Not So Fake News
(2 Peter 1: 16-21)
The Pharisees and Sadducees had a public relations problem. This Jesus movement didn’t die like it was supposed to with his crucifixion; in fact, it seemed to have had the opposite effect. It was so horrifying and unjust that it seemed to be taking on a life of its own. It was all people talked about. People were giving witness to the miracles they had seen and even personally experienced at the hands of this unconventional street preacher. Former disciples now turned apostles were traveling all around Judea and other countries sharing the Good News, and worse yet, some former Pharisees had been converted and were lending their credibility to the assertion that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah come to save humanity. So, they went on a disinformation campaign to discredit these new disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. They upped their game spreading lies about these new Followers of the Way of Jesus Christ, they harassed and persecuted them and were even responsible for some of their brutal deaths and exiles. It would be an understatement to say that they suffered greatly for their faith. It was and remains an effective tactic. If you convincingly keep repeating a lie eventually people will begin to believe it and accept it as irrefutable truth. When that happens, it takes brave people to step forward and authoritatively fact-check the misrepresentations of the truth and outright falsehoods. And that’s exactly what the Apostle Peter, formerly known as Simon, had to do in our scripture reading for today.
Peter starts out by saying: So I’ll keep reminding you about these things, although you already know them and stand secure in the truth you have. I think it’s right that I keep stirring up your memory, as long as I’m alive. After all, our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I am about to depart from this life. I’m eager for you always to remember these things after my death. He’s setting the stage for what he is about to say with the authority of one who knows the truth when he continues: We didn’t repeat crafty myths when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Quite the contrary, we witnessed his majesty with our own eyes. He received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice came to him from the magnificent glory, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. Peter is talking about the time that Jesus took him, James and John to the top of a very high mountain and witnessed Jesus’ transformation where his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as light. During this transfiguration Moses and Elijah appeared before them and they witnessed them talking with Jesus. Peter was so overwhelmed that he said to Jesus: Lord, it’s good that we’re here. If you want, I’ll make three shrines: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Matthew records that while Peter was still speaking a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said: This is my Son whom I dearly love. I am very pleased with him. Listen to him! No doubt, Matthew got this directly from Peter and probably verified it with James and John when he included it in his gospel. Additionally, the transfiguration is also reported in the gospels of Mark and Luke, also not present.
And just like the television pitchman trying to convince you to buy his product Peter essentially says: “But wait, there’s more!” He says: In addition, we have a most reliable prophetic word, and you would do well to pay attention to it, just as you would to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. He’s reminding them of what the Old Testament prophets wrote regarding the coming of the Messiah who would redeem God’s people and restore his creation. Through Christ, these prophesies came true and he reminds them that no prophecy of scripture represents the prophet’s own understanding of things, because no prophecy ever came by human will and said: Instead, men and women led by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. He’s essentially saying that you can believe him or not believe him, but everything he has said and testified to was foretold by their very own Old Testament prophets, and that’s a fact.
The Good News of Jesus Christ was an inconvenient truth two thousand years ago and continues to get in the way of those who crave riches, power, status, and unquestioned authority, those who have no love in their hearts for their suffering neighbors. And this is where the rebuttal of the false teachings begins, with Peter defending the end-time message of the Apostles by recalling their eyewitness testimony to the transfiguration of Jesus. Too bad Peter didn’t have any iPhone video to document the experience, which is why the false teachers and those whose authority is being challenged are continuing to attack Jesus’s followers repeating these lies, until there is nobody left to call them on it and their lies become facts. Unfortunately for those who feel threatened by the ministry and teachings of Jesus, the message of the apostles is grounded in the Scriptures and supported by the Old Testament prophesies. God inspired the Old Testament prophesies, and their meaning is not to be rewritten according to the whims of someone who feels threatened by the truth because it doesn’t fit in with their agenda, their self-interests.
In the transfiguration of Jesus, God, and not mere humans, bore witness to Jesus’ status and glory and thus appointed Jesus to a future role of rule and judgment. This is the rebuttal to what is being spread by those who cannot handle the inconvenient truth, the truth that gets in the way of their agendas. Jesus’ glory was displayed to human witnesses on the holy mountain and is irrefutably backed up by the word of God spoken through his chosen prophets. As long as we continue to believe the truth, the truth as given us by God, we will continue to be a threat to those who will resort to any means to maintain their grip on power and authority. Don’t believe me? Well, not long after Peter wrote this letter he was crucified in Rome. He requested that he be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die as Christ was crucified.
Christ is the morning star and when he returns, he will shine in his full glory. Until that day we have Scripture as a light and the Holy Spirit to illuminate Scripture for us and guide us as we seek the truth and confront those who persist in spreading their fake news that Christ is not the Messiah and Savior of the world.
Let us pray.
Gracious God how blessed we are that you have shown us your Truth through your Holy Spirit. We pray that you will give us the strength, courage, and wisdom to defend your Truth at all times for it is your Truth that sets the prisoners free from the bondage of sin. We pray that when we find ourselves in the presence of those who are spreading false teachings that we will speak your Truth to their power. And we pray that when we witness the suffering of your children at the hands of those who oppress them for their own benefit that you will move us to act and to be a voice for the voiceless. We pray that your Word is grounded in our lives and in all that we do in your Son’s holy name. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
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Ash Wednesday. Our observance of Ash Wednesday will be this Wednesday beginning at 3:00 p.m. I hope to see you there for our service that starts off our forty day observance of Lent.