Outside The Lines

Who do you say that I am?

A question that sounds very curious to twentieth century Americans.

We are surrounded these days with images, stories, songs full of urgings to be independent.

Being self-defined, self-healing, self-directed, absolutely independent, is the model for our lives. In the United States, everyone has a personal social security number - we're now talking about permanently assigned unique telephone numbers, products are sold as being hallmarks of independence and individuality.

What a Crock!!!

John Pilch, in his book The Cultural World of Jesus, relates that Mediterranean culture- the culture in which Jesus and his earliest followers grew and lived - historically and currently tends to be exactly the opposite.

Experts describe Mediterranean cultures as dyadic. This word means "pair". People in such cultures tend to be "other" oriented to the extent that in many settings people may have no significant sense of individuality. The survival, success, accomplishment, and membership in groups - family, village, community, are the essence of identity --- the reactions, opinions, and collective perspective show them who they are.

With this in mind, Jesus' question seems much less like a "theology quiz" to be sure the followers have been keeping up on their Torah study.

People depended heavily on overt feedback to know who they were perceived to be by those they encountered.

Today's story is that the normal stereotyping of Jesus' day seemed not to be working. During these times, to know a person's home village was, generally, to know the essentials of that person's personality.

We need only consider the characterization of "Samaritans" - individual character was generally considered by Jews to be irrelevant to the overarching determining FACT of the general impurity of all Samaritans.

Likewise, all people from Nazareth were categorized as being of the same mold. Despite our cultural worship at the alter of individualism, the burning of predominantly African American churches across our country is evidence that while the basis for stereotyping may have shifted, it is still very powerful.

It is no accident that these hours on Sunday morning are the most racially segregated. And I believe it has less to do with we are as individuals and everything to do with how we see each other as members of groups.

Gay-bashing has nothing to do with who people are.

I want to share an item with you from Thursday's Washington Post. STORY OF MURDER OF TWO WOMEN IN SHANENDOAH AND RACIST MURDER IN SOUTH FROM PAPER

To see another's skin color, sexual orientation, or even economic status is enough to move most people to judgment, many to condemnation, and some to murder.

It has become fashionable in this very political year to tell poor women on public assistance that they are undermining our society BECAUSE THEY have stayed home to care for their children and to tell middle class women that THEY are undermining our society because they have gone to work instead of staying home to care for their children.

Who you say that I am is still a life and death question.

The real danger presented by this indigent Jewish healer and wisdom teacher from Nazareth was that he colored outside the lines. He related to people not according to their origins or family, color or gender, sexual orientation or economic class - but as if they were actually children of God.

The two - among thousands of murdered women and men who demanded to be treated with the respect due children of God, threatened the secure framework of relationship and definition. So Jesus threatened the beliefs that defined power for many over the lives of others.

Nathanael's rhetorical question, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" in John 1 simply echoes the commonly held, stereotypical image: anyone from Nazareth is worthless. Any one from South of the border is not to be treated with respect or dignity,

Isn't he called the child of Mary - NOT THE SON OF JOSEPH -- know no one knows who his father is?

Where did this scummy man get all this?'

Be Not conformed to this world, says Paul in his letter to the churches of Rome.

You can't stay in the lines.

This indigent healer and teacher from Nazareth was outside the lines of purity, piety and acceptability drawn by those who demanded obedience if we want the rewards of society.

Who do you say that I am?

This morning as you came in everyone should have gotten a picture like the ones we have just talked about with the children.

There should have been enough so that almost everyone has a different picture.

Let me apologize for the fact that we do not have any of the Christa - representations of Christ in female form.

But take a moment now to REALLY look at these pictures.

Who do you see there?

Have you ever seen such a face before.

On the street,

in our congregation,

in the mirror,

on the bus or train,

in the bed next to you?

Who do you say that that is?

You know the stories about Jesus.

You know the stories of his healings and teachings, his eating with tax collectors and being touched by bleeding women, defending prostitutes, and immigrants, beggars, and children. You know the stories of his arrest and trial?

You know the stories of this one's squalid death -- surrounded by thieves.

You know also the stories of this one being known among his followers after his death.

You know that those who loved him proclaimed that just meeting him seemed to demand an answer to the question.