WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:02.240 The Holy Gospel according to St. 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:04.559 Matthew, the 16th chapter. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:16.079 Now, when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:24.480 And they said, Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:29.039 He said to them, But who do you say that I am? 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:34.399 Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:44.640 And Jesus answered him, Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father in heaven. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:53.679 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 00:00:54.560 --> 00:01:04.400 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:10.159 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:12.319 The Gospel of the Lord. 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:15.680 You may be seated. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:30.640 Grace and peace to you from God and our Savior Jesus Christ. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:31.599 Amen. 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:45.120 So, for the last few months, many of you have been asking me after I end my time here at ULDLC what will happen and where will I end up? 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:56.640 Well, in case you missed this week's newsletter, I am pleased to say that I have accepted a call with Resurrection Lutheran Church in Horsham, which is only about 10 minutes from here. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:01:58.239 Thank you. 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:10.000 It is exciting to have finally accepted a call and to begin living into the role I've been preparing for these last few years. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:20.960 While I am excitedly planning for all the celebrations to come, including my ordination, which you should all put on your calendars, I am quite nervous. 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:32.319 You see, despite preparing for years, I worry about being able to serve in the calling God has given me. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:37.919 I keep anxiously asking myself, what will happen if I mess up? 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:42.400 What if something goes wrong and I don't know how to handle it? 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:45.439 What if I'm not good enough? 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:51.520 Have you ever felt this way before? 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:58.719 Worried if you were good enough for a role you have been preparing for, or one that was just set before you? 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:06.479 Maybe you have been worried at work, questioning if you really have the skills to fulfill your role. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:18.479 Maybe it was in becoming a new parent, grandparent, or in making a new friend, worrying if your life is put together enough to support someone in theirs. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:30.319 Or maybe it was here at church, being asked to be on counsel or in a ministry, wondering if your faith is strong enough to serve God. 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:35.759 We all have things we worry about. 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:45.120 With jobs we need to afford our lives, friends and family we care for, and all the responsibilities we take on. 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:49.360 It feels like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:59.280 It is easy for us to compare ourselves to those around us who seem like they have their life perfectly together. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:09.520 Especially with social media nowadays, we see people curate the best versions of themselves to post online for public consumption. 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:19.199 With all the responsibilities we take on in life, it's no wonder we doubt ourselves and our abilities. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:21.519 What if we fail? 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:23.519 What if we mess up? 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:26.000 What if we aren't good enough? 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:37.199 In today's gospel reading, we see Jesus questioning the disciples as to who he is. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:41.680 First, Jesus asks who the people in the community say he is. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:50.720 They respond with Elijah and Jeremiah, prophets in the Jewish tradition, as well as John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus. 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:58.240 Then Jesus turns the question to his disciples, asking them who they say he is. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:11.680 If you remember our gospel from two weeks ago, we saw Peter walking on the sea, and upon safely returning to the boat, all of the disciples proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God. 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:21.120 What is interesting here, though, is that not all of the disciples were able to repeat this answer, this truth. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:23.759 They have learned about Jesus before. 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:26.399 Only Simon Peter can. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:32.160 Only he says that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:39.519 Jesus blesses Simon Peter, saying that God has revealed this truth to him. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:52.240 Then Jesus renames him, changing his name from Peter to, from Simon to Peter, which roughly translates to rock, and states that he will build his church on that rock, on Peter. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:09.519 While this text has historically been debated over what rock Jesus builds his church on, either Peter as a person or Peter's testimony, Peter is clearly chosen for some sort of leadership role here. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:17.920 God gave him knowledge and clarity as to Jesus' identity, that Jesus is the Son of the living God. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:30.720 You would think that this means Peter was perfectly qualified to be a leader, to be given the responsibility to serve God in faith and obedience and to proclaim the gospel. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:37.040 He is a saint remembered in the church even thousands of years later. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:41.199 So he must have been uniquely qualified for the role, right? 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:56.160 Well, again, from our gospel two weeks ago, we see Peter boldly stepping out in faith to Jesus on the stormy sea, trusting Jesus' command to come to him. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:03.279 Yet when Peter sees the storm around him, he gets scared and falls into the sea. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:05.680 His fear got the best of him. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:12.800 Next week, we will hear Jesus foretelling his suffering and death. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:26.319 When Peter, honestly concerned for Jesus' safety, admonishes this, saying that this must never happen, Jesus rebukes Peter, calling him Satan and hindering the work that must happen. 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:30.560 Peter really must have messed up here to have been called Satan. 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:41.439 Finally, at the Last Supper, Jesus tells the disciples that they will all fall away and deny knowing Jesus. 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:48.560 Peter denies this statement, promising to die before ever denying to know Jesus. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:08:00.240 And yet, later that night, Peter denies having ever known Jesus three separate times, and once he realizes his failing, wept bitterly. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:14.480 Despite all of this, despite knowing Peter will have moments of weakness, doubt, and denial, God still calls Peter. 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:22.480 Though imperfect, Peter is the one who proclaims that Jesus is the Son of the living God. 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:37.039 While Peter's faith and works may be what we focus on, it is not Peter's own internal knowledge or strength that make him a foundational rock in the church. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:39.519 But it is God that matters. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:50.879 We are imperfect disciples like Peter, often doubting, getting distracted, making unwise choices. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:57.919 But it is not our abilities that matter, but the sheer fact that God calls us. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:05.919 God will give us what we need in each and every moment to fulfill the call we have been given. 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:16.799 Skills to be a loyal friend and family member, gifts that may lead us to a job to serve others, and a faith that will help us trust in God's promises and love. 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:33.919 As Peter did 2,000 years ago, we too can proclaim the living God who is among us now, constantly reaching out to us, showing us that Jesus is here and wants us to come to Him. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:43.279 While we will fail at this proclamation at times, God will pick up the pieces and find a new way forward. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:51.519 No matter what, God still chooses us, her beloved children, to serve. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:10:00.639 In all God's wisdom and diversity, we are not called to the same place. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:09.919 Peter may have been called out as an initial leader of the church, but the other disciples' roles were important too. 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:14.960 We see this in our reading from Paul's letter to the Romans. 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:19.440 God has given us all different gifts, different ways to serve. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:28.000 Paul says some people are given gifts of prophecy, ministering, teaching, encouragement, sincerity, diligence, and compassion. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:29.759 And these are just some of the gifts. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:36.639 There are countless others that God gives us to serve the church in its proclamation, as well as the whole world. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:39.279 What are the gifts God has given you? 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:53.440 While we are imperfect disciples questioning if we can even do the work set before us, God's work does not depend on us. 00:10:54.399 --> 00:11:02.159 Jesus was with Peter a long time ago, and Jesus continues to abide with us and his church now. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:09.919 We have been welcomed by God into the work of the church and in service to others. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:20.000 God has given us everything we need, the gifts, the strength, everything that is necessary to sustain us in our unique callings. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:34.799 We will mess up, but Jesus has promised that not even Hades, not even death, can overcome his work of love, peace, justice, and mercy in the world. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:43.440 In these moments, God will lift us back up and welcome us again into the work they have called us to. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:00.080 But like Peter, we are the rocks that Jesus chooses. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:05.759 On our own, it is impossible to build any sort of foundation. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:21.120 But when God brings us all together into one great structure, we are formed into a true and solid foundation that can withstand all manner of hardships, mess-ups, and failings. 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:30.879 With God, our wonderful Creator, we are given what we need to proclaim the good news of Christ to all the world. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:48.159 My friends, as we navigate all the concerns and responsibilities of this world, may God continue to bless us with wisdom, strength, and all manner of gifts to serve each other in the world God made. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:58.799 May God lift us up when we make mistakes, when we fail, and continue to invite us back into the work she has called us and enabled us to do. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:11.360 And finally, may God give us the faith to trust in the loving and ever abiding presence of Christ among us, no matter what fears and doubts come our way. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:18.480 We may not be the perfect rocks, but we are the ones God has chosen. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:20.720 Thanks be to God for that. 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:21.679 Amen.