Trinity 9
The events of our text take place right after one of Jesus’ greatest miracles—the feeding of the 5000, which we heard in last week’s Gospel. It is clearly one of Jesus’ greatest and most significant miracles because the Holy Spirit led all four evangelists to record it—the only time He has done so. Not even our text of Jesus walking on the water is recorded by all four Evangelists, St. Luke omits it.
And as we look at our text, we see it is a text of great contrasts. Our eyes are right away drawn to the spectacular—the great storm, the fear of the disciples, Jesus walking on the water, St. Peter walking and then fearing the huge wave. But how does the text begin—in the quiet and solitude of prayer—of Jesus praying to His Father. St. Matthew emphasizes this quiet and solitude: After [Jesus] had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone. Here is the glorious time of solitude and prayer. Again a contrast: just before, the area had been teeming with all sorts of people following Jesus. He showed His merciful heart as He saw their sick and healed them [14] and when it was getting late in the day He fed them—5000 men plus women and children. This event spurred the people to action [Jn 6.15]—they wanted to make Jesus their king, their bread king! Jesus would have none of that! And lest the disciples get taken in by that kind of thinking, Immediately [Jesus] made the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. By Jesus compelling the disciples to leave, we see the urgency on Jesus’ part to get them to leave and maybe even a bit of their own unwillingness—perhaps they were taken in by the crowds demand to make Jesus king—their bread king. So here, too, at the beginning of our text is a bit of commotion/ action.
It is that background where we then find that lovely second verse of our text: After [Jesus] had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone. It is sandwiched between these scenes of great action/ tumult. What a vital image that is for us! Here we see that Jesus always found time for prayer in the midst of the most distracting and busiest of times. What is so often our excuse for not praying? –“I don’t have time. I have x, y and z to do. Look at how filled up my time/ day is!” But here, in the midst of a busy day, Jesus not only had time, He made time. Certainly we are not busier than our Lord; certainly our work isn’t more vital than His. He had time for prayer and so do we—it’s all a matter of priority.
Although Jesus is the true God, He is also true man who needs and seeks comfort and strength in prayer/ this heart to heart talk with God. Certainly we need that as well. If the sinless and holy God-man did, how much more do we sinners need to go to the Lord in prayer? And then there is that beautiful comment: When evening came, He was there alone. Not only was He on that mountain to pray, but He was there in solitude and quiet. These are the best conditions for prayer, for opening our hearts to God, pondering His word and speaking to Him in prayer. The best thing for us is to seek times of quiet for prayer—or at least as best as our time and place afford us. Like here with Jesus that day—maybe it’s at the end of a long day; maybe get up a bit earlier in the day to begin your day with prayer; or maybe forge out a part during the day that works best for the solitude and quiet of prayer. The main thing is to just do it! Start, if you haven’t!
But now we come to the action of our text, what our eyes generally focus on: 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. Here were the disciples, probably half way across the lake and getting nowhere fast. Certainly when they started out it seemed fine—after all if it was storming Jesus would not have sent them out like that. One of the quick developing squalls developed and was wreaking havoc for them. For a good number of hours they were on that lake—perhaps even 8 hours, a full day’s work—they were facing the wind, trying to keep the boat stable and from sinking. Our text mentions that in the fourth watch of the night Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. The 4th watch was between 3 and 6 AM; and when it got dark, they were already in the boat.
But then you think about the context of what had just happened: Immediately [Jesus] made the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side. The disciples were on that lake because of Jesus! He told them to go out there. And what happened? Trouble quickly came upon them. That is a most comforting reminder for us, dear Christian! Trouble, trial, hardship—even when we are struggling for our very lives—that comes upon us. We as Christians are not spared any trouble or difficulty in this life. Being a Christian does not put a bubble of immunity around us. We dare never think that something bad has happened to us because we aren’t good enough Christians. Look at the disciples—they were following Jesus’ express order— to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side —and this life threatening danger suddenly comes upon them?! So our text gives us a great comfort when trial comes upon us—we dare never doubt our faith as if trouble doesn’t come to Christians. As we do the work our Lord has given us to do—to live faithfully in our families, to do our daily work, to live a life in accord with the commandments—we can and should expect trouble and hardship, get into the boat and go before Him to the other side. Trouble does and will come, but as we see with the disciples, we have great comfort in those times: Jesus.
But, just as Jesus didn’t come to His disciples with the first gust of wind or wave, so with us it seems that He delays His help. Just think, if Jesus came and rescued us out of our trouble at the first whiff of it, would we recognize and long for Him and His help? After all, before we really felt our need Jesus would grant us relief. But the way Jesus so often works with us is like how He worked with the disciples that day. 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 Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. Again, Jesus could have prevented this storm from coming; but He didn’t. In His permission, He allowed it—to serve His gracious purposes for His disciples. Here He certainly allowed it to try/ test/ exercise their faith. And look at the way He did it: the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. Some of those disciples were experienced fishermen who had experienced such storms. But as the storm dragged on certainly even these experienced fishermen would stop looking for help and hope in their skill or in any earthly help. As that boat was being tossed their hearts are awakened and longing for and feeling their need for help/ rescue not coming from them; they felt their need for God’s help! Here Jesus, by His allowance put them in a situation where they would have greater longing for Him; and when He would help them, when all hope for help seemed to be gone, they would continue to remember that marvelous help.
This is the way the Lord continues to work with us today. Yes, He allows trouble and trial—the very thing that Satan wants to us to destroy our faith—but what does Jesus do? Often, like here, seemingly nothing! Things get worse and worse; our troubles intensify. But we dare not think the Lord has forgotten us. Never! Very often, like here, He lets the trouble continue so that we truly feel our need; truly see that there is no human way out; that all hope is gone. But what is the reality? Jesus is with us in our trouble, graciously with us—but we don’t recognize Him. He isn’t unaware. St. Mark writes of our account as Jesus was on land, on the mountain [4.28]: Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night He came to them. Jesus, the all-knowing/ seeing God sees them in their troubles and at the right time comes to help. This is our great comfort in our troubles—Jesus knows our trouble and our need; and in the right way and the right time, He will come and help!
But what do we read in our text? 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. In our times of trouble, we don’t always recognize Jesus is with us. We don’t recognize Him because He appears other than we imagine. In times of trial and temptation, we think of Jesus other than how He is. That’s why we must never believe what our own thoughts are telling us. That’s why we with the eyes of faith must see Jesus with us and with the ears of faith hear Him like the disciples that night did: But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; I AM. Do not be afraid.” Notice, Jesus is with them in their trouble as He is with us in ours and what does our text say: immediately Jesus spoke to them. Jesus gives us the assurance through His holy word and sacrament that He is with us, that He is our dear, gracious God and Savior, that He is working all things for our spiritual good. That’s what He does in His holy word. That’s why it’s vital for us—especially in the midst of trial, when all sorts of thoughts are going through our head—to read and ponder Scripture, where Christ speaks to us. That’s why it’s vital, especially in time of trial, that we are here in church hearing God’s word; it’s a wonderful corrective to what our own sinful thoughts may be telling us. And as we are here in church, we are here where God promised to meet us—in His holy word and sacrament. Here we are in His presence and receiving His gifts. Here we can be most assured of Jesus’ presence with us in the midst of our trial until He grants us help and rescue. And in the most glorious and wonderful way, we are assured of Jesus’ gracious presence with us as He comes to us and unites with us giving us His very body and blood in the holy Sacrament of the Altar. As we receive Jesus’ body and blood in our very mouths, how can we ever doubt that He is with us in our troubles? Here is our greatest comfort and joy in the midst of trouble—that most glorious assurance of Jesus’ gracious presence.
Let us not forget who this Jesus is who is with us. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus came to them, walking on the sea, and “Take heart; I AM. Do not be afraid.” This walking on the water shows Jesus to be the very God Himself. The Lord asks Job in the OT: Have you entered into the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? And earlier Job confessed [9.8]: He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea. And not only does Jesus show that He is true God by walking on the water but He says He is God when He says: “Take heart; I AM. Do not be afraid.” By saying I AM, Jesus is saying He is the great I AM, the God of the OT.
Dear Christian, this is the One who is graciously with us in our time of temptation and trouble—Jesus, the true God. We are in His gracious, loving hands. Even though He does not rescue us right away, at first, like we think He should, He hasn’t left us or abandoned us in our trouble. He is with us in the midst of it, until He grants rescue and relief. And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. The first time Jesus calmed a storm, the disciples said [8.27]: Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him? And now through this, and other events those in the boat worshiped [Jesus], saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Jesus worked to strengthen and purify their faith, and He is doing the same with us today—even using our trials for our spiritual good as He is with us in the midst of them. That’s our greatest comfort! INJ