Undercover Boss

2 Peter 1:19

Watch on YouTube

Our devotion today is based upon Second Peter chapter one, and then verse 19. And earlier in this chapter, Peter has been talking about the great event of Jesus transfiguration, that he saw Jesus glowing like the sun on the top of a mountain and showing his glory. And he heard the voice of God the Father speaking from heaven. So then Peter says this

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19)

Years ago, I was watching a TV show called Undercover Boss. Maybe you’ve seen that, where someone who is the head of a large corporation will disguise himself or herself and go into a business that they own and put themselves in as just kind of an average worker, to see what it’s like working in the very businesses that they’re running. And later on, the people that they’re working with suddenly discover that this was the head of the corporation, and they’re rather shocked.

I always think with Jesus when he was with his disciples, it probably was easy for them to forget that he really was the Son of God and all of His Majesty, because he walked around in sandals and he ate soup like they did, and probably washed his hand in the streams. And just all the common, normal things that a person would do. Probably got a cold now and then and blew his nose. It might have been easy to forget what the Bible says about Jesus. Saint Paul tells us in Christ all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9) That’s amazing! That all of God has chosen to put himself into the form of this humble man from the town of Nazareth.

Now Peter had finally gotten a chance to witness some of the glory of Christ in his transfiguration. And we can’t blame Peter for wanting to write about that, as he does earlier in this chapter, and to describe what an amazing event this must have been to hear God the Father calling down from heaven, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And it was such a terrifying event and sight that we’re told the disciples bowed down with their faces to the ground. (Matthew 17:5-6) But we wouldn’t have blamed Peter if he wanted to write a book about it, or lead tours from people back to the mountain to show the very place of all of this. If there was ever proof that Jesus really was the Son of God, witnessing Him in His glory there in the Mount of Transfiguration, that certainly would have done it for Peter.

How amazing it would have been to have gotten to see Jesus like that, glowing in the brightness of lightning we’re told. We always want something to be sure of. We want to base our hopes, especially things that we’re going to believe in as far as after this life, we want to base our hopes on something that’s real and true. And so there’s a craving inside of each one of us to have or to see something spectacular from God that really proves to us who he is. But when it comes to our faith, faith does not come by observation, and it is not to be found upon empirical evidence. Now, there’s plenty of true empirical evidence. All of the events in Jesus life truly happen. They are factual and true and part of human history. But God tells us that he builds our faith upon something even more certain and more solid than that. And that is his word.

That’s where Saint Peter directs us. Rather than going on gushing about being able to see this tremendous event of Jesus transfiguration, what does he do? He tells his hearers, you have the prophetic word made more certain. In other words, the Word of God that you have from the prophets and the apostles. That Word of God is even more true and certain than if you were present on the Mount of Transfiguration to watch this event. And so with the same sense of urgency with which we might run to see a glorified vision of Jesus himself, God would have us instead run to His Word.

So why does he direct us back to His Word? Because that’s where we will find our certainty of what Jesus, our Savior, has done for us and the hope of heaven he has given us. That’s why our Lord himself said, if you continue in my word, then you are truly my disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. (John 8:30-32) Amen.