By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sermon Text: Mark 8:27-33
Sermon Theme
Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples reply that they think he is a prophet of some kind. They don’t know that he is the Messiah, God’s Anointed One, much less the Son of God (only the demons know that). Jesus then asks Peter, who answers correctly, “You are the Messiah” (Matthew adds, “the Son of the living God”). Jesus then sternly orders the disciples to tell no one about him. Jesus does this repeatedly in Mark’s gospel. Why? Mark appears to have crafted his gospel around the structure of the second half of Homer’s The Odyssey, a story his Roman audience would have known well. Jesus keeps his true identity secret because he is in enemy territory. Mark has told us repeatedly of the intense opposition facing Jesus. To follow Jesus is to place ourselves in conflict with the world around us. The world is still under Satan (I John 5:19). We are spies in enemy territory. Yet our Lord already begins to reveal himself. One day he will be revealed for all to see (Revelation 1:7). We are called to serve him in preparation for that day.
Sermon Outline
- Confess. When Peter is asked who Jesus is, he gives the right answer. He can only do so through the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 13:3; John 6:44). Confessing and believing leads to salvation (Romans 10:9). Yet confessing the truth can be inadequate. We never confess Christ in a neutral setting. Satan, however we understand him (her?), is real and active. Jesus warns against those who confess him from false motives (Matthew 7:21-23). Mark describes a world in which Jesus and the disciples are in enemy territory. The demons are present but they are afraid of Jesus. The religious leaders on the other hand are seeking to destroy him (Mark 3:6). Confession then requires commitment. It requires following Jesus into the places of rejection and struggle, even death. Peter is not yet ready for this commitment. Therefore he is especially vulnerable to Satan’s power.
- Conceal. Mark is presenting us with true events. He is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Yet he is not writing an abstract thesis. He is speaking to a concrete audience at a specific moment in history (the Word is made flesh, John 1:14). Commentators over the centuries have struggled with Jesus’ insistence on keeping his true identity a secret, at least during his earthly ministry. Mark emphasizes Jesus’ repeated orders not to tell others who he is. In speaking to Peter, Jesus “sternly orders” him and the disciples not to tell anyone. Why does he do this? An answer can be found in the way Mark has structured his gospel. His audience knew the story of The Odyssey very well. When Odysseus returns to his home in Ithaca he finds his enemies have moved into his palace. He therefore creates a secret identity of a beggar who appears harmless. In this disguise he is able to move among his enemies freely without them knowing who he really is. He is helped by a few close followers who play the role of spies in the kingdom. Mark may well be drawing on these themes as he tells his version of Jesus’ story. Jesus’ earthly opponents are held in check by not knowing his true identity. As Jesus’ followers today we are spies in “an exceedingly good land.” Our world, though, is still enemy territory.
- Conflict. The sharp irony of Peter’s confession is that right after he makes it he opposes Jesus’ commitment to the cross. Jesus rebukes him on two counts. First, Peter has become the unwilling tool of Satan. Satan wants to destroy Jesus in a way that would frustrate his mission. Too often Christians have found themselves to be the instruments of Satan rather than of Christ. Second, Peter is speaking out of a purely human frame of reference. He is not thinking based on the Word of God. These same challenges exist today. We must never forget that in the present world we are in a situation of spiritual conflict. This is at the heart of the Biblical story beginning with the Garden of Eden. Satan delights in influencing Christians and indeed often making them look foolish. Our world frequently presents us with its own views which often contradict Scripture (a present example is the whole area of sexuality). We need to establish our identity as spiritual spies in enemy territory. Our witness to Christ can threaten this world. Yet spies are on a mission. They seek to influence everything for the one they serve. At the climax of The Odyssey, Odysseus reveals his true identity. His enemies are then in a panic. At the climax of Mark’s gospel Jesus reveals his true identity to his enemies. They are horrified and condemn him to death. His victory however is far greater than anyone could imagine. We are spies preparing for his final victory.
Questions for Us
- What does it mean for us to understand that we are called to be spies in enemy territory? How does that affect the way we live our Christian life?
- What are some of the ways we can confess Christ with more than words? How do we communicate him “in enemy territory?”
