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='margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>Lord, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer - Amen
Many of you might be familiar with the slogan - WWJD – What Would Jesus Do
This popular slogan can been seen from bracelets and bumper-stickers
Appeals to this common human trait of empathy
We are encouraged to imagine ourselves in the shoes of Jesus as our model for the behaviour that we are to strive for
But, sometimes, I wonder about how possible this is, maybe Jesus as the model is too difficult,
Maybe putting on the sandals of Jesus might be expecting too much of us
No, the person that I most relate to is – Peter, the lead disciple
I say the lead disciple for a few reasons
There are those that believe that the other disciples were still boys
While Peter was the only adult in the group
Rabbis (teachers) took on disciples (followers - students) as the final stage in their education, after they had done three previous stages of education
And in order that the Rabbi’s teachings would continue on
It was the practice of the Rabbi to have the eldest or the brightest to be first to speak - the one to respond on behalf of the group
Peter is the disciple that we hear from the most in the Gospels
Peter and Jesus were the only ones that were considering the need to pay the temple tax - A duty of adults
Peter had a wife and was the main provider for his extended family
It was Peter’s mother in law that was healed
And lived together with Peter who was the provider for the whole family
Finally Peter had his own business - he was not merely a fisherman but owned *two* boats a somewhat wealthy and responsible role of the working class people of the time
But Peter’s role as the lead disciple is not the reason that I relate most to him… No, it is Peter’s humanity
Peter’s ability to get it right *and* to get it wrong
In Peter we see the ‘triumphs of Faith’ and ‘failures of human weakness’
In today’s gospel we have the most dramatic examples possible from the mouth of Peter
Mark’s Gospel today takes a break from the stories of Jesus power or proofs of who Jesus is
From the feeding of the 5000, and the 4000, Jesus walking on Water,
To Jesus Healing the Sick in Gennesaret, the Syrophoenician Woman’s daughter, a Blind Man
Mark takes a break from all of that indirect evidence to share with us the mystery of Jesus very directly and specifically - The identity of Jesus
To understand Peter’s ups and downs – his humanity we need to extend our reading to understand what happen right before our Gospel reading of the day
It starts out innocently enough
Jesus asks the disciples who THE PEOPLE say Jesus is
*/They/*/ (/the disciples/) answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
(Mark 8:28)/
*Then* Jesus asks the big question to the disciples - the people that know him the best
And if this were a Hollywood movie
- the surrounding lights would dim
- and the camera would move from a wide shot to a close up
- to catch the expression on their faces
- the music would rise to a crescendo
*/“But who do you say that I am?”/*/(Mark 8:29)/
And it is Peter that responds …responds in faith
As the spokesperson for the group - maybe
But I think speaking out of his own heart…out of his own experiences
Out of his own… faith
*/Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”/*/
(Mark 8:29)/
*/ /*
The one that Jews have been waiting for - the focus of scriptures… The Messiah
Peter has got it right - in faith - he answered
This is the moment *that* if we relate to Peter - as I do - this is the triumphal moment - the highlight of your life
And Matthew records it much more generously
/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/ (/Matthew 16:17-19)/
Imagine how you might have felt when the Messiah - the hope of the nation, for generations and generations - God in the flesh - Says *that *to YOU!
But the story continues… continues with our reading today
/Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 He said all this quite openly.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
(Mark 8:31-32)/
Again if we were watching a movie - I think this is the moment where we would all groan
Groan at the huge mistake that Peter has just made
He has gone from declaring Jesus to be the Messiah - to rebuking Him
In three short verses
Rebuked *the Messiah* for the message that he is teaching
/ 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!
For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
(Mark 8:33)/
From a blessing to a curse…
Peter moved from - the Rock on which the church is to be built - to Satan
Moved there because he didn’t like the message of Jesus
Moved there because he set his mind on human things
Moved there by his own doing – his own tongue
And what was the message of Jesus that Peter had the nerve rebuke
It is tough message
It is the cost of discipleship
Jesus was speaking of suffering
This was not the posterity gospel that has become popular in some Christian circles today
The notion that all will be well if you just turn your life over to Christ
That you will do better in business
Better in relationships
You won’t get sick
If you do - God will make you all better
All things will go your way if you are right with Jesus
No, Jesus was speaking of the price that was to be paid by Him
And in extension prophesying for us - as followers
That He and we would be rejected by the elders - the cultural leaders
That He and we would suffer…even to the point of death
In rebuking Peter, Jesus went on to explain what followers were to do
That we are to take up our crosses…that we are not protect *even our lives*
That even all the benefits that this world has to offer are to nothing in comparison
That we are to deny ourselves
That we must *not* be ashamed of the Good news of Jesus Christ
In rebuking Peter, Jesus went on to say the most difficult thing imaginable
That we are to *become* something new - transformed
To be a follower we must live, not as we have lived
But to deny ourselves and take up suffering in the name of Jesus
That we are to be willing to lose our worldly life…In exchange for salvation
What are your suffering in the name of Jesus – what is your cross of faith that you bear*?*
And Jesus said in the gospel… */ Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
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