LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Discovering Christ's Sufficiency
Matt. 8:23-27; 14:22-23; 14:13-21; 15:32-39.
The great crises that the disciples lived with the Lord were apt occasions that allowed them to know the Lord more deeply.
Each of these experiences added a new aspect of Christ, until altogether completing an entire picture. The objective of these experiences was to show to them that Christ is Everything, to show them the all sufficiency of Christ.
On one occasion (Matt. 8:23-27), the furious storm terrified them, but he calmed them by calming the storm. The rough sea was only an excuse so that the Lord could show them His wonderful power over the harshest elements.
On this occasion, the disciples exclaimed: "Who is this man that even the winds and the sea obey him?". Later, on another similar yet even more critical occasion they were convicted that he was "Son of God." (Matt. 14:22-33). The first time they wondered who he was; the second, they learnt who he is. Thus they conquered their fears, and they acquired trust in their Master.
On another occasion (Matt. 14:13-21), they were concerned because the crowds were without food, and they didn't have any means to satisfy them. They explain the situation to the Lord, who provides them with the solution. From then on, they will know that by having the Lord, all their needs will be met.
On another occasion, similar to this, (Matt. 15:32-39), the Lord did the same thing again, but with a smaller multiplication. What did He want to teach them through that? That the result of the multiplication is not proportional to what we offer him, but to what we need. With less, he can feed more, because the multiplication is not according to what we have, but by His grace.
Both experiences appear twice in Matthew, with some differentiating features. Why? Was one of each not enough? Didn't they have many other things to tell?
They had to learn those lessons very well. Both are related to man's two imperious needs: security and sustenance. The disciples will be safe and will be sustained by their Master. All Christ's disciples should learn these two things very well. From then onwards, their security and their sustenance will be the Lord.
If the disciples -those of yesterday and of today- don't have an experimental knowledge of Christ's sufficiency in all the areas of their life, then they won't be able to trust him for each need. So they won't be able to follow the Lord confidently.
That's why they have to have experiences that clearly teach them these two important lessons. Through those experiences, they begin discovering the wonderful personality of Christ, until finally seeing that he is the all and in all.