I am, because He is

Did you hear that they found a jawbone that sets the time of quasi-humankind back another 400,000 years? Proving my own theories and prejudices, there was no dental work done on the teeth of this person.

Amazingly enough, the story said that the discovery in Ethiopia suggests that climate change spurred the transition from tree dweller to upright walker. The species is called Homo habilis. I wonder if they had I-pads?

I'm serious. That's what the story said. They got all that from a jawbone. A JAW bone. No, wait, a half a jawbone.

Transitioning awkwardly from 3 millions years ago to somewhat nearer but more important happenings, it seems to me that all of scripture, all of humankind comes down to one question asked by a Palestinian man more than 2,000 years ago to another Palestinian man. And it has nothing to do with tree or land dwelling.

The first man says to the second, "Who do YOU saw that I am?"

And in that, history changed far more than tree dwelling versus living out on the deck by the lake.

Jesus wanted to know who Peter thought he was. Elijah? John the Baptist? Who, Peter?

Peter said the words that changed everything. "You are the Christ."

Seems to me that is the question before all of us every day we exist. Who do WE say he is? In the answer is everything.

When I fail, falter, make a horrendous mistake, normally it is because I'm just, well, me. But at no point do I intentionally say, "You aren't who you say you are, Lord. You are the Christ. You are God."

But my point this morning is this: what does it say when we act differently? In other words, if our actions are saying we are such loathsome creatures, fallen short of a child of God, aren't we saying quite unintentionally sometime, "You aren't who you say you are, Lord, because clearly I am not acting as if you are?"

And we fall.
And someone falls who has been watching us, looking for a moment of grace they couldn't find anywhere else.

And a jawbone drops.
And history changes.

You are the Christ, or you are not.
That's life, my life, our life. And I pray that someday when they find my ashes, they will find a cross buried in there with me.

You are the Christ. Son of God. God himself. Born of a virgin, raised as a Jew, dead, buried and raised from the grave by Abba so that we could be born again as well. You are great, greater and greatest.

Let my life's actions become more pure, O God, for someone to see.