UDSKRIFT 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:03.120
You did very well.
00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:18.559
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, to him who loves us and has washed us clean from our sins with his own blood and made us to be a kingdom of priests to serve God and his Father.
00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:22.079
To him be all glory, honor, and dominion forever and ever.
00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:22.960
Amen.
00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:28.719
We live in a troubled time.
00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:37.439
Conflicting messages come at us from every angle about what it means to be human.
00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:49.600
Our culture attempts to tell us who we are by focusing on an over-emphasis about self.
00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:56.159
We are a what about me-driven culture.
00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:08.400
When we let the culture tell us who we are, we stop hearing who God says we are.
00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:14.319
We stop hearing what the Word of God has to say about us.
00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:21.200
The culture says you're good just any way that you are.
00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:28.400
The Word of God says, you were born sinful, natural enemies of God.
00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:38.560
The culture says you can be anything you want, be it a man, a woman, gender neutral, anything in between.
00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:45.760
The Word of God says he made them male and female in his own image.
00:01:48.799 --> 00:02:11.919
If we take our eyes off Jesus, if we stop listening to who he says we are, if we stop listening to his voice, we will gaze drift somewhere else and depend on something other than Christ crucified for the forgiveness of our sins.
00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:23.039
And when we do, our eyes will deceive us that there's nothing to worry about in this world.
00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:36.879
And if our faith, our belief, is found on the world or what is in the world around us, well then our mouth will naturally confess what we believe in.
00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:39.840
That's how it works.
00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:50.000
And if what we believe is based on today's culture, well then we're surely going to sink into it, just like Peter.
00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:58.560
Confessing with our mouths what we believe in our hearts is what St.
00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:03.039
Paul is speaking about in Romans chapter 10 this morning.
00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:06.400
This is faith talk.
00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:13.120
Thus, when we confess that Jesus is Lord, this is faith talking.
00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:22.159
But faith talk is not the result of us, but that which is given to us.
00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:31.599
As we've been clearly told from Scripture, no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:38.639
So let's talk about faith for a moment.
00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.159
A couple of facts about faith.
00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:52.159
In Greek, the language of the New Testament, the words faith and to believe come from the same root.
00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:54.800
They're related.
00:03:56.319 --> 00:04:00.240
Faith is the noun version of the verb to believe.
00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:06.080
That's why when we believe in something, we say we have faith in it.
00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:12.560
And for this reason, one cannot really have faith in faith.
00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:18.959
Faith actually must have an object to attach itself to.
00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:40.160
This is why you can't simply bid somebody to just have faith.
00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:41.839
Have faith in what?
00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:52.560
In other words, for you, dear Christians, Jesus is the object of your faith.
00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:55.600
We have faith in Jesus.
00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:59.199
And it is Jesus who creates faith in us.
00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:11.199
This is why the author of the book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is both the author and perfecter of our faith.
00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:22.800
He is and remains the creator of our faith and the sustainer of our faith through the work of his Holy Spirit.
00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:26.639
No Jesus, no faith.
00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:33.199
So, why all this talk about faith?
00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:38.319
Let's take a look at our gospel text this morning.
00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:48.879
Last week we left off with Jesus having fed over five thousand people from five loaves and two fish, and everybody was satisfied.
00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:54.959
Today's gospel lesson is a continuation of that text.
00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:07.600
It reads, Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side while he dismissed the crowds.
00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:17.040
Notice, Jesus sent the disciples away while he dismissed the crowds.
00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:20.240
Our Lord is deliberate.
00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:23.279
Nothing he does is by accident.
00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:29.439
He sent the disciples out on the water, and he remained behind.
00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:36.399
And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:39.120
When evening came, he was there alone.
00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:46.879
But the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:51.279
So here's the setting.
00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:54.000
Jesus is on the land.
00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:56.160
He's up on the mountain praying.
00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:00.399
And Jesus' disciples are a long way off on the Sea of Galilee.
00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.600
They couldn't be farther apart in this moment.
00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:07.120
Daylight's far gone, it's dark out.
00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:22.399
And this is the setting our Lord places himself in, in order to do what only the Lord can do, and that is create faith in the heart of his believers.
00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:30.000
And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
00:07:30.160 -->
Load full transcript
00:07:36.480
But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost.
00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:38.560
And they cried out in fear.
00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:45.519
They thought, It must be a ghost.
00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:47.439
What else?
00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:49.439
What else could it be?
00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:56.240
What else could appear on the water walking and looking like a man walking towards them?
00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:07.920
Not only did they not recognize who Jesus, but they still hadn't recognized who Jesus was.
00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:14.240
But it's Jesus' response that tells us everything.
00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:22.959
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Take heart, it is I, do not be afraid.
00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:25.519
Now understand this.
00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:30.399
Our Lord doesn't merely tell his disciples, it is I.
00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:37.679
In fact, unfortunately, our English translations of the Greek don't do this statement justice.
00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:44.960
When our Lord calls out to his disciples, he announces who he is.
00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:54.159
He says, Egoe me in the Greek, which directly translated sounds like I am.
00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:00.399
Why is this so important?
00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:08.320
Because it tells us why Peter responds the way he does.
00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:18.320
This tells us that in these words, Peter not only believes that it is Jesus, but who Jesus is.
00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:25.759
Dear Baptized, there is only one person in Scripture who identifies himself this way.
00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:33.360
It is the same person who called out to Moses from the burning bush and said, I am who I am.
00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:40.720
And here Jesus is identifying himself as I am.
00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:50.320
In these words, Jesus creates faith in the heart of his hearers.
00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:55.519
He announces to them that he is none other than God in the flesh.
00:09:55.759 --> 00:10:10.639
And because he identifies himself as such, Peter cannot help but respond, Lord, if it is you, command me to come out to you on the water.
00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:27.679
Peter, now knowing the identity of who is speaking, believes that the one walking on the water can make it so that he can do the same thing.
00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:34.320
Peter knows that only the great I am could command such a thing.
00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:40.799
It's not Peter who created faith in his heart at that moment, but Jesus.
00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:44.320
He didn't one day wake up and go, you know what?
00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:48.000
I think I'm just going to believe Jesus as my personal Savior.
00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:52.559
Jesus is doing all the doing here.
00:10:54.639 --> 00:11:01.279
It's Jesus who identifies himself, and it's Jesus who commands Peter to walk on the water.
00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:03.519
He said, Come.
00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:09.200
So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:16.960
Had Jesus not commanded it, it would not be so.
00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:25.919
Nor could Peter have, quote, taken a leap of faith and jumped out of the boat if our Lord had not commanded it.
00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:34.879
Peter didn't say to himself, Well, if I just believe hard enough, the Lord will grant this to me.
00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:40.480
Rather, it was Jesus who created faith in Peter by his word.
00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:46.159
And it is Jesus who made Peter walk on the water.
00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:52.159
And at that moment, Peter simply believed as the Lord had given it to him.
00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.840
So then what happened?
00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:58.639
What happened?
00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:06.480
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out.
00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:13.120
Saint Peter's just as much a man as you and I.
00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:18.720
He was just as much a sinner as you and I.
00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:26.080
And as both man and sinner, we respond to God the same way Saint Peter does here in the text.
00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:30.000
We doubt the word given to us.
00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:40.080
When we take our eyes off Jesus, we stop hearing what his word tells us, and we begin to doubt its authority and its power.
00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:49.360
This is no different than not trusting Jesus' own words when he says, This is my body, this is my blood.
00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:55.200
If the Lord of the universe says it's so, then it's so.
00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:07.840
Now we we might chide Peter in our hearts for doubting because we know he saw Jesus walking on the water with his own two eyes.
00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:16.159
But I'm pretty confident that we'd probably do the same thing if we were in Peter's sandals.
00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:27.679
However, the miracle here is not simply that Peter walked on water.
00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:41.120
But because Christ had created faith in Peter, Peter knows exactly where to turn when he finds himself in trouble and sinking.
00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:45.679
Lord, save me.
00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:53.840
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying, Oh, you of little faith, why did you doubt?
00:13:56.159 --> 00:14:01.360
Although Peter's doubt may appear to be the point of the story, it is not.
00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:12.480
But like the Greek language actually reveals, Jesus identifies Peter as a little faithful one.
00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:18.799
Remember when you heard me say that faith must have an object to attach itself to?
00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:21.200
Otherwise, it's faith in nothing.
00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:24.240
This is what happened to Peter.
00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:34.000
He stopped looking at the object of his faith, the source of his identity, and began focusing on the turmoil around him.
00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:45.200
He stopped believing our Lord's word, spoken
into his heart and into his ears when he said, Come.
00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:54.480
The point of this miracle story is who Jesus reveals himself to be.
00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:01.519
Listen closely to the confession of faith at the end of this reading.
00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:14.399
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased, and those in the boat worshiped him, saying, Truly you are the Son of God.
00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:19.039
That's the point of the story.
00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.960
There is no doubt who Jesus is in their minds and their hearts now.
00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:32.960
At the very word of faith, at the very word of Jesus, faith is created in the heart of his hearers.
00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:37.200
And this is you, dear little faithful ones.
00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:43.600
This is the identity you have because you have faith in Jesus.
00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:50.480
But know this, we too are a lot, a lot like Peter.
00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:59.200
When the difficulties of life and temptations come and the turmoil of the world, we will take our eyes off Jesus.
00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:02.879
So fix your eyes on Jesus.
00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:08.080
Because where your Jesus is, there your faith is also.
00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:13.200
Just as Jesus was there for St.
00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:18.720
Peter, he's here for you today, creating faith in your hearts.
00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:24.720
He is here for you, in the word preached, in the sacraments given.
00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.720
Remember, you do not create your own faith.
00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:31.039
You cannot grow your own faith.
00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:35.039
You cannot muster up enough faith to believe in Jesus all the more.
00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:36.559
It is a gift.
00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:39.519
Only your Lord does that in you.
00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:50.240
And it is our Lord's Holy Spirit who continues to create and grow faith in you by pointing to Jesus and what he has done for you on that cross.
00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:57.679
It is the Holy Spirit who reveals Jesus to you in water and word and body and blood.
00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:07.519
We believe because the faithful one has filled us, his little faithful ones, with faith.
00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:11.759
So then let's conclude this way.
00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:17.279
How does our Lord fill us with faith?
00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:27.440
Just like he did with the disciples, he comes into the boat and brings peace and faith.
00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:34.400
So also he comes here to this place, to this boat, to this ark of the church.
00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:36.960
It's not a mistake that this is called the knave.
00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:47.519
And he fills our hearts by delivering to our ears and our mouths his own word and his own body and blood.
00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:53.839
In the holy ark of the church, our Lord promises to create faith in us.
00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:59.119
And this is where his water and spirit-born little faithful ones gather.
00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:06.079
So, like Peter and the disciples, we're little faith-filled ones.
00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:17.440
We confess Christ and Him crucified with our mouths because we believe Him to be the true Lord and God in our hearts.
00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:21.680
This is our faith talking.
00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:26.559
Therefore, I tell all of you go in peace.
00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:31.599
Your faith, who is Jesus, has saved you.
00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.359
Amen.
00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:39.119
Now the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:39.759
Amen.