From the Pastor |
Questions… Did you ever notice how many questions we either ask or are asked each day? Asking questions is a natural part of communication, but also one of the most important tools teachers have at their disposal. Questions are a crucial method that teachers use to engage students, encourage participation and increase understanding.
Asking good questions makes students hungry to find the answers. To make a point, to challenge the mind, to stir the will, to touch the soul; nothing works like a question. Jesus knew this and used this teaching tool quite often…in fact, Jesus asked hundreds of questions in the gospels. Some questions were rhetorical, some straight forward, some thought provoking… many were challenging, but all his questions were meant to teach. Whether in a public gathering, a confrontation with his enemies, or a private conversation with his closest friends, Jesus consistently used questions to produce change and growth. Instead of simply stating the facts… or giving a lecture, Jesus often asked questions to get people thinking… to draw something out from them. We are going to spend time in the coming weeks looking at some of the questions Jesus asked and try to discover what they mean for us today. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus actually asks TWO questions. The first was “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” See, Jesus, like any good teacher, decided to begin this conversation with a “warm-up” question… a general question. “What do the other people say?” Now, we need to take note that Jesus wasn’t asking what people thought about him, but rather about what the people in this region expected the “Son of Man” to be. The answers to this question say a lot about the hopes and expectations of these people. That John the Baptist tops the list indicates just how expectant they were. Others seemed to expect a prophet to return, either from heaven (like Elijah) or from the grave (Jeremiah or another of the Major Prophets). So Jesus had his answer to the first question… The people were placing their hope in an extraordinary, divine intervention. Then, and only then, did Jesus ask the question about himself… And Jesus made the question personal… “But who do you say that I am?” Peter’s response is “You are the Messiah, [the Christ] the Son of the living God.” In other words, you, Jesus, are the promised deliverer. You are what those folks were looking for in the “Son of Man.” It is this confession of faith that has become the backbone, the rock of faith for Christians… the foundation of our very lives. It tells who and what we believe in… which leads to the principles we live by. Jesus IS the Messiah… the Christ… Our Lord and Savior! In this world you will hear many different ideas and opinions of who Jesus is. But, that doesn't matter. Every person that lives on this earth must decide for themselves who Jesus is to them. Just as he asked the disciples so long ago… Jesus wants to know who you say He is! So… Who do you say Jesus is? A good man? A great teacher? A Prophet? One of many ways to heaven? Or is He your Lord and Savior… the way, the truth, and the life? Those of us who come to church… who read the Bible… who have faith… know the answer to that very personal question… Jesus is the Christ… Our Lord and Savior! That’s great… BUT what does it mean? I don’t know about you, but I think that, more often than not, I’m with the crowds. You know, the people who say Jesus is a good man or a prophet. Oh, that’s not what I confess, of course. When it comes time to answer the question in public, I’m quick to join myself to Peter’s insight, claiming it as my own. And each time to I do, I swear I mean it. But if actions speak louder than words – and you and I both know they do – then I have to admit that most of my actions probable fall short of confessing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Rather, they testify that he is a good man, a great man, even, an example to follow, someone to be inspired by, kind of like the prophets of old. And here’s the thing: I suspect that I am not alone in sensing the disconnect between my public confession and my everyday actions. I think most people realize that there is often a gap between the words they say on Sunday and the lives they lead the rest of the week. It is certainly not intentional. In fact, I suspect that most of us would prefer the words we say on Sunday not just to align with the rest of our lives but to actually matter day in and day out. So today… I ask you Jesus’ question: Who do you say he is? Not just in church, but who do you say Jesus is with your lives; that is, with your relationships, your bank account, your time, your energy, and all the rest. Who do you really say Jesus is? I want us to consider for a moment or two what we actually mean when we say, with Peter, that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of the Living God. Or that Jesus is Lord… You see, I think it’s very difficult to align our daily lives to a confession when we don’t really understand what that confession means. What does it mean the Jesus is the Messiah? The Son of the Living God? Our Lord and Savior? It can be really hard to put it into words that we can understand. And so we come up with titles and formulations, trying to get at the mystery of what God has done in and through Jesus, and that’s understandable. But all too often I fear that those fancy words only keep the wild and unpredictable God of love and grace at arms distance from us, and Jesus remains inspiring and exemplary, but ultimately rather tame and eminently safe, kind of like the prophets of old seem to us. So, let’s try to put who Jesus, the Messiah, is in plain and simple words. Personally, I think Jesus is God’s way of revealing to us how much God loves all people. God is this omnipotent, awesome wonder that human beings could not relate to… It is hard to connect with a God so big. So God bridged the gap… God chose to become one of us… to live like one of us, in order to reveal just how God feels about us. Jesus revealed God’s heart, a heart that aches with all who suffer depression and think seriously about ending their lives… a heart that is upset and angry when a child is murdered… a heart that is torn up in grief at the violence that rips apart communities, a heart that loves us like only an adoring parent can and a heart that not only wants the best for us but is always eager to welcome us home in grace, forgiveness, and love. But it’s more than that, too. Jesus also came to show us what’s possible… how we should live: Rather than give into the threat of disease, Jesus healed. Rather than avoid those who were different or unwanted or “unclean”, Jesus showed compassion. Rather than let people starve because there’s not enough to go around, Jesus fed the hungry. Jesus refused to be satisfied or limited by the status quo and invites us to do the same, because if Jesus’ life and death show us how much God loves us, Jesus’ resurrection shows us that that love is more powerful than hate and fear and even death. Jesus shows us, in short, that God’s love wins. When I think about it this way, I have an easier time imagining what it means for me to confess Jesus as Messiah and Lord. Because I think it means that I try to live filled with and sharing God’s love, aware of the brokenness of the world but even more aware of God’s grace and the power of the resurrection. It means, I think, that I look at all of my life – my time, my relationships, my hopes, dreams, finances, and all the rest – through the lens of both the power and possibilities created by seeing God’s heart laid bare in Jesus. Because the thing is, I don’t think Jesus asks us this question so we can confess who we believe he is for his sake, but for ours… that we might be caught up in the power of his love and life. The confessions we offer about Jesus in church and in our daily lives aren’t simply words of praise to God but they are words and actions of power that help root us in the love and possibility that Jesus offers. My challenge to you this week is to really think about Jesus’ question… “But who do you say I am?” Try come up with even a sentence or two that describes what it is you really believe about Jesus and then let that confession shape your life more fully this week.
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Yeon Shin
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