What Say You?

crosses hanging on beaded chains — Photo by Corey Collins on Unsplash

27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. (Mark 8:27-32)

This passage is situated in the gospel of Mark after Jesus had healed the daughter of a gentile woman, restored hearing and speech to a man, fed 4000 people, warned his disciples to guard against the sin of those in power, and healed a blind man. It’s after all of this that Jesus asked his disciples who people were saying Jesus was and who the disciples, themselves, said Jesus was. Reporting the word on the street was easy - John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet - but speaking for themselves probably felt like a test. Maybe that’s why Peter was the only one brave enough to speak up. “You are the Messiah”, Peter said. We know that Peter was correct. But our understanding of the Messiah is different from Peter’s. In Jewish tradition, the Messiah would free Israel from their Gentile oppressors (Rome) - restoring Israel’s independence and glory. It’s no wonder, then, that Peter took issue when Jesus went on to explain that he must suffer, be rejected, and that he must be killed.

We understand that Jesus was a healer and teacher, he fed the hungry and stood up for the marginalized. He spoke truth to power and went against tradition when those traditions stood in the way of connecting people with God or community. Jesus is the Savior who served, and laid down his life, for those he came to save. That’s great. We know who Jesus is and we know how to answer Jesus’ question. But most of the time no one will ask us who Jesus is. People will look at our lives, and they may determine who Jesus is based on what they see. Would people looking at us believe Jesus is loving and kind or angry and judgmental? Would they believe that Jesus heals relationships or creates rifts? Would they hear us speaking up for the voiceless or is our silence painfully deafening? Would they see us sharing what we have to meet the needs of others, or holding tightly to whatever

we can grasp for ourselves?

Laying down our lives - or even just our selfish desires - for the good of others goes against every natural instinct of self-preservation. We struggle with that call, even though that's who we know Jesus to be. We are imperfect, sinful, beings and we probably do wrong as often as we do right. It’s likely that on any given day, people may see the best in us and the worst in us. That realization keeps us falling on God’s grace and mercy day by day, hour by hour, and moment by moment. We don’t have time to judge anyone else for their sin because our own sin is ever before us. Thankfully we are not called to do this on our own. Jesus went before us to show the way, and Jesus stands with us - sharing the burden of God's good work. God’s Spirit will strengthen and encourage us, giving us wisdom and guidance as we seek God earnestly. And we have each other to help us stay prayed up and encouraged on this journey. May we always strive to live as accurate reflections of God's love and grace.

4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,

to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

5 The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;

I have not been rebellious,

I have not turned away.

6 I offered my back to those who beat me,

my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;

I did not hide my face

from mocking and spitting.

7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,