Have you ever felt terrified? I mean like so terrifying it was like you felt like you or a loved one had a near death experience. You probably had absolutely no control of the situation and the outcome was completely in doubt. That lack of control is really what made the whole situation that much more terrifying, wasn’t it? Because you did not have the control you desired, you could not tell if things would work out or not. This can bring terror, worry, and anxiety. In this morning’s Gospel text, the disciples were also terrified, but they made it safely through it all, because someone else was in control.
This morning’s Gospel text picks up right where last week’s reading left off. Jesus had heard that His cousin John the Baptist had been put to death and had been on His way to be alone so that He could pray, but the people heard where He was going and got there before He did. He had mercy on them, healed their sick, and then we are told He performed the miracle of feeding over 5000 people from 5 loaves of bread and two fish.
Our text begins with the word immediately which is repeated 3 times in this section of the Gospel of Matthew. Immediately He makes the disciples get in the boat to go before Him to the other side. Meanwhile Jesus deals with and dismisses the people and finally gets to the mountain and begins to pray and meditate on the Ministry that lay before Him.
While Jesus was praying, the disciples had traveled to about the middle of the lake, but trouble had overtaken them. We are told in the English that the disciples in their boat were being beaten but in the Greek it uses a word that means tortured or tormented βασανιζόμενον. So the disciples were in their boat being tormented… by whom and for what purpose? Well, our text says that it was because the wind was hostile to them. The wind and the waves are described as though they have personalities. You may now be getting the sense that the disciples are not just battling against regular storms and seas, but these are as though they are being confronted by demonic and spiritual forces. Although the Israelites knew that nature was a servant to God and subject to Him, the weather and the location represent spiritual battle and the threat of the devil and the world which so often would terrorize us with power and situations outside our control. The sea for example was seen by the Caananite people as the realm of a god named yam which actually was their ancient word for the sea. They believed that the sea was an area that belonged to that of the demons and the keeping place for the dead. Even the Greeks spoke of the river Styx as being the place of the dead, the separator of this world and the realm of those who died. So the disciples are seemingly caught and struggling between getting to their destination of the shore and fighting forces stronger than themselves, forces that are overwhelming them physically and emotionally, that would have them give up and sink in the deep. Their efforts are not enough can not help themselves.
The very next verse we are told that Jesus then at the fourth watch of the night, sometime between 3 and 6 in the morning, came to the disciples in the middle of their distress. How does He come to them? By walking upon the same sea that is tormenting them, treading upon the dark places, the forces of evil, for they have no power over Him. He is the creator of all with the Father and the Spirit.
The disciples do not recognize Him at first nor do they recognize the comfort it should have given, instead they think He is one of those dead, a ghost, or a demon and they become even more terrified than they already were. They thought they were cursed, they were dying, they were going to be destroyed soul and body by some spiritual being. But “immediately”, there’s that word, immediately Jesus called out to them saying…, “Be of good cheer?” Does Jesus really just say cheer up, fellows? No the Greek says θαρσεῖτε which literally means “Be Couragified” or “be encouraged”. He commands and blesses with His Words fully expecting that they would be encouraged. Why should they receive courage? Jesus said “Be Couragified because ἐγώ εἰμι, that is, “I am”, so don’t be afraid.” I don’t know if you caught it, but Jesus used the old testament term for God Almighty, Yahweh, the great I AM. This why the disciples needn’t fear, their God and Lord is coming to them, the same who has come to destroy Satan and hell, to dismiss and forgive sins. The one who has ultimate control, the storms and seas must answer to God and be still, yet before the storm is stilled while it is still raging, Peter calls out, “Lord, if you are… command me to get out of the boat and walk to you.” Here Peter is actually testing Jesus, if you are who you say you are then you will do this. So often when Jesus was challenged in such a way during His ministry by those determined not to believe like the pharisees demanding a sign, Jesus would refuse. Here, however, is Peter, weak and wanting to believe, therefore Jesus has mercy and gives him something to believe in and says “Come”. Peter becomes courageous and comes out and walk for a bit, but then he did take his eyes off of Jesus and looked at his surroundings and doubt filled him again and down he went as though he were being swallowed up by unbelief and the power of the devil, but Peter looks to Him who saves and says, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus is there, grabs Peter and rescues him, saying “oh Little Faith one, why did you doubt?” When Jesus and Peter entered the boat, the storm, wind and sea ceased its tumult and everyone believed and worshipped Jesus confessing that He is the Son of God.
Dear Friends, this Gospel text is not just a nice story, a fairy tale that has no application to you or me. This occurrence happened and was recorded specifically for you, me, and all who would believe. The storms and wind and wave continue to batter and torment us in the lives of people because as long as there is sin in this world, as long as there is time and Jesus has not yet returned to judge the living and the dead, the devil, the world, and even human flesh continue to foam and rage against the boat carrying God’s people. This boat represents the Church. That is why so many churches have been built so that the roof looks like the bottom of a ship. That is why the area of the church building where we gather is liturgically called “the nave”. This comes from the Latin for ship. It is only in this ship/the Church that people are able to be saved and rescued from the spiritual torments that assail them during their earthly lives. This ship is like the ship which Noah built as commanded by God to save him and his family from the coming flood. Unlike Noah’s boat, the Church is built upon and with the very body of Jesus Christ who has overcome the Devil and has taken away the sin of the world, through His own sacrifice at the cross. Through the washing in Holy Baptism by the blood of our Savior, Jesus comes to His people, rescues them by His cross and empty tomb and invites them to, by faith, Come to Him and see that they too can walk upon and overcome the depths of Hell, doubt, and despair as they keep the eyes of faith upon Him.
When evil befalls us, and we become afraid. Perhaps we fear that God has left us, that He has left us out in the middle of the sea to drown and be tormented on our own. The terrors that come to torment us come in many forms, but they all attack us in ways that undermine our faith individually and try to wear us down and make us give up hope. These same terrors slam against the sides of the good ship, Mother Church, as if they could destroy the Church, but it cannot. Instead the purpose of Satan is to unsettle the minds of people so that they become slaves to fear and “abandon ship” thinking that it is sinking when it is those controlled by fear who sink deeper and deeper into the waves of despair, fear and doubt, when they see only the wind and wave, when they see only doom and gloom.
But here is your hope and mine. Despite our terror, our fears, our worries which are all truly spiritual. Though we seem to be sinking or that the ship around us is cracking. We cry, Lord, save me! And IMMEDIATELY he does. He comes to us, and says couragify, be of courage, have courage, because I AM. I AM the Lord your God and I have redeemed you and I love you. For the sake of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. He grabs us choking and sputtering and brings us back to Himself, to the cross, to the empty tomb, to the table where His body and blood are given for us to eat and to drink that we may be united once again with Him. Be of courage, I have conquered all. Do not be afraid, because I am here with you spiritually and physically. Then as we may still be weeping, He reminds us of the hope that is ours, the hope that not only will He take care of us and defend us here in this life, but that we shall receive a real and permanent place of peace and safety when we are brought to our the shores of our heavenly home. There the seas of eternity will always be placid and calm for sin shall no longer have dominion. We shall live forever in the glory of God for eternity, soul and body in the joy of our Lord who has saved us and declared us righteous through faith. Now let us always remember that in this life, through faith in Jesus we have hope, love, joy, and may always by His Power be courageous. In Jesus name. Amen.
Pr. Aaron Kangas