Romans 12:1-8

The New Life in Christ

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members and not all the members have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8 the encourager, in encouragement; the giver, in sincerity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Matthew 16:13-20

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Colossians 1:24-29

Paul’s Interest in the Colossians

24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25 I became its minister according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil and strive with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me

Who do you say that I am?  That’s a bold question!  The “I am” question gets to the core of our identity.  Oftentimes, when we are asked that question, we probably give all sorts of descriptors…for me, I could say that I am a runner, a preacher, a pastor or clergy, a partner, a friend, dad…etc.  

And, if you asked yourself that question, what would you answer with?  Probably descriptors as well.

When someone asks the question, what or who is the church, we also give descriptors such as a fellowship, a community of faith, welcoming, inclusive, accepting.

Again, nothing wrong with descriptors, they can be helpful.  

But, they are also things that we’ve created, not necessarily what God sees in us.  

God sees the deepest parts of ourselves, the parts that are pure…our core that is love.  We all have it as we were made in God’s image.  

When Jesus asks his disciples, who do people say that I am?  He’s curious.  Do they see him, really see him, or do they see outside things.  The disciples give a lot of outward things, a lot of descriptors.  But, then Peter has an amazing moment, he sees Jesus.  He says that he is the Christ, the Son of God.  The expressing of pure humanity.  He doesn’t see him for anything that he can do for Peter, or any future transactional relationship, he sees Jesus as the Christ.  The very Presence of the Divine, of God, infused in Jesus.

Jesus goes on to say that Peter is blessed because of this recognition.

Then he tells his disciples to keep this to themselves.  Why?  Because folks probably simply would not understand.  They still had to grow in awareness.  An awareness that may not come upon them until long after Jesus has left them.  Which is interesting isn’t it?  So many times we don’t get Jesus, or ourselves, or others, until something or someone is taken away from us.  

But, Peter gets it in that moment.

Later, the author of Colossians, probably Paul, has gotten it.  After a lifetime of living in a false self, a descriptor of a lawyer stamping out these Jesus followers, Paul has become a mystic and sees Jesus, as the Christ.

Then he makes a huge statement, Christ in you, the hope of Glory.  When someone gives a description of their humanity, or what they think church is, or what makes them come alive…I think of this passage.  YOU are the body of Christ, you carry the glory of God within you.  YOU are more than what describes you.  You are of God, made in God’s image.  

Yet, we settle for lives that we’ve created, our false selves, our egos.  The church has as well.  We call it a business, a social club, a building, etc.  Those things may describe some elements of the church, but the church is a part of the body of Christ.  We are not a movement or even an endeavor, we are called to be a witness to the glory of God that resides within all of humanity.   

I want to encourage you this week to do something simple.  To stop, slow down, rest, and to ponder on this, allowing the renewing of your mind and heart, to contemplate on the glory of God, Christ in you, and in all things and people.  Allow that reality to settle a bit so that when you ask yourself, who am I, you can sense the God of all creation rising up within you.

Amen?

Matthew 15:21-28

21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

It’s so good to be back in Cincinnati.  The past month was good for me and my family, an I trust that it was good for you as well.  This past month was a good time for me to stop a bit, have a change of pace, and continue to be curious about the heroes journey that I have been on.  The heroes journey of every human involves a time of separation, transformation, and peace or contentment.  This is an ongoing journey and last month was simply a part of that journey.  That journey is reflected in all of us to some degree, if we have the courage to ask questions, be curious, take risks.  It also involves saying yes to yourself, your deepest Self and to certain things in life.  

Our gospel lesson this morning involves a yes for three people.  The Canaanite woman, whose name we don’t know says yes to a risk of seeking out Jesus, a Jewish rabbi that normally would not associate with her, a foreigner.  Her daughter who was ill and trying to come to terms with her illness.  And, Jesus.  He had to come to a point of saying yes to thinking in new ways.  

I can relate to the woman in our gospel passage this morning in need of healing for her daughter.  Our adult children are amazing.  They have also been on heroes journeys, especially now in their 20’s.  I was so glad that they said yes to going on this pilgrimage to Iona and Lindisfarne with us, and to see where life continues to take us.  I would, like the Canaanite woman, take huge risks for them, as I know many of you would for your children as well.

As a church, we are asked to say yes to our journeys as humans and as a congregation together.  What are we willing to say yes to?  Ultimately, are we willing to say yes to God’s flow, no matter where it takes us?  Are we willing to take risks and to trust?  Are we willing to admit that we are wounded, ill, and in need of healing?

In the end, this time can be isolating and we are all looking for healing in all sorts of places.  In the midst of this season, we are finding that healing in different ways, but all of those ways, I believe, lead us into new practices and deeper relationships with ourselves, others, and, ultimately, with God as we navigate in new ways what it means to not only survive, but to even thrive, and to become the persons that God intends.

Jesus, as the healer in this story, is going through changes and having to adapt and taking risks in saying yes.  The Canaanite woman is a foreigner, up to this time, Jesus saw his mission in life to bring reform to the Jewish community, yet, here he is confronted by a foreigner who’s got some moxie, and a deep love for her daughter.  She doesn’t let go of her pursuit of healing, and of God’s favor, and Jesus is moved, changed, and adapts his mission.  Now, this story may have been given interpretation by authors over the centuries to show its readers that the disciples were the ones who were focused only on their tribe, their people, and that Jesus was testing them.  Whatever you think, there is a shift, a change, and Jesus responds to this woman who’s asking for crumbs, and Jesus responds by giving her all that she had asked for.  Her daughter is healed and the mother’s faith is rewarded.

Her faith was remarkable, and it makes an impression on Jesus.  And, Jesus responds with a yes to her.  This same Jesus also says yes to us throughout eternity.

So, friends, we all need healing, we all need time with God in this highly polarized culture with so many voices, we all need to know that God is in this with us and will respond to honest faith filled with doubt as well as authenticity.  And, we need to remember that God does hear the cries of those who are foreigners, not of our faith or culture, and that we should hear their cries as well, as we are the body of Christ, and just as Christ is moved, we should be as well and take the risk to say in response to God’s Yes to us.