Online Archives

Mark 8:27-38

Did you ever have to receive a vaccination at the doctor’s office when you were a young child?

I remember the time I got an immunization without any pre-warning. My mother told me I was going for my annual check-up, and I had a fairly good idea of what to expect.

There would be a long wait in the crowded reception area, but I would find that etch-a-sketch I played with the last time. When my name was called, my mother and I would follow the nurse into the hallway where the nurse would check my weight and height before guiding us into a small room where another long wait would ensue.

My mother never mentioned the vaccination until the doctor entered the room. If she had told me at home, I would have cried and tried to get out of the appointment. Instead she waited until the doctor was present, so he could explain the benefits of what would ultimately feel like a pinprick. My mother knew me and she knew the right time for me to hear about the shot.

The Gospel of Matthew shares an important story with us about timing.

After performing a series of miracles, Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone about him. Don’t tell anyone? Are you kidding?

Jesus had already appointed and sent out 12 apostles to proclaim the message of God’s kingdom (Mark 3:14). Jesus is the heart of the message. People are sensing it through his ministry. The demons and negative powers working against God already knew him and sensed it (Mark 1:24, 34; 5:12).

Now, as the other disciples share what people are saying about Jesus, Peter steps forward to declare the truth: “You (Jesus) are the Messiah.”

However, instead of getting a pat on the back, Peter hears Jesus issue a stern warning not to tell anyone about him. The disciples, and indeed we readers, must be thinking, “Are you kidding?”

Peter is right: Jesus is the Messiah. But that’s not the problem. The problem is that it is not the right time or place for the disciples to call Jesus the Messiah. They have yet to experience his suffering, death and resurrection. Until they do, the Messiah title won’t carry the meaning God intends for it to carry.

Jesus has been performing miracles, so the disciples are expecting a Messiah who will come in power and might — not one that suffers. They are not yet able to comprehend the suffering or the benefits and blessings of what is to come. It is all about timing.

This is a constant challenge for us even today, as we go out and share God’s message with the world. For example, should a person immediately denounce the actions of another who is turning to addictions instead of turning to the Lord? Or do we first get to know the addict, tend to his or her needs and then engage him or her in a faith discussion?

Choosing the right time and place to share the good news makes all the difference on how it will be received. It can change someone from thinking, “Are you kidding?” to actually thinking.

The Rev. Mernie Crane is pastor of Centenary UMC in Shady Side.