Apicontent

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.” —Matthew 18:15–17

Wouldn’t it be far more civil and compassionate—not to mention more merciful, loving, and obedient—if when offended by a brother or sister in Christ, believers would observe our Lord’s instructions presented in our verses for today? Instead, when offence occurs, we oftentimes unforgivingly run straight to everyone else. We love to talk about the wrong doing, and get in our version of how we were wronged, instead of lovingly going first to the offender. We are often likely to head for people we know who will be sympathetic to our case, building an alliance to defame and shame those who have hurt us. Hatred and hurt and anger fester and bleed and ultimately produce bitterness. This unwillingness to forgive, and a desire for revenge, bring us much harm.

Paul tells us in Romans:

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” —Romans 12:17–21

Jesus gives us good reason for forgiveness in the Sermon on the Mount earlier in Matthew:

“For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.” —Matthew 6:14–15

Jesus’ words today include any disagreement or quarrel among Christians. It is important to preserve Christ’s church with purity, peace, and order. Those around us must know us by the love we have for one another.

We have been freely forgiven and—and we are to freely forgive. We are to look at each offense through merciful eyes, knowing that we often offend as well.

However, it is not loving, kind, or helpful to simply gloss over matters of offence, perhaps pretending they never happened. If the offence is an ongoing pattern in another believer’s life, we must work out our conflict with the love of Christ. Does it help someone to allow them to continue in an unkind or impudent manner? We are not to wait for them to come to us; rather we are to prayerfully go to them, seeking to settle matters quickly. Sins are prone to silence the conscience of those indulging in them and oftentimes help is needed to arouse it.

The approach should always be from a sinner to a sinner. The rebuke must be loving, prayerful, and private. No human is perfect. All believers in Jesus are in the process of being transformed and, as Scripture states, mercy triumphs over judgment. We must, in faithfulness, meekness, and love, present the offence privately. We should never be seeking shame for a brother or sister. Repentance is the goal and always for the good of the offender.

“Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.” —James 2:12–13

Jesus goes deeper. If the sin continues, two or three others are to be taken along in an effort to reason the case further with the offender ever seeking his good. God’s work is to be done effectively with as little noise as possible.

“A single witness may not testify against another person for any trespass or sin that he commits. A matter may be legally established only on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” —Deuteronomy 19:15

Become More

Only if our brother or sister staunchly refuses to work out the matter is the church is to get involved in order to examine the matter. Here again, the outcome desired is repentance and restitution of relationship. Ultimately, the offender is not to be looked upon as an outcast, but as one who is in a position to be received and restored. Remember, the shepherd left the ninety-nine sheep and went looking for the one who needed restoration.

Further Reflections

An unwillingness to forgive and a desire for revenge bring us much harm.

“I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” —John 13:34–35

“When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, ‘Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to heal him.’ Jesus answered, ‘You unbelieving and perverse generation! How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I endure you? Bring him here to me.’ Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that moment.” —Matthew 17:14–18

In these verses we see a daddy humbly approaching the Lord Jesus and pleading for relief of his son’s suffering. The child’s condition is urgent. The father draws near to the Healer empty handed and begging for mercy. Indeed, the word translated “mercy” is from the Greek word eleeo meaning “to relieve affliction, alleviate suffering or distress, ease misery. It is the concrete expression of pity and compassion for the destitute or those in misery which undertakes to mollify or remove their suffering. It is used specifically to signify God’s salvation in which He acts to reverse the adverse effects of sin and to relieve sinners of their moral and spiritual wretchedness, all that He accomplishes in delivering them from the miserable and pitiful (though deserved) condition of sin, guilt, and death” (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible–New Testament Lexical Aids).

What parent can’t relate to the father’s predicament? When our children are in trouble of any kind we cry out on their behalf, pleading for the Maker to move His merciful hand. This incident occurs immediately upon the Lord’s return from His mountaintop glory transfiguration, yet we discover Jesus’ glories do not make Him unmindful of our sufferings and needs! As Satan would have it, the effects of this child’s disease were deplorable, casting him into the fire or the water. Mark tells us in his Gospel that this child would also foam at the mouth, gnash his teeth, and become rigid—a frightening sight for any parent to behold.

Jesus had previously granted His power to His disciples to cast out demons and they had been successful.

“Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness.” —Matthew 10:1

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” —Matthew 10:8

And yet, here they failed, and there were nine of them present! The other three had been with the Lord Jesus. Thankfully, the failure of humans does not hinder the operation of Christ’s grace! We see Jesus reprimanding those around Him for their unbelief. Our Lord’s reprimand was not to His disciples, rather to the people and perhaps the teachers of the law in His hearing. Christ himself could not do many mighty miracles among those with whom unbelief reigned. The blessings were withheld because of their faithlessness.

“And so they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own house.’ And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.” —Matthew 13:57–58

However, we still see Jesus break the power of Satan with a simple rebuke. All power in heaven and on earth and under the earth belongs to Him. He is the One with all authority.

Become More

“The foundational principle of grace is that God’s kingdom priorities are completely inverted from those of the world. God’s plan is to magnify His saving mercy and grace not through human strength but rather through its weakness … The gospel of grace would remind us that we can’t be used until we operate not out of our own strength but in weakness, as we depend on Christ’s Spirit to show the reality of the cross.” —Paul Kooistra

Further Reflections

“Throw your burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain you.” —Psalm 55:22

“God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.” —1 Peter 5:6–7

“If my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” —2 Chronicles 7:14

“Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them privately up a high mountain. And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Then Moses and Elijah also appeared before them, talking with him. So Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!’ When the disciples heard this, they were overwhelmed with fear and threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. But Jesus came and touched them. ‘Get up,’ he said. ‘Do not be afraid.’ When they looked up, all they saw was Jesus alone.” —Matthew 17:1–8

I think if Peter were with us today, he would tell us it is sometimes better to simply not say anything!

During this particular moment with Jesus, Peter didn’t know what he was saying—of course he didn’t!

I am kind of with Peter. I can certainly see why he wanted to stay up on that mountain top. It was so much more peaceful and pleasant up there than dealing with all those frustratingly annoying sheep below. It’s pure peace at the feet of the Master.

But it was not God’s plan for Peter, James, and John to set up residence on the mountaintop. And it isn’t His plan for us either. Earth is not our home, heaven is. Peter was permitted that glorious encounter for the benefit of me and for you. He was given a special moment with Jesus that revealed His very nature. Our encounters, whether they are truths taught or an experience of God’s faithfulness demonstrated in our lives, are not for us alone. They are to be used to help strengthen the faith of others as well.

In our verses for today, Jesus takes His inner circle—Peter, James, and John—up a high mountain for an encounter with God that they will never forget. Indeed, Peter records in his second epistle as being an eyewitness to this incredible encounter:

“For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of his grandeur. For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: ‘This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.’ When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain.” —2 Peter 1:16–18

In the Matthew passage it tells us that Jesus was “transfigured” before them. The word translated “transfigured” is from the Greek word metamorphoo meaning “to transform, change one’s form; to alter fundamentally.” This word is used of Jesus’ transfiguration which involved the miracle of transformation from an earthly form into a supernatural one … It describes a spiritual transformation, an invisible process in Christians which takes place during their life in this age. (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, New Testament Lexical Aids). This same word is found in Romans 12:2 when Paul warns us to be different from the world by being “transformed” by the renewing of our minds:

“Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” —Romans 12:2

Paul also tells us in 2 Corinthians that believers are being “transformed” into Christ’s likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Holy Spirit:

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” —2 Corinthians 3:17–18

As we demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in our lives we are progressively being transformed into Christ’s likeness—and Christlikeness is the goal of our Christian walk.

Become More

“You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.” —Ephesians 4:22–24

Further Reflection

It was not God’s plan for Peter, James, and John to set up residence on the mountaintop. And it isn’t His plan for us either.

“When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ They answered, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ —Matthew 16:13–16

The most important question every soul will have to answer is presented here within our verses for today: “Who do we say that I am?”

In a remote area, with few followers around, Jesus was afforded the opportunity of private conversation with His disciples. He begins the conversation by asking the question “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Notice He does not ask who the Scribes and Pharisees say that He is, rather He is thinking of the ordinary people, those whom He has spent time with teaching and healing, those who have followed Him from town to town, those whom the Pharisees despise and feel are beneath them.

Jesus had not stated plainly to the people who He was, rather He had left it to them to understand His true identity by His words and by His works. Now He desires to know what they are thinking and saying. Obviously, there were many opinions! The disciples respond to His first question with an honorable and flattering—yet wrong—reply of John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. It is possible to have good thoughts regarding Christ, and yet have those good thoughts be incorrect thoughts. It is possible to have a high opinion of the Savior but not high enough.

In the books of Acts we read:

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.” —Acts 4:12

Going deeper, Jesus wants to know the opinions of his disciples. Ever the spokesman for the group, Peter passionately pipes up with the precise praiseworthy words of: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter’s answer is brief, yet full, true, and to the point. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God!

Granted, Jesus’ disciples had been better taught than those in the crowds. By their intimacy with Jesus the disciples had a far greater advantage of gaining knowledge than other followers did. And so we see that those who walk closest to the Lord are able to have the truest knowledge of Him. And what we know about Christ we should never keep to ourselves. We are to be conduits of His truth, mercy, and grace to others. He pours his truth, and grace, and righteousness into us so that we, in turn can share it with others.

It is sad to the Lord Jesus when His followers do not seem to understand this key principle. I am reminded of His words to Philip:

“Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me, Philip? The person who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves.” —John 14:9–11

“There is no broadminded approach when it comes to entering into the life that God has for you. God doesn’t present you with a variety of doors to consider. He doesn’t say, ‘Go ahead and pick the door that looks best to you, and after you decide, I will support your decision and bless all that you do.’ It is true that God does have a plan and a purpose for your life, but it can only be entered into through one door. Jesus Christ is that door. There is no other entrance. There is only one Gospel to believe; only one Truth to embrace; only one Shepherd to follow; only one Savior to trust; only one Lord to serve; only one Master to obey.” —Roy Lessin

Become More

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Further Reflection

“Jesus was God spelling Himself out in language humanity could understand.” —S. D. Gordon

“Then Jesus called the disciples and said, ‘I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days and they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry since they may faint on the way.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Where can we get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy so great a crowd?’ Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ They replied, ‘Seven—and a few small fish.’
“After instructing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, who then gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Not counting children and women, there were four thousand men who ate. After sending away the crowd, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.” —Matthew 15:32–39

In these verses we see that Jesus felt deep sympathy for the crowds He was ministering to. Being fully aware that His audience was both helpless and harassed like sheep without a shepherd, Jesus desired to do more than simply heal their diseases. He wanted to meet their need of hunger as well. Isaiah tells us our Lord is a tender Shepherd who gently and carefully leads and carries the weakest and helpless members of His flock:

“Like a shepherd he tends his flock; he gathers up the lambs with his arm; he carries them close to his heart; he leads the ewes along.” —Isaiah 40:11

Human reason dictated the disciple’s response to their Master’s desire to feed this huge crowd. Isn’t that also typically our response. It is so easy to resort to human abilities and reasoning! However, God is looking for servants who are willing to believe that He can do great things; things beyond the bounds of human expectation, reasoning, or power.

It is God’s desire for us to depend on Him alone. We need to trust His provision. Relying solely on Him—on His sure sufficiency—this is the way of rich blessing, even though it may lead us down difficult paths we would not have chosen. Being content with His provision for us will keep us from being plagued with fear and anxiety. This means we are able to leave the results in His very capable hands.

Jesus wants our focus to remain on Him. He wants us to break free from being preoccupied with ourselves. He wants us to soak in His presence, power, and love. It is His desire for us to cease striving and know that He is God. When Jesus tells His disciples that He wants them to feed these hungry people, they are immediately overwhelmed. That is so human nature! And yet, Jesus was about to teach them the lesson of His sufficiency. He wanted to them to rely on His leading and power. He was preparing them to be His instruments in His world. Jesus is to be our sustaining strength and His peace is to ever fill our minds. He desires to do the miraculous through us!

In this story, Jesus takes the meager portion of food that is available, blesses it, and satisfies all. There is always enough mercy and grace with Him to fill our greatest desires with satisfaction. We are never at a loss in our Master’s company. It is important to remember our past experiences with Him to keep us from present doubting.

“I am the LORD, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!” —Psalm 81:10

Become More

“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,” —Romans 8:28

“All the resources of the Godhead are at our disposal!” —Jonathan Goforth

Further Reflection

“Everything looks to you in anticipation, and you provide them with food on a regular basis. You open your hand, and fill every living thing with the food they desire. The LORD is just in all his actions, and exhibits love in all he does. The LORD is near all who cry out to him, all who cry out to him sincerely. He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers; he hears their cry for help and delivers them. The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys all the wicked.” —Psalm 145:15–20

“When he left there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain, where he sat down. Then large crowds came to him bringing with them the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others. They laid them at his feet, and he healed them. As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel.” —Matthew 15:29–31

Hurting humanity constantly sought the Healer for healing. In these verses we see our Lord sitting on a mountainside so that He is both visible and accessible to all. Jesus received all kinds of people—those who were poor, those who were rich, those who were ordinary, those who were in positions of authority, those in bondage physically, those in bondage emotionally, those in bondage spiritually, those who were the outcast. As Jesus sat on the mountainside, it was as if he was settling in to do His gracious and good work for all those who needed Him.

Isaiah tells us:

“For this reason the LORD is ready to show you mercy; he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you. Indeed, the LORD is a just God; all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.” —Isaiah 30:18

People were continually bringing their needy relatives and friends to Jesus for His healing touch. The illnesses themselves spoke for those in need much more clearly than any words could ever accomplish. Certainly, the only way to find healing for all the problems plaguing humanity is to bring them to Jesus! Physical ailments and as well as spiritual diseases were no problem for the Great Physician. Now, just as then, Jesus eagerly desires to heal all.

Isaiah’s words from God remind us:

“Is my hand too weak to deliver you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water.” —Isaiah 50:2

We all need wholeness. We all need to experience peace like a river and righteousness like the waves of the sea. If we are honest with ourselves, we will acknowledge that our rebellious hearts, our persistence in going our own way, and our determination to pursue paths which are against God and His ways have caused us much harm and produced nothing but futility. Jesus holds out His arms to us!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.” —Matthew 11:28–30

“This is what the LORD, your protector, says, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you in the way you should go.” —Isaiah 48:17

Faith comes in believing what God says is true. It is trusting that He has our best interest at heart and that His ways work out to our advantage in the end. This is not to say that our paths will be easy or painless, but they will always lead to God’s good work in us. We can trust Him. Just as those who were clamoring for Jesus’ touch because they believed He could and would help them, we too can know that Jesus will help us.

The scene described in our verses for today is reminiscent of the one described earlier in Matthew:

“Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness among the people. So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.” —Matthew 4:23–24

The work of our Savior was not limited to His preaching. His miraculous deeds pointed to the fact that He was who He claimed to be. His actions authenticated His message. Indeed, Jesus came teaching, preaching, and healing:

“Then Jesus went throughout all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.” —Matthew 9:35

Become More

“… and they praised the God of Israel.” —Matthew 15:31

Further Reflections

“There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God.” —Frederick William Faber

“His love in times past forbids me to think, He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink.” —John Newton

“Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said, ‘Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.’ He answered them, ‘And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God said, “Honor your father and mother” and “Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.” But you say, “If someone tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,’” he does not need to honor his father. You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’’” —Matthew 15:1–9

Here we see Jesus reprimanding the Pharisees and teachers of the law for basing their religion on tradition and human rules rather than a relationship with and a love for God. The religious leaders insisted on obedience to their own laws, emphasizing religious rites and ceremonies.

The Pharisees were filled with pride in their positions. The religion of the Pharisees was one of right behavior, but in all reality, it was hypocritical. Their hearts were far from God. Consequently, their worship was futile and fruitless. And today, the Pharisees are still alive and well. Those who are most zealous for their own rules are often careless with God’s desires. When human inventions are tacked on to God’s law and imposed accordingly, it makes for a lifeless religion … and it gets you nowhere fast! These religious leaders failed to understand that God was aware of their motives. They honored God with all the right words and actions while their hearts remained far from Him. We might fool others—perhaps even ourselves—but we will never fool God. He knows our motives and judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day the Israelites described by Jeremiah:

“The LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel says to the people of Judah: ‘You might as well go ahead and add the meat of your burnt offerings to that of the other sacrifices and eat it, too! Consider this: When I spoke to your ancestors after I brought them out of Egypt, I did not merely give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices. I also explicitly commanded them: “Obey me. If you do, I will be your God and you will be my people. Live exactly the way I tell you and things will go well with you.” But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They followed the stubborn inclinations of their own wicked hearts. They acted worse and worse instead of better. From the time your ancestors departed the land of Egypt until now, I sent my servants the prophets to you again and again, day after day. But your ancestors did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.’” —Jeremiah 7:21–26

The worship of these religious leaders ended in vanity. It did not attain the end for which it was appointed nor did it please God. God desires that we worship Him in spirit and in trutht.

Become More

“But Jesus said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God’s sight.’” —Luke 16:15

“He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you tocarry out justice, to love faithfulness, and to live obediently beforeyour God.” —Micah 6:8

Further Reflection

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” —Psalm 51:10, ESV

“All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord evaluateshis thoughts.—Proverbs 21:2

“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds. And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it. As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, ‘It’s a ghost!’ and cried out with fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them: ‘Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.’ So he said, ‘Come.’ Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” —Matthew 14:22–33

Jesus first sends His disciples ahead of Him by boat to the other side of the sea and then dismisses the crowd. He retreats up the mountainside to be with His father—communing in private prayer—and there He stays until early morning. Even when the tempest begins to blow, Jesus remains steady, focused in prayer. He continues to set the example for us according to His own teaching:

“But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” —Matthew 6:6

While Jesus is praying, the disciples find themselves paddling in a terrific storm in the middle of the raging sea. It is important to remember that they were exactly where Jesus had sent them; they had been obedient to His direction.

Just because we are in the middle of a great turmoil does not for one second mean that we are not in the center of God’s will. Indeed, the disciples seemed always to be going from one difficult situation to another, and yet they were ever in the center of God’s perfect and pleasing will.

Knowing their desperate situation, Jesus sets out in mercy, walking on the water to rescue them. Terrified that He was a ghost, they cry out in fear. I guess so! Here they are in the middle of a raging sea with pre-dawn darkness and all of a sudden, they see someone in the distance walking on water. Can you imagine? He takes control: “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” He makes himself known—and therein is their sufficiency. His presence is enough to put them at ease, encouraging them against their fright. With His words it is as if He tells them, just as He tells each one of us, “Don’t be afraid of the tempests and the waves of your circumstances. Do not fear them, I am with you.” Nothing is a terror to those whom Christ is with.

In the midst of this, we find Peter willing to walk on the water to meet the Lord Jesus. Peter asks permission and it’s granted by the One who created and can calm the sea. Peter gets out of the boat! But his faith falters. And yet, Jesus is there at the precise moment when Peter most needs Him. Peter is upheld by Christ’s power. Isn’t that exactly what Jesus offers to each one of us as well? There is no danger in sinking when we are held by His everlasting arms of strength.

Is our focus on the wind and turbulence of our circumstances or on the wisdom and truth and strength of Jesus? To answer that, perhaps we need to assess our present situation: Are we walking on water amidst our trials, or are we overcome by the waves? When we stay focused on Jesus, maintaining a reliance upon Him, we need not be concerned about the how and where of our circumstances. We need only to fix our gaze upon Him.

Become More

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up.” —Hebrews 12:1–3

Further Reflections

“Jesus promised His disciples three things: that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.” —F.R. Maltby

“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you: everything passes away except God; God alone is sufficient.” —St. Theresa

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” —John 14:27

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.” —Matthew 13:44-46

The question of the day appears to be: Is Christ worth all to us? Is He above the “pearls” of our profession, our possessions, and our people? Do we search for Him as the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price? Do we desire to go deeper still in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus and in our relationship with Him?

This, of course, was the goal Paul pressed on to achieve:

“But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things—indeed, I regard them as dung!—that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 3:7-14

Do you sense the passion in Paul’s words? The striving, the pressing onward, the focus on the goal? Paul’s words demonstrate he believed he had by no means reached the final stage of his sanctification. He knew he still had more spiritual heights to climb. This was Paul! He had been a believer for 30 years when he wrote this and had won many spiritual battles and grown greatly in the faith. I do not believe I am exaggerating when I say modern-day believers would be hard pressed to find someone who could fills his shoes. There will never be a time in our spiritual life where we are in a stalemate or reach a plateau regarding our spiritual growth.

Jesus Christ is to be our true treasure! In Him we find understanding, knowledge, wisdom, power, mercy, and grace. He is of unspeakable value and worth. In Him our cups are not only filled, they run over. Mere words can never do Him justice. He is the God of ultimate sufficiency when we allow Him to fill our aching souls. That is His desire. He longs for us to be complete in Him. That is what we have been created for.

“[Jesus] is that one pearl of great price, in comparison of whom all other goodly things that men desire are worthless. Without him we are poor and miserable, though we abound in all manner of worldly store; but if we have found him and discovered the excellency of his name, we are in possession of a treasure that makes us rich indeed, and have reason to be content with our portion, though stripped of every earthly comfort; for the Father gives grace and glory, even eternal life, in his Son Jesus Christ; and he that hath the Son of God hath life. Oh, my soul, thou, like the merchantman, hast been seeking goodly pearls, and eagerly looking here and there for happiness all thy days. Hast thou, at length, been enlightened to perceive where true joys are to be found? Then wilt thou be willing to sell all in order to win Christ, and be found in him; if there is anything that thou art unwilling to part with for his sake, thou knowest not his value, thou art not worthy of him.” —K. H. Von Bogatzky

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him. He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him. He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” —Colossians 1:15-20

Become More

“For when I am to you more precious than all else; when I have become more real to you than all else; and when you love Me more than you love any other, then shall you know complete satisfaction. Your peace shall flow as a river, and your joy shall overflow as a fountain, and My glory shall be poured out as the fragrant anointing oil upon all your other relationships.” —Frances L. Roberts

Further Reflection

“If religion is worth anything, it is worth everything. They who do not like Christ on these terms, may leave him at their peril. Whatever we part with for this pearl of price, we may comfort ourselves with this belief, that it is well worth what we give for it. The terms are, that we prefer Christ.” —Matthew Henry

“While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. Someone told him, ‘Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.’ To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother and who are my brothers?’ And pointing toward his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’” —Matthew 12:46–50

Just as living in a garage will not make us a car; neither will family relationships make us true disciples of Jesus. It is only through faith in the Lord Jesus that one is cleansed and has a right standing with our heavenly Father. This faith in Christ will produce eternal works in keeping with true repentance just as naturally as an apple tree produces an apple.

It is not what we muster up; it is what we flesh out. It is that which is within us—the good fruit of the Holy Spirit—that matters. This good fruit is never produced by our own abilities, but by the Holy Spirit’s all achieving power.

Jesus’ words in John come to mind:

“You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” —John 15:14–16

Jesus makes this same point in our verses for today. It is only those who do the will of His Father in heaven that are rightly related to the Savior. It is those being dominated by His dominance; those being filled with the fullness of God.

This is a lifelong process. We never “get there” in this fallen world. We never fully comprehend God, but we can grow closer and closer to Him in our understandings. The more we know Him, the more we love Him, and the more we love Him, the more we trust Him and desire to serve Him.

“I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.” —Ephesians 3:16–19

Too often we want to blend in with this world. We are hesitant to take a stand for truth because we are eager to be embraced by family, peers, or even our church. We do not want to stand out by standing up. The idea that we may appear foolish or ridiculous is simply unappealing. We prefer to blend; drawing little or no attention to ourselves regarding our walk of faith. We remain silent when we should speak; indifferent when we should act; often disregarding the Holy Spirit’s nudging and leading. Instead, we seek to go our own way and expect God to bless us.

The Bible, on the other hand, is full of people that looked foolish to the world. How about believing God, as did Abraham, when his ninety-year-old wife was told she would conceive and give birth to a child? Or what about Noah building an ark with no water in sight and it had never even rained? Certainly Joshua had to have seemed foolish in simply marching around the walls of Jericho and expecting them to fall. The examples from Scripture go on and on ending with the cross of Christ which seemed foolish to the world, but was God’s ultimate perfect plan to save the souls of men. Indeed, being trail blazers in God’s kingdom can often look as foolishness to the world.

Remember, Jesus’ place was to suffer outside the camp. A place away from the embrace of the world. It was a place of scorn—a place reserved for criminals and outcasts—just as we all are before Christ.

“Therefore, to sanctify the people by his own blood, Jesus also suffered outside the camp. We must go out to him, then, outside the camp, bearing the abuse he experienced. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” —Hebrews 13:12–14

Become More

“The true Christian cannot be hid, he cannot escape notice. A man truly living and functioning as a Christian will stand out. He will be like salt; he will be like a city set on a hill, a candle set upon a candlestick. But we can also add this further word. The true Christian does not even desire to hide his light. He sees how ridiculous it is to claim to be a Christian and yet deliberately to try to hide the fact.

“A man who truly realizes what it means to be a Christian, who realizes all that the grace of God has meant to him and done for him, and understands that, ultimately, God has done this in order that he may influence others, is a man who cannot conceal it. Not only that; he does not desire to conceal it, because he argues thus, ‘Ultimately the object and purpose of it all is that I might be functioning in this way.’” —Martin Lloyd-Jones

Further Reflection

“I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.” —Ephesians 3:16–19