That’s what a hookah-smoking caterpillar asked Alice when she was wondering through Wonderland. She was being guided along the way by a Cheshire cat who often appeared to be out of his mind sporting a big maniacal grin on his face. At least that’s the way Walt Disney depicted it. Apparently, the story was presented as a fanciful critique of British society when it was published in the 19^th century, although its exact premise has been debated extensively. Nevertheless, the nature of the story as a journey through a strange world, and the challenging question asked by the caterpillar presents a challenge to Alice that we all need to come to terms with: Who are you? Who are we? It’s a good question; and when we’re asked that question our first inclination is to respond with our name. I’m Mark, or I’m Lani, or Trudy, or Andrew. Then we might explain further depending on the circumstances. I’m here to fix your air conditioner; I’m the new supervisor for the project you’re working on, etc. etc. But the question resonates if you dwell on it. Who are you? Who am I? I’m more than a name, and I’m more than an occupation. For one thing, I’m a member of any number of things: an organization such as a company, a club, a team…or a church. I’m someone who displays certain characteristics: I’m a man, a woman, an Asian, a Negro. I’m someone who knows certain things: an astronomer, a pilot, a linguist. Sometimes who we are is defined by others: she’s a troublemaker, a lunatic, an authority, a know-it-all; he’s dependable, crazy, or stupid. Who we are may be determined by others based on what we think: He’s a Democrat, a Republican, or a Libertarian; she’s a radical, non-conformist, or a patriot. Jesus Himself put the question to His disciples when he asked:

Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-17)

Now Peter later denied his affiliation with Jesus when the Lord was being interrogated by the Jewish authorities. So, something was lacking in Peter that wasn’t really rectified until after the Resurrection. Which prompts the question: who was Peter? He was one of the disciples of Jesus but when challenged at the Savior’s trial he denied it. And this prompts the question: who was Peter…really? And this brings us to the question rendered by the title of this post: Who are you?

Peter was a fisherman; that’s how he’s introduced to us in the Gospels. And apparently he wasn’t very good at it, at least not at the time that we’re first introduced to Him. As we follow his progress in the Faith, he goes through a variety of ups and downs. At his lowest he denied being affiliated with Jesus, but he ends up being a pivotal figure in the establishment of the greatest institution in human history since the creation itself: the Church…the ecclesia, meaning the Church as a whole, not a particular denomination. That’s pretty amazing! How did he get there? First, he had to recognize that Jesus was the expected Messiah as he did when Jesus asked him. Getting to that understanding was aided by some of the Lord’s actions when He performed certain miracles along the way. Some of these were more spectacular than others. The first thing that happened was netting a boatload of fish—amazing but not particularly spectacular. That can happen when you’re fishing; you don’t get a bite for hours then you change your location and the fish are practically jumping into your boat. But later, other events were miraculous indeed: healing of the sick, the feeding of huge crowds with next to nothing, walking on water…you get the idea. But it was still the case that Peter couldn’t understand who he was dealing with, in part because he brought his own expectations of the Messiah with him. Jesus exhibited exceptional abilities, but His goals were completely unexpected. Peter wanted a Messiah who would reestablish the kingdom of the Jewish people, a kingdom with a valiant king who would establish and maintain the borders and provide stability in the land that would allow His subjects to prosper in peace. What they ended up with was a Messiah who was executed as a criminal. And after Peter witnessed this event he wasn’t sure what to do.

And then it happened! First the body of Jesus disappeared. Then there were reports that Jesus had been seen alive. Then He appeared to the disciples and those who were with them on various occasions over the next few weeks. And it was during one of those encounters that Peter was charged by the Lord to tend His Church—His sheep—and told that his effort would cost him his life. (John 21:15-18) Then just prior to His ascension Jesus told the disciples to remain in Jerusalem and wait “for what the Father had promised” saying: “John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  The Apostles’ response was to ask: “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” indicating that they were still thinking in terms of a political salvation in which they would be freed from the oppression of the Romans. Jesus didn’t clarify the circumstances but indicated that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Then the Lord ascended “out of their site.” (Acts 1:4-8) Afterward, it was still not clear to them how they should proceed. Jesus had told the Apostles not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for “what the Father had promised.” So during that time they, along with a larger group of disciples, devoted themselves to prayer and addressed the need to replace Judas in the ministry—reflecting the beginning efforts of organizing the Church. Then on the day of Pentecost this group was gathered together and the Holy Spirit came upon them all with a “noise like a violent rushing wind,” prompting each one to “speak with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4) The tumult was such that crowds of people from around the area came to see what was happening. Many of these people were from other areas in the Empire, having come to Jerusalem for religious and commercial reasons. And they were amazed because these local Jews were speaking in the native languages of their homelands! (Acts 2:1-13) Some were mocking, others were just amazed, but it was Peter who stood up and spoke at length baring witness to the Resurrection of Jesus and His placement as “both Lord and Christ” at the right hand of God. (Acts 2:32-36) This sermon prompted many to repent and to be baptized in the name of Jesus, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, and marking the beginnings of the wider Christian Church.

In considering these aspects of the Lord’s ministry on earth, I want to point out the dynamic nature of the Gospel event. Jesus came on the scene, and it was over a period of time that His identity was revealed. This is evident if you read all the Gospels in their entirety. Everybody knows the Christmas story of humble beginnings in a Bethlehem stable where Jesus was born to a young virgin woman who was betrothed to a carpenter. Over time Jesus exhibited some unusual characteristics that rendered Him exceptional. Then as an adult man He gathered His disciples from various walks of life and slowly trained them to carry on His ministry after His Resurrection and Ascension. His true identity was only made evident over a period of time, and in some respects the process of understanding the Messiah continued throughout the Apostles’ lifetimes. And for those who came to the faith after His Ascension, understanding the Lord Jesus continued and continues to be a process, a dynamic revelation and a continual challenge to respond to what has been revealed in Jesus Christ. An exceptional example of this is the Apostle Paul who was only introduced to the Lord after our Savior’s Ascension. This is made evident in a careful study of Acts and Paul’s personal references in his epistles. This dynamism needs to be appreciated. The Gospel is not static. The basic premise that Jesus died in our place so that we might be freed from the power that sin had over our lives is only a starting point. The Apostle Paul declared that we are new creatures in Christ. The old things are past, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17) But the dynamic nature of these new things continues throughout our lifetime. Understanding Jesus was and is a continuing process, and we can’t exhaust the investigation. The Lord is inexhaustible and learning of Him is never ending! We can see the same type of dynamism in the basic platform of our existence. Our bodies are always in process. As young people we grow to maturity physically, mentally, and in some respects spiritually. However, that growth and development is precarious, subject to a variety of influences. And even the healthiest of bodies will succumb to decay eventually. It’s the spiritual element of our existence that has the capacity for continual development throughout our lives. But we need to appreciate this dynamism and cultivate it. Just as the Apostles continued to gain greater understanding of Jesus throughout their lives, we must do the same.

This brings us back to the original question and the title of this post: who are you? Who am I and who are we? Are we Christians once and for all anchored in our original confession of faith, content with our understanding of the Christ as we received it way back when? Or are we on the move, seeking to understand the salvation provided by the Messiah? Are we like Peter was:  adhering to our original expectations of the Christ or are we open to hearing what the Lord might reveal to us as we wait on His direction? It’s a choice that we all need to make. The world is filled with idolatries, and we are all susceptible to them. But just as Moses challenged Israel before they crossed the Jordan, Jesus challenges us to be aware of our tendencies toward the world’s influence, and to place ourselves in a posture of expectation, always looking to better understand our Savior and our Lord.

But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29)