Ep 362 – 2 Peter 1:16-21

Was Peter worth listening to? Was his message valid and the words he spoke worthy of his audiences’ attention? Peter is not above falling back on his credentials as a disciple of Jesus and supporting his credibility with proof of his one-of-a-kind relationship with the Messiah. In 2 Peter 1:16-21, he reminds those to whom he is writing that he was an intimate follower of Jesus, having spent more than three years in His presence as a disciple. Not only that, he had been privileged to be counted part of Jesus’ inner circle. And one day, he, James and John, had been invited by Jesus to join Him on a mountaintop where something incredible took place: The transfiguration of Jesus and the appearances of Moses and Elijah. Not only that, Peter and his companions had heard the audible voice of God, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to Him.” Jesus had been transfigured right before their eyes and God had spoken to them – out loud. This once-in-a-lifetime experience had left the disciples stunned and convinced them that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be – the Son of God and the Savior of the world. And God confirmed for Peter, James and John, that every word that came out of Jesus’ mouth was worth listening to. And Peter reminds his audience that what he and the disciples were sharing was nothing more than the teachings of Jesus. They said what they heard Him say. They taught what He had taught them. They spoke of the Kingdom, just as He had. And the Father still expected the words of His Son to be heard and heeded.