KNOWING JESUS CHRIST
   A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said, `Teacher, don't you care if we drown?' He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the waves, `Quiet! Be still!' The wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, `Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?' (Mark 4:37-40)

   I wish people - even Christians - would study the four Gospels more than they do. I say this because it is the only way they will ever get to know Jesus. It is good to know about faith and grace, justification and sanctification. But it is even better to know our Lord, for knowing him leads to holiness. And what better way is there of knowing him than studying the four accounts of his life as found in the Gospels?
   Christ is the spiritual rock on which we must build our lives. Christ is the true vine from whom we must draw spiritual nourishment. Christ is our elder brother from whom we can draw sympathy in times of need. Christ is our advocate to present our prayers before God. Christ is the king in whose kingdom believers spend eternity. So let us see what can be understood of him, from the story at the beginning of this chapter.
   1. We understand that following Christ will not automatically protect us from everyday troubles
   
   The disciples were in great anxiety. Though they were his few chosen disciples - when priests, scribes and Pharisees would not believe in him - Jesus allowed them to be frightened. Perhaps they had thought that serving Christ would mean that they would escape the common troubles of this life. If Jesus could heal the sick, feed multitudes with a few loaves, raise the dead and cast out devils, surely he would never allow his disciples to suffer. But if they thought so they were mistaken. Serving Christ does not give believers protection from the problems of this life.
   It is good to understand this clearly. I have the privilege of being a Christian minister and can speak of the gift of eternal life to any man, woman or child who is willing to have it. But I dare not offer that person worldly prosperity as a part of the Christian message; I dare not speak of long life, freedom from pain, increased wealth. I know many would like to have Christ and good health . Christ and plenty of money . Christ and freedom from all worries. If you are thinking like that you are very wrong. Let me show you why I say that.
   How would you ever know if you are a true Christian, if following Christ meant that you never had any troubles? How would you know whether you are following Christ for his sake, or for your own selfishness, if following him brought health and wealth as a matter of course? How would the great work of sanctification go on in believers if they were never tested by trials? Trouble is the only fire which will burn away the dross that clings to our hearts; it is the pruning knife which cuts away dead wood from our lives and makes us spiritually fruitful.
   If you wish to serve Christ, then take him on his own terms; leave it to him to decide what is best for you. Be sure that he does everything well.
   
   2. Let us learn that the Lord Jesus Christ is truly human while also truly God
   
   Jesus, we read, was asleep on a cushion. He was a tired man! After preaching in the open air to huge crowds all day, he was weary. We know how pleasant it is to sleep after being fatigued. And here we read of him who might have been living in glory with the Father coming to earth to live as a man. He had a body like our own. He was born of a woman. He was often hungry, thirsty and weary. Like us he ate and drank and slept. Like us he sorrowed and wept. He who made the heavens went to and fro as a poor man on earth!
   I take comfort from the fact that Jesus is perfect man. Because of this he is not only a great High Priest for me, but also a High Priest who knows how I feel; not only a powerful Saviour but also a sympathetic Saviour; not only the mighty Son of God but also the Son of Man who knows our human sorrows.
   I see a marvellous proof of divine love and wisdom in the union of two natures in Christ's person. Marvellous love in our Saviour to be willing to endure weakness and humiliation for our sakes rebels that we are. Marvellous wisdom, in fitting himself by his humanity to be the very friend of all friends to us. He can understand all my weaknesses and infirmities and yet also do all that is necessary for my salvation. Had he been only God I might have trusted him, but never could have approached him without fear. Had he been man only I could have loved him, but never felt sure he could do everything necessary for my salvation. Deepest sympathy and almighty power are met together in Jesus Christ! Surely every believer has every reason to trust him.
   
   a) Are you poor and needy? So also was Jesus. He preached from a borrowed boat, rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed ass, and was buried in a borrowed tomb! Foxes have holes, birds have nests, but, he said, he had nowhere to lay his head.
   b) Are you alone in the world? So was Jesus. The few that followed him were fishermen, despised tax collectors and sin?ners. And even these friends forsook him in his last hours.
   
   c) Are you misunderstood, misrepresented and persecuted? So was Jesus. He was accused of being friendly with outcast people and base characters. His enemies said he ate too much and drank too much. They said he had a devil and was mad. He was wrongly accused and unjustly condemned to death.
   
   d) Are you sorely tempted? So was Jesus. You can read the account of his temptation in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Do you ever feel that Satan suggests wicked ideas to your mind? So it was for Jesus.    
   e) Do you ever feel great agony and conflict of mind? Do you ever feel that God has left you? So did Jesus. Who can tell the extent of the suffering lie went through in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross?
   
   It is impossible to find a Saviour more suited to the wants and needs of our hearts than our Lord Jesus Christ. Do not listen to the suggestion that Mary the mother of Jesus and other saints are more sympathetic than Jesus Christ. Such suggestions spring from ignorance of what the Bible teaches and of the true nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever finds com?fort in the God/Man Jesus Christ needs no comfort from saints and angels or even from the Virgin Mary!
   
   3. Let us understand that there may be a great weakness of faith sometimes, even in true Christians
   
   What more proof do we need of this fact than the behaviour of the disciples during that storm? In fear they woke Jesus, crying out, `Teacher, don't you care if we drown?' They were impatient - they couldn't wait until he woke; they were unbelieving - how could they have perished with Jesus aboard? They were distrustful - `don't you care?' they cried!
   They ought not to have been afraid. Had they not seen many examples of his love and kindness toward them? But fear often makes us have a bad memory! I am sure many Christians have been in this kind of situation. They think that they are trusting Christ entirely. But when some sudden unexpected trial comes, fear, doubt, and distress break in upon them like a flood.
   The truth is that there are no perfect Christians as long as they are in this life. Abraham was the father of the faithful yet, through fear of the Egyptians, he made his wife say that she was his sister. David had faith enough to face the giant Goliath; he had faith to believe he would one day be God's anointed king of Israel even though Saul pursued him and threatened to kill him. Yet this same David was once so overcome with fear that he cried, One of these days I shall be destroyed by the hand of Saul (I Samuel 27:1).
   Does any believer feel such love and confidence in Christ as to be unable to imagine ever being troubled by anything That is good; I'm glad to hear it! But I ask, Has your faith ever been put to the real test? It is not easy to know your own weaknesses without any testing. The Lord had to leave Hezekiah to show him what his weaknesses were (2 Chronicles 32:31). Blessed are those who are `clothed in humility' in this matter.
   
   I give this word of warning because I want young Chris?tians to understand what they will find in themselves. I want to prevent their dismay when they come up against weakness in themselves. Young believers have to realise that they may well have true faith and grace, and yet sometimes still feel fear and doubt. I want them to look hard at Peter, James and John and know that they were true disciples and yet not so spiritual that they were never afraid.
   Most of all, I want Christians to realise what they may sometimes see in other believers. Do not make hasty judgements. Many a lump of gold is mixed with quartz and dross, yet who thinks gold worth nothing at all on account of that? The disciples in the boat had given up all to follow Jesus; they believed in him and loved him. It is possible for a person to forsake all for Christ and yet occasionally to be overtaken with fears and doubts.
   4. Let us understand the power of the Lord Jesus Christ
   
   The waves were breaking over the ship where Jesus was. The disciples were terrified. Then Jesus performed a wonderful miracle, such as only the almighty creator could do! You will sometimes feel that you are experiencing a squall! Then it is good to have a clear view of the power of Jesus. Let every believer know that the Saviour is also the almighty One; the Redeemer is also Lord of lords and King of kings. Study the power of Jesus!
   
   a) Study it in his works of creation. Without him nothing was made that was made (John 1:3). All creation, from the sun on high to the meanest worm below was the work of Christ. He commanded and they began to exist. Was not that great power?
   
   b) Study it in the works of providence. Sun, moon, stars all proceed round in a perfect system. All the seasons follow one another in regular order. The kingdoms of this world rise and increase, decline and pass away at the will of him by whom all things hold together (Colossians 1:17).
   
   c) Study the subject in the miracles worked by the Lord Jesus. He could raise the dead with a word; he could give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb and, supremely, make sinners see and enter the kingdom of God! Look again at the passage which is at the head of this chapter, and learn that Jesus can say to your heart, whatever may be its fear and anxieties, `Quiet! be still!'
   If you long for peace, cry out to Jesus as the disciples did. If you are at peace with God, yet your heart is weighed down by poverty, pain, old age, or the death of a loved one, Jesus can say to your heart, `Quiet! be still!' Take large views of Christ's power. Doubt anything else if you must, but never doubt Christ's power. One thing is not doubtful, and that is that Christ is able to save completely and for ever those who come to God through him (Hebrews 7:25).
   
   5. Let us understand how patiently Jesus deals with believers in their weaknesses
   
   There was no anger in the Lord's response to his frightened disciples. Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?
   
   No sharp rebuke, just two simple questions which throw a beautiful light on the compassion of the Lord. Indeed the whole of the Lord's conduct towards his disciples deserves close study.
    At no time did the disciples seem to fully understand the Lord's teaching. The plainest words and clearest statements of what was going to happen to their Master seemed to have little effect upon their minds. They sometimes quarrelled among themselves as to who was the greatest of them; at another time two of them wished to call down fire from heaven on a village which rejected Jesus. At his arrest most of them ran away and Peter denied his Lord three times!
    So how did Jesus react to this kind of behaviour? He did not rebuke them as stupid or reject them as cowards. All the time he gently led them on, teaching them little by little just what they could bear. His teaching was always kind, comforting and sensible. There is nothing but kindness, gentleness, patience and love in his dealings with them. I could wish that all the world should know that the Lord Christ is full of pity. He cares for the least of his disciples as well as for the strongest. All believers are given to him by his Father, and he has undertaken despite their weaknesses to bring every one safe to heaven.
    
   My last words in this chapter will be the same as the first. I would like my readers to give much attention to the Gospels, and to the five sections of this chapter. I want everyone to know Christ, and to know him better, so that they may receive eternal life through him! Holiness is by knowing Christ better and better.