Do you ever consider Jesus’ feelings? What a weird way to start a teaching about overcoming fear. But it is, a valid question. It is very unusual to think about Jesus’ feelings. Usually, my thoughts are centered on my feelings and rarely if ever on His. Isn’t that strange? He loved us so much that He gave His life in a very humiliating and painful death. He guaranteed our inheritances and the great and precious promises of His Gospel, with His blood. Yet, we rarely ask ourselves how He may feel.
Consider this writing from our appointed teacher, Paul:
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES (weaknesses); But was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us then come boldly TO THE THRONE OF GRACE that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15&16)
And the shortest verse in the Bible reported by the disciple John; an eyewitness to the fact, about Jesus’ reaction to the unbelief of His closest friends:
“JESUS WEPT”. (John 11:35)
We all have hurt His feelings. Unbelief is the surest way to do so. Consider two true eyewitness news accounts of colossal levels of unbelief, which surely must have made Jesus weep.
The following event was reported almost identically by two eyewitnesses: John and Matthew, and by the greatest news reporter who ever lived, Dr. Luke. Luke personally interviewed and reported precisely, the eyewitness accounts of hundreds of people who were present at the time of Jesus.
The scene is at the Jordan river, where John the baptist is prophesying the coming of Jesus. He is preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah by baptizing. Jesus has come to be baptized also.
“And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED UP UNTO HIM, AND HE SAW THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE, AND LIGHTING UPON HIM: AND LO, A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, THIS IS MY SON IN WHOM, I AM WELL PLEASED.” (Matthew 3:16&17)
“Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus being also baptized and praying, THE HEAVEN WAS OPENED, AND THE HOLY GHOST DESCENDED IN A BODILY SHAPE AS A DOVE UPON HIM, AND A VOICE CAME FROM HEAVEN SAYING………THOU ART MY BELOVED SON; IN THEE, AM I WELL PLEASED.” (Luke 3:21&22)
“And John (John the disciple is writing about John the Baptist) bare record, saying, I SAW THE SPIRIT DESCENDING FROM HEAVEN LIKE A DOVE, AND IT ABODE UPON HIM. And I knew Him not but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, UPON WHOM THOU SHALT SEE THE SPIRIT DESCENDING, AND REMAINING ON HIM, THE SAME IS HE WHICH BAPTIZETH WITH THE HOLY GHOST. …. AND I SAW HIM, AND BARE RECORD THAT THIS IS THE SON OF GOD.” (John 1:32-34)
Thus, it is recorded clearly three times that John the Baptist got first hand visual and audible confirmation directly from GOD that JESUS was HIS SON.
Jesus spoke of John the Baptist: “FOR I SAY UNTO YOU, AMONG THOSE THAT ARE BORN OF WOMEN THERE IS NOT A GREATER PROPHET THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST: but he that is least in the kingdom is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28)
Now, Jesus himself has proclaimed that until Jesus, John the Baptist was the Greatest Prophet Who Ever Lived. Yet, when faced with the certainty of his execution for condemning King Herod, John was overcome by unbelief.
“And it came to pass, that when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, He departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his (John’s) disciples, And said unto Him (Jesus) ……… ART THOU HE THAT SHOULD COME, OR DO WE LOOK FOR ANOTHER?”
Jesus answered and said unto them, GO AND SHOW JOHN AGAIN THOSE THINGS WHICH YOU DO HEAR AND SEE: THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT, AND THE LAME WALK, THE LEPERS ARE CLEANSED, AND THE DEAF HEAR, THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP, AND THE POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM, AND BLESSED IS HE WHO WILL NOT BE OFFENDED IN ME.” (Matthew 11:1-6)
Is the evil one good at deceit? Don’t you know that he was buzzing in John’s ear that Jesus could save him if He wanted to. Imagine all of the trash that the evil one tempted John with.
John KNEW WHO JESUS WAS! GOD DECLARED IN A HEAVENLY AND AUDIBLE VOICE TO JOHN, WHOM JESUS WAS! Yet, fear overcame the certain knowledge of JESUS.
You would think that the disciples, who personally witnessed all of the above as well as Jesus feeding 5000 men not including women and children from three loaves and two fishes, would use more belief. Yet, read on:
This event took place IMMEDIATELY after the feeding of the thousands. The disciples had fed all of the throng and still collected 12 baskets of remnants. One full basket for each disciple:
And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship And there were other little ships. AND THERE AROSE A GREAT STORM OF WIND, AND THE WAVES BEAT THE SHIP, SO THAT IT WAS NOW FULL. AND HE WAS IN THE HINDER PART OF THE SHIP,…………..ASLEEP ON A PILLOW;……AND THEY WOKE HIM AND SAID UNTO HIM,………MASTER, CAREST NOT THAT WE PERISH?……….AND HE AROSE, AND REBUKED THE WIND, AND SAID UNTO THE SEA,…………………..PEACE, BE STILL. AND THE WIND CEASED AND THERE WAS A GREAT CALM………………..AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,…………………………………………………………. .WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL?…………………………..HOW IS IT THAT YOU HAVE NO FAITH?
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:37-40)
The questions are the most important part of this teaching:
(1) “WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL?”
(2) “HOW IS IT THAT YOU HAVE……NO FAITH?”
The first question is the most pertinent to us. The second is not possible for Christians to claim now. Since we receive the free gift of “the measure of faith” when we are saved, we do not have the excuse that we had to rely on our flesh faith, and it failed us. (Ephesians 2:8&9 and Romans 12:3)
Using our faith is a choice that we make and belief is a decision. The burning question remains, “WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL?” The answer is obvious. Unbelief. Remember Jesus’ reply to John the Baptist:
“Go and show John again those things which you do see: The blind receive sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.”
“And blessed is he whosoever is not offended in me.”
Jesus answered John’s question about His deity by reminding him of specific fulfilled prophecy:
“And in that day, shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of the darkness.” (Isaiah 29:18)
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a dear, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the dessert.” (Isaiah 35:5&6)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; for He has anointed me to preach the good news of the gospel to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.”
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1)
Then Jesus sent the following second message to John… “And blessed is he who takes no offense at Me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through Me and is not hindered from seeing the TRUTH.” (Matthew 11:6 Amplified Bible)
Jesus’ question to the disciples is more appropriately asked of us in this form: HOW IS IT THAT YOU CHOOSE NOT TO USE THE FAITH (making a decision to live one moment at a time, with joyful expectation of the things that we can not see) THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU AS A FREE GIFT?
Does it seem odd that the disciples asked the creator of the winds and the waves if He cared that they perished? Does it seem even more strange that they were shocked that the winds and the waves obeyed Him? Are we different?
Jesus clearly is saying to us as well as He did to them, that the way to overcome fear, is to remember who He is, and what He promised. And, to choose to use the free gift of faith that we have been given. His faith.
We all have storms in our lives. Jesus taught us how to overcome them. Fear is not the answer. As a matter of fact, Jesus commanded us not to worry. If you have trouble overcoming worry, read Matthew 6:25-34 five times a day for three months. I guarantee you that you will change.
Meditate on this teaching from Jesus:
“VERILY, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, THE WORKS THAT I DO SHALL HE DO ALSO; AND GREATER THAN THESE SHALL HE DO; BECAUSE I GO TO MY FATHER.” (John 14:12)
The works that He did, we shall do also, if we believe on Him. What did Jesus do in the storm?
He spoke to it!
“PEACE……BE STILL”
I pray that this teaching has blessed you. If you have been blessed, please pass it to another who will be blessed.
Are you fearful? Speak to the storm in your life and command it…..”Peace Be Still!”
Pastor Allen
