August 24, 2008 Message

Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20
“Who”

Some questions will stop a person in their tracks.

Roy rushed down to the local supermarket to quickly pick up a few snacks before his friends arrive for the big game that was going to be on TV that afternoon.

The store was packed and as he headed for the six item express lane, the only one that didn't have a long line, a woman ignoring the overhead sign, goes ahead of him pushing a cart piled high with groceries.

Roy is quietly fuming at this unexpected delay. But the elderly cashier beckoned the woman to come forward, looked into the cart and asked ever so sweetly (and rather unexpectedly), "So Dear, which six items would you like to buy?"

Today Matthew starts with an equally unexpected question that Jesus asks of his disciples near Caesarea Philippi, a good days walk north of the Sea of Galilee. This was where the ancient Canaanites worshipped Ba’al, local spirit-deities or false gods. Then it was called Paneas, where the Greek god Pan, god of shepherds, was honored. Later Herod the Great built a temple to Caesar Augustus here, and later still, his son Philip enlarged the town and renamed it Caesarea Philippi, for his alliance with Caesar.

Some say Matthew mentions it in today’s text because he wanted to emphasize that Peter’s confession took place in a place linked to both Jewish and pagan history. It was important to Matthew that Peter calls Jesus “the Messiah” in the shadow of a Roman temple, and in a place where for centuries pagans and Jews had worshiped their gods and paid homage to all the false Messiahs that came on the scene before.

Caesarea Philippi was a risky, perhaps even a dangerous, place for Peter to call Jesus “Messiah.” It was not a kind and gentle place – a place you would want someone to hear you say something like that. We have those places in our lives today, our own Caesarea Philippis, where it’s difficult to take a Christian stand – places like:
- high school, where belonging to this group or that team is so important,
- the workplace, where what our boss or coworkers think of us makes a difference,
- politics, where getting elected has become more important than public service,
- or retirement, where it seems no one cares or what we do doesn’t really matter.

Wherever we find our Caesarea Philippi to be, it is still an anxious, risky and dangerous place where we, too, are challenged to respond to the call of Christ. Jesus says to his followers, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (v. 13). They look around nervously, not wanting to attract a lot of attention, and answer, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (v. 14). They figure they cannot get into trouble simply pointing out what other people are saying.

What about it folks?

“But who do you say that I am?” presses Jesus (v. 15). Jesus is asking all his followers, not just one of them, “Who am I to you?” Only one of them, Simon Peter, answers. He says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (v. 16).

Peter declares boldly, “You are the Messiah, the one everyone is waiting for. The anointed one, who is expected to save God’s people from their oppression.” Peter’s statement is not polite church talk — it’s talk that can get you killed.

Now for us it is not as dangerous to confess that Jesus is the Messiah. But for us to do so can be radically countercultural. Because when we do, we are challenged to speak a language of faithful discipleship, as bold and surprising as the words of Peter near Caesarea Philippi that day. And in our boldness, others might know:
• generosity, in a world of self-interest.
• forgiveness, in a world of retaliation.
• compassion, in a world of harsh judgment.
• encouragement, in a world of malicious gossip.
• love and praise, in a world of relentless criticism and complaint.

In Peter’s statement, Jesus likes what he is hearing, and says, “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (v. 18). Jesus says that Peter is the foundation stone on which he will build the new Christian community. What does that mean? It means Peter is to be the foundation on which Jesus will build the Christian community, a “living stone” at a time. In his first letter, Peter writes, “Like “living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (2:5).

So Peter is the rock, the foundation — and each of us is called to be a living stone that helps build the Christian community, the church, in today’s Caesarea Philippi.

The apostle Paul says, “God is good. So offer yourselves to God. …let God change you, … then you will do everything that is good and pleasing to God.” (Rom. 12:1-2) When we respond to Jesus, “You are the Messiah” we offer ourselves to God – to be a “living stone,” specially selected and used by Jesus to build up his church. And whatever our part in the life of the church is to be, we are to do our best at living a life of Christ.

We are called to a risky and dangerous place. There is nothing comfortable or calming about walking into a place like this, where we might take a countercultural position by joining with others in the work to build up the Christian community. As United Methodist we have been called to make disciples for Jesus Christ in transforming the world. We are being challenged, along with our sisters and brothers throughout our conference and all over this country to be fruitful congregations – living stones – in building God’s kingdom.

Once again Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” For those of us who dare to respond, Jesus promises to back us up. That is the good news today. We are not alone in this or anything else. We have walking beside us, leading the way, a powerful Messiah, a rock-solid Christian community and we have the keys to the kingdom of heaven. With all that, things will be fine.

Q & A (c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

when it shows up on the test
('who do you say I am?')
i quickly flip open the book
and copy out the answers . . .

for
'Son of the living God'
has become a research paper
(hopefully expanding into
a dissertation)
with experts, writing
in several languages,
quoted to support my view,
but a real Person:
calling me to follow;
willing to open my shut mind;
hoping to send me out
to confront the powers
in my corner of the world?

and
i have said
'Lord'
so many times
that i have lost count,
but the instances
i have (actually,
willingly, eagerly)
given you control of my life?
even if i include the
thumb on my counting hand,
i still have several fingers
left over . . .

so maybe i need
to close the book,
and open my self to you.