“Who do you say that I am?”  This is the question that Jesus puts to his disciples.  Simon Peter, always the impetuous one, replied, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.”
 
I believe that this is a seminal time in the life and ministry of Jesus.  All summer long we’ve heard stories of Jesus healing, telling parables, doing miracles and then last week he went all the way northwest to the territory of Trye and Sidon on the Mediterranean coast in what is now Syria.  He was outside of his Jewish homeland.   Then this week he has traveled from there, back into northern Israel, to Caesarea Philippi.  I believe Caesarea Philippi is a watershed point for Jesus.  It is at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus asked his disciples who others thought he might be.  It is at Caesarea Philippi that he asked his disciples the question, “Who do you say that I am?”  It is at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus offered the paradox: “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”  It was on a nearby mountain that Jesus was transfigured.  And it was at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus set his sights on Jerusalem and began the journey that would end in his crucifixion.  At Caesarea Philippi Jesus literally turned a corner and headed south to his ultimate destination.
​

​In the Eucharistic prayer (from Enriching Our Worship) that we are using this summer are these words:
 
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of the universe and giver of life.  You formed us in your own image and called us to dwell in your infinite love.  You gave the world into our care that we might be your faithful stewards and show forth your bountiful grace. 
 
But we failed to honor your image in one another and in ourselves; we would not see your goodness in the world around us; and so we violated your creation, abused one another, and rejected your love. 
 
This is the basic theme of the Book of Genesis … The “good” that God has given us and calls us to be faithful stewards of that “good” for our sake and the sake of the world … and evil that brings brokenness to individual and corporate life.  This theme was played out throughout the Book of Genesis.  This theme was played out … and continues to be played out … in the events of this past week.  Yet, in the end, there is hope for the good … for reconciliation and redemption.  That is what this sermon this morning is about.

Well … this is a story!  Five thousand men (not counting women and children) … are fed with just five loaves and two fish?  Not only that, but the author of Matthew’s gospel wanted to make sure that we get the point.  In the very next chapter the author tells a similar story with 4,000 men (not including the women and children) … and seven loaves and just a few fish.  If ever there were a miracle, this was it!  Of course, there is that whole walking on water trick … but that is next week.
​

There is a lot in the world that I cannot control … all I have to do is read the headlines or watch the evening news to be convinced of that.  But what is in my control are the choices I make.  I can choose to live into the madness of a world that is caught up in winning at all costs … divisions and bigotry … anxiety and fear.  Or I can choose to do my small part for sanity by affirming my faith at ground level and being a faithful choice-maker.  For me, faith isn’t about exercising control … faith is about making choices.
​