Who do you say that I AM?

Psalm 116:1-9,   Mark 8:27-38

In this poignant and rich dialogue between Jesus and disciples, it is important to understand that this question of Jesus is not just for them - it is for us.  And like his disciples, we may be confused as to exactly who he is, for like them we have not truly listened to Jesus or understood his ministry.  We are familiar with John’s gospel telling us Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life.  The way was the terminology for young Christianity.  Another translation for “the way” is journey.  Jesus is the journey.  He is along with us and we are along with him for the ride.

And like Jesus did, let us listen to the words of Isaiah, spoken to God’s children Israel.  This time, as a child of God, I want you to hear your name called.  This is God telling us who we are to him.

43 But now thus says the Lord,
                he who created you, O Jacob,
                 he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…
X4 Because you are precious in my sight,
    and honored, and I love you…(Isaiah 43:1-4)

Today, I am telling you my story and asking you to think along with the message “who Jesus is for you

A couple Septembers ago, I was driving, if you could call it that, in the bumper to bumper traffic on the Stevenson Expressway in Chicago, I was deliriously happy. Go figure. I laughed as I realized that I had been more homesick than I thought.  Jesus laughed with me. It was a revelation to me, how much we long for the familiar, what is known in our lives, even the troublesome stuff.  We find comfort and solace in the oddest places.

That week Jesus was my travel companion.  Portable.  With me wherever I went.  For each moment.   Sitting on the Philadelphia airport runway, waiting for take-off from Chicago, I received a telephone call.   A beloved friend, had suddenly, shockingly, had passed away.

It is so great to be able to go immediately to prayer.  It was so reassuring to have the embrace and comfort of Jesus surround me.

Jesus was with me at the gas station, when I couldn’t find, on my rented bright red Dodge Dart, the darn release to open the gas cap.  The rental company was of no help.  Jesus showed up in the guise of a young black man I called over to help me find it.  A tiny button in the recess of the driver’s side door.

Busman’s holiday, I attended Bible study at the St. Paul’s German Reformed UCC, where I trained.  What a welcoming homecoming.  Jesus was there as we talked about the loss of members in this aging congregation.  x The church is still going, thanks be to God.   It’s hard to lose your spiritual home.

Home for us at Zion’s Red Church is our sanctuary, and our longtime history.   It’s more than a year since I started preaching here, and January, 2025 will be my first anniversary as your settled pastor  We have entered into the community in new ways and have been blessed by their generosity.  Changes this past year may have been challenging.  We gravitate to that which we know and what we’ve always done No matter, Jesus has been with us, the Holy Spirit came down, and God blessed us.   Can we say we are thankful?

It is important for us to recognize the power of Jesus.  And to remember to lean into it when needed.  Too often we think we can rely on just ourselves.

Perhaps for many or even most things, we can slide by on our arrogance, our own ego.  And then the storm hits.  I pray that Jesus is there for you in the calm and the storm.

Who is Jesus?  Human and Godly at the same time, he was without sin.  From the moment The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus, we know that he fully manifested the Spirit of God in the flesh.  To do this, Jesus took care of himself - mind, spirit, and body.  He studied and learned scripture.  The Torah and the Prophets were part of his mind.  He made time for prayer and spiritual reflection.

This is all good. All this is in the Bible.  But there is an important question Jesus is asking to you today. The answer is not in the Bible, it can only be found in your heart.  Thanks be to God. Amen.