Someone went to a rabbi and asked him, “Why do you always answer a question by asking another question? I just find that very annoying!”
And the very wise rabbi answered, “What’s wrong with asking questions?”
You would think that Jesus would have asked the disciples who they thought he was a lot sooner in his ministry. We find this question in Matthew 16, well into Jesus' ministry with his disciples.
Here, these twelve individuals left everything to follow him, and yet, this question presumes that they just might not have a grasp as to who he is.
How can that be?
There are a lot of different ways of answering who Jesus is. Some folks would give you a long, drawn-out answer that will make you wish you never asked the question to begin with.
“Who is Jesus?” Well according to the Nicene creed, he is the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made and it goes on and on.
And certainly, there is some validity to answering this question with theological language which explains how Jesus Christ can be fully God and yet fully human at the same time. The early church spent many years reflecting on this ultimate question which is why we have these ancient creeds.
But the disciples did not have the advantage of this kind of reflection. They were always on the move with Jesus. And they, along with so many other people, were astonished at his miracles and the way he was able to teach great crowds of people with authority. They knew that Jesus was a very special person.
And they also knew from their time spent with him, that he was the promised Messiah. The promised one who would hopefully free Israel from Roman occupation. They saw him as a miracle worker who would perhaps lead the people of Israel into the glory days of old.
Here in chapter 16 of Matthew’s Gospel, the disciples are with Jesus in Caesarea Philippi, and Jesus actually asks the disciples two questions, not just one. The first question he asks is - “What are other people saying about me?”
And they tell Jesus what they have been hearing. “Some people think that you are John the Baptist. Others think that you are one of the prophets from of old.”
There are an incredible number of opinions out there about Jesus. It would be an interesting little project to go to some place where there are a lot of people and ask them the question, “Tell me who Jesus is to you?”
But Jesus doesn’t want his disciples to settle for what other people are saying about him. Jesus also wants to know what they are thinking. And he asks them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Actually, I’m a bit surprised that Peter was able to give the right answer. Peter says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
It’s one thing to give the answer. It’s another thing to live the answer. To say that we believe that Jesus is the Messiah, means that we are to love our enemies. It means that we are to forgive others when they hurt us. It means that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Jesus also said things like, “Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.” Jesus was crucified on a cross for saying things like this.
And what about the time that Jesus said to “Go and sell everything you have and give it to the poor” and if someone forces you to go one mile, go two.
As the humorist, Mark Twain once said, “It’s not the things in the Bible that I don’t understand that bother me. It’s the things that I do understand that bother me the most.” Sometimes, I wish that Jesus was more mysterious or cryptic in his teachings.
Almost every Sunday that I worship with you in this place, I hear something in the scripture reading that reminds me that I have so much more to learn about who Jesus is and what it means to follow him.
I suppose that we could simply ignore all of these hard sayings and just focus on whatever is appealing to us at the time. We certainly have the option of forming Jesus into our own image and many people do.
There are people who associate Jesus with their political party or within their particular worldview. But that’s not the way of Jesus. “Narrow is the way into my Father’s kingdom,” Jesus tells us.
No. We are left with Jesus’ troubling question. “Who do you say that I am?”
I much prefer the Nicene Creed response to that question. The theology is orthodox and it really says it all.
Except…it’s not in my own words. Jesus says to Robert McDowell – “I know what the Nicene Creed says…but who do you say that I am?”
Well first and foremost, for me, he is everything that I want to be and strive to be. Someone who loves God and their neighbor with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength. Someone who embodies what the Apostle Paul referred to as the “fruit of the spirit” which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
When I think of who Jesus is, this is what comes to mind especially during those days when I’m irritated with the slow traffic, or treated unfairly by someone, or feeling misunderstood, or I’m just too lazy to make a little extra effort to brighten someone’s day. It’s these moments that remind me who Jesus is.
Whenever I read the Gospels and reflect on how Jesus treated people through his teachings, his healings, and the situations he faced during his ministry, it always points me to the kind of human being God wants me to be and the kind of human being we are all called to be.
This understanding of who Jesus leads me to this 2nd understanding of who Jesus is. Jesus is not only my example. He is also my Savior. His death on the cross absorbed all of the pain and brokenness of this world so that we can be made whole again.
I love the phrase that we say every time we receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.”
Jesus isn’t just my example. He’s my Savior. That’s who Jesus is to me.
I’m still learning and discovering who Jesus is though. Every day and every year and every new situation provides another opportunity for us to put Jesus first in our lives and place our trust in him. When we do that on a consistent basis, Jesus becomes more than just a warm fuzzy in our lives. Jesus becomes real. Our faith becomes real.
I’m always interested in hearing how people view Jesus and what Jesus means to them. Hear are some responses that people have shared with me over the years which I have written down and now share with you.
Someone said to me, “Jesus is the calm, eternal center of life. I go to him in times of distress to find peace. I pray to him to restore balance. I ask him to give me clarity in the times of confusion. He is the anchor and the seabed in the tempest-tossed waters. He blesses me again and again.”
Someone shared said that Jesus is like a compass through life. I like that. That shows a willingness to allow Jesus to guide and direct us through our faith journey.
Another said that Jesus is like a rock, a sword, and a shield. For this person, Jesus provides safety and security.
I like how someone referred to Jesus as a lighthouse. We need that lighthouse because we are the ship that is in need of direction and a safe harbor.
A new church member mentioned that it’s because of Jesus that he lives each day with courage. He said that he is not fearful of the future because he knows that he will live with Jesus forever. And his desire is for people to see Jesus in everything he does.
Another person said that Jesus is her constant companion.
This person says something similar. “Jesus is my friend who I talk to in the middle of the night, who always forgives me, guides me, loves me, and so much more.”
Another person puts it this way: “Jesus is as ever present as the air I breathe and always patiently waits for me to discover his love.”
I like how someone shared that when he was a child, he felt that Jesus was his heavenly Brother since God was his heavenly Father. As an adult, he sees Jesus as his Savior and the light showing the way on the pathway to God’s kingdom of love and forgiveness.
Somebody else shared that when he was thirteen years old, he became aware that Jesus was her Savior. As an adult, he has found Jesus to be his healer as he has helped him to survive a massive stroke. This person thanks him everyday for saving his life so that he can continue to be a witness for him.
Those are some of the responses I received from many different people when asked the big question, “Who do you say that Jesus is?”
Gregory Nazianzen was one of the early church fathers from the fourth century. He was baptized at the age of 30 and became a Christian. He also went on to become a great theologian.
Here’s how he answered the question, “Who is Jesus Christ?” He wrote:
· He began his ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life
· Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water
· Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest
· Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King
· Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons
· Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears
· Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world
· Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd
· Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death
When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”
Later, Peter will be asked this same question in a slightly different way as he warms himself by a fire in a courtyard and with his life hanging in the balance. “You’re one of Jesus’ disciples, aren’t you?”
And then while standing on a sandy beach, the resurrected Christ appears to Peter and he asks him not once, not twice, but three times in a row, “Peter – do you love me?” And each time, Peter answers, “Yes, Lord you know that I love you.”
Evidently, this ultimate question is too important to ask only once. It needs to be asked again and again and again and again.
Who do you say that Jesus is?
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