Sermon for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Texts:
Isaiah 50:4-9a;
James 3:1-12;
Mark 8:27-38.

After successfully building and running a business, people with an entrepreneurial spirit tend to look for other things to do. Early retirement is always a possibility. But many are still young enough, energetic enough, or driven enough to contribute something more to society.

This happened to one particular man, and he saw that he faced a crossroad in his life. His business was thriving. He done so well that he built an impressive house right on the water with views to die for. There was room enough for family and guests. In fact his wife’s mother lived with them quite comfortably.

He still liked to get out with the workers and do his bit, but they didn’t really need him. The next generation was already working in the business; already running it for the most part. He felt unnecessary. It was time to step down, move on.

What the man knew, was how to work hard and work long. He understood finance and distribution. He was skilled at marketing his product. He had strong assets to share.

While there were many things the man could have done, he chose to put his talents in an entirely new direction. He’d had married, raised a family, gone into business for himself. Now he was open to something new to engage his mind.

He had the time and means to give back. Then an unexpected opportunity appeared. A new faith community was being formed. He heard about the energetic and charismatic leader. It felt…entrepreneurial. And yet also spiritual.

He wasn’t particularly religious. He’d left those things mostly to his wife, attending worship out of habit as much as anything else. But he’d been raised in faith. He’d just sort of absorbed what he’d been taught about God, and the spiritual world. But now, in later life he had questions and the time to pursue some answers.

They welcomed anyone it seemed. Even older guys like himself. Although truth be told, he wasn’t quite ready for gender inclusion. Women in the business? Were they even capable?

He felt ready. Like it was meant to be. A new venture! Suddenly, he’d committed himself fully.

Peter reflected on all these things. Nearly two years had passed with Jesus and it was mostly good. He’d liked going out with a partner to spread the message. It was marketing really. He liked the travel into new and sometimes dangerous and forsaken places. The long walks when they talked about all kinds of things; asked questions of Jesus.

True, there were some things that were hard. They’d been chased out of a few communities. They’d been perceived as a threat by some spiritual leaders. But they’d been welcomed in many town and village synagogues. People were eager to hear some good news. Because life is just complicated. And Jesus was so good with the people. It was like he could see their inner souls.

To Peter, Jesus was a friend as much as a spiritual leader. Not like anyone Peter had ever known. Jesus was thoughtfully intelligent. He ran circles around people who tried to argue with him.

Peter believed that Jesus would go places. Become even greater. He was the hope of the common people who just wanted a better life. Jesus would deliver, and Peter was going to be part of that.

Suddenly things got complicated with Jesus when he asked “Who do people say that I am.” Easy enough. Religious reformer, Prophet, Messiah. Then, “…but who do you say that I am?”

The disciples had discussed this often enough. Jesus was a spiritual leader like no other. Close to God in ways no one else ever was. So the words came easily enough to Peter as he replied,

“You’re the anointed One.” A generous and flexible term. Meaning, God has chosen you for something special.

Then everything changed. Jesus began to talk about suffering, rejection, dying. Sure everyone dies eventually. But here was something new. “…and after three days rise again.” Peter had no experience or category for this teaching. Theirs was a successful venture. Peter hadn’t signed on for failure. What he said next was from his heart. No! God forbid that this should happen!

Then Jesus turned on him. Spoke to him as if her were a man possessed with the worst demon of all – Satan. The one who opposes God. Jesus accused him of getting in the way. Stuck in human thinking, forgetting the divine things he’d learned. What did that even mean?

Peter had always thought of following Jesus as a way of doing the best he could with his life. Doing what he could to help. Not being a burden or hindrance to others.

But now Jesus was asking him to be all in on an entirely different level. Not just his body, but his soul – the hidden part of himself he simply assumed was there. He’d not given it much thought. But Jesus was saying that his soul was the truly substantive, truly lasting aspect of himself, and if he was in for Jesus it had to be all in. The work of his soul too.

The things Jesus had been teaching all along were turning out to have unexpectedly greater applications. Leading people into greater awareness and connection with one another, of course. But also back into awareness and connection with the Source from which everything and everyone comes. And to which everything and everyone returns.

Going forward, the business Jesus was asking of Peter was to shift into deep soul work. Finding new kinds of strength, wisdom; a different definition of success. Getting to know himself far beyond his familiar body with all its joys, sorrows, blessings, and curses.

He was to begin a whole new venture. He would lose everything. And gain more than he ever knew existed. It would be terrifying but also, if what Jesus said was true, the most fulfilling thing Peter could ever know. So then, what did Peter have to lose? Only his fear. For the sake of gaining a future life he’d never imagined was possible.