We Speak With Our Lives--August 24, 2026

We Speak With Our Lives--August 24, 2026

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16)

This isn't meant to be a "gotcha" question on a history exam or a particularly tricky Daily Double on the Jeopardy! game show.  It's a question of orientation--and of reorientation.

When Jesus asks his disciples who they really think he is, this isn't a pop quiz out of the blue. He's not threatening to expel them from Disciple School if they get it wrong or smite anybody who doesn't recite the Apostles' Creed word for word as their response. This is one of those clarifying questions that compels his disciples to stop and ask themselves, "Just what do we think is going on here?  Who is this Jesus, really, and why have we turned our lives upside-down to follow him?"

After all, there are plenty of folks who have listened to Jesus from the periphery like spiritual tourists and decided they have no obligation to stick around.  There have been crowds hoping to get to see a miracle, or to have a wonder worked for their sick loved ones. There have been people who got a free lunch on the day with the loaves and fishes and are hanging around Jesus like an extended entourage hoping for more freebies.  And to be sure, there are some folks who have just been captivated by Jesus' teaching and find him to be a lovely and inspirational voice to listen to whenever they need a little spiritual "pick-me-up."  And basically, Jesus is nudging his disciples to say out loud what they think they are doing here.  "What is this, anyway, guys?  Are you like students auditing a class?  Are you fair-weather fans?  Are you prepared to let me change your lives?"

I think that's the real issue here, both in Jesus' question and implicit in Peter's answer.  If Jesus is only a nice rabbi, then you can take his suggestions when you like them and ignore them when you don't.  If he's just an interesting teacher of spiritual truths, you can listen in your spare time and then continue about your daily and weekly business unchanged.   If Jesus is just one guy offering his opinions, then you are free to agree or disagree with him as you like.  Jesus can be a sort of religious buffet, then.  You might like the talk of heaven and eternal life, but not so much the part about loving your neighbor.  You might agree with his position on not being so strict with the food rules, but then not like his instructions about loving your enemies.  You might be excited every time he mentions the "kingdom of God," only to back off when he insists he hasn't come to conquer like Caesar but rather to serve and wash feet.  If Jesus is just one ordinary fella giving suggestions, then we can walk away the moment he says something we don't like.

But if Peter is right--and Jesus' response (which we'll get to in greater depth tomorrow) certainly indicates that he is--then Jesus can't be ignored or shrugged off.  If Jesus really is God's "chosen" (the word "Messiah" means "anointed" and hearkens back to the way the new king would be anointed with oil as a sign of being chosen by God to be the next king to shepherd the people) then Jesus doesn't merely represent his own opinions, but the perspective of God.  You know how sometimes on a TV broadcast, there will be a voiceover indicating that "the comments and views expressed by individual commentators do not necessarily reflect the views of the network"?  Well, if Jesus is God's Messiah, then we can't say that about Jesus.  If Jesus is "the Son of the living God," as Peter declares, then what Jesus says is what God says.  

That means that "love your enemies" is not just one person's random opinion... but God's policy toward enemies.  And it means Jesus' unlikely announcement of blessing on the poor, the meek, the harassed, and the merciful come with God's authority.  It means that the inverted order where the greatest become the servants of all and the last are put first is actually God's way of rearranging the world.  If Jesus really is God's Son and promised Messiah, then we don't get to ignore the things Jesus says that overturn our preferred way of life.  To confess, as Peter does, that Jesus is the Christ, will mean that we can't dismiss the parts of Jesus' message, actions, and choices that make us squirm.  The way he welcomes outcasts and notorious "sinners" to his table is God's welcome.  The prayer of forgiveness for his executioners is God's forgiveness for them.  The choice to die for the sake of the world but not to kill for it is also God's choice.  All of that comes along with Peter's exclamation about who Jesus really is.

That's the question we have to wrestle with, too, then. Who do we say that Jesus is? And once we understand the implication of naming Jesus, like Peter does, the Son of God and Messiah, will we dare to confess the same?  Will we take the words of the creed seriously when we speak them Sunday by Sunday and declare as a congregation that we "believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God" if we understand that it means we can no longer treat him as an interested religious voice or harmless teacher of spiritual truths? Will we also see that every day of our lives is the place where we reveal what we truly believe about Jesus?

After all, if we have mouthed the words of the Creed on Sunday but then refused to answer evil with good on Monday, we're saying with our actions that we don't really consider Jesus authoritative in our lives.  If we call Jesus "the Christ" in worship but then spend our work week trying to dominate and exploit other people rather than serving them, we reveal we don't mean what we say. If we refer to Jesus as "Lord" but are more invested in our own "greatness" than in lifting up the lowly and feeding neighbors, we're admitting that we don't really take Jesus seriously. Even more than with our churchly formulations, we speak with our lives.  We confess our faith with our priorities, choices, and actions, as much as with our tongues.

So... what will we say about Jesus, both in our words and in our lives, in this new day?

Lord Jesus, let our whole selves confess you as Messiah, Savior, and Son of God, not only with our mouths, but with our actions.