“What do YOU think about the Christ?”
By: Rev. Kenneth E. Sauer,
Pastor of Parkview United Methodist Church, Newport News, VA
www.parkview-umc.org
Friends, let’s ask ourselves a very serious question this morning.
Let’s ask ourselves the same question Jesus asked some religious leaders over 2,000 years ago: “What do you think about the Christ?”
This is the crucial question for all humankind, because our destiny is determined by our answer.
When we think of the Christ do we think of a judgmental ruler Who is out to set us straight?
Do we associate the Christ with a particular political agenda? A certain set of rules and laws, shall we say.
Do we think of a good teacher, of Whom we know little about, and do not feel any great need to get to know further?
Do we think of the Christ as Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, Who came to earth, taught us how to live by Word, deed, and example?
Was tempted in every way we are tempted, but was without sin.
Loves us and is able to empathize with our condition, and died and rose from the grave so that we may live forever without fear of death, judgment, the grave?
Do we think of the Christ as Jesus?
Friend, Savior, Lord, Master, God!?
Have we given our lives to this Christ, and in doing so, have we experienced transformation?
Have we been made new through a personal relationship with Christ?
Are we continually being made new as we journey this life, not alone, but with Christ as our Guide, our Lord?
Do we read the Scriptures, and experience Christ’s Word come alive in our lives as we put His teaching into action?
Do we know the power of the Holy Spirit who is made available to all who will believe in and trust Christ as Savior and Lord?
Have we been saved, born again, born anew due to and through faith in this Christ?
Is this Christ all the world to us?
Do we seek His counsel daily, in all our decisions?
Do we rely on the power Christ gives us to resist temptation, deal with our anger, our hate, our prejudices, our indifference?
Do we see how far we fall short in our personal lives as we try to live out what it means to be a disciple of Christ?
But in falling short, do we understand that Christ is more than willing, more than able to forgive us our sins, wipe the slugs off our face, and allow us to try again…with a clean slate?
An in knowing this, do we find a new and exciting freedom in this life that we would never have known had we not come to know this Christ?
Do we believe Jesus when He tells us that out of all the 613 laws and commandments two sum them all up in a nutshell: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…” and
… “Love your neighbor as yourself.”?
Do we aim to live by these two commandments, believing that Jesus takes us beyond a list of do’s and don’t’s into a living relationship with the God Who is at the heart of the Law?
“What do YOU think about the Christ?”
Until that question is answered in the honesty and depth of our human need, it’s highly doubtful if Jesus has much chance with us, or us much chance with Him.
In our Gospel Lesson for this morning we find Jesus asking this question of the Pharisees.
This is a bit of a twist, since the Pharisees have spent so much time trying to trap Jesus by their questions.
“What do you think about the Christ?,” Jesus asks a group of the religious leaders, “Whose son is he?”
“The son of David,’ they replied.”
Is that all?
He’s the son of David?
How about God?
So Jesus confronts them and challenges them: “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’?…
… If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”
Jesus’ question left the Pharisees speechless.
We are told that from that day forward no one dared ask Jesus anymore questions.
Why did they stop asking Jesus questions?
Could it be that whenever they had tried to stump Him or trap Him in the past, they had been so amazed by His answers that they had caught themselves…horror of horrors…believing?
Had this been the final straw?
Had they come to a cross-road?
Did they have to make a decision?
Jesus had begun this dialogue with the question: “What do you think about the Christ?,” and He finished this dialogue by causing the Pharisees to back off.
What were they afraid of?
Were they afraid that the God of love and grace was beginning to take hold of them…
…and because they did not want this to happen…
…they would no longer ask Jesus these questions which brought about answers that seared their hearts, convicted them and caused them to have to make a decision?
And the decision is: “Will we be honest with ourselves? Will we be honest in what our hearts and minds are telling us—that this man is, indeed, the Christ, the Son of the Living God?”
And with that decision, ultimately comes, another decision…
… “what are we going to do about this revelation?”
“Are we going to run with it or run away from it?”
“Are we going to confess it and embrace it, or are we going to turn from it and be silent?”
Many of the Pharisees were hoping for a Messiah who would overthrow the Roman conquerors and usher in a prosperous Jewish nation.
They were looking for a warrior, a person to fight against their enemies with the deadly human sword.
They were looking for victory in the worldly sense, and peace in the worldly sense, but this was not what Jesus had come to offer.
Yes, indeed, Jesus would overthrow the Roman occupation and usher in a new Jewish nation, but not in a way that any human mind could have ever fathomed!!!
Jesus’ victory was not of this world, and neither is the new nation He has brought into being.
For Christ’s victory is of a spiritual nature, and those who are living in the new Jerusalem are living in a spiritual kingdom…and this kind of peace lasts, it transcends all understanding!!!
But again, it is not the peace…
…it is not the victory that comes through worldly bloodshed…
…or a show of might and power.
It is not the false peace which rests on what humankind can do.
It is not the peace which lasts, maybe, as long as the morning dew.
It is, though, the peace which causes all to humble themselves and serve one another in love.
It is the peace which comes through a true love of God and neighbor.
It is the peace which only Jesus can give, not the world, not worldly treasure, not the false security of fame, or pride…
…and some folks don’t want this kind of peace and victory which only Christ can offer.
So instead, when confronted with the truth…
…they turn from it, returning to the darkness…
…lest their deeds be exposed for what they are!
Have you ever done this?
How many times did Christ have to knock on your door before you were willing to open the door and allow Him to come in?
Or maybe, for some of us, Christ is still knocking and we are still turning and ignoring what we know to be the Truth, the Way, the Life.
Several years ago I met up with an old high school friend.
We had attended the same church as kids.
I remember that his mom had, at one time, become a very on-fire Christian.
At a Waffle House, one morning, I told my old friend about my decision to follow Christ.
I told him about my journey.
I told him how I had come to the place where I had known it was time to make a decision.
I told him how I had made a decision to follow Christ.
He looked at me and said, “I plan to do that someday, but not yet, not right now.”
I believe he was telling me the truth, and since I have not seen him in over ten years I have no way of knowing whether he has given his life to Christ by now or not.
What I do know is that in that Waffle House in Atlanta, Georgia…
…when he had told me he planned to give his life to Christ some day in the future…
…he was already convinced as to Who the Christ is.
He just wasn’t willing or able to confess this truth, embrace this truth, give his life for this truth…
… “Those who seek to save their lives will lose them,” Christ tells us, “but those who lose their lives for my sake will find them.”
It comes down to where our treasure is.
It comes down to what we want, and what we are willing to do with what we want.
The Pharisees wanted a worldly military leader.
They wanted Israel to rule with an iron fist.
They wanted the power.
They wanted the world’s attention.
They wanted that life, not the life Christ was willing to offer them.
And they were not willing to change their minds.
So what do we want, and what are we willing to do with what we want?
Are we willing to throw our own selfish motives and desires aside for life in Christ?
Are we willing to consider them rubbish, that we may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of our own, but the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ? “The righteousness that comes from God and is by faith”?
…or not?
What do YOU think about the Christ?
What do I think about the Christ?
And does what we think about Christ make a difference in our lives?
If it does not, we are missing the boat completely!!!
Even the demons believe!!!
We are told in Matthew Chapter 23, that after Jesus has confronted the Pharisees with the Truth about the Christ, and they have made the decision to turn from the truth…
…well, we are told that this is where Jesus turned to the crowds and to His disciples and began to warn them about the Pharisees and speak plainly about what would be their ultimate and eternal destination.
When WE probe to the depth of our human desires, do we find there a longing for genuine renewal?
Do we crave a Christ Who will walk this journey of life with us as companion and friend, and yet shine the Light for our Way?
Do we crave a Christ Who will not draw back from the shame of our sins, but will in His purity and because of His love for us cleanse us of our sins?
Do we crave a Christ Who can give us power to rise above our dead selves to very life itself?
Do we crave a Deliverer Who is willing to taste death, and Who yet conquers death to give us the assurance of eternity?
In the depth of our desire is the Christ—Jesus, the Son of the Living God?
What do YOU think?
What will YOU do?
Amen.
