Mark 8:27-37
Who do people today say Jesus is? Well, that’s an answer you can find on YouTube. I recently saw a video called Who Is Jesus? A NYC Street Survey. Here’s what people said: “A white guy with a beard.” “He died for our sins so that we could be
saved. And in my religion that means we can f#*+ up as much as we can and as
long as we are truly sorry, we can be saved.” “A white guy that looks like he’s from the
Sixties.” “A reason to believe and to
carry on in your life, in your journey.” “Not that blonde hair dude they show in all
those pictures.” “I think Jesus was just
a story made up by someone, could have probably been a real person with
something special, but not like the story says.” “Uh, Jesus, a friend of mine from Puerto
Rico.” “Jesus? I don’t know Jesus very
well.” “Jesus? Like Jesus, the Son of God?” “Jesus is my Lord and Saviour.” “Definitely not the guy who cuts my lawn – there’s
definitely something special about Jesus. The same things that are special
about me and you and, well, everybody.” “Definitely
good morals and beliefs and probably had some special gift.” Rich guy snorts and walks away. “He’s really important. His birthday’s coming
up.” “People, believe that Jesus, that
he’s your saviour. He’s number one.” “He’s just really cool. I think he even smoked some pot. So I love Jesus even more.” “He seems like a kinda Ghandi type guy. Some super power I just don’t know. I believe
in him.” “He was Jewish.” “I think he’s inspiring for a lot of people. So that’s really cool to me.” “A make-believe story that’s got blown out of
proportion.”
Well, that’s not exactly who the Apostle Paul says
Jesus is at the beginning of Colossians where he writes: “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation; for
in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have
been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in
everything.
For
in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and
through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on
earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross” (Col.
1:15-20).
I
don’t expect to hear an answer like Paul’s on the street anywhere. To be honest I wouldn’t expect to hear an
answer like his if you surveyed most churches.
If the people on the street of NYC are representative of North Americans
in general, then if they’ve even heard of Jesus, they believe he is someone
special, somehow connected to God. They
want a Jesus who is a lot like them in every way, even smoking pot. Christmas has something to do with him. The stories about him seem unbelievable. Those who do seem like they know a bit more
about him have what I call a “Good Friday faith”, they believe that he died to
save us from our sins.
The
one thing I didn’t hear the people of NYC mention was Easter. That Jesus was raised from the dead unless
that’s what people meant by the stories that they didn’t believe. Even the people who seemed to have a handle
on Jesus, they knew Jesus died for our sins, but didn’t have anything to say
about him being raised from the dead that by him all things are becoming
new. To me that reflects a lack of hope
on the part of Christians. If we who
know Jesus talked more about Easter and lived more Easter-like lives maybe the
people on our streets would have real hope in them.
Who
is Jesus? Looking at Mark’s Gospel the
disciples are quick to point out that the polls are reporting that the general
populace thinks he’s some sort of very important prophet. Yet, they themselves believe him to be the
Messiah – the Holy Spirit anointed King who would deliver Israel from the
Romans and institute God’s Reign (Kingdom) on Earth.
Yet,
Jesus had been proving himself to be more than expected because he did things
that only God could do. Jesus commanded
demons out of people and they obeyed.
Jesus healed people not by magic, but by touch and command. Jesus raised the dead. Jesus commanded nature. He walked on water,
calmed storms, caused a great catch of fish, miraculously fed multitudes.
Jesus
also said things that only God could say. He forgave sins. He called people to be his followers and
demanded their total allegiance. He
redirected their lives from life on their own terms to serving God’s mission to
bring in his Kingdom on Earth. Jesus
said he could give life, eternal life, life rooted in and flowing forth from
knowing God.
Jesus
disciples experienced Jesus as their God in their midst doing and saying things
that God said through prophets long ago that he would come himself and do. Jesus had authority. The Greek word for authority is exousia – ex-
means from and ousia means being. His
authority is from the very source of being.
As Paul says all things were created through him for him. He is not a “matter of private, personal
belief”. He is at the heart of
everything there is. He has the power to
heal God’s creation and put things right. God is at work as Jesus freeing the Creation
from the oppression of sin and death and setting in motion God’s ultimately
making all things new when Jesus returns.
Jesus has the power to heal and to transform not only us each, but the
whole creation.
In
Matthew’s Gospel the last thing Jesus said to his disciples is “All authority
in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me.” And then he commanded them to go and make
disciples, to teach, and to baptize all peoples. And, he promised to be with them always. When I ponder who Jesus is I am amazed at
just how casual I can be with him. He is
God with us, with us with the power to heal and to make new. The change, the healing change, he has
wrought in me throughout my life, the emotional baggage he’s healed me of, the
grudges I no longer bear. He has been a
real, actual presence at work in my life for my good and yet, I will still make
every attempt to live life on my terms.
When there are things I get a hunch he wants me to do, I will hem and
haw and stare at the ground and fake doubt and in the end miss wonderful
opportunities to grow along with others in faith all because I’m shy and I fear
embarrassment.
Jesus
is God with us with all power to save and to heal. Let us not be casual with him. Let’s listen for what he wants us to be and
do and realizing there’s nothing to fear for he is with us, go and be and do
it. Healing, deliverance, worth and
dignity restored, these are the things that arise in his wake. We’ve nothing to be ashamed of. Amen.
