Can we really believe?

How do you make something unbelievable, believable? When a new product or "gadget" is introduced and we hear of something it does that was previously impossible, we call that an unbelievable invention. On TV today I saw an advertisement for a little box you can purchase, hook up a house phone to it, an call anywhere in the nation for free. Talk to anyone you wish for as long as you wish, for no charge!  Unbelievable?  Believe it!

I know the followers of Jesus that were given the task of spreading the message of the gospel must have encountered lots of people who, when hearing about Jesus, walked away while shaking their heads and thinking, "that's unbelievable."
 

Peter was given that task of presenting the new message of God's love for mankind through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. On the Day of Pentecost following Jesus' victory over death and the grave, Peter preached about a risen Lord, a living Jesus.  Unbelievable?   Not only was Jesus alive again, he had ascended back into heaven with the promise that he would return again. Is it sounding more unbelievable?

Later in the writing of Peter, he addressed the issue like this in 2 Peter 1:

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  ¹⁸ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
¹⁹ 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. ²⁰ Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.



Peter assures us, "This is no fable made up and cleverly devised by men. All I am telling you actually happened. I was there, I am an eyewitness, I can testify to you all of this is true."



Can we take his word for it?  Do we actually believe the Bible narratives as truth to live by? And can we know these words are as true for our generation as they were for those who lived in Bible times? I cannot make you believe unbelievable things. I can only point you to this follower of Jesus named Peter and the things he taught that are made believable in the hearts and minds of those who seek God. Read that last part of the scripture again. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.



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