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"Who Do You Say I Am?"
Palm Sunday April 5, 2009 Mark 14:53-72 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Of the first twelve disciples, I identify the most with Peter. Peter is impulsive, occasionally given to putting his foot in his mouth, that is he speaks without thinking. He has a big heart and often tries to do the right thing. I identify with Peter, but how about you? Which of the twelve do you identify with? Jesus asks his disciples “So who do you say I am?” Interestingly enough, I think he continues to ask that question this very day, every day. He asks you. He asks me. Peter gives the answer for the twelve – “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Is that the same answer you give when Jesus asks you? “Blessed are you Simon for this answer did not come from the mouth of man but from my Father in Heaven. You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.” If you answered the same way Peter did, then you also are blessed for the answer came from the Holy Spirit, from your baptism, from hearing the Word of God. And Jesus tells his disciples as they go to the Mount of Olives: “I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” And Peter, brave, impetuous Peter replies: “Even though all become deserters, I will not.” And Jesus prophesies to him that he will deny Jesus three times before the cock crows twice, that very night. “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you,” Peter exclaims, as the remaining disciples say the same. The disciples flee as Jesus is taken into custody. At the home of the high priest Jesus is subjected to a mock trial, a sham trial by our standards, and by those of the Jewish people two thousand years ago. The trial takes place at night, the full Sanhedrin isn’t present, and the high priest acts as jury foreman, prosecutor and judge. Witnesses don’t agree but that doesn’t matter. Jesus is found guilty, condemned to death, beaten and spat upon as the onlookers cry “Prophesy!” The irony is that Jesus has prophesied, that very night in fact. And Peter is proving Jesus’ prophecy to be true. In the courtyard of the high priest’s residence, Peter is warming himself, looking to his own comforts, when a servant-girl exclaims to him: “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” Peter denies it twice in a curiously worded construction: “I do not know or understand what you are talking about.” It happens again, and Peter denies Jesus a second time. Then comes the third time! Peter curses and swears an oath that he doesn’t know the man they are talking about. Do you identify with Peter? Has there been a time when you, perhaps through actions more than words, have denied Jesus? Perhaps there has been a time, maybe even here at LCC, where you have, through words or actions, denied Jesus. It may not be as dramatic as Peter’s denials, but words, actions, inactions, whether directed at brothers and sisters here at LCC or elsewhere, deny Christ just as effectively as Peter did. In a few minutes we will be confessing our faith in the words of the Apostle’s Creed. A creed is a statement of belief. How does it go again? “I believe in God, the Father Almighty… I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord… I believe in the Holy Spirit…” When we say it, when you say it, you are making a public profession of your belief in the triune God. There’s no qualification therem e.g., “I believe only for an hour or two on Sunday if I’m in church…” This profession of faith is a profession of life, the life we are given, the life we live. But it is so easy to deny Christ, to deny faith, we can do it without even thinking. I remember when Cindy and I joined our church in northern California. I was working seven days a week for a period of time so I didn’t get there very much at first. People were even asking Cindy if perhaps her husband wasn’t a believer. When I did show up, I remember telling Cindy words to the effect of: “I’ve done my time, I’m only going to worship, I’m not going to serve on committees, attend Bible studies, etc., I’ll be there for Eric when he’s in confirmation, I’ll worship, and that’s it.” Cindy was quite involved in choir, directing choir, worship and music, Stephen Ministry, Bible study and on church council. I worshiped and I stood (relatively) patiently in a corner nursing a cup of coffee while she did everything else. I admit I wasn’t a very good witness, some of what I did or didn’t do was actually denial, but finally Cindy convinced me to attend one of our pastor’s Bible studies. I told her that if I went I was going to be convicted, I was going to be changed, I didn’t want either. But I went, and I was convicted, I was changed, I’m standing here before you now. Peter was convicted and changed by Christ Jesus, forgiven, saved by grace through faith. I was convicted and changed by Christ Jesus, forgiven, saved by grace through faith. We are all forgiven, even our denials, whether intentional or unintentional, by our Lord Jesus. It is on this day that we celebrate our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem. Let this also be the day that you celebrate his entry into your heart, into your life. AMEN. Rev. Bruce Hannem, Associate Pastor Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, Minnesota |
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