BROADCASTS.com

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, \u201cThis is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.\u201d \xa0We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet\u2019s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16-21)

The Bible is the Word of God, the record and tool of his redeeming work (OWBTG 32).

\xa0

Do you notice that it is often (not always) the case that when the New Testament authors speak about \u201cScripture\u201d or \u201cthe Word of God,\u201d they start with an incarnate rationale for why we ought take it seriously?\xa0 That was true of yesterday\u2019s text and it\u2019s true of today\u2019s.\xa0

As Peter seeks to vindicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his recipients, he begins by telling them of his experience of Jesus.\xa0 It is the experience of The Word made flesh that authorizes Peter to speak of the Word that has been written.\xa0 This was the credential used by all the apostles to vindicate their message.\xa0 They did not appeal to some dead or abstract sense of truth propped up by some propositions.\xa0 No, listen to Peter.\xa0 He says: \u201cWe were eyewitnesses!\u201d\xa0 \u201cWe ourselves heard the voice!\u201d\xa0 Nowadays we would call that subjective and dismiss it out of hand.\xa0 Can any real spiritual truth depend on human experience?\xa0

The Bible says yes.\xa0 It was in fact, the most fully human of human experiences\u2014the experience of Jesus, in the flesh, sent by the Father\u2014that authorized the Scriptures we now hold for use by the Christian community.\xa0 Peter goes on from his lived experience of Jesus being glorified on the mount of Transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1-9 for that story) to confirm to us that the written Word, is of this same God.\xa0 The Scriptures were spoken by human authors, prophets, who were carried along by the Holy Spirit, faithfully speaking the Word of God into the lived history of their times.\xa0 This Holy Spirit-inspired speaking was yet another experience that Peter himself could relate to after Pentecost.

In this in between time of waiting for the day of Jesus\u2019 return, the scriptures, illumined by the same powerful work of the Spirit, remain the reliable light that guides our path day by day.\xa0 The scriptures remain for us the place of living encounter with God, His Spirit, and His Word. \xa0If we\u2019re faithful in seeking God in this place where he has promised to be found, we may just find some experiences of our own to witness to in telling the good news of Jesus. \xa0\xa0

\xa0