Monday 14 October 2019

Luke 9:18-27 Who Do You Say Jesus Is?


Who do you say I am?” Jesus asks this question in the area of Caesarea Philippi, where the Cave of Pan, the place of the pagan Gate of Hades was found. It was in this area that Jeroboam, the first king of Israel, led the northern kingdom of Israel into idolatry. This was also the same place where the Greeks and Romans received revelations from the god Pan who was mentioned in classical writings as a "seer" and a giver of revelations. In 19 BC Herod built the Augusteum, a magnificent white marble temple dedicated to Augustus Caesar in front of the Cave of Pan. This was a place of gods, a place where Caesar was declared lord and saviour and god.
Before Jesus asks the disciples who they say he is, he asks them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” There’s a variety of answers, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah, who was one of the most powerful prophets from their past, and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” The prophets were never really embraced by the people. Prophets were fascinating to the people, seen as different; always calling the people back to God’s way of doing life and leaving status quo behind, but they were also blunt and gave the people no room for excuses for how they were living. The disciples recognise that Jesus is different though, that he’s talking God’s words in a different way, that Jesus is not just repeating God’s words, but giving us God’s words directly as God.
Today if we would ask the crowd who Jesus is, I wonder what their answer would be; likely some would say he’s a fairy tale figure, or a wise Jewish teacher like a Buddha or Confucius, or perhaps a fraud, a Jewish charismatic teacher who fooled a whole lot of people for a long time now. Many will say that Jesus is a good person who says a lot of good things about morals and ethics, though he goes too far in what he expects from us. A lot of the people I’ve introduced to Jesus like what he says, but don’t want to give him full power over their lives as the Son of God.
Jesus then asks the disciples, “Who do you say I am?” It’s interesting that this question comes after Jesus first asks who the crowds say who he is. The underlying question is are you being swayed by what the crowd believes. Jesus asks us the same question, “Who do you say I am?” Think about this question for a moment, “Who do you say Jesus is?” Jesus asks us this question with respect, he wants to hear us identify him and choose him; he wants to know who we really think he is and puts us on the spot by asking straight out. We need to spend time with this question.
Peter speaks up, The Christ of God.” Peter has seen what Jesus can do. Jesus sent them out with power to heal and cast out demons as they preached the kingdom of heaven. Peter saw Jesus take the bread and feed a hungry crowd of thousands. He has no doubt who Jesus is, though he doesn’t necessarily understand what being the messiah or Christ means. He knows the promises of Isaiah 11 of a root coming from the stump of Jesse who will bring righteousness and justice, he knows of Daniel 7 and the coming of the anointed Son of Man coming to rule on the throne of Israel. Yet Peter’s probably not thinking of a suffering messiah like in Isaiah 53, which is why Jesus warns them of the suffering in his future and that they’ll share in his suffering if they continue to be his disciples. Do you understand what confessing Jesus as Messiah means?
Jesus goes counter-cultural now. He makes us think twice about confessing him as Messiah when he tells us what it means, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Confessing Jesus as Messiah and following him is about giving up our lives. Today people look to politicians, sports stars, entertainment stars to save us from our sometimes-dreary boring lives, to save our jobs, our dreams, to give us what we feel we need to enjoy life the way we’re told we’re supposed to. 4 years ago, the people looked to Trudeau as their saviour, a few months ago we looked to Jason Kenny as our new saviour, some turn to the Kardashians to save them from their lives, others turn to Taylor Swift, whiles other turn to the latest phone, gaming computer or whatever to save them from their lives.
When the disciples hear the call to carry their cross daily, they hear the call to give up everything and follow Jesus, to turn away from all the saviours and heroes of the day, from the things that others hold as valuable and important and follow Jesus and his way of self sacrifice. Jesus went to the cross to make us right with God, to take away our fear, our doubt, our hurts and brokenness so that we can face the future with strength and hope, knowing that we are loved, accepted and gifted in order to be change makers.
Carrying our cross means we give up the things that we’re trusting in and follow Jesus’ way; becoming the people Jesus is calling us to be. When a person was condemned to be crucified, he had to carry the cross beam of his own cross to the place where he was going to be crucified. Everything they owned was taken away from them, they were denied burial, showing that they’re nothing. Jesus calls us to a new identity; an identity based on following Jesus as children of God; dead to the values of the world that opposes God. Carrying our cross is about self-sacrifice and identifying with the poor and the hurting, with the broken and the sinners and speaking out on their behalf, about holding onto our possessions lightly and being quick to give to others when there’s need. It’s about embracing the kingdom of heaven and working at making it real here and now.
It’s not enough to confess Jesus as Messiah. Even the demons confess that Jesus is the Messiah. Luke tells us of a man possessed by an evil spirit. When the spirit sees Jesus it cries out, “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” We can say the words, “You’re God’s Messiah,” believe it and still not follow Jesus. This is harsh, but truth. Jesus doesn’t promise changed circumstances in our lives as a reward for confessing him as Messiah and following him, instead Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am,” and then warns us that following him is going to be costly and even painful; it means accepting a cross and losing your life; it means being transformed by Jesus.
Think about what you really believe when you’re asked “Who do you say Jesus is.” Look into your heart and be honest about who you really believe Jesus is; is he your Messiah, Saviour, God, or is he more of a guide or respected teacher you can ignore when it suits you? How are you allowing Jesus’ Spirit to change you, transform who you are in response to who you say Jesus is?
Jesus warns us that the cost of following him is high, not because God wants us to suffer, but because, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, we begin living counter-culturally, our values, morals and priorities change and come into line with Jesus’. Through the Holy Spirit we become less self-centred and more other-centred, we open our eyes to what is going on around us and work to shape it into more to look like the kingdom of heaven, we take seriously what Jesus teaches and don’t apologize for believing differently than what our culture tells us is proper, and we share respectfully with others who Jesus is, what he expects, and why.
Make a list of the things that are important to you and be honest with yourself, don’t spiritualize it. Ask yourself how your faith in Jesus actually affects the things on your list. Read the Bible, starting with Matthew 5-8 And Galatians 5 and ask if your life is shaped by the Sermon on the Mount or the fruit of the Spirit. Read 1 Corinthians 13 to see if your love for others really looks like that. Think about the sacrifice it will take when you confess him as Messiah and follow Jesus as God. Be honest to yourself about your faith and church membership; is it about you and what you get out of it, about how the church serves you, or is it about becoming the person God created you to be as part of his family?
Who do you say Jesus is and how does your answer change your life? An important question to live with.



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