TROUBLED- let not your heart be.

‘Herod the king heard these things, and was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.         ( Luke 2;3 ) The word ‘troubled’ interested me ; hence the study of the same word as described by Thayer.  The proud king wanted to destroy the infant Jesus, Mary’s son and Son of God, but qualms and reservation filled his guilty mind.  His contagious perplexity spread through the city of Jerusalem.

The same word is used when the ‘disciples’ boat was in the midst of the sea, tossed by waves, for the wind was contrary.’ ( Matt 14:24) The sea was tormented or tortured by the furious wind. A miracle occurred when ‘in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.’ He was the Lord of creation, and thus entitled to show His mighty power. ‘When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled , saying ‘it is a spirit’.  And they cried out for fear.’

The same word means ‘inward commotion’. As though waves of angry ocean poured over them, turbulent like the water rushing through a hydro-electric dynamo, The disciples were inwardly shaken up, because their Master showed His deity and omnipotence – and displayed his superiority over mankind.  No wonder they were so disturbed when Peter followed his Lord, and walked on the water to Christ.  In humour, so called, occasional parliamentarians have claimed this power.  Nonsensical!

‘Zechariah and Elisabeth were both  righteous before God, walking blameless in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.  They had no child, because Elisabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.’ ( Luke 1:8,9 )  An amazing event followed,’ An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense, and when Zechariah saw him, he was troubled  and fear fell upon him.  

A spirit of restlessness overcame the father-to-be, at the promise of the heavenly visitor.  He had accepted his beloved Elisabeth’s infertility,  as God’s purpose; until this exciting moment.  No wonder he became restless or troubled at the news.  So would you. God’s word is relevant to real life .  Thoughts tumbled through Zechariah’s mind at this extraordinary news.  What would his beloved say? How could she become pregnant in their advanced state? 

On His way to the cross, our Lord visited the Bethany home of Mary and Martha, where  their only and beloved brother Lazarus had died.  He had been buried four days. ‘ When Jesus saw Mary weeping , and the Jews who came with her weeping, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled.’     ( John11:35 )  ‘Where have you laid him?

Come and see.’

The same word here means ‘He had a disturbed composure or unbalanced mind. .’  Of course He did. For our Lord Jesus hated sin and its wages.  He was the Creator and sustainer of life, and now stood at the tomb where the decaying body of His dear friend lay.  As the altogether-lovely One, He loathed the putrid stench of the tomb. His calmness of mind and heart was shattered for He knew the repulsive harvest of sin while on His way to the cross.   

Our Lord Jesus answered His disciples with, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.’ ( John 12:23 ).  He spoke of His coming death ‘ Most assuredly I say to you , unless an ear of corn falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.  But if it die, it produces much fruit.  Then He concedes that ‘Now is My soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour.  But for this cause I came to this hour.’

What a concession from the Lord of glory, that He was distressed, and His mind disturbed as he faced the cross.  He well knew all that was entailed in bearing our sin and shame, in being ‘wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities.’

God’s beloved Son knew the unrest caused by our sins, so that we could understand His unsettledness. He could have prayed, Father save Me from this hour? But for this cause I came to this hour.’ ( v27).  So He cried, ‘Father, glorify Your Name.’ The Son submitted to His Father.   Then a voice came from heaven saying , ‘ I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ The Father accepted His Son’s surrender.

We are not surprised that our Lord faced fear and dread at the Lord’s Table, for ‘ He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against Me’ ( 13:18 ) Judas chose this solemn moment to betray His Lord of three and a half years. ‘When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, ‘ Most assuredly, I say to you,

’One of you shall betray Me.’ ( v21)  The other disciples were at a loss to know about whom He was speaking.’  Just as He was about to become the saviour of the world, a key team man was exposed as a betrayer.  Of course, the Son of God showed His perfect humanity in this shattering hour.  Treacherous floods swamped rivers of loyalty.

The Lord assured His children of the coming of the Paraklete, ‘ The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father shall send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to remembrance all things I  have said to you.’ ( 14:27)  And the legacy  of peace, ‘Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.  Surprisingly that same word reappears, ‘ Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ We  understand the ‘inward turmoil’ that the promise of the Holy Spirit as the third Person of the Triunity, and the promise of unshatterable peace would produce in the hearts of the hearers.  Let peace not unrest preside over your life!

That magnificent chapter 14 of John begins, ‘ Let not your heart be troubled (anxious or distressed ) . You believe in God (that is, as heavenly father. ) Believe also in Me ( the eternal Son, soon to die as your Ransom and Kinsman Redeemer. ) The Lord poured the oil of composure on the troubled hearts of His children.  Allow Him to do so to you.

When Christ had risen from the dead, ‘Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them,’ Peace be to you.’  But they were terrified and frightened , and supposed that they had seen a spirit. .  And He said to them, ‘why are you troubled ? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

Our Lord said, ‘Your thoughts are jumbled and tossed to and fro as water particles, agitated in a washing machine. You are troubled, and so  doubt the greatest miracle that this planet had known, namely the rising again from the dead of God’s beloved Son.’  We must bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, so that we shall not be troubled in our grasp of the mighty truths of His word.   Especially of His triumph over death.  Don’t let devilish forces attack this precious truth.