Reading: Mark 8:27-38 Proper 19B
By The Rev. Karen F. Siegfriedt, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Cupertino CA
9/17/00
Jesus asked his disciples: "But who do YOU say that I am?" (Mk. 8). When I was in the process towards ordination, the Commission on Ministry (COM) in the Diocese of California put us candidates through about 66 hoops. Besides having to pass a bible content quiz, prayer book quiz, the General Ordination exams, and graduate from seminary, we were also required to be examined by doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. In addition, we were called to appear before the COM about once per year when we were reminded that the privilege to be ordained could be denied at any time during the process. On one of my visits to the COM, I went up to the cathedral about 40 minutes early. I spent about a 1/2 hour in prayer and then entered the waiting room of the cathedral house where other candidates who had been summoned were pacing. On this particular day, the door to the inner sanctum opened, my assigned shepherd greeted me, and then escorted me in. Approximately 12 people were seated around a very large, dark, mahogany table. After introductions were made, the questioning began. All of a sudden, one of the members asked me, "Who do you say that Jesus is?"
Instead of giving them a safe answer from the bible, I wanted to answer the question with integrity. I thought for a minute and then spoke from my head. As I recall, my answer was pretty esoteric. As I completed my dissertation on Jesus, their eyes began to glaze over. It was then that the head of the commission asked me: "Do you really think parishioners would understand what you just said?" I can't remember my response but after the interview, I was told by my shepherd, that they wanted me to read a few more books about Jesus before I was ordained.
So now I ask you the same question. Who do you say that Jesus is? I truly believe that we can not share our faith adequately with others until we have answered this question and integrate our response into our day to day life. All of us have a personal image of Jesus even if it is an unorthodox image. I suspect that in this congregation, there may not be two answers alike. The name of Jesus, his mission, and his relationship to us, has become so misguided and manipulated for power, that many of us don't know what to think about Jesus and may even be embarrassed to use his name in public. Titles like Messiah and Son of God are so shopworn, that they are devoid of meaning for many. The difficulty with titles like these is, that they can become so abstract and mystical such that they do not convey any expectations on how we are to live our lives.
Who do you say that I am? The Church believes that the words and works of Jesus are indistinguishable from the words and works of God. That is how metaphors like the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one, the logos, the word of God, and Savior, came into being. Unfortunately many scientific minds have literalized the metaphor, thus robbing us of the power and depth that these metaphors can offer us in understanding who Jesus is. If the words and works of Jesus are indistinguishable from the words and works of God, that means that Jesus has something important to say about becoming the people that God wills for us to be. Thus, his words carry more weight than Thomas Jefferson's, Mother Theresa's, or Ghandi's. Compassion, justice, inclusivity, and peace, reflect what Jesus taught about love. And if Jesus is our Lord and savior, it means that we live a life of compassion, justice, inclusivity, and peace. Otherwise, Jesus is not our Lord and Savior and our baptismal promises are in vain.
Who do you say that I am? As a child, I learned and actually believed two things about Jesus. First, that the risen Lord was present in the sacrament of Holy Communion and that it was vital to participate in the sacrament each Sunday. Once I reached the age of seven, it became my responsibility to get dressed each Sunday and find my way to a church to receive Holy Communion. This I did until the age of 16 when I decided to become a 'Protestant'. As part of my new found Protestant heritage, I began to protest by not going to church every Sunday to receive the sacrament.
The second thing that I learned as a child and actually believed was that to be a follower of Jesus meant giving my life to God. I really believed that my life did not belong to me, but to God. Thus, as I matured, my vocation began to take on a character of public service that reflected this deeply held belief. It filled me with joy. This radical theology lasted until I was 23 years old. At the age of 23, I experienced some grave disappointments and my thirst for the Kingdom of God began to wane. For the next 10 years, I decided to follow myself and the desires of my own ego gratification. It was then that I entered into a period of restlessness, unhappiness, depression, and the dark night of the soul. These painful emotions were a way in which the soul tried to get my attention and bring me back to God in Christ. When I came to my senses, I began to remember the importance of following Jesus. Jesus is the template which we lay over our lives to guide us in becoming the people God wills for us to be. Today, it is this image of the template that is most powerful in describing my understanding of Jesus.
Who do you say that I am? A religious ecstatic? A healer and miracle worker? A teacher of wisdom? A social prophet? A movement founder? The Son of Man? The Son of God? The Messiah? The second person of the Trinity? The Logos incarnate? The risen Christ? The suffering servant? Wonderful Counselor? Mighty God? Everlasting Father? The prince of peace? Whatever your answer may be, remember, titles are just titles. Jesus came to show us how to follow God by walking in this world as a people who strive for compassion, justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being. The way in which you follow Jesus in your day to day life is more telling of your belief about Jesus than any theological title you may give to him. Who do you say that I am?
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