Who do you say that I am?
Invitation to Worship
When God speaks, all creation answers:
the moon cries, ‘Glory!’
the sun hums a song as it warms the earth.
When God speaks, lives are changed:
those held hostage by oppression are set free;
the voiceless shout the story of salvation.
When God speaks, everything is turned inside out:
the wise learn the language of grace from little children;
the strong take lessons from the powerless.
Hymn: StF 293 All heaven declares the glory of the risen Lord
- All heaven declares
The glory of the risen Lord
Who can compare
With the beauty of the Lord
Chorus
Forever He will be
The Lamb upon the throne
I gladly bow the knee
And worship Him alone
- I will proclaim
The glory of the risen Lord
Who once was slain
To reconcile man to God
Chorus
Noel Richards (b.1955) and Tricia Richards (b.1960), © 1987 ThankYou Music
Prayers
Who are you, Lord Jesus:
the shepherd; the servant; the king?
Sometimes we see you on the cross, suffering, dying;
sometimes teaching on the mount
or laughing at the sinners’ table.
And who are we, Lord Jesus:
sheep who follow; disciples who argue and rebuke;
listeners, hungry for crumbs of righteousness,
or sinners who know that we are?
Maybe we are all of these things – but you are Jesus, the Messiah.
We come near, to hear your words and follow in your way.
Yet, dear Jesus,
we have failed to serve you faithfully.
Our lives are anything but blameless.
You invite us to see with a new vision,
but we continue in our old ways.
You call us to set aside our own desires
so that we may embrace your desires,
but we are stubborn and refuse to let go.
Lord, rebuke our shameful ways.
Guide us to find our place, directly behind you as you head for Jerusalem.
Teach us to take up our crosses and follow wherever you lead, we pray.
Amen.
Bible reading: Mark 8:27-38
Peter’s Declaration about Jesus
27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ 28 And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ 29 He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
31 Then he 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. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’
34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
Hymn: StF 338 There is a Redeemer
There is a redeemer,
Jesus, God’s own Son,
precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Holy One.
Thank you, O my Father,
for giving us your Son,
and leaving your Spirit
till the work on earth is done.
Jesus, my Redeemer,
name above all names,
precious Son of God, Messiah,
Lamb for sinners slain.
When I stand in glory
I will see his face
and there I’ll serve my King for ever
in that holy place.
Melody Green (b.1946) and Keith Green (1953 – 1982), © 1982 Birdwing Music
Reflection
The poet TS Eliot wrote many very serious poems. He also wrote ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’, which gave the world feline characters such as Skimbleshanks and Macavity. The poem ‘The Naming of Cats’ introduces the idea that every cat has three names. There is a family nickname, then a majestic name unique to each cat, and thirdly a secret name known only to the cat and never revealed to anyone else, ‘ineffable effable effanineffable deep and inscrutable singular name’.
‘Who do you say that I am?’ Jesus asks his disciples. He is asking them to have a go at identifying the ‘deep and inscrutable singular name’ that expresses who he truly is. They have tried out various names – rabbi, master, teacher. They have heard names from others – John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet. Yet nothing seems quite right.
When Peter speaks the name ‘Messiah’ it is a moment of genuine revelation – and yet my guess is that the other disciples are saying to themselves ‘Yes, of course – why didn’t we see that before?’ This name is the perfect fit for the man they have come to know through their discipleship. The Jews had been expecting God’s Messiah for centuries, the one who would be God’s representative on earth, putting God’s power into action in ways that would be life-changing. The disciples had seen God’s power flowing through Jesus as he healed the woman with the flow of blood and fed the five thousand and calmed the storm and walked on the water. They had heard God’s word flowing from his lips as he preached and taught and explained how God was at work in the everyday things of life, the grains of wheat, the lamps of night time and the little children in their midst. Now, the name ‘Messiah’ brought it all together. Jesus was the one who embodied God’s presence and was changing life for good.
Yet immediately they speak his true name, Jesus begins to lead them into new understanding of what the name means. To be God’s representative is to face huge risk. God changes life, and not everyone appreciates the disturbing presence of a challenging God. I’ve just finished reading a book about the making of the English Bible. The author describes how unwilling church leaders were to allow the Bible to be translated into languages actually spoken by ordinary people. The teaching of the Bible needed to be held in obscure Latin in case the status quo was destabilised by talk of human equality, all people made in the image of God. Those with power have a lot to lose from the presence of a God who challenges structures which bring advantage to some and deprivation to many – and Jesus is fully aware of that, knowing God as a son knows his father. So he begins to alert his disciples to the suffering that he will face, but he also ensures that they can grasp the deeper reality that God’s love and God’s life is greater than the human capacity to resist goodness at work.
When Peter names Jesus as Messiah, it is a massive revelation of the true identity of the man they have come to know. The name – Jesus Christ – is less surprising to twenty-first century people who have perhaps grown up knowing that these names fit together. This story reminds us of all that lies behind this right way of naming Jesus, and invites us to consider what that means for us and the way we live as his followers. The glory of being children of a God of love sits alongside the risk of belonging to a radical, world-changing God of justice.
‘As Christians we’re called to seek God’s justice. Justice that enables everyone, and all creation, to flourish. Justice that removes everything that diminishes people, that oppresses or exploits them. Justice that enables us all to grow in relationship with each other and with God.’ So says the Methodist Church’s report, A Justice-Seeking Church – because this is what it means to be followers of Jesus, whose true name is Messiah, representative on earth of a God of justice and love.
To think about
What one action could you take in your life to show that you follow Jesus the Messiah?
Prayers of Intercession
So many people in our world today are taking huge risks for causes they believe in. We think particularly of those in Israel who have taken to the streets to protest about the ongoing war there. For those showing huge courage, we ask that their voices are heard, and that we in the west keep listening, thinking and praying for them. We pray that leaders with influence use the power they have to bring safety to those who desperately need it.
Loving God, draw close to people who are motivated to push back against inequality;
may we see and be inspired by those who take risks for justice.
We are aware of many different people and groups struggling for climate justice; trying to bring to our attention the peril the world is in and effect change. Thank you for people who care deeply about the environment and are not afraid to use their voice to speak about it. May they be determined rather than daunted by the scale of the challenge and be encouraged in their pursuit of change.
Loving God, draw close to the people around us who fight continually for climate justice,
may we see and be inspired by those who speak up and make us listen.
Many of us will know of Christian around this world facing persecution and danger, brothers and sisters who live in countries hostile to their beliefs and for whom expressing their faith is a highly provocative act. Please draw near to everyone who is in danger today because they follow Christ. Help persecuted Christians around this world find safe spaces to express their faith and, for those for whom there is no safe space, may they know your deep love for them. May they powerfully feel the presence of your Holy Spirit and hold onto the promise of the Gospel.
Loving God draw close to all for whom discipleship is costly,
may we see and be inspired by those who choose to worship you whatever the circumstances.
Finally, we pray for people in need, and for ourselves. Whatever circumstances face us in the week to come may we face them in the knowledge that you are always with us. May we learn how to let go of the things of this world that weigh us down or distract us from serving you.
Loving God draw close to all of us this week as we work out what discipleship means,
may we see and be inspired by those who model lives of faith and service.
Hymn: StF 563 O Jesus, I have promised
1 O Jesus, I have promised
to serve Thee to the end;
be Thou forever near me,
my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
if Thou art by my side,
nor wander from the pathway
if Thou wilt be my Guide.
2 O let me feel Thee near me,
the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
the tempting sounds I hear;
my foes are ever near me,
around me and within;
but, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
and shield my soul from sin.
3 O let me hear Thee speaking
in accents clear and still,
above the storms of passion,
the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
to hasten or control!
O speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul!
4 O Jesus, Thou hast promised
to all who follow Thee
that where Thou art in glory
there shall Thy servant be;
and, Jesus, I have promised
to serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow,
my Master and my Friend!
John Ernest Bode (1816 – 1874)
Blessing
We go now to live before God in openness and integrity.
We set our minds on the ways of God,
not clinging to our own life,
but taking up our cross and following Jesus.
And may God give us a share in the eternal covenant;
May Christ Jesus be proud of us when he comes in glory;
And may the Holy Spirit make us grow strong in faith
and lead us in the ways of righteousness.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Some resources from rootsontheweb and re:worship
