Vimeo
Vimeo Link to the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Hymn #24 Lord of My Life
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Romans 13:8-10
The Gospel Matthew 8:23-27
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Sermon Hymn #467 Built on the Rock
Faith and Fear
Hymn #307 Draw Nigh
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
Hymn #649 Jesus Savior Pilot Me
- Friday was the 61st wedding anniversary of Alicia Meyer and her late husband Gary. The flowers on the altar are in his honor.
- Alicia's brother Lawrence is staying at her house to recuperate.
- Kermit Way, Maria Ellenberger Way's husband, is undergoing treatment. Others in sick bay are Pastor and Mrs Shrader, Callie, Anita Engleman.
- Avelin Kirtsen, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, was born January 24th.
Avelin
KJV Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
KJV Matthew 8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Lord God, heavenly Father, who in Thy divine wisdom and fatherly goodness makest Thy children to bear the cross, and sendest divers afflictions upon us to subdue the flesh, and quicken our hearts unto faith, hope and unceasing prayer: We beseech Thee to have mercy upon us, and graciously deliver us out of our trials and afflictions, so that we may perceive Thy grace and fatherly help, and with all saints forever praise and worship Thee; through Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Introductory Material
Those who follow the Pilgrim's Progress class or read the book will notice remarkable parallels with this event. In a few verses, through many dramatic episodes, the story illustrates a lesson about faith in God. For example, when Christian tries to carry his great load of sins to Legality, the weight grows so much that he can no longer make progress. Forgiveness through the Law is impossible, and could have killed him. There is only one entry to forgiveness, the straight and narrow, in Pilgrim's Progress, the Wicket Gate. Passing through allows him to be taught at the Interpreter's House (the Holy Spirit's House), where he learns about the Law and Gospel, sin and forgiveness.
There are several ways to teach against faith, and they are used all the time by the great and mighty, to preserve their private delusions while appearing to say the opposite to the faithful. One is to change meanings and announce something strange that is an effort to replace Biblical doctrine with fancy talk. Thus they imagine - Jesus did not die on the cross for our sins, but to show solidarity with the poor. The wannabe Marxists know what that means - Jesus was a revolutionary who died as a symbol of the battle between good and evil, nothing more. Or they use grand titles and phrases designed to mean - "you think so, but I know better." The preachers and theologians will talk about the Easter faith of the disciples - on Easter - meaning Jesus rose from the dead only in the sense of Him becoming the Savior in their hearts. The elite nod their heads - he gets it! Believers wonder what that really means. But when worldly wisemen and highly educated women hear a sermon about faith, they are angry and start a fund to pay for the gallows. Miracles are for little children, they think.
Faith versus Fear
KJV Matthew 8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
The opposite of fear is not courage, but faith, trust in God, a conviction that the most important details of life are not subject to what we see but by what we believe. What seems to matter most belongs to Satan and what matters the least belongs to God. This miracle reminds us that the seasoned veterans of this great body of water were experts in how dangerous the Sea of Galilee could be. In a storm, the waves are whipped up and smash against the boats, which were designed to be stable with a group of men, a catch of fish. A storm eliminates the sense of direction and the distance from the shore. Waves crash against the ship and soak the occupants who feel the cold and see their fate.
Jesus was asleep. I remember that being shocking, because anyone would hate to be in that boat, let alone being soaked with the waves and the wind creating a penetrating chill with all the effects of a storm at night on a great body of water. Everyone wonders the first time - "How could this be? I would be terrified, miserable, and hoping to reach land very soon."
The primary role of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, "because they believe not on Me." (John 16)
Paraphrased John 16:8ff.
And when the Holy Spirit is come, He will accuse the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on Me;
10 Of the righteousness of faith, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the Prince of this world is judged.
First point - the foundational sin is unbelief. The solution to this is not our promises or efforts or endowment gifts, but faith in Jesus Christ.
Faith in Jesus takes away our sins, which are drowned in a sea of grace. The sins disappear and we are righteous.
Satan looks powerful and rules over the entire visible world, but he is already condemned.
All the knowledge and senses of the disciples made them think of the storm as impossibly strong, and they felt weak with Jesus asleep. We all have fears and anxieties, a buildup of dread about the future or something we must face.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
It is easy for us to say, "Jesus was with them. They could see Him in the same boat." But that is also true with us. Jesus is with us in His Word - spoken, read, and remembered. The question is whether we look to the storm or the Savior.
America and the West suffer alike from the Great Apostasy, supposed Christian leaders who do not believe even the basics of Christianity. Lutheran leaders in America are no better -
- They reject Justification by Faith, clearly taught by Paul, the Gospel writers, and the Lutheran Reformation.
- They despise the KJV and only use the uninspired, corrupt Evil Four plus One Bibles - RSV, NRSV, ESV, NIV plus Beck.
- They use ELCA as their model synod and bow to ELCA's DIE demands: Diversity, Inclusion, Equity.
KJV 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
When we become believers through the Word of the Gospel, we are born again, new life in Christ.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Jesus Himself made the connection, and so should we. "Why are you full of fear, ye of little faith?" They believed enough to say "Save us!" but they were still full of fear.
That is why it is good and a constant blessing to worship, to pray daily for others and for our needs and anxieties, to pray for our leaders and our enemies.
First Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea. This is the efficacy of God's Word. Jesus both the Logos - the Word, and the Son.
When God commanded Creation by the Word, the Son was and is that Word. That is why we can say that the entire Bible is efficacious (effective), always accomplishing God's will, never failing, and always prospering His will.
Peter rebuked Jesus for predicting His suffering and death; Jesus rebuked Peter for siding with Satan rather than God. (Matthew 16) Jesus' appearance to the disciples completed their lessons in the power and glory of the Son of God.
No matter what we know and believe, we still have fears.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
The Word teaches us not to be afraid but to trust in the one who commands the Universe, the winds and waves.
