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St Matthew 14:22-33
Jesus on the Water
Divine Service
Pentecost 12, 2005
Hope Lutheran Church, Aurora, CO
Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Dear Rachel Elizabeth, Family and Friends of the Newly Baptized, and all the People of God,
Water can be dangerous. Just ask Noah's neighbors. Just ask Pharaoh and His armies. Just ask the disciples. In our Gospel reading we hear that the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. [St Mt 14:24] This water is dangerous, this sea is not safe; it's full of darkness and chaos; it's good for drowning, good for dying.
Kind of like the waters of baptism... They are also dangerous waters, water which the Lord Jesus uses to kill our sinful nature. Romans 6: Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death. Baptism is a death, a burial. This seems like a drastic measure, but really it's all you can do with the old sinful nature; it's all you can do with the sinful flesh. It can't be reformed, sent to obedience school, trained to do good works. The sinful flesh is always working against God, always fighting His will, and so there's only one thing to do with the sinful flesh: drown it, put it to death.
So the Lord provides baptism, a drowning of sin and death. But there is more. More than death, more than danger and fear. There is also life.
Imagine the disciples on the water, laboring through the night, fighting against the wind, but not being able to reach the shore. Imagine their fear and dread. But then, into the midst of their fear, then comes Jesus, walking on the water. Nothing can keep Jesus away. No stormy weather, no billowing waves, no height, no depth. The disciples see Him, and think He is a ghost, but this is no ghost, this is no faceless spirit. This is Jesus, the God-man, God-with-a-face, and with feet for walking on water, and with a mouth to say, Be of good cheer, It is I; be not afraid. And now, with Jesus standing on it, the sea is a totally different type of sea, a totally different type of water; not for killing but for walking; not for drowning but for dancing, no longer causing fear, but for faith. So Peter says, Lord, if it is You, bid me to come to you on the water. [14:28]
And Jesus does. He says, Come. Come to Me on the water. And at His word everything changes; now this is no ordinary water, but water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's Word. And so we read that Peter came down out of the boat, and he walked on the water to Jesus. [14:29]
So, too, with baptism. There is water connected to God's word, to His command, and now this is no ordinary water, but a water good for washing away sins; a water good for purifying and making holy. Water with the power of the Gospel, with the power to make all things new, a water that gives new birth. For unless, Jesus says, one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. [John 3:5] But you, Rachel, and all of you who have been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, you have been born of water and the Spirit, you have been begotten from above. You have been washed with the water and the Word. [Ephesians 5:26] And now you have the assurance that you will certainly enter the kingdom of heaven.
Nothing can keep you away from Jesus, nothing can separate you from His love, nothing can steal you out of His hand. Rachel, Jesus has written His name on you, and the name of the Father and the name of the Holy Spirit. No one can erase what Jesus has written. And now you have been named Christian, a child of God. Now you, too, call upon God as your dear Father in heaven.
This doesn't, of course, mean that life will be easy with no troubles. Peter was walking to Jesus on the water, but the wind was still blowing, the water was still choppy; it still looked dangerous. Peter saw that the waves were boisterous, that the wind was blowing, and if rough seas are bad when you're in the boat, just imagine what they are like when you're walking on the water. Peter, the texts says, was afraid. [14:30]
Being a Christian isn't easy. Contrary to what we often hear on so-called Christian TV, becoming a Christian does not mean that all of life's troubles are finished, in fact, the exact opposite. Jesus promised us, In this world you will have trouble. [John 16:33] For there are great enemies of the Christian life, we talked about them last week, the world, the flesh and the devil. The sign of the cross that was given to each of you, on your head and on your heart at your baptism to mark you as one redeemed by Christ, this mark is like a huge target for the devil, for he hates the forgiveness of sins and the life and salvation that the Lord pours out at baptism. He hates the Christian church and all the Lord's saints. As Dr Luther reminds us, baptism gives a child a mighty and life long enemy, that is, the devil. [see LW 53.101]
And so we live lives fighting sin and the devil. This fight, at times, seems overwhelming. But just like Peter, who was sinking into the waves, had to do no more than cry out of the depths, Lord, save me! Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him. So Jesus is always beside His dear Christians. He has promised, I will never leave you or forsake you, [Hebrews 13:5] and I will be with you always, even to the end of the age. [Matthew 28:20] He is always ready to reach out His nail-pierced hands and rescue us, deliver us, save us.
Rachel Elizabeth, there is no need to fear. Your enemy the devil is great and mighty, but to be an enemy of the devil is to be the friend of God, and the Lord Jesus is greater and mightier than the devil or any foe. He holds the field forever. He has crushed the head of the ancient serpent through His death on the cross for you. Jesus has baptized you, and so He has saved you, forgiven you, called you His own, just as He has done for all the saints who make up His one, holy, Christian and apostolic church.
And all of you saints, rejoice, for you, too, are baptized. The water poured over your head may be long dry, but in the view from heaven, it is still covering you, washing away all of your sins, and giving you life and salvation. This treasure of baptism the Lord has been pleased to give, for He loves you, and is pleased to call us all His own dear children. Amen.
And now may the peace of God which passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
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