Many Christians wrestle with this question: How important is it to regularly hear the Bible preached and taught? In today’s culture, the idea of spending Sunday morning listening to someone talk about a two-thousand-year-old book may seem outdated or irrelevant. Then there are others who would argue that what we really need is to have a great experience with God. But the Apostle Peter helps us think rightly about the Bible from a Christian perspective in 2 Peter 1:16-21. Stop and read that text.
In the context of that passage, Peter recounts an event in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus that we call the Transfiguration. The Lord Jesus on the mountain with Peter, James, and John suddenly begins to shine forth the glory of God. And if that was not enough of an experience, the voice of the Father is heard by the disciples, “This is my beloved Son, hear Him.” Peter tells his readers that the apostles did not follow cleverly designed tales but spoke of what they experienced with Jesus Christ on earth. That is eye witness evidence of miraculous and wonderful events.
Now if we pay attention to how verse 19 starts it is quite shocking. Peter recounts his experience and then makes a surprising claim: “And we have something more sure…” Is there really something more sure than what Peter, James, and John saw, felt, and heard that night on the mountain? What could be more sure than that? The answer is the prophetic word, the writings of Holy Scripture. Peter tells us that we would do well to pay attention to the Word of God. Here are the reasons. The Word of God will be a lamp shining in a dark place. It will be our lamp, our guide until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts. Peter is either referring to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus in that phrase or possibly the growing illumination of the truth of Scripture by the work of the Holy Spirit.
While experiences can be powerful, the ordinary way that God speaks to us, instructs us, guides us, comforts us, and blesses us is through His Holy Word of the Lord. We can always find the Bible trustworthy because it is the prophetic word of Scripture, it was given by the work of the Holy Spirit, and it is a gift to us. This is what I would like for you to believe. God’s will is for believers to regularly ingest His Word. Some of you may have a great hunger for the Word already. Some of you may not. Would you pray for your own self? Pray that God would give you a great desire for His Word. And then pray for those who teach you the Word. Pray that God would fill them with zeal and a passion to know Him through the Word and then effectively communicate that to you. May we never take lightly the privilege of hearing God’s Word, for in it we meet Christ Himself.
Joe Tolin is the pastor of Kingman Presbyterian Church.
