Reverend Ref +

SERMON
14 PENTECOST
PROPER 16A

It's always easier to follow the group. It's always easier to go with the flow. It's always easier to hide behind the thoughts of many. Think about classic "group-think" moments: soccer fans in Europe; big city looting during a blackout, or in 'celebration' of winning the World Series; Nazi Germany; the cabinet decision to approve the invasion of the Bay of Pigs; and, yes, even religious revivals.

When I was in high school, I attended diocesan youth weekends every fall and spring. While not a religious revival by any means, it was great to be with a bunch of other Episcopalians my age, make friends, discuss things that were important to us, sing a bunch of songs that we would never sing in church, and shed more than a few tears on Sunday afternoon as we all departed back into the "real" world.

These were what we might call mountain-top experiences every six months. They made you feel good to be a Christian; they gave you support during a very difficult time in your life (I would say that they may have even saved mine); they allowed you to be silly and to take risks in a safe environment. But they also allowed you to shout, "Praise God!" simply because everybody else was doing it.

There is that sense of safety in numbers, isn't there? Do you remember the movie "Crimson Tide"? For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's a movie about a U.S. nuclear submarine crew who receive orders to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike at a Russian missile base because, during the fall of the Soviet Union, rebels have taken over the base and are threatening to launch cruise missiles at the U.S. Gene Hackman plays the Captain and Denzel Washington playes the Executive Officer (XO), and it is one very tense and scary movie.

There's a scene in the movie that revolves around dinner at the Captain's mess. All of the officers are there and the Captain is trying to figure out where the XO stands on the issue of war. All of the other officers have served with the Captain in the past, but the XO is the new guy on the ship. They talk about theories of war, how to identify the enemy, and how to win. The XO keeps hedging his bets, though. They end up discussing a famous military strategist and they have what will become the precursor to how they each handle the isue of war. The Captain says, "He says that for any army to be successful in war it must totally obliterate its enemy. You'd agree with that, wouldn't you?"

"I'd agree that that is what he is trying to say."

"What about you, though, what would you say about defeating the enemy?"

"Well, sir, I believe that, in the nuclear age, the true enemy can never be defeated."

At this the Captain sort of bristles and says, "Attention on deck! Klaus will now tell us who the real enemy is . . . Klaus?"

"Well, sir, in my humble opinion, in the nuclear age, the true enemy is war itself."

And they go on from there. But notice something in these two examples. In my experience with youth weekends, and maybe yours if you have gone to any 'revival' type event, maybe Cursillo, that it is easy to publicly proclaim Jesus is Lord when everybody else is doing it. And in the scene from the movie, the XO did everything he reasonably could to avoid giving an answer that would make him stand out amongst his fellow officers. He tried to hide behind what other people thought about war, until, finally, the Captain cornered him.

Why am I bringing all of this up? Because this is exactly where Peter is today. Jesus and the disciples have made their way to Caesarea Philippi and they are, for all practical purposes, alone, when Jesus starts this little discussion about who he is.

Let's review for a minute. In the last few weeks we have seen Jesus: feed over 5000 people with three loaves of bread and two fish, walk on water, call Peter out of the boat to walk on water, save Peter from drowning, calm the sea, heal the sick, and allow a gentile woman to receive the benefits of his mission. All of this has happened in the recent past; it's no wonder Jesus is asking his disciples, "Who do people say I am?"

This is a time to take inventory of what's going on. Remember, Jesus just had that run-in with the Pharisees where he broke from tradition. Maybe Jesus is trying to figure out what people are syaing about him. But notice, he doesn't ask this immediately after an event. He doesn't ask Peter, "Who do you say I am?" after he pulls him up form the water. He doesn't ask the disciples, "Who do you say I am?" after feeding the people or calming the sea. He asks them in a quiet place where there is nowhere to hide.

I will confess to you right now, one of the questions I hate being asked is, "What do you think about . . . " Because it means that I have to state my position for all to hear. I can't hide behind or within the crowds. Like the XO in "Crimson Tide," I try for a minute to explain what other people thought and how that plays into my decision. But ultimately, I need to take a stand and say, "This is what I believe."

How do you see Jesus? Is he part of the Trinity whom you worship freely when everybody else is doing it? Is he a great philosopher whose teachings you try to explain as being important? Or do you proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior, regardless of who is around and what other people might think?

It's easy to follow the group and repeat what they are saying. But what happens when someone catches you on the street and asks, "Who do you say Jesus is?" Be like Peter was today. Don't hide within the crowds and behind the thoughts of others. Be willing to state irrevocobaly, "Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God; he is my Lord and Savior."