27 Aug SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2023
When a gospel passage begins with the phrase, “Now when,” it’s meant to draw our attention to what’s about to happen next. Now when Jesus arrived at a place called Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples a very pointed question. “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
If we wonder why Jesus might ask this question here and now, perhaps it’s because he and his disciples are in a town known for various religious practices. At just one stopping point, Jesus could collect a diverse sampling of answers and poll his popularity.
This town, just 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee, had changed names several times. Of late, one of Herod the Great’s sons had named it after himself and Caesar Augustus. Citizens were mainly Syrian or Greek and the town itself was once a center of worship to the pagan gods Baal and Pan.
When Jesus asks, “Who do people say the Son of Man is,” he refers to himself in a way that according to the ESV Study Bible, Jesus does over 80 times within the various gospel texts. Describing himself as “The Son of Man” is Jesus’ way of claiming his messianic title and denoting to the listener his one of a kind, fully human-fully divine status.
Jesus wasn’t asking his disciples who they say the Son of Man is. He was asking them, “Who do other people say I, the Son of Man, am?” The disciples weren’t asked to offer an opinion or answer for themselves, only to report honestly to Jesus whatever they had heard.
Jesus has just asked the question, “Who do people say I am,” while at the same time reminding his disciples and gospel readers exactly who he is. So knowing this, I don’t quite understand why Jesus acts so surprised by Peter’s response. Perhaps it was the case more often than not, that people didn’t listen closely to his words or failed to process what they heard?
I suppose what’s remarkable is that Jesus is correctly identified by Peter as the Messiah, Son of the living God. For a moment, Jesus doesn’t have to care what other people think. At least one of his disciples gets who he is and knows who he is while the other disciples merely repeat what they’ve overheard: suggestions that Jesus is John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or some other reincarnated prophet. Lately, Jesus had been fielding more and more challenges from his opponents. So in this moment, I’m sure it was a blessing for Jesus to be recognized for who he, in fact, was. In fact, Jesus found Peter’s response so encouraging that he blessed Peter in return.
I can’t help noticing, too, how very Lutheran it is of Jesus to note that Peter’s knowledge and faith could not have come to him by his own volition or by flesh and blood, but only through some miraculous provision from God. It’s a pretty good illustration of grace enabling a person to recognize the presence of God and thus inspired to make a public declaration that confesses God’s plan of salvation in Jesus the Messiah.
“And that’s not all, Peter,” Jesus says. “On this rock I will build my church.” What Jesus exactly meant by those words has been hotly debated for centuries, but in the seventh chapter of Matthew, verse 24, Jesus is quoted as saying this, “A wise man built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” In contrast, a foolish man built his house upon sand.
I attended a church in Maryland during seminary that is built upon a rock, a giant boulder to be more exact. The church has an interesting history. When a tract of land was donated in the late 1800’s to build a church, no one was aware at the time of the rock or that excavation tools available back then would be unable to move it.
So, they literally built the church on top of it. If you opened up the side door just outside the church beneath the sanctuary, all you saw within was a dirt floor and a gigantic boulder. The church entices visitors every year to see the big rock as a featured oddity during the annual Christmas tour.
Biblically, rocks were used for altars, during idol worship, as protection to hide in, as shade, to bear inscriptions, to kill, as shelter, and to mark graves. Miracles associated with rocks are: Moses striking a rock to procure water for the Israelites, the angel of the Lord bringing fire from a rock to cook food offered by Gideon, the Lord passing by the mountain where Elijah hid, and the rocks breaking into pieces, and finally in response to Jesus giving up the ghost, not only did the veil of the temple tear in two from top to bottom, the earth did quake, and rocks broke apart.
Figuratively, rock represents Christ as refuge, a hiding place from wind, shelter from the tempest, a shadow of respite in a weary land, source of spiritual drink, a sanctuary for some, a stone of stumbling or rock of offense for others. In today’s gospel reading, rock represents a solid foundation of faith.
The problems with building a church upon a rock became evident pretty quickly. There was no way to install indoor plumbing or run electric wiring. They couldn’t teach Sunday School, cook food, or enjoy fellowship meals in the basement. Members of the church used an outhouse for a hundred years until property purchased next door met other needs.
The neat thing about that little church built upon a rock is how the congregation decided to keep going. In the 80’s, their larger counterpart voted to close it, but the few remaining members refused to stop meeting. They petitioned the synod to become their own entity. Each week, right after playing the second hymn during worship, the organist leaves to go next door and teach children’s Sunday School.
Three to five men and women don choir robes in the narthex every Sunday before processing down the aisle to sing the week’s opening hymn. Every Sunday, most who attend share a fellowship meal and once a month, the congregation celebrates everyone’s birthday and anniversary with a nice decorated sheet cake.
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. 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.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Harmony Lutheran Church in Maryland recently became part of a two point parish again and called a full time pastor. I rather doubt they’ve grown in number, but perhaps they have. What I’m sure of is that they haven’t stopped doing what it takes for a church to withstand the power of Hell, the power of any force hell bent on closing it, making it less than it could be, or making it go away and close its doors.
I hope that hearing about the church literally built upon a rock will inspire our two rural churches to see that: Limits do not determine longevity, the increasing age of members or decreasing number of attendees does not have to define the degree of vitality or activity of the Spirit within God’s church.
Not only I, but others, would like to see a choir sing in our sanctuaries now and again, have children’s Sunday School or childcare offered regularly throughout the year, see better attendance at church fellowship events like joint worship services, the annual picnic, and other parties.
We all have limited energy, time, abilities or resources. I’ve noticed that you give in many ways. And it’s a big deal to have you show up for church and drop something in the offering plate. I’m also aware that you keep tabs on each other through Facebook. But Jesus did not say, “Upon this social media platform, I will build my church.” The word Jesus uses for church is new and appears here in the Bible for the first time.
Ekklesia is a Greek word that does not mean building, but an assembly of people, a gathering of folks who are closely connected, who meet with common interest and deliberate purpose. The ekklesia or church is made up of locals who live in community. According to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the NT, the ekklesia or church is a gathering of citizens called out from their homes to occupy shared space.
I’m grateful to those of you who make the effort to gather and leave home or watch online. There are many friends of the church who don’t regularly come to worship, but contribute in other ways. My prayer is that our churches will approximate what Jesus desired: for churches to remain vital expressions of God’s Holy Spirit, proof of God’s activity on earth, professing faith in Jesus, the Messiah, able to withstand forces wanting to tear it apart, trustworthy of holding keys to the kingdom of heaven, able to discern right from wrong and able to offer what would make Jesus proud. Let us pray.
Dear Lord, we have no special revelation or dispensation to claim as our own, only grace which you have bestowed that we gladly share with Peter and your other disciples. Make us worthy members and servants of your church on earth so that we model ekklesia and prove the wisdom of your desire to build your church upon individuals living in community devoted to gathering regularly and living according to your holy will. In your holy name we pray, Amen.