The Rev. Robert Lundquist           XIV after Pentecost     8/21/05      St Paul’s, Ft Collins

Matthew 16:13-20   - Online Text -

“Who do you say that I am?”  It’s still a tough question today, even as it was in first century Palestine.  As Episcopalians we have the skills to give the answer, we’re just … hesitant.  Who can recommend a good summer read?  Can anybody point me to a good restaurant?  How about a dentist?  You see, we don’t have any qualms about speaking to any of these things, we’re not shy or afraid of rejection.  But it seems a different story when it comes to recommending the faith that is in us.  It’s said that Episcopalians are so reticent about recommending our own church to another that we invite someone to our church once every 27 years!  We live in a culture that encourages us to answer a different question:  “What do you think of Jesus?”  What I think of Jesus doesn’t matter if it doesn’t change who I am.  When I give utterance to my belief; when I address the question, “Who do you say that Jesus is?”, I begin to sense the power of words.  Jesus knew the power of words.

As we read in today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus is at the edge of his world.  He’s in Caesarea Philipi, a town about 20 miles North of the Sea of Galilee.  In fact, the town was renamed by Herod’s son Philip.  Yes, that Herod, the one who massacred the innocent boys in Palestine in his bid to kill the child Jesus, fearing that this rival King would usurp him.  His own son murdered Herod.  Some family, eh?  Caesarea Philipi was previously known as Panias, as it was a Greek-influenced community named for the god Pan.  It was filled with various shrines to Pan, Baal and Caesar.  It is here that Jesus asks about his identity.  Not safe in Jerusalem, but out in the fringes. 

“Who do people say that I am?”, he asks his followers.  They give various answers, having kept their ears to the ground.  “Some say John the Baptizer, that you are a miracle worker.”  “Others say Elijah, the prophet who was assumed into heaven instead of dying, that he has returned as you, Lord.”  Elijah is the one for whom a place is set at the Seder table, and for whom the door is left ajar.  For his return is still expected.  “Still others say you are like Jeremiah, Lord, a new prophet come to Israel.” 

“All very interesting, friends.  But now I ask:  Who do you say that I am?”  It is Simon who blurts out, “You saved my life!”  (From drowning; Messiah means “one who saves.”)  “God sent you!”  Remember that sinking feeling Peter experienced when he walked toward Jesus on the water?  Jesus has literally pulled him to safety when he was all wet!  So Jesus has saved Simon, and gives him a new name:  Rocky.  Petra in Greek, cephas in Aramaic – both mean “rock.”  And the name is not recorded anywhere before this instance.  I can’t help thinking of Peter sinking in the waves when I remember what his name means…  Now this is key – it is from Peter’s own experience of Jesus’ saving power that names him Messiah.  It is not because someone else told him – no, God’s saving will in Jesus’ saving action is what Peter experienced and is that to which he testifies.  “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God!”

Words have power.  The Jesus Seminar is a group of biblical scholars that discuss the Jesus we see revealed in scripture.  About 20 years ago the Seminar created a stir by revealing that they voted on the authenticity of the sayings attributed to Jesus of Nazareth.  From “Almost certainly said by Jesus” to “Almost certainly NOT said by Jesus,” they publicized their surveys.  A helpful exercise, but certainly not the final words to Faith.  The Seminar gave attributes to Jesus as well – he was shaman-like, a charismatic peasant, a Jewish cynic, a wandering magician…  True?  Aspects, perhaps.  The whole truth and nothing but?  No.  But it raises again the central question:  Who do you say that Jesus is?  What does your experience tell you?

Who you say Jesus is can change a life.  There are people in your life who would be influenced by who you say Jesus is to you!  There are 2 words that are tough ones for Episcopalians:  witness and testimony.  Scary words, as they conjure images of people standing at the bus-stop waving a big floppy Bible and talking very loudly.  But put away your preconceptions – witness and testimony are terms drawn from courtroom terminology, and rightly so.  When you give witness you are telling what you know.  Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but…  The same for testifying – there’s no need to persuade or coerce, as any convincing will be down by God’s Holy Spirit, as promised.  So you aren’t to tell anyone what to believe, merely to relate what you know and have experienced.

I heard a beautiful testimony from a parishioner about 3 years ago.  He came in and had a seat.  What’s up?, I asked.  “I’ve been so blessed,” he said.  How? “ I’ve been unemployed for 11 months, and that has enable me to care for my mother in the last months of her life.”  Many people would be asking, “Why me, Lord?  First I lose my job, and then my mother dies!”  But the man across from me said, “No, I choose to see it as a blessing.  I would have been distracted by work, be deadlines, by business pressures.  By God’s grace I was able to give my mother my complete attention in her last weeks and days.” 

What powerful testimony to his children (twin teenaged girls he was raising alone), to his family, to his friends, to his congregation.  He chose to see blessing where others would see woe.  This is testimony.  This is evangelism.  This is spreading good news.

So, who do you say that Jesus is?  Your rock?  Your comfort?  Your blessing?  Who do you say that Jesus is?  For your experience and your telling of Jesus creates a reality for the who hears you answer – and live out – that question. 

There’s a story from the Cherokee tradition, about a grandfather speaking with his 7 year-old grandson.  “What is life, grandfather?”  “Life is an inner battle between 2 wolves.  One is Evil, and embodies the qualities of anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, ego and superiority.  The other wolf is Good, embodying the attributes of joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth and compassion.”  After thinking for a few moments, the boy asks, “Which wolf wins, grandfather?”  The old man replied simply, “The one you feed.”

Our life, our world is made up of choices.  Each of us has choices about what to feed within ourselves.  Each of us chooses when we truly answer Jesus’ question:

Who do you say that I am?