NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2021
This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Kingdomtide. The assigned scriptures for this week come from a time when Jesus was living among humanity. As He travels about, people are getting to hearing Him teach and see Jesus in action with others. Most are not quite sure what to think about this man from Galilee. So, Jesus is quite aware that misinformation is abounding even through the first century social media (word of mouth). So, as they were traveling between villages, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say I am?” After hearing various responses, Jesus then asked the question, “But what about you? … Who do you say I am?
And Peter is a rough around the edges character, sometimes volatile, often outspoken, occasionally pushy; but one that is loyal to the bones to Jesus spoke up and said, “You are the Messiah.” Matthew 16 records this interaction with Peter answering Jesus’ question by saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus says in response to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon …, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, by My Father who is in Heaven.”
This amazingly personal question is one we each need to answer during this time of great uncertainly in our lives and this world. Each Sunday morning, I invite people to say yes to walking in relationship with God. Saying “Yes” means you have answered the question the same as Peter did. And I also pray that for even those of us who have said yes to a relationship with God in Christ, will take the time to often reflect on this insightful, hopeful question, each time answering it again with the hopefulness of how it can impact our lives for the better.
Join us at Covenant for worship this Sunday, in-person, by Zoom or Facebook livestream. The sermon is titled “But What About You? Who Do You Say I Am?” It is based on “Mark 8:27-36.”
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