Sermon Index
August 10, 2008
SECOND LESSON: Romans 10:5–17 [How can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard?]
For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
GOSPEL LESSON: Matthew 14:22–33 [Peter walks on the water.]
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Romans 10:5–17, Matthew 14:22-33
August 10, 2008
Romans 10:5–17, Matthew 14:22-33
Peter believed in Jesus. He believed that if Jesus gave the command, then he too could walk on the water like Jesus was. While he was keeping his eyes upon Jesus, he was doing fine. He was walking on water! When he saw the wind, he was afraid because he thought that he was walking on the water by his own power. He began to worry how he himself was going to walk on the water when the wind was strong and the waves were high. He forgot that it was Jesus who was enabling him to walk on the water. Then he panicked and began to sink. Then he remembered the true source of the miracle. He cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” They got safely back into the boat, the wind ceased, and the disciples realized who Jesus was. They said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
When Peter was sinking, he called upon the Name of the Lord, “Lord, save me,” he cried. When we are in trouble, we too need to call upon the Name of the Lord. In fact, we all must call upon Jesus for help in trouble, and for eternal salvation. St. Paul wrote, “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” (Romans 10:13).
It is a basic teaching of Christianity that there is only Salvation through believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior. St. Peter said it this way in Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” It is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” And in today’s Epistle Lesson, Paul wrote, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9-10).
Paul said that this salvation was for all people. There is no distinction between Jew and Greek or other Gentiles. Jesus is the Lord of all. “Jesus is Lord.” Some people say that there are many roads to heaven. They say that all religions lead to the same goal. The Bible does not teach that. Jesus said that those other roads lead to hell. Paul says that both Jews and Gentiles must believe that Jesus is Lord. They must believe that Jesus died on the cross to forgive their sin and rose on the third day to give them eternal life. Even Jews must believe that, he says.
We sometimes wonder if Jews will go to heaven if they do not believe in Jesus. Jews believe in the same God of the Bible. Maybe the Islam religion does too. But they do not accept Jesus as their Savior. That is the problem. That is the problem because if you do not accept Jesus as your Savior, then you have no savior. Then you have to save yourself. Without Jesus, it is not faith and trust in God, but self confidence or self achievement. It becomes salvation by works and not salvation by faith and grace. And remember what happened when Peter forgot that he was walking on water only by the power of Jesus, he began to sink. And then he remembered that help and salvation was only through Jesus Christ. “Lord, save me!” he cried, and the Lord saved him.
Even in the Old Testament, salvation for the Jews was not automatic; it was not just because they were born an Israelite. Salvation was by faith, as the Old Testament prophet Joel said, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom. 9:27, Joel 2:32).
St. Paul agonizes over the unbelief of the Jews, but his solution is simple: evangelism. They must call upon the name of Jesus, but they cannot do that if they do not know about Jesus. To know about Jesus, they must hear the word of the Gospel. So someone has to preach or teach about Jesus. Those missionaries or evangelists must be sent out and supported. This was Paul’s own experience. The church in the city of Antioch had laid hands on him and Barnabas and sent them out to preach the Gospel. Their missionary work was supported by the church’s prayers and financial contributions. And in this way the Good News was proclaimed in many areas by Paul and others. It is the same today. Whether the Gospel is proclaimed to the Jews or the Gentiles of the world, evangelists must be trained and sent out and supported. We encourage young people to think about becoming pastors and missionaries and teachers in the church. We support our seminaries and church schools. We pray for missions. And when we have the chance, we speak the Good Word about Jesus.
Is salvation easy or hard? I think salvation is as easy as or as hard as walking on water. Salvation is humanly impossible, if it were humanly possible, then Jesus would not have had to die on the cross to forgive our sin. But Jesus did die and rise again. The water of Baptism is like that: it is a drowning and a resurrection. It is sinking in the water of baptism and knowing that Jesus will stretch out his hand and rescue us. After that, our faith-life is like walking on water. Everything is possible. We are safe with Jesus. We call out his Name in faith, and he calls out our name in invitation and says to us, “Come to me.”
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church