Jesus was a nature lover

JESUS WAS A NATURELOVER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Jesus and Animals
Audience: Adult Youth Individuals Small Group Leaders Church Leaders
Format: Web
Author: Jenny Phillips
For many North Americans, interactions with animals are summarized neatly
in terms of pets, pests, and meat. Yet the lives of the ancientIsraelites and the
early Christians were filled with animals. They played important roles in
Biblical stories as a source ofpraise to God and revelationof the nature of
faith, humility and peace. Byexamining Jesus’interactions with and
conversationabout animals, we canbetter understand how we are calledto
relate to other creatures.
“If you want to learn, then go and ask the wild animals and the birds, the
flowers and the fish. Any of them cantell you what the LORD has done. Every
living creature is in the hands of God” (Job 12:7-10, CEV). Bothcreation
stories in Genesis tellof God creating the creatures ofthe earth, sea and air
(Genesis 1:20-22;2:19-20). In fact, in the secondGenesis creationstory, God
creates the animals using the very same soil used to form humans (Genesis
2:19). Later, in response to human corruption, Goddestroys all the creatures
of earth, save two of every species (Genesis7:1-24). Yet after the flood, God
creates a covenantto never again “letfloodwaters destroyall life” (Genesis
9:15-16, CEV).
In this passage, Godestablishes concernand respectfor all creatures. Gospel
teachings show that humans are not only chargedwith compassiontoward
animals, but to learn from their faith and humility. Observing the role of
animals in these stories also helps us to understand more about who Jesus is.

John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God who
takes awaythe sin of the world!” (John 1:29, CEV). At key moments in the
Gospels, Jesus dwells among animals as a sign of humility and of
connectednesswith God’s creation. He is born in a stable and sleeps in a
feeding trough (Luke 2:7). At the start of his ministry, he goes out into the
wilderness, staying among the wild beasts (Mark 1:13). He compares the lives
of animals to his own itinerant life (Luke 9:58). At the end of his ministry,
Jesus enters into Jerusalemon the back of a donkey (Mark 11:1-10). When
“the Passoverlambs were being killed” (Mark 14:12, CEV), he shares a
Passovermealwith his disciples. Jesus ultimately becomes “The Lamb of
God,” giving up his own body for the redemption of creation. It is noted in
Paul’s letter to the Hebrews that through Christ’s death, God no longer
wanted animals to be killed through sacrifice. Ifthe Law teaches that
offerings and sacrifices mustbe made because ofsin, why did Christ mention
these things and say that God did not want them? “It was to do away with
offerings and sacrifices andto replace them … So we are made holy because
Christ obeyedGod and offered himself once for all” (Hebrews 10:8-10, CEV).
Jesus is one who dwells among and is identified with the poor and the weak,
and with the animals of creation. He provides new life for all people, and
spares the lives of animals.
“Don't worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life more
than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky!They don't plant or
harvest. They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes
care of them” (Matthew 6:25-26, CEV). Jesus calls us to identify with and to
learn from the animals as well. Birds become a model for trusting in God’s
provision (Matthew 6:25-26;Luke 12:6-7). In the parable of the mustard seed,
they also serve as a metaphor for those who make their home in the realm of
God (Matthew 13:31-32). Jesus’respectforand identification with the
animals of God’s creationis an indication that we are calledto respect
animals, and to appreciate them as a source ofunderstanding about God’s
concernfor the all of creation.
This doesn’t mean that animals always receivedfavor in Jesus’eyes (Matthew
7:6). A Canaanite womanconvinces Jesus to heal her despite the factthat she

is not an Israelite, saying that “evendogs get the crumbs that fall from their
owner’s table” (Matthew 15:27, CEV).
Animals and humans play different roles both in the Bible and in our world
today. It is clearfrom the text that our lives have been interconnectedwith the
lives of animals from the very start of creation, and that they can show us new
ways of understanding God.
Looking at the Text
Readsome of the texts referencing birds:
Genesis 8:6-12
Psalm104:16-17
Ecclesiastes9:12
Hosea 11:11
Mark 1:10-12
Matthew 6:25-26
Matthew 13:31-32
Luke 12:6-7
How do birds function in these texts? How are they used as symbols? How do
these images resonate and/orcontrastwith your perceptions of the birds in
your own context?
ReadHebrews 10:1-26 and Romans 8:19-23. What might Christ’s redemption
mean for the animals of creation?
Looking at Our World
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change reported in
2007 that hundreds of species are being disrupted, and many will be made
extinct due to human-causedclimate change. Do you think, basedon the
Biblical text, that God would be bothered by this? Do you think humans

should repent when human activity leads to the extinction of parts of God’s
creation? How?
Jenny Phillips writes resourcesfor outdoor ministries and churches. She has a
Masterof Divinity from Union TheologicalSeminaryin New York, NY.
Thanks to the support of our faithful financial partners, American Bible
Societyhas been engaging people with the life-changing message ofGod’s
Word for nearly 200 years.
NATURE SYMBOLS IN CHRISTIAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Flowers, Plants and Trees
Acacia
Symbolizes the soul's immortality because it is a durable wood.
Almond
A symbol of divine approval, basedon Numbers 17:1-8:
"The LORD said to Moses,'Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from
them, one from the leader of eachof their ancestraltribes. Write the name of
eachman on his staff. ... The staff belonging to the man I choose willsprout,
and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling againstyou by the Israelites.'
... The next day Moses enteredthe Tent of the Testimonyand saw that
Aaron's staff, which representedthe house of Levi, had not only sprouted but
had budded, blossomedand produced almonds." (NIV)
For this reasonis has been used as a symbol of the Virgin Mary.
Anemone
Used in the early church as a symbol of the Trinity. Used in art as a symbol of
sorrow and death. Often seenin scenes ofthe Crucifixion.

Apple
When shown in Adam's hand, the apple symbolizes sin. When held by Christ,
it represents salvation.
Aspen
Legend has it that the aspenwas the only tree that did not bow in sorrow and
respectwhen Jesus died on the cross. Becauseofits pride, its leaves were
doomed to constanttrembling. Another legendclaims the aspenwas the wood
chosenfor the cross, andwhen the tree learned how it was to be used, it began
to tremble with horror and has never stopped.
Bramble
The burning bush at which the Lord appeared to Moses wasbelievedto have
been a bramble. It became a symbol of the purity of the Virgin Mary, who
"bore the flames of divine love without being consumed by lust.
Bulrush
The bulrush has been used as a symbol of faithfulness and humility in
obedience to Christ because the bulrush is a common plant that grows in
clusters near water. Becauseofits associationwith the infant Moses, itmay
also point to the place of salvation(Exodus 2).
Carnation
A red carnationsymbolizes love. A "pink" is a symbol of marriage.
Cedar(of Lebanon)
The cedaris a symbol of Christ. It is also identified with the concepts of
beauty and majesty.
Song 5:15 His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His
appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars. (NIV)
Cherry
A cherry symbolizes the sweetnessofcharacterderived from goodworks.

Chestnut
A symbol for chastity because the chestnut is surrounded by thorns but is not
harmed by them.
Clover
The clover, or shamrock, is a symbol of for the Trinity.
Cockle
The cockle symbolizes the invasion of wickedness, especiallyin the Church,
because it invades tilled fields and mingles with the grain.
Matt. 13:24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heavenis like
a man who sowedgoodseedin his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping,
his enemy came and sowedweeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When
the wheatsprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. (NIV)
Columbine
Thought by some to look like a dove, the columbine is a symbol of the Holy
Spirit. The name comes from the Latin columba, which means "dove." Seven
blooms on a stalk represent the sevengifts of the Spirit.
Isa. 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him &emdash; the Spirit of
wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counseland of power, the Spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the LORD (NIV)
Cyclamen
Cyclamen is used in reference to the Virgin Mary. The red spot at its center
represents the sorrow she carried in her heart.
Cypress
The cypress is associatedwith death. For this reason, cypress trees are often
planted in cemeteries.
Daisy
The daisy is a late symbol of the innocence of the Christ Child.

Dandelion
The dandelion, one of the "bitter herbs," is a symbol of Christ's Passion.
Elm
The elm is used in reference to dignity and faithfulness.
Fern
Becauseit concealsits beauty in the depths of the forest, the fern represents
humility in solitude.
Fig
The fig is sometimes used in place of the apple as the Tree of the Knowledge of
Goodand Evil. It may also be used as a symbol of lust or fertility because of
its many seeds.
Fir
Fir trees are sometimes used to representGod's electbecause they stretch
toward heaven. They may also representpatience.
Glastonbury Thorn
The Glastonbury thorn represents the Nativity because it blooms on or near
Christmas.
Gourd
Becauseofits associationwith Jonah, the gourd has been used to symbolize
the Resurrection. Picturedwith an apple, it represents the antidote to evil.
Grape
Grapes representthe blood of Christ, especiallyin references to the Eucharist.
A vineyard represents the missionfield, and grapes in this associationmay
signify goodworks. A grape vine is a reference to Christ.
John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I
in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you cando nothing. (NIV)

Holly (Ilex)
Holly is often used as symbol for Christ's crownof thorns, and therefore of
His Passion.
Hyacinth
Symbolizes prudence and peace of mind.
Hyssop
Hyssop is used as a symbol of penitence and humility. By extension, because of
its purgative qualities, it may symbolize baptism.
Iris
The iris is a rival of the lily as a symbol for the Virgin Mary. Sometimes called
a "swordlily," it refers to Mary's sorrow at Christ's Passion.
Ivy
Becauseit is evergreen, ivy represents faithfulness and eternal life.
Jasmine
Jasmine is sometimes used in reference to the Virgin Mary because ofits
white colorand sweetscent.
Laurel
The laurel represents victory or triumph, particularly over temptation and
trial, because ofthe ancient practice of crowning the victor in a contestwith a
wreath of laurel. Becauseits leaves never wilt, it can may also symbolize
eternity.
2Tim. 2:1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2
And the things you have heard me sayin the presence ofmany witnesses
entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teachothers. 3 Endure
hardship with us like a goodsoldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a
soldier gets involved in civilian affairs &emdash;he wants to please his

commanding officer. 5 Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not
receive the victor's crownunless he competes according to the rules. (NIV)
Lemon
Symbolizes fidelity in love.
Lily
The lily symbolizes purity. It is the primary attribute of the Virgin Mary.
Lily of the Valley
Becauseit appears in early spring, lily of the valley is often used to symbolize
Christ's Advent.
Myrtle
The myrtle is an ancient symbol for love. In Christian symbolism, it
represents the Gentiles converted to Christ.
Narcissus
From the Greek myth of Narcissus, the beautiful youth who fell in love with
his reflectionin a pool and drowned trying to embrace it, the narcissus
symbolizes self-love. Because Narcissuswas rebornas a flowerafter his death,
the narcissus is sometimes used to signify the triumph of divine love and
sacrifice overdeath, selfishness andsin.
Oak
The oak is a pagansymbol reinterpreted by Christians to representChrist. It
is also a symbol of endurance, especiallyin the face of adversity.
Olive
The olive is a universal symbol for peace. Olive oil is a symbol of God's
anointing and of the Holy Spirit.
Orange

Orange trees and their blossoms are symbolic of purity, chastity and
generosity. More rarely, an orange tree is used to representthe Tree of the
Knowledge of Goodand Evil in Paradise.
Palm
A symbol of victory.
Pansy
Symbolizes remembrance and meditation.
Peach
The peachis a symbol of virtue and goodworks.
Pear
The pear symbolizes Christ's love for mankind.
Plane Tree
Symbolizes Christian love and characterbecause itspreads its branches high
and wide.
Plantain
The plantain was often used in Renaissance artto representthe "waybread"
of pilgrims seeking the path of salvation.
Plum
A symbol of faithfulness and independence.
Pomegranate
The pomegranate is most often used to representthe Church because ofits
many seeds in a single fruit. It may also be used to representresurrection or
fertility.
Poppy

A poppy may representsleepor indifference because of its narcotic qualities.
It is sometimes used in depictions of the Passionof Christ as a reference to the
sleepof death.
Reed
The reed is a symbol of Christ's Passion. Itsymbolizes humiliation.
Rose
A white rose symbolizes purity. A red rose is a symbol of martyrdom. A
wreath of roses is symbolic of heavenly joy.
Strawberry
Symbolizes righteousness andgoodworks.
Thistle
Thistles representthe curse of sin, particularly the Fall. They may also be
used in depictions of Christ's Passion.
Vine
A symbol of Christ, the True Vine. The vine is sometimes used to represent
the relationship betweenGod and His people. It may also refer to God's
providence and heavenly care.
Violet
The violet is a symbol of humility (thus the phrase "shrinking violet"). By
extension, it refers to the Incarnation of Christ.
Wheat
Wheat represents the harvest reapedfrom sowing the Gospel. Togetherwith
grapes, it is a reference to the Body of Christ in the Eucharist.
Willow
The willow is sometimes used to represent the Gospelbecause, no matter how
many of its branches are cut off, it continues to flourish.

Jesus uses examples from nature as part of his preaching.
How often have you heard a sermon that emphasisedthe importance of the
natural world in the life of Jesus? Notoften? Yet, when we look at the gospels
we see that the assets ofnature played a crucial role in his life.
At his birth, Luke tells us that Jesus was laid in a manger because there was
no place for them in the inn (Lk 2:7). Mary, Joseph, the animals and straw
surrounded Jesus at his birth.
The love which Mary and Josephhad for Jesus and the helplessnessand total
dependence of the infant Jesus on his parents captures our imagination. It was
St Francis of Assisi, the greatlover of all creation, who graphically portrayed
this in the first Christmas Crib which appeared in Greccio in 1223.
Thomas of Celano wrote, ‘It had, indeed, been the intention of Francis, by a
concrete representationofthe manger-crib, the hay, the live animals, and the
child-image, to remind all of the pitiably harsh circumstances ofthe birth of
the Sonof God. In the crib, we can see that Jesus’hands are spread out in a
gesture of love for us and all creation.’
From the beginning of his life Jesus had first hand contactwith nature. The
importance of nature is central to St Mark’s gospeleventhough he does not
have an infancy gospel. His gospelbegins with the Spirit leading Jesus into the
wilderness where wild beasts and angels lookedafterhim. (Mk 1:12-13).

It was during his sojourn in the desertthat Jesus came to acceptand
appreciate the messianic ministry he was calledto embrace. In order to be
fully open to his call, Jesus forsook the company of people and spent time in
the wilderness. He regularly returned to the hills to pray and commune with
the Father, especiallybefore making important decisions like choosing the 12
disciples (Lk 6:12).
Jesus’ministry was carriedout, not so much in synagoguesor the Temple, as
in the cathedralof nature. In Matthew’s Gospel, the beatitudes and
subsequent teachings are delivered on a mountainside (Matt 5:1-7:29).
Many of Jesus’parables were centredon nature. To illustrate how different
people respond to the gospelmessage, he told the Parable of the Sower.
‘Imagine a sowergoing out to sow... Some fellon the edge of the path... Others
fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and chokedthem. Others fell on
rich soiland produced their crops, some a hundredfold, some 60, some 30.
Listen anyone who has ears’(Matt 13:4-9).
Jesus displayed an appreciative and contemplative attitude which, of course,
was rootedin God’s love for all creatures. ‘Think of the ravens. They neither
sow or reap; they have no storehousesandno barns; yet God feeds them’ (Lk
12:24). The gospels warnabout the urge to continually accumulate more and
more goods.
‘God will provide for our legitimate needs; are you not worth more than the
birds?’ (Lk 12: 24)
Fr SeanMcDonaghis a researchers forthe Societyof St Columban on Justice,
Peace andthe Integrity of Creationpriorities.

Jesus’View of Nature
Since Jesus stressedthe authority of the Hebrew Bible {or scriptures} (which
for Christians
became the Old Testament)(Matt 5:18), he implicitly affirmed its teachings
on nature. He did not
rescind the ecologicalethics ofthe Law, although he was less strict about
ceremoniallaws. All
foods are cleanand do not defile a person (Mark 7:19). He touched the sick to
heal them, rejecting
ceremonialuncleanness laws found in the Hebrew Bible (Mark 1:40-45;5:25-
34).
Jesus appreciatedthe beauty of nature (Matt 6:28-29)and showedrespectfor
nature in his
parables, which are rich in nature imagery. Through his upbringing in rural
Galilee he learned about
God’s care for creationby observing fruit trees, flowers, birds and fishermen
and by working as a
carpenter.
Jesus affirmed the scriptures teaching that God createdall things (Mark 10:6;
13:19;Matt. 19:4).
The world and matter are not eternal(Matt 24:21;25:34; John 17:24).
Nature reflects the activity of
God and does not operate independently (Matt. 5:45; 6:26-30;Luke 12:6).
God is a loving Father

who sustains and cares forall creation. Godgives life to all beings (John 5:17,
6:33; Luke 24:38)
and provides food for animals, birds and plants (Matt 6:26-30;Luke 12:6).
Since he loves all people,
he causes the sun to shine and rain to fall on both righteous and wickedpeople
(Matt 5:45; cf. Ps
50:11;104:14, 17). As “Lord of heaven and earth,” God is worthy of praise
and obedience (Matt
11:25;Luke 10:21). The resurrectedJesus has “all authority in heaven and
earth” (Matt 28:18).
Nature provides ethicallessons. God’s provision of sun and rain for the
wickedis a model for
loving our enemies (Matt 5:44-45). Since God provides for the needs of
animals and plants, humans
Jesus’View of Nature Page 2
should trust God to provide for their material needs and reflect this in prayer
for daily bread (Matt
6:11, 25-33).
Jesus usednature metaphorically. The people of God are sheep that God
cares for (Mark 6:34;
John 9:36; 10:15) and those who would destroy them are wolves (Matt 10:16;
John 10:12). Jesus is
the goodshepherd who gives his life for his sheep(John 10). He is the bread
that gives eternal life
(John 6:25-40). The Holy Spirit is the waterthat gives life (John 4:14).
Many parables utilize nature to teachspiritual truth. Parables featuring
seeds, weeds,wheat,

yeast, fish and trees teach about the kingdom of God (Mark 4; Matt 13;Luke
13:6-9; 21:29-30).
Varied results from sowing seedin different kinds of soils illustrate diverse
responses to Jesus’
message(Mark 4:1-8, 13-20).
Jesus usednatural objects to illustrate moral and spiritual lessons. Breadand
wine were
sacramentalsymbols of the new covenantinstituted through Jesus’redeeming
death on the cross
(Mk 14:22-25). He made an unfruitful fig tree wither as a visual parable of
judgment on people
unresponsive to God (Mark 11:14; cf. Luke 13:6-9).
Jesus was comfortable with the material world (Mark 2:16), yet he was not
consumed by it.
One’s priority should be to seek God’s kingdom (his reign and presence)and
righteous character
above money and material possessions (Matt6:19-24, 33;13: 22;John 6:27).
Materialthings are not
evil in themselves, but the pursuit of possessions is not the highest good.
“What profit is there if a
person gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Mark 8:36) If a person
trusts God and pursues
God’s kingdom and righteousness as first priority, God will provide his basic
material needs (Matt
6:33). We should thank God for providing for our material needs (Matt 14:19;
Mark 14:23).

All createdthings have worth in God’s eyes. Nature has intrinsic value
whether it provides
human benefits (sheep, Matt 12:11)or has little utilitarian value to humans
(grass, sparrows,Matt
6:26; 10:29-31). {what about unproductive fig trees? Orpigs?} Even rocks
glorify God(Luke
19:40). God knows what happens to sparrows and provides for them (Matt
6:26; 10:29-31).
Nevertheless humans have greatervalue than animals and plants (Matt 6:26,
29; 10:31;12:12), since
humans are createdin God’s image (cf. Gen 1:26). Jesus healedmany people,
but there is no record
of his healing an animal. However, he taught the moral imperative of properly
caring for animals
(Luke 13:15; Matt 12:11).
Severalof Jesus’teachings have indirect implications for environmental
stewardship.
Leadership involves service of others, not powerover others or an excuse for
oppression(Mark
10:42-44). Hence human dominion over nature (cf. Gen 1:26, 28) should be
exercisedfor the good
of creation, not the selfish destructionof nature. The parable of the talents
and the parable of the
wise stewardimply the earth is a stewardshipfor which humanity is
accountable to God (Matt

24:45-51;25:14-30). The earth belongs to God not humanity (Matt 11:25; cf.
Ps 24:1), and humans
will be judged on the condition in which they return God’s possessions (Matt
25:27).
In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus teacheshis followers to pray that God’s kingdom
would reign fully
on earth (Matt 6:10; Luke 11:2). Although God is Lord of heaven and earth
(Matt 5:13; 11:25),
human and demonic evil cause many things not to be as God intended them
(Matt 4:24; 10:7-18;
12:22;Mark 3:20-27;Luke 13:16). The Lord’s prayer asks that God’s
purposes be fulfilled in both
physical and spiritual realms.
Miracles show Jesus’divine power, glory and authority over nature and
encourage faith in Jesus
(Matt. 8:23-27;14:22-33;Mark 2:10-11;4:37-41;Luke 8:22-25;John 2:1-11;
9:30-38). He
performed creationmiracles such as multiplying loaves and fish to feed the
hungry and transforming
waterinto wine (Mark 6:34-44;8:1-9; John 2:1-12;6: 1-13). Simply by
speaking a word, he calmed
storms (Mark 4:39-41;Matt 8:23-27), much as God createdwith a word in
Genesis 1. He healed
numerous diseaseswitha touch or word (Matt 4:23-24;8:8) and raised the
dead, including a man

who had been dead four days (Matt. 9:18-25;11:5; Luke 7:11-15, 22;John
11:38-44).
The return of Christ will be precededby cosmic disasters, including
earthquakes, plagues,
famine, changes in the courses ofastronomicalbodies and the darkening of
the sun and moon (Matt
24:27-30;Mark 13:24-27;Luke 21:11, 25-27). Heavenand earth in its present
form will pass away
(Matt 5:18; 24:35). This is does not imply the destruction of the world, but the
transition to God’s
universal reign overcreation(Matt 13:37-43). Although Jesus does not
explicitly refer to a new or
transformed earth as do some NT authors (see New Testament), there are
hints that there will be a
perfectedearth after Jesus’return. The righteous will eatand drink with
Jesus in the consummated
kingdom (Matt 26:29;Luke 22:29-30). The humble will inherit the earth
(Matt 5:5), a broadening of
the promise in the Hebrew Scriptures that the righteous will inherit the land
of Israel (e.g. Ps 37:11).
The dead will be resurrectedbodily to face eternal rewards or punishments
(Luke 14:14; John 5:21
29; John 11:24-25). This implies the righteous will enjoy some type of physical
existence in the
eternal age, althoughdifferent than the present physical life, since there will
be no death or need for
human procreation(Luke 20:35-37).

Harry A. Hahne, Tyndale Seminary, Toronto
SOME VERSES ON NATURE. JESUS WAS THE CREATOR OF ALL
NATURE AND LOVED WHAT HE MADE
John 1:3
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came
into being that has come into being.
John 1:10
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did
not know Him.
1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we
exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we
exist through Him.
Colossians 1:16
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things
have been createdthrough Him and for Him.
Hebrews 1:2
in these last days has spokento us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all
things, through whom also He made the world.

Nature
Job 12:7-10
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teachyou, or the birds in the sky, and
they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teachyou, or let the fish
in the sea inform you. 9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the
LORD has done this? 10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the
breath of all mankind.
Psalm96:11-12
11 Let the heavens rejoice, letthe earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all
that is in it. 12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the
trees of the forestsing for joy.
Genesis 9:1
1 Then God blessedNoahand his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and
increase in number and fill the earth.
Psalm95:4-5
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to
him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
Job 37:14-16
14 “Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders. 15 Do you know
how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? 16 Do you know
how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect
knowledge?
Psalm19:1
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaimthe work of his
hands.
Romans 1:20

20 For since the creationof the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal
powerand divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Psalm104:24-25
24 How many are your works, LORD!In wisdomyou made them all; the
earth is full of your creatures. 25 There is the sea, vastand spacious, teeming
with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small.
Psalm33:5
5 The LORD loves righteousnessand justice; the earth is full of his unfailing
love.
Isaiah43:20
20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide
waterin the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my
people, my chosen,
Ezekiel34:2-3
2 “Sonof man, prophesy againstthe shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to
them: ‘This is what the SovereignLORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel
who only take care of yourselves!Should not shepherds take care of the flock?
3 You eatthe curds, clothe yourselves with the wooland slaughter the choice
animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Question:"Is Jesus the Creator?"
Answer: Genesis 1:1 says that “God createdthe heavens and the earth.” Then,
Colossians 1:16 gives the added detail that God created“allthings” through
Jesus Christ. The plain teaching of Scripture, therefore, is that Jesus is the
Creatorof the universe.

The mystery of the triune God is difficult to understand yet is one of the
doctrines revealedin Scripture. In the Bible, both God the Father and Jesus
are calledShepherd, Judge, and Savior. Both are calledthe PiercedOne—in
the same verse (Zechariah 12:10). Christ is the exactrepresentationof God
the Father, having the same nature (Hebrews 1:3). There is some sense in
which everything the Fatherdoes, the Son and Spirit also do, and vice versa.
They are always in perfectagreementat every moment, and all three equal
only one God (Deuteronomy6:4). Knowing that Christ is Godand has all the
attributes of God aids our understanding of Jesus as the Creator.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God” (John 1:1). There are three important things in this passageabout
Jesus and the Father:1) Jesus was “inthe beginning”—He was present at
creation. Jesus had existedeternally with God. 2) Jesus is distinct from the
Father—He was “with” God. 3) Jesus is the same as God in nature—He “was
God.”
Hebrews 1:2 says, “In these last days he has spokento us by his Son, whom he
appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”
Christ is the agentof God’s creation;the world was created“through” Him.
The Fatherand the Son had two distinct functions in creationyet worked
togetherto bring about the cosmos. Johnsays, “All things were made through
[Jesus], and without [Jesus]was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3,
ESV). The apostle Paulreiterates:“There is but one God, the Father, from
whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus
Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live” (1
Corinthians 8:6).
The Holy Spirit, the third Personofthe Trinity, was also an agent in creation
(Genesis 1:2). Since the Hebrew word for “spirit” is often translated as

“wind” or “breath,” we can see the activity of all three persons of the Trinity
in one verse:“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry
host by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6). After a thorough study of
Scripture, we canconclude that God the Fatheris the Creator(Psalm 102:25),
and He createdthrough Jesus, Godthe Son (Hebrews 1:2).
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-the-Creator.html
GOD, THE GREATEST NATURE LOVER Based onIsa. 1:1-9 By Pastor
Glenn Pease
There is a man in Santa Rosa, California who makes eye contactlenses for
chickens. Youwould naturally conclude that he doesn'tget many customers.
But you would be wrong. He was making 150 thousand pair of the tiny eye
pieces a day years ago, and may well be far beyond that figure by now. These
lenses made of molded plastic fit snuggly over the chicken's eyeball. Theyare
not designedto make them see better, however, but they are for causing
poorer eyesight. The reasonfor this says Al Shriver, the manufacturer, is
because ofthe problems createdby modern methods of raising chickens on
big poultry farms.
The many thousands of chickens concentratedin one place do not have to
run in the fields to scratchand peck for a living. They are fed by man, and
the result is they have too much time to scratchand peck one another. So to
prevent this man has developed a contactlens that distorts their vision so they
can still eat, but cannot fight with their neighbors. It sounds crazy that
millions of chickens wearglasses, but it works.

So many things can be developedto train animals and to keepthem in line.
If only something could be found to make man live in harmony with God and
one another. This is God's complaint also. His problem is not with the animal
kingdom, but with man. An old coloredphilosopher once said, "The chicken
is the most useful animal there is. You can eatthem before they are born, and
after they are dead." Thatis a nice compliment on the usefulness of an
animal, but no where canwe find a greatercompliment for animals than what
we find here in Isa. 1:3. Godcompares the ox and the ass with His own
people. In this comparisonof the children of Israeland the animals, the
animals win.
According to a God's eye view of life, man is not being preciselyaccurate in
his use of language when he calls someone a dumb ox, or stubborn ass. God
says that the ox and ass are no where near as dumb and stubborn as man.
These animals know their master, and they understand that he is the source of
their food supply. They are not so stupid that they forgetthese basic facts of
their life. Man, however, canbecome just that stupid. He canforget his
Makerand Master, and forgetthat God is the source of his life. Animals are
dumb in the sense that they do not speak, but they are not stupid in the sense
that they deliberately actcontrary to what is natural and normal. They have
no desire to do what is opposedto the law of God for their well being.
We sometimes refer to someone as a bird brain, and we imply that the bird
is not too bright. God has a different opinion concerning birds also. In Jer.
8:7 we read God speaking these words, "Eventhe stork in the heavens knows
her times, and the
turtle dove, swallow, andcrane, keepthe time of their coming; but my people
know not the ordinance of the Lord." God does not call Israela bird brain,
because from God's perspective that would be a compliment, for birds live in
harmony with the laws that He designedfor them, but His people do not live
in obedience to the laws He made for their good. God's complaint is that man
is not a bird brain. God has greatrespectfor the animal and bird kingdom.

St. Valentine was a great bird lover, and he said, "Godmade the birds as a
particular expressionof His love of the beautiful." God's love for, and
appreciationof, the animal kingdom indicates that the animal kingdom did
not fall as did man. Any problem in the animal kingdom is due to man's fall,
and not their own. Watts wrote,
The brutes obey their God, And bow their necks to men, But we more
base, more brutish things Rejecthis easyreign.
Martin Luther commenting on this verse says, "Would we not rightly bare
our heads before the ass and greetit as our teacher." Luther concluded, and I
think rightly, that God implies in His Word that man can learn much from
the animal kingdom about love and loyalty. The animal kingdom has been
affectedby man's sin, but not nearly as much as man. Therefore, there are
many illustrations in the animal kingdom of what is beautiful and noble.
The greatestmodern proof of this is the impact of Walt Disney's movies on
our culture. One of the basic themes of these movies is this God's eye view of
the animal kingdom. Animals are used to teach, illustrate, and motivate
toward kind, loving, and beneficial behavior. Eventhe most conservative
Christian tends to approve of Walt Disney films, and rightly so, because their
basic theme is consistentwith biblical revelation.
Numerous are the Christian poems that use animals to illustrate the way
man should respond to the love of God.
The camelat the close of day Kneels down upon the sandy plain To
have his burden lifted off And restto gain. My soul, thou too shouldst to

thy knees When daylight draweth to a close, And let thy Masterlift thy
load And grant repose.
The camelkneels at break of day,
To have his guide replace his load; Then rises up anew to take The
desertroad.
So thou shouldst kneelat morning dawn, That God may give thee daily
care, Assured that he no load too great Will make thee bear.
Anna Temple Whitney
There are many values in such poetry, and God Himself justified it by His
own attitude toward animals. The Hindus of India carry the issue too far,
however, and are not consistentwith God's will. They hold the cow to be
sacred, and so much so that it becomes more important than man. India's 50
million Moslems do not hold the cow sacred, but the 400 million Hindus do.
They teachtheir children this poem.
Living I yield milk, butter and curd to sustain mankind; My dung is as fuel
used, And to washthe floor and wall, Or burnt becomes the sacredashon
forehead, When dead, of my skin are sandals made, Or the bellows at the
blacksmith's furnace. Of my bones are buttons made... But of what use are
you, O Man?
This is not God's point at all. God does not try to degrade man. His use of the
animal is to motivate men to live up to their potential. Godmade man far
superior to the animal kingdom. He is just a little lowerthan the angels, and
even in his fallen state has greatpotential. He can by cooperationwith God
make his life beautiful and beneficial to all. God's motive is a Walt Disney

motive. He points to the animal kingdom to bring men to repentance for
falling below the animal, and to inspire them to return to the higher level they
were createdto reachin obedience to their Maker.
An animal cannever be as stupid as man in sin, but neither canan animal
respond as man to the grace of God, and rise to the heights of love. Pascal
rightly said, "Man is both the glory and scum of the universe." He canfall the
lowestof any creature, but he can also rise the highest. He is both the most
valuable of God's creatures, as wellas the most dangerous. God's motive,
even in condemnation, is to move men to rise to the level they are capable of
reaching. That is the whole point of His comparisonof man with the animals.
Man sees values and characters in animals that make them admirable. They
name their sports teams the Bears, Cubs, Tigers, Badgers, Gophers,Cougars,
and the Huskies, and many other animal names. Men are proud to be linked
with the virtues of the animal kingdom. SamuelHoffenstein wrote,
There are strange creatures in the zoo, Like emu, zebra, awk, and gnu,
But strangercreatures I have seen Riding in a limousine.
This is God's complaint about man. He is truly a strange puzzle and a
mystery. No creature anywhere acts so inconsistentwith its potential and the
laws designedfor its benefit. We have a dog that knows us and loves to
express emotionalaffection. If we go awayfor a week, or simple go out the
front door and in the back, this so-calleddumb animal is so delighted to see us
again, she is wild with excitement. Animals relate better to their masters than
people relate to their God. Manwith all of his great learning canbe so
profoundly ignorant that he can lose sight completely of his Maker, and of his
heavenly Fathers purpose for his life.

In 1977 the Encyclopedia of Ignorance was published. 50 scientists in the
book share concerning how ignorant man is in many areas. Manknows so
little about galaxies, quasars, gravity, the interior of the sun, sleep, how the
brain stores its memories, and many, many more. The editor writes,
"Comparedto the pond of knowledge, ourignorance remains Atlantic." God
is not upset about man's ignorance ofthe creation. Godis upset about man's
more profound ignorance ofthe Creator. With all of his capacityto know,
this is God's complaint. "Israeldoes not know my people does not
understand." This is the source of God's greatestfrustration. It was because
they did not know that they crucified the Lord of glory. They were blind and
did not know in spite of all God's revelation. Jesus saidon the cross, "Father
forgive them for they know not what they do."
Amiel in his journal wrote, "To be misunderstood by those one loves is the
cross and bitterness of life." This was God's cross evenin the Old Testament.
His own chosenchildren put their trust in political ties and personaltreasures,
and they forgotHim completely. The parallel would be like a group of
children who were raisedwell by a kind and loving father putting him in a
nursing home, and never going to see him. They forsake and forgethim, and
never acknowledgehim as the source of their life and abundance. Such is the
sad story of Isaiah's book. It is the sad story of a forsakenfather.
These modern prophets of despair who keeptelling us the world is worse
now than ever would do wellto read their Bible. As bad as things are there is
no way you could possibly justify saying that the people of God today are as
corrupted by the world as were the Jews in the day of Isaiah. It is true they
are on the way, but that has always been the case. There is a constant
tendency for the people of God to become a part of the world system. That is
why there is a perpetual need for revival.

We must not be guilty of a pessimismthat is blind to the fact that in many
ways the church is better today than ever. There are marvelous things
happening in our world for the glory of God. No one can sayof God's people
today what God said in
verse 6, "Fromthe soul of the footeven to the head, there is no soundness in
it."" Honesty with history and the clearwords of God demand that we refuse
to follow those pessimists who declare we are in the worstof times. That is
one of the values of studying the prophets. They make you realize that there
is no depth that we cannot fall to, but they also make you realize that in
comparisonwe have not yet fallen to the lowestpoint. They also teachthat
there is always hope that with revival we can be restoredto what God wants
us to be.
One of the ways men can keepon the right track, or getback on the right
track, is by learning from the animal kingdom. This is not mere theory. It is
being demonstrated everyday. Forexample, in the California Institute for
men, which is a minimum security prison 40 miles Eastof Los Angeles, lives
are being changedby 48 parrots, three llamas, 8 dogs, 2 golden eagles, and a
duck. Menlike Mel, a 30 year old loner with an IQ only slightly above a head
of lettuce, now talks easily to strangers, othercriminal and illiterate types are
now adjusted and studying college levelbooks in psychology.
These men are engagedin training animals. A sample projectis training
two colorful macaws to go through a routine. One is trained to pick up a play
phone in its beak and say hello. When he puts it down the other runs up and
grabs it, and croaks bye bye. Then he puts it back on the hook and rolls over
in laughter. The prison psychologistsays that the seeing ofanimals learning to
do things that bring value and laughter to life motivates these men to believe
that they too can learn to be useful. This, plus the factthat the animals show
them love, and they get attachedto them like friends, motivates them to move
out of their hopeless state into a state of hope. This program works becauseit
is basedon a principle God has built into life. Animals did not fall, and they

have many goodinstincts built into them. That is why they canbe excellent
examples to men.
A family in New Jerseyhad a dog that was acting very strange. The family
fearedit was going mad, and so they found someone who would shootit. The
neighbor farmer observedthe dog, and he said it appeared to him to be
poisoned. If they would set it loose it may find an antidote itself. He told them
how the cats, cattle, and horses are often compelledto find an antidote for
some poisonous herb they have eaten. The dog was let loose, andit went
immediately across a field to a brook where it ate a weedgrowing on the
bank. The dog returned and ate a meal for the first time in days. It appeared
to be completelyhealed. The localclergyman had followed the dog to observe.
He took a sample of the plant the dog ate, and he sent it to a chemist. They
found it did contain a valuable antidote for pain that would be useful even for
humans. Here was a case where men went to the dog for instruction.
Numerous examples of this type of learning from the animal kingdom are
recorded. In fact, most all medical advances are first tried on animals before
they are used on men. In verse 18 God goes to the realm of nature to illustrate
againHis mercy and willingness to cleanse man, and make him white as snow
and wool. One
of the things you will see oftenin Isaiahis the use of nature as object lessons.
The reasonfor this is because the God of redemption is also the God of
creation, and there is no greaterresource forillustrating His teachings then
what He has made Himself. If we listen to God, we will also listen to nature.
We will learn from the animal kingdom because Godhas built into them
many characteristicsthat He wishes man to imitate. The more we study
God's revelation the more we will come to the conclusionthat God Himself is
the greatestnature lover.

Sermon: All CreationPoints to Him
by Andy Cook onWednesday, January 01, 2014 at7:00 AM
Share:
Introduction
It's not hard to picture Jesus as we've seenhim in countless Bible studies,
church Easterpageants,and in severalmotion picture films. Jesus heals
people of diseasesand disabilities, teaches enormous crowds, andeventually
dies on a cross. It's even quite possible for us to picture Jesus as our
resurrectedLord, and our glorified Savior in heaven. But as we "fix our eyes
upon Jesus," whatof the prelude to it all? What about the Jesus of the very
beginning? What about the Jesus who was intimately involved in the very
creative process ofall things? Have you thought recently how all of Creation
bears witness to Jesus?
The more we focus on Jesus, the more there is to see, and the more we realize
we'll never see it all. That, of course, is also true about Creation.
Illustration: In A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson marvels at
what makes up human life:
No one really knows, but there may be as many as a million types of protein in
the human body, and eachone is a little miracle. By all the laws of probability
proteins shouldn't exist. To make a protein you need to assemble amino
acids…ina particular order, in much the same way that you assemble letters
in a particular order to spell a word. [For example, to make collagen,]you
need to arrange 1,055 amino acids in preciselythe right sequence….
The chances ofa 1,055-sequence molecule like collagenspontaneouslyself-
assembling are, frankly, nil. It just isn't going to happen. To graspwhat a long
shot its existence is, visualize a standard Las Vegas slotmachine but
broadened greatly- to about ninety feet, to be precise - to accommodate 1,055

spinning wheels instead of the usual three or four, and with twenty symbols on
eachwheel(one for eachcommon amino acid). How long would you have to
pull the handle before all 1,055 symbols came up in the right order?
Effectively forever. Even if you reduced the number of spinning wheels to two
hundred, which is actually a more typical number of amino acids for a
protein, the odds againstall two hundred coming up in a prescribedsequence
are 1 in 10260 (thatis 1 followedby 260 zeros). That in itself is a larger
number than all the atoms in the universe.
Yet we are talking about severalhundred thousand types of protein, perhaps
a million, eachunique and each, as far as we know, vital to the maintenance of
a sound and happy you. (Citation: Bill Bryson, "The Rise of Life", A Short
History of Nearly Everything, pp. 288-289.)
Illustration: An atheistwas walking through the woods, admiring all the
"accidents"that evolution had created. "Whatmajestic trees!What powerful
rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes
behind him. Turning to look, he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.
He ran awayas fastas he could up the path.
He lookedover his shoulder and saw the grizzly was closing. Somehow he ran
even faster, so scaredthat tears came to his eyes. He lookedagain, and the
bear was even closer. His heart was pounding, and he tried to run faster. He
tripped and fell to the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up, but the bear
was right over him, reaching for him with its left paw and raising its right
paw to strike him.
At that instant the atheist cried, "Oh my God!"
Time stopped. The bear froze. The forestwas silent. Even the river stopped
moving.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, "You deny
my existence forall these years, teachothers that I don't exist, and even credit
creationto a cosmic accident. Do you expectme to help you out of this
predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheistlookeddirectly into the light and said, "I would feel like a
hypocrite to become a Christian after all these years, but perhaps you could
make the bear a Christian?"
"Very well," said the voice.
The light went out. The river ran. The sounds of the forestresumed. Then the
bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed its head, and
spoke:"Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful."
Illustration: I am reminded of the story of the discussionat church camp for
children where one of the counselors was leading a discussionon the purpose
God has for all of his creation.
They began to find goodreasons forthe clouds and trees and rocks and rivers
and animals and just about everything else in nature.
Finally, one of the children asked, "IfGod has a goodpurpose for everything,
then why did He create poisonivy?" This made the discussionleadergulp
and, as he struggledwith the question, one of the other children piped up,
"The reasonGod made poisonivy is that He wanted us to know that there are
certain things we should keepour cotton-pickin' hands off of!"
I. Jesus had the key role in creation
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was with Godin the beginning. Through him all things were
made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3 (HCSB)
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times
and in various ways, but in these lastdays he has spokento us by his Son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the
universe. Hebrews 1:1-2
This will never fly in the higher circles ofacademics, of course. The battle
over evolution and creationis very often a battle overreligion. If evolution
can be proved the correctansweras to how things accidentallycame to be,
then we can write God off. We can take Godright out of the picture. But, my
friends, taking God out of the Creationstory is a mighty big task.

Illustration: Sir Isaac Newtonhad a perfectly scaleddownreplica of the then
known solarsystembuilt for his studies. A large golden ball representedthe
sun at the center, and the known planets revolved around it through a series
of cogs, belts, and rods. It was an incredible machine. One day while Newton
was studying his model, an agnostic friend stopped by for a visit. The man
marveled at the machinery and asked, "Who made this exquisite thing?"
Without looking up, Newtonreplied, "Nobody." "Nobody?" his friend asked.
"That's right," said Newton, "allof these balls and cogs and belts and gears
just happened to come together, and wonder of wonders, by chance they
beganrevolving in their set orbits with perfecttiming."
Newtonmade his point that day, but the battle still rages.
When God asks a person to believe the Bible's message, Godis not asking that
person to leave his or her brain at the coatcheck desk. Godmust thrill to the
discoveries scientistsmake. He must laugh out loud at the first eye to spot a
new universe through the eye piece of the Hubble. Godthe Creatorloves for
his Creationto discovermore about itself, for all of Creation is a testimony to
the Creator's glory.
And the Bible says Jesus was right at the heart of all that creative power. In
fact, the Bible claims Jesus was the agentof creationwhen God createdall
things. Believing that is a matter of faith, but it's not that big of a stretch. If
you want to be stretched in the area of your faith … just believe that all of
Creationhappened by accident!
II. All creationpoints to Jesus
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by
him all things were created:things in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were
createdby him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold
together. Colossians 1:15-17
All things were createdby him ... and for him.
Why were all things createdfor Jesus? Did he need another waterfall, an
extra million stars, or a thundering herd of buffalo storming across anempty

continent? No, the purpose of Creationis to point to Jesus. All of it, in its
createdglory, is a testimony to the power, the wonder, and the incredible
beauty of our Savior.
Illustration: Musician MichaelCard said in an interview:
Again and againin China I talked to people who had never heard of
Christianity, never heard of Jesus, neverheard a single word from the Bible.
Yet through nature and their God-given conscience,many believed in God.
Not only did they believe God existed, they had derived some understanding
about His loving characterbecause he provided food, water, and a beautiful
world. One old woman told me, "I've known him for years. I just didn't know
his name." Citation: MichaelCard, from interview in DiscipleshipJournal
(Nov/Dec 2002), p. 72.
You might try to pull something off this week before we meet again. Find a
way to re-discoverthis creationthat points to Jesus. Perhaps you canget out
in a rural area on a clearnight, and just spend some time with the stars. Take
a walk near a stream of water, and pay attention to the incredible detail in a
single square foot of water. Check out a book or a teaching video on recent
discoveries in DNA research. Visit the website of the Hubble Space Telescope,
and flip through the most amazing photographs a camera has ever taken.
When you get lostin the wonder of it, remember this point … that it all points
to Jesus. And right there, worship him. Tell Jesus what a greatjob he did with
it all! Give him praise. Break out into another round of "How Great Thou
Art." ReadPsalm8 out loud.
All of Creationpoints to Jesus, andyou and I are createdbeings. Let us point
to Jesus, too!
III. Jesus'life was proof of his powerover creation
The disciples must have been stunned repeatedly with the way Jesus could
heal the sick, give sight to the blind, or make the lame dance for joy. But when
Jesus exercisedpowerover nature - over Creation- it terrified them. Nothing
displayed his powerquite like his powerover nature.

Perhaps the most famous incident came when Jesus senthis tired disciples
aheadof him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. During a storm that night,
Jesus came to his men in the wee hours of the night, walking on the water!
During the fourth watchof the night Jesus wentout to them, walking on the
lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.
"It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to
them: "Take courage!It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter
replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come,"he said. Then Peter
got down out of the boat, walkedon the waterand came towardJesus. But
when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord,
save me!" Immediately Jesus reachedout his hand and caughthim. "You of
little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the
boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him,
saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." Matthew 14:25-33 (HCSB)
Despite the disciples' inability to walk on water - or even the courage to get
out of the boat - they never forgot the days when Jesus showedthem his power
over Creation. It must have shockedthem when a few soldiers arrestedJesus,
tortured him, and crucified him. Did they wonder: Couldn't the man who
calmed a storm at sea also find a wayto escapeanexecution? Certainly they
did go through such thoughts. Eventually, they would understand that the
cross was a place of power, too.
IV. You can find the rest you need in Jesus
Whatevercauses you stress, allof Creationpoints to Jesus and says:"Give it
to him." Whatever causesyou difficulty, all of Creation, and the very life of
Jesus, says, "Give it to him."
What a greatrelief to realize that it's not up to you to keepthe world
spinning, or to even keepyour life moving in the right direction. If Jesus was
powerful enough to create all life, and if it all holds togetherto bring him
glory, then it makes sense to trust Jesus to run things now.
Therefore, since the promise of entering his reststill stands, let us be careful
that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the

gospelpreachedto us, just as they did; but the messagethey heard was of no
value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we
who have believed enter that rest ... Hebrews 4:1-3 (HCSB)
And what a verse for those sea-tosseddisciples:Heb. 6:19 - We have this hope
as an anchorfor the soul, firm and secure.
Caught in a storm, the disciples wanted an anchor that would hold them firm
and secure. Theywanted safetyin a dangerous time. They wanted to feel rock-
solid ground underneath their feet. They wanted to stop the furious rowing,
the furious battle to stay alive, and just go to bed. Just restat home.
In Jesus, they found it all. The storm stilled, the boat was suddenly at the
shore. And they really knew nothing else to do … exceptto worship the One
who made it possible.
If Jesus is the Creatorof all things, isn't there none above Him?
If Jesus still controls all Creation, isn't there none greaterthan Him?
If Jesus offers restfor all of those with enoughfaith to trust Him, wouldn't it
be wise to take it?
Confess Him. Trust Him. Stay fixed upon him.
Conclusion
Peterhad enough wisdom to getout of the boat, but he didn't have enough
courage to keephis eyes fixed upon Jesus.
You're alreadydistracted. Life has a way of distracting us. Stay focused. No
matter what swirls around you today, keepyour eyes fixed upon Jesus. Him
only. Him only.
Andy Cook is the pastor of Shirley Hills BaptistChurch in, Warner Robins,
Georgia.

Jesus and the NaturalWorld
by Fr. John Jillions
Concernfor the environment has become such a standard topic of daily life
that many have become bored with the subject. Despite the bestefforts of
PatriarchBartholomeos, now knownamong environmentalists as "the green
patriarch," it is difficult to find much sustainedgrass-roots enthusiasmamong
the Orthodox for environmental issues. After all, is anyone againstprotecting
the environment? Add to this the scientific and political complexities that
besetenvironmental policy-making, and the tendency of most Orthodox to
focus on personalspirituality rather than socialand ethical issues, it is not
surprising that the environment is not high on the agenda of most Orthodox.
But the question of our relation to the natural world goes much deeper than
the used of plastic coffee cups, recycling and international summits.
Our attitudes to nature and what is "natural" affect our decisions on a host of
issues. Forexample, when should we allow nature to "take its course" and
when should we intervene to prevent it from doing so? Is the world of nature
the ideal from which all other life has fallen? Should we be striving for a
return to nature and natural living? And what exactlyis "natural living"? Is
an agrarian life far from the hustle and bustle of the city the one most suited
to living the Gospel?
Looking at the issue of how we relate to the natural environment raises the
question of how I view what is mine or not mine and my responsibilities
toward each. How do I relate to the world beyond my ownfront door? Many
people spend greatefforts and money in beautifying their own home, but have
little or no sense ofpersonalresponsibility for the surrounding neighborhood
because it's "not mine." On a wider scale, this may mean communities of
people, indeed entire countries, with little sense ofcivic responsibility for
maintaining or beautifying the largercommunity beyond the borders of
"mine" or "ours."
More deeply still, what we think is "natural" affects whatwe think should be
left alone or changed, and our willingness or unwillingness to take steps to
make changes. If we view all events as "natural," we might adopt a fatalistic

attitude that is sometimes characteristicofthe East. Whateverhappens is
"natural," in God's hands alone, so there is little point in taking action. Each
and every tragedy can be met with a shrug of the shoulders and a "that's life"
attitude. The human being is minimally responsible. At the other extreme, if
we take a high view of human intervention, we may be convincedthat there is
almost always something we can do -- or should be able to do as science
advances -- to controlnature. According to this latter view, the human being
is maximally responsible, exceptfor those rare cataclysmic events which are
entirely beyond his control and thus labeledby the insurance industry as
"acts ofGod."
For Christians the first place to go to begin to look for answers to these
questions is to the person of Jesus. His approachto the natural world gives
important guideposts for a Christian response.
In the Gospels we mostoften encounter people who are thoroughly familiar
with country ways. The images Jesus uses in his parables and are for the most
part from the natural world, although he never once uses the word "nature."
And mostly he refers to agriculture rather than nature in the wild.
Yet in one of his few sayings about nature as such Jesus says there is no
human glory that canbegin to match the wonder of the createdworld:
"Considerthe lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet
I tell you, even Solomonin all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." (Mt
6:28-29)
Jesus spentmuch time out of doors. Gospeltexts reveal that he noticedwhat
was going on around him in the natural world, reflectedupon it, and had
greataffectionfor it. If we take for example just the first chapter of Mark, we
have references to the various natural settings that were so familiar to Jesus.
Nazareth, where he grew up, in the hills of Galilee. The most famous of Jesus'
teaching takes place in the mountains, "the Sermonon the Mount" (Mt 5-7).
Jesus oftenwithdrew to a hill or mountain to pray alone or with his disciples,
and it was in the mountains that Jesus would have seenshepherds guiding
their sheepon narrow mountain paths, carrying the lambs in their arms,
chasing awaywolves. It was in the mountains that Jesus appointedthe twelve

(Mk 3:13), a mountain was the site of the Transfiguration, and his favorite
place in Jerusalemwas outdoors on the Mount of Olives, where he often sat,
taught or prayed, outside the walls of the city opposite the Temple. Here too
was the garden of Gethsemani. It was also on a mountain in Galilee that the
risen Jesus commissionedhis disciples to "go and make disciples of all
nations." (Mt 28:19)
The wilderness around the Jordan river where John was living and baptizing
and where Jesus spent forty days being tempted by Satan (Mk 1:9-12). But
there was also consolationin the midst of temptation, for "he was with the
wild beasts and the angels ministered to him." (Mk 1:13)
The Sea of Galilee (Mk 1:16) where time and againwe find him teaching on
the shore (or out of a boat) or getting into a boat and crossing againto the
other side (e.g. Mk 5:21). Here is the setting for his callof the first disciples,
the fishermen. Here also -- in the GospelofJohn -- is where the risen Jesus
meets for the last time with his disciples as they are fishing, where he makes a
fire, cooks them a breakfastoffresh fish, talks with them on the shore and
tells Peter, "Feedmy sheep" (Jn 21:17). And it was a storm on the Sea of
Galilee that so frightened the disciples, which Jesus calmedwith a word, so
that they wondered"who then is this, that even wind and sea obeyhim." (Mk
4:41)
The countryside (Mk 1:45): so many people flockedto Jesus for healing that
the GospelofMark says he "could no longer enter a town, but was out in the
country, though even there, "people came to him from every quarter." (Mk
1:45) Out in the countryside, walking past the fields and farms of Palestine
Jesus pickedup many of the images that would re-appear in his teaching:the
sowergoing out to sow his seed(Mk 4:3ff), the fields ripe for harvest(Mk
4:29), the vineyard, (Mk 12:1 ff) and fig trees (Mk 13:28ff).
Jesus was immersedin the natural world. But we should not romanticize this.
He also spent much of his time confronting a natural world gone wrong. The
first chapter of Mark also shows this darker side of nature. A madman
shouting and convulsing in the synagogue (Mk 1:23ff); Peter's mother-in-law
lying sick with a fever (Mk 1:30-31);a leper who begs to be healed(Mk

1:40ff); crowds coming to Jesus with their diseasedand demented (Mk 1:32-
34).
The wonder of the natural world remains more glorious than Solomon, but in
Jesus we find no idolizing of nature. Forall the matchless glory of creation,
the Fathercares infinitely more for the human beings he created. "Look at
the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gatherinto barns, and yet
your Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Mt 6:26) This
immediately puts the Christian view of creationand the natural world at odds
with much of secularenvironmentalism for which human beings are just
another species. ForChristians, human beings are the summit of the creation
and have a unique role of care and oversight. More than that, the destiny of
creationis mysteriously linked to human beings, such that St Paul can say,
"We know that the whole creationhas been groaning in travail togetheruntil
now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of
the Spirit, groaninwardly as we awaitfor adoption as sons, the redemption of
our bodies." (Rom 8:22-23)Jesus is less concernedabout nature than about
the redemption of the human race, through which the restof creationwill also
end its "groaning." Jesusdoes not see a natural world independent of the
human world.
Perhaps this is why the most frequent analogiesJesusmakes to the natural
world are from farming, fishing, vineyards and shepherds: human beings
working togetherwith nature, transforming the raw materials of nature into
food and drink and clothing. The images Jesus uses are dominated by a
picture of the environment that shows human beings using, domesticating and
cultivating nature for their own use: mustard seed, yeast, bread, sowing and
seeds, vineyards and vines, new and old wine, sheepand goats, the good
shepherd, the sheepfold, the flock, weeds among the wheat, fishermen, a net
full of fish.
The natural world into which Jesus comes is not the world as it was in the
beginning when all was "very good." Although there is a theologicaldebate as
to whether the first creationwas truly perfector only potentially perfect (with
Church Fathers of differing views), it is clear that much has gone wrong in the
natural world. The desert, for example, is seenas a forbidding, hostile place,

the dwelling place of Satan, the personificationof all that is destructive and
diseasedand opposedto God's purposes in creation. Yet it precisely to the
desertthat Jesus goes firstbefore beginning his public ministry. All that now
keeps the creationgroaning is part of the "bondage to decay" (Rom 8:21)
which we see in the natural world as a kind of infection that St. Paul calls "the
mystery of lawlessness."(2 Th 2:7) In this sense the natural world is no longer
pure and therefore is no longernatural. Here too the Christian view of the
environment must differ from secularenvironmentalists. Jesus neveraccepts
the world as it is as the "natural" world for he never accepts sicknessand
death as "natural." At the tomb of Lazarus he does not tell Martha and Mary
that the sickness,suffering and death of their brother Lazarus was "natural."
No, he weeps atthe tomb because allof this is a terrible deformation of God's
creation. And most people, regardless oftheir view of Jesus, share his view of
death. They weep, because something deepwithin them protests at the loss
and says this ought not to be.
The natural world continues to be a place of ambivalence. On the one hand it
refreshes body and soul. Indeed, an article on pastorallife published in the
Journal of the MoscowPatriarchatein the 1970srecommendedlong walks in
parks and countryside as an essentialingredient for a priest's spiritual health!
At the same time the natural world is a source of suffering and disease andwe
look forward to the time when "creationitselfwill be set free from its bondage
to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Rom 8:21)
We look forward to a "new heaven and a new earth." (Rev 21:1)
Yet it is significant that the New Testament's final image of the Kingdom is no
rural idyll but a bustling city. The kingdom of God is the "new Jerusalem."
(Rev 21:2) This is all the more striking because the city of Jerusalemwas such
a troubling place for Jesus:"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and
stoning those who are sent to you! How often I would have gatheredyour
children togetheras a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would
not!" (Mt 23:38)He was persecutedin the city and stayedawayfor long
periods of time and his disciples were afraid of returning. And their fears
were proved right. After a brief triumphal entry, the city becomes the setting
for Jesus'betrayal, arrest, trials, torture and crucifixion.

But the city was also the place of Christ's resurrection, where as RisenLord
he first appeared to his disciples, where he told the disciples to remain "until
you are clothed with powerfrom on high." (Lk 24:49)
None of us is unfamiliar with the temptations and irritations of cities with
their congestion, traffic, crowds, stress,pollution, politics, corruption and
crime. But throughout history cities have always been the centers of
civilization and culture. The city, like the natural world, needs to be
transfigured and redeemed, not abandoned. And the new Jerusalemis the
image of the redeemed city, of redeemed human culture, the holy city where
there is no mourning, nor crying nor pain (Rev 21:4). In this new Jerusalem,
the city is not cut off from nature, for the river of the water of life runs
through its main street, and the tree of life grows on either side, "with its
twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit eachmonth; and the leaves of the tree
were for the healing of the nations." (Rev 22:1-2)
Fr. John Jillions is Principal of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies,
Cambridge. Forinformation about the Institute, visit their web site:
www.iocs.cam.ac.uk.
By Edwards, Denis (Author)
Ecologicalconversion...isthe radical change of mind and heart that leads to a
deeper love and respectfor all creatures as having their own integrity before
God: it involves change to a sustainable lifestyle, to sustainable patters of
production and consumption and to sustainable economic and political
choices.

In this new book Denis Edwards encouragesus as Christians to
wholeheartedlyembrace ecologicalconversationand to connectwith people
around the globe in their deepening commitment to the survival of life on
earth.
If the goodnews is that many people around the globe have begun to
recognise thatwe are called to a new wayof being on Earth, how can we be
sure that this is congruous with the messageofJesus in the gospels?
Edwards shows that stewardshipis pivotal in the Christian messageforthe
world, and that the process ofconversionincludes a responsibility that all
creationis a precious gift that is to be loved, respectedand protected. The
ever-growing movement of people who are connectedin a deepening
commitment to the goodof the community of life on Earth is a strengthening
force that includes people living in large cities, country towns and on the land,
farmers, artists, schoolchildren, scientists, industrialists, politicians and
religious leaders.
For Christians, the deepestreasonfor this conversionis that we see the Earth
and all its creatures as God's goodcreation, the creationthat God radically
embraces in the incarnation of the Word made flesh. Because ofthis, in 2001,
Pope John Paul II stressedthe importance of the change of mind and of life
that he called 'ecologicalconversion'. After speaking ofthe way humans have
devastatedso much of the natural world, he continued: 'We must therefore
encourage andsupport the 'ecologicalconversion'which in recent decades has
made humanity more sensitive to the catastrophe to which it has been
heading'.

Father Denis's latestbook is a wonderful read for anyone with an interest in
exploring theology and our home, planet Earth. In this book Denis gives us the
fundamentals of ecologicaltheologyincluding science anda universal
perspective, biblical visions, Jesus Ministry, the Holy Spirit, Eucharist,
EcologicalConversion, Spirituality and Action - and he has done this all with
greatskill.
Denis Edwards
Ecologicalconversion...isthe radical change of mind and heart that leads to a
deeper love and respectfor all creatures as having their own integrity before
God: it involves change to a sustainable lifestyle, to sustainable patters of
production and consumption and to sustainable economic and political
choices.
In this new book Denis Edwards encouragesus as Christians to
wholeheartedlyembrace ecologicalconversationand to connectwith people
around the globe in their deepening commitment to the survival of life on
earth. If the goodnews is that many people around the globe have begun to
recognise thatwe are called to a new wayof being on Earth, how can we be
sure that this is congruous with the messageofJesus in the gospels?Edwards
shows that stewardshipis pivotal in the Christian message forthe world, and
that the process ofconversionincludes a responsibility that all creationis a
precious gift that is to be loved, respectedand protected.
The ever-growing movement of people who are connectedin a deepening
commitment to the goodof the community of life on Earth is a strengthening
force that includes people living in large cities, country towns and on the land,
farmers, artists, schoolchildren, scientists, industrialists, politicians and

religious leaders. ForChristians, the deepestreasonfor this conversionis that
we see the Earth and all its creatures as God's goodcreation, the creationthat
God radically embraces in the incarnation of the Word made flesh. Because of
this, in 2001, Pope JohnPaul II stressedthe importance of the change of mind
and of life that he called'ecologicalconversion'. After speaking ofthe way
humans have devastatedso much of the natural world, he continued: ‘We
must therefore encourage and support the 'ecologicalconversion'whichin
recentdecades has made humanity more sensitive to the catastrophe to which
it has been heading'.
Father Denis's latestbook is a wonderful read for anyone with an interest in
exploring theology and our home, planet Earth. In this book Denis gives us the
fundamentals of ecologicaltheologyincluding science anda universal
perspective, biblical visions, Jesus Ministry, the Holy Spirit, Eucharist,
EcologicalConversion, Spirituality and Action – and he has done this all with
greatskill.
Jacqueline Remond, Director, Cathoolic Earthcare Australia
Jesus'Authority over Nature
This passageaffirms Jesus'authority over nature (8:26), and if over nature,
then over any crisis his followers may face. Many ancient accounts ofnature
miracles were purely legendary, but these generallysurrounded characters of
the distant past (compare R. Grant 1986:62)ratherthan arising when
eyewitnesses remained. The tradition behind this particular story is very
likely Palestinian, describing in traditional Galilean (contrary to foreign)
fashion the Lake of Galilee as a "sea"(v. 24, literally, againstthe NIV; see Mk
4:39; see Theissen1991:105-8).
Jesus'Ministry Exhausts Him (8:23-24)

Jesus'exhaustedslumber in the boat passageincidentally illustrates his
statementin verse 20 that the Sonof Man has nowhere to lay his head.
Perhaps as if to underline the point, Matthew omits Mark's mention of the
makeshift cushion(Mk 4:38). Matthew also purposely emphasizes that Jesus'
true disciples followedhim (8:22-23).
Jesus Reproves the Disciples for Their Fear(8:25-26)
Jesus'peace (v. 24)contrasts starklywith the disciples'fear (v. 25);they are of
little faith (v. 26), just like those who are anxious for tomorrow (6:30) or who
doubt Jesus'powerto work extraordinary miracles (14:31; 16:8; 17:20).
Ability to sleepduring trouble was often a sign of faith in God (Ps 3:5; 4:8),
and the Greeks also praisedphilosophers who demonstrated consistencywith
their teaching by maintaining a serene attitude during a storm (Diog. Laert.
1.86;2.71;9.11.68). Justas Jesus demands that we express our love for God
by trusting him for material provision (Mt 6:25-34), he demands that we trust
him for safety. Our heavenly Father may not always protectus from earthly
ills, but he will do with our lives what is best for us (10:29-31). Bythis point in
the narrative the disciples appearwithout excuse for their unbelief, like Israel
in the wilderness;"Jesus expectsthem to have taken charge of the storm
themselves" (Rhoads and Michie 1982:90, 93).
Jesus'PowerRevealsHis Identity (8:27)
If the disciples thought the boat might sink with Jesus aboard, it was because
they did not understand Jesus'identity. His powerover the sea, however,
forces them to grapple afreshwith that question. Faith in Jesus'authority
flows from conviction concerning his true identity (compare 8:8; 9:6).
Stories about nature miracles occasionallycirculatedin antiquity, usually
either stories about deities (R. Grant 1986:62)or legends about heroes of the
distant past (as in Diog. Laert. 8.2.59;Blackburn1986:190;compare t.
Ta`anit 2:13). Parallels to the Jonahstory (Cope 1976:96-98)canlink the
disciples'amazement at Jesus'stilling of the storm to God's stilling the storm
in the Jonahstory (Jon 1:15-16); other backgrounds in the Hebrew Bible also

point to Jesus'identity with God (see in Lane 1974:176). In biblical tradition it
was God whom the seas obeyed(as in Job 38:8-11;Ps 65:5-8; 89:8-9;France
1985:162).The astonishmentof Jesus'disciples is therefore understandable
(Mk 4:41; 6:51)! Their cry for Jesus to save them reflects one sense ofthe
Greek term save ("deliver safely")but probably also alludes on a literary
level to Jesus'broader mission(Mt 1:21).
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Matt/Jesus-
Authority-Nature-51
I Can Do All Things Through Christ: Naturalvs. Supernatural
1
1
0
Share
0
Share
0
111
0

Walking on Waterby Ivan Aivazovsky – 1890
Wikimedia Commons
by Brian Shilhavy
Created4Health.org
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)
Jesus lookedatthem and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all
things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
(Mark 9:23)
There is a lot of debate today over the meaning of the word “natural” in
certain circles, particularly in the marketing of food products. What the word
“natural” means in communication depends on the understanding of the one
using the term.
For those starting from a Darwinian presupposition, for example, it might
mean something like the “natural” course ofthe way things evolved.
“Natural” in this sense is probably seenas the result of random processes
absent from any intelligence guiding it. For those starting from a creationor
intelligent designpresupposition, “natural” means something related to a
design principle, and what the designerintended.
Science, in the strictestsense of the word, cannot prove either starting
presupposition. Both positions start with a belief about what is true.
When we come to the term supernatural, however, there is no serious debate
as to what the term means. The only debate is whether or not it occurs in real
life. Darwinists, for the most part, have to deny the supernatural to conform
to their belief system.

For the reader of the Bible, one encounters the recordof supernatural events
all throughout the pages ofscripture. Jesus constantlyinteracted with the
natural realm supernaturally, defying so-called“lawsofnature.” He walked
on water, changedwater into wine, createdfood supernaturally,
instantaneouslyhealed sick people, and even raisedsome people from the
dead. The Acts of the Apostles and early followers of Jesus Christin the Bible
records that they too operatedat times in the supernatural after Jesus left.
As the verses at the beginning of this article state, Christ taught that all things
were possible with God, and that through him there were no limitations to the
natural order.
So how does one move from the natural to the supernatural?
There is one supernatural event recordedin the Bible that I think is very
instructive and canshow us just how to actsupernaturally through Christ.
The event was recordedin the book of Matthew chapter 14:
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on aheadof him
to the other side, while he dismissedthe crowd. After he had dismissed them,
he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.
When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a
considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was
againstit. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus wentout to them,
walking on the lake.
When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a
ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Takecourage!It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peterreplied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Petergot down out of the boat, walkedon the waterand came toward
Jesus.

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out,
“Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reachedout his hand and caughthim.
“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the
Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33)
I have written a list of 11 observations regarding this supernatural event
(although this list is by no means exhaustive!):
1. Jesus came to his disciples who were in the midst of a storm (a natural
event).
2. The disciples were afraid when they saw him. He came to them walking on
top of the water supernaturally, and this was not something they had ever
seenor experiencedbefore, so they doubted that they were actually seeing
Jesus.
3. Jesus saidto them “Take courage!It is I.” He apparently did not getinto
the boat at that time, but was close enoughto the boat to communicate with
them (shouting overthe winds??)
4. Petermade a request. Peterwas apparently not satisfiedjust looking at
Jesus, as some had claimed he was a ghost. He wanted to go to Jesus and be
sure it was really him, so he requested that Jesus tell him to come to him on
the water.
5. Jesus respondedto Peter’s requestand said: “Come.”
6. Once Peterhad the answerto his request, he acted upon it. He got out of the
boat and walkedon the water supernaturally.
7. As he walkedtowards Christ on the water, he doubted. He was doing
something that was not “natural.” He was afraid of the storm.

8. Petermade another request: “Lord save me!” (from drowning in the water)
Note that Peterwas a professionalfisherman and probably a strong swimmer
(John 21-1-9). This must have been quite some storm!
9. Jesus respondedand saved him from drowning in the waterduring the
storm.
10. Jesus spoke to him and told him what the cause was forhis failure: he had
“little faith” (but at leasthe had some!)
11. Jesus askedPetera question: “Why did you doubt?” It is not likely that
Jesus askedthis question expecting an answerfrom Peter, or because Jesus
did not know the answerto this question. He probably askedit for Peter’s
benefit, so he could learn the answer.
Principles for Benefiting from the Supernatural Powerof Christ
This story has many lessons forthose of us who are believers in Christ, so let’s
look at some principles we can use to experience the supernatural power that
Christ promises to his believers: I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in
me will do what I have been doing. (John 14:12)
1. The disciples’ worldview and belief system did not exclude the
supernatural, or the spiritual realm.
Before they understood what was happening, they attributed their experience
of seeing Jesus walking onthe wateras seeing a “ghost.” Theyunderstood
that there were things in creationoutside of the natural order. If one’s belief
system does not allow for the spiritual realm or the supernatural, it is not
likely you will ever benefit from supernatural experiences. Youmay
experience something supernaturally in a negative waythat challenges your
belief system, but your unbelief will prevent you from experiencing Christ’s
supernatural power.
2. All supernatural benefits and actions are the result of knowing Christ.
Peterdid not just decide to jump out of a boat and walk on waterone day. He
had spent time with Christ, getting to know him, and had seenhow Christ
workedin people’s lives. Just prior to this story, Jesus had fed over 5000

people supernaturally from five loaves of bread and two fish. One has to know
Christ first, on a personal basis, and that comes from the rebirth process
where we are born againspiritually. Then we need to spend time with Jesus,
watching how he works in our lives and in the lives of others, cultivating our
relationship with him. If you cannot benefit from Christ’s supernatural power
to overcome simpler things in your life, such as controlling your anger, or
loving someone who is not very loveable, then don’t expectan invitation from
Christ to walk on water.
There are of course other supernatural powers in the universe outside of
Christ which operate in the spiritual realm, but they are all subject to Christ:
For he has rescuedus from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of
sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For
by him all things were created:things in heavenand on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were
createdby him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold
together. (Colossians 1:13-17)
The very life-force and fabric of the universe is held in place by Jesus Christ.
No power is higher than him.
3. Christ initiates the experience.
Christ came to them during the storm. They did not recognize him at first, as
they were not expecting him to be there. That is the way it is with many of the
storms of life we pass through. We fail to recognize that Christ is with us in
the midst of the storm. We can’t control the storms, but we can be victorious
over them by understanding that Christ is there with us, and has everything
under control.
Understanding that Christ always initiates a supernatural experience is very
important. If we don’t understand this truth, we are tempted to believe that
we ourselves canmanipulate the natural order via the supernatural, and this
is a form of “magic” that is outside of the supernatural power of Christ
working in our lives.

4. We must communicate with Christ.
Once we come to recognize that Christ is with us in the storm, we need to ask
him for guidance and help. It would seemthat in this story Christ was just
going to stay near the boat making sure nothing was going to happen to the
disciples. But Peterwantedmore than that. So he askedChrist if he could
walk on the water. He moved from a passive observerof the supernatural, to
an active participant. However, he had a history of communicating with
Christ prior to this event.
5. When Christ speaks to us, we must actupon his word in faith.
When we ask something from Jesus and he responds, do we believe it? Peter
did, so he gotout of the boat and startedwalking on the water. All believers
are unique and have a unique relationship with Jesus, and we all need to
cultivate that relationship, learning how to hear the voice of Jesus. When
Jesus walkedthe earth and spoke to the believers in the natural realm using
his natural voice and body, he told his disciples that after he left the Holy
Spirit would come and be their “counselor,”explaining everything to them:
All this I have spokenwhile still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, will teachyou all things and will
remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:25-26)
Today we have the written words of Christ contained in the scriptures which
offer us much wisdom and benefit. But knowledge ofhis written word leads to
only an intellectual knowledge aboutChrist, and not a personalknowledge in
a relationship with Christ.
We need both! The disciples on earth who were with Christ in the natural
realm receiveddirect teaching from him during a three year period. We now
have much of that teaching recorded in the Bible.
But just as intellectual knowledge aboutChrist was not enoughfor the
original disciples, so too it is not enough for believes today. We must know
Christ through the spiritual rebirth process, andbe guided by the counselof
the Holy Spirit so that we have specific instructions from Jesus to actin faith

when the storms come. Intellectual knowledge alone will not lead to
supernatural power.
When Paul wrote a letter to believers in the city of Corinth in the first
century, people whose lives had been radically transformed by Christ, he said:
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior
wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolvedto
know nothing while I was with you exceptJesus Christ and him crucified. I
came to you in weaknessand fear, and with much trembling. My messageand
my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a
demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not reston
men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
Paul lived a life in the supernatural.
God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and
aprons that had touched him were takento the sick, and their illnesses were
cured and the evil spirits left them. (Act 19:11-12)
He is the one who wrote the opening verse of this article above:
6. When we fail, we must call out to Christ, because he is ready to acton our
behalf.
Failure in acting in faith does not exclude us from further opportunities to
experience the supernatural powerof Christ. If you read about the life of
Peter, he failed a lot! Even after this event, he would go on and deny Christ
just before they killed him, acting once again out of fear.
But Peterwas consideredone of the “pillars” of the faith, and one of the key
leaders in the early church. One of most beautiful truths of operating in the
supernatural is that not only do our weaknessesand failures not exclude us
from living a supernatural life, they are actuallyrequired! It is a paradoxical
principle that Paul explained:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my poweris made
perfect in weakness.” ThereforeI will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ’s powermay rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s
sake, I delight in weaknesses,in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in
difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
Jesus gave the keyprinciple for us to live successfullives in both the natural
and supernatural realm:
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it
must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I
am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he
will bear much fruit; apart from me you cando nothing. (John 15:4-5)
Questions to ask yourselfif you are not experiencing the supernatural power
of Christ:
1. Do I truly know Christ, or do I only know about him?
When Jesus walkedthe earth in his natural body tens of thousands of people
heard him preach, hundreds became his disciples, and twelve were his
“apostles”andwere with him the entire three years of his ministry. Of those
twelve, there was an inner group of three who were closestto him (which
included Peter), and we see two of those three performing most of the
supernatural acts after he left. Todayin his resurrectedstate, Jesus is not
confined to a physical body, and we can be as close to him personally as Peter
was who walkedon water.
2. Has Christ approachedme in a way where I did not recognize him?
3. Is there fear in my life, because I do not recognize that Christ is with me in
a specific situation or storm in life?
4. What should I do about my doubt?
https://healthimpactnews.com/2014/i-can-do-all-things-through-christ-
natural-vs-supernatural/

What does the Bible say about the natural world and the place of humans in
it? :Rev Richard Clarkson
18 July 2014
Richard Clarkson
The overarching biblical approachto the natural world is summed up in the
words of the psalmist, ‘The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it’ (Ps 24:1).
The Bible begins with two creationaccounts, both emphasising that God
created(Gen 1:1) and made (Gen 2:4) the earth. In Leviticus Godmakes it
clearto the Israelites that ‘The land is mine’ (Lev 25:23), and at the giving of
the law he reminds them that ‘The heavens belong to the Lord, the earth with
all that is in it’ (Dt 10:14). God’s reply to Job’s distress is to point him
towards the wilderness and wild animals which are outside human experience
or comprehensionbut which God createdand cares for (Job 38-41), a theme
which is echoedby the psalmist, ‘you…give drink to every wild animal…The
high mountains are for the wild goats’(Ps 104:10-11,18).
In the New TestamentJesus teacheshis disciples that ‘not one [sparrow] falls
to the ground without your father’ (Mat 10:29). Paul writes that ‘In [Jesus]all
things in heavenand on earth were created…all things have been created
through him and for him’ (Col 1:16) and in John’s vision of Heaven he sees
the living creatures singing ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive
glory and honour and power, for you createdall things, and by your will they
existed and were created’(Rev 4:11).
God has sethumans firmly within this creation(Genesis 2:15), and following
the flood God makes his covenantnot just with humans but with all creatures
(Gen 9:9-11; Hos 2:18). Nevertheless humans, made in God’s image (Gen
1:27; 9:6; Ja 3:9), do have a particular role to play, first expressedin Adam’s
charge to ‘fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over…everyliving

thing that moves upon the earth’ (Gen 1:28) and to ’till and keep’ the garden
(Gen 2:15), a calling echoedlater by the psalmist (Ps 8:6). In giving humans
‘Dominion…over every living thing’ (Gen 1:28) God is making explicit that
which is implied in the ‘Image of God’ language, humans are, in some sense,
to rule the world on God’s behalf. Howeverthis delegateddominion should
not be takento mean that humans cando whateverthey want with the natural
world, rather they are to follow the example of the servant king, treating their
fellow creatures with the same love and care shownby their creator. Human
actions do affectthe rest of creation, not always for goodas Isaiahwrites,
‘The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants’ (Isa 24:5), with consequences
expressedstarklyin Revelation, ‘Your wrath has come, and the time…for
destroying those who destroy the earth’ (Rev 11:18). Part of this calling then
is redemptive ‘for the creationwaits in eagerexpectationforthe revealing of
the children of God…that the creationitself will be set free from its bondage
to decay’ (Rom 8:19,21).
God’s people are therefore marked by the way that they act with compassion
and justice towards the rest of creation. The Sabbath laws ensured that both
the land and the domesticatedanimals which farmed it would not be
overworkedand that there would be enoughfood for the wild animals to eat
as well (Lev 25:1-7; Ex 21:10-12). The book of Proverbs reminds us that ‘the
righteous know the needs of their animals’ (Prov 12:10). When the Israelites
laid siege to a town they were commanded not to destroy its trees for, ‘are
trees in the field human beings that they should come under siege from you?’
(Dt 20:19). The fulfilment of the biblical vision for this relationship between
humans and animals, which was perhaps glimpsed when Jesus was ‘with the
wild beasts’(Mk 1:13) during his temptation in the wilderness, is a time when
‘The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopardshall lie down with the kid, the
calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them’
(Isa 11:6).
Rev. Richard Clarksongrew up in Shropshire. After completing a Physics
degree in Nottingham he returned to Shropshire and spent severalyears as a
Music Outreach Minister as well as teaching guitar and singing. He then
studied Theologyin Bristol, during which time he became a JRI Associate,

before returning to Shropshire once more where he serves as a priest
following his ordination in June 2014
Jump to navigation
NationalCatholic Reporter
EarthBeat
Global Sisters Report
Free Newsletters
Donate
Become a Member
Menu
Blog | Eco Catholic
God can always be found in the natural world
Jan 24, 2012
by Sharon Abercrombie
When FranciscanFr. Richard Rohr joined the order in 1961, he learned that
no one in the community was allowedto cut down a tree unless the provincial
gave his permission to do so.

Jesus was a nature lover

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Jesus was a nature lover

Similar to Jesus was a nature lover (20)

More from GLENN PEASE

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Jesus was a nature lover