Who do you say Jesus is?

Sunday, August 23 Year A, Proper 16, RCL, Track 1

Exodus 1:8-2:10

Psalm 124

Romans 12:1-8

Matthew 16:13-20

Who do you say I am? Although Jesus asked this question of his disciples, it remains relevant for us

today. As in the past, some now view Jesus as a prophet, while others see him as merely a man, or question his existence altogether. In his own time, some believed Jesus to be a fraud or a trickster. While few today would confuse him with John the Baptist, this was understandable then, as people sometimes changed their identities to escape trouble or start anew. Elijah was mentioned because he never died, having ascended to heaven on a chariot of fire, and many Jews believed he would return. Jeremiah is also included, though his mention may seem unexpected.

People associated Jesus with Jeremiah because of their similarities. Jeremiah, like Jesus, predicted the fall of Judah and the destruction of the seemingly indestructible Temple. Both faced fierce hostility from the Jewish leadership. Both challenged religious and political authorities about corruption. They also showed compassion to those on the margins of society. They were not willing to back down from a fight when the righteousness of God and God’s love for their people was at stake.

So, returning to the question: Who do you say Jesus is? If you answered “the Messiah,” then you are blessed, just like Simon Peter. And, like the disciples, this understanding doesn’t come from human reasoning alone, but through faith.

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”^[i] And, as Jesus says to Simon, it is through this faith that you will overcome death and that you will have the keys to enter the kingdom. Then Jesus tells him, “Whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” A common topic that Jesus repeats in various ways. This comment is directed at our attachments to the things of this world.

Identifying our attachments can be challenging. They may include our activities, possessions, or social affiliations. It is often difficult to distinguish between necessities and comforts. People raised with niceties or even luxuries often need more to be comfortable in life. Wealth may look very different to a person who has nothing compared to a person who is very comfortable. We can ask ourselves questions like, “Is clean water a necessity or a luxury?” What about clothes or the brands we buy? This question could apply to the food we eat.

Most of us are not called to asceticism, living an austere life. In an extreme example, Simeon Stylite lived miles from his town, atop a pillar. For 36 years, Simeon lived on a 3-square-foot platform resting on a pillar 40 feet in the air. It had no shelter from the sun or rain. No wall to keep out the cold or the bugs. Yet, he was free from the trapping of the world, owning nothing but the clothes on his back. Moving away, living high on a pillar did not keep the world from seeking him out. Some saw him as a roadside attraction; others sought his advice or to arbitrate a disagreement. Many saw Simeon as a prophet. From Simeon’s perspective, he had all he needed, through the gifts provided to him by God.

Who do you say Jesus is? I am not asking for a quick answer, but rather, who is Jesus in your life, and how do you demonstrate this—to others and to yourself?

Our passage from Exodus demonstrates a mother’s faith in God. Jochebed does the hardest thing a mother could do: send her newborn baby away. She floated him down the river, trusting that God would take care of him. Jochebed’s trust in God had to be profound. She had faith and hope that her basket would not sink. That someone would find her baby and care for him. I believe Jochebed's strength was greater than Abraham’s when he took Isaac up the mountain. I know the depth of a mother’s love, and I believe it runs deeper than most men’s for their children. I can’t imagine the heartbreak and agony she went through when her hand let go of the basket and her child drifted further and further away. In contrast, Abraham did not have to go as far. His sacrificial actions were thwarted by the sound of a ram stuck in a thicket.

Jochebed’s actions may represent the Israelites’ first act of letting go, preparing them for their eventual departure from Egypt 40 years from now. When the Israelites left, they took only what they could carry—no perishable food or leavening for bread. They packed simply and quickly in pursuit of freedom. Even after leaving Egypt, it took another 40 years for the Israelites to let go of their former lives, the influence of foreign religions, and to place their full trust in God and their leader. For many, it can be traumatic to let go of the levels of comfort we are used to in order to follow the Lord more deeply.

Let us end with an exercise, not meant to cause guilt, but to encourage reflection on your relationship with your possessions. If you knew a flood, fire, or tornado was coming, and you only had a short time to pack your smallest car, what would you take? Knowing that anything left behind would be destroyed, gone forever. Those with few attachments might not need to pack much, though such people are rare. Others will have difficulty fitting everything they value into a small car; if you would find it difficult to leave certain things behind, consider why.

[i] Hebrews 11:1