TESTS AND TRIALS

Time with Jesus - Friday, 21 December 2012

Hi all,

According to the Encarta Dictionary, an enigma is a mystery; somebody or something that is not easily explained or understood. As far as our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned, this is an understatement. We know a little about Him. We may have a personal relationship with Him. But He is God and to understand God, is beyond us. Today we look at Jesus calming the storm.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 21 December 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	TESTS AND TRIALS
Jesus Christ is an enigma for Christians and non-Christians alike. From experience, the more we learn about Jesus, the more we are confronted by the enigma of Who He is. We are told He is 100% man and 100% God. Theologically this is imperative. He had to die as a man for the sins of all men. One man can die for one man. But only God can die for all mankind. Does that mean that God the Son died? Is it possible that God can die? Really it depends on the nature of death. Our usual understanding is that it’s the condition when life has departed from the body. A corpse is what remains when the spirit and soul have departed. The corpse is lifeless. But the spirit and the soul do not die. The body of Jesus was left behind on the cross. Exactly what happened to His soul and Spirit is not clear. Our creed tells us “He descended into ‘Hell’” For us today, this is misleading. We understand “Hell” to be the place of suffering prepared for the devil and his angels. Other translations use the words Sheol, Hades, Gehenna or Tartarus. Take your pick. Personally, I’m not really interested. He is now resurrected and next to His Father in heaven. In a way, this only deepens the enigma of Jesus. Today’s meditation examines this. The Bible tells us Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat. Jesus, the man, was tired. Was the Son of God also sleeping? It’s unlikely. The Psalmist tells us, 4 Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. Psalms 121:4 NLT What does this mean? I suspect it means Jesus was fully aware of all that was going on around Him. If this is the case, it suggests that this passage of Scripture was a way for Him to try and test His disciples and reveal Himself to them more fully! All Jesus’ miracles demonstrate He had complete control over everything in creation. We are told that Jesus only carried out miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit. This has always been the case. Nothing changed while He walked the earth. All of creation came about as a result of God’s spoken Word empowered by His Holy Spirit. He only ever did what His Father told Him to do. But this has always been true. It’s the way the Trinity functions. In over simplified terms, the Father has the “idea”, the Son “speaks” and the Spirit “makes it happen”. So what was happening while Jesus was asleep in the boat? I suspect Jesus, the man, was sleeping. But He was fully aware of what was happening. Jesus, the man, needed His rest. His disciples “needed” to learn that He was in control of everything. Let the storm do its worst! He could stop it instantly. But His disciples needed to know that He was in charge even when He seemed to be doing nothing! It’s still true. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with His head on a cushion. The disciples woke Him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't You care that we're going to drown?" Mark 4:38 NLT 9 The LORD is good to everyone and has compassion for everything that he has made. Psalms 145:9 GW 3 "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. I have already given you the green plants for food. Now I am giving you everything. Genesis 9:3 NIrV 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." Genesis 8:22 ESV 7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. Nahum 1:7 ESV 17 But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, "Hagar, what's wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants." 19 Then God opened Hagar's eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. Genesis 21:17-19 NLT 31 "Don't ever worry and say, 'What are we going to eat?' or 'What are we going to drink?' or 'What are we going to wear?' 32 Everyone is concerned about these things, and your heavenly Father certainly knows you need all of them. Matthew 6:31-32 GW 17 Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17 GW	Jesus Christ lay sleeping, somewhere in the stern. His head was on a cushion. His followers would learn, That, though He was in dreamland, they were all secure. Evil couldn’t harm them. Of this they could be sure. Was He really sleeping or was this just a test? Certainly the storm had come at Lucifer’s behest. Did they have the faith to face this storm without His aid? Would they merely panic because they were afraid? The boat was filling quickly with water from the waves. Did they need the lesson that only Jesus saves? Perhaps it was His motive? Perhaps it was a test? We don’t know for certain; but their fear was manifest. “Teacher don’t you care that we are all about to die?” Jesus was awakened to this sad and anguished cry. He arose and ordered the raging wind to cease “Be still!” he told the waters and all was then at peace. Instantly it happened. The storm gave way to calm. “Why are you such cowards? No cause for your alarm!” Gently He chided them, “Why is your faith so small?” Now they knew for certain, He is Lord of all. They began to realise, that here at their right hand, Was He who made the universe by giving a command. A word was all He needed and creation came to be. No wonder they were asking, “Who is this Man we see? Two thousand odd years later, we too pass through a trial. Jesus isn’t sleeping but His face takes on a smile. How will we all handle, the little tiny storm, We have been confronted with? Will the trial form, Character within us? Will we pass the test? If we do, be certain, He’ll see that we are blessed. Will we start to panic and tremble in our fear? Or will we remember that Jesus Christ is near! He doesn’t need a pillow and doesn’t ever snooze. He’s supplied the things we need; but are we going to use, The faith we have been given? How will we react To the little trial? Is our faith a fact, Or merely wishful thinking? What will the answer be? I can’t speak for others; I can only speak for me! Jim Strickland  Written 21st December 2012