LutheranLectionary.org

Series A – Tenth Sunday after Pentecost – Sunday, August 9, 2020 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:28	the holy gospel according to saint
0:30	matthew the 14th chapter
0:32	glory to you o lord immediately Jesus
0:35	made the disciples get into the boat
0:37	and go before him to the other side
0:39	while he dismissed the crowds
0:40	and after he dismissed the crowds he
0:42	went up on the mountain by himself
0:44	to pray and when evening came he was
0:46	there alone
0:47	but the boat by this time was a long way
0:49	from the land
0:50	beaten by the waves for the wind was
0:52	against them and in the fourth watch of
0:54	the night he came to them walking on the
0:56	sea but when the disciples saw him
0:57	walking on the sea
0:59	they were terrified and said it is a
1:00	ghost and they cried out in fear
1:03	but immediately Jesus spoke to them
1:05	saying take heart it is i
1:06	do not be afraid and peter said to him
1:09	lord if it is you command me to come
1:11	to you on the water he said come so
1:13	peter got out of the boat and walked on
1:15	the water and came to Jesus
1:16	but when he saw the wind he was afraid
1:19	and beginning to sink he cried out lord
1:21	save me Jesus immediately reached out
1:25	his hand
1:25	and took hold of him saying to him oh
1:28	you of little faith why did you doubt
1:30	and when they got into the boat the wind
1:32	ceased and those in the boat worshiped
1:34	him saying
1:35	truly you are the son of god. this is
1:38	the gospel of the lord
1:40	[Music]
1:42	in the name of Jesus all right so it’s
1:45	not a secret
1:46	uh barb and i own dogs now if you’ve
1:49	been to our house well then you know max
1:51	you know luther i’m not exactly sure max
1:54	is really a dog
1:55	but that’s just an opinion that some
1:57	people have put together it’s just
1:58	what’s a weird combination west highland
2:01	terrier and poodle
2:03	and so he’s called a westy pooh
2:06	can a dog really be a dog with the last
2:08	part of it named poo
2:10	anyway you get the idea but here’s the
2:12	thing luther
2:14	my dog he’s not exactly well trained and
2:17	i gotta admit i’m responsible for that
2:18	part
2:19	he’s he’s he’s a little unruly at times
2:22	but i always love it when little kids
2:23	come to our house
2:24	and they want to give luther orders they
2:27	want to give him
2:28	commands and luther just doesn’t
2:31	well obey you know so it’s always fun
2:33	with little kid says
2:35	woofer sit woofer
2:38	sit woofer roll over
2:42	woofer shake hands and woofer
2:45	doesn’t have anything to do with that
2:47	woofer just goes whatever and
2:49	goes and does his thing and you’ll note
2:51	though that
2:52	if i give luther a command i can give
2:54	luther a command with my hands
2:56	i can give it with my voice and luther
2:58	for the most part
3:00	obeys there are times when he doesn’t
3:02	really quite feel like it and so you’ll
3:04	note there
3:05	that the owner of the dog always seems
3:08	to be the one who is able to give
3:09	commands to the dog
3:11	this will kind of frame our gospel text
3:13	today but
3:15	to frame it even further i want you to
3:18	consider
3:19	what is revealed for us in our old
3:21	testament text in job 38.
3:24	if you know the story well job is the
3:26	one who was made to suffer
3:27	suffer greatly why well because of his
3:30	great love and his fear and faith in god
3:32	this is most certainly true this is why
3:34	he was made to suffer this
3:35	the devil was pretty much upset about
3:38	the whole situation so
3:39	god allowed the devil to make him suffer
3:42	and suffer terribly
3:43	and at some point job kind of crosses
3:46	the line in some of the things that he
3:49	says
3:50	and so god decides he’s going to do
3:52	something that’s quite terrifying
3:54	god decides he’s going to have a
3:55	conversation with job
3:57	and he has a conversation with job with
3:59	what we here in the
4:01	well the northern part of the midwest
4:02	would call a supercell
4:04	thunderstorm you know this big supercell
4:07	thunderstorm comes barreling down the
4:09	highway drops a tornado there’s thunder
4:11	there’s lightning everywhere believe me
4:12	that’ll get your attention
4:14	especially if god’s voice comes out from
4:16	that thing and god then begins to ask
4:18	job
4:19	a series of questions and you’ll note
4:22	that
4:22	god doesn’t expect job to answer these
4:25	questions
4:26	these are more rhetorical questions but
4:28	these will help us a lot today
4:30	so here’s what god asks job
4:33	where were you when i laid the
4:36	foundations of the earth
4:40	let that one kind of sink in you could
4:43	tell from like this question immediately
4:45	job’s in uh in an uncomfortable
4:48	situation
4:49	i think they call this an upbraiding
4:51	he’s being upgraded by god here where
4:53	were you when i lay the foundations of
4:54	there tell me if you have understanding
4:56	who determined its measurements surely
4:59	you know
5:01	you’ll know that god has no problem
5:04	being a little sarcastic
5:06	maybe you know making the point that way
5:09	who stretched the line upon it on what
5:12	were its bases sunk
5:14	who laid its cornerstone when the
5:15	morning stars sang together
5:18	and all the sons of god shouted for joy
5:20	what a beautiful picture by the way
5:22	i didn’t realize that our globe had a
5:25	cornerstone
5:26	nor did i even know because genesis
5:29	doesn’t say that
5:30	when its cornerstones were laid the sons
5:33	of god this is the angels they were
5:34	watching as the creation was being put
5:36	together
5:37	and they shouted for joy who shut in the
5:40	sea
5:40	with doors when it burst out from the
5:42	womb when i made clouds its garment
5:45	thick darkness
5:46	its swaddling bands and prescribed
5:48	limits for it
5:49	set bars and doors and said thus far
5:52	shall you come and no farther and here
5:55	shall your proud waves be stayed
5:58	have you commanded the mourning since
6:00	your days began
6:02	and caused the dawn to know its place
6:05	now let’s pause there for a second
6:08	commanded the morning now in our day and
6:11	age
6:11	i don’t know if you’ve noticed i keep
6:13	pointing this out week after week the
6:14	world’s gone a little nuts
6:16	all right and you’ll note that there are
6:19	people
6:20	of who’ve notably done some pretty
6:23	foolish things
6:24	commanding parts of the creation to obey
6:27	their voice
6:28	and that’s about as effective as a
6:30	little kid saying woof or
6:32	sit it doesn’t work most notably we
6:34	remember
6:35	not too long ago kenneth copeland and
6:38	the fiasco that he put on
6:40	where he was commanding covet 19.
6:44	19 i command you to come down from your
6:48	high place i blew the window god on you
6:52	and i there’s this
6:53	nuts it’s and did covet 19
6:57	obey the voice of kenneth copeland
7:01	yeah no i don’t know if you’ve noticed
7:04	it just keeps getting worse
7:06	i’m beginning to think that if he
7:08	doesn’t keep his mouth shut that
7:09	everybody on planet earth is going to
7:10	die from this thing because
7:12	every time he opens it his mouth it just
7:15	gets demonstrably
7:17	objectively worse but
7:20	note that when it comes to commanding
7:23	the creation
7:25	this is the prerogative of god and when
7:28	god
7:29	commands the creation the creation
7:33	obeys in fact obeys much better than
7:36	woofer does
7:38	much better than luther and so
7:41	you’ll note the prerogative of god is to
7:42	command the creation
7:44	so have you commanded the morning since
7:46	you since your days began caused the
7:48	dawn to know its place
7:50	so that it might take hold of the skirts
7:52	of the earth and that the wicked be
7:53	shaken out of it
7:55	it is changed like clay under the seal
7:57	its features stand out
7:59	like a garment from the wicked their
8:01	light is withheld
8:02	and their uplifted arm is broken have
8:05	you entered into the springs of the sea
8:08	or have you walked in the recesses
8:11	of the to home of the deep that’s an
8:14	interesting word there of the to home of
8:16	the deep
8:16	because if you remember at the when it
8:19	says in genesis that god created the
8:21	heavens and the earth and the spirit the
8:22	ruach
8:23	elohim the spirit of the lord of god was
8:26	hovering brooding over the to home that
8:30	over the deep you’ll note that here in
8:32	job it says that god has walked in the
8:35	recesses of the deep
8:39	sounds to me like he’s been walking on
8:40	the water and you’ll note that’s a
8:43	prerogative
8:44	of god and then job continues so this
8:48	the story continues have the gates of
8:49	death been revealed to you
8:51	or have you seen the gates of deep
8:53	darkness have you comprehended the
8:55	expanse of the earth declare it
8:57	if you know all of this and obviously
9:01	job doesn’t that’s the point of all of
9:04	these questions
9:05	but knowing that then knowing that it is
9:08	the prerogative of god
9:09	to command the creation and that god
9:12	himself has walked in the recesses of
9:15	the deep on the sea
9:16	yeah keep that in mind as we look at our
9:18	gospel text
9:20	and sadly this is a text that there have
9:23	been a lot of sermons on it that just
9:26	kind of miss the entire point
9:30	have you ever heard a sermon where the
9:31	pastor has told you that you need to
9:33	step out in faith
9:35	and walk out of your boat if you’ve
9:38	heard those kinds of sermons
9:40	believe me with that when i tell you
9:41	that’s not the point
9:43	of this text this isn’t about you
9:46	mustering up faith to step out of your
9:48	boat or any nonsense like this
9:50	and you’ll note that as we walk through
9:52	this text you’ll see that peter
9:53	didn’t step out of the boat because of
9:55	his great faith
9:57	he stepped out of the boat because he
9:59	didn’t believe it was Jesus
10:02	and so we’ll take a look at what this
10:03	text is really telling us about and what
10:05	is the focus of our peripheries of our
10:08	of our three lessons today and our
10:10	gospel text says this immediately Jesus
10:12	made the disciples get into the boat and
10:14	go before him
10:15	to the other side while he dismissed the
10:17	crowds and
10:18	this is the same day as our gospel text
10:20	from last week
10:21	the same day that Jesus fed the five
10:23	thousand and there were more than five
10:25	thousand there because
10:26	the five thousand was merely the number
10:28	of men that were present that didn’t
10:29	include the women and the children
10:31	so this was a great multitude of people
10:33	that Christ fed
10:34	in the wilderness miraculously and when
10:37	you read the gospel of john chapter 6
10:39	after Jesus performed this miracles a
10:42	lot of people went
10:43	wait a second that’s the prophet the one
10:46	who we were told would be coming
10:48	and they wanted to have an impromptu
10:50	compulsory
10:52	coronation service for Jesus to make him
10:54	the king of israel
10:56	and so Jesus is diffusing the situation
11:00	he didn’t come at least in this
11:03	advent of Christ his advent was not for
11:06	the purpose of him being coronated
11:08	and crowned the king of israel and to
11:10	set up an earthly government
11:12	the purpose of the first advent is to go
11:14	to the cross
11:16	to bleed and to die for our sins god
11:19	himself god the father
11:20	has crowned Christ he’s now has all
11:23	authority given to him
11:24	and he currently rules and reigns at the
11:27	right hand of the father
11:28	so that was not the purpose of his first
11:30	advent the purpose of his first advent
11:32	was to humble himself
11:34	so Jesus is defusing the situation he
11:38	sends his disciples
11:39	off in the only boat that they had had
11:41	at the moment and sends them across the
11:43	sea back to capernaum
11:45	and Jesus himself stays behind and
11:47	that’s kind of the point
11:48	it’s a little bit of misdirection
11:50	because we learn from the gospel of john
11:52	chapter 6
11:53	that they knew the disciples had headed
11:55	out in this boat but they didn’t real
11:57	they didn’t
11:58	know how Jesus got away and that was the
12:01	point Jesus is making his getaway at
12:03	this point
12:04	so after he dismissed the crowds he went
12:06	up on the mountain by himself to pray
12:08	and when evening came he was there alone
12:10	but the boat by this time was a long way
12:12	from the land beaten by the waves for
12:14	the wind was against them
12:16	and in the fourth watch of the night
12:17	Jesus came to them walking on the sea
12:20	and when the disciples saw him walking
12:22	on the sea they
12:23	were terrified and they said it’s
12:27	a ghost and they cried out in great fear
12:31	and so Jesus walking on the water and no
12:33	this isn’t a calm glassy sea this is
12:35	Jesus walking on the ball
12:36	on the water with heavy winds with white
12:40	caps
12:40	things are tumultuous out of control and
12:43	so
12:44	i don’t know about you but i’m not
12:45	really used to seeing people walking
12:47	under the
12:47	on the water under any circumstances yet
12:50	alone stormy circumstances
12:52	and we know from uh the fishing lure of
12:55	the sea of galilee
12:56	that they’re uh have you guys noticed
12:59	this fishermen have a tendency to be
13:00	superstitious kinds of fellows
13:02	right it’s it’s kind of part of the
13:04	culture of being a fisherman and so the
13:06	way
13:06	the story goes on the sea of galilee is
13:08	is that you know if a storm comes up
13:11	and somebody drowns or their boat sinks
13:13	and they die that
13:14	that fellow’s ghost will appear when
13:17	it’s time for the next guy to die
13:19	that’s kind of how this goes so when
13:20	Jesus shows up they think it’s a ghost
13:22	they’re totally terrified going oh
13:24	no we’re all going to die because that’s
13:27	the guy who died last
13:28	right it’s kind of it’s a game of tag if
13:30	you would and so
13:32	Jesus Jesus cries out to them calls out
13:35	to them
13:36	and listen to the words here very
13:37	carefully
13:39	take heart ego amy that’s the greek
13:43	i am do not be afraid
13:48	and yeah when Jesus says i am
13:52	that’s him saying that he’s god
13:55	he’s using the name that god gave
13:58	moses in the burning bush when moses
14:00	asked what is your name
14:02	take heart i am do not be afraid
14:05	i am your god
14:10	and you’ll note that these are
14:11	comforting words in the context because
14:13	well see things seem to be quite out of
14:16	control
14:17	but Jesus is basically saying don’t
14:18	worry i’m god i got i’ve got this
14:21	and you’ll note earlier in the gospel of
14:22	matthew there was a time
14:24	when Jesus was asleep on the back
14:27	couch of their little fishing vessel
14:30	during a storm and they were freaking
14:34	out thinking that they’re gonna die and
14:35	so they woke Jesus up and Jesus
14:37	was really tired he’d you know been
14:38	doing you know kind of
14:40	burning both candles and you know
14:42	burning the the candle at both ends
14:44	and he was he was really tired needing
14:45	some sleep and so they woke him up
14:48	do you not care that we’re perishing
14:51	and what does Jesus do it’s almost like
14:54	he’s annoyed he gets up and goes
15:01	and he’s not shushing the disciples he’s
15:03	shushing the sea of galilee
15:04	and the sea of galilee goes okay
15:07	right who is this guy
15:11	text ends that even the
15:14	wind and the sea and the waves obey him
15:17	so here’s Jesus in the middle of this
15:19	tumultuous situation
15:22	take heart don’t be afraid i am
15:25	now peter in a moment of complete doubt
15:29	it kind of reminds me when i was growing
15:31	up i used to watch this
15:32	show called different strokes you
15:34	remember gary coleman
15:35	and whenever whenever his brother willis
15:38	would say something that he didn’t
15:39	you know he didn’t believe he acted out
15:41	in incredulity he would say
15:43	what you talking about willis right and
15:45	so this is
15:46	peter’s what you talking about willis
15:48	moment he’s lord if it’s you
15:51	what you talking about if it’s you tell
15:53	me to come to you on the water
15:56	and what did Jesus say all right come
15:59	find you you want that’s no problem so
16:01	this is a great moment of doubt
16:02	incredulity
16:04	so peter got out of the boat walked on
16:05	the water came to Jesus but when he saw
16:08	the wind he was afraid
16:10	and beginning to sink he cried out lord
16:12	save me i always like to point out
16:14	that’s a
16:14	good prayer it’s short it’s to the point
16:18	and you know what this is a prayer that
16:20	we can pray under any circumstance
16:22	whether your boat is for really sinking
16:24	or
16:25	whether you’re just well lost your job
16:28	because of covid19 or your family is
16:31	blown apart or maybe you’re
16:33	suffering from an illness maybe even one
16:35	that might kill you
16:36	you can cry out to Christ lord
16:39	save me this is a prayer that is
16:41	appropriate
16:42	given all circumstances because here’s
16:44	the thing to have a god
16:47	well what is your god your god is that
16:49	thing that you cry out to or look to to
16:51	give you comfort and peace in the midst
16:53	of troubled times
16:54	and so in the midst of all this peter
16:56	cries out to Jesus lord
16:57	save me and Jesus responds to his prayer
17:00	and immediately reaches out his hand
17:02	and took hold of him saying to him oh
17:04	you have little faith why did you doubt
17:06	and when they got into the boat the wind
17:09	ceased
17:10	here we go again sea just goes totally
17:13	calm
17:14	and those in the boat worshiped Jesus
17:17	saying
17:17	truly you are
17:20	the son of god truly you are the son of
17:24	god and that’s exactly
17:25	who Jesus is and again this all
17:28	points to the fact that Christ himself
17:32	is our god he has the prerogative of
17:35	speaking to the
17:36	creation and the creation listens to him
17:39	consider what the nicene creed
17:40	says regarding our lord and savior Jesus
17:43	Christ
17:44	that he is and we believe in one lord
17:46	Jesus Christ
17:47	the only begotten son of god begotten of
17:49	his father before
17:50	all were worlds and listen to these
17:52	words he is god of god
17:55	he is light of light he is very god a
17:57	very god begotten
17:59	not made being of one substance with the
18:02	father
18:02	by whom all things were made
18:06	and that is who Jesus is he is
18:09	our great god and savior and this
18:12	is comforting comforting
18:16	in so many ways but before i get too far
18:19	ahead of myself also consider how our
18:22	epistle text teaches the same thing
18:24	in our epistle text it says that if you
18:28	confess with your mouth that Jesus is
18:30	lord
18:31	and you believe in your heart that god
18:32	raised him from the dead you will be
18:34	saved
18:34	and we learn from verse 17 that faith
18:37	comes by hearing hearing by the word of
18:39	Christ this is not some
18:40	something that is mustered up within
18:42	yourself but
18:43	through the gospel through the means of
18:44	grace the holy spirit then produces in
18:47	us
18:47	repentance and faith in Christ that
18:50	being the case
18:51	then if you confess with your mouth that
18:54	is a sign that you have faith that Jesus
18:55	is lord and you believe in your heart
18:57	that god raised him from the dead
18:58	you will be saved but what does it mean
19:01	to say Jesus is my lord
19:03	is it to say he’s my boss
19:07	is Jesus my co-pilot is he my homeboy
19:09	what is it what does it mean to say
19:11	Jesus is my lord well the text goes on
19:14	to say there
19:16	in verse 12 there is no distinction
19:17	between jew and greek the same lord as
19:19	lord of all
19:20	bestowing his riches on all who call on
19:23	him
19:23	for everyone who calls on the name of
19:25	the lord will be saved verse 13
19:28	says but you’ll note the astute bible
19:30	student will see that in their bible
19:32	that there’s a cross reference
19:34	that here the apostle paul writing under
19:36	the inspiration of the holy spirit
19:38	is saying everyone who calls on the name
19:40	of the lord will be saved
19:41	and he’s quoting verbatim the the
19:44	prophet
19:45	joel from joel chapter 2. and in that
19:48	text in the old testament text that he’s
19:50	quoting it says everyone
19:52	who calls on the name of yahweh
19:55	will be saved in other words
19:58	Jesus is the yahweh of the old testament
20:01	he is your god so then how is this
20:04	comforting to us
20:05	well consider the fact that our
20:07	salvation was won
20:09	not by a creature not by an angel
20:12	not by a lackey a sub uh you know us
20:16	some kind of sub creatures a little bit
20:18	different than god
20:20	in fact our opening hymn talks to this
20:22	amazing
20:24	and really comforting fact listen again
20:27	to the words of our opening hymn
20:28	o love how deep oh love how deep how
20:31	broad
20:32	how high it’s beyond all thought and
20:35	fantasy
20:36	that god the son of god should take our
20:39	mortal form
20:40	why for mortal sake for your sake
20:43	and mine and see there is the thing take
20:46	heart Jesus says
20:48	i am do not be afraid there is god in
20:52	human flesh and god has taken on human
20:54	flesh
20:55	for us because of his great love for us
20:58	and the text goes on to say he sent no
21:00	angel to our race
21:02	of either higher or of lower place
21:05	instead god himself wore the robe of
21:07	human frame
21:08	and to this world himself he came
21:12	and that’s the great mystery of the
21:14	incarnation
21:15	that even though Jesus the son of god
21:19	is equal with god and he is god
21:22	he emptied himself and was found in the
21:24	form of a servant
21:25	and became obedient even obedient to the
21:27	point of death on the cross for us he
21:30	was baptized
21:32	for us he bore he bore his holy fast and
21:35	he hungered sore
21:37	for us temptation sharp he knew for us
21:40	the tempter he overthrew
21:42	for us he prayed for us he taught for us
21:46	his daily works he wrought by words and
21:49	signs and actions thus
21:51	still seeking not himself instead but
21:54	seeking us
21:55	for us by wickedness betrayed for us and
21:58	crown of thorns arrayed
22:00	he bore the shameful cross and death for
22:03	us he gave his dying breath
22:05	for us he rose from death again for us
22:08	he went on high to reign for us he sent
22:10	his spirit here
22:12	to guide to strengthen and to cheer
22:16	and so you’ll note that god demonstrates
22:18	his great love for us in the incarnation
22:21	in his death for your sins and mind
22:24	and so we like the disciples there
22:28	that day in this boat we too
22:31	recognize that Jesus is the son of god
22:35	and rightly respond to the great things
22:38	that he has done for us
22:41	in thanks and praise and in worship
22:46	so brothers and sisters i know your
22:49	circumstances
22:50	from time to time may seem a little bit
22:52	overwhelming a little bit hard
22:56	but regardless of the circumstance that
22:58	we find ourselves in
23:00	it is Jesus who is our great god and
23:02	savior so take heart
23:03	do not be afraid he is the i am he has
23:06	bled and died for you he’s risen from
23:08	the grave for you
23:10	and now he is at the right hand of the
23:11	father even interceding
23:13	for you as your media so repent of your
23:16	self-sufficiency repent of trusting in
23:19	things that cannot save repent of false
23:22	gods
23:22	that you take comfort in that are not
23:25	able to actually help you
23:27	and trust in the one who can get you
23:30	through this life
23:32	and bring you safely to the shores of
23:35	the new earth
23:36	in the name of Jesus amen

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