The Rev. Joseph Peters-Mathews is the vicar of St. Hilda St. Patrick. The sermon for Sunday, August 23rd, was preached based on the below manuscript . The gospel text was Matthew 16.13-20.
Jesus is on the move.
It’s been said
that all gospels are passion narratives
with introductions of various lengths.
Where we are in Matthew’s gospel,
Jesus is on the move
making his way to Jerusalem
where he will face death
and open the way to new life.
As he goes,
he spars with Pharisees and Sadducees.
These back and forths
are a testament to their opposition to Jesus
and also traditional method of having him prove himself as a rabbi.
Just before our text,
Jesus’ foils have asked for a sign.
He won’t give one.
Then he asks the disciples
a question he obviously knows the answer to.
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
Generally the consensus is prophets:
John the Baptizer,
who prepared God’s way
Elijah,
the ultimate prophet
Jeremiah,
who called God’s people to repentance.
Jesus is in pretty good company,
but no one is saying he’s the messiah.
He’s set himself up to be able to ask
“Who do you say that I am?”
Peter, always Peter,
answers, “You are the Messiah,
the Son of the living God.”
Although a voice has come from heaven
saying that Jesus is the voice’s Son,
Peter is the first to say it,
to claim it and own it.
Jesus is God’s son,
the one who has come to bring salvation,
fullness of freedom, health, and life.
He is the Messiah,
God’s anointed.
The deaths from COVID19 in the US
should hit 180,000 this weekend.
Rising college freshmen from our congregation,
have delayed their start so they can have a full experience.
Colleges that have reopened in person
have made it a few days, maybe a week or two,
before having to close completely
or go to some hybrid model.
We are having a funeral on Zoom Tuesday.
This pandemic rages,
and I really don’t see an end in sight.
Police violence continues across the country
despite months of protests.
California is on fire
after terrible flooding in the great plans —
both bearing testament
to the ongoing issue of climate change.
Belarusian elections have been rigged,
stolen, or contested.
We stand in between two conventions:
Joe Biden as been nominated
and Donal Trump will be renominated this weekend.
Conspiracy theories are abounding.
And this week we have Jesus asking his disciples through time,
“Who do you say that I am?”
Peter, always Peter,
answers, “You are the Messiah,
the Son of the living God.”
Jesus is God’s son,
the one who has come to bring salvation,
fullness of freedom, health, and life.
He is the Messiah,
God’s anointed.
Jesus is excited that Peter gets it right!
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,
but my Father in heaven.”
Jesus tells Peter, a name that means rock,
that he is the rock on which
Jesus’ church will be built.
This is the first time
that Jesus talks about
his church —
the people who are called out
to follow him and be a part of his vision,
living like him and following his example.
Jesus is the Messiah,
God’s anointed!
He’s God’s son!
Jesus is the one who has come to bring salvation,
fullness of freedom, health, and life.
He’s given us the church,
against which the gates of Hades
and even death itself
can’t prevail.
In today’s passage
Jesus is making his way to Jerusalem
where he will be crucified
and then raised from the dead.
We’ve heard the story of Pentecost during this pandemic,
and we are Christ’s church, gathered together,
in person and watching online.
As this pandemic rages on,
with no discernible end in sight
we may, like Peter, two weeks ago
look away from Jesus.
This is especially a temptation of mine,
in election years.
I’m reminded of comparisons being made
between a governor and a community organizer
in 2008.
We stand in between two conventions:
Joe Biden as been nominated
and Donal Trump will be renominated this weekend.
Conspiracy theories are abounding,
and anxiety about the election —
voting itself —
is moving from our sub and unconsciousness
to the fronts of our minds.
Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump
is the Messiah, God’s anointed.
Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump
has come to bring salvation:
fullness of freedom, health, and life.
Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump
Is God’s son.
Jesus is,
and he’s given us the church!
Look around.
From gathering to pray for the dead
even if on Zoom
to planned pizza parties
and ice cream socials,
the church stands.
We’ll never find a savior
at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
We don’t need to, either.
While a pandemic rages,
our anxieties increase,
and climate change burns around us,
we have a Savior.
As the world is on fire,
literally and figuratively,
we have Christ present in the church,
against which the gates of hell
not even death itself
can prevail.
“Who do you say that I am?”
Peter, always Peter,
answers, “You are the Messiah,
the Son of the living God.”
Jesus is God’s son,
the one who has come to bring salvation,
fullness of freedom, health, and life.
He is the Messiah,
God’s anointed. Amen.
.