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Matthew 16:13-20
I have to tell you, this is about the 3rd version of this sermon that I’ve worked up for this week. On Thursday, I had my sermon all outlined and I was doing some last little research and collecting some final illustrations, and just before I was going to start writing, I came across a story that really struck me and caused me to throw everything out the window and start from scratch. I was reading about a Christian conference in Great Britain where Michael Green was working with the local pastors. Now, I have no idea who Michael Green is – he’s supposedly some great scholar about the history of evangelism - but the question he posed to the pastors at this conference is one that cut right to my heart. He challenged the pastors, “When was the last time that you told your congregation what Jesus means to YOU?” You know, as a pastor, I talk a good deal ABOUT Jesus, I try to come up with clever illustrations explaining who he is and what he’s done. I try to remind you of what God has done, is doing, and promises yet to do. But in our gospel lesson for today, Jesus’ question to his disciples challenged me to think about this when he says, “Who do you say that I am?” Who do I say that Jesus is and what does he mean to me? Barbara Brown Taylor tells a similar story. She’s a famous Lutheran preacher and theologian. She has written all kinds of articles and books about Jesus. One day she came out of church and there was a young man just kind of standing there staring at the steeple of her church. Assuming he was just pondering the architecture, she began to walk by when he stopped her. Pointing to the door, he said, “Excuse me, but what do you guys believe in there?” She stopped and thought about it for a minute or two trying to think of what to say. And then the young man said, “Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to bother you. I was just curious.” And he walked away. What does Jesus mean to me? How to put that into words? If I can’t do it, if Barbara Brown Taylor can’t do it, how can we possibly ask all of you do it. So, I guess getting past all the typical Sunday school answers and without trying to be all theologically correct, here is my answer. Who do I say that Jesus is? What does Jesus mean to me? For starters, I have to say, in my life, there have never been a time when I felt God was not. From the time I was a baby, my parents brought me to church – the same church my entire life. I have two great pictures at home taken in the exact same spot – the first with me as a baby in my mom’s arms, surrounded by my dad and my two godparents, standing at the baptismal font. The second one, taken almost exactly 26 years later, same baptismal font, same parents, same godparents. The only difference is that our clothes were better looking and I was wearing a pastor’s stole for the first time, having just been ordained. I don’t remember that first picture being taken, but that second one was one of the most joyful and frightening days of my life. Let me say, I didn’t ask for any of this. It was a complete and total gift to me that I have two parents who love me so much and that my godparents have remained faithful to the promises that they made to me in baptism. I didn’t ask for this and I certainly didn’t do anything to deserve it. I can only assume that the giver of this gift was God. I can think of no one else who could’ve bestowed such a powerful foundation for my life. As I learned much later in life from James in the Bible, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” I’m fortunate to say that God has been a part of my life from the very beginning. Now, I promised you that this might not be all theologically correct and as I really thought about what God means to me, I kept coming back to this analogy…and I hope God doesn’t smite me or strike me down with a lightening bolt or anything. But really, for me, God has been a lot like underwear. He’s closer to me than just about anything else. He’s there, hidden and discreet, and very personal. As a kid, I pooped my pants and ruined several pairs. As an adult, I still poop on God too often and mess up that relationship. Yet, there always seems to be clean underwear in my drawer, a fresh start every single day. As with underwear, there’s a certainly security knowing that God is around me, I feel all protected. Unfortunately, like with underwear, God is so close, I often forget he’s even there and don’t pay attention to him till I really need him. And besides the comfort aspect and the habit of wearing underwear, it often seems to me like someone could make it in the world without it – go commando everyday if you wanted to. There’s plenty of people who do this – go without God and/or go without underwear – and many seem to do just fine. I’ve tried this from time to time also. There have been times, however rare, when I’ve had to go without underwear also. And while no one else ever knew, I knew and I knew something wasn’t right. I felt off, not quite right, not quite secure. And that’s how I’ve felt when I’ve tried to do it without God. No one else really ever knew, but I knew. I felt off, not quite right, not quite secure or comfortable. For me, it’s good to wear underwear – everyday. And for me, it’s good to have God around – everyday. But that still doesn’t really get to the question that Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” And he’s talking about himself, not just God the Creator or God the Father. To really get to this answer, I have to share with you about my wife, Lynde. She’s a huge Jesus lover. He is her main thing. Whenever I preach a sermon and don’t talk specifically about Jesus enough, she let’s me know. She has taught me the value of Jesus both as a person and as the divine. I never really paid attention much to the importance of Jesus as a particular individual before I met her and got to know her. The best gift she has ever given me is that she taught me that Jesus really is everything and that having a relationship with him is more important than anything. And there’s probably times when she’s sorry she did this. For its because of Jesus that I work so hard here at church, often spending 4 or 5 evenings here a week. Its because of Jesus that I stop and listen and spend so much time with all of you. Its because of Jesus that I get all fired up when I talk about politics and justice and poverty and get annoyed at too much American patriotism. Its because of Jesus that I go to Java G’s everyday to read the Bible and to pray. Its because of Jesus that I spend my vacations in Haiti and volunteer at The Bridge. Its because of Jesus that I recycle and collect those little tabs on soda cans. It because of Jesus that I have formed friendships and ended relationships and feel so confident preaching at funerals. But lest you think that your pastor has some kind of great faith and that everything is always great between me and Jesus…to me, Jesus is sometimes my biggest enemy and the biggest thorn in my side. And again, this is not the standard Lutheran line, but its because of Jesus that I feel guilty when I’m not working on behalf of the kingdom or when I actually take some time for myself. Its because of Jesus and what he did on the cross that makes me feel eternally obligated to serve him. I can’t seem to shake the feeling that I can never do enough. Its also because of Jesus that I’m embarrassed to talk about him with non-Christians – “Yes, I believe a guy rose from the dead. No, I can’t prove it. Yes, I think what you are doing is wrong.” These are things I’m embarrassed to say because of Jesus. And you know, I never like to ask for help. I always want to be the one in control and feel like I can make it on my own…but its because of what Jesus did on the cross that shows me that I can’t do it on my own, and that makes me very uncomfortable. I don’t like this feeling. I don’t like thinking I can’t do it on my own or that I need help, and that he had to die on the cross because I suck that bad. Yet even though I don’t like it, Jesus did it anyways. Its like when my parents made me eat my peas – I don’t like it, but they’re doing it in my best interests. Jesus, for me, is like that. He died for me and by doing so he gave me what I need, not what I want. That makes me incredibly sad and frustrated, yet it also gives me great comfort. He saved me when I didn’t want or care to be saved. So, while I don’t always LIKE what Jesus does, who he is, what he stands for, to me, he truly is everything. I owe him my life and I will never be able to repay the debt that I feel like I owe him. He is my motivation, my spirit, my comfort, my inspiration, and I desperately want all of you to know him also. I want all of you to read your Bible everyday, to hear his words, to develop Christian relationships in Christcare groups, to pray, to serve, and to celebrate the gifts of grace. I want all of these things for you because they have brought me such great joy in my life. I’d like to close this morning with a short 3 minute video that sums up who Jesus is to me. The preacher’s name is SM Lockridge and I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a better description of who Jesus is.
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