Matthew
16:13-20
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus announces the foundation
of the church that will be built because of his witness. His proclamation comes
after Peter’s confession. For some Christians, therefore, the foundation is
Peter’s proclamation; for others, Peter’s own person because Jesus names him
“the rock.” We know that buildings are built on foundations as strong as rock,
and so it is natural to think that “rock,” that human being, Peter, is the
foundation. Which is it?
Determinations over Jesus’ meaning in this passage
has split the Christian community over the centuries and influenced the shape
of Christian witness. Sara Webb Phillips addresses the question how we are to
understand what Jesus meant by the “foundation” of the church. She offers a helpfully
ambiguous interpretation.
Though Peter does not realize the implications of his words, he confesses
Jesus as Messiah and as Son of the Living God. . . Upon this “fickle follower,”
Jesus promises to build his church. Peter eventually gets hold of the vision of
God's future, which leads him to live as becoming the name that Jesus gave him:
“the Rock.” The “keys” he is given likely refer to Isaiah 22:15–22, where
Eliakim is given the “key to the House of David.”
The importance of our beliefs varies in direct relationship to the
potential consequences of what we believe. What coffee mug we select in the
morning is not of consequence normally. But if we are sitting down to table
with a six-year-old who made a picture mug for us, a gift the child invested
with love, the choice of mug is significant and the consequence is joy.
When it comes to our belief in Jesus as savior, what we believe does things
to us and causes us to do things. In Peter's case, he declared his belief, and
eventually was so formed by it, that he preached throughout the Mediterranean
world, dying a martyr's death.
– Sara Webb Phillips
Phillips refers to the “vision of God’s future” Peter
finally grasped. Considering what that vision is today may offer a way for the
preacher on this Sunday to lift up the promises, the compassion, and the
impossible-to-comprehend mercy God intends for the church to show the world.
Isaiah 51:1-6
Isaiah prophesies: “the heavens will vanish…” “the earth
will wear out…” but “my salvation will be forever…” Here is a concise
description of today’s own relationship with creation. We face huge questions
about planetary survival. And, in the face of possible dire circumstances for
many creatures and people, God’s promise is salvation, deliverance, joy, and
gladness.
Speaking to those in exile, Isaiah
offers words of comfort and hope. He reminds the righteous from whence they
came, he exhorts them to remember God's faithfulness. God will restore Zion.
Yet deliverance will come through God's power, and it will come to all
(including the gentiles). The people have but to look at the wonders of
creation, and whatever may change, trust that God's plan will continue to
unfold.
This word gives comfort and hope
even today as we hear an inclusion of the natural world along with salvation
for God's people. The waste places will be restored. Perhaps God is working
through the ecological movement as a sign of grace.
– Sara Webb Phillips
Consider Peter’s vision of God’s great goodness in light
of Isaiah’s assurance that despite the transitory and fragile nature of this
world, God’s salvation does not end. How does that promise speak to our
relationship with creation?
Romans 12:1-8
One helpful way to link all of the Revised Common Lectionary
texts in a sermon (rather than talking about each in turn) is to look for their
common threads. In the Gospel text and in Isaiah, we see a common proclamation
of God’s power to transform the world. Peter proclaims the Messiah; Isaiah
proclaims the eternal vigilance of God in contrast to the transitory nature of
creation.
The Epistle text––written to the churches our ancestors formed––offers
a glimpse of where the church, even today, ought to train its vision. Situated
in a time of great environmental jeopardy, when coastlands are pleading with
humanity to attend to their health and the earth in many places is, in fact,
wearing out, we may hear this appeal to the Romans as an appeal to ourselves:
Take your many and varied gifts and use them to be transformed so that the
renewing of our minds might heal not only ourselves but our home on Earth.
There is a shift in Paul's letter to the Romans beginning with chapter 12.
The first eleven chapters have a dogmatic focus, and chapters 12—16 have an
ethical one. However, each is woven together. The “new life in Christ” spoken
of in these verses highlights “living sacrifice,” transformation by “renewing
of minds,” and the variety of gifts.
Paul emphasizes that diversity of gifts is normal and necessary for the
vitality of the church. Each gift is important. Thus, the whole body is to
discover, value, and use the gifts to glorify God. Al Carmines captured Paul's
intention well with his hymn text, “Many gifts, one Spirit, one love known in
many ways. In our difference is blessing, from diversity we praise, one Giver,
one Lord, one Spirit, one Word” (The United Methodist Hymnal [Nashville:
UM Publishing House, 1989], 114).
– Sara Webb Phillips is the pastor of North Springs United Methodist Church, Sandy
Springs, Georgia. She served for many years as co-editor of Liturgy.
Homily Service
41, no. 3 (2008): 167-177.
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