Sermon for Vespers
O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.
In order to breakdown the resistance of Pharaoh, his leadership team, and the people, that benefited from the work of the Israelite slaves, God wrought Ten Plagues upon the Egyptians through the Lord’s spokesman, Moses. These plagues induced thirst, hunger, great discomfort and sickness, loss of livestock and crops which meant loss of food and income, and finally, loss of human life in the taking of the first born of every family. These plagues demonstrated that Israel’s God is more powerful than the Egyptian idols. Pharaoh was slow to recognize that the Lord God has power over nature. Finally, when he lost his own son in the tenth plague, Pharaoh was moved to release the slaves.
Pharaoh issued the release amid intense grief. But, that decision did not last long. He forgot the Word of the Lord that Moses spoke to him. He forgot all the harm that God had inflected upon him and his people. He forgot the mighty acts of God. He changed his mind and pursued Israel with his army. His recalcitrant heart led to one of the great and everlasting images of salvation that God gives us in His Word.
God’s people pass through water on their way to the Promised Land. Water is the passage from bondage to freedom. Water is the means by which the old way of life is destroyed and the new arises.
The Good News of God that comes to us from the book of Exodus is that God provides a way for His people to be saved. The ten plagues of the water turned to blood; frogs, gnats, flies, death of Egyptian livestock, boils, hail, locusts, three days of darkness, and the death of the firstborn of all Egyptians; all led to a change of mind and release. But, the crossing of the Red Sea is what saved Israel from a return to slavery.
The separation of the waters of the Red Sea is reminiscent of God’s creation of our world. On the second day of creation, the Lord God separated the waters. “And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And called the expanse Heaven.” And then on the third day, “God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so.”
In order to secure Israel’s future and salvation, God’s wind created a road in and through the Red Sea. The water was separated. Israel walked on dry land with a wall of water on the right and on the left. They walked through a miracle on their newly created path to freedom. When Pharaoh and his army pursued Israel, perhaps they thought their gods would keep them safe as they trespassed into the miracle of the Lord God. Their arrogance and presumption led to their destruction. When Israel stood on the other side, they saw the bodies of their former captors washed upon the shore. Dead. They trespassed against the Lord God. They died because of their sin of pride. God’s people are free to begin a new life under God’s rule. Life under the Lord God leads to flourishing, joy, the growth of family and community.
The Lord provided a way for Israel to begin a new life. It is no accident of history that the Lord provides a way for us to begin a new life in Christ through Holy Baptism. The bondage of our sinful human nature is altered by God’s saving water of Holy Baptism. As we pass through the waters that are combined with God’s saving name and promises, God brings us from certain death into the hope of the Promised Land. Martin Luther summarized the blessing of Holy Baptism in the Small Catechism. Baptism works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. And then in the fourth part of his explanation, the Small Catechism asks and answers, What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
There, on the far shore of the Red Sea, as the people joined Moses and looked upon the destruction of Egypt’s power washing up onto the shoreline, they then turned away from their former life and learned to live as people of the Lord God. A new life awaits Israel. In Holy Baptism, a new life awaits us.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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