PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Always in God’s hands

HOPING TO BE MASTERS of their own fate, many Christians are seeking prophecies and revelations pertaining to their personal lives. These people want to know their future with the view of either being prepared for those events or in the hope that they can take steps to turn the tide in their favour. Their justification: to be in control!

How did Jesus handle God-sent revelations? Matthew 16:13-28 captures a dialogue between Jesus and Simon Peter. Peter’s inspired confession of Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” wins Jesus’ praise. Jesus tells Peter that this revelation was from the Heavenly Father Himself. Since Peter had been favoured with this spirit of discernment, Jesus bestowed a great responsibility on him. Jesus calls him Peter which means “a rock”, and goes on to say that upon that rock Jesus’ church would be built. However, within seconds, when Peter denied Jesus’ revelation about His death and resurrection, Jesus responded harshly to him, saying that he did not have in mind the things of God.

Revelations! Knowledge! Information makes one feel in control. Peter thought for a moment that he must take control of the situation by denying that Jesus was to die. He did not choose to comprehend that Jesus had to suffer and die to fulfil the promise newly given to him. Peter was still thinking like all men who want to be in control of their lives. However, Jesus was seeking from His disciples that same obedience that He was exercising. He had put His entire life in the hands of His Father, even to the extent of going to the cross.

In Acts 1:6-8 the disciples asked “Lord, will you at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?” and Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The disciples were looking for information so that they might be in control of a new Kingdom of Israel, but Jesus was asking them to serve God with unquestioning obedience. Jesus had entrusted Peter with being the foundation on which His church would be built. He wanted Peter to take that revelation that Jesus is “Christ, the Son of the living God”, and travel the road of discipleship with obedience and commitment.

You and I who have received this similar revelation of who Jesus is, is desired by Him to take that Good News, with reverence and obedience, and proclaim it so that the Church of Jesus Christ will continue to grow until it reaches all mankind.

Why seek to know what lies ahead, when we are assured that our future lies in the hands of the God who never changes?

The Rev James Nagulan is the President of Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference.