TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Who Is This Jesus?
August 9, 2020

The Gospel stories of Jesus often have a familiarity to us that may diminish
what the sacred writer wants us to understand. Simply put, there has never
been any individual on this earth like Jesus. He has divine power that can heal
the sick, revive the dead, and multiply bread and fish to feed multitudes. And
He can even walk on water. Nobody else has ever done that. Only Jesus. As
we worship and hear the Gospel account shared today, let us rediscover in
Jesus our one and only Savior.

“The Lord, My God, Be Praised” [LSB 794]
1 The Lord, my God, be praised, My light, my life from heaven;
My maker, who to me, Has soul and body given;
My Father, who will shield, And keep me day by day
And make each moment yield, New blessings on my way.

2 The Lord, my God, be praised, My trust, my life from heaven,
The Father's own dear Son, Whose life for me was given,
Who for my sin atoned, With His most precious blood
And gives to me by faith, The highest heav'nly good.

3 The Lord, my God, be praised, My hope, my life from heaven,
The Spirit, whom the Son, In love to me has given.
His grace revives my heart, And gives my spirit pow'r,
Help, comfort, and support, In sorrow's gloomy hour.

4 The Lord, my God, be praised, My God, the ever-living,
To whom the heav'nly host, Their laud and praise are giving.
The Lord, my God, be praised, In whose great name I boast,
God Father, God the Son, And God the Holy Ghost.

HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 14:22–33
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to
the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed
the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening
came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from
the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the
fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 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. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them,
saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered him,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said,
“Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to
Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he
cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and
took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat
worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

 Is Jesus truly the Son of God only when we desperately need Him or also in
the ordinary and mundane?  Does the fact that Jesus is our Savior permeate
all our thoughts, words, and actions?  Are we so used to the stories about
Jesus that the deeper spiritual meanings for our lives escape us? Jesus was
born into human flesh so He could redeem our entire lives.  Jesus’ dying on
the cross to pay for all our sins was redeeming us completely and His
resurrection was the proof.  In redeeming our entire lives He opened the gates
of heaven to us.  This redemption brings forgiveness into every part of our
lives through the faith we have in Jesus, the Son of God.  This salvation Jesus
has won for us is meant to change who we are in all things not just some
things.  We cannot believe that Jesus does not understand us.  “For we do not
have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one
who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews
4:15)  Jesus understands us, every part of us and He has redeemed every
part of our lives for eternity.  He would like us to have a fuller understanding of
what is going on around us.  This is the meaning which the Palmist conveys.
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)  
Perhaps if the disciples had been looking for Jesus, they would have
recognized Him straight away. Perhaps this gives deeper meaning to the
words, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will
be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy
will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and
forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and
lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.

BENEDICTION
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
       The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.          
Down loadable copy click here
Devotion 8/9/2020