Sermon for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

LISTEN

Jesu Juva

“Jesus’ Life Preserver”

Text: Matthew 16:21-28; Romans 12:9-21; Jeremiah 15:15-21

 

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Three weeks ago, we heard the story of Peter walking on the water with Jesus. He boldly stepped out of the boat and was actually doing it, until he got frightened by the storm and started sinking.

Now, it’s happening again. Only worse.

Last week, Peter was bold - boldly confessing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. But in the words of the Holy Gospel we heard today, he is sinking. Because once again, he is frightened. This time, frightened not by a storm, but filled with fear when confronted with the cross.

For Jesus explains to his disciples what it means that He is the Christ: that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. There is no option for Him. If this does not happen, He is not, cannot be, the Christ.

Now perhaps Peter had seen crucifixions before. The Romans were famous for them, after all. The most horrid death devised by men. The perfect deterrence and disincentive to rebel against Rome. The pain and suffering and shame. It was so bad even the Roman people didn’t want to look at it! 

So Peter is frightened. Understandably so! To see his friend, his rabbi, his master, his Lord, the Christ, the Son of the living God, hung up there, like that? Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.

When he was sinking in the water, Jesus’ rebuke of Peter was gentle: O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Now it is far worse, far stronger: Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. Or in other words: You’re not protecting me, Peter, even if you think you are. You’re being anti-Christ! You’re getting in the way. And nothing is going to get in My way. This must be, and it will be. This is the mind of God, that Jesus is talking about - to use the greatest evil for the greatest good. To use sin to defeat sin and death to defeat death. 

And then to this frightened, sinking, drowning, gasping-for-breath disciple, as well as the others, Jesus doesn’t toss a life preserver, but a rock! He says: And this is true for you as well! That if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 

The cross is what it means for Me to be the Christ.

The cross is what it means for you to be My disciples.

Then what hope do we have? Only one: stop trying to save yourself and your life and rely on Jesus. He’s the only one. He’s the only way.

But then Jesus gives them some hope at the end . . . Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. And then, Matthew tells us in the very next verse of his Gospel, right after the reading we heard today, that six days later, some of them, three of them, Peter, James, and John, witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration. They saw the Son of Man in His glory with Moses and Elijah, who just maybe was John the Baptist, since Scripture calls him the Elijah who was to come, who had just been beheaded. If it was, there He is, with his head, in glory, with Jesus. John, who fulfilled the words of Jesus we heard today, that whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 

And now it’s our turn to be frightened. Because we don’t want to lose our life! It’s the only one we got! So make the most of it. You only live once. Seize the day. Life is short.

But all those bumper sticker sayings about life are how we do not set our minds on the things of God, but on the things of man. Because God doesn’t say any of that. God says not that your life is short, but your life is eternal. Not that you have to make the most of it, but that God is. That though you die, you will live. And instead of seizing the day, take hold of Christ. 

When we don’t, that’s when we don’t live as Paul described in the Epistle today. That was a pretty good description of the Christian life. I won’t read through the whole thing again here . . . but you should later. But when we don’t live that way, as Paul described, why not? Simple. Because I’m frightened. I’m frightened that if I do, I’ll lose my life. I won’t get what I want. I won’t get ahead. I’ll lose out. I’ll be taken advantage of. But that is setting our minds on the things of man, as if this life and my brief happiness here and what I get and what I have is all there is. So I must do this, I must do that, I can’t do what Paul says . . . if I am to survive and not sink and drown.

But that’s not Jesus’ must. His must is the cross. His bearing the cross for us, and our bearing the cross for others. 

And that’s why Jesus tossed Peter a rock and doubled down on the cross when Peter was frightened and sinking again. Because that’s what Jesus’ life preserver look like! It looks like a rock. Because, as Jesus said, only when we lose our life will we find it. And how do we lose our life? By drowning. By Baptism. For there [the Font] is Jesus’ cross for us. I can’t go back some two thousand years and halfway around the world to a cross that isn’t even there anymore, or to a so-called tiny splinter-relic of the cross which may or may not really be it anyway! And so Jesus brings His cross to us. In Baptism is where Jesus grabs you, and where you die and rise with Him. In Baptism is where Jesus grabs you, and first He pulls you under the water to drown you and your old sinful nature, and then He pulls you up - raises you up - to a new life. A new life with sins forgiven. A new life with a new heart and a new mind. A new life . . . for Baptism “christs” you. For the word “christ” means anointed one. And in Baptism, you have been anointed with the Holy Spirit to live a new life, a Christ life, a life that will not end.

And then risen from those waters, you begin to live that new life. Not easily, to be sure. And not perfectly - not even close! Which is why we take up our cross here, and daily, in repentance, returning to our Baptism, drowning that old sinful man again, and rising anew again in our Lord’s abundant and lavish forgiveness. Forgiveness for our fear, forgiveness for our stubbornness, forgiveness for our rebellion, for our weakness, for our wrong thinking, for all our failures. To live no longer according to the mind of man, but as we really are, as children of God with the mind of God.

And as you do, a funny thing happens. As you do those things Paul listed out today, that good description of the Christian life, you really do find your life! And not just after you die, in the resurrection, but now, in the resurrection that is your Baptism. That those things you don’t do because you thought that by doing them you would lose your life . . . the opposite actually happens! Loving, serving, giving . . . these things give you life, fulfill your life, give meaning to your life. You realize there’s more to life than me, myself, and I, and that that kind of life is actually rather lonely and empty. And if your life is eternal (and it is!), then why not start living that way, that life, now? In fact, you must! Not because you have to, but because that’s who you are. Someone who has been “christed.” Anointed to a new life. A Christian.

Now you might struggle with that. No, not might - you will! As Luther said, that old sinful man in you is a really good swimmer! But don’t think you’re the only one who struggles - even a quick read through the Bible shows ALL the saints of old struggling with this! We heard about Jeremiah today in the Old Testament reading. When he was struggling and pouring out his heart to God, God made him a promise: those who are against you are not going to win. I will save you and deliver you. You repent, remain faithful to My Word and who you are, and I will do the rest. The Gradual we’ve been singing this season says the same thing.

And He did. God saved Jeremiah. He did the rest . . . finally, ultimately, when Jesus ascended the cross and died for Jeremiah, and died for you, and died for all. As Jesus said, there is nothing you can give in return for your life, but Jesus can - and gave His life to give you life. And now He gives you that same Body and Blood to feed that life. To strengthen you with His forgiveness and life so that you live a new life - His life in you. A life not of fear but of confidence. A life that not even death can now end.

So if you feel like you’re drowning, going under, struggling to keep your head above water, because life it too much, and you can’t do it . . . good! Here’s a rock! Drown! In Christ. Look to Him. Don’t try to save yourself. You’ll fail. Look to Him. Rejoice in Him. Rely on Him. And you will find your life. You will find your life in Him. 

In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Congregation at Prayer

For the Week of Pentecost 14 (August 31 - September 5, 2026)

Invocation: In the Name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Speak the Apostles’ Creed. 

Verse: Matthew 18:20 – “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Hymn of the Week:  Lutheran Service Book #820 “My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker”

Hymns for Sunday: 909, 820, 623, 697, 683, 700

Readings for the Week: [The readings for Thursday-Saturday are the Scriptures for this coming Sunday.]

Monday: Psalm 32:1-7

Who is blessed? Is this who the world considers blessed? What does sin do to us? What does forgiveness do for us?

Tuesday: Proverbs 4:10-23

Where does wisdom come from? Why? How is all other so-called wisdom really foolishness? How can we be more attentive?

Wednesday: Galatians 5:16-24

Why is it hard to walk by the Spirit? How can we do so more? What do we need? How do we get this?

Thursday: Ezekiel 33:7–9

Why do we need watchmen? How do pastors serve this way? How can we serve each other also in this way?

Friday: Romans 13:1-10

Why do we have governing authorities? Where does their authority come from? What do we owe them? Why? What do we owe one another? Why?

Saturday: Matthew 18:1-20

How seriously does Jesus take sin and finding those lost in sin? Do you? Why? How do all these verses show the love of Christ?

The Catechism - The Lord’s Prayer: The Fourth Petition [part 2]: What is meant by daily bread? Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

Collect for the Week: O God, from whom all good proceeds, grant to us, Your humble servants, Your holy inspiration, that we may set our minds on the things that are right and, by Your merciful guiding, accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.

The Prayers:  Please pray for . . .

+ yourself and for all in need (remembering especially those on our prayer list).

+ God’s blessing, wisdom, and guidance for our congregation’s Building Committee

+ the American Association of Lutheran Churches, for God’s wisdom, blessing, guidance, and provision.

+ God’s blessing, guidance, and provision for the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

Conclude with the Lord’s Prayer and Luther’s Morning or Evening Prayer from the Catechism.

Now joyfully go about your day (or to bed) in good cheer, child of God!

Collect for the Week © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.

Lutheran Service Book Hymn License: 110019268

Sermon for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

LISTEN

Jesu Juva

“The Depths of the Sea”

Text: Romans 11:33-12:8; Matthew 16:13-20; Isaiah 51:1-6

 

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

One of the more amazing things science has done lately is send unmanned vehicles down into the depths of the sea. Deeper than we’ve ever been before and maybe deeper than we even knew the sea to be! And those probes have sent back pictures of things never before seen - weird and unusual creatures. Things no one could imagine or even think real, had we not seen the images.

But there is something even deeper and more amazing, unsearchable, and inscrutable than that. We heard it from St. Paul today. He said, Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! So if we could plunge the depths of God’s mind, the depths of God’s wisdom and knowledge, what we would discover? Things unimaginable, I’m sure! Things beyond our wildest imagination. Things perhaps, to us, weird and unusual. 

Things like . . . using the horrific death of the cross to save. Using suffering to help us. Using the devil and evil for good. Using water to wash our hearts and bread and wine to feed our souls. Things no one could imagine and even think real - not because we have seen these things (Iike with the ocean), but because we have been told them. Because they have been revealed to us by God Himself.

A device that lets you see underwater and reveals that world is called a bathyscope. What reveals to us the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God and reveals to us His mind is His Word. 

So when Jesus asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? and Peter responded for them all, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus called Peter blessed - not blessed because of the answer he gave, but blessed in order to give the answer he gave. Because this had been revealed to him and the others. Revealed by the Father in the Scriptures that Jesus was teaching and fulfilling. Otherwise, making the connection of this guy Jesus from Nazareth and the very Son of God would never have entered their minds. Just like those weird and unusual creatures in the depth of the sea we could never have imagined, were they not revealed to us.

This is the rock, the rock of God’s Word, of God revealing this truth to us and our confessing this truth, the rock of the forgiveness of sins -  the forgiveness that Peter and the others are then told to go give just as they have received - this is the rock upon which the Church is built. The rock on which it can never be moved. Not even by the gates of hell - no matter how close, dark, and fearsomely looming they may be. 

And sometimes they seem pretty close, don’t they! And fearsome. And seem to be winning. We see the evil in the world and the evil in our lives and the sin and wickedness that sometimes spews from us, and that rock on which the Church is built can seem like a little pebble that ain’t much! 

So this is where we need the bathyscope of God’s Word - so that we can see below the surface, below just what we can see happening in the world to the depths of God’s wisdom and knowledge and work. Because there’s stuff going on beneath the surface that we could never imagine and would never think true were it not revealed to us. 

And one of those Scriptures revealing this to us is the Old Testament reading we heard today from Isaiah, who tells us to look to Abraham and Sarah. God says, he was but one when I called him, so that I might bless him and multiply him. And we know how God did that, but don’t forget how He did that through a lot of hardship, pain, difficulties, and ways Abraham could never have imagined! (And frankly, didn’t want!) Like, when God told him to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering. Unimaginable! Inscrutable! Right?And yet, God blessed. And then the stories of what happened to Jacob and Joseph and David . . . the Word of God revealing to us the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. Showing us that, as Paul went on to say, that from him and through him and to him are all things. ALL things. Things that seem to us good and things that seem to us evil. There is nothing that is not from Him, nothing that is not used by Him, and nothing that is not for Him. To His glory forever. AMEN!

Now wait a second, Pastor! ALL things? Even evil things? How can that be? God isn’t evil or cause evil! True. But He can and does use it for good. And imagine how frustrating that must be for the devil! When God turns around his evil and wicked ways for His own good! Like, when the devil tempts us into sin, and then drives us to despair because of that sin, but God then turns that and uses that to drive us to confess our sins and find refuge and hope in Jesus! Or when evil drives us to prayer, confusion drives us to the Word, our hunger and thirst for something better drives us to the altar. And like Abraham, God blesses us through such hardship, pain, and difficulty . . . which we frankly don’t want! But God knows that we need. Not to punish us, but in order to bless us. 

And, of course, the example par excellance of God using evil for good is His own cross. The cross on which He - the Son of God, God Himself - hung. The hatred and evil of men putting Him there, but then every drop of blood from His head, His hands, His feet, His back, and His side, providing life and forgiveness and blessing. And then His resurrection breaking open death and the grave - a depth even greater and more foreboding than the depths of the sea - but conquered by Jesus for you. So that, as one of our hymns says (LSB #883 v.3), we can fear the grave as little as our bed.

Those probes that have revealed to us the depths of the sea - and other discoveries of science - have caused us to rethink what we thought we knew. And so it is also with God’s Word. When the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God are revealed to us, our hearts and minds and lives are transformed. It’s not just that we rethink what we thought we knew (although we do), but that the Spirit of God transforms us. That’s the word Paul used today. And it is the same word used of Jesus in His transfiguration! That’s how God wants to bless and transform us! From this to that. From cross to glory. From the earthly to the eternal. And it is His Word and Sacraments that do that. That both reveal that to us and work that in us.

For, as God said through the prophet Isaiah, my righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. Now it’s hard, perhaps, to wrap your mind around that, because the world we live in doesn’t seem to have righteousness anywhere near! And because righteousness and salvation are abstract things. But God’s Word then plumbs the depths of that for us and reveals to us what He means and makes it concrete for us. That these words of Isaiah are talking about Jesus. That He is the righteous one who drew near us. That He is the saving one who has come down from heaven to us. And that His arms took the judgment of God against the sin of the world on the cross. Bringing a salvation and a righteousness that will be forever because His resurrection is forever.

And when that is yours, when you can fear the grave as little as your bed, when you know your life and future are secure in Jesus, when you are baptized by His hand and fed with His Body and Blood, because Jesus offered His body as a dead sacrifice (though now risen!), you can now, as Paul said, present your bodies as a living sacrifice. You can entrust your life to Him. And not in an abstract way - but just as the righteousness and salvation of God came down in a concrete way in Jesus, so you entrust your life to God in concrete ways as well. Husbands laying down your life for your wife. Wives honoring and respecting your husband. Children honoring, serving, obeying, loving, and cherishing your parents. By forgiving as you have been forgiven. By serving, giving, encouraging. Not that any of that will now be easy! I don’t know if it ever will be! But knowing the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God, of all that He has done for you and has promised you, of His Word transforming your heart and mind and life . . . you now can. And you know that though hard, God is using it to bless - both you and those you serve. 

And even though the gates of hell might seem like they are your next door neighbor, or even in your own home, they cannot win. They cannot put Jesus back in the grave or back on the cross or send Him back into heaven. He is here for you. And He’s not leaving. He’s going to keep washing you and feeding you and lifting you up and through His Word revealing to you the depths of His love for you. Love that is beyond what you could imagine or ever think real. Yet there it is. On the cross, in the font, and on the altar for you. Weird and unusual . . . maybe. But life changing and life giving.

So now I’m going to ask our organist to play hymn #611 during the offering after the prayers, and as she does, I want you to read along. It kind of sums up what I’ve said here today. And maybe during those tough times in your life - those Abraham times! - it can remind you of the depth of God love for you that is deeper than the depths of the sea, and lasting to eternity. The love that found you, the love revealed to you, the love that you confess, and the love that saves you. 

In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sermon for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Thank you to Chaplain David Schleusener who filled in for Pastor Douthwaite and proclaimed the Word of God for us today. If you would like to listen to Chaplain's Schleusener's preachment, go here to our YouTube channel to watch the recording of the livestream. Pastor Douthwaite will be back next Sunday.

Sermon for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

LISTEN

Jesu Juva

“Pulled Up from Death to Life”

Text: Matthew 14:22-33; Romans 10:5-17

 

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Did Peter getting out of the boat show his great faith or his little faith?

I think we usually assume it shows his great faith. I mean, getting out of a boat to walk on water! I wouldn’t do that! Not even in calm weather, let alone when there’s a storm and winds and waves tossing the boat around. I’d be holding on to not get tossed out. You go, Peter!

But Peter’s challenge to Jesus might show us something else going on here . . . So let’s think about this a little more . . . and back up and go through the story a little, first . . .

It was the fourth watch of the night when this happened.That means between three and six am. Which means they’ve been sailing for awhile, while Jesus stayed behind. And they were a long way from land. It was a stormy night, we are told, so I’m sure they hadn’t had any sleep. It was all they could do to keep making progress. It was a night not fit for man nor beast, as they say. So to see the sun come up soon would be a most welcome sight!

And in the midst of this sleepless, all-night struggle, suddenly they see a figure out on the water. And knowing how things work in this world, that people don’t walk on water but sink in water, they cry out, It is a ghost! Because what else could it be? Storms they can handle. Ghosts are another matter!

But then Jesus immediately, Matthew says, spoke to them. He doesn’t leave them in their fear, not even a little. He assures them right away. Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid. And that should have been enough. It was the voice they knew, the voice of their Good Shepherd, the voice that had been speaking and teaching and healing, the voice that spoke only truth, the voice that had called them to discipleship - that voice spoke to them. And that should have been enough. 

But this was different! Jesus wasn’t there! He couldn’t be there! He was far away. He had stayed behind. So between that and sailing all night and the fact that people can’t walk on water . . . they could put two and two together! It might be His voice . . . maybe . . . But to their small minds and little faiths, a ghost made more sense!

So Peter puts Jesus to the test. Because he wants more than the Word of God - he wants some kind of assurance, some kind of proof. So, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. Now, I don’t know why a ghost couldn’t lie and tell him that! But the point still holds: Peter wants more. And so he says, to paraphrase: OK Lord, let’s assume for the moment that what you said is true. Let’s assume it’s you. If it is, command me to come to you on the water. Then I’ll believe it.

And Jesus does. Come, He says. I wonder if that’s what Peter expected! If he hesitated . . . But Peter gets out of the boat and actually does it! We’re not told how long, how many steps. One? Two? Twenty? It doesn’t matter, really. Because soon enough, his fear sets in again. And he begins to sink. His idol, what he looked to for assurance, being able to walk on water, let him down. Because there’s only one who could give him what he was looking for, what he needed, and what he needs now more than ever! And so he cries out, Lord, save me! And again immediately, Jesus does. Jesus doesn’t say, C’mon! Try harder! Or, if you really believe it’s me, take a couple more steps! None of that nonsense. Jesus grabs him, takes him by the hand, and saves him.

And notice: while they’re still on the water, before they get back to the boat, while Jesus is still holding onto Peter, he says, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Now, you could take that in two ways. One is: Why did you doubt that you would walk on water . . . but that doesn’t really fit because Peter had jumped out of the boat. So the second way maybe is better. This: Why did you doubt my Word? Why did you doubt what I told you? Why did you doubt when I said, It is I? That would mean Peter getting out of the boat showed his little faith. That he wanted more than just the Word of Jesus. That wasn’t enough.

And here is where I think we can relate. Because like Peter, we sometimes(?) . . . often times(?) . . . want more than just the Word of God. Yes Lord, I know what you said. I know what your Word says. That you are with me always. That you are always working good for me. That my sins are forgiven. That I am your child. And lots more! But . . . you know, it sure doesn’t seem like it! Life is tough; stormy! I have so many challenges. It feels like you’re so far away. Your words are good, but . . . I need assurance, I need proof, I need a sign. Maybe not walking on water, or anything as big as that. But something! And we think, like Peter, if I get that, if I just get that, I’ll be good. Show me Jesus! Show me!

But like with Peter, that’s not the answer. It doesn’t give us what we need. Oh, maybe for a step or two or twenty, even. But the truth is, those things - signs, proof - are idols. False gods we are looking to for assurance, for what we think we need. But they can’t. Because like with Peter, they don’t last. Storms kick up again. New problems arise. Health problems, money problems, job situations. People and places change. New challenges to our faith. And then the old sign, the old proof, the old feeling, the old assurance, is either forgotten or isn’t good enough anymore. I want, I need new, more, bigger, better. Lord, if it is you, if you are with really me, do this, do that. Show me!

It is the apostle Paul that points us back in the right direction again today. Not to signs and wonders. He says: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. The Word of Christ, which is enough. The Word of Christ preached to you. Which Peter himself would later affirm in one of his letters, when he would say that the things of this world come and go. You can’t depend on them. The grass withers, and the flower falls - things wear out and people die. But there is something that won’t; that will last. And so he says, The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you (1 Peter 1:24b-25). And then he would say in his next letter something remarkable, that even after seeing Jesus in His transfiguration (!), seeing Him in His glory, seeing this sign, we have something more sure, the prophetic word (2 Peter 1:19). Peter is clinging to the Word, pointing us to the Word of God. Seems he learned his lesson from that day on the sea . . .

That’s something we need to learn, too. That the Word of the Lord is what we need. And that the Word of the Lord is enough.

And then the apostle Paul would write to the Corinthian Christians about this same thing! This yearning for a sign, for proof. Seems like it’s part of our human nature. He said: Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom - but that’s not what we’re about. We preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:22-23). That is, Christ crucified, dead, buried, and now risen from the dead, the victor over sin, death, and the grave. And risen from the dead, the one who is with us always, the one who is still working all things for our good (even if it doesn’t seem like it or we can’t imagine how!), and the one we can count on because He triumphed over everything that threatens us and frightens us. Our sin, the sins of others, shame, guilt, death, the grave - all taken care of by Him. All defeated by Him. To give life to us.So if you’re looking for proof, you already have it. It is the resurrection that is our proof. The resurrection promised by the prophets, testified by the apostles, and now proclaimed to us and given to us.

So the Christian life isn’t about being a water-walker, or about living a great, triumphant life that is the envy of everyone else. A life that looks successful and above the troubles of the world. That’s what the devil wants you to think to make you doubt like Peter and think you are inferior and you’ll never measure up as he tries to drive you to despair and to give up. No, the Christian life isn’t about sinners walking on water - it is about sinners being pulled up by the hand of Jesus. That’s what Peter needed, what we need, what everyone needs. The hand of Jesus once nailed to the cross, but now pulling you up in the water of Baptism and making you His child. The hand of Jesus placed upon your head giving you the forgiveness of your sins. The hand of Jesus putting into your mouth His very own Body and Blood. And His Word spoken with each of these signs given to you. Signs which don’t just point to, but actually give you His gifts. The forgiveness, life, salvation, assurance, and faith you need. 

And so each week we come here like Peter. We’re sinking, we’re drowning in a stormy, evil, sin-filled world. We’re troubled by our own doubts and fears wondering where our salvation is, and calling out with our hearts and minds and mouths, Lord, save me! For that’s really what we’re saying in confession each Sunday. I’m sinking! I’m in trouble! Lord, save me! And He does. He speaks: Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid, I forgive you all your sins. Do not be afraid, take eat; take drink, food for your soul. And those are not empty words, or simple reminders - they do what they say. His Word, and His Spirit working in and through that Word, giving us all we need and exactly what we need. You may not feel any different. Things may not seem any different. But it is just as true for you as it was for Peter that day on the sea, what we heard from St. Paul today: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

It might not be easy. It probably won’t be! With the devil, the world, and your own sinful nature attacking you. And you might still be in the first, second, or third watches of your night, surrounded by storms, being tossed about, laboring, struggling. But Jesus is not far off. He is where His Word is. Or to use the words we heard from St. Paul today, you don’t have to ascend into heaven to bring Jesus down nor descend into the abyss to bring Him up. He already did that for you! He came down from heaven in His incarnation. He came up from the dead in His resurrection. And He ascended not to leave you but to fill the earth with His presence, to be with you always, wherever you are. And so He is as near as His Word. For where His Word is, there is He. Peter needed to learn that. As do we. Both for ourselves, and to encourage others who are sinking. To encourage one another until, like with the disciples that day on the sea, the storms of life are past, and we are with Jesus, who was with us all along. And we confess with those disciples and the disciples of all time, Truly you are the Son of God. Who saved me. 

In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.