St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church We welcome all who would like to worship with us on Sundays at 9:30 A.M.

We believe the Bible to be God's inspired, inerrant Word that tells us of our salvation through the suffering, dying and physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.

09/12/2026

REMINDER: The entire quad will worship at Christ in Denmark tomorrow, Sept. 13, at 10:00 a.m. with a potluck to follow.

09/12/2026

DATE: September 13, 2026

OCCASION: Pentecost 16

HYMNS: 485, 486, 484

READINGS: Genesis 50:15-21
Ephesians 4:29-5:2
Matthew 18:21-35



TEXT: Matthew 18:21-35

THEME: Full Forgiveness

PARTS: 1) Showing mercy (vv.21-27)
2) Remember how much you have been forgiven
(vv.28-35)


Pastor Jim Heffner
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, our Rock and our Redeemer, Amen.

This morning our sermon text comes to us from the Holy Gospel appointed for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost, Matthew chapter 18 reading verse 35 again:

Dear friends, as we practice forgiveness, as a group of believers,

These four congregations have been very sympathetic, very understanding, dare I say, very forgiving. I am not the pastor I used to be. I am not the pastor that you deserve. I can’t will myself to do all the things that I used to do; to do all the things that I am supposed to do. I just had one of the worst weeks of my life physically. Each time I’m a little bit weaker, a little less of what I used to be. But I am very thankful that you have allowed me to serve you, even if it is less than it should be.
Obviously today’s text begins right after last week’s text and therefore it fits perfectly. Before we talk about today’s text let’s see how last week fits with today. When Jesus says it is our duty to practice church discipline let us not think that he is saying three strikes and you’re out. Before we broke fellowship with Missouri Synod for their practice of false doctrine we spent many, many years trying to help them correct their ways. Certainly Jesus lays out three steps to follow and we wouldn’t be wrong to do exactly as he says. But in taking last week’s text with this week’s text, maybe we need to spend more time on step one. Maybe our brother does listen to us and repent. And then sins again. And again. And again. And every time he asks for forgiveness.
After laying out proper church discipline, Peter wants to know what the limitations are. Here is where we can talk about trust versus forgiveness. If someone breaks trust with us maybe we won’t trust them again. That doesn’t mean we don’t forgive them. If I loan someone $100 and they never pay me back I certainly wouldn’t loan them another $100. I could forgive them but there might be a trust issue.
To understand what Peter asks and what Jesus responds we need to know what the number seven means to Jews. If Jesus’ response is 77 or 490 this doesn’t really matter. We don’t keep tallies on forgiveness because I’m pretty certain we would have used them all up before adulthood. Who would keep tallies? Maybe those that think Jesus is going to set up an earthly kingdom for 1,000 years stop counting at 77 or 490. Peoples, languages, tribes and nations with Father, Son and Holy Spirit make seven. The completeness of life as we see man’s and God’s relationship to each other. A completeness, a fullness. When your brother asks for forgiveness you give it completely, fully.
Jesus then tells us another way in what the kingdom of God is like. The first servant who owes his master a large amount of money is absurd. How could this man even rack up so much in the amount he owed. Jesus says that this man owed 10,000 talents in debt. Okay 10,000 seems like a lot but let’s consider what that amount was at that time, not taking into account adjusted expenses or worth. 10,000 talents at the time Jesus is telling us this story amounted to 60 million days of work. If we live to be 75 and work every day since the day we were born we could work between 27 and 28 thousand days. If you want to figure out how many years you would have to work 60 million days you can do that on your own. The point that Jesus is making is that there is no way this debt could be paid off.
The master’s solution is to sell the man, sell the man’s wife, sell his children and all he had to settle the debt. All this wouldn’t even come close to paying off the whole debt. What the master would have gained from that would be minimal. The man asks for patience and says that he will pay back everything which we all know that’s not true. The master realized that was true and took pity on him. He cancelled the debt completely. Think about this – this was no small amount. Many, many years ago it always made me a little angry and maybe you as well, that when someone committed some heinous crime, the worst possible thing, if they turned to Jesus and asked for forgiveness, they got it. It bothered me because they “got away with it.” But let’s stop and consider this – what have we got away with. There is not anything so bad that Jesus’ victory on the cross hasn’t covered. No matter what, you’re covered. And who’s to say, maybe if God kept a record of sins maybe we owe 60 million days of work.
So this servant leaves and finds another servant who owes him 100 denarii. One denarius was one day of work. 100 days of work is considerably less than what the first servant owed but by no means tiny. But not an insurmountable amount that could be paid off. A couple days a week and it would take a year. But the servant refuses to even let him try to pay it back. And if he threw him into prison, as the text says, how would he be able to earn any money to pay him back?
It seems as if this first servant was a little more important than the other servants. And if he dealt with this man the way that he did, it is no wonder why the other servants would be distressed. If the master is gracious you would expect the servants to be gracious. Justice needed to be served. There is no doubt that the other servants were aware of both debts.
The master takes immediate action when he finds out what has happened. He calls the servant in and calls him a wicked servant. This man was an unbeliever. Scripture often calls “fools” or the “wicked” as being outside the kingdom. The master tells him that he should have acted the same way that the master had acted toward him. The master handed him over to the jailers until he paid all he owed. The Catholic verse for purgatory. I believe Luther is now out of hell and made it to purgatory. The danger with the false doctrine of purgatory is that no one goes to hell – you could spend x amount of time in purgatory and once you’ve paid the debt you can enter heaven. The problem is that the debt can never be repaid.
The important thing we need to remember is that God does not punish us for our sins. He doesn’t punish anybody. He punished Christ. Certainly there are consequences for certain sins. If you drink a case of b**r everyday your liver probably isn’t doing so well. If you don’t eat responsibly there are all kinds of bad results that can happen. If you don’t follow warning signs in all aspects of your life something avoidable can happen.
What God punishes is rejection of his Son. To those of us who have salvation, forgiveness and eternal life in the Son it seems too easy. Forgiveness is full and free, why not accept it? We know that we are nowhere near perfect and in fact, some of our imperfections, are sins. When the Holy Spirit through the gospel in Word and Sacrament enables us to understand how much we have been forgiven motivates us to forgive others.
Our lives as Christians are lives of forgiveness. After Creation and the fall into sin there was immediate forgiveness offered. Adam and Eve were not permitted to return to the Garden of Eden but they did return to God and walk again with him in the glories of heaven. Sometimes our sins really screw things up but forgiveness is part of God’s ultimate goal in bringing us to heaven, AMEN.

Now may the peace of God that transcends all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.

09/05/2026

DATE: September 6, 2026

OCCASION: Pentecost 15

HYMNS: 581, 468, 441, 346

READINGS: Ezekiel 33:7-11
Galatians 2:11-16
Matthew 18:15-20



TEXT: Matthew 18:15-20

THEME: Handling Matters

PARTS: 1) Dealing with sin (vv.15-18)
2) Praying for blessings (vv.19,20)


Pastor Jim Heffner
Grace, mercy and peace are yours from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

This morning our sermon text comes to us from the Holy Gospel appointed for the 15th Sunday after Pentecost, Matthew chapter 18 reading verse 20 again:

Dear friends as we see there is a right way to handle things,

I kinda wish that the text would be about another miracle because I want to talk about miracles for a few seconds here. Miracles happen every day and we often fail to see it or acknowledge it. I believe that every disease or sickness we have and then beat it is a miracle. Even the common cold. Without God’s continuing care when someone gets a common cold that person should die of pneumonia. Most so-called “cures” only treat the symptoms. The strength I have to continue each week and not just sit home and wait to die, is a miracle.
Today’s text talks about how to handle sin specifically and we would classify this under the 8th Commandment. The easiest way to break the 8th Commandment is to not take a person’s words and actions in the kindest possible way. I like to use email but the problem with email is that there is no tone in the words spoken and many people do not understand sarcasm. I see no need in being serious all of the time. But when it comes to sin we are entirely serious because it is a life or death situation. Unchecked sin does not benefit anyone. Judge ye not lest you be judged has no place when Jesus tells us to point out another’s sin and call them to repentance.
When Scripture answers the question that we are indeed our brother’s keeper it is not only talking about our physical siblings. Your believing son or daughter or parent or anyone who trusts in in Christ is your brother or sister in Christ and our goal needs to be the same as God’s – that everyone come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved.
We when speak of sin, the sins we commit against each other are in the 4th through the 10th Commandment. Of course every sin against someone else is a sin against God. The Commandments that are specifically sins against God – one through three, who speaks for those? Generally that is thrown to the Pastor, and maybe some pastors enjoy calling out sin, but I don’t. I wish we didn’t have to release members because they don’t answer our letters or return to worship. I don’t like to refuse communion to members who are living openly in a sin. To those two sins the solution seems pretty simple to me – come to church, get married. I don’t know if many people understand that missing a Sunday here or there is still breaking the 3rd Commandment. I know sometimes it is physically impossible – last Sunday I went home after receiving the Lord’s Supper. But we have four chances to worship every week – not next week – but I find it hard that someone physically capable can’t make to one of our services. We can’t have an attitude that goes something like this: “My church worships when I can’t so I’m not going this week.” Some our members are very good at attending churches that aren’t “their own.” Going to church or not going to church is a habit. Growing up, unless I was sick, we missed church twice a year. Both times we broke the 3rd Commandment.
In verse 15 of today’s text Jesus says that if your brother sins we should point it out to him privately. The variant in this verse is “against you” and does not have much support to be in the text. When was the last time you pointed out a known sin to someone privately? “None of my business” or “judge ye not” has nothing to do with what Jesus clearly says in this text. Another easy way to break the 8th Commandment is when someone sins against you, and you tell someone else rather than the person who sinned against you or you think sinned against you. Another term for this is slander or gossip. It has no place among believers in Jesus.
The goal of pointing out the sin is repentance. I have no doubt that every one of you who sins is sorry for their sin. This is contrition. Contrition is only part of repentance. The first part of repentance is believing that only the blood of Jesus purifies us from every sin. Then sorrow over sin and a conscious effort to change. Pointing out a sin gently with the goal of repentance is received with thanksgiving that you cared enough about their immortal soul that you didn’t want a sin to go unchecked.
Sometimes people will not accept simple correction. Sometimes people don’t think that they have sinned or that their sin isn’t as serious as it really is. Sometimes certain sins have become “too comfortable” for us. Before we point out a sin we must understand if it is really a sin or not. Did someone say something that was sarcastic and we immediately did not take their words and actions in the kindest possible way? We have 10 ways to know if something is a sin or not.
When we know a sin has been committed, we are our brother’s keepers and we must point it out. I am not an investigator nor should anyone else but if a sin is obvious it must be pointed out. Having more witnesses is a direct quote from Deuteronomy 19. Having more people is not an excuse to expose a sin but it is still gently and privately as possible to correct what is clearly wrong. If you have more than one person pointing out your sin the goal is still the same – repentance. Pointing out a sin is not hardhearted or mean or sitting in judgment on someone. It is care for the person’s immortal soul and when the erring brother or sister sees this they will receive the rebuke with thanksgiving.
Unfortunately in many cases, whether they say it out loud or not, their thoughts are this: What I want to do is more important than my immortal soul. I hope that no one of us ever says or thinks this because those are the words of an unbeliever. When forgiveness and eternal life is a free gift of God why would we not gladly receive it? Why would we not want to do what is God-pleasing?
Jesus is asking us to make a judgment based on a person’s actions and whether an erring brother or sister is repentant of their sins. One of the easiest sins to recognize is the 3rd Commandment. We easily know when someone is in church or not. We also know when repentance has taken place – that person returns to regular worship. We have a member of Rockwood that might appear to not be at regular worship but that person is regularly at St. John. This is classic example of worshiping when we can.
Verse 18 is called the Keys and is part of our Catechism. Jesus says that it is our duty to make a judgment on a person’s sins and this is not the only place in Scripture where he gives the Keys to his disciples. It is our duty NOT to forgive someone who is not repentant. It is also our duty to forgive someone who seeks forgiveness and wants to make an effort to change the situation. I hate the word “apologize” because the meaning of this word is “to make a defense for what I said or did.” When someone says, “I’m sorry,” the response should not be “that’s okay” or something else. The response should be, “I forgive you” because that is really what they need to hear.
Verse 19 might seem troubling. Jesus says if two agree on anything it will be done by the Father in heaven. I’m sure that at least two people have prayed that God remove my cancer. Why have I battled cancer for more than two years now? Let us remember that when we pray God always gives us what we ask for or something better. Obviously going home to heaven is better for me than anything else and I shouldn’t want more time here but I do. This is where we think about miracles again.
Verse 20 has to be one of the most comforting passages of Scripture. Why wouldn’t we want to worship together? Worshipping together brings Jesus together into our midst. Jesus is holding my hand, in fact, he is carrying me. His power is made perfect in weakness. The weaker I get the more Jesus’ power is evident in my life. When we know that Jesus is in our midst this is comforting but it is also a warning to pay attention to his Word and take it seriously.
So today Jesus clearly teaches how to handle matters and let us faithfully do so trusting in his forgiveness. AMEN. Now...

08/29/2026

We have been blessed with Pastor Greg Bey preaching the past couple weeks. Pastor Heffner hopes to resume preaching next week, at which time I can begin posting his sermons once again.

08/29/2026

Sunday school begins
September 20. All children in 4K through 6th grade are welcome.

08/29/2026

Reminder: There will be one service for the entire quad on September 13. It will be an outdoor service at Christ in Denmark, at 10:00 a.m., with a potluck to follow. We hope to see many of your there.

08/15/2026

Reminder: Next week the entire quad will worship in one service at Christ in Denmark on August 20. This means that Rockwood, St. Peter and St. John will not have worship the weekend of August 22-23.

Christ in Denmark has worship at 6:00 pm Thursday night. We hope to see many of you there.

08/15/2026

DATE: August 16, 2026

OCCASION: Pentecost 12

HYMNS: 466, 391, 353, 333

READINGS: Isaiah 56:1,6-8
Ephesians 2:13-22
Matthew 15:21-28



TEXT: Matthew 15:21-28

THEME: The Church Is For All People

PARTS: 1) Don’t give up (vv.21-24)
2) Faith is rewarded (v.25-28)


Pastor Jim Heffner
Grace, mercy and peace are yours from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

This morning our sermon text comes to us from the Holy Gospel appointed for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost, Matthew chapter 15 reading the first half of verse 28:

Dear friends, as we know that Church is meant for all,

At some point within the next week or so I am going to be hospitalized. That’s not a clever way of starting a sermon and it’s not meant to be funny. It’s just a fact. When I had an abscess in June I was told, “It wasn’t going away. We had to open you up.” I’m sure now that it has returned in August that the prognosis will be the same. What does that mean for my eye test? What does that mean about going to Minnesota? What does that mean for next Thursday? Last time there was strep and e coli in there – probably not a good idea to wait too long. Last time they put the drain in I came home with a pulmonary embolism.
Today (Thursday) Ruth had a hole drilled in her head to do a brain biopsy. She has been at Children’s Wisconsin all week. They ruled out Rasmussen which usually means partial brain removal. I’m not sure how to pronounce what they say she has but whatever it is, it is almost as rare as Rasmussen. Whatever the case is there is a long road ahead.
I guess instead of a part of the sermon I should have made this the theme: “Don’t give up.” But sometimes doesn’t it almost seem pointless? Am I going to be hospitalized every other month? Are the treatments going to continue to work? I was defeated today for a couple of hours, debating whether or not we should have church. I hate cancelling church almost as much as I hate being hospitalized. But the Church is for all people. This is where God comes to us in service to us. He is the one who is serving, not us. He gives us his precious Word to strengthen our faith. Here is where we find the Sacraments – the visible proof of his love.
As we get into this text, if this portion of Matthew is all we have and it stops at verse 24, then we have lost all hope. Eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow we die. Life becomes pointless and why not give up? If Jesus is only here for the lost sheep of the house of Israel … well, that’s not us. Certainly we are spiritual Israel but that’s not what Jesus is saying in this text.
In verse 21 we see Jesus again withdrawing from Judea. Just as certain aspects of my health are in real danger, Jesus is in real danger anytime he is around Jerusalem. This time Jesus heads west into the region of Tyre and Sidon. At Solomon’s time, the King of Tyre supplied him with cedar for building his palace and the Lord’s Temple. Now the terms aren’t so cordial. But at least in this region the people weren’t looking for a way to kill Jesus. Also, we have to consider the fact that Jesus going here was intentional – not only for his disciples but to remind everyone what the LORD had said in Isaiah.
The woman refers to Jesus as the Son of David. This is significant because the Promised Messiah was to descend from David. David was promised to always have a man to sit on his throne and now the one, true King was here. This woman knows that Jesus is the Promised Savior and she knows that he can help her. She appeals to Jesus’ mercy.
Jesus didn’t say a word. What was he waiting for? Why doesn’t he immediately act and miraculously heal her daughter right away? Many of us have health issues and we will probably die with them. We know who Jesus is and we know what he can do, why doesn’t he just do it? St. Paul pleaded with Jesus to remove his “thorn in the flesh” whatever that might have been and Jesus told him that his grace was sufficient for him. If anyone is thinking that Jesus is treating us unfairly it might be a good idea to read the book of Job.
The disciples were not as patient as Jesus. They want him to send her away because she was being annoying to them. She wasn’t giving up because she knows that Jesus is the only one who can help. Somehow at sometime she had heard God’s Word and was given the miraculous gift of faith. Faith is always a gift of God and we will do well to pray that God will increase our faith. She had faith that Jesus could do what she asks but more importantly she had faith that Jesus is her Savior.
Jesus then says that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This is the point of all the prophets and all the festivals and sacrifices and temple worship. This is why the Jews practiced genocide because the LORD didn’t want any other peoples to pollute his people. The promises made to Abraham had to come true. Now it is fulfilled in Jesus. But, knowing that she certainly was not a Jew, didn’t give up.
The EHV is right when it translates “little dogs.” These were laps dogs that were common in Israel. They weren’t 82 pound labs that think they are lap dogs. They were little dogs that could help things disappear. My dog usually waits all day to see what he can get and if he doesn’t get enough from “stealing” or being handed to him, then he eats at the end of the day. Jesus is basically calling this woman a little dog. Maybe no one but Jesus and this woman know what he is talking about when he speaks of the children’s bread. Jesus is talking about God’s Word and the promises of salvation that are found in that true spiritual food. This woman knows this because in some way she had heard the promise of the Savior and knew that it was Jesus and knew that he could help her.
When we sit down to a good meal we are not worried about a few crumbs. But this isn’t what we want from God’s table. “Jesus loves me this I know, and that is all I want to know” is not a good attitude to have. We want a full meal. I remember the first sermon I preached and my professor said that if they took the offering before the sermon the people would want the plates back so they could get their money back. Not exactly a glowing report on my sermon. I don’t know if my sermons are any longer than that first one, but I hope after 23 years that I would have gotten better. We want to come to church, be served by God and his Word, the gospel in Word and Sacrament and feel better.
In this text Jesus rewards this woman for her faith. But let us remember that faith itself is a gift. This is a gift that God wants to give to all. Certainly the Jews had all the advantages. We might say that they started on 3rd base. Immediately after Adam and Eve fell into sin God promised them a Savior. Rather than starting over, which would have resulted with Adam and Eve going to hell, God was not willing to lose one person. He saved eight people when he destroyed the world in a flood. The water is a symbol of baptism as Peter tells us.
The LORD came specifically to Abraham not because of anything he did and certainly not what he would do, but only by his grace. He continually sent prophets to his people to turn them from their ways back to him. David was promised a Son who would always sit on his throne. And now that Son was here and the woman in our text knew it.
So we see that the Church is for all people. Don’t give up on what the Lord has in store for you. Your faith will be rewarded. Two years ago I was the picture of perfect health, though I’m sure the tumor was probably already in there. Our family had relatively “easy” solutions to health issues. Now, not so much. Sometimes it gets frustrating because you know God can do whatever he wants whenever he wants. I’m sure he is trying to teach us something but I don’t know what it is. What I do know is that his number one goal is to get us to heaven. As believers in Jesus we have eternal life right now. We will live on this earth and continue to live after we leave this earth. It’s almost like moving from grade school to high school. A new place but the same person.
May God use us in whatever he chooses to promote the extension of his Church. We will not give up because we know that our faith will be rewarded for following Jesus wherever he leads. AMEN.

Now may the peace of God that transcends all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.

08/08/2026

DATE: August 9, 2026

OCCASION: Pentecost 11

HYMNS: 221, 349, 467

READINGS: 1 Kings 19:9-18
Romans 8:28-39
Matthew 14:22-33


TEXT: Matthew 14:22-33

THEME: Answering Doubt with Faith

PARTS: 1) Jesus is Almighty God (vv.22-26)
2) So trust in him (vv.27-33)


Pastor Jim Heffner
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, our Rock and our Redeemer, Amen.

This morning our sermon text comes to us from the Holy Gospel appointed for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, Matthew chapter 14 reading verse 33 again.

Dear friends, as we answer all our doubts with faith,

One day, a couple of summers ago, I wanted to fish Lake Winnebago because I finally had a boat that wouldn’t get swamped by boat traffic. It had stormed the night before and when we got there we were the only ones there. We launched the boat and went about 100 yards through muddy water before it became clear. My mom’s husband who is always the last person ready to leave the lake was different this time. Waves were crashing the shoreline like the ocean and we were rocking pretty good. At the end of a drift he said, “The boat landing is over there.” I said, “I know where the boat landing is.” After the second drift he said, “Those waves aren’t getting any smaller.” I said, “Do you want to go?” “Yeah.” My boat can take on a lot of water, but that day was too much for him. But there have been other days where you could have taken a canoe on Lake Michigan.
Before I moved here “big boats” weren’t that big after all. When you would fish the Madison Lakes and if you went down the Yahara River from Lake Waubesa to Lake Monona you would pass a marina where you might see some big boats with in board engines and maybe 25 feet long at the biggest – all with names on the stern. When you travel from Two Rivers to Sturgeon Bay you see much bigger boats than what you would see on the Madison Lakes. But when you grow up and the biggest boats you see might be a 19 foot Ranger or a 20 foot Champion you realize over here that’s pretty small. My little sixteen foot Ranger can fish three casting 7 foot or longer Musky rods comfortably but I was told to keep it off the Big Lake before I inherited it.
What the disciples had on the Sea of Galilee was a big boat. After all there were 12 twelve disciples on it when they left the remote place of our text and there was still some room when Jesus later joins them. How big does a boat have to be to have 12 grown men on it not shoulder to shoulder?
Today’s text begins where last week’s text ended. Jesus had just fed most likely more than 10,000 people miraculously and now that they were filled, Matthew tells us that “immediately” Jesus tells his disciples to get into the boat and leave. Then he dismissed the crowd. Last week they didn’t have to go away. Now they do. They can all go away, well-fed and happy.
Last week when Jesus wanted to be alone he took care of the people, putting them first. Now he is finally alone. He went up the mountain side to pray. Worshiping and praying together is good for mutual encouragement. When I see 62 at Good Friday or 58 at an Ascension worship I am encouraged. As we get to know each other better we will feel more comfortable worshipping at a church that isn’t “ours.” Getting all of our normal worshipers to worship at only one worship at one church isn’t easy. Getting 100 at the picnic in September would be great. But it requires Rockwood, St. Peter and St. John members to worship at a church that isn’t “their own.” We need everyone who normally worships on Saturday and Sunday to worship at a different time and place. We can do it!
But this text teaches us that we need to spend some alone time with our Lord. If Jesus goes up on the mountain at sunset he spends several hours praying before he goes to the disciples on the boat. We all need this one on one time every day. We can pray to our Lord and nothing is off limits trusting that he will give us whatever we ask for or something better. As we grow in faith we will know this to be true as sometimes we think our prayers are unanswered but really they are answered for our own spiritual good.
It is not fun to be on a big body of water in windy weather. Especially if the lake is not very deep – then the waves have only one way to go – up. My brother and his son were caught on a Lake in Vilas County where death was imminent. Well, my nephew is a single father with three sons to raise so they made it. The disciples had a good sized boat but they were also on a large body of water.
In the middle of the night as they were fighting the weather, Jesus walks to them on the water. Whenever I read this text I am always surprised at how superstitious the disciples are. It is almost like the show Paranormal Caught on Camera – every unexplained sight in the sky that people see are automatically UFOs. In Greek what they saw was a phantasm – where we get our word “phantom.” It is interesting that the word is translated “ghost” and the old English way of Holy Spirit was Holy Ghost. Two totally different Greek words translated in the same way. It is amazing how easily the disciples are afraid when Jesus is not with them.
I love the next part when Jesus identifies himself and tells them not to be afraid and it is not wishful thinking. I wonder what the disciples heard? Did they hear “It is I” or did they hear something else? Because I when I read the Greek the words are “ego eimi.” In John chapter eight when Jesus is talking with the Pharisees and experts in the law he says, “Before Abraham was born, ego eimi.” There in John it is translated “I AM.” And they picked up stones to stone him because what Jesus was saying was what Moses heard from the burning bush. When Moses asked who should he say is sending him the LORD answered “I AM.” If the disciples understood that Jesus is saying that he is Almighty God there is no reason to be afraid.
Peter is still not so sure. He says that “if” it is really Jesus that he should command him to come out to him on the water. Doesn’t that seem like putting the Lord to the test? When I went out on Lake Winnebago I wasn’t afraid but I also didn’t go to the farthest part of the lake from the boat landing. There is a difference between being cautious and being dumb. What Peter asks is not smart. Would we readily put ourselves in danger so that the Lord can rescue us? Wouldn’t we be cautious and still hold on to Jesus, just in case? Or do we blindly go through life not using our God-given heads except to put a hat on?
Jesus tells Peter to come and we do see the size of the boat a little better because Matthew tells us he had to climb down. Only when it’s on the trailer do it I need to climb up into my boat. So Peter gets out and walks on the water because Jesus enabled him to do. And maybe Peter isn’t dumb. If they understood Jesus as saying “I AM” they knew he was Almighty God and with God they can do anything.
But Peter took his eyes off Jesus. He saw the strong winds and immediately lost faith and lost his footing. He began to sink and cried out for the Lord to save him. Before our heads go under water we need to cry out to the Lord also. We are all in a win-win situation. Whatever happens – even life or death – we belong to the Lord. If we continue to live we live under the gracious watch of our Lord and if we die we live with him in heaven forever. Jesus took hold of Peter and asks him where his faith is and asks him why doubted. Peter had no reason to doubt if Jesus first words were “I AM.”
When they get into the boat Jesus proves that he is indeed, I AM, the Almighty God. As soon as they got into the boat the wind stopped. Mark tells us that they were amazed that the wind stopped because they did not understand about the loaves because their hearts were hardened. John tells us that they were three or four miles out into the sea and when Jesus climbed in they immediately arrived at their destination.
In verse 33 the miracle is addressed as it should be. There is worship and there is confession of faith in Jesus as the Great I AM. He is the one of the burning bush, he is the one walking with Adam and Eve and he is the one who won our salvation and guarantees us a place in heaven. So when doubt enters our lives we defeat it with faith. We are the Lord’s forever, AMEN.

Address

16904 County Road Q
Mishicot, WI
54228

Opening Hours

8:30am - 9:30am

Telephone

+19207761308

Website

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