Study 7 - 2007: April 23rd - 29th

“When the disciples had rowed three or three and a half miles in the lake, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified.” John Chapter 6:verse 19 (New International Version).

Have you ever been on the golf course when lightening and hail strikes? It is a scary experience. A few years ago I was playing at Pelican Waters Golf Course on the Sunshine Coast when a huge hale and lightning storm came across the course. Our best shelter was a nearby golf buggy. One golfer was so scared that he was lying curled up on the floor of the cart. The storm lasted about 20 minutes, but was enough to flood and close the course and cause $2000 of hail damage to my car. It was nice to get back in the safety of the clubhouse.

The power of the storm shows how weak and vulnerable we are to the terrors of nature. At my home club at Oatlands, the siren sounds as soon as there is any threat of a lightening or hail strike.
Fear comes when we experience things we have no control over, when things are more powerful than us, like storms, sickness, death, or when someone wants to hurt us.

However when it comes to Jesus, he has control over all things and there is no one more powerful than he. He has overcome our greatest fear, that of death. Jesus often said to the people, fear not, when it comes to life and the things that scare us, but to believe in God.

In another setting we are told to fear God and keep his commandments. This is a healthy fear of God. Not a fear that makes one scared, but a fear of respect and awe at who God is.

The disciples of Jesus were in their boat on a journey across the lake without Jesus who had stayed behind. A strong wind came up and the water became rough. The disciples were going nowhere. Suddenly Jesus appeared to them walking on the water and they were terrified. He says to them not to be afraid. When they got into the boat the storm had calmed down and they arrived at their destination.

Fro this incident, the disciples were terrified. Not just terrified at Jesus walking on water, but in awe of Jesus who was able to walk on water.

We may fear a lightning or a hail strike, because of their power to destroy and hurt us, and we should rightly fear Jesus because of his power over nature and his ability to give and to save life.

There is also a healthy fear, a respect of God that is lacking in our world today. We too often take God for granted; leave God out of life except when we are desperate. But Jesus reminded us in a message once that we should not fear anyone but God, who alone has the power to save or send us to hell. (See Luke Chapter 12 verses 4 to 7).

Jesus can calm our fears because he has authority over life and death, over the lightning, the wind and the hail.

When we give our life to God, we need not fear for our life, because Jesus can and will give eternal life to all who follow him.

Prayer
Thank you Lord Jesus that you are more powerful than the greatest storm and you showed your power in rising from the dead to give eternal life. Amen.