Part I: “Who Do YOU Say I Am?”

Sermon Title: “Who Am I”: Who do you say I am?

Good News Statement: God knows who we are before we know who we are.

Preached: Sunday, July 11, 2021 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NIV): Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Matthew. We will be reading Chapter 16 verses 13-20. Listen to what the Lord is saying: ¹³ “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi; he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”  ¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  ¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”  ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  ¹⁷Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.  ¹⁸And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades will not overcome it.  ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”  ²⁰Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

This is the Word of God for the People of God; and All God’s People said, “Amen.”

 

Introduction:

When was the last time you took some time out to play the age-old children’s game, “Who am I? or Guess Who?”  Well, after the sermon this morning you will be able to tell all of your friends that you last played it at church during the worship service. We are going to start out this morning with a few rounds of “Who Am I?” The only rule of the game that is a bit different is you have to wait until I completely finish the clue so that everyone will have a chance to say the answer at the same time. Are there any questions?

Here’s the first one: Who am I? I am a cartoon character created during the 1900’s. My first movie took place on a steamboat. Since that time I have entertained thousands, young and old alike in the movies, on television, in books and comic books, and even in theme parks. I was created by that genius of children’s animation, the late Walt Disney. Who am I?

That’s right, Mickey Mouse is the answer. That one was really easy. This next one is a little bit more difficult. See if you can figure out who it is? Who am I? In 1837, I pioneered a self-scouring steel plow, and in 1842, I entered a business partnership with Leonard Andrus and purchased land for the construction of a new, two-story factory along the Rock River in Illinois. Then in 1848, I relocated the factory to Moline, Illinois, to have access to the railroad and the Mississippi River. In 1998, my company hit a historical financial landmark by reaching $1 billion in profit. Today, my iconic products that range from agricultural equipment, residential mowing, golf and turf, Gators and UTVs, commercial construction, and forestry are recognized throughout the world by a leaping deer and green and yellow paint. Who am I? John Deere is correct!

Here is another easy one:  Who am I? I lived during the lifetime of Jesus. It was a privilege to be called one of his disciples, though I know I was far from deserving such an honor. During my time with Jesus I walked on water. While walking on water, my faith wavered and Jesus saved me. In Greek my name is Petros (Petros) which means “stone or rock.” In this morning’s lesson, I finally gave the correct answer. I am almost ashamed to ask this but, Who am I? Peter. (Maybe I sank in the water because my name means rock?)

When Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter said he was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, and then turned around and fussed at Jesus because Jesus’ idea of a Messiah and Peter’s idea were very different.

 

Opening Prayer: Let us pray…. Dear Heavenly Father, as we gather today to listen to your word, let us not forget who You are. You are our rock and redeemer, the vine in which we grow from, the light unto our path, the bread of life, our healer and comforter, and both life and resurrection. Lord, You are the Messiah. Let us not forget that as we seek to know ourselves. I ask that Your words prevail over my own so that Your words will triumph while my words fall to the ground. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

 

Body:

“Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked His disciples. The question is recorded in three of the four Gospels. Do you know which ones? But this question is more complicated than it might seem. The disciples’ answer wasn’t just “Jesus.” It was so much more. At some point in all of our lives, we are faced with a similar question. Who do we say Jesus is? A prophet? A moral teacher? A heretic? The Son of God? Who is Jesus? And based upon my experience as a Chaplain, how one chooses to answer that question depends on the situation that they are in.

Jesus poses the question in Matthew 16, Mark 8, and Luke 9. In all three accounts, Jesus first asks, “Who do people say I am?” (Mark 8:27) or “Who do the crowds say I am?” (Luke 9:18).  The disciples answer with, “‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, [Jeremiah or] one of the prophets.'” Or, in Luke 9:19, instead of simply “one of the prophets,” they say, “‘and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.’” Matthew, Mark, and Luke then record, “‘But what about you?’ Jesus asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’” If you were Peter, what would have been your answer to this question?

Now about seven years ago, I found myself in a phase where, if asked this question, I would have said, “Jesus is just another prophet.” After going to church my whole life and reading the Bible, I hit a wall: I felt like I needed a change. How many of you have ever felt like that?

Thinking about my life up to this point and possibly answering the question of “who am I,” I have encountered several changes. For example, in junior high I wanted to be an architect. Watching as my parents and family built our current house from 2005 to 2007 fulfilled my wonderment and urge to build and design things. (The first thing I built was a trashcan that had a lid that swiveled!) Then in high school, I experienced another change…I will let you ponder this change! This change is probably not what you were thinking! I started out wanting to be an architect, then I wanted to become a chemical engineer, then behavioral science was an interest, and then I found my niche…sociology. Not to sound creepy or anything, but I love watching people. (If you are familiar with individuals who sit on benches all day in public places and watch people, then you have an accurate depiction of me!) I wanted to become a professor of sociology—studying how and why people interact in groups is fascinating to me.

In the midst of education, I indulged in sports. Baseball was and by far is the sport that I loved playing. At the age of five, a grabbed my first bat and glove. At the age of five, I wanted to play catcher every single game. At the age of five and continuing through eighth grade, I both listened to and ignored my father and brother as they coached me. I played baseball in high school for one year. I also tried playing soccer and basketball. Soccer was okay; but the running was extremely tiring. Basketball was fine, except I think I scored more baskets for the other team than I did for my own. I also played football for four years. Being the smallest person on the team, I played nose-guard on defense. (Nose-guard is the person that lines up directly in front of the person who hikes the ball to the quarterback—the center.) I played that position because I could dive between the center’s legs and get the feet of the quarterback! Through these simple changes though, the two things that remained constant were my love for percussion and the reality that Jesus was with me every step of the way. However, college tried to persuade me that the latter was not true.

Like most young college individuals—being away from parental control and guidance—Sunday’s became a day of doing nothing, going nowhere, and staying away from church. After all, how would my parents know if I did or didn’t go to church? (Boy was I wrong. Parents know everything!) I’m sure we have all, at some point, in our lives either stepped away or thought about stepping away from Jesus. There was something not going right in our lives, we weren’t being spiritually fed, church became a place of gossip and drama rather than a place of acceptance and grace, and answering “who am I” became irrelevant because it did not get us to the promotion that we sought for ourselves. Whatever it may have been, we have all been there.

In my first two years of undergrad—of not doing what I grew up doing—Jesus was there but not there. I still knew Jesus, but it felt like Jesus was just letting me do my thing. Now I did not go to parties or drink or do what most parents think when their child leaves the nest. I simply chose not to do anything religious because I was tired of it. However, after those two years of “freedom,” Jesus started to become more than a prophet. As a matter of fact Jesus became the inspiration that has led me here today.

During my third year of undergrad, I was involved with a Catholic Church—almost becoming confirmed Catholic—I began playing drums for the chapel on campus, I would help out at my home church when I went home: I kept getting involved in the faith and I was not looking for an escape hatch. However, I couldn’t quite answer Jesus’ question even though He knew what the answer was: “Who do you say I am?”

Jesus, of course, knew who He was. He didn’t need the disciples to tell Him, like we need others to tell us who we are sometimes. Being divine, He also already knew what the disciples thought. Rather, Jesus often asked questions to teach and make people think. As a matter of fact, in the Gospels Jesus is asked 183 questions by which he only answers ten of them and He, himself, asks 307 questions in response to the people. He would often answer a question with a question, leading people to find their own answers. In saying things aloud, they were led to think about their situations.

Jesus asked the disciples what others said about Him. They responded easily enough, with a slew of speculations. But then He turned the tables. He asked, “Who do you say I am?” What the world thought didn’t matter anymore. We constantly hear on the news that Jesus is this or Jesus is that. But sometimes, what the news says is fake and inaccurate because as followers of Jesus Christ, we know who Jesus is and that is the Jesus that we have been challenged to share with this community and the world.

The mentality of the crowd was irrelevant but there answers were significant. Now, it was time for the disciples to claim Jesus’ identity for themselves. “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:16). Now is the time for us to claim Jesus’ identity for ourselves.

In Mark and Luke, the Bible only records Jesus continuing to speak of His coming death and suffering. However, Matthew 16:17-19 gives a little more insight: Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 

Jesus showed just how important Peter’s statement was: His identity as the Messiah and Son of God was the very rock, or foundation, on which the church would be built. The answers from the crowd were significant; but the answers from the disciples were life changing.

At the end of my third year of undergrad, while sitting in the chapel at Augustana College, Jesus revealed himself to me. Jesus said, “You are here for a reason, and that reason will come when the flock is ready.” Who is Jesus? To me, Jesus is not only the Messiah, but Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life that accepts us all for who we are. Even if we doubted or walked away from Him, Jesus never doubted or walked away from me and he certainly will never walk away from you. After that day, my plan of becoming a sociology professor was changed; and religion became my focus. And today, I can say that I have never second guessed His course of action for my life. Even though I had long talks with him when it came time to for doing homework, I always came back to him. I always came back to the Messiah.

Conclusion:

So who am I? I am a person—a person who experienced life changes, trials, and tribulations, who walked away from the faith, and who attempted to seek his own treasures instead of the treasures of heaven. But I am also a person who returned to Jesus, who is standing before you now sharing about my life because that is what God has called me to do.

Now, who is Jesus? For one of my assignments in Seminary, I was asked to interview a role model and ask them about who they thought Jesus is. I chose to interview my 93 year old grandmother. And her response shocked me. She said, “The Jesus I know is a Jesus that walks on the same sidewalk as me: he does not have to say anything, he does not have to do anything, and he certainly does not have to give me anything.” Then she added, “I also picture Jesus wearing khakis and a sports jacket and drinking a latte!” Who is Jesus to you? Is Jesus a khakis wearing Jesus or is Jesus something or someone else?

So today, as we contemplate who Jesus is, I want to challenge you and ask you who you are. Who are you to yourself? Who are you to your family, friends, and loved ones? And who are you to Jesus Christ? I have had a lot of uncertainty in my life, but Jesus has been there with me. He has walked with me and talked with me along life’s narrower way. He has reminded me that I am not perfect. He has challenged me and pushed me to do more than I could ever imagine so I can be perfect. He has comforted me in times of transition, pain, and sorrow. He has and continues to be a part of my story. So if Jesus asked you today, “Who am I?” what would you say? Would you respond like Peter or would you respond like the crowd? I challenge you today to not only ask that question but turn it around and ask the same question to Jesus. “Jesus, who do you say I am?”

 

Closing Prayer:

            Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for being in our lives. Even when we may have strayed away from your path, you were there walking beside us. When we may have doubted, you gave us strength to seek your knowledge and wisdom. When we appeared lost, you found us. And when you ask us who you are, because of your love and presence, we can all say that you are the Messiah, the way and the truth and the life, and the vine upon which we our nurtured by your grace. Lord, grant us the wisdom to proclaim to the world with confidence that we know who you are. And Lord, be with all of us as we seek to know who we are in relation to your plan. In your name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

            As we seek to know more fully who Jesus is, let us not forget that we are called to know who we are. Go and share with others who Jesus is and remember that Jesus is with you always. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit go in peace and serve the Lord. Amen, Amen, Amen.