For we did not follow cleverly devised myths 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 honour and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
(2 Peter 1.16–21, ESV)
Inspiration is a curious thing. Any of us who try to communicate creatively in any medium, whether through words or the visual arts, know what that means – and what it costs. Sometimes it just ‘flows’ – at other times, it’s like pulling teeth. We scratch around in the dust, so to speak, looking for a pebble of any shape or colour, just something we can use.
Fortunately when it comes to the good news of our faith, inspiration is much easier to find. In our passage today, the apostle Peter, who had spent a lifetime trying to communicate the good news with everyone he met, takes us back to the things we can rely on. In fact, where he starts is by reminding us that we don’t need clever communication strategies to share our faith (verse 16). Why?
Well, firstly, we have the power of experience. For Peter, that was direct, first-hand eyewitness testimony. He saw God’s majesty at Jesus’ baptism (verse 17) and also on the mountain where Jesus was transfigured (verse 18). We might not have that particular experience to draw on, but nevertheless we all have personal stories of how God has been at work in our lives, which in many ways are no less real. Answered prayer, changes in our sense of wellbeing or our character, perhaps one or two miraculous interventions, or even dreams and visions.
These are the things that make our faith real, that give us authority too as ‘witnesses’, sharing what we have ourselves experienced. And these stories and testimonies are powerful. If you haven’t thought about those for a while, why not take a few minutes today? I hope you’ll find, as I do, that it never fails to lift our spirits and encourage our hearts.
Secondly, Peter also reminds us that the truth of the good news is powerful enough in itself not to need ‘dressing up’. He describes it as ‘completely reliable’ and a ‘light in a dark place’ (both verse 19). But he also points to a deeper power, a greater inspiration. The words of the Bible have power not just because they tell great truths, but because they are inspired by God. In the lovely phrase at the end of the passage, humans ‘spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit’ (verse 21). The Bible is ‘God-breathed’ (for other references to this same truth, see 2 Timothy 3.16, Hebrews 3.7 and 10.15).
This is yet another beautiful truth about the Spirit, isn’t it? The Spirit inspired the pages of Scripture. The Spirit’s business is everything that glorifies Jesus.
And we too can open the Bible today, rejoicing that as we read God speaks to us, in Spirit-breathed words. What is he saying to you today?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder that I am not following 'cleverly devised myths' but that I can trust in your word, confirmed by reliable witnesses, recounting what they saw and heard. Thank you for the Scriptures! Help me to read them eagerly and delight in them every day. May your word shape my life as I absorb it and put it into practice. Thank you for my personal experience of your presence and work in my life. Thank you Lord Jesus that I can have total confidence in the promise of your second coming and my salvation in you on that day – my sure and certain hope is in you.
These Pentecost reflections were written by Revd Matt Trendall, a minister working in Milton Keynes. Check out his blog at www.dailyinspiration.org.uk.
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