That It Might Be Well With You – Part I

Introduction

This is a two-parter. I don’t know why I’ve gotten into this lately, the Sunday morning, Sunday night thing, but believe me, you’re going to be thankful that I didn’t try to cram all of this into one sermon. So I will finish these thoughts tonight in regard to this subject. A controversial American, biblical scholar, and I put biblical scholar in quotation marks, Joseph Atwill. He has written a book. Caesar’s Messiah.

Don’t waste your money. Don’t give him money. He is speaking this week in London about his newly published book. And what he claims is that the Roman government invented the story of Jesus because of zealous Jews who were focused on a warrior messiah, and so by creating a turn the other cheek, peaceful Messiah, they could control the minds of the poor and the weak, and thus put down any rebellion in the empire. This resorted to psychological warfare. He crazily argues that the events of Jesus’ ministry mirror the campaigns of Titus Flavius in Judea, more or less. May I suggest a lot less than more. Crazy. And so what? Titus, the Roman Emperor who would ultimately come and destroy Jerusalem in AD 70. He said such things as I am the good shepherd.

I am the way, the truth, and the life, and perform miracles in Galilee and Jerusalem? I don’t think so. I’m not thinking that followed the pattern of Titus Flavius. He asserts in his book, although Christianity can be a comfort to some, it can also be very damaging and repressive. An insidious form of mind control. Okay, that’s what we’re doing here. An insidious form of mind control that has led to blind acceptance of serfdom, poverty, and war throughout history. The biography of Jesus is actually constructed tip to stern on prior stories, but especially on the biography of a Roman Caesar. The article said that Mr. Atwell’s theories are much like many conspiracy theories that abound on many subjects. This is the Bible conspiracy series. Here’s what I want you to know about his ridiculous claims, and they are absolutely ridiculous.

1. The Bible Story Is Entrenched in History

The things that we believe. The Bible story is clearly and undeniably entrenched in history.

The significance of what we’re doing here today is based clearly and undeniably in history. And don’t ever forget that, young people. That’s a very important point. And of all the history you’re going to study in school that has some relevance, we don’t want to repeat the mistakes of history. There are things to be learned about studying kings and warfare and all of that we study in world history and U.S. history. All of that has some significance, I guess. But the greatest of all history are those events that are recorded from our creator’s perspective. These are the events of history that pertain to the working out of God’s eternal plan. And thus they’re included in God’s account of history the things that we absolutely need to know about history so that we can appreciate this great story of redemption.

And that’s the point that Peter is making in 2 Peter chapter 1. And I want to bring this passage to your attention this morning, and perhaps we can appreciate it all better. In 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 16, when Peter says, for we did not follow cleverly devised tales. See, he’s denying Atwill’s premise in 2 Peter 1 16. 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 emanated from heaven, he’s saying.

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. What a text. Now this follows some important instruction that he has given in regard to the kinds of qualities that should be ours as we add to our faith with all diligence the things that are mentioned in verses five through eight of the foregoing section. And so one of the things that I want to draw your attention to that’s going on here in Second Peter is that all of these essential virtues that we talk so much about, and being partakers of the divine nature, which is what that really is, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, that being partakers of the divine nature, that is emulating these characteristics that make us God like or Christlike.

All of this instruction is rooted in very real history. Peter didn’t invent this. He’s not making it up. No prophecy of Scripture came because Peter said, Oh, this would be a good thing to tell people. He was guided by heaven to instruct people in the pursuit of these things. And as he says very clearly, and I want you to focus on this word, underline it in your Bibles, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. The story is not fabricated. There is a growing fascination with the Bible story, which is evidenced in the media. And a good number of movies that have been produced lately in regard to Noah and the Exodus.

And the new AD series that is about to come out, continuing the Bible series that was done. And I saw CNN is doing an investigative series now airing called Finding Jesus, Faith, Facts, Forgery. I might need to watch that to see what the forgery part is all about, but I’m all about the faith and facts, if the facts certainly corroborate with the Bible story. This series comes as one article asserted amid a growing consumer appetite for faith-based films and television. Now, I think some of that is instead of looking into the Bible for ourselves, we want Hollywood to tell us what we’re supposed to make out of the Bible story and entertain us in the process. Maybe that’s some of the clamor for this. David McClister wrote recently on the history of Jesus, and I think he said this well.

2. No Explaining Christianity Without an Actual Jesus

David McClister is a professor at Florida College. He says, Historians will tell you that the first evidence we have of Jesus are the gospels in the New Testament. Now that’s historical evidence. Skeptics and unbelievers are not happy about that. They claim that since the gospels are obviously biased toward Jesus, and that since they have reports of Jesus doing fantastic things like raising the dead and healing the blind.

For these people, only secular reports of Jesus are allowable as existence for his evidence.

And so we need some kind of external source to corroborate the historicity of Jesus. And McClister says, and I like this, of course, there is something quite amiss about this objection. And that’s right. This is an historical document. These are people who are eyewitnesses of these things. There is no explaining Christianity, McClister goes on to say, without an actual Jesus. You can’t explain the last 2,000 years of history and the impact that Christianity has had upon the world without an actual Jesus in history. That’s a good point. There is no way that the early Christians could have invented all these stories, the conspiracy theories, made up all of his sayings, and convinced thousands, and I would add millions of people of these lies. The idea is absurd.

Even the most skeptical historians believe that Jesus actually existed for this simple reason. It turns out then that the New Testament documents are indeed the best evidence that Jesus really lived. Unbelievers may not like what those documents say, but denying the existence of Jesus altogether is not a realistic option. You’ve got to do something with this character in history. Now there are other external sources. He mentions the Jewish rabbis who there is a quotation from them, which actually isn’t painting Jesus in a very positive light, accusing him of sorcery and apostasy. But yet he’s mentioned in an extra biblical source. There are at least two quotations from another Flavius Josephus, and we know him as Josephus, who extensively wrote about the impact that Jesus had upon his time and culture.

Now, if you think about it, if people really had evidence that the Bible story is fabricated, and that it is a pack of lies, and they had undeniable evidence for that, don’t you think we would be hearing about that all the time?

It has stood the test of time to millennia. And all of the criticisms and attacks, including recent attacks like Joseph Atwell, it has withstood the test of time and all of those who would love nothing more but to dismantle the credibility of this message. All for nothing. And that goes all the way back to the resurrection of Jesus in Matthew chapter 28. In Matthew 28, when the angel appeared, and his appearance was like lightning and his garments as white as snow. I love that in Isaiah 20, I mean Matthew 28 and verse 3. And the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. He had rolled away the stone. And so what are these officers going to do? Well, they’re instructed by night and stole him away while we were asleep.

And that saying has spread widely among the Jews to this day. Matthew says in Matthew 28 and verse 15. See, lies about the truthfulness of history, about God’s history, they were being sent out from the very beginning. The disciples stole the body was the claim. The Bible story is alone sufficient to corroborate the reality of Jesus’ life, so that we are left to marvel at the awesomeness of his deeds, ponder the loftiness of his claims, and submit to his unrivaled authority. What is Peter referencing in 2 Peter chapter 1?

3. We Were Eyewitnesses of His Majesty

The transfiguration, right? And if you’ll go back to the gospel narratives in Mark chapter 9 and verse 3, we have Mark’s account of that event. Of course, it is told in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But in Mark 9 and verse 3, it says of Jesus when he was transfigured before them, that his garments became radiant and exceedingly white. And I love, always love this, as no launderer on earth could whiten them. I mean, tidy to your heart out. You talk about getting whites your whitest. No launderer on earth could make Jesus’ garments this gleaming white that they were. And in Luke’s account, in Luke chapter 9, verse 25 or 28 beginning. It says that he was praying, and the appearance of his face became different, verse 29, and his clothing became white and gleaming.

And there appeared with him Moses and Elijah, who appearing in glory were speaking of his exodus or departure, which was about to be accomplished at Jerusalem. And of course, Peter bursts out.

Not realizing what he was saying. He was awakened from sleep to say this, not realizing what he was saying. And so when Peter comes along, what is he saying? We were there. I heard a voice from heaven from the majestic glory. And it wasn’t just me. James and John were there too, as Mark and Luke and Matthew attest. And as a result, he says of Jesus coming.

4. Until the Morning Star Arises in Your Hearts

It was coming to light. It was coming to conclusion in Christ. And he says, that’s what we’ve written about. And it was not anything that came from ourselves that originated with us. But like the men of old who wrote from God, we were moved by the Holy Spirit. And so what we have in the New Testament are documents produced by eyewitnesses, men who were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. This is reliable history from real men who saw real events. But what was the goal of it all? And Peter makes specific mention of that. The prophetic word was made more sure until what? Until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts. That’s the goal of their instruction. That’s the goal of my instruction.

But what exactly is that? The light of God’s word dictating the thoughts. And the sobriety of our hearts and the purity of our conduct. That’s what it is. Because this is a reference to Jesus himself. He is clearly identified at the end of John’s message in Revelation as the bright and morning star. Now, you may know this already. But this is the same as the Old Testament reference to Lucifer. To the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14.

Is the idea of Lucifer or light bringer. In that case, the king of Babylon had inappropriately exalted himself as the light bringer. And he’s going to be taken down. That’s why Lucifer falls down in Isaiah 14. But I want to tell you who rightfully sits in the place as the day star or the morning star who illuminates the beginning of day. It’s Jesus. And it’s interesting that in Numbers 24 and verse 17, there is a prophecy to this effect that says, I see him but not now. I behold him but not near. I mean, we’re talking about 1,500 years prior. I see him but not now. I behold him, but not near. A star shall come forth from Jacob. Now, extra credit if you know who says that.

Who made this prophecy way back in the book of Numbers of the day star, a star that would come forth from Jacob, that is to be the morning star rising in our hearts. Balaam. Yeah. That guy was actually almost prophesying against his own will. Who could not curse the people of Israel like King Balak wanted him to. He could only do what God instructed him or blessed him to do. He prophesies of this role Jesus would play in the future history of God’s people. So how does that play out? What is this all about? Well, it’s those virtues that we read about in 2 Peter chapter 1. Paul talks about in Colossians 3.16 when he says, and let the word richly dwell within you, or Christ in you the hope of glory.

Colossians chapter 1 and verse 27. The goal of this instruction, this prophetic word made more sure, is that Jesus would become the focus of our hearts and minds. That we would imitate him, that day would dawn in our hearts. And the idea of the day dawning is sobriety, that we would have his sobriety in our lives. That’s the goal of this instruction. Christ in you. The whole of glory. And what he says is a result of this. This is the goal of it. This is what we’re trying to accomplish. This is what my life’s work has been about as an apostle. These things are very real and they’re rooted in history. We were eyewitnesses of his majesty. And then he says, You’d better pay attention.

5. A Lamp Shining in a Dark Place

You would do well to pay attention. As a lamp shining in a dark place. I love that. The reason why you need to pay attention to these things that pertain to Jesus of Nazareth. And the reason why you need to have Jesus in your hearts, the morning star is because it illuminates your life. It illuminates your pathway. It brings light to your life. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men, John said in John chapter 1. As to a lamp shining in a dark place. I want to tell you, your life without Christ is an exceedingly dark place.

You’re like walking around in the dark, stumbling over things. Remember the last time you did that, and how much that hurts? Tripped over a shoe that somebody strategically left in your path in the middle of the night, and they knew you were going to trip over. Or you catch your toe on something because it’s dark. I’ve talked about that before. That hurts.

But even worse. What kind of calamities result when you’re walking around in the dark without the Lord? That’s where you are. The message of Jesus. And At will and all others like him. They’re promoting darkness. People are going to listen to guys like At Will, and they’re going to shut it down where the Bible is concerned. See, it’s a conspiracy. Somebody made it all up. And they’re going to stay in the darkness. And the message of the New Testament is designed to bring you light about your life. And the light of eternity. Where everyone will reside in the presence of the morning star. You would do well to pay attention. You know how many times that thought occurs in Scripture? We’ll talk about these and we’ll be done.

6. That It May Be Well With You

Deuteronomy chapter 5, Deuteronomy 5, way back in the Old Testament. As God was instructing his people, he says in Deuteronomy 5.33, you shall walk in all the way which the Lord your God has commanded you that you may live, and that it may be well with you. And that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess. This scene runs throughout Scripture that it may be well with you. Go over to the book of Jeremiah, dark times for God’s people. And this is actually, Deuteronomy 5 is actually being repeated in concept in Jeremiah 7, verse 23. But this is what I commanded them saying, obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. And you will walk in all the way which I commanded you, that it may be well with you.

You come to the New Testament. Honor your father and mother, of course, that’s rooted in the law as well in Exodus 20. And interestingly, this expression, it is the first commandment with promise. And what was that? That it may be well with you. And then we can tack on 1 Peter chapter 3 that says, He that would love life and see good days. That’s the same concept. That it would be well with you. He that would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. This lamp that’s shining is so that it may be well with you. And I want to conclude in Proverbs this morning, chapter 10. This is what the Proverbs are all about.

Over and over again. Proverbs chapter 10, verse 27. The fear of the Lord prolongs life. But the ears of the wicked will be shortened. That’s not a guarantee. These are maxims. But it is better to live the life of the righteous. That’s the comparison that’s being drawn. The fear of the Lord prolongs life. The ears of the wicked will be shortened. The hope of the righteous is gladness. But the expectation of the wicked perishes. The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, but it is ruined. But ruin to the workers of iniquity. The righteous will never be shaken. But the wicked will not dwell in the land. The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom. But the perverted tongue will be cut off.

The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverted. Did you notice the things that accompany the righteous? Life, gladness, and they shall never be shaken. What did Job say in the midst of all of his pain? We sing about it. Probably didn’t know it came from Job.

Conclusion

I know that my Redeemer lives. And at last he will take his stand upon the earth.

For from him and through him and to him are all things. I don’t have any question about the reality of these things. I know that my Redeemer lives. And at last he will take his stand upon the earth. And everyone is going to give an account to him. Peter says, You know why you can trust that? Because we saw it with our own eyes. We were eyewitnesses of his majesty. And we believe that. Because we believe their reports were true. Won’t you allow light to come into your life? May the day star arise in your hearts and let it be a lamp shining in a very dark place. Save yourself from this crooked and perverse generation. Can we help you with standing standard?