"Who is Jesus to You?" (sermon)

Two Rivers Pastoral Charge
Sunday September 15, 2024
Scripture:  Mark 8:27-38


The bible story that ______ just read for us comes at a big pivot point in the story of Jesus’s life.  Up until this point, he has been travelling and teaching and healing in the north country, around the Sea of Galilee.  Right after this conversation with his disciples, Jesus is going to climb up a mountain with the three disciples that seem to make up his inner circle and we’ll get the story of the Transfiguration when those disciples see a bit of the awe-inspiring glory of God in Jesus.  And when they come down from the mountain, their path will turn south and they will begin their journey to Jerusalem where the events of the last week of Jesus’s life will unfold.

 

So we’re at a pivot point here, and it’s almost like Jesus is giving his disciples a mid-term exam.  OK – we’re finished the Galilee portion of our ministry – let’s see how much you’ve learned.  First of all, what’s the word on the street – what are people saying about me – who do people say that I am?

 

His disciples, who surely have been keeping their ears open as they’ve been travelling around, let Jesus know what they’ve heard.  Some people are saying that he is John the Baptist. That is a logical answer, even though it’s not quite logical since John the Baptist was executed by King Herod not too long ago.  But if we were to flip back a couple of chapters we would see this rumour reported elsewhere – when Jesus first caught the attention of King Herod, it was because some people were saying that he was John, raised from the dead.  And after all, both John and Jesus tended to stir up controversy and provoked people in power with their ministry.

 

Other people are saying that Jesus is Elijah, one of the ancient prophets. After all, Elijah never died, but was carried away to be with God, so maybe now is the time that he has returned.  Elijah had similar powers to Jesus, the ability to multiply food and cooking oil, and to control the natural elements.

 

And still others say that Jesus is one of the prophets in his own right.  He must be part of the lineage of prophets who point people back to God and to God’s vision for the world.

 

OK, so that’s what people are saying about Jesus.  But then he asks them the second question on their midterm exam – “Who do you say that I am?”

 

A couple of times this week, I’ve invited you to consider this question – in my Mid-Week Message, and again on Facebook in my Theology Thursday post.  If Jesus was standing right in front of you asking you this question, how would you answer it?  Who do you say that Jesus is?

 

And at this point, I’m going to step away from my prepared sermon and throw the question out there.  Who do you say that Jesus is?  As we talked about in the Story for All Ages, there are lots of different names and titles that we can give to Jesus, and the more that we can come up with, the more complete picture we can paint of who Jesus is to us.  So I invite you to answer Jesus’s question – who do you say that he is?  (And if you need some ideas to get you started, you can turn to the poem on the back of the bulletin.)

 

(Congregation Participation Time! Invite people to share, and explore the answers that they give.)

 

When it comes to talking about God, we are limited by human language.  We have these different names or titles or descriptions of Jesus, and each one can capture part of who he is, but none of them captures the fullness or completeness of who he is.  It is only by holding them up together that we can start to paint a picture of who Jesus truly is.

 

I mentioned to our Bible Study group on Wednesday that today and the last Sunday in November almost act like bookends to the fall season in the lectionary cycle of readings that we follow.  The last Sunday in November will be the last Sunday before the season of Advent begins, and on that week we celebrate Reign of Christ Sunday, sometimes known as Christ the King Sunday.  On that Sunday, we’re going to be reading part of the Good Friday story, when Jesus is standing before Pilate who represents the power of the Roman Empire. When we read that story on Christ the King Sunday, we are being asked which of these kings we are going to put our ultimate trust in.  Are we going to follow the king of Empire, who holds all worldly powers, or are we going to follow the servant king who embraces the power of silence and humility?

 

And today, at the start of our journey to Jerusalem and to the court of Pilate, we are asked to begin to consider who it is that we are following to Jerusalem.  Who do we say that Jesus is?  My inner bible geek is intrigued to notice the location of this conversation – Jesus and his disciples are talking at Caesarea Philippi, to the north of Galilee – a place named after two kings, the Caesar or Emperor in Rome, and Phillip, the father of King Herod.  It’s almost as if he is saying to us, “Pay attention – not too long from now you’re going to be looking at two kings, and you’re going to have to choose between us.  Who do you say that I am?”

 

Is Jesus enough, that when you reach the end of the line in Pilate’s castle, you’re going to cast your lot with him?

 

Like I said at the beginning, this was the disciples’ mid-term exam. As they leave one chapter of their ministry to begin another, Jesus tests them on what they have learned about Jesus.  Peter replies, “You are the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One.”  He passes this part of the exam, but he still has more to learn.  When Jesus presses him about what all this implies, Peter objects.  He still has much to learn from the events of Holy Week that are going to unfold for them next.  He’s not quite ready for the final exam.

 

But all of that is yet to come for them.

 

At this point in your journey of discipleship, who do you say that Jesus is?

 

 

(The back of this week’s bulletin)