Who Do You Say I Am?

Everyone you question, has a different tale to tell
Some say I don't know him, some say I know him well
Some say he's a prophet
Some say his presence gives vision to the blind
Some say I never met him, still he's a friend of mine
Some say I don't' know him, some say I know him well
Everyone who sees him sees whatever they desire
Some say crucify him, some say he cannot die,
Some say he lives forever within the heart and mind

Oh what the others have to say has never been concern for me
For it's the word of God alone, that always sets me free
And it is faith in God alone that brings eternal life
By faith I am persuaded my brother is the Christ and what about you
What about you
What about you
Who do you say I am

(Lyrics excerpted from Who Do You Say I Am, by Carlos and Johnny)

Who is Jesus, and why does it matter? This Sunday we begin a new series entitled, Jesus and the Awakening to God Consciousness based upon the book, The Third Jesus by Deepak Chopra.

Chopra makes the case that there are three distinct images of Jesus. The first is the Jesus of history, that is, Jesus, the man who walked the earth 2000+ years ago. Second is the Jesus of the traditional Christian faith that Chopra says was appropriated by the Church, esteemed as God's only begotten son who died for humanity's salvation. The third Jesus, which is the one the book and our series is about, is the "Christ" who Chopra asserts we cannot-and must not- ignore."

In Unity, we do not ignore the Christ. It is central to our belief in the Divinity that indwells all humankind. While we recognize the Divinity in Jesus, and acknowledge his mastery in awareness and exemplification of his divine nature, we see him as the great example,
not the great exception. We see Jesus as one who clearly saw the path of spiritual awakening and took it all the way to his enlightenment, leaving us a way to follow that we might also come to know what he knew. Of course, this interpretation is radically different from traditional Christian doctrine, yet it is merely a logical extension of our belief in Oneness. Because we hold the view that there is only one presence and power that is in all, and through all, expressing its fullness at every point in space and time, it follows that It must also be in us. The omnipresence of spirit allows for an individualized expression of God, which is the Christ in you and me.

When Jesus asked his disciple Peter, Who do you say I am, he was inviting Peter to look beyond the human form, the fleshly appearance before him, the story about him, and behold his true nature. This invitation is ours as well.

Jesus knew he was the light of the world, and said you are the light of the world as well. His life teachings and demonstrations were rooted in an almost unfathomable, unflinching depth of love beyond human comprehension. The depth of his love and devotion to God was equaled in his love for everybody he met, friend, stranger or crucifier. He beheld the Christ in everyone he met, and called forth their hidden perfections, resulting in extraordinary transformations of body, mind and spirit. This kind of love, so pure that it fosters a kind of immaculate perception, did not die with Jesus. It is as viable, vital and relevant as ever. To those who can look through this lens of love today can still restore sight to the blind, reclaim hope to the lost, and bring peace to our world.