Mathew 16:13-20, "Who do you say that I am?"

            Have you ever found one of those statements that has been so profound…so deep that it sticks in your brain for days, maybe weeks; how about months or years? I had an experience like that many years ago. I was finishing my time in the military and transitioning to civilian life. A very significant relationship also ended and so I felt pretty much alone. I woke up this one morning in a panic attack. I felt disoriented and also felt like there was something that I was supposed to do but I didn’t know what it was. I was trying to figure it out and I just couldn’t understand what was going on. I kept hearing this phrase in my head; “thou art Peter and upon this rock, I built my church.” The language is a little dated but I kept hearing it in my head.
            It’s important to understand what is going on this Gospel reading. Jesus and the disciples have been travelling now for 16 chapters. Last week they were up on the outer fringes of the border of Israel. They are still pretty far north of Jerusalem. They are in Caesaria Phillipi which was a place named for Tiberius Caesar. It is where the Roman Emperor would come for vacation after the Roman’s conquered Israel. Just a reminder that Roman Emperors has statues built in their own image and they were to be treated as Gods and you worshipped the emperor.
            Despite being in this area, this dangerous area, Jesus asks the question. “Who do the people say that I am?” The answers are not too shocking. Some think he is John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah and it makes pretty good sense because they were prophets. They (John, Elijah, Jeremiah) went into the world and were given a calling to proclaim God’s word to God’s people; they spoke to rulers about what God had told them, they were relied upon to accurately state God’s Word and they were called upon by leaders as to what God would think about their actions or lack of action.
            That all makes sense, because what has Jesus been doing? He has been walking around telling people and leaders about God’s Word. He has been teaching God’s people about the many aspects of God and God’s love. He has shown God’s love through his words; he shows God’s love through healing, sitting with people that were considered unclean or the least likely people in society. When it comes to God being happy or unhappy, Jesus does not mince words. Just like the prophets, Jesus tells people when they are wrong and tells them to repent for the Kingdom of Heaven draws near. So, it would make sense that people might see Jesus as John, Elijah, or Jeremiah).
            Then Jesus asks that all important question; “Who do you say that I am?” That question is a whole different ballgame. That is one of those questions where we think “man can’t I just stick with what the other people say?” I mean, it is easier to be faced with the question of “who do they say that I am?” Now Peter has to come up with an answer to this question. It is time for Peter to declare…to confess who this Jesus; who this man is that he has been following for some time. He is called upon to state who this person is that we know just two short weeks ago was calling to Peter to come to him on the water, despite the crashing waves and wind; AND who plucked him out of the water when he was drowning because of his lack of faith.
            So, Peter makes this bold declaration. He says to Jesus “you are the Messiah, son of the living God.” Alright! Peter finally gets it doesn’t he? He knows who Jesus is and is ready to move on and so are we, right? NOT SO FAST! There is one little surprise in this Greek of the New Testament; and that surprise is that Jesus’ question and the verb “SAY” is in the present tense; which means that it is an action that happens in the present and continues on. Meaning, that it is the equivalent of Jesus saying, “who do you say, and continue to say…keep on saying….that I am?
            Now the question becomes a little bigger than a “one and done” type question. Jesus’ question becomes more like an understanding than just a nice to know information type question. Our reading might make this look like an easy answer because there is no indication that Peter said “let me get back to ya on that one.” Peter answers and Jesus tells him the reward…”the keys to the Kingdom.” Although it seems pretty cut and dry, I would ask you to remember two things: First, Peter is making a bold statement in an area that is dangerous. He is in a Roman town with all kinds of Roman statues as Gods and if anyone that is a Roman heard this declaration, it could mean the end for them all, so Peter is brave. Second, Peter may not fully understand what he is saying. Although Peter may have taken into account what Jesus showed him up to this point, we know what happens when Jesus is arrested. Peter does not continue proclaiming Jesus “the son of the living God.” In fact, at one point he denies knowing Jesus.
            So where do we fit into this picture? We can relate to Peter. We can sit in this sanctuary and proclaim Jesus as the son of the living God, and we do! Outside these doors it is not so easy. Although we may not have to fear the wrath of a Roman emperor, we do face backlash because we believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God. We face times when it may not seem like a good idea to say thanks be to God; and there are times when the secular world would rather we not pray, identify our faith, or make the slightest reference to God. Frankly, it may be the easiest thing to do to not mention our faith or make any references to God, just so we don’t have to hear the backlash.
            But we are asked the same question by Jesus. Jesus asks us “who do you say that I am?” We are called to answer that question in the present and continuing into the future. Ever since the day that I experienced the words of “Thou art Peter and upon this rock, I build my church I began getting more involved in my church and seeking out what it meant for me to be a child of God. We make the creed statement every Sunday as to who Jesus is collectively. BUT, who is Jesus to us personally? That is a much deeper question because it calls us to think about this question, not just today, but every day.  The good news is that we all may have different answers because the question calls us to think about what God has done for us in our lives; it calls us to remember where Jesus…God has been active in our lives. The motto of the ELCA is “God’s Work, Our hands.” This means that Jesus question calls us to see the Christ and to be the Christ in ourselves…as well as seeing it and bringing it out in others.
            Thanks be to God: AMEN!