The Diocese of East Tennessee
Sermons

Sept. 17, 2000
Pentecost XIV
Delivered at St. Matthew's, Dayton

Sermon: "Questions of Identity"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

There are moments in life which call for a decision. In fact, such moments demand a decision. We must make a choice, and the rest of life seems to hang in the balance of that choice. Robert Frost wrote of such a moment in his familiar poem:

"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

In today's Gospel, Jesus poses an innocent-seeming question to his close followers. "Who do people say that I am?" In response, the disciples give several answers, each one indicating some guess about Jesus' identity. However, Jesus comes back with a direct question - much less innocent - and it demands a personal choice. He confronts the disciples with this question: "But who do you say that I am?"

As we know, and as the disciples must have known, after answering that question, life will be transformed … if the answer is indeed really meant. Everything will be different. Life hangs in the balance. Two roads are about to diverge - and the choice will indeed make all the difference. "Who do you say that I am?"

Along with Jesus' close followers two thousand years ago, we must confront the question of identity … the question that makes all the difference. That is, who do we say that Jesus is? And, I mean more than Jesus as a first century, historical figure. I mean Jesus in a personal way, as indeed Jesus himself asked the question of Peter. Jesus asks the same question of us today … in our lives … in the present tense. "Who do you say that I am?" Who is Jesus Christ for you?

My friends, I encourage you to come to grips with that question. I believe that one day our Lord himself will ask the question of each one of us. How will you answer? I suggest to you that this life now provides us the opportunity to rehearse our answer to Jesus' question when Jesus himself will ask it. "Who do you say that I am?"

I want to push a bit more this morning on the question of identity. As your bishop, I want to ask the people of St. Matthew's, "Who do you say that you are?"

My hope and prayer - and, indeed, my expectation - are that you would consider the Baptismal Covenant as fundamental to your identity - as individuals and as a church. In that Covenant, we affirm our belief in God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then we proceed to indicate that our faith is alive … that our faith may be seen in what we do and in how we live. I commend to your attention and to your prayers who we say we are in the Baptismal Covenant … that agreement, that promise, that relationship which God establishes with us at baptism. And I want to spend a few minutes this morning considering this covenant we have with God Almighty.

Therefore, "Who do you say that you are?" As I have said, you begin by affirming your belief in the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Then, you say that you will "continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers." That is, you act on your faith by worship and involvement in a community of faith. Secondly, you state your intention to "persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord." Thus, you do not promise perfection in life, but you do indicate your commitment to try to follow Christ's way and, further, your belief in the necessity, the power, and the effectiveness of God's forgiveness when we fall short of the way of Christ. Next, you promise to "proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ." That promise may certainly mean different things in various circumstances, but the word and example of God in Christ provides the model for life and for living. The final promises of our Baptismal Covenant with God identify appropriate stances of Christian people encountering all other people: to "seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself" and to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being." Clearly these promises hark back to the Great Commandment of our Lord - to love God and to love all our neighbors.

I want to conclude this morning by reminding us of the importance of questions of identity. First, who do you say that Jesus is? Who is Jesus for you, in your life, right now? And secondly - in light of your first answer - who do you say that you are? If Jesus is important in some way to you, then how does that affect your self-understanding and your actions?

I commend these questions to your attention and to your prayers. Your answers to the questions of identity have consequences that are life-long in scope and eternal in significance.

Copyright © 2000 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee