In theological libraries around the world, there sits volume after volume that attempts to answer this same question. It's an important question. Who do we say Jesus is in the world today?
Three clergy, a Lutheran, a Catholic and an Episcopalian, end up at the pearly gates one day. It was St. Peter's day off, so Jesus was administering the entrance exam to heaven that day. "The question is simple," he said. "Who do you say that I am?"
The Lutheran stepped forward and began, "The bible says..." but Jesus interrupted and said, "I don't care what the bible says; who do you say that I am?" The Lutheran said, "I don't know," and immediately he fell through a trap door to the other place.
The Catholic stepped forward and began, "The pope says..." but Jesus stopped him and asked, "I don't care what the pope says; who do you say that I am?" "I'm not sure," said the Catholic, and immediately he fell through a trap door to the other place.
Jesus then turned to the Episcopalian and asked, "Who do you say that I am?" The Episcopalian replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" Then, just as Jesus smiled and began to open the pearly gates, the Episcopalian continued, "...but on the other hand..."
Who do we say Jesus is?
Here are a few names for Jesus, assembled by Alice Camille in U.S. Catholic (August 2002):
Saint Thomas Aquinas called Jesus the perfect mediator between God and humanity.
Protestant theologian Horace Bushnell named Jesus the “poor man’s philosopher, the first and only one that has appeared.”
Fidel Castro said Jesus is “a great revolutionary.”
George Bernard Shaw called him “a first-rate political economist.”
Johnny Cash said he was “the foundation of my life and my strength.”
Author and storyteller John Shea describes Jesus as “God’s challenge and invitation.”
For Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, “Our Lord Jesus Christ ... is our hero, a hero all the world wants.”
So, who is Jesus Christ?
In this morning's Gospel we hear Peter proclaim the clearest answer to our question, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
There are two very different biographies of Jesus floating around in the world today. We can see the story of Jesus as a story of man's religious quest with Jesus cast as the hero. The plot of this story is one of log cabin to the White House. Born in a stable, his home a carpenter's cottage, rising through love for humanity to the height of the ultimate sacrifice, his death on the cross, Jesus is the supreme hero in the story of humanity's spiritual evolution. Jesus is the example of what humanity ought to be. This is a dominant view of Jesus. It's not the bible's version of the story. It's only been around for the last 100 years.
The story of the heroic Jesus is a modern creation. It is not what we find in the Gospels. Their story is just the opposite, It is a story of White House to log cabin, or royal palace to slum. It is the story of the king of glory casting aside his royal robes and coming to live as a human being on earth. Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, humbled himself and came to dwell among us.
Think of the stories we've all heard about the king going out among the people in disguise. When the king returned to the throne, his time among the people allowed him to know them in a new way. He had laughed and cried with them. He had seen their burdens and their accomplishments first hand. A new relationship begins to grow, a relationship that had never existed before. No citizen of that kingdom would ever forget that the ruler of the realm once considered him worthy of being his friend. A new dignity is born and the people have a new sense of their own value. If this king now asks for service, he would be obeyed not out of fear, but out of gratitude. This is a form of voluntary morality, rising out of a relationship, not bound by laws and threats of punishment.
The word became flesh and dwells among us. This is the heart of the Good News we have to offer to the world. This is the unique message of Christianity.
I've spoken to you before of one way to understand the trinity. I want to mention it again, as I think it may be helpful in understanding who Jesus is. One way of thinking of the Trinity is to consider the Father as the Lover, the Son as the Beloved, and the Holy Spirit as the Flow of Love. Since before the beginning of time, since before the creative act of God, there has been a constant Flow of Love between the Lover and the Beloved. Then, something unique happened. The Beloved entered our world and dwelt among us. The Flow of Love between the Lover and the Beloved continued, now spanning the chasm between God and humanity. We are told that if we are willing to become the adopted sons and daughters of God, if we are willing to stand in the place of the Beloved, if we act in the name of Jesus Christ, we can also access this same Flow of love, and enter into a new kind of relationship with God. We can become who we have always been intended to be: the Beloved of God!
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The God we serve is not a distant God, who rules from a throne far away. He dwells among us. He is with us, and in us, right now. Our mission is to help others become aware of God moving among us, transforming us, and making all things new.
Who do we say Jesus is? He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, whom we serve by serving those around us.
August 21, 2005
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