Questions.  Our lives are filled with questions each day.  From, “when am I going to get up in the morning;” or “What am I going to wear today,” to more serious questions such as “What am I going to do with my life;” or “Am I living a life that is fulfilling and worthwhile?” 

We have lots of faith questions that fill our lives as well:  Questions about Jesus, salvation, sin, and the brokenness of the world in which we live.  We wonder why there is suffering, war, famine, starvation, sickness, and death.  We ask, “Where is God in the midst of our lives?”

Fortunately, one of the hallmarks of our Lutheran identity is the fact that questions are not only permitted, but questions about life and faith are encouraged.  We believe that through our questions we grow in faith and in our knowledge of God’s will and purpose for us.  Our Tuesday morning Bible study group has learned that in our questioning we come to a deeper understanding of Christ and the amazing love He has shown us in His suffering and death on the cross—which was for us.  We also discover that questions don’t always lead to answers; our questions may even spur more questions for which we do not have answers this side of heaven.

Our Gospel this morning presents us with a huge question.  Jesus had been healing the sick, feeding the 5,000, then the 4,000; He had been teaching them about the Kingdom of Heaven in parables; large crowds had been following Him as He went from town to town in Galilee.  When Jesus was finally alone with the disciples, He had a question for them.  “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  Answers included John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah—all people from the past. 

Then Jesus turned the big question to the disciples:  “But who do YOU say that I am?”  After all they had heard and seen, what did these ordinary folks think of Jesus?  Peter spoke up by saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”  Jesus praised Peter for his answer, saying that it was truly a gift from God to be able to make this confession.  Jesus blessed Peter by saying that the Church would be built on his confession of faith in Jesus. 

And so, upon Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah, the Church of today stands.  The question posed today’s followers is the same:  “Who do YOU say that I am?”  Zion had three baptisms last Sunday.  The question posed to parents, sponsors, and the congregation is essentially, “Who is Jesus to you?  What does it mean to follow Jesus?”  It is the role of the entire Church to nurture children in the faith.  We are a part of that Rock upon which Jesus built the Church and share in the wonderful promises made in baptism.

How do YOU answer the question Jesus poses?  Do you answer it personally, or see it as a rhetorical question and not deal with it?  How does being a follower of Jesus figure in to your everyday life?  I can’t answer those questions for you; the answers need to come from deep within each one of us.  As a pastor, Jesus has called me to proclaim to you that in Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven, you are claimed by Him as His very own child, and you are saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  As you wrestle with the answer to this question, keep Peter’s response in the forefront.  And remember, you are beloved of our Lord, and always in His care and keeping.  Amen

Pastor Jim

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