it relates to the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures. In our sermon we will treat these two points.
First, Peter says, “for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (v. 16) When the Apostles taught that Christ will come in power and majesty, their teaching was not accepted. They were accused of telling fables or fictional stories. As Peter reported later in this epistle, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (II Peter 3:3-4) Thus, not only in our modern times, but even in the days of the Apostles there were skeptics and mockers. They simply could not bring themselves to believe in anything supernatural.
But how does Peter answer the scoffers? Again, he plainly states, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” Peter, along with James and John, were eyewitnesses of Christ’s majesty when it was unveiled at the Transfiguration. They saw the glorified Christ as He will appear on the Last Day. Making a point to say that he and the other Apostles were eyewitnesses of Christ’s majesty was no weak position. Even in secular courts, the testimony of eyewitnesses is considered a certification of the facts, especially the testimony of two or three eyewitnesses. This principle of eyewitness testimony goes far back into history. Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 19:15, “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” Here we have the testimony of three men, Peter, James and John, who witnessed Christ’s Transfiguration. In fact, there was a fourth witness, namely, God the Father who spoke from out of a cloud. Peter says, “For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Then Peter added, “And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him on the holy mount.” (vv. 17-18) Thus, in being eyewitnesses of Christ’s majesty, Peter, James and John also heard the testimony of God the Father that Christ is His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased.
What is more, in addition to the Transfiguration, the Apostles were also eyewitnesses of Christ’s glory and power during His entire public ministry. They saw Him perform many miracles such as changing water into wine, such as feeding the five thousand and the four thousand. Also, such as His healing of the deaf, the blind, the lame and the lepers. He even raised Lazarus from the dead. And above all, Christ, himself, rose from the dead. As Paul wrote, “Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:25) Added to this, we are told that above five hundred people saw the resurrected Lord at one time.
Now then, Peter gives us another reason why his teaching of the power and coming of Christ is not a cunningly devised fable. He says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place.” What is this more
sure word of prophecy? Peter is speaking of the Old Testament Scriptures which prophesied beforehand, not only of Christ’s earthly ministry, but also of His return in power and majesty on the Last Day. For example, Daniel 7:13-14 says, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.” Daniel 10:6 says, “His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire . . .” Also, even when the Father spoke out of the cloud at the Transfiguration and said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” the Psalmist David had already prophesied this in Psalm 2, saying, “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” (Psalm 2:7)
Thus, when Peter says we have a more sure word of prophecy, he is telling us that when the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied of Christ’s power and coming, this was proven to be the sure word of God by virtue of its very fulfillment. Peter, James, and John saw the proofs of Christ’s power and glory, and this made the prophetic Word which they taught even more sure for them. No wonder Peter says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy.”
It is here that we meet Peter’s well-known words on the divine origin and authority of the Holy Scriptures. Peter says, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (vv. 20-21) What the prophets wrote in the Old Testament and what the Apostles wrote in the New Testament were not the product of human minds nor of human will. When they taught the Word orally and when they wrote it down, they were moved, guided and inspired by the Holy Ghost. Thus, Moses did not sit down of his own volition and say to himself, “I am going to write the first five books of the Bible.” No! He was moved by the Holy Ghost and inspired by the Holy Ghost to write what God wanted to be written. The Holy Ghost inspired the prophetic Word. Every sentence, every clause, every word was inspired by the Holy Ghost. As we often quote from our Catechism, “By inspiration of God means that God the Holy Ghost moved the holy men to write, and put into their minds the very thoughts which they expressed and the very words which they wrote.” For this reason, no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. Private interpretation would eliminate the divine authority of the Word. It is commonly heard from Reformed doctrine ministers that everyone can read the Bible for himself. It is true, every person can read the Bible for himself, but this does not mean everyone can interpret the Bible according to his own private views. Rather, Scripture interprets itself. Scripture interprets Scripture. The Holy Ghost has built into the Scriptures God’s own interpretation.
Here we need to explain why the doctrine of the inspiration and inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures needs to explained and emphasized. In the final analysis, that the Bible is the fully inspired, inerrant Word of God means it determines what is to be believed and not believed. For example, how do we know Adam and Eve were the first two people? Liberals ask that question. What is the answer? Very simply, the Bible says so! How do we know evolution is wrong? Answer, the very first verse of the Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” How do we know that the days of creation were not long periods of time, but six 24 hour days? The inerrant Word of God says, “For in six days the Lord made heaven and the earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day.” (Ex. 20:11) How do we know man could not have evolved from animals? Answer: Because God made animals and man as distinct and separate creatures on the same day, the sixth day! Also, Scripture says, “In the image of God made he man.” How do we know that the great Flood was not a local regional flood as false teachers claim? Because the Bible says the Flood covered the entire world and above all mountains. Gen. 7:19-20 says, “And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.” Also, if the Flood was merely a regional flood, more than Noah and his family would have survived. How do we know that God parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites could cross over on dry land? Because the Word of God says so. How do we know that Christ turned water into wine? Because the Bible says so! How do we know Christ is both God and man? Because the Bible says, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.” (I Tim. 3:16) Likewise, the Bible says, “In the fulness of the time, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” (Gal. 4:4)
Indeed, everything we need to know and believe for our salvation is assured us in the Bible. What do we need to know in order to be saved? First, we need to know that we are sinners who deserve damnation? How do we know this? “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) In addition, Scripture says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) How do we know that we must repent of our sins? The Bible says, “Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” How do we know that we as sinners can be saved? The Bible says, “But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” How do we know salvation is only in Christ? Because He says in the Bible, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (John 14:6) How do we know that Christ’s death on the cross actually paid for all sins and that all sins have been forgiven? Because the Bible says, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” (II Cor. 5:19) Likewise, “For he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (I John 2:2) How do we know that by simple faith in Christ without works saves? Because the Bible says, “A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” How do we know that when we die as believers our souls go immediately to heaven? Because Christ told the thief on the cross, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Likewise, because Christ says, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25-26) How do we know that on the Last Day Christ will return in power and great glory? Because Peter says, “We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of his majesty.” How do we know that we will be reunited with all the saints in heaven? The very appearance of Moses and Elijah on the Mt. of Transfiguration says so!
All this is why Peter says, “We have a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” Scripture is like a light which shines into and lightens a dark place. Scripture brings us Christ the Light of the world. Scripture brings the light of Christ the Day Star to shine into our sin-darkened hearts to give us the light of salvation. The Bible says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (II Cor. 4:6) He shines into our hearts unto the dawning of the final day when He the Day Star returns in the light of eternal glory.
This is why Peter tells us that we do well to take heed unto the light of the prophetic Word. Do you wish to have the light of Christ continue to shine in your heart so that you are ready to welcome Him at His coming? Then avail yourself of that light. Let us not only come to church, but also stay for Bible class and come to the evening studies and thereby keep the light shining ever brighter and brighter unto that day when we shall see with our own eyes the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His holy Name. Amen.