Well, good morning, everyone. My name is Allison.
For those of you who don't know, me and my husband and my
daughter and I have been a part of Courtright for about 10 years
and for seven of those 10 years. I had the privilege.
Of serving as one of. The pastoral staff and it is
good to be. With you and together this
morning, we are continuing our series in Luke and I.
Hope you are well. Rested because on this beautiful
August morning, I'm afraid to tell you we have a bit of an
exam this morning now I'm. Not supposed to use the a.
Sword yet in my house school my daughter tells me it's summer
mode. Mom, we're not in school mode
yet so I I hate. To use the word.
Exam. But basically our passage today
brings together everything that we've looked at in the past 9
chapters and over these last nine months.
So hang on, I hope you're ready. This passage is also about
naming and identity. So when I was pregnant with our
daughter Zoe. I had this huge.
Fear that we were never going to be able to come up with a name.
I don't know why I thought that. And I just had.
This kind of panic that we would never be able to come up with
something. So much so that when I was
pregnant I had this dream one night and like.
I said this was this big fear. I felt like this.
Really big deal. This important thing to like
name this person and. Obviously it worked its way.
Into my subconscious because I dreamt about it one night so I
dreamt that I had the baby and I was in the hospital and my
mother-in-law came in and in in true dream fashion, it wasn't
actually my mother-in-law, it was some other lady and I have
to preface this by saying my mother-in-law would never
actually do this she's wonderful but in my dream I had the baby
I'm in the hospital my mother-in-law comes in and
she's. Like she says, Oh well.
We've already named the baby and I said well, but I wanted to
name the baby. She's like, no.
It's too. Late, the baby's already named.
The baby's name is Sweet Potato and I said.
I said but I don't want to call the baby sweet potato.
And she said no. Well it's sweet potato pinches.
It's already. Done so OK.
I had a good laugh, thankfully realized how crazy that was.
When it actually came time and we did finally settle on her
real name. And that's another story for
another time, some of you might remember.
You like fill out this. Paperwork like you pick a name
and then you write it out and then like a.
Week later we get this. Official document in the mail
and there it is, like there's her name.
And I remember going, oh. But we just picked it like we
just. Wrote something down, did they?
Like, is that a lot? It didn't.
Feel weighty enough. Somehow.
It felt like there should have been something more, but it
were. Like it worked.
We just picked something and now the government, that's what they
call her. So it was.
It was. This whole thing for me around
naming naming Zoe names are a. Big deal, our identity.
Identifying someone. This is significant.
Switching gears a little bit, I'm.
Pretty sure that whether you are a star.
Wars fan or not, you can answer this.
What is the most famous line in the entire Star Wars franchise?
Luke, I am your father. Do you remember that moment?
It's this huge. Climax Sorry.
Spoiler Yeah, sorry. OK.
If you didn't see it in the 70s, I'm sorry.
It's this huge climax moment that I just ruined for some of
you, but that's kind. Of where we are.
This morning in our series, we are at this major climax moment,
this moment of naming and identity.
So we're going to try. To explore a bit about why.
This moment is so significant. What it says about Jesus, What
it says about the. Disciples and then ultimately
what it might mean for us. So would you pray with me?
As we prepare to read this passage, God, we thank you that.
You inspired Luke and helped him to remember these words, to know
these words, so that we could. Hear this?
Story so that we could hear more about Jesus and who he is and
the. Disciples as they wrestle.
With that, I pray that as we encounter your word this morning
that you would expand our understanding of.
Who you are that you would draw? Us more deeply to yourself and
help us to see you with new eyes and new vision and new.
Depth for we ask this. In your name, Jesus, Amen.
So we are in Luke Chapter 9 and I do encourage you to have your.
Bibles out, like I said, actually.
This is an open book exam so you can have.
Your Bible with you. For the exam this morning, so
Luke Chapter 9 starting at verse 18, once when Jesus was praying
in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them.
Who do the crowds? Say I am.
They replied. Some say John the Baptist,
others say Elijah, and still others that one of the prophets
of long ago has come back to. Life.
But what about? You.
He asked. Who do?
You say I am, Peter answered. God's Messiah Jesus strictly
warned them not to tell this to anyone, and he said the Son of
Man must suffer many things. And be rejected by the.
Elders, the chief priests, and the.
Teachers of the law. And he must be killed and on
the. Third day be raised to life.
Then he said to them all, Whoever wants to be my disciple
must deny themselves and. Take up their cross.
Daily and follow me for whoever wants to save.
Their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life?
For me will save it. What good is it for someone to
gain the whole world and yet? Lose or forfeit their very self.
Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be
ashamed of them when he comes in His glory, and in the glory of
the Father and of the holy angels.
Truly, I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste
death. Before.
They see the Kingdom of God so as we work.
Our way through this passage. I'm going to try.
I'm gonna try. This guy out?
This is new for me. Oht Justin.
I've wrecked it already. That was fast, I thought.
I thought I'd at. Least have a few minutes before
I wrecked it. Thank you.
OK, so we're gonna. OK, great.
So right off the bat, why I want to use this today is because.
It's part of my dream to continually turn Sunday mornings
into a big Bible study. I'm sure that's no surprise to
many of you. So I wanted us.
To really be able to. Pay close attention to the
words, which we may or may not be able to do.
But if that's why you've. Got it in front of you.
Let's go, let's go. Old school there.
So right. Off the bat, as we.
Begin our passage. Luke gives the reader this clue.
That something is going to happen.
Did you catch it? Luke likes to call our attention
to when Jesus is praying, and it's usually.
A. A key.
That something is about to happen.
So it starts here once when Jesus was praying.
Now earlier in Luke, the first time that we're told he's
praying is when the heavens open up and this voice says, this is
my beloved son and I'm so pleased with him.
So that was the first. Occasion we have of Jesus
praying on another occasion. Luke tells us that Jesus would.
Go often to the mountain to pray and after spending a whole night
in prayer one time, he selected 12.
Of his disciples to be. Apostles to be sent once so this
praying. Seems to be a catalyst.
For things to come. I really wrecked it on you,
didn't I? We can just skip it.
OK. OHP.
Thank you, William. See, we do need the younger
generation. OK, we'll keep.
Yeah, so Jesus praying this seems.
To be a catalyst. For things to come.
As the preacher Fred Craddock writes.
Through a life. Of.
Prayer. Jesus was attuned to God's will.
And empowered to do it. In prayer, Jesus remembers who
God is remembers. Who he?
Is and he gets clarity on moving God's mission forward.
Thank you, friends, thank you. OK, so here.
What were we going to do here? We were going to highlight
praying, OK, But we'll also notice something else in this
first sentence, the beginning opening here.
He was praying in. Private and another translation
says. And only I'm trying to write
that only his disciples were with him.
Luke wants to call attention to who is there and who's not
there. And do you remember back in
chapter? 8 The Parable of the Sower after
Jesus. Told them this.
Parable. His disciples.
Asked him about it and then they were given this full
interpretation of the parable. In asking, they received so much
more than what the others. Heard they paid.
Attention they drew near they. Asked.
And in that. Parable.
The parable. The sower.
We learned about all parables. We learned that sometimes.
Jesus uses parables. As a kind of filter.
As a way to sift people whose hearts are.
Ready to hear and receive the truth and insight?
People who are ready to have that truth take.
Root and those who are not yet ready, and Jesus takes care.
For people to hear the. Word when?
They are ready to receive it. There's this concern that if
they hear it when they're not ready, they might hear a little
bit, they might think that they understand, but not really, and
then write it off forever. So we have seen Jesus
demonstrate in the past this care that people learn and
receive insight when they are ready.
To receive it. OK, so we're setting the scene
again now if we were watching a. Movie there would be this.
Significant scene change from last week to this week.
So remember last week, Lindsey? Preached on the parable or the
passage about feeding the multitude and we would need a.
Really. Wide angle for that passage,
scanning this vast multitude out in the wilderness with Jesus.
There were so many people. But then that scene ends, the
camera fades and now the camera is coming up on a new day and
this time the camera is zoomed right in.
It's. Quiet Jesus is.
Alone, praying and he just has his own disciples nearby.
This scene is intimate. With like tight shots.
Jesus and his closest friends, the ones that he's been
training, the ones who he has sent out and from a place of
prayer. And in this place where it's
just them, Jesus asks them a question.
He says who do the crowds say? That I am.
We were just going to highlight that one, too.
There we go. Who did the crowds say?
That I am. This is the first thing that he
asks them, and then they give what might seem like kind of
strange answers to us. They say John the Baptist or.
Others say Elijah or others. Think one of the ancient.
Prophets, but we've actually. Seen these answers before 2
weeks ago Justin called our attention to.
Just a few verses. Back in Chapter 9, verse 7 and
8, and in this case we hear about Herod.
Herod heard all that was going on and he was perplexed because
some were saying that John had been raised from the dead.
Others that Elijah had appeared. And still others that one of the
prophets of long ago had come. Back to life.
So it's the same assumptions. John the Baptist, Elijah or
another prophet so. Clearly, these are the rumors
that are. Going around about Jesus, people
have noticed enough to think, OK, this guy is some kind of.
A prophet, but. We're just not really sure which
one. Now.
John the Baptist was the most recent prophet they'd seen.
And he was. Actually the first prophet.
In hundreds of years. So maybe it's him.
But Herod. Says well, it's not John because
I chopped off his. Head.
So then they go. Well, what about Elijah the
prophet Elijah? He's he's one of the great
prophets that we learn about in the Old Testament.
And in Second Kings, we learn that Elijah doesn't actually
die. But rather, it's this glorious.
Scene where he's carried off to heaven in a chariot of fire and
then in the very. Last book of the old.
Testament in the Book of Malachi and the.
Very last chapter. And the last two verses Malachi
writes, I will send the. Prophet Elijah to you before the
Great. And dreadful day of the Lord
comes, and then 400 years passes, so the.
Last. Word that they were given from
the last prophet before John was that Elijah would return.
So many Jews believed that Elijah would return just before
the Messiah would come. OK, Justin, maybe we can nerd
out a little bit more on the Elijah stuff in the podcast this
week if anyone's really curious. But that was some of the
thinking. That they had about.
Why it might be Elijah that's one of why they were seeing.
So they wonder. If he's John the Baptist, they
wonder if he's Elijah, the one that was supposed to come and
get the stage ready, ready for the Messiah.
And then some people just don't really know what to think, and
they just guess that I don't know.
I think he's just one of those ancient prophets, but they don't
really know which one. They definitely.
Think he's a prophet? Craddock says public opinion is.
That Jesus is the. Forerunner of the Messiah, he's
certainly doing some incredible things, so he must be a prophet,
but he's not doing all the things we expected a Messiah to
do. And Craddock further explains
that if we say the Messiah hasn't come yet, then we can
continue to hold expectations of who the Messiah might be and
what the Messiah might do. An idea of the Messiah made in
our own image. So he's some kind of prophet,
and public opinion is that Jesus is the opening act, the one
preparing the way for someone else to come.
So then he asks his disciples, his closest friends.
He says OK, who do you? Say that I am.
We're going to pause here for a moment and let's think a little
bit about again, taking stock in all of what's come in Luke
before. Let's think about what does the
reader know? Those of us that have.
Been reading along in Luke and what might the disciples know at
this juncture? So the reader knows that the
Angel Gabriel announced Jesus as the Messiah before he was even
born. The spirit of the Lord appeared
as a. Voice from heaven, as we heard,
declaring Jesus his Son, in whom?
He was well pleased. And even the demons know that
Jesus is the Messiah, the Holy One of God.
But what did the disciples know? Just a little while back.
Even John the Baptist, John who knew Jesus from in utero, John
who had been proclaiming a coming Messiah at one time, even
John wasn't sure if Jesus really was the Messiah.
So what are the disciples? To think not long ago when.
Jesus calmed the wild. Storm in fear and amazement,
they ask a similar question to themselves, they say.
Who is this? Even the wind and the.
Sea. Obey him.
From all that they've seen, all that they've witnessed, all that
they've been a part of, who do they think?
He is. And what might you say?
We've been following along, like we said in Luke, for about 9
months now and there have been so many incredible stories.
Is there one that you're particularly drawn to?
Is there an? Aspect of Jesus that.
You find especially compelling? Maybe.
You love epic tales of. Good triumphing over evil.
And so maybe you're captivated. By the stories of Jesus.
Casting out demons. Or the time he cast 1000 demons
out of a man and into a herd of pigs that promptly stormed off a
Cliff. Or.
Or maybe you love to think deeply.
You love to to learn, and maybe you were drawn to Jesus's
teaching in the Sermon on the Plain or how he can express such
profound truths in. Simple ways like with his
parables. Or maybe you're drawn to his
healing. Maybe that's something he's done
for you, or you've longed for him to do.
Maybe you notice just how many people around Jesus.
Get healed. So many people.
People like the man who was paralyzed and whose friends had
to let him down. Through the roof.
Or the centurion servant who is healed by Jesus at a distance.
Or even Jesus raising two kids from the dead.
Or maybe. You have a heart for.
Worship. Maybe you love the story.
Of the woman who anointed. Jesus, who literally poured out.
Her love and gratitude for him. Or perhaps you have a heart for.
Justice You have concern for those on the margins who haven't
had a fair shot at life, so maybe you noticed Notice the
times that Jesus hung out with and ate a meal with the.
Outcasts those otherwise excluded.
From the rest of society. Or maybe you have the gift of
hospitality. Maybe you have even been in a
situation or two where you wondered how you were going to
feed the multitude before you. Over these 9 chapters and nine
months, we've been given so many.
Incredible. Glimpses of who Jesus is.
Which of these might the disciples be thinking about?
When they answer, what are they going to say and how would I
answer? The crowd.
Sees him as a prophet and yes. Absolutely, he is a prophet.
But he is more than a prophet. And what about those stories
that we're drawn to? Yes, he can cast out demons, but
he is more than an exorcist. Yes, he's an incredible teacher,
but that's not all. He is.
Yes, he's a great healer and my heart cries.
Oh. That he would do that more, but
he is about more than healing. That's not the full.
Picture. Yes, he's about justice, but
he's about more than this. And he is about lavish, abundant
hospitality and welcome, but he is more than this, too.
All these teacher, preacher, exorcist, healer, host, judge,
point to who he is. But they're all too.
Small to contain the fullness. Of who he is.
And when we hang on to the ones we like and dismiss the ones
we're less comfortable with, we're not really seeing Jesus.
Yes to all of these. And more.
And so Peter answers. You are the Christ.
The. Messiah of God.
And it's that answer that encompasses all the other
answers and more. The.
Christ or the Anointed 1 gets translated a little differently.
Christ actually is from the Hebrew meaning anointed one,
this one that was long anticipated, the one to come and
make all things right, the one hinted at by the prophets and
kings, the one with the answer to the problem of sin, the one
who will set all things right and bring about the Kingdom and
order and. Way of the world, that.
God had in mind from the beginning the one God has
appointed, ordained Commission called, anointed to do.
This the Christ of God. And notice here that it's Peter.
Here we go. I'm going to switch back to
green. It's Peter here that answers,
and often when the Gospel. Writers.
How they describe Peter? Whether?
It's Simon or Simon Peter or Peter often gives an indication
to us. Of where Peter's.
At in his journey and when we see Peter, it's often a sign
that he is becoming more his. Full true self.
A moment of clarity or of understanding about himself and
Jesus and so. Peter rightly says.
Well, the crowd thinks that you're the.
Precursor, but we see. That you are the main event.
You're it. Messiah, the anointed one of God
as entity, right, says profit. He certainly was, but he was not
simply pointing to God's Kingdom some way off in the future.
He. Was causing it to appear before
people's eyes and was setting in motion the events through which
it would become firmly established and so right after
this. Jesus immediately.
Tells them don't tell anyone there was this idea.
I don't think we need the next screen.
OK, strictly warn them to not tell this to anyone.
There is this idea. At the time that the someone
should not claim the Messiah ship for themselves that they.
Should first do the works. Of Messiah and then be acclaimed
by others and as we've said before Jesus is also really
concerned for people to know the truth when.
They're ready to receive it. We already know that.
People don't think he's the Messiah.
They are ready to see a. Revolution.
A political rebellion, A throwing.
Off of the forces of. Occupation.
And they don't see that in Jesus.
They aren't ready to accept him as Messiah, let alone the kind
of Messiah that he's talking about.
And so Jesus says don't tell anyone.
And then he goes on to explain what his version of a Messiah.
Looks like. He tells them what's gonna
happen and he defines Messiah Ship on his own terms.
He says the Son of Man must. Undergo great.
Suffering now the Son of Man. Is Jesus's favorite way of.
Referring to himself and it itself had messianic
connotations. But the Son of Man must suffer
many things and be rejected. By the elders.
The chief priests and the. Teachers of the law.
And he must be killed. And then on the.
Third day be raised to life. Who is this Messiah that Jesus
is talking about? We know how the story ends, so
it's easier. For us to just.
Read those all off and go. Yeah, yeah, that's what's going
to happen. But think about.
This This hasn't happened yet. The disciples have no idea, and
Jesus has given them incredible precision.
And details for what's. To come, he knows.
Where this is headed? How does he know?
Was this revealed in prayer? Had he known for a long time and
how would. This sound to the disciples.
Jesus suffering, being rejected, killed and rising again.
He says that's the way that's the way it has.
To be for the Messiah, that's the way to conquer.
Death. To expel the darkness, to right
the wrongs, to mend the broken and.
Heal the worlds. And that and nothing less was
what was needed from a Messiah. So after saying what's gonna
happen to him, he immediately. Says what?
It's going to mean for those who want to follow him.
Jesus says. The way to follow me is to.
Take up your cross daily. To disregard your own interests.
For the sake of the. Kingdom Plan to live as part of
the redemption plan for the whole world.
But to be part of it. You have to lay down your life
daily now. Luke is unique in emphasizing
this. Take up your cross daily.
This. Word.
Daily, and that emphasizes more. A particular way of.
Living than a particular way of dying, and in Greek there are
different. Words for the word life.
So where are we hearing life in this case?
It's the Greek word called. Psyche, and this emphasizes.
Your ideas about life your. Hopes, your dreams, your
ambitions, as Joel Green writes what Jesus is asking.
Is that people give up their lives.
Their relationships, their conceptions of the world and the
practices that flow from these in.
Order to follow. Him in his unreserved commitment
to the salvific purpose. Of God.
And he concludes saying 1 cannot cling to life and.
Serve the redemptive purposes of.
God and Jesus says rather than this being the way to.
Despair and death. It's actually the way to life.
Laying down our ambitions. Our ideas of life, our.
Self-interest is. Actually the way to.
Experience the fullness of life as it was intended.
Jesus says for. Those who want to.
Save their life, will lose. It and.
Those who lose their. Life for my sake will save.
It. Now on to this Jesus adds
implications for our possessions and our finances.
Jesus. Uses terms from the world of
commerce prophet and forfeit. It's all it's gain in this
translation. These are were words from the
world. Of finance.
And so they have implications for our possessions and our
wealth and our power is I reflect on this challenging
teaching, this lay down life. Daily lose your life for the
sake of his life It's it's a weighty.
Teaching and I can. Think of a couple of.
Specific moments in my life when I've tried to follow Jesus in
the midst of a really big and difficult and incredibly costly
decision. There's two particular moments
that stand out for me in this regard.
And maybe there were others that I missed.
Or maybe. Others were big decisions to
follow Jesus, but they. Just felt more natural.
Maybe you are facing some big decisions and he's asking you to
make a. Particular choice.
I don't want to discount the importance of these major life
decisions, but for me, this week I was thinking about the
smaller. The Daily.
Laying down of life choices. What do I do when I wake up?
How do I spend my time? What do I value?
What media? Do I consume how do I look out
for myself in my daily life and. What of those ways are?
Appropriate, and what are out of alignment?
How much do I value comfort and people thinking well of me?
Do I live daily? For the sake of Christ and his
Kingdom, or myself? And what does it look like to
even do that? And.
On to this Jesus adds. More.
He says those who are. Ashamed of me and my words of
them. The Son of Man will be ashamed
when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of
the holy angels, and he write helpfully explains it this way
when the Messiah is. Installed as Judge of God's.
World, which was a central. Part of the Jewish.
Expectation, then, only those who have been prepared to follow
him when it was dangerous and shameful to do so will be
acknowledged by him in return. It's costly.
And countercultural and sometimes feels embarrassing and
strange to follow Jesus now, but he says.
That's the way to life. In these final verses, the
tension here between the now and the not yet nature of the
Kingdom is really apparent from the.
First words that Jesus uttered. As He began his earthly
ministry, he's been declaring that the Kingdom of God is at
hand. It's happening.
His order and rule and way of doing things.
They are being restored now. Captives have been freed.
The blind see the poor here. Good news.
The power of sin is losing its grip on the world and through
every step. That Jesus takes every word he
utters every. Demon cast out, every sick
person healed, every outcast restored to community happening.
Kingdom is advancing and darkness is receding.
It's. Happening.
And he came to tell the world that it's happening.
But one look at the headlines, one painful relationship, one
lingering test result reminds us that there.
Is still plenty of darkness. Afoot and in these final verses,
Jesus points to a time when his Kingdom will have full reign.
In Revelation we learned that at that time there will be no more
death or crying or sorrow or pain.
Jesus. Uses this word glory to.
Explain it Glory, glory of the Son of Man.
Glory of the Father. And of the holy angels.
And though glory does mean splendor and brightness and
majesty, it also means revelation, when one's true self
and nature is fully revealed, fully on display, fully known.
And so when the fullness of the Kingdom is here, the true nature
of the Son of Man, the true nature of the Father, and the
true nature of the holy angels will be on display in all their
splendor and majesty for all to know.
No more mystery, only majesty made known.
But we live in this tension of the now, yes, and the not yet.
It's happening, It started, we can be part of it.
And we have not seen the Kingdom in its fullness yet, which is
perhaps what makes this final statement so confusing.
But truly, I tell you there. Are some standing here who will
not? Taste death before they see the.
Kingdom of God and I'll be honest.
This is a bit. Cryptic and nobody knows for
certain what it means. My best guess is twofold 1.
You got to come back next week. Or you can read ahead.
The next story in Luke is Wild. And it could.
Be that that's part of what? Jesus.
What Jesus is referring to, or maybe it's part of what he's
referring to. But aside from that specific
occasion, I think Jesus is also pointing to the nature of the
now and not yet Kingdom. Yes, now and in this lifetime
before. We die, we get to.
Experience tastes of the Kingdom.
It's not just something. Good, that happens when we.
Die. It's about how.
We get to live now the quality, the nature of.
The life. That we get to experience the
Kingdom for us now. And yes, there is much more to
come. I've wrestled with this passage.
And just. Felt the weight of this.
Teaching this is a difficult teaching and as I've wondered.
How are we supposed to live? This two things have come to
mind. The first is a story.
Found in another gospel in this. Case the disciples have also.
Just heard another really difficult teaching.
It's such a hard teaching that many of the disciples, the
people who had been following after.
Jesus. Gave up.
They turned back and left. They couldn't follow him any
longer and then. Jesus turns to the. 12 and he
says you don't want to leave. Too, do you?
And once again, in a moment of clarity, Simon Peter says, Lord,
where are we going to go? You have the words of eternal
life, eternal life, abundant whole fullness of life, and
Peter says we have come to believe and to.
Know that you are the. Holy One of God, and sometimes I
relate to this. Sometimes it feels like.
This is hard. But where else would I want to
go? I believe with Jesus is the way
of life. The second thing that comes to
mind? Is that though these disciples
are alone with Jesus? They are not alone, they have
one another. And they have Jesus.
I don't expect any of us to know how to.
Truly live out this. Teaching that we've heard today,
but I think some of the call is for us to wrestle, to struggle,
to wonder, to talk about these things and to do that together.
But that is also a. Call to vulnerability.
It's a call to talk. About things we normally don't
talk about in our culture. To talk about our homes and our
finances, our decisions, our possessions, how we're using
them. How much is enough, How much is
too much. To talk about our time, how we
spend our time, our habits, our addictions, our patterns, the
media we consume and shouldn't, the things we should consume and
don't. The way we.
Love our partners and parents and children and neighbors are
the way. We don't love the annoying.
Ones the attitudes that creep. Up in us, often by surprise when
we see somebody as less than and wonder how we came to think that
these. Brought to light.
Brought to community, wrestled together in prayer with Jesus
and with one another that. May be the secret.
To knowing how to take up. Our cross daily.
If you're really not sure where to.
Start I would highly. Recommend the book.
The cost of discipleship. By Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
It's basically a whole book about how to do this.
As many of you know, I spent over a decade.
With university as a campus. Minister and one of the.
Highlights of our year. Was gathering the students.
Together for a week. As soon as exams finished and
before they all spread out for summer.
Jobs we would study the. Gospel of Mark together.
For 8 hours a day for six days. And yes, the students actually
paid to come to this. Now you might think a whole week
almost. 50 hours of the. Book on one by one book of the
Bible and I would say no. That would be silly.
We only get through half of the book in that week.
So they come one year for the first half of Mark, and believe
it or not, most of them actually come back the second year for
the second-half of Mark. But after spending all of that
time looking at the life and the person of Jesus, we end the
first half of Mark with the very same parallel passage to this
one in Luke, and we leave the students with a question.
And it's the same one. That Jesus asks.
OK, in light of all. That we have studied.
All that we have learned and seen.
Who? Do you say that I am, and it's
that same question that the passage asks us today.
How do you answer? Who do you say?
That I am when I look at Jesus. I love his stories.
Of healing. I love the way that.
He touches the untouchables and heals the incurable.
I love the restoration of health and wholeness and community that
follows and I'm. Tempted to see Jesus as a good.
Healer. One that I can ask for, what I
want, what needs fixing. But that's not all.
He is. And if I.
Just see Jesus as healer. I'm not really seeing Jesus.
The Christ. The anointed one of God, would
you pray with me? God, I thank you for the many.
Ways that you reveal yourself. In these stories, I thank you
for the ways that we get to learn about aspects of who you
are and what your Kingdom is about.
But I pray that you would. Protect us from seeing only a
portion of you and thinking that that is all.
Would you help us to know what it means that?
You are the Christ. The anointed one of God, would
you help us to? Would you expand our vision?
Of who you? Are and of what that title
encompasses and would? You draw us to yourself.
And teach us what that means. To follow you.
Teach us what that means. To take up that cross daily,
Would you draw us more? Deeply in community to wrestle
that out and figure that out with one another.
Thank you that you have not left us alone to do that, but that
you give us your spirit and you give us one another.
And so I. Pray that you would.
Expand what you are doing in that regard in us and in our
church community. For your name and glory we pray.
Amen.