Sermon: August 27, 2023
Reading: Matthew 16: 13-20
We may not be at Caesarea Philippi, but we are surrounded by symbols and worldly things that clamor for our absolute loyalty. There’s no denying that we live in very divisive times where it’s become commonplace to belittle or demean someone who has a different opinion. With COVID on the rise, once again people are beginning to argue about the validity of wearing a mask and being vaccinated.
On top of that, we’re starting another contentious election cycle with political parties demanding loyalty and vehemently putting down anyone from the opposing party. For some reason, acts of racism, hatred, xenophobia, and the appalling treatment of immigrants and refugees have become an everyday occurrence.
In the middle of all of this, Jesus is asking us, his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” “Who do you say that I am?” This isn’t some messianic pop quiz where you get an A and a free pass if answer correctly. We might think that the answer to Jesus’ question is easy and simple, but it’s not simple in any way, shape, or form because how we answer the question will define our lives and change us forever.
The question Jesus is asking is more than just about his identity. Because if we answer the same way Peter does, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, it is a proclamation that declares those worldly things that people bicker and fight over, the things that clamor for our loyalty, are unimportant when compared to our devotion to God and demonstrating God’s love. Nothing can supersede or come before our belief in God’s all-encompassing love.
If we answer Jesus’ question of who he is by claiming him as our Messiah and the Son of God, then we become a living proclamation to others about who Jesus is, so our words and actions matter. Recently, I had one of our vehicles in for an inspection. While waiting for the work to be done, a lady who worked there struck up a conversation. She was going on about the rumor of Mexicans from the border committing violent crimes in the area. And then she said, “We need to go back to having public executions. I’m a Christian, but I think public executions like hangings would help.” I had to wonder, what would Jesus look like in an executioner’s hood. The Messiah, the Son of God that we proclaim, matters.
Do we live our lives in a way that proclaims a Messiah who loves all creation, all people, above all else? Do our words and actions proclaim a Messiah who demonstrates love to the most vulnerable, to strangers, to foreigners, to the homeless, and to the hungry? Do we treat every human being with respect, compassion, justice, and mercy?
If we answer Jesus’ question by claiming him as our Messiah and the Son of the living God, we move beyond being affiliated with anything that calls for our loyalty above God’s all-inclusive love. Our lives are shaped and formed to be a living proclamation of our belief in God’s love for all people; everything else is discerned from there. Today, Jesus asks you, “Who do you say that I am?” How do you answer?
