What Sort of Man is This? :: Matthew 8:23-27
Heavenly Father, in spite of our sin that has corrupted all of creation, you still send Your Son to be among us to hear our prayers and grant great calm. As we have come to know Him and His almighty power that conquers fear, death, and the grave, lead us to call upon Your Son in true faith, that we might not panic, but instead be overcome with awe at all you do. In Jesus’ name.
We read: And the men marveled, saying, What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him (v 27). This is the text for our meditation.
Our readings these past few weeks have been leading to this verse. I’m not so sure it should be presented as a question. I think it might actually be a statement of faith. Either way, it’s a wonderful verse for us to ponder during this season of Epiphany. It summarizes our amazement about all that Jesus says and does for us.
If you’ve been paying attention to our Gospel readings the past three weeks, you should have noticed there hasn’t been any hoopla associated with anything that’s happened so far. Most of the signs so far have occurred with just a word ... one word. Jesus quietly turned water into fine wine. He said to the leper, be clean, and he was. He then healed a servant with just a word.
Even before getting into the boat, he quietly healed Peter’s mother-in-law (8:15) and cast out demons with just another word (v 16). Which leads us to today’s Epiphany.
Ask yourself now. What sort of man is this who can do all this with just a word?
When Jesus embarked into a boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, a great σεισμὸς ... you know, an earthquake ... happened in the sea [causing] the boat to be covered by the waves. But he was sleeping. And when they came to him, they raised him, saying, Lord, Save! We are perishing! And he said to them, Why are you being cowardly, O Little Faith Ones. Then he arose, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Then the men marveled, saying, What sort of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him!
I want you to think about that.
WHAT SORT OF MAN IS THIS?
This is our theme today. We think we know who Jesus is. But too often we take him for granted. Jesus is a man with power, and he is absolutely a man to be trusted. He is the one who overcomes the chaos of sin and death.
1. Most often, our Lord Jesus is the sort of man who is taken for granted though.
Why do we do this with ourselves, and especially our Lord: Taking Jesus for granted?
The disciples were fishermen. They were quite comfortable being at sea: Most of these guys were professionals. So they let Jesus sleep, probably feeling confident in their ability to handle the boat. We don’t need to bother him, they undoubtedly said. We have everything under control.
As long as we seem to keep things under control, we, too, are all quite willing to leave Jesus alone, aren’t we? If you’re honest with yourselves: You know we don’t pray as often as you should. You don’t call on him as often as you should. You think to yourselves, what could he possibly know about farming? We’re glad he’s still with us, but we often fail to remember ... everything depends on him.
So like the disciples, we leave Jesus alone. The last few days must have been quite exhausting on him anyway. After mixing himself up with the corruption of sin that has had its way on our bodies and lives, Jesus cleansed the leper, conversed with a centurion and healed his servant ... then he relieved the fever of Peter’s mother-in-law, and healed many more people who were sick and oppressed by demons.
Suddenly, a great σεισμὸς happened in the sea. And the winds began to blow.
The chaos of our fallen creation is often overwhelming. It shakes us to the core. It causes panic and fear. Suddenly, we don’t know what to do. We don’t know where to turn. And then we start saying to ourselves, Why bother Jesus? Why call upon Jesus? What sort of man is he anyway ... that he would care for me?
These are the questions asked throughout the ages. Your parents asked them. Your grandparents asked them. Your grandchildren will too. Is he even paying attention?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus wants you to know that not only is he listening and caring but he can do something about it.
2. He has all the power of our divine God.
Jesus wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of this truth. He wants you to trust that he can and will handle the problems and situations disciples confront every day, and that his intent for his people is always for their good and his glory. He wants us to have faith in him, at all times ... in all places ... even when we think it’s not his hour.
Haven’t we learned this yet? Who else could turn water into wine before his time, heal lepers and cast out demons? Jesus is not just a true man ... a man who eats with us and sleeps alongside us ... he is true God with all of his divine power.
With only a word, he saves. He is as John the Baptizer proclaimed the first Sunday after Epiphany, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is, as the Father in heaven declared, God’s beloved Son, which really means he is Immanuel ... He is God with Us.
But he is also true man. Jesus faces tragedy and trials. He will sweat blood and tears. All too often we doubt him. But nonetheless, he stares into the faces of demons that stare at him through the eyes of those held in bondage. He then has compassion on us and he saves us. This is what Jesus does.
Had the disciples forgotten this? Were they ignorant of all of this?
I don’t think they were for a second.
3. They knew Jesus is a man to be trusted.
Saint Matthew is providing us with this Epiphany that, even during one of the most overwhelming storms of their lives, Jesus remains with his disciples. He never left them. In fact, he led them to this point. The Lord may call his disciples, O you of little faith, but he doesn’t call them faithless. Instead, Jesus hears their prayer ... their cry to the Lord ... to Save! And then he does. He saves us all with just a word of Gospel, maybe two. Jesus brings great calm, confidence, and peace to all of our lives.
He is a man to be trusted. He is the One who hears our cries regardless of the time and place.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, do you see what is happening in our text today? Matthew is showing us that our Lord Jesus has become one with us. He makes it so that we will not perish, but have eternal life. He enables us to repent, to turn back to him. He wants to arouse in us a desire for him. He wants us to cry out to him in order that he may hear and answer us. He wants us to hear in order that he may save us. In this way, he teaches us to distrust ourselves and put our confidence in him.
Recognize that all of creation is groaning under the bondage of sin ... that things are agitated, shaken, and not good. Recognize that our own eyes have been veiled to the reality of Satan’s work to numb us and dumb us down into sin. And then recognize that Jesus is still with you. And call upon him. Ask him to save ... because He does! He will bring you peace.
4. This is the sort of man he is ... The one who overcomes the chaos of sin and death for you.
There is now nothing to fear. Our Lord Jesus silently and quietly went to the cross for you. He died for you. There, he paid the price of your sin, shedding his blood for you, the very blood that he longs to give you every day. This is his covenant to you, for you. The body and blood of Christ leaves us marveling that he delivers to you the forgiveness of your sins through the Lord’s Supper. This means of grace works together with baptism. Through water and the word, God opens our eyes and ears so that we too can marvel in faith that Christ continues to deliver his tangible Gospel to us to save us. As Luther says, here he offers us the entire treasure he has brought us from heaven (LC V 66).
You need not be overwhelmed by the despair and darkness in this world or in your lives. When the commotion of creation comes upon you, don’t be timid. We are invited to acknowledge today that Jesus is the sort of Man who is God, and who thus has the authority of God himself, come to repair creation and undo all the damage caused by sin, even death itself.
So lift up your eyes and see your risen savior delivering his peace to you. Have confidence in Christ, knowing today that he will never abandon you. His Holy Spirit will intercede for you on your behalf, and He will bring great calm to all who trust in Him and His Salvation, a salvation won for you in the turmoil of the cross, and the splendor of the resurrection.