Greatness: Matthew 14-20ਨਮੂਨਾ

When I get together with friends from high school, we often talk about stories from those days. We talk about the fun we had, the good times, and the bad. We affirm each other’s stories as we were there for those moments. They had an impact on us.

Peter was a witness to the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain. He saw Jesus talking to Elijah and Moses, and heard God’s voice saying, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5b, ESV). This is a huge moment! So much bigger than any of the stories from my youth. It is a massive story he shares in his letter in 2 Peter. He writes, “we were with him on the holy mountain”, “we ourselves heard this very voice” — he was there, it did happen!

Peter uses this event as a justification for following Jesus. They weren’t following a “cleverly devised myth” for they were “eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16–18, ESV). Ten out of eleven of the disciples were martyred for their faith. Why would they die over an elaborate ruse? If Jesus were a false teacher, they could easily deny Him once they began to face persecution. But they didn’t. They kept proclaiming the gospel until their deaths because they witnessed and experienced Jesus, and knew He was truly the Son of God who is worth living for.

Today, ponder this: Each of us has a story about how we came to follow Jesus. What convinced us, and continues to convince us that this is not a myth but the truth about God? Are we like Peter and feel compelled to tell our story? Do we believe we have something that we must share with others? What are some ways we can share our story with friends and family?