Highlighted New Testament Bible

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Monday, September 19, 2011

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 22 - 23, The Test of Heart: The Disciples sent alone.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus walks on the water) Part 1.  

All were filled and the baskets of leftovers were collected.  And there were twelve basketfulls left when the fragments were collected.  The miracle took place before their eyes.  Only now did they realize.  The people were in need.  The disciples did not know how to satisfy their needs so they wanted to send them away.  But Christ told his disciples to feed the people themselves.  They only had five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed multitudes, thousands of people.  But the disciples did not know who they were becoming.  They did not know the truth of the nature of Christ.  And they did not know what he was training them to do.  So they wanted to send the people away.

Christ told them to feed the people themselves but they did not know how.  After the miracle had taken place and all were filled, Christ made his disciples leave.   And immediately afterwards he made his disciples get into the boat and cross the sea ahead of him, while he dismissed the crowd.

And now they are to be tested.  For they were sent away and Christ remained with the people.   The disciple did not know what to do.  They did not know what to think, for the first time they were alone without Christ.  He was on the land and they were in the boat.  He was the Christ and they were his disciples.  He was their coach, their teacher, their mentor, and they were his pupils.  But Christ was not with them and they did not know what to do.  They did not know where to go or what would happen next.  And confusion came to them and remained.   And when he had dismissed the crowd, he went up the mountain by himself to prayAnd when it was late, he was there alone.

So the disciples wanted to send the people away instead of tend to their needs, but Christ sent the disciples away.  He made them get into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake ahead of him for he was to catch another boat, this is what the disciples thought.  They were to wait for him on the other side.  They were to be without him during the travel to the other side.  They were to be tested without Christ at their side.

Are you ready for the test?  Are you ready to be sent forth into the world and wait for Christ?  We live in the world today, without the knowledge and the truth of Christ.  Many carry the word within them but yet do not know the truth of who they are.  Therefore, when the test comes we have no strength to draw from since we do not know who we are and from whom our strength comes.  We call on the Lord in times of need.  We beseech his help in times of trouble.  We seek his assistance when all else fails, but we do not know the truth of who we are in Christ and the strength that he has placed at our disposal.  

Are you ready for the test?  Do you seek to know the truth of your true nature or do you just seek to know what is given to you?  We go to church.  We go to religious studies.  We go to conferences, but do we go to Christ.  For he is our source and our strength and our comforter in times of need, always.  Yet we seek him not.  Instead we seek the temporary fix of church.  We seek the temporary good feeling that church service has to offer and we return to the world for our fix.  Turn to Christ and receive the truth!  Turn to Christ and receive the power!  Turn to Christ and receive the knowledge of who you are in Christ!  He has redeemed us.  He has saved us from eternal damnation.  He has justified and sanctified us before our Father that we may become holy in his eyes.  Hear the good news!  Seek the gospel truth for yourself and he will come to you.  The truth is not in the sanctuary.  The truth is not in the Sunday service.  The truth is not in the religious teachings, religious books, music, shows, conferences.  The truth is within you.  Read the gospel,  read the good news, read the new testament and find it for yourself.  Are you ready for the test?