2020.02.23 What Good Is A Witness?

Matthew 17:1–9 NASB95

Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

2 Peter 1:16–21 NASB95

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Matthew 17:1-9

What Good Is A Witness?

What Good Is A Witness?

What happened at the Transfiguration?

Matt 17:5

Matthew 17:5 NASB95

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

Matthew 17:5

This is thought to have taken place … shortly before Jesus’ final departure from Galilee, about four months before His death. —Halley’s Bible Handbook

Does this sound familiar?

Matt 3:16

Matt 3:17

Matthew 3:16–17 NASB95

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

This is thought to have taken place at Mount Hermon, shortly before Jesus’ final departure from Galilee, about four months before His death. One of the purposes of the Transfiguration was to strengthen the faith of the disciples in the divine nature of Christ before they experienced the shock of the difficult days ahead. Peter never forgot it. ---Halley’s Bible Handbook

Look at these together...

“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

“This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

So, at the beginning of his ministry, God gives a clear statement of Christ’s divinity. And near the end of his life, he provides it again!

One of the purposes of the Transfiguration was to strengthen the faith of the disciples in the divine nature of Christ before they experienced the shock of the difficult days ahead. Peter never forgot it. ---Halley’s Bible Handbook

Do we believe that really happened?

Do we believe this really happened? Or is this a conspiracy of the writers to make their concocted story more believable?

Is this crazy or what?

Is this crazy or what?

If this happened today, this morning … would we believe it?

Presuming it’s real for a minute, what should we do in reaction to this? Pretend we are firsthand witnesses this morning … what should we do in response? [non-rhetorical]

What Good Is A Witness?

Peter was at the Transfiguration!

Peter was there at the Transfiguration!

He is a firsthand witness.

In his letter, Peter writes:

“This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”—

18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. —2 Peter 2:17b-18

And then tells us what he did in response.

They didn’t follow “cleverly devised tales”. They made known the power and coming of Jesus Christ, and they did it as EYEWITNESSES!

What should we do with a firsthand account?

In our courts, what do we do with a secondhand account?

We call it hearsay and disallow it … we throw it out. We only allow firsthand witnesses — BECAUSE THEY’RE MOST RELIABLE!

If firsthand accounts are most reliable, let’s hear some.

Last week, I asked you to pray for the crazy. Did you?

Anyone want to give a firsthand account? If you had an opportunity, and nothing happened as a result of your prayer, that’s okay. We want to hear about it. What’s your eyewitness experience asking God to do something crazy?

[take testimonies]

Story of praying for Russ Patton.

At Annual Conference, sitting over ice cream

Tim and Russ - two ordained Elders … I was a lowly seminary student

I had just met Russ through our mutual friend.

He was a runner, and he had developed pain in his leg

I should’ve sat back and let the ordained speak. I didn’t. I boldly talked about God’s desire to heal, and I pulled out my oil. Tim and I prayed for Russ in the parking lot of Baskin-Robbins in Muncie.

Two days later, I got an email from Russ telling me the pain had subsided enough that he was running again

The next day, Russ told me he felt a lot better.

A few days later, I got an email from him telling me the pain had subsided enough that he was running again, and it was improving more each day.

I give witness today to tell you that our God is real, and I’ve experienced him firsthand.

A witness is only good for one thing - to give testimony … to tell other people what they saw, what they experienced, what they WITNESSED!

With Peter’s testimony, we can reject his interpretation … but it’s really hard to reject his testimony of the experience. The same is true of you! Whatever you’ve experienced with God, the only thing other people can do with your testimony is accept it as your testimony. And the only way your experience is useful … is if you share it with others.

So, what’s your story…and who you gonna tell today?