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Keith E.
Jones Familiar Stories. Now What!?
1.
You know that the Bible seems to be all about men. They lead the
clan. They do the heroic deeds, etc. But if you read the scriptures
carefully the women stand out.
Consider the story of Moses’ birth. He would not have survived without
five strong courageous women: two midwives, his mother, his sister and
Pharaoh's daughter. And how about last week
when we heard how Gentile woman taught the all too human Jesus a thing
or two about what his role as God’s earthly son was all about? She was
the only person who ever got the best of him. Sure he was tired and at
his rope’s end, but she helped re-direct his saving mission toward the
gentiles as well as the Jews. That was a revelation for him and
salvation for us.
2.
Ok, so how about those brave midwives who thwart the will of the
almighty Pharaoh? They and the whole Egyptian midwives union wouldn’t
condone the death of infant boys of the immigrants (though it is birth
from Hebrew girls that make one a Jew) by perpetuating the myth that the
poor give birth to children easier than the rich. These courageous
women, who seem powerless in the face of Pharaoh, find ways to stand for
justice in quiet ways. God is able to work through them in a way that
ultimately saves a people. It seems there are lots of stories of
ordinary people making a quiet stand for justice. How are we midwives
for justice? What opportunities are before us in our time and place?
3.
Of course, there's the fierce, inventive love of his mother and
his sister Miriam. But there’s also the Pharaoh's daughter, who steps
out of her role of power and takes compassion on the immigrant child
protecting him as he floats down the river vulnerable and helpless. She
helps him to adapt as he is adopted into a different racial and cultural
family. As Ephesians 1:5 says, "He destined us for adoption." and 2:19,
"So you are no longer strangers and aliens, but citizens, members of the
household..." The river is also a powerful symbol. The waters of death
become the waters of life. I wonder if we recognize, at some level,
that we Christians of Old Saybrook like Moses, who came out of the water
and ventured through the Red Sea- that we came from the ocean, the
womb... and our baptism into Christ.
4.
In today’s Gospel Jesus asks who the crowd thinks he is. Is he
John the Baptist or Jeremiah or Elijah? No, for Matthew Jesus is the
new savior, the new Moses who will save his people. Look at his
miraculous story:
5.
Peter gives the proper
answer, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." We’re not
sure what Jesus meant by his answer giving Peter the Keys to the Kingdom
since it appears nowhere else in the gospels. Further, there is no sign
elsewhere that he intended to break away from the Hebrew faith of his
fathers. Matthew may be supporting the Peter faction in the Church. We
hope that Peter was expressing more than an correct statement, but a
proclamation from his
heart. Christ, his friend, is
the beginning and end – a hope for all time.
6.
The question for us is
"Which Jesus do you believe in?” Is he a nice historical figure full of
good thoughts? Is he someone who commands your life?
Jesus is saying, ‘Now that you know who
I am, what are you going to do about it?’ Some see
Jesus investing leadership of the church
in Peter, yes, but us as well. Peter was a very ordinary person and
often not very bright nor courageous. He had his shortcomings, as did
Moses, who apparently had trouble speaking in public. But God's call to
Peter and Moses is like the call to all of us ordinary people struggling
to live God's way in a complicated world. All of us are called to 'bind
and to loose?' Each one of us holds the keys to the kingdom. 7. We are challenged to respond. But look at the example of St. Peter. Does he have a clue what it meant to call Jesus the Christ? It means we are changed. So what happens to Peter in the rest of this chapter? Jesus starts to tell his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter takes him aside and saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." Then Jesus turns and says to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." Peter knows who Jesus “is”, but not what he is to do.
8.
We could blame Peter, but do we feel that much clearer about our
responsibilities to God and his church? What is required of us? Well,
stand up and be counted for one. ‘Stand up, stand up for Jesus’ as the
old Hymn says. Jesus tells Peter and us to deny ourselves and take up
our cross. St. Paul puts it another way. He tells us “to present your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern
what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The language sounds foreign, yet beautiful.
9.
Again, I believe that all of us were given keys to the Kingdom,
not just Peter. “Where two or three are gathered in my name,” says
Jesus in Matthew 18, “there am I also.” And these keys to the kingdom
are not fake. Look at our church. We are feeding more people, up to
and over 100 families a week. Our Church family is receiving requests
to the Blair Fund and other ministries, because we believe God’s love
brings wholeness to mind, body as well as soul.
10.
When people see each of us teaching and sharing they will see
Christ come alive in us and will say, so that is who Christ is! And it
will be a question no more, but a joyous affirmation. I’ve heard that
some folks don’t want to get involved on boards, in ministries or join
the church until the new minister comes. That’s understandable. But
the call from God is now upon us to grow and get moving to excite
ministerial candidates to want to come here. 11. “Who do you say I am?,” asks our Lord today. Jesus could just as easily have followed that response by asking, “And who do you believe yourselves to be?” If we believe we are the People of God, the Body of Christ, blessed by God with a variety of gifts and abilities, then let us put those gifts to use in the service of God. All of Old Saybrook is watching. Certainly, Jesus is watching, looking into our eyes, and smiling reassurance. ‘It’s okay, for I am with you,’ he says. Just believe. Let’s live our Mission Statement, and live our belief, Jesus -“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Amen.
*Malina & Rohrbaugh (Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels)
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The First Church of Christ in Saybrook (Congregational)
366 Main Street Old
Saybrook, Connecticut 06475
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