Never In The Will Of Man

The Transfiguration of Our Lord - February 6, 2005

2 Peter 1:16-21

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter writes in our text, We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. Peter is talking about the Transfiguration. He was there on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured in our Gospel lesson, he wrote about what he had seen and heard.

But Peter was more than a witness, as we learn when we read our text, for he continues writing about all of Scripture. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

It isn’t very difficult, all of Scripture is God’s Word, not man’s word. This is not some book culturally dictated and skewed by the beliefs and culture of those who wrote it. Yet, that is exactly what some people would like you and me to believe. There are those out there who, when confronted with God’s Word, will say, “That’s just your interpretation.” I have heard people make the excuse that they don’t want to attend Bible Study because the believe that everybody is allowed to have their own interpretation of Scripture. And so, they don’t want to come because their interpretation is different than the pastor’s.

Dear friends, God is unchanging and His Word endures forever - His Law and His Gospel. When people have this sort of attitude, it is too bad. Why? Because they usually have it because they have heard only the Law and then they tuned out the Gospel. God gave both, His Law and His Gospel.

Let me read to you a portion of our text again. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

What do you believe? Today, in our world, you are encouraged to believe whatever you want. As you know, certain church bodies have declared that homosexuality isn’t a sin, even ordaining bishops who are practicing homosexuals. The "Task Force for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Studies on Sexuality" has now finished their study on the issue. What were their conclusions?

Basically, their conclusion was that each congregation needs to make its own decisions in this matter, that it is all a local option for ELCA churches and pastors. By suggesting that the ELCA adopt no policy on the issue, the task force avoided taking sides in the conflict.

Why couldn’t they reach a conclusion? Because it was busy trying to avoid conflict.

In another place, it states. "Many people have asked for a simple answer to the question: Does the Bible say that sexual activity between two people of the same sex is always a sin? This question is near the heart of the division of opinion in our church because Christians who are faithful to God's Word give different answers. Among other responses that could be mentioned, some say the teaching of the Bible is clear and condemns such activities as sinful, while some say that the verses in the Bible usually cited do not apply to a love relationship between two consenting adults in a committed relationship. In this matter the ELCA needs to continue in prayerful study of Scripture with one another."

We need to study this further? Why is that? Because, they have chosen not to let the Scripture speak clearly, but has said that it is a matter of interpretation. What did Peter say? No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

This is important for us today, even as it was at the time of Peter, and even before, in the Old Testament era. Jesus talks about the fact that the prophets were killed and stoned. Why did that happen? Because the people didn’t want to hear what the prophets said. Jesus was crucified. Why? Because the people didn’t like what he had to say. Peter and the other disciples, except John the Evangelist were all killed for what they proclaimed. Why? Basically because the people didn’t like what they had to say.

Today, people don’t like to hear any pastor preach with authority and finality on certain issues. When Pastors do, many who don’t like what the Scripture says, make the claim, “that’s just your interpretation.”

Paul warns Timothy that this would happen. He writes: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Tim. 4:2_4 ESV)

And why is this happening? Why are people turning away from the truth and turning to myths? Because, like all of us, they are bound to their flesh and enticed by the world. Many are the people who are not willing to open their eyes and look at the Bible and let it speak. They will say, “That’s just your interpretation, Pastor... Everything isn’t always just black and white, Pastor.”

Peter said what? No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

A young pastor got into a discussion with someone about a specific issue. They claimed to know what was right and that the pastor was wrong. When the pastor asked a question, “Do you remember what Jesus said about that when He told the disciples...” He was cut off, the person said, “I don’t know my Bible very well, but I know what I believe Pastor, and I’m sorry, you are wrong.”

I know what I believe??? That is exactly what Peter is saying isn’t supposed to happen, for prophecy NEVER has its origin in the will of man. In that discussion, the person was going to tell the pastor what was right and wrong, but admitted that they didn’t know the Bible? Dear friends in Christ, if we are going to discuss God’s will for our lives, where do we get that understanding from? Can it be based upon the will of man? Can it be based upon anything at all except the Scripture? For the Christian, there is no other authority except the Scripture.

To put it bluntly, there is no grey area, it is all in black and white. Of course, unless you have a Bible where the words of Christ are in red. You know, maybe it is a good idea that I have challenged you all to read the Scripture. It is quite an eye-opener to see what God says. Too many people today have their own opinion. And, I say opinion, because it isn’t even an interpretation of Scripture, for to say it is an interpretation would mean that there is some basis for what they believe in Scripture. Too often, people have based their opinions upon what they believe about God, they have heard some nice things about God’s love and such, and base their opinions partially on that. Some, base what they believe about God from a couple of quotes which were said to be Bible passages. Too often they were misquoted or quoted entirely out of context.

God is unchanging and His Word endures forever - His Law and His Gospel. Too bad that what I said earlier is true, too many people hear the Law and then tune out the Gospel - especially if the Law kicks them in the teeth. And yet, God’s Law is supposed to be a wake-up call to every single one of us in our complacency, it is to show us our sin and call us to repentance.

On the mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Jesus. Moses is the Lawgiver and Elijah is the prophet exemplar. They gather to talk with Jesus about the upcoming events in His life - how He is about to fulfill the Law and the prophets by His suffering death and resurrection. Jesus doesn’t abolish the law, He fulfills it, for God’s Law never changes. Christ fulfilled it, to remove the punishment God’s Law demands. He fulfilled it and took the punishment upon Himself when He was baptized into our sins and crucified for our justification.

It is for this reason that Peter proclaims the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ without cleverly invented stories. It is why there is never any prophecy or interpretation in Scripture that found its origin in the will of man, for God’s will so surpasses all understanding.

We like the will of man though, don’t we. We like to soften the blow. We like to think that bad things shouldn’t happen to good people, and we are those good people. And yet, there are no good people, for none have kept God’s perfect demands.

Peter comes to proclaim that which Christ accomplished, specifically because it too doesn’t have any origin in the will of man. Man would like to save himself from destruction. Man would like to say that portions of God’s law are not as strict as they appear to be in Scripture. But, it isn’t up for interpretation.

Neither is your salvation up for interpretation, nor does it find its origin in the will of man. Christ meets with Moses and Elijah to discuss how He is going to fulfill what they have foretold. He is going to purchase forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation - freedom from the law and salvation from the doom prophesied from ages past.

In Christ Jesus, God the Father looks down at you and says, “This is my Son whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” Never in the will of man would someone give Himself unto death to pay for the crimes of another. That is so far-fetched, it is incredible - never could that idea have it’s origin in the will of man.

And that is precisely the purpose for Christ. You and I do not need to change the law. We don’t need to interpret away the consequences. We don’t have to come up with our own ideas about God, for God, as revealed in Scripture is greater and wiser than any idea that has it’s origin in the will of man. It is the will of God that you live without fear of God’s Law - not because God’s Law isn’t to be feared, but because it is fulfilled for you in Christ. And as your are in Christ, the Father says of you, “with you I am well-pleased.” And dear friends, that is not my opinion, but God’s will for you! It is not up for interpretation. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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