Luke 9:18-27 The Loneliest Question

Luke 9:18-27 The Loneliest Question

[18] Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" [19] They answered, "John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen." [20] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Messiah of God."

[21] He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, [22] saying, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

[23] Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. [24] For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. [25] What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?

What is happening in this scripture – These verses always take me to a place of contemplation. Jesus, prays alone. Then, he asks his disciples, those near him, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” What must have been going on inside of him at that point? Am I doing this the right way? Does anyone understand what I am saying? It seems like a lonely question to ask. How many times have we asked lonely questions of ourselves, of those nearest to us? The disciples tell him some think he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, referring perhaps to the Jewish belief that Elijah would return just before the Messiah appeared to the world. And some others believed that one of the other ancient prophets had returned. Then Jesus asks another lonely question: “But who do YOU say that I am?” Peter says, “The Messiah of God”.
Jesus gets stern and orders and commands them to tell no one that. Then he seems to speak in the third person about himself, saying that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the temple elite, to be killed, and on the third day to be raised. Jesus wants them to know that he is not just Jesus, their friend, a clever and winsome healer, or even a great new prophet. No. He speaks of himself as something universal, something quintessential, and his words resonate for anyone who faces the normalcy of civilization with the truth. It is not just Jesus who will be rejected by the authorities, killed by the system. It is anyone who takes up their OWN CROSS daily and follows him.
The lonely question, “Who do you say that I am?” invites us to ask two other lonely questions: “Who do YOU think Jesus is?” and “Who do you think YOU are?” The answers to those two questions should not be given as fast as Peter answered Jesus. Why? Because these two questions are the biggest questions you will ever ask. And the answers will make all the difference, shaping your life and perhaps your destiny.

How is this happening in the world today? – There are many, and have been many, who have attempted to answer that lonely question, “Who do you say that I am?” There are thousands who think they know the answer to that question, or they want someone else to answer it for them. I think the question is answered, like Peter, too quickly. Because what Jesus then asks his disciples to do is to deny themselves. How many people do you see these days who are really doing that? How many are willing to take up their own crosses and try to follow this amazing transcendent, immanent, Son of Man? Do we really know where he is leading us with that cross of his? The cross was an instrument of execution. How many would follow an electric chair or gas chamber? There are many who have gone before us who have done just that, stood up to evil and to hate and to power and forfeited their lives.
Jesus promises us that those of us who lose their lives for his sake will save them. Does that mean a ticket into heaven, or a doorway into the kingdom of God, here and now? Jesus used the word, daily. That means NOW.

How is this story my story? -- Who do you say that I am? Jesus asks us. The answer will tell you who YOU are.

Don’t answer too quickly. It’s a really lonely question.

The daily Lectionary is a free service of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) To learn more visit http://www.pcusa.org/devotions/lectionary/index