Who Am I - Matthew 16 - Proper 16 A

Who am I

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 16: 13=20, Psalm 138

Opening prayer

Who am I ? The most fundamental question of anyone and everyone. 

"Who am I" is a question of identity and with that belonging, purpose, and direction.

Why does Jesus ask this ?

What did the disciples need to hear in the response and what were the many responses to the question other than what we read?

“Who do you say I am” is different from the fundamental "Who am I"  because now we speak about how people perceive. What legends or rumors are festering? What is lurking around the corner that needs to be negated by truth? What rumors need to be dispelled because we all know how rumors can fester into fantasies and fiction?

If we are looking for growth, then the question of identity is critical. Without identity, we don’t have purpose, we don’t have belonging, we are aimless in direction. So understanding our identity is critical.

Even more who is your God and why is that important? Is Jesus your God or just the idea and how do live that? That is part of your identity.

That is why so many people are realizing the power of this. To be black, Latino, queer, Native or a German on American soil. God is "god" over all people. Why so many are interested in shutting differing voices down is a question we should be asking at the same time. 

Why are so many different voices scary to hear? Unless you are in an institution for care, those voices can help us to see the better parts of humanity in many different ways - instead of resorting to gun barrels and negative innuendo.

We are all God’s children and yet we enjoy labeling and segregating. Yes, There are some that would use that as an excuse not to acknowledge the different uniqueness that people have. Yet in claiming identity, we claim something of the self. We claim something more than a label or tag. 

We claim who we are. There, there is where we can find much growth and find much to hang on because we don’t let others define who we are, what we need or how we need to be. We only need to look at the magnificence that God has given us - that God has made us exactly who we need to be. 

If you are then questioning the need for therapists, we stray and our minds like to play games with ourselves. Therapists can help us navigate the waters that is us. I would submit to include God in that as well. 

When we come to terms with our identity, however is one of the single most powerful things that can happen to a person. Ask anyone who has “come out” how liberating that is and how scary at the same time. 

There, I submit, in you will find God. There, in you, is the Spirit working and making you beautiful and magnificent. When we believe that, then magic and growth happens. You found yourself, you found the spirit within you and you listened. Be yourself. Be with God.

Our identity is not just me myself and I. Identity is what we do (in English we say she is an electrician for a reason). In as much as we talk about skin color and and orientations, what defines us is work. Additionally, It is also who we associate, how we communicate and more. 

Legends are born from people that help others. People just doing the right thing or speaking up. 

What are you doing to help others?

So Jesus asking this question has at least a few objectives. 1) to maybe quiet curiosities and minds of the people around Jesus. 2) to give voice to what some are thinking internally. And I pose 3 as a human, give assurances to Jesus - Jesus is expressing some vulnerability. In vulnerability we can also find identity because we learn about ourselves 

There are a host of things we can raise with these. Think of why Jesus instructs them not to share this but we read this in the Gospel.

This conversation among Jesus and the disciples is about grappling with truth and different perspectives of that truth. Grappling with vulnerability because we know too well how the world can be cruel to even the best hearts.

We want to know why we are doing this work and what it means to people. Jesus gives us permission to live in our vulnerability. Even when the world is circling around us, we have the spirit to guide us and that our vulnerability is God talking to us and teaching us.

Yes there is God. What claim are you questioning? What is hurting about your identity? What assurance do you need today to know that God has made you who you need to be? 

Think and pray, the answer is already given. 

Thanks Be to God.