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When I was
in school, I hated pop quizzes. Truth be told, I didn’t much
like midterms or finals, either. At least I knew when they
were coming. But pop quizzes always came by surprise. And they
always came at the worst time. The aim of the teacher was to
catch you off guard. You may have studied diligently for ten
nights in a row. But then you missed one night and the next
morning….you guessed it….a pop quiz.
This
morning’s text is just such a quiz. Jesus springs it. The
disciples take it. There are but two questions on it.
- Who do others say that I
am? (as in: “What’s the talk about me?”)
- Who do you say that I am?
(as in: “What’s your position concerning me?”)
As
concerns the first question, answers fly from all over the
group. John the Baptist is suggested. As is Elijah. And
Jeremiah. Even a generic answer, “One of the prophets.”
As
concerns the second question, Peter jumps right in with the
line: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” To
which Jesus says: “You’re right. Give yourself a gold
star. Claim the brass ring. Pass go. Collect $200.” But then
Jesus adds: “Don’t make too big a deal out of it. You had
help. My Father slipped you the answer. Still, as answers go,
it’ll do. You’ll do. You’re the rock. I can build a
church on you.”
Which
has led to a colossal conflict ever since. Roman Catholics
believe that the church is built on Peter’s identity (in
effect, launching the papacy). Protestants believe that the
church is built on Peter’s testimony, suggesting that
wherever anybody recognizes Jesus….relates to Jesus….owns
and honors the Christological claim of Jesus….there is the
church.
So
which is it? Is the church founded on Peter’s name? Or is
the church founded on Peter’s answer? Well, the fact that we
are here and not down the street at Holy Name this morning
suggests something of our answer.
But
stick with Peter for a moment. Follow him further into the
story. If you listened to my careful reading of the text, you
know that Peter gets about six lines of glory. Then it all
comes unglued. Jesus begins talking about where the road goes
next. The road goes south….down the east bank of the Jordan.
Then the road goes west, crossing the river at Jericho and
ascending seventeen miles to Jerusalem.
Concerning
the road, Jesus says: “It’s going to be hard. It’s going
to be hurtful. And when we get to the end of the road, it’s
going to be deadly. At least for me.” Which constitutes his
first prediction of the Passion (namely: “I am going to
suffer and die.”).
To
which Peter says: “God forbid, Lord, that this should ever
happen to you.” Which translated, means: “Not on my watch,
Lord. Whoever comes after you is going to have to go through
me.”
Which
leads Jesus to say: “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Can you
imagine that? Jesus calls Peter “satanic.” Six lines
earlier, he called Peter “rocky.” Now, “satanic.” But
why “satanic”? Because, earlier in Matthew’s gospel,
“Satan” is the name given to the tempter.
But
why is Peter the tempter? Because he is offering Jesus an
escape from suffering. And one has to believe that such an
offer was very tempting to Jesus. So much so that anyone
offering Jesus an easy way out….a shortcut around
suffering….or an alternate route bypassing Jerusalem….must
(by definition) be Satan.
Peter,
of course, has two of the best motives in the world. First, he
loves Jesus and doesn’t want to see him hurt. Second, if
Jesus gets hurt, the people near him might get hurt, too.
But
when Jesus calls the best friend he ever had….and maybe the
best friend the church ever had….“satanic” (when all
that friend is trying to do is make things easier for
everybody), the messages seem pretty clear. So what are they?
I think there are two.
- If you try to drag Jesus
down the easy road, you are going to earn the rebuke of
Jesus.
- And if you insist on going
down the easy road yourself, you are going to lose the
company of Jesus. Because Jesus isn’t going to be on
that road.
All
of this is followed by: “If you want to come after me, take
up your cross and follow me.” Notice he said “your
cross,” not his. I do not believe we all have to get
ourselves killed in order to prove that we have followed
Jesus. Some have gotten themselves killed. Although in Luke
9:23, Jesus tells us that we should take up our little crosses
daily. Which doesn’t sound like the one big cross in
Jerusalem that finishes you off, so much as the crosses closer
to home that drag you down. Nor does Jesus tell us to go
looking for crosses to bear, although they are out there
should anyone need to find one.
No,
most of you already know where your crosses are. They are the
fears you are afraid of facing….the people you are afraid of
confronting….the wrongs you are afraid of righting….the
habits you are afraid of breaking….the corrections you are
afraid of making….the truth you are afraid of telling….or
the forgiveness you are afraid of extending (or accepting).
“Carry
those crosses,” he says. Because, if you don’t, you have
already surrendered to them, and are all but dead on them. Why
carry them? Because Jesus is moving out and (as the old song
goes), you don’t want to be left behind.
Now,
as your preacher, I could tell you not to sweat it. I could
promise you an easier way on a sunnier day. But were I to go
easy on you, given what Jesus said to Peter (his really good
friend), I am afraid Jesus would blister my butt.
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