Jesus Manifest

The Reality:

The world in which we live is not ideal. It's broken. It's hurting. There is a sobering reality in the situations that confront us. Circumstances are not to our liking. We are powerless to eliminate the pain and heartache.

Romans 8:22 "...For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now..."

We may wish for an alternate reality. We pray for God's Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. But we must forge ahead.

Philippians 3:12 "...Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus..."

Philippians 3:14 "...I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus..."

The Disciples:

Three years with the Messiah. Listening. Learning. Loving. And then the sobering reality. Things did not work out as they had envisioned. Circumstances were not to their liking. They felt powerless in their pain and heartache.

They experienced fear, doubt, and failure. A crushing combination that clouded their thinking and rocked their confidence. What were they to do?

 

Jesus Came and Revealed Himself:

   Fear to Peace:

John 20:19 "...So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."

   Doubt to Faith:

John 20:25 "...So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe..."

John 20:26 "...After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you..."

John 20:27-28 "...Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!..."

   Failure to Success:

John 21:1 "...After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way..."

John 21:3 "...Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will also come with you." They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing..."

John 21:6 "...And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch." So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish..."

Considerations:

Do fear, doubt and failure exist because we misread circumstances and fail to trust the Almighty?

Should the presence of fear, doubt and failure cause us to look more intently for the Lord?

Does the manifest presence of Jesus turn fear to peace? Doubt to belief? Failure to success?

2 Peter 1:3 "...His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence..."

Romans 15:13 "...Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit..."