WEBVTT

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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

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You may be seated.

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Oh the water can be a fascinating thing.

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Waters a lot of fun, especially during the summer.

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Can't wait to jump into the river.

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Can't wait to run through the sprinkler.

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Can't wait for that moment

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when suddenly you feel like you could cool down a little bit.

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And yeah, it's water

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still is pretty dangerous.

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Water is deadly.

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You've probably heard stories on television.

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People who had boating accidents.

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People who drowned out on the lake.

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The water

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you've learned something to be respected.

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Our Lord Jesus Christ took charge of the water in today's text.

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He sent his disciples out and said you, you go over to the other side.

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I'll be right over.

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Then he paused for a little bit turned and took care of the crowd.

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The Compassion that we've heard about in the other texts coming out

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again

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with Christ having that heart-warming moment that he wants them to know

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that he cares.

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He's going to take care of them.

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After all, they've been running around, trying to see him trying to

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hear him.

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The least he could do is see them off in an inappropriate way.

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But then, what did he do?

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After they left, he went to pray.

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He went up the mountain to pray and by the time evening had come and

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he saw the boat a few miles out into the water while he was standing

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on the land.

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He saw that they were struggling the wind had come up.

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They're having a terrible time getting across the water.

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And as we heard this could be 

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dangerous.

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This could tip the boat.

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Throw them out.

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Bring drowning.

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But Jesus

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he saw them in their struggle continued, with his compassion and made

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his way out to them.

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Well you look like you seen a ghost?

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The disciples wondering what is going on here.

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Who is this guy? Oh it's Jesus.

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He's making his way out here in the midst of this wind.

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This moment where the storm must be brewing.

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And of course they were terrified that moment when you once again,

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realize we're out of control.

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Not just because of the wind, not just because of a terrifying

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circumstances, we could drown.

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But now we see a ghost coming towards us walking on the water defying, every

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thing

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that makes any sense whatsoever.

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You know, it's like a bad joke.

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What, you want me to walk on the water?

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Is that what you want me to do for you?

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You and I are unable to do that unless we pull some tricks.

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But you see God is making it very clear he is in charge of the very water.

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Well, even more importantly, he's not just in charge of the water

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upon, which he is walking.

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He's the very creator of the water.

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And what happens in a sinful world?

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Even God's good creation

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brings terror, fear,

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brings hopelessness.

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Brings that moment where you are

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sure, God's good creation is

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going to kill me.

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Those of you starting to be pastors.

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You will hear about all kinds of ailments and what sin has done to our

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bodies.

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You don't know Neil but

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Neil's funeral was Monday.

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Member of our congregation for well over 40 years.

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Congestive heart failure.

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Water.

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The body can't do away with the water fast enough.

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The water eventually brought her death.

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And yet every week that I was able to see her in her last months of

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her life, it was the water that she was counting on to save her soul.

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It was the very water that she knew was causing all kinds of trouble.

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Would be the water of forgiveness of sins

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in the water of baptism that kept pushing her down the road.

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Oh and 13 years ago, she had a debilitating stroke.

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She's been wheelchaired ever since.

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This lady, grabbed the hope of forgiveness and mercy in the waters of

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baptism and she clung to them week after we

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after year.

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Physical therapy session after physical therapy session.

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13 years

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and the Lord called her home.

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And then the week right before

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we celebrated what the waters of baptism had done for her carrying her

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to life Everlasting and that foretaste of the miraculous nature.

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Not only of how water can be turned into salvation, but Bread and

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Wine

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can be the resurrection.

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Hope.

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Forgiveness.

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In Victory.

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The victory over the sin the victory, over the death that she was

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facing because hospice

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Hospice have been visiting her for months.

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But the wonderful victory

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that now ushered her was preparing to usher her into salvation to

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Heaven itself.

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And as she, and I sat in her nursing home celebrating the Lord's

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Supper, we were going over the gospel readings.

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And I told her a couple weeks ago, I'll be preaching on this one at

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the Seminary.

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And she brought up

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It is, I do not be afraid.

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It is Jesus, right?

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And I said yes.

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She held onto the very word of God that saved her soul that brought

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her hope and comfort.

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And certainly she was afraid of what was about to take place.

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Not the Lord's Supper of course, but she knew her time was drawing nigh as only a few words

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she was able to speak.

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But she was able to say, Amen.

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Amen.

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To the prayers.

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Amen, to the Forgiveness of sins.

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Amen.

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To the body and blood given and the shed for you.

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Amen.

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At the end of the blessing.

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For she knew that Christ

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was still with her.

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In that holy word in that Comfort even though she had just made it

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through her life and was facing the end.

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Almost getting to the other side.

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It is those waters that

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still killed.

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Not her illness.

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But the waters, that killed her and Rose

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brought Resurrection to her in her baptism.

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For now she was facing the end of her life

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but thanks be to God

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she knew that she already had died and had risen with Jesus.

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That her life was the resurrected life.

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It is this understanding where this word of God in these miracles of

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divine power, even over such amazing things as waters and lakes and

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oceans that God created and oversees

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and controls, he makes them always to serve you the children of God.

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Regardless of your circumstances.

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No matter what pain you are in or how you are suffering.

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He is walking across the waters and meeting you exactly where you are.

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Whether it's a wind or a storm a fear or hopelessness,

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He's still delivering to you

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the victory.

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The victory that forgiveness of sins brings to you.

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And it's why we have the children of God in the boat of his church

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we walk away astounded.

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Astounded, even in our unbelief.

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Astounded,

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in do you think it really happened? Astounded in how many loaves and how

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many fish and how many thousands were fed. Astounded in approaching his

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holy altar

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where this little host 

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and that simple wine

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brings heaven to you.

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The Forgiveness of sins.

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It makes us one with the entire church.

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Including our sister in Christ,

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Neil. Amen.

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Peace of God

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that passes all understanding.

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Keep your hearts and minds in Christ

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Jesus. Amen