Poor Peter

 This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 9/15 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was Mark 8:27-38.

While living in Bethlehem, in the West Bank of Palestine, trips to the northern part of Israel were our favorite for vacations with our small children. One of the last places we visited was called Banyas, in Arabic. In ancient times, the Greek god of nature, Pan, was worshiped there. The area is located at the headwaters of the Jordan River and is very lush and beautiful. 

Noted as a center of pagan worship, Caesarea Phillipi, is where Jesus asked his followers the powerful question of his identity. In Jesus’ time, “Caesar was honored in the civil religion as Lord, Savior, and Son of God. The issue of whom one confessed as Lord is already posed by the context in which Mark places this story—in a particularly powerful way if, [since], Mark and his readers live[d] in this area” (M. Eugene Boring & Fred B. Craddock, The People’s New Testament Commentary).

In Mark’s gospel, this is the turning point. Jesus is no longer spending time healing and teaching as before. Now, the march from north to south, to Jerusalem and the cross begins. Just before the central event of Jesus’ life occurs, the paramount question is asked of his disciples, and then specifically to Peter. The narrative takes us from, “Who do people say that I am” to “But who do you say that I am?” 

In the midst of a place dedicated to false gods throughout the centuries, who is this Jesus, and why was this question so important? We hear the thoughts of the people of that time—indeed, someone special by any account. Jesus continues, making it more personal, asking Peter what he thought. 

Poor, old, impetuous Peter. Can’t you see him as the kid in the classroom who was always the first to put his hand up? Those of you who were teachers probably had students like him in your classes. Ready to answer, Peter blurted out his response—and he was right. So far, so good. 

Poor, old, Peter. He got the right answer, but just couldn’t deal with the reality of what Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem meant. Jesus’ suffering and death was more than Peter could bear. Certainly THAT was not what was supposed to happen to the Messiah. The pupil tries to correct his teacher. There had to be another way, and there probably was, but it wasn’t the Father’s way. Jesus tells Peter it’s the satanic way, the way that is not of God; an easy way out.

The call of Jesus is a hard call, a call to worship a suffering savior, a call for Christ followers to emulate their Lord in suffering. 

What was first a message for the disciples and specifically for Peter, is expanded to the crowd and to us here today. Who is this Jesus, and what does he want from us? Today’s sending song beautifully expresses this. “Will You Come and Follow Me?” That is the message from Jesus for us today and every day of our lives.

What difference does that make? I’ve been baptized. I have fire insurance for heaven. There’s so much more God has in store for God’s people—abundant life, yes through suffering. Jesus in John’s gospel describes it as  “real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10, The Message).

How’s that for a slogan? Better life through suffering. Don’t get me wrong. We are not to seek suffering, whether it is poverty, war, or homelessness. However, we are comforted by the fact of God’s presence with us throughout whatever life has in store for us. 

What might it look like to follow Jesus today? We are told elsewhere that through the Holy Spirit, we will do the same deeds as Christ: heal the sick, raise the dead, teach,      preach and see many come to faith in our Lord (Mark 16:15-18). We see such works throughout the Book of Acts, through later Christ followers. 

In all the local news, we see and hear of the problem of homelessness in Jamestown. We cannot just zap that away, but we can follow Jesus into such issues, working with those who are already trying to do something about this, such as the Salvation Army and UCAN (United Christian Advocacy Network). 

We may worry that such people have brought the difficulty upon themselves because they’re too lazy to work. Perhaps that is the case for some. Did Jesus ask if our sin was our own fault before he died for us? We were all declared guilty, but that didn’t stop Jesus. 

We are called to feed the hungry, clothe the naked. We, who are given so much, are to give to others. As Jesus told his disciples in Matthew’s gospel, “7As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment” (Matthew 10:7-8). 

The call still goes out today to you and to me. “Who do you say that I am?” Do we allow him to be our Lord, our Savior, our friend and the One who loves us best? According to words from confirmation, our Affirmation of Baptism, we are to “…live among God’s faithful people; hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s Supper; proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed; serve all people following the example of Jesus; and strive for justice and peace in all the earth” (Evangelical Lutheran Worship). The response to this is, “I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.” Let’s say this together, “I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.” Then we are asked if we “promise to support and pray for one another in your life in Christ?” And we all respond together, “We do, and we ask God to help and guide us” (Evangelical Lutheran Worship). Amen. 

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