Who are you really?

Jesus didn’t have any problem answering that question.  He knew who he was the second he was baptized.  Of course everyone else thought they knew who Jesus was too. C.S. Lewis the Christian author has said that when it comes to Jesus people back then and today have one of three choices.  Either he’s a liar, a lunatic or Lord.

The Pharisees, of course, were convinced that he was a liar.   He had all these new teachings about God and all these new ideas about how you were supposed to live your life.  As far as they were concerned though he wasn’t the messiah.  He was just a self-serving liar.  Jesus’ mother and brothers were also convinced that they knew who he was.  Early on they were convinced that he was a lunatic.  I know that sounds hard to believe but it’s true.  Do you remember the story where Jesus was teaching his followers in that crowded house?  Do you remember what Jesus said when he was told that his mother and brothers were outside waiting for him? He turned to the people in the house and said, “Who are my mothers and my brothers?” Then he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.” Mary and his brothers were there to bring him home.  They were afraid that he’d lost his marbles and that he was going to get himself into all kinds of trouble.

So, the Pharisees were convinced that Jesus was a liar.  Early on his mother and brothers were convinced that he was a lunatic.  Did Jesus listen to them though?  No. When it came to answering that very important question there was only one voice that he cared about.  The only voice he cared about was the one that came from above.  The only voice he cared about was the one that he heard when John baptized him in the Jordan River.  Who am I?   “You are my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus will tell not to listen to the people around you when it comes to the question,  Who am I? You aren’t who your boss says you are. Your aren’t who your neighbors say you are. You’re not even who your friends say you are.  Don’t let others tell you who you are because when you come right down to it they really don’t know what’s in your heart of hearts.

There’s a wonderful story about Billy Graham that makes it clear that the people around you don’t always know who you really are.  Several years ago when Billy Graham was still in relatively good health he found himself at the airport in Charlotte.  He was on his way home from a speaking engagement.  When he got to the airport he found a chauffeur and limousine waiting for him. Just before he got into the limousine though he turned to the driver and asked him a question.  “You know,” Billy said, “I’m 87 years old and I’ve never driven a limousine.  Would it be okay if I drove this one for a while?”  The chauffer immediately said “of course” and handed him the keys.   They didn’t get very far though before they were stopped for going 75 mph in a 50 mph zone.  When the state trooper walked up to the limousine the window rolled down and he was shocked to see who was in the driver’s seat.  So, he immediately excused himself, went back to his patrol car and called his supervisor.  “Sergeant,” he said, “I know we’re supposed to enforce the law, but I also know that important people are given certain courtesies.  So, I’m calling to see what I should do now that I’ve pulled a very important person over for speeding.”  There was a pause before the sergeant asked, “Who did you pull over?  The mayor?”  “No,” the trooper replied.  “He’s more important than that.”  Again there was a pause before the sergeant asked.  “The governor?”  “No,” the trooper replied.  “He’s more important than that.”  The sergeant gasped.  “Don’t tell me you pulled over the president of the United States?”  “No,” the trooper replied.  “He’s even more important than that.”  Now the sergeant was totally confused. “Well then,” he exclaimed.  “Why don’t you tell me exactly who it was that you pulled over.”   The trooper gulped and then stammered,  “I think it may be Jesus because he’s got Billy Graham for a chauffeur.”

Who are you really?  The only voice to listen to when it come to that question is the voice that comes from above.  It’s the voice that calls to you from the waters of baptism and says, “I formed you in your mother’s womb” and  “I have called you by name and you are mine.”  It’s the voice that calls to you from the night of the Last Supper and says, “Love one another even as I have loved you.”  It’s the voice that calls to you when you do what is right and says, “Well done good and faithful servant.”  It’s the voice that calls to you from the Cross when you don’t do what is right and says, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”  Who are you really?  You are a child of God and a disciple of the risen Christ.

The problem today is that a lot of people have forgotten who they really are.  They’ve become a spiritual version of ­­­­­­­­­­­­Joe Bieger.  His story appeared in newspapers around the country about a year ago.  Joe Bieger was a loving husband, father, grandfather and a teacher at Catholic School just outside Dallas, Texas.  All that changed though when he went for a walk with his dogs one day and his identity was wiped clean from his brain. Joe Bieger experienced what is known as a psychogenic fugue.  It’s an extremely rare form of amnesia and scientist really don’t know much about it. For 25 days Joe Bieger wandered the streets not knowing who he was or where he lived.  When a friend eventually ran into him he was 20 miles from his home.  He had holes in the soles of his shoes and had lost 25 lbs..  He doesn’t remember very much from his ordeal.  He does remember being stopped by police who were looking for a man who robbed a pizza parlor. He also remembers a smoky bowling alley and waking up on a cold playground wearing shorts and a t-shirt in 50 degree weather.  When he was found he had a few jelly packets from a fast food restaurant and a stale bagel in his pockets.  When the friend saw him he hollered, “Joe, Joe!”   Joe Bieger turned around but didn’t recognize his friend.  When the friend asked him if he knew his name he replied, “I guess my name must be Joe.” It took about two hours for him to come out of the fog.  Joe Bieger’s wife had a good idea what had happened to her husband since he’d had a couple of brief episodes of this amnesia before.  It didn’t make it any easier though and at one point she prayed, “Lord, I can’t do this anymore.  You just have to send my husband home.”  A couple of days later the friend found Joe Bieger. Today Joe Bieger He still goes to work and takes the dogs for a walk but these days he carries a cell phone with a GPS tracking device in it.

Who am you really?  It’s said but some people don’t know the answer to that question.  They’re listening to all the wrong voices.  The key to finding an inner sense of peace is to answer the question by listening to the voice that comes from above.  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

January 11, 2009