Truth!

For Thursday, July 25, 2024:

2 Peter 1:16-17 NLT: “We were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.’”

If you’re testifying about an event, about something you saw with your own two eyes, a doubter’s first response might be, “You’re just making that up!” In this epistle, Peter wants to reassure the reader as to the truth of the eyewitness testimonies. “This is my dearly beloved son…” appears in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, three-times verified for all to see! It’s Biblical truth!

I was once called upon to answer questions about church, religion, Jesus and the Bible. I agreed, but it didn’t go well. When I’d explain a Christian principle and back up my explanation with Bible scripture, the questioner oftentimes balked: “I’ve never believed that part of the Bible.” If someone doesn’t accept the Bible as truth, they’ve pulled the rug out from under my feet! They’re not trusting our textbook! My mission shifted from answering questions to teaching a high view of the Bible, where we believe every word in the Bible is God-inspired and true.

Humans sin, and although sin is accurately depicted in the Bible, we obviously shouldn’t do those things. We shouldn’t sin. But the Bible is truth, and truth is including both the good and the bad, so that we have foreknowledge of what could go wrong!

Following Jesus through the Gospels, we’ll see perpetual kindness, love, healing, and unflinching loyalty to the Father. Those are good things to imitate. He is, after all, God!

"I and the Father are one!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship