17 Pentecost/Proper 19/Ordinary 24 B September 16, 2018
Luther Memorial Church Seattle, WA
The Rev. Julie Hutson
Isaiah 50: 4-9a + James 3: 1-12 + Mark 8: 27-38
Beloved, grace and peace are yours from God, who is the creator of every good and perfect gift. Amen.
Last week in our Sunday School Gathering time I did something with the students I’ve done in other congregations and situations. I took a paper plate and a small tube of toothpaste and proceeded to squeeze all of the toothpaste onto the plate. I then placed a crisp “Benjamin”….a $100 bill in front of the kids and told them that whoever could put all of that toothpaste back into the tube could have the money. Now, I’ve done this exercise in lots of places; I even did it with my own children. Because it’s impossible to put the toothpaste all back into the tube. But I have to tell you, I’ve never seen any group of kids try as hard as this one did! I have pictures of them….concentrating, cheering each other on…arms linked, faces grimaced in concentration. I actually thought they might be the first kids to find a way to get that toothpaste back in!
Of course, like all good object lessons, this one makes a point. That, like the toothpaste, the words that we’ve said, once out of our mouths, can never be taken back. They are out there and the harm they’ve done, or in some cases the good they’ve done, cannot be undone.
How often have we said or thought “I wish I could take that back?” But we can’t. And that, in itself, is a testimony to the power of the words we speak.
The author of the book of James reminds its hearers that this is absolutely true. He makes no bones about the power of the tongue. He likens it to a spark that ignites a forest fire, an infection that ravages the whole body, an untamable force. He says it’s a restless evil full of deadly poison.
And then he goes on to describe the most heartbreaking truth of all: that the same voices who praise God are the very voices that curse each other.
This reading from James is just really self explanatory and it doesn’t generally yield enough material for an entire sermon. It really lends itself to a reminder or even a Sunday School object lesson. But I couldn’t let it pass in these days, because it seems that it’s important to note a couple of things.
One: the tenor of our national rhetoric has taken on a tone I cannot remember happening before but one that is dangerous in the precedent it sets and in the ways it allows others to mimic it. It is very possible to disagree with one another at a very basic level and still remain respectful. Naming a behavior is different than calling someone a name.
And my second point would be this: well considered speech does not mean we do not speak truth to power. The author of James is addressing the way a community of faith is speaking to and about one another; he is not talking about taking a stand for the righteous path and being a voice for the oppressed.
It’s worth noting that Luther wasn’t a fan of the book of James. He thought it relied too heavily on works instead of faith. Maybe he even though it was fake news and not good news.
But Jesus, who is the good news of God, knew that what we say matters.
Who do people say that I am? Jesus asks the disciples in the Gospel reading today. And of course, the disciples report that the people don’t really know….maybe John the Baptist or maybe Elijah? And then Jesus asks the $64,000 question: “And you, who do you say that I am?”
A couple of weeks ago there was guy picketing our church building with a sign that read “God is imaginary.” Well, since Jesus is God, maybe his answer to Jesus’ question, who do YOU say that I am, would have been “A figment of my imagination.”
And you, who do you say that I am?
In 2010 City Church of Seattle launched a campaign that has since defined their entire ministry. That campaign is called “Jesus Is.” Maybe you’ve seen the billboards or the bumper stickers or the bus placards. Jesus is __________ . You have the noun and you have the verb. Jesus. Is. How do we fill in the rest? Who is Jesus to us?
But that’s not exactly Jesus’ question is it? I mean, it’s important that we know who Jesus is to us, but Jesus asks Who do you SAY that I am? When you open your mouth and use your tongue as James might say, who do you SAY that Jesus is?
Now, I’m going to be honest. From time to time, people actually ask me questions about who Jesus is, or isn’t. Do I really believe he is God’s son? Do I think he’s just a teacher? Was he actually a historical figure or, like the picketers sign, is he imaginary. By the way my answers are: Yes, I do believe he’s God’s Beloved. No, I don’t think he was JUST a teacher, although he certainly was a teacher. And there is extra biblical historical evidence of his life, so he is not imaginary. But, to be fair, I don’t get questions like this every day.
What I am more likely to get is a question or a comment or a conversation or an encounter that gives me the opportunity to demonstrate who I believe Jesus to be. If I believe Jesus to be a champion of the oppressed, which he clearly was….then I must also live as a champion of those pushed to the margins. If I believe that Jesus valued all people, which he clearly did….then I must also value all people. If I believe that Jesus put the needs of the poor above the needs of the rich, which he clearly did…then I must do the same.
The author of the book of James was absolutely right when he said that the tongue is a whole wicked world in itself. But contrary to what your grandma might have told you, it’s not cussing that will get you in trouble. I often note I learned to cuss in seminary! No, our tongues get us in trouble when we turn it against one another. When we speak behind backs instead of to faces. When we use words to sow seeds of discontent. To start rumors. To tell half truths or just fabricate falsehoods to suit our own purposes. Yes, the tongue is a whole wicked world in itself.
But our tongues are not the only parts of us that speak. Our lives speak as well. Who we are in the world speaks volumes, not only about the state of our hearts, but also about who we say Jesus is.
And this is where we get to the good news part….the Gospel part. Our words and our lives also have the power to share love in the world. They have the power to heal hurts and calm fears and build up and praise. Words have the power to inspire and console. They have the power to tell jokes that aren’t at other people’s expense but for the sheer joy of sharing a laugh. Words have the power to make a lasting difference in the lives of those we meet and know as siblings made in the very image of God.
I’m going to tell you a story, a true story, of when words lifted me and carried me through a time filled with stress and difficulty. I was facing a stressful time and a time of many challenges. And one of you knew this and texted me, offering words of solace and support. And then this almost 90 year old texted me the words that literally carried me through this trying time. She said “I am sending billows of butterflies to surround you.”
Oh, these words made all the difference. She could have said “I hope those difficult people fall in a mud puddle… those cotton headed ninny muggins” but instead she sent billows of butterflies. And they carried her love. And that is how I know that for her, Jesus is love.
Our words have the power to transform the world, our communities, our families, and our hearts. They also have the power to tear them down. Jesus invites us, to remember who he is, and to speak through that understanding. Some days it’s hard to put a word to who Jesus is. Days of confusion or heartache or just too much….just too much….and on those days, may billows of butterflies surround you, carrying love on their wings…the perfect love of Jesus. Love that you may share with others when they ask, with words or without words: who do you say that Jesus is?
Thanks be to God, and let the Church say…Amen.