Two Ways To Hear God

2 Peter 1:16-21
Introduction
A Lincoln was famous for his stories and ‘yarns’ – in fact a 1901 book published
Lincoln told a close personal friend Colonel Cannon about his hair
Just after received nom for President in Chicago, some enterprising fellow thot we
need a picture so rest of country can see him
Lincoln sat for a pix, made wood cuts for prints, soon pictures sold all arnd cntry
When pictures reached Springfield, Lincoln heard a boy crying them for sale
‘ here’s your likeness of Abe’ buy one. Price only two shillings.
Will look a great deal better when he gets his hair combed’
The most famous person I ever met was Admiral Rickover – father of the nuclear Navy
I had gone to Washington for interviews – Rickover interviews are legendary
Three one on one interviews w the Admiral each more terrifying than the last
Thrown out of his office twice
I learned a lesson I hav nevr forgot – $$$ shld never Bincentive 4U 2do your best
I like to tell that story, I don’t tell it to you because I forgot I told U B4 I tell U
because I think it is worth repeating and learning what I learned
The apostle Peter spent 3 years with JS
Peter had many good stories, life lessons he learned, JS was a master teacher
I think one story stands out above them all, Peter not embellish it over years
Plain truthful telling carried all the impact one needed to hear
It is the story of when Peter heard the voice of God from heaven
Today in 2 Peter 1:16-21
Peter starts off w his story about hearing the voice of God from heaven
Then Peter turns to all who will not be able to personally hear from Peter
how they are able to hear God for themselves
a more certain/sure way of hearing God in the Scriptures
Peter is in the ‘reminding’ mode of thinking as we saw last week in 1:12-15
EXPOSITION
I. One Way To Hear God Is To Hear His Voice With Your Ears 16-18
A. Context of the mount of transfiguration Mt 16
JS asked who ppl said JS was 16:1-12
Peter professes Jesus is the Christ 16:13-20
JS teaches discipleship – deny self, take up cross, live for God 16:21-27
JS says some not taste death until see SOM coming in His glory 28
B. Mount of Transfiguration Mt 17:1-9
Mt Hermon
JS takes Peter, James and John only with Him up the mountain
JS transfigured 2 Moses and Elijah 3, Peter offers to make tabernacles 4
C. Peter gives an eyewitness account 2Pt1:16-18
~35 years after the event,
We did not ff cunningly devised fables – NOT myths works of fiction
genuineness, denial of fabrication
When we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord JS – life and
ministry of JS but especially second coming appearance of JS as seen in
His appearance on the mount of transfiguration [Ac3:19-21 Mt 24:3ff]
eyewitnesses of His majesty – eyewitness was one who could speak after certified
for He received from God honor and glory voice came to Him fm Excellent Glory
and we heard this voice – Peter, James, John the only ones with HS, earwitnesses
Peter… hears voice:This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear Him
JS commands P to tell no one until the SOM rises from the dead Mt 17:9
=>Peter 1 of 3 people to hear voice of God, only a few others ever, elite of elite!!!
P has strong personal experience 2support who JS was and what he taught
 D. One way to hear God is to hear His voice with our ears
Peter must have told this story thousands of times after res
The voice of God still ringing in his ears, never forget, no embellishment
Unforgettable, transformational, inspirational
This was Peters experience of hearing God – he literally heard the voice of God
As spectacular as Peters experience was for Peter It is not normal in any sense
P knows his hearers and readers will nt hear fm His lips, nor hear in th way he hrd
There is still some way for us to hear God’s word
II. Second Way To Hear God is To Hear His Word In The Scriptures 19-21
19-21 is one sentence that connects with 16 -18
A. The prophetic word 19a
And so we have – the we here is different than in 16-18, here all Christians
The prophetic word – phrase used 2describe OT scriptures, by this time almost all
of the NT written – in 3:15-16 Peter extends to Paul’s writings
e.g. of use Ac 15:16 Ro 15:9,21 16:25-27 1Pt2 Hebrews
Confirmed – this is a comparative word, more certain or more sure
Peter is actually saying something more sure than his experience of
hearing the voice of God is
what we have in the Scriptures i.e. the word of God
B. you do well to heed 19b
Heed – hold onto with your mind, pay attention to
Figure – as a light shining in a dark place Ps119:105, 130
Until th day dawns and th mornng star rises in your hearts – faith in Christ
Morning star – planet Venus, Rv2:28 Rv 22:16, Christ, the rising of light
Ro8:29 Ph3:20-21 1J3:1-2
J8:12
C. Second way to hear God is hear His word in the Scriptures 20-21
Knowing this first – most important
I want to show you the Greek text here so that you can see that the main point
Peter is making about the Scripture is that they originate with God
Ginetai is not translated in the NKJV
That no prophecy of scripture – all of Scripture, no exceptions
Is of any private interpretation –
Som think this means – U can’t just interpret the Scripture all by yourself
I certainly think this is true, but not the primary meaning here
Private interpretation - literally : ones own releasing, when combined
with v21, Peter is referring to origin of Scripture, the source
for prophecy never came by the will of man – it was not an act of man’s will that
produced Scripture
but holy men of God spoke as they were moved, carried along,by the Holy Spirit
– it was the Holy Spirit moving these men along that led them to write and
prophesy the Scriptures, the words they wrote are the words of God
carried along – like wind does with the sail of a ship Ac27:15,17
2Ti3:15-17
Application for us
1. We have hope of the glory that will come when Jesus returns. We need to hear Him.
2. There is highly credible and reliable eyewitness and earwitness testimony that Peter heard.
3. The experience of hearing the voice of God is not something you should expect. This was
Peters experience not ours.
4. We hear God in the Scriptures. We need to pay attention to what we hear and do.
5. The Scriptures are a light shining in the darkness around us to guide us. The Scriptures lead
us to Jesus Christ and He brings light into our hearts.
6. The origin of the Scriptures is God. The Holy Spirit moved men to give us the Scriptures