Mark 8:27-38
"Who do you say that I am?" It's a personal question, one that we don't seem to take seriously enough. Peter answers it here for us, but it is one we should take up and dwell on too. After all we are not just Christians, we are disciples. As disciples we should ask ourselves this. Who is Jesus to us? In the answer we should find some of what Jesus is speaking about later in the passage regarding taking up our cross and following him.
See Peter's answer dwells in the idea of the Jewish Messiah. The one which would free Israel from Rome. The one who would come and claim political power and kingship. This is not the Messiah Jesus was. Jesus' messiahship ends in shame, on a cross, an enemy of the state and not popular with anyone.
What is Jesus' example to us in Mark's gospel of a messiah. He is at the mercy of the crowd, following him constantly. Jesus can't even get away for a break because they follow him from place to place. On the shore, in boats, on the street and yet Jesus still reaches out to them healing them, bringing little children to him, and asking questions of him. Discipleship is about serving, about mot worrying, about being present to the people around him.
We have a lot to learn as disciples regarding sacrifice. Most of the Christian life is about learning how to surrender again and again to God and the work we have before us. Jesus has compassion, feeds people, heals all who come to him and surrenders himself daily to this work. Who do you say that Jesus is? If we don't see Jesus as one who gives to others we miss a good part of who Jesus is.
In C. S. Lewis Prince Caspian the old kings and queens of Narnia are called back to there and the Prince expects them to be old, instead they are young children. They are still struggling with where they fit and the High King Peter thinks he knows the solution to all the problems which a very changed and older Narnia faces. So he does what we all do, relies on his own strength and reason and fails miserably, losing the lives of those he loves. This awakens him to know he doesn't hold all the answers, he has to surrender his might and rely on the help of Aslan once again.
Surrender is a hard place to stand in. Just listen to Peter a few verses down from where he acknowledges Jesus as Messiah. Jesus then tells them what this kind of messiah is. One of surrender, one of death, and one of new life. Peter doesn't want to hear it though. He would rather tell Jesus how wrong he is. Peter has to learn to surrender his idea of what messiah means for that which God intends. So must we. Who do you say Jesus is?
I listened to an episode of On Being with Krista Tipplett on the way home and she was interviewing Cory Booker he said something that relates to this. He said that he always had to give thanks for the many times he has been broken because he has always learned some new thing about himself in those times. He said that they seem to come when he has a little swagger in his step or begins to think too much of himself. This seems to be another way of surrender in our lives. We can learn so much about ourselves if we just pay attention and in this we just might learn another lesson of discipleship.
Jesus is calling to you. Who do you say Jesus is? Once you really wrestle with the question, once you find the answer which breaks you open, you will find the way to take up your cross and follow him.
"Who do you say that I am?" It's a personal question, one that we don't seem to take seriously enough. Peter answers it here for us, but it is one we should take up and dwell on too. After all we are not just Christians, we are disciples. As disciples we should ask ourselves this. Who is Jesus to us? In the answer we should find some of what Jesus is speaking about later in the passage regarding taking up our cross and following him.
See Peter's answer dwells in the idea of the Jewish Messiah. The one which would free Israel from Rome. The one who would come and claim political power and kingship. This is not the Messiah Jesus was. Jesus' messiahship ends in shame, on a cross, an enemy of the state and not popular with anyone.
What is Jesus' example to us in Mark's gospel of a messiah. He is at the mercy of the crowd, following him constantly. Jesus can't even get away for a break because they follow him from place to place. On the shore, in boats, on the street and yet Jesus still reaches out to them healing them, bringing little children to him, and asking questions of him. Discipleship is about serving, about mot worrying, about being present to the people around him.
We have a lot to learn as disciples regarding sacrifice. Most of the Christian life is about learning how to surrender again and again to God and the work we have before us. Jesus has compassion, feeds people, heals all who come to him and surrenders himself daily to this work. Who do you say that Jesus is? If we don't see Jesus as one who gives to others we miss a good part of who Jesus is.
In C. S. Lewis Prince Caspian the old kings and queens of Narnia are called back to there and the Prince expects them to be old, instead they are young children. They are still struggling with where they fit and the High King Peter thinks he knows the solution to all the problems which a very changed and older Narnia faces. So he does what we all do, relies on his own strength and reason and fails miserably, losing the lives of those he loves. This awakens him to know he doesn't hold all the answers, he has to surrender his might and rely on the help of Aslan once again.
Surrender is a hard place to stand in. Just listen to Peter a few verses down from where he acknowledges Jesus as Messiah. Jesus then tells them what this kind of messiah is. One of surrender, one of death, and one of new life. Peter doesn't want to hear it though. He would rather tell Jesus how wrong he is. Peter has to learn to surrender his idea of what messiah means for that which God intends. So must we. Who do you say Jesus is?
I listened to an episode of On Being with Krista Tipplett on the way home and she was interviewing Cory Booker he said something that relates to this. He said that he always had to give thanks for the many times he has been broken because he has always learned some new thing about himself in those times. He said that they seem to come when he has a little swagger in his step or begins to think too much of himself. This seems to be another way of surrender in our lives. We can learn so much about ourselves if we just pay attention and in this we just might learn another lesson of discipleship.
Jesus is calling to you. Who do you say Jesus is? Once you really wrestle with the question, once you find the answer which breaks you open, you will find the way to take up your cross and follow him.
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