Isaiah 50: 4-9 (New Jerusalem Bible)
Mark 8: 27-38 (Common English Bible)
At the beginning of our gospel passage, Jesus and his disciples are in the “villages of Caesarea” on the edges of the region of Galilee.
Caesarea was formerly a place of pagan worship. The question is, why would Jesus choose this pagan location instead of Jerusalem to reveal himself as the Messiah? The most likely reason was to inform his followers, to go to the ends of the earth and proclaim the Good News to the Gentile pagans.
At first Jesus’disciples thought he was the spirit of John the baptizer who had been executed recently. And others thought Jesus might be the reincarnation of the Prophet Elijah. Finally, Peter gets it right and says, “You are the Christ!” Jesus does not disagree with that, but tells them not to tell anyone about that.
At this turning point in Mark’s gospel, Jesus begins to lay out a vision that is the direct opposite of what the disciples thought. Jesus begins to speak of his future, saying the Human One must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the scholars of the Jewish faith.
Jesus’ three-part command to the disciples, is to deny themselves, take up the cross and follow him. Following Jesus is a challenge to political power since crucifixion was a punishment for enemies of the Roman Empire. And those who met that fate, had to carry their own instruments of torture to the site of their death.
Christian communities need to relinquish their idea of what a true Messiah is. Each age and churches have their own ideas of their favorite Jesus. When the Emperor Constantine made the Christian faith legal in the Roman Empire in 313 AD a lot changed. The good thing was that Christians were no longer persecuted. The bad thing was the Jesus Movement was adopted into Roman culture with its wars and homage to the Emperor, both good and bad. But it didn’t matter, as long as the Emperor was a Christian. False Messiahs can quickly become gods in a faith community. Many Christian churches in Nazi Germany worshiped a theology associated with only those of white Anglo-Saxon heritage. Many churches in apartheid South Africa formed a theology that endorsed racial segregation and oppression. The temptation of creating false and demonic Messiahs is very real.
Idolatries run very deep in individual hearts and corporate power. Even titles such as “King” and “Lord” lean toward political and military control. By contrast, global cultures have rich resources for images of Jesus. African cultures present titles like “Ancestor” or “Brother” and “Elder” as a title for Jesus.
Jesus’ words about taking up cross makes it clear the old constructed patterns of power and privilege are not true discipleship and will not be blessed by God. On the eve of World War II, Winston Churchill made a famous statement, and I quote, “All I have to offer is blood, sweat and tears.” And that is basically what Jesus offers Peter and the other disciples.
Jesus taught that being part of God’s kingdom means self-denial and sacrificial service. Those values are the opposite of the world’s values. Self-denial means letting go of self-determination and becoming obedient to Jesus as our guide. Happiness comes from service, and we need more of that today.
The idea of really following Jesus and picking up your cross, often makes church members uncomfortable, especially those in mega-churches, and for obvious reasons. You will never hear any of those prosperity-gospel preachers say anything about picking up your cross.
The real focus should be redirecting our lives, our values and our priorities. This disruption in one’s life is necessary if one truly believes the heart of Jesus’ message is repentance, which really means, looking at the world in a different way.
The reading in Isaiah begins with someone called the Servant, recognizing God’s rule in equipping him for God’s mission. This divine goal includes speaking words of comfort and encouragement to the weary. The Servant recognizes that it is God who wakes him every morning, and opens his ears to receive God’s instructions.
We can draw parallels of the Servant to Jesus who also was prepared by God for his mission on earth. Jesus always spoke words of life and truth to those in need. He often withdrew to solitary places to pray and commune with God, demonstrating his dependence on divine guidance and instruction. As followers of Christ, we are called to follow his example by seeking God’s guidance through prayer, studying God’s Word and being attentive to God’s voice in our lives.
Despite facing verbal and physical abuse, the Servant remains steadfast in his commitment to God’s will. The Servant offers himself to face humiliation and suffering confident that God will be there with him.
We can see Jesus as the ultimate example of God’s support in the face of opposition. Throughout his ministry Jesus faced an intense struggle against the religious leaders and Romans. As followers of Christ, we are called to persevere in our own faith amidst trials and tribulations, knowing that God is with us and will eventually bring redemption for all.
Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation to the “right hand of God” (metaphor) serves as the triumph of good over evil. As disciples of Christ, we are called to trust in God’s faithfulness and remain firm in our commitment to justice and righteousness, knowing our labor is not in vain.
AMEN.
