And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a
ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent
the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away,
He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening
was come, He was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst
of the sea, tossed with waves; for the wind was contrary. And in
the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on
the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they
were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out in
fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good
cheer; it is I; be not afraid.--_Matt. 14, 22-27._
Our blessed Lord was both, He was true God and He was true man.
To-day's Gospel-lesson presents Him to us in the fishermen's boat,
weary and sleeping on a pillow. There is humanity; for of God it
says: "Behold, He shall neither slumber nor sleep." Again, the same
story presents Him as commanding the winds and the waves. There is
Godship; for of God alone can it be said: "Thou rulest the raging
of the sea; when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them."
And this remarkable contrast you will find running through all
His earthly history. You enter the stable at Bethlehem. You see
a babe slumbering on its mother's lap. You say, "This is Mary's
child." Presently a company of shepherds enter, and tell what they
heard and saw while keeping watch over their flocks by night.
Scarcely have they finished their description, when wise men from
the East appear, alleging that they have been guided thither by a
star, and worshiping the Child with costly offerings. You stand on
Jordan's bank and mingle with the thousands who have come to hear
the word and submit to the Baptism of John. You behold one, Jesus
of Nazareth, going down to be baptized, but you think little of
it, for He differs, apparently, in nothing from those by whom He
is surrounded. But as He comes up from the water, the heavens are
opened, and the Spirit of God descends like a dove, and lights upon
Him, while from the celestial heights comes a voice, "This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." You accompany Him to the
grave of Lazarus, and you see the tears trickle down His cheeks, and
you realize that He is a man; for neither Deity nor angels weep.
But soon you behold Lazarus come forth from his sepulcher in answer
to His word of power, and once more you ask in wonder verging on
adoration: "What manner of man is this?" And so till you see Him
on the cross, His back lacerated with the scourge, and His brow
bleeding from the pressure of the crown of thorns. You hear the
words, "It is finished," and see the pale cast of death settle on
His countenance. But on the third day after, you meet Him in the
upper room at evening, extending His hand in resurrection greeting:
"Peace be unto you."
Now, what shall we make of this wonderful dualism, as we may call
it? There remains nothing for us to do but to accept that Christ was
true God and true man. No other interpretation or explanation will
do. Our church, in the standard Confession, in the Third Article
of the Augsburg Confession, thus voices its belief, and to that we
subscribe. We teach that God the Son became man and was born of
the Virgin Mary; that the two natures, the human and the divine,
inseparably united in one person, are one Christ, who is true God
and man. So much as to the great doctrinal truth taught in the
Scripture-reading of to-day. It contains also a very instructive and
comforting practical truth. We shall regard as our topic:--
_The experience of Christ's disciples on the Sea of Galilee a
picture of Christ's people on the sea of life_, noting, _I. their
adversity_, _II. their security_.