Jesus Above the Waters & Above the Nations

Sermon for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany (29 Jan. 2023)
Homepage: https://www.stbarbarasacc.com

In Revelation 10 we see the culmination of Jesus Christ’s victory over the waters, and how His Kingdom unites both Israel and Gentile nations when it describes Jesus as “standing one leg on the sea and one leg on the land raising His right hand to heaven” (Rev. 10:5). The land representing Israel and the sea the Gentile nations, here Christ is standing atop His kingdom as He puts all enemies under His feet, swearing an oath to the Ancient of Days as a divine Witness to the New Creation and the New Covenant, a creation and covenant that unites all things in Him. Revelation 15 also shows that those of us in Christ also stand over the sea as part of the heavenly choir. Like Peter, who when he had faith could walk on the water with Christ, those of us who remain faithful can stand above the waters, above Satan and our sins and in dominion of the nations under Jesus’ Kingship.

Scripture verses & Quotes:
Numbers 12:13
2 Kings 5:7
Matthew 8:24-27
Job 9:8
Psalms 89:9
Amos 4:13
Micah 7:19
Isaiah 17:12-13; 57:19-21
Revelations 13:1
Isaiah 23:11; 27:1; 43:15-16
Matthew 13:47-48
Revelations 10:5

“This peace, though, is not the absence of hostilities. Peace with God means warfare with the enemies of God. Christ made it clear that allegiance to Him meant a sword of division, as He divides order from chaos and the wheat from the tares. In a sinful world, some warfare is inescapable. We must therefore pick our enemies: God or sinful man? If a man is at peace with sinful men, he is at war with God”.
- J.R. Rushdoony. “The Institutes of Biblical Law”. Page 781.

If I could close with a word of encouragement from that Pillar of the Church – St. Athanasius the Great, who at one time had to stand against the world in defense of Trinitarianism – he wrote:
“Worship, then, the Savior "Who is above all" and mighty, even God the Word, and condemn those who are being defeated and made to disappear by Him. When the sun has come, darkness prevails no longer; any of it that may be left anywhere is driven away. So also, now that the Divine epiphany of the Word of God has taken place, the darkness of idols prevails no more, and all parts of the world in every direction are enlightened by His teaching.”
- St. Athanasius. “On the Incarnation of the Word”. Chapter 8, Refutation of the Gentiles (55)