He was an old man. He couldn't hear
anymore. He could barely see. His body was broken down after a
lifetime of hard work ... from foraging to fishing to fishing for
men. Though his body was failing him, his mind was still sharp. He
could still remember everything - just like the Master had said.
He remembered ...
- seeing the Master and hearing His
voice for the first time along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
- pulling in a big catch of fish at
the Master's request - and realizing that this man wasn't just any
ordinary man.
- watching Him walk on water and then
getting out of the boat and actually doing it himself!
- making a great confession of faith
to the Master - "the Christ, the Son of the Living God".
- then enduring a stinging rebuke just
a few moments later after trying to keep Him from His mission.
- walking to the top of the mountain
with the Master, and along with James and John, and there
experiencing something few other human beings have.
- and then, of course, the events of
holy week - the arrival, the parade, the temple, the supper, the
garden, the betrayal, the arrest, the denial, the trial, the cross.
Actually he didn't remember those last
two - the trial and the cross. The others had to tell him about it
later. For he had denied knowing his Master, running away in shame
and weeping bitterly.
But he did remember Sunday morning! Did
he ever! With the arrival of the third day came reports of an empty
tomb - and a stone rolled away! "He is not here - He is risen as
He said! Go tell His disciples (and Peter) that He is going ahead of
you to Galilee - there you will see Him as He said."
There Peter did see Him - and there his
life was changed - as he was restored three times for the three times
he had denied his Lord. Then came the ascending, and then the
sending, and then Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.
And now Peter was nearing the end -
with one last task to fulfill - one more letter to write. Some of his
fellow followers in Asia Minor were starting to give up hope - doubting
that the Master would ever return. So Peter reminds them (just as the
Helper had reminded him) of all the things the Master had promised,
and the faith that each of them had been given.
He begins the letter with grace and
peace - gifts that had been given them by God through the
righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ, their Lord and Master. These
gifts imparted divine power that enabled them to "partake in the
divine nature", which allowed them to participate in the life
and love of God Himself. As they remembered their calling and
continued in the faith, He would richly provide for them in this
life, and also give them entrance into the eternal kingdom of the
life to come.
Peter is reminding them of these things
because he knows that his time is short, and he wants them to be able
to recall these things when he is gone. So he goes back to one of his
most vivid memories - the encounter on the mountain with James and
John, Moses and Elijah, when the Master was transformed (metamorphed)
into an amazing manifestation of unspeakable brilliance.
Peter is quick to say that he isn't
making any of this stuff up. These are not "cleverly invented
stories". He and the others had been eyewitnesses to His
Majesty. They were there - they saw the shining shekinah glory - they
heard the thunderous voice from heaven say, "This is my Beloved
Son, with whom I am well pleased.” It was all true – the
teachings, the healings, the miracles, all of it.
And more than that, as great as all
that was, Peter reminds them of the sure and true Word of God, spoken
of and written by the prophets, and now confirmed by the apostles, as
"a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the
morning star rises in your hearts."
Until that great and glorious day, we
have God's Holy Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit, carried along and
written down by men, as a guide to forgiveness, salvation, and
eternal life in Christ.
May grace and peace be multiplied to
you all in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
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