The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, 2020.

 The Danish writer Grundvig wrote this and "God's Word Is Our Great Heritage."

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, 2020

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 10 AM Central Time 

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                         

Prayers and Announcements

• Kermit Way, Maria Ellenberger Way's husband, is undergoing treatement for cancer.
• Christina Jackson has new growths and will receive radiation treatment and a new medicine.
• Glen Kotten is recovering and expects to be home in a week.
• Bethany Lutheran Mission in the Philippines has its materials and is building a permanent roof. Pastor and Mrs. Palangyos are from that region.
• Pilgrim's Progress, Wednesday 7 PM Central, will wrap up Part I this week and then move on to part II, Christiana's story.

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!

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

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.


Faith and Fear

KJV Matthew 8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

Jesus tested the faith of the disciples in many ways. It has been said that they are the dark background against which the brilliant Savior shines so much brighter. This enables us to see how the disciples ("learners") grew to become apostles (literally "sent" - like Jesus, sent by God). 

Luther:
1. This Gospel, as a narrative, gives us an example of faith and unbelief, in order that we may learn how mighty the power of faith is, and that it of necessity has to do with great and terrible things and that it accomplishes nothing but wonders; and that on the other hand unbelief is so fainthearted, shamefaced and trembling with fear that it can do nothing whatever. An illustration of this we see in this experience of the disciples, which shows the real state of their hearts. First, as they in company with Christ entered the ship, all was calm and they experienced nothing unusual, and had any one asked them then if they believed, they would have answered, Yes. But they were not conscious of how their hearts trusted in the calm sea and the signs for fair weather, and that thus their faith was founded upon what their natural eyes saw. But when the tempest comes and the waves fill the boat, their faith vanishes; because the calm and peace in which they trusted took wings and flew away, therefore they fly with the calm and peace, and nothing is left but unbelief.

Everyone is happy to have things go well and find no opposition or unpleasantness that would dampen their spirits. The calm does not challenge our faith because we tend to give ourselves credit during pleasant and prosperous times. The disciples were familiar with traveling across the Sea of Galilee in boats made for the sudden storms which blew across the waters.

Lenski, p. 345 - "The lake lies between high hills and is thus subject to sudden tempests which develop excessive fury as they roar through the great trough in which the lake lies." 

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 

Matthew called it a "great earthquake" (σεισμος μεγας) to express the fury of the storm. I read the latest books on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. One wave was so great that the enormous ore ship was lifted up and angled downward into the lake, making it more a submarine as it rushed to the bottom and disintegrated.

How could Jesus sleep through such terror? The ship was swamped and the disciples could only think of death and being pulled under by the waves. Yet Jesus was asleep. Of all the miracles in the Bible, this is almost the greatest. 

This is the battle between everything carnal, of the flesh, and everything eternal - revealed to us through the Word of God.

Fear and faith are opposites. When fear takes over, we not only dwell on what could happen (based on experience) but also imagine how much worse it could be.

Jesus asleep during this deadly storm is symbolic of His seeming silence and withdrawal from crises, whether caused by man or Creation.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

At this point, the disciples could only feel the icy waves, their soaked clothing, the winds stirring up even more waves in the darkness. They woke up the Lord of Creation, to tell Him their fears - save us, we are dying!

Fear is easily magnified by the people around us, and the media have discovered that fear headlines often work wonders for the numbers of their readers and viewers. 

Fear only sees what is bad and takes away our energy to do anything but try to escape the calamity. Fear comes from economic reverses, from medical crises, from various threats - whether minor or major. 

Faith conquers all because trust in God displaces carnal fears. Jesus provided the disciples with ways of experiencing fear so they could grow in their trust of Him. Then the episode became the opposite of terror and trauma, it became a lesson learned.

Furthermore, the bonus lesson comes from realizing that the challenge, threat, or calamity was a blessing. 

Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?

Bunyan admitted that his 12 years in prison were a blessing, and his readers would have to agree, simply based on his books. But there were other blessings. He converted his guard. He visited members outside the prison. His cell became his office and workshop. He could continue as a tinker and also publish. That would be no paradise for most, but faith turned it into a paradise, as Luther wrote in his great statement about afflictions.

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.

Here is the proof that fear and faith are opposites. 

• Fear is not lack of intelligence. 
• Fear is not lack of experience. 
• Fear is not lack of courage. 

The antidote for fear is not intelligence, experience, or courage - but faith. "Little faith" is the primary  rebuke of Jesus against His disciples, because the answers to their troubles came from trusting in Him. Paul stated the same when he said that God answered his prayers by revealing to him - 

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

It is when God does far beyond our expectations that we realize His strength and our weakness: His grace is sufficient.

Luther:
8. Therefore this Gospel is a comforting example and doctrine, how we should conduct ourselves, so that we may not despair in the agony of sin, in the peril of death, and in the tumult of the world; but be assured that we are not lost, although the waves at once overwhelm our little boat; that we will not perish, although we experience in our evil conscience sin, wrath, and the lack of grace; that we will not die, although the whole world hates and persecutes us, although it opens its jaws as wide as the rosy dawn of the morning. These are all waves that fall over your little bark, cause to despair, and force you to cry out: “Save, Lord; we perish”. Thus you have here the first part of this Gospel, faith, how it should thrive and succeed, and besides, how incapable and fainthearted unbelief is.

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

As we can see, they have not grasped the divinity of Jesus, His identity with God. He is God, the Logos of Creation, the Lord of Creation. Not only do we see in this His power over all things in our natural world, but also the power of His Word.

The anti-Biblical, anti-Lutheran leaders might allow for the stilling of the storm, but that powerful Word - does it also consecrate the Word? Of course. Once the consecrating and baptizing Word is merely symbolic, the Creating Word is doubted, finally the divinity of Jesus Himself. That is the trajectory in human reason above the Word and judging the Word.

The disciples marveled because they saw the power of the Savior in using His voice, His Word to silence the raging storm.

Luther:
14. Hence, people have here an example where they are to seek their comfort and help, not in the world; they are not to guard the wisdom and power of men, but Christ himself and him alone; they are to cleave to him and depend on him in every need with all faithfulness and confidence as the disciples, do in our text. For had they not believed that he would help them, they would not have awakened him and called upon him. True their faith was weak and was mingled with much unbelief, so that they did not perfectly and freely surrender themselves to Christ and risk their life with him, nor did they believe he could rescue them in the midst of the sea and save them from death. Thus it is ordained that the Word of God has no master nor judge, no protector or patron can be given it besides God himself. It is his Word. Therefore, as he left it go forth without any merit or counsel of men, so will he himself without any human help and strength administer and defend it. And whoever seeks protection and comfort in these things among men, will both fall and fail, and be forsaken by both God and man.

15. That Jesus slept indicates the condition of their hearts, namely, that they had a weak, sleepy faith, but especially that at the time of persecution Christ withdraws and acts as though he were asleep, and gives neither strength nor power, neither peace nor rest, but lets us worry and labor in our weakness, and permits us to experience that we are nothing at all and that all depends upon his grace and power, as Paul confesses in Corinthians 1:9, that he had to suffer great affliction, so as to learn to trust not in himself but in God, who raised the dead. Such a sleeping on the part of God David often experienced and refers to it in many places, as when he says in Psalm 44:23: “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off forever.”

When great affliction comes, it is not a matter of "how could this happen to me?" but how will God work this to His glory? I told one member I was really tired of answering writing against Justification by Faith. Now each little burst of ammo makes me say, "This is another weakness of their dogma, easily exposed." Additional study only solidifies the truth.

Another aspect of this is dealing with affliction that is not directly related to the Word.

Luther's advice is priceless and represented well in Paul and in John Bunyan.

We know of many examples where the affliction stays and even grows as a burden. God does not always take that affliction away. But when allowed, God takes our heart away from the affliction. It is still there, but God gives us such peace that we imagine we are in a rose garden. Anger and depression come from dwelling on the trouble, so does lethargy. But taking our heart (our full concentration, our obsession) away from the affliction brings energy, hope, optimism, and many blessings.

Arguing with a computer is a good example affliction. I name them all HAL, after the homicidal computer in the film 2001. I knew the rules in publishing and tried to insist on them being followed. The final result was a threat to erase everything published.

This is where believing friends mean so much. The advice given was, "Ignore this and concentrate on other projects." That helped move along all kinds of new projects. The problem is still there but I can approach it again, smiling as I write.

Luther's Sermon on Faith, Fear, and Love. Epiphany 4, Matthew 8:23-2

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.



TEXT:

Matthew 8:23-27. And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves; but he was asleep. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save, Lord; we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, 0 ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?


I. OF FAITH AND UNBELIEF.

1. This Gospel, as a narrative, gives us an example of faith and unbelief, in order that we may learn how mighty the power of faith is, and that it of necessity has to do with great and terrible things and that it accomplishes nothing but wonders; and that on the other hand unbelief is so fainthearted, shamefaced and trembling with fear that it can do nothing whatever. An illustration of this we see in this experience of the disciples, which shows the real state of their hearts. First, as they in company with Christ entered the ship, all was calm and they experienced nothing unusual, and had any one asked them then if they believed, they would have answered, Yes. But they were not conscious of how their hearts trusted in the calm sea and the signs for fair weather, and that thus their faith was founded upon what their natural eyes saw. But when the tempest comes and the waves fill the boat, their faith vanishes; because the calm and peace in which they trusted took wings and flew away, therefore they fly with the calm and peace, and nothing is left but unbelief.

2. But what is this unbelief able to do? It sees nothing but what it experiences. It does not experience life, salvation and safety; but instead the waves coming into the boat and the sea threatening them with death and every danger. And because they experience these things and give heed to them and turn not their fear from them, trembling and despair can not be suppressed. Yea, the more they see and experience it the harder death and despair torment them and every moment threatens to devour them. But unbelief cannot avoid such experiences and cannot think otherwise even for a second. For it has nothing besides to which it can hold and comfort itself, and therefore it has no peace or rest for a single minute. And thus will it also be in perdition, where there will be nothing but despair, trembling and fear, and that without end.

3. But had they had faith, it would have driven the wind and the waves of the sea out of their minds, and pictured before their eyes in place of the wind and tempest the power and grace of God, promised in his Word; and it would have relied upon that Word, as though anchored to an immovable rock and would not float on the water, and as though the sun shined brightly and all was calm and no storm was raging. For it is the great characteristic and power of faith to see what is not visible, and not to see what is visible, yea, that which at the time drives and oppresses us; just as unbelief can see only what is visible and can not in the least cleave to what is invisible.

4. Therefore God bestows faith to the end that it should deal not with ordinary things, but with things no human being can master as death, sin, the world and Satan. For the whole world united is unable to stand before death, but flees from and is terrified by it, and is also conquered by it; but faith stands firm, opposes death that devours everything, and triumphs over it and even swallows the unsatiable devourer of life. In like manner no one can control or subdue the flesh, but it reigns everywhere in the world, and what it wills must be done, so that the whole world thereby is carnal; but faith lays hold of the flesh and subdues and bridles it, so that it must become a servant. And in like manner no one can endure the rage, persecution, and blasphemy, infamy, hatred and envy of the world; every one retreats and falls back exhausted before it, it gets the upper hand over all and triumphs; and if they are without faith it mocks them besides and treads all under its feet, and takes pleasure and delight in doing so.

5. Further, who could conquer Satan with his innumerable, subtle suggestions and temptations, by which he hinders the truth and God’s Word, faith and hope, and starts so many false doctrines, sects, seductions, heresies, doubts, superstitions and innumerable abominations? The whole world compared with him is like a spark of fire compared with a fountain of water. All must be here subject to him; as we also see, hear and understand. But it is faith that keeps him busy, and it not only stands before him invulnerable, but also reveals his roguery and puts him to shame, so that his deception fails and he faints and falls; as now takes place with his indulgences and his papacy. Just so no one can allay and quiet the least sin, but it bites and devours the conscience, so that nothing avails even if the whole world were to comfort and support such a person, he must be cast down into perdition. Here faith is a hero, it appeases all sins, even if they were as many as the whole world had committed.

6. Is there now not something almighty and inexpressible about faith that it can withstand all our powerful enemies and gain the victory, so that St. John says in his first Epistle 1 John 5:4: “This is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith?” Not that this is done in peace and by quietly resting; for it is a battle that is carried on not with out wounds and shedding of blood. Yea, the heart so severely experiences in this battle sin and death, the flesh, Satan and the world, that it has no other thought than that it is lost, that sin and death have triumphed, and that Satan holds the field of battle. The power of faith however experiences but little of that. This is set forth in our narrative, when the waves not only dashed into the boat, but even covered it, so that it was about to go under and sink, and Christ was lying asleep. Just then there was no hope of life, death had the upper hand and had triumphed; life was lying prostrate and was lost.

7. As it went here, so it goes and must go in all other temptations of sin, Satan, etc. We must experience how sin has taken captive the conscience and nothing but wrath and perdition wish to reign, and how we must be eternally lost. Satan must start so many things by his error and false teaching that it appears God’s Word must fall to the ground and the world must glory in falsehood. Likewise the world must rage and persecute to such an extent that it appears no one can stand or be saved, or even confess his faith; but Cain will rule alone and will not rest until his brother is dead, so that he may never be in his way. But we must not judge and act according to appearance and our experience, but according to our faith.

8. Therefore this Gospel is a comforting example and doctrine, how we should conduct ourselves, so that we may not despair in the agony of sin, in the peril of death, and in the tumult of the world; but be assured that we are not lost, although the waves at once overwhelm our little boat; that we will not perish, although we experience in our evil conscience sin, wrath, and the lack of grace; that we will not die, although the whole world hates and persecutes us, although it opens its jaws as wide as the rosy dawn of the morning. These are all waves that fall over your little bark, cause to despair, and force you to cry out: “Save, Lord; we perish”. Thus you have here the first part of this Gospel, faith, how it should thrive and succeed, and besides, how incapable and fainthearted unbelief is.

II. OF LOVE.

9. The second part of our text, treating of love, shows forth Christ in that he rises, breaks his sleep for their sake, takes to heart their need as though it were his own, and ministers to them help out of free love without any merit on their part. He neither receives nor seeks any reward for his help, but permits them to enjoy and use his power and resources. For as we have often heard it is characteristic of Christian love to do all freely and gratuitously, to the praise and honor of God, that a Christian lives upon the earth for the sake of such love, just as Christ lived solely for the purpose of doing good; as he himself says: “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” Matthew 20:28.

III. THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THIS NARRATIVE.

10. Christ pictured to us in this narrative the Christian life, especially the office of the ministry. The ship signifies Christendom; the sea, the world; the wind, Satan; his disciples are the preachers and pious Christians; Christ is the truth, the Gospel, and faith.

11. Now, before Christ entered the ship with his disciples the sea and the wind were calm; but when Christ with his disciples entered, then the storm began, as he himself says, Matthew 10:34: “Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace but a sword.” So, if Christ had left the world in peace and never punished its works, then it would indeed have been quiet. But since he preaches that the wise are fools, the saints are sinners and the rich are lost, they become wild and raging; just as at present some critics think it would be fine if we merely preached the Gospel and allowed the office of the ministry to continue in its old way. This they would indeed tolerate; but that all their doings should be rebuked and avail nothing, that they call preaching discontent and revolution, and is not Christian teaching.

12. But what does this Gospel say? There was a violent tempest on the lake when Christ and his disciples were in the ship. The sea and the wind allowed the other ships to sail in calm weather; but this ship had to suffer distress because of Christ being in it. The world can indeed tolerate all kinds of preaching except the preaching of Christ. Hence whenever he comes and wherever he is, there he preaches that he only is right and reproves all others; as he says in Matthew 12:30: “He that is not with me is against me”, and again, John 16:8: “The spirit will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment;” he says that he will not only preach, but that he will convict the whole world and what is in the world. But it is this convicting that causes such tempests and dangers to this ship. Should he preach that he would allow the world to go unpunished and to continue in its old ways, he would have kept quiet before and never have entered the world; for if the world is good and is not to be convicted then there would never have been any need of him coming into the world.

13. Now it is the consolation of Christians, and especially of preachers, to be sure and ponder well that when they present and preach Christ, that they must suffer persecution, and nothing can prevent it; and that it is a very good sign of the preaching being truly Christian, when they are thus persecuted, especially by the great, the saintly, the learned and the wise.

And on the other hand that their preaching is not right, when it is praised and honored, as Christ says in Luke 6:22-26: “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you; for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake; in the same manner did their fathers to the prophets.” Behold our preachers, how their teachings are esteemed; the wealth, honor and power of the world have them fully under their control, and still they wish to be Christian teachers, and whosoever praises and preaches their ideas, lives in honor and luxury.

14. Hence, people have here an example where they are to seek their comfort and help, not in the world; they are not to guard the wisdom and power of men, but Christ himself and him alone; they are to cleave to him and depend on him in every need with all faithfulness and confidence as the disciples, do in our text. For had they not believed that he would help them, they would not have awakened him and called upon him. True their faith was weak and was mingled with much unbelief, so that they did not perfectly and freely surrender themselves to Christ and risk their life with him, nor did they believe he could rescue them in the midst of the sea and save them from death. Thus it is ordained that the Word of God has no master nor judge, no protector or patron can be given it besides God himself. It is his Word. Therefore, as he left it go forth without any merit or counsel of men, so will he himself without any human help and strength administer and defend it. And whoever seeks protection and comfort in these things among men, will both fall and fail, and be forsaken by both God and man.

15. That Jesus slept indicates the condition of their hearts, namely, that they had a weak, sleepy faith, but especially that at the time of persecution Christ withdraws and acts as though he were asleep, and gives neither strength nor power, neither peace nor rest, but lets us worry and labor in our weakness, and permits us to experience that we are nothing at all and that all depends upon his grace and power, as Paul confesses in Corinthians 1:9, that he had to suffer great affliction, so as to learn to trust not in himself but in God, who raised the dead. Such a sleeping on the part of God David often experienced and refers to it in many places, as when he says in Psalm 44:23: “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off forever.”

16. The summary of this Gospel is this, it gives us two comforting, defying proverbs, that when persecution for the sake of God’s Word arises, we may say: I indeed thought Christ was in the ship, therefore the sea and wind rage, and the waves dash over us and threaten to sink us; but let them rage, it is ordained that the wind and sea obey his will. The persecutions will not continue longer than is his pleasure; and although they overwhelm us, yet they must be subject to him; he is Lord over all, therefore nothing will harm us. May he only give us his help that we may not despair in unbelief. Amen.

17. That the people marveled and praised the Lord that the wind and sea were subject to him, signifies that the Gospel, God’s Word, spreads farther through persecution, it thus becomes stronger and faith increases; and this is also a paradoxical characteristic of the Gospel compared with all worldly things which decrease through every misfortune and opposition, and increase through prosperity and peace. Christ’s kingdom grows through tribulations and declines in times of peace, ease and luxury, as St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My power is made perfect in weakness, etc.” To this end help us God! Amen.

The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, 2019. Matthew 8:23-27.

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, 2019

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 10 AM Central Time 

The 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
The Sermon Hymn #657          Beautiful Savior       

Sleep as Persecution - Faith and Unbelief

The 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
The Hymn #649            Jesus Savior Pilot Me                         

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!

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
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

I am discussing Calvinism in my upcoming booklet: Calvin Ruined the Protestant Faith. One of the biggest problems unleashed by Zwingli and Calvin is rationalism. Sig Becker described it as the difference between magisterial and ministerial reasoning in The Foolishness of God. Magisterial reasoning judges the Word of God, but ministerial reasoning uses one's intellectual powers and research to find and teach the clear, plain meaning of the Scriptures.

Magisterial reasoning has trouble with the miraculous, with the mysteries revealed by the Spirit in the Word. There are dozens of Creation stories but only one Creation by the Word - through the Logos, John 1:3 - which is beyond our comprehension. If we can only grasp a Creation that suits our mind, then  some have devised a scheme where that works randomly over billions of years. I am not kidding - a Calvinist wrote that he could prove the Trinity with math. Thus the doctrines (mysteries) revealed by the Word are subject to man's proof and man's skepticism. For Creation, the Protestant world began retreating  in the 19th century when certain well known Evangelicals decided God created over billions of years, merging evolution with Creation. That means the Word was not powerful enough to do the work in six 24-hour days.

Ministerial reasoning comes from the meaning of minister as servant. What God gives us can be used to judge Him (magisterial) or to serve in interpreting His Word. That happens over time as the Word challenges and corrects the errors of the day, the influence of false teachers, and our own inclinations.

The horrible aspect of Calvinism comes from the corrosive effect of rationalism as they begin by proving everything through human reason, then slowly depart from the Word as the absolute standard. This is how two miracles are "explained." Jesus walking on the water - He knew where the sand bars were. The Feeding of the 5,000 - Everyone felt guilty about not sharing their lunch, when the boy offered his. So everyone pulled out their hidden food - and voila - it was a "miracle of sharing." 

New England was Calvinistic and in its rationalism became Unitarian. Whether Unitarian, United Church of Christ, or ELCA, they will treat the Feeding of the 5,000 as a miracle of sharing and glide into a world hunger appeal of some sort. If one is trained in the double-talk, side-stepping the issue is obvious. Fortunately, if the Scriptures are read and some good hymns are sung, people hear the words of faith from unbelievers and remain believers themselves. However, the rationalistic parishes do not last. They turn into forts with a few social justice warriors manning or womaning the bulwarks, assaulting the latest sin, like plastic soda straws.

Rationalism means taking the miraculous, the divine, and making it fit our standards of normal. Dr. Christian Bruce Wenger, the head of his class at Yale Medical School and a PhD in physiology said this, "They cannot reproduce a miracle in the lab, so they do not believe? That is the very definition of a miracle - it cannot be reproduced in a lab." Rationalism shrinks faith until it hates and persecutes those who believe.

Fuller Seminary began by distrusting inerrancy and rejected it completely in time for Church Growth to take off. Donald McGavran was a member of a rationalistic, left-wing denomination called the Disciples of Christ (big in a geographical swath from the People's Republic of Illinois to the State of Texas). The other part of Church Growth is Dutch Calvinist - Robert Schuller and Bill Hybels. McGavran introduced his concept with statistics, because he was a sociologist. A brief look at the Church Growth cult shows that everything they claim is based on rationalism. And yet their systematic failures do not prove to them that they are wrong.  They have a continuing industry in fooling and swindling church leaders, so there is no reason to stop.

Creation destruction means that when this hideous disorder is done, and their schools and parishes have closed, new opportunities will arise if God gives the time.

The only way to read the miracles is to see each one as it is and derive lessons from it that are consistent with the entire Bible. Someone who wants to use a miracle to deny it is simply trying to make a living from mission of Christ.

Notice too that one denial leads to another, which people do not consider if they share the initial rationalism. Many cannot accept the Real Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. They have many excuses for making it "only a memorial meal," such as wondering how that could be, to have this done all over the world for centuries. If that cannot be, then so must the miraculous feedings be set aside as something else.


Jesus' Sleep as Persecution - Faith and Unbelief

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.  

This was a group of ships, made for stability in storms. I once had to read a doctoral dissertation and report on it in the seminar at Yale. Nils Dahl chuckled at what he asked me to do. Needless to say, these were not tourists, but people familiar with the inland sea and the weather. The ship was being swamped and yet Jesus was asleep.

This is a miracle about human reason, emotions, and faith. Our emotions are quite volatile. Coffee drinkers wake up very pessimistic and then feel great after breakfast. Their emotions are tied to blood sugar and caffeine. The legend is that a goat-herder saw his goats into some beans from a tree - they jumped and skipped around, so he tried them. Thus arabica beans.

Emotions are also deceiving, even when based upon our experience and what we see as the facts. So panic is named after the Greek god Pan, whose job it was to instill panic in the enemy troops so they would run away in fear. The concept still works today. I had to talk my friends off the ledge on election night because they were sure Hillary! was being elected.

Anyone on a boat or ship being swamped by a storm will be terrified. This is a real miracle but it is also symbolic of life. There are plenty of reasons to be afraid in this era, and we should be glad we do not know the whole truth all at once. Unbelief looks at the facts of the moment, draws on experience, and finds reason to rear.

Luther:
2. But what is this unbelief able to do? It sees nothing but what it experiences. It does not experience life, salvation and safety; but instead the waves coming into the boat and the sea threatening them with death and every danger. And because they experience these things and give heed to them and turn not their fear from them, trembling and despair can not be suppressed. Yea, the more they see and experience it the harder death and despair torment them and every moment threatens to devour them. But unbelief cannot avoid such experiences and cannot think otherwise even for a second. For it has nothing besides to which it can hold and comfort itself, and therefore it has no peace or rest for a single minute. And thus will it also be in perdition, where there will be nothing but despair, trembling and fear, and that without end.

Faith in Christ is quite different. Strangely, self-appointed teachers of Christianity (nominal Lutherans) get allergic to that word faith. They imagine that is a decision or the result of our thinking. How strange that these masters of the Word do not know the Word at all. Faith is a gift of God, created in us by the Spirit at work in the Gospel. That is why believers are called "new creations" (creatures) and not "new evolutes."

Faith relies on nothing but God and waits for God's will to be done. Needless to say, denominations trust people to trust in the denomination. Where will your next pastor come from? The denomination, but their seminaries are almost empty, closing up, or merging with schools to become minor departments to save face. They like to pummel their critics with abuse so that departing pastors never want to deal with congregations again.

Some people trivialize faith and prayer, saying such things as, "I prayed for a parking space and one opened up." In the South, "I'm praying for you" really means "You are going to Hell," but it can have a lighter touch. Still it is superficial and silly to say such things. There is nothing wrong with thanking God and asking for help in the practical difficulties of life. Those who pray consistently are shown that God answers those prayers in His time, in His way.

One woman was angry that God did not prevent her son from marrying "that woman," reminding me of the mother who literally shoved me toward her daughter, saying, "Make her go to church." Both reminded me of the wealthy patron ringing the bell for Jeeves to answer the call and follow orders. That is not faith and God does not reward such attitudes.

Luther:
4. Therefore God bestows faith to the end that it should deal not with ordinary things, but with things no human being can master as death, sin, the world and Satan. For the whole world united is unable to stand before death, but flees from and is terrified by it, and is also conquered by it; but faith stands firm, opposes death that devours everything, and triumphs over it and even swallows the insatiable devourer of life. In like manner no one can control or subdue the flesh, but it reigns everywhere in the world, and what it wills must be done, so that the whole world thereby is carnal; but faith lays hold of the flesh and subdues and bridles it, so that it must become a servant. And in like manner no one can endure the rage, persecution, and blasphemy, infamy, hatred and envy of the world; every one retreats and falls back exhausted before it, it gets the upper hand over all and triumphs; and if they are without faith it mocks them besides and treads all under its feet, and takes pleasure and delight in doing so.

Faith in our merciful God must be something good and blessed, because the entire Bible teaches faith. The Apostle John is especially eloquent about faith and says - 
1 John 5:4: “This is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith."

When people get upset about faith, as if that is some dangerous ingredient in life (Objective Justification nonsense), I mention the disciples asking what work they should do to please God.

John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom he hath sent.

Faith in Christ is the foundation of all that we do in life, and unbelief is the opposite. Unbelief is the foundation of sin. So for various reasons people find it convenient to stick with the carnal and avoid the message of the Gospel. It is ironic that the universal grace salesmen bask in their ministry of condemnation - they are always condemning those who do not agree with their false doctrine, when their false doctrine claims everyone is born forgiven. Thus the blind lead the bland and fall into a pit together.

Not a typo. We are the salt of the world. If we do not have the Gospel, we have lost the savor.

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

So the disciples had enough faith to awake the sleeping Jesus, but not enough to realize it was all in His hands in the first place. The opposite of fear is not courage but faith. When people are afraid, faith flies out the window and emotions take over. Repeatedly Jesus showed the disciples and many others that He had command over all the elements and over life itself. Jesus devoted three years of training so that it all worked together to unite the disciples during His arrest, torture, and death. They were afraid, locked in a room, but together.

God puts together a mature faith from the materials of life. I have read stories of missionaries where this happened, and that happened, and it was quite miraculous in retrospect. Now I can say the same things. What I wanted at the time was not to be, and the ultimate reward was being able to do in writing and teaching the Gospel when no one would allow it in a denomination. And now it is welcome and passing into a new generation.

If the denomination sells and promotes books, it is tough to give up that income. If they refuse, it is easy to become independent in the same area. If the sale of books is thwarted in various ways, it is easy to give it all away. Giving it away all over the world is the most fun of all. That happens because of people with faith, who demonstrate that God can do anything He pleases in an instant or in decades and centuries if that is His will.

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! 

This is a favorite phrase, used in joking with people, but it makes a very good point in the miracle. These people have faith in Jesus, because they want help. But their fear betrays their small measure of faith at that moment. They were looking at the storm and waves, which is so easy to do, instead of their Master, who as an example, was asleep. One more step in their education came when He rebuked the wind and the sea, imposing a great calm.

Luther's interpretation, which was current in his time and still is relevant today - Jesus being asleep is symbolic of a time of persecution. The Gospel is attacked on every side. The opponents gloat over their victories and mock their victims.

Luther:
7. As it went here, so it goes and must go in all other temptations of sin, Satan, etc. We must experience how sin has taken captive the conscience and nothing but wrath and perdition wish to reign, and how we must be eternally lost. Satan must start so many things by his error and false teaching that it appears God’s Word must fall to the ground and the world must glory in falsehood. Likewise the world must rage and persecute to such an extent that it appears no one can stand or be saved, or even confess his faith; but Cain will rule alone and will not rest until his brother is dead, so that he may never be in his way. But we must not judge and act according to appearance and our experience, but according to our faith.

8. Therefore this Gospel is a comforting example and doctrine, how we should conduct ourselves, so that we may not despair in the agony of sin, in the peril of death, and in the tumult of the world; but be assured that we are not lost, although the waves at once overwhelm our little boat; that we will not perish, although we experience in our evil conscience sin, wrath, and the lack of grace; that we will not die, although the whole world hates and persecutes us, although it opens its jaws as wide as the rosy dawn of the morning. These are all waves that fall over your little bark, cause to despair, and force you to cry out: “Save, Lord; we perish”. Thus you have here the first part of this Gospel, faith, how it should thrive and succeed, and besides, how incapable and fainthearted unbelief is.

In love, Jesus rescues us from the storm. The wonder following the stilling of the storm is worth remembering, "Even the wind and waves obey Him!" There are magicians and fake wonder-workers who try to do something this level. Many times even the illusion falls apart.

But Jesus can and does intervene, changing matters in an instant. He has power over all of Creation because He is the King of Creation, the Creating Word - the Logos.

The Word is the power of Christ, to be forgiven and to forgive, to block the evil attempted and to turn it into something good. The Word conveys Christ to us and to others. 

Luther:
17. That the people marveled and praised the Lord that the wind and sea were subject to him, signifies that the Gospel, God’s Word, spreads farther through persecution, it thus becomes stronger and faith increases; and this is also a paradoxical characteristic of the Gospel compared with all worldly things which decrease through every misfortune and opposition, and increase through prosperity and peace. Christ’s kingdom grows through tribulations and declines in times of peace, ease and luxury, as St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My power is made perfect in weakness, etc.” To this end help us God! Amen.