September 17, 2000

So tell me about this Jesus. What do you know about him? And the poet responded:

Here is a man [Jesus] who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

[Jesus] never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put his foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself. He had nothing to do with this world except the naked power of His divine manhood.

While still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth while He was dying-and that was his coat. When he was dead He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

[Twenty] wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life. (1)

As you heard a couple of weeks ago, and as you have begun to see on our bulletin cover, we have set ourselves a goal: To know Christ, and to make him known. We have determined as a group—the people of St. Margaret's—and as individuals to know Christ and to make him known. And here is Jesus in today's gospel asking you and me to answer the question "Who do you say that I am?"

According to Billy Sunday, "There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, [and he concludes] I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express." (2) Peter uses the name, the title, Messiah—the one anointed by God to save us. But Jesus is more, of course. So I ask you to take seriously Jesus' question. I ask you to answer, for yourself.

Today, I am going to be more brief than usual. But I will also give you some homework. It is easy homework. It is really prayer work to do at home (or in the car, or on your daily walk, or even here in our chapel). Here is what I would like you to do:

In a quiet moment of your day, and even the busiest among us has a quiet moment or two, picture yourself face to face with Jesus. Picture yourself alone with him, or in the company of family or friends (having witnesses may add drama to what is coming). Imagine he has just asked you, "Who do you say that I am?" Listen to your heart, find your voice, and answer him in the quiet moment of your day. And then, find another quiet moment, and repeat the exercise. We have set a goal to know Christ, and to make him known; at least some of the time we will have to use words to express what we know.

It isn't a difficult exercise. You have plenty of information. You have the gift of the Holy Spirit to direct your heart and mind and voice. You may be surprised just how much Jesus means to you. You may discover new depths to the love you have for the Lord.

Of course you may use any or all of the 256 names given in the Bible for Jesus. The names, titles, are part of our heritage. Perhaps you will respond, "You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." Or again, "You are the Word of God." "You are the way, the truth, and the life." Or, "You are Emmanuel, God with us." Other names and titles from the Bible include: Dayspring, the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah, First Born, Head of the Church, Man of Sorrows, Mediator, Advocate, Light of the World, Prince of Peace, Our Passover. (Truly, Jesus is infinitely beyond what any one name can express.)

But push yourself to create your own name or title. It isn't that difficult. You have plenty of information. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in this exercise to know Christ. You could respond to Jesus' question with, "You are the one who restores sight to the blind." "You are the one who gives hearing to the deaf." "You are the calmer of storms." "You are the forgiver of sins." "You are the one who raises the dead to life."

And play with your answer even more, learning more about what you know, and believe, and love about our Lord. "Who do you say that I am?" he asks. And you respond, "You are the way, the truth, and the life—for the whole world. You are the way, the truth, and the life—for our church, St. Margaret's. You are the way, the truth, and the life—for my nosy neighbor. You are the way, the truth, and the life—for me." Jesus is for the whole world. Jesus is for the people of God here at St. Margaret's. Jesus is for the neighbor who pleases you and who bugs you. Jesus is for you.

"Who do you say that I am?" "You are the one who forgives the sin of the world. You are the one who forgives the sins of these people sitting around me in church. You are the one who forgives the sins of my nosy neighbor. You, Jesus, are the one who forgives my sins." Push yourself, be playful in your answers, let the Spirit guide you in the quiet moment of your day to know Christ; to know Christ who is big enough to cover the whole world, and interested enough to be engaged with you one-on-one.

But don't stop in just knowing Christ. We have determined as a congregation, we have determined as individuals, to make Christ known. I have no doubt that there will be moments, opportunities, when you can share your knowledge with the nosy neighbor, with the people in the pews around you here, with co-workers, with family, with friends, with people you are meeting for the first time. Listen for those opportunities. Be aware of the moment, let the Spirit guide you into appropriate sharing of the knowledge and love of the Lord that you discover. I am not asking you, nor is God asking you, to become a street corner evangelist. But I am asking, and I believe God is asking you to be ready to share the joy that is in you; the joy that comes from knowing and loving the Lord.

I picture a kind of sharing as innocent and pure as little 3-year old Katie, sick with the flu and being examined by her pediatrician. As the doctor examined her ears, he asked, "Will I find Big Bird in here?"

Apprehensively, Katie replied, "No."

Then, before examining her throat, he asked, "Will I find the Cookie Monster in here?"

Again, "No."

Finally, listening to her heart, he asked, "Will I find Barney in here?"

[That was too much. She took the doctor's face in her hands and made him look at her and] with innocent conviction, she looked him directly in the eye and said, "No, Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my underwear." (3)

You will be given opportunities to make Christ known, please use them, to the glory of God. AMEN

The Rev. Daniel Rondeau
drondeau@stmargarets.org
17 September 2000

(1) James Allan Francis, One Solitary Life, pp.1-7 (1963). This miniature book, made up entirely of the text above, was hand set and printed by Doris V. Welsh, a former staff member of the Newberry Library, in an edition of 150 copies.

(2) Billy Sunday, in a sermon, "Wonderful," quoted in The REAL BILLY SUNDAY.

(3) Judy Zmerold in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (1/17/98) and quoted by Alden E. Lynch, Shoreview, Minnesota; on the internet at http://www.christianityonline.com/ leadership/features/illustrate.html