Mark 8:27-38 Christ and our struggles
15 Pentecost

For many of us, most of the things we know about Jesus come from our reading of the Gospel narratives about his life and teachings. Having read the Gospels many times over, it is extremely hard to understand just how Jesus was fully human and fully divine at the same time. No matter what they say about Jesus being hungry, angry, sad, or tempted, it is still difficult to comprehend how he held toge ther both his human and divine nature together. I am inclined toward elevating Jesus much more to the divine level that I often forget the very foundation of the Gospels, which is about God becoming fully human in order to save us. I must admit that in a sense, it serves to justify our human tendency to wallow in self-pity when the situation gets tough. It is easier to say to God, “what would you know about suffering anyway? After all, you are God and I am human.” It is a much harder thing to see God in our insecurities, our doubts and our suffering. But then, I come across what Mark writes about Jesus asking his disciples one of the most basic questions of what it means to be human, which is, “Who do people say that I am?”

It is the question that plagues every single human being from the moment we become aware of ourselves as individuals in the larger human family. It is the question that continues to make us who we are. We would be deceiving ourselves if we think that what others say or think about us does not matter. Deep down we know that it is really the fundamental question that defines us as human beings. Because in this question lies our motives, our aspirations, our desires, our needs, and also our greatest vulnerability. So of course, when I read the Gospel of Mark and come to this question by Jesus I am forced to sit up and think more about what Jesus is really saying. As much as it is comforting it is also strangely disturbing to read about our shared experience of being so achingly human, “who do people say that I am?”

To make matters worse, the disciples seem to be padding Jesus’ ego by telling him of the comparisons with famous personalities of the past. We find ourselves doing this sort of comparisons because our reference point cannot leap beyond what or who we know. But then, we realize that Jesus’ interest is not really about who he is compared to. As much as Jesus is or was very human like all of us, He is also not like anyone of us. Jesus shows an intense awareness of himself as the one sent by God. And this awareness is what leads Jesus to ask the disciples the one question that exposes not only his life and purpose on earth but also their understandi ng of him, “But who do you say that I am?” to which Peter answers, “you are the Messiah.” Jesus’ questions to his disciples clearly reflect one of our basic human yearnings to be affirmed in our identity and accepted by others. They are also the kind of questions that force the ones who answer toward a deeper introspection and truthfulness.

The very simple inquiry from Jesus about his identity seems to somehow capture Jesus’ very real struggle of what it means to be human and divine at the same time. By turning the question of his identity directly to the disciples Jesus is not only asking out of a yearning to be affirmed like we need to be, he is also deliberately testing the faith of his disciples in Him as the one who has come down from heaven. In fact, as the conversation unfolds we sense the struggle of not only the disciples but also of Jesus to understand and affirm the identity and the difficult calling of the Messiah. As soon as Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus20begins to teach his disciples about his suffering, death and resurrection.

Of course, suffering is not what we want to associate with a savior or the Messiah, nor did Peter. And when we confess that Jesus is the Messiah, there is always a fierce underlying desire in us for the Messiah to extract us from all suffering and pain, to prosper us beyond any worries, and also to lift us above others. But by now we realize that the suffering Messiah is very much a part of our Christian language. However, at times like these when yet another priest takes leave, when empty pews don’t get filled, when the struggle to understand and forgive each other remain, when the church or personal bank accounts continue to deplete, and our programs remain just business transactions, we wish so much that Jesus our Messiah would appear with all the glory of heaven and turn this place and our lives completely around. If things don’t change for the better as quickly as we want them to, we begin to doubt if Jesus is really the Messiah, if he really cares for us and our struggles.

The undeniable fact is that Jesus chose to embrace our suffering and remain in it. But we have to remember that the suffering Messiah is not like a cleaning service where he comes to remove our suffering, instead he said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Jesus is always there ahead of us in any situation of pain and suffering, the call is to follow him with our burdens. Our vision should not be guided by the desire to ride above suffering and struggle, but by the yearning to be identified with Christ who chooses to walk right in the midst of our broken world. The beacon fo r us must always be the cross, not membership numbers, not bank accounts, or programs. Seek out the places of suffering and struggles, allow each others’ brokenness to be exposed, make room for those who suffer to come and find acceptance and love here and you will surely find Jesus. This is the time and situation in our church when Jesus is asking us all, “But who do you say that I am?” How we choose to answer will determine whether or not we will take up our cross and follow Him. And if and when we follow Him, let us remind each other that Jesus’ walk with the cross was to Calvary, not Heaven! It is only after the complete surrender of his life at the Cross that the Resurrection happens. May God teach you all to come together as true followers of Christ. Amen.