Sunday, September 15, 2024

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 50:4-10
Psalm 116:1-9
James 3:1-12
Mark 9:14-29

Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing.

I worked in retail. I began working on the floor and cash register, but eventually entered a management training program and held the position of assistant manager. I learned everything I needed to know from the senior store manager. It was a good program, very informative while also giving me the experience I needed to do my job well leading the people.

As a manager, I felt it was important to be an example to the employees. A retail store requires people to do all levels of work. We need people with accounting skills to take care of the money as well as people who can mop the floor and clean the bathrooms. We need people who can unload a truck or unpack a box. A well-run store has people who can determine future needs, able to order the right amount of merchandise that will sell through each season. All these tasks are vital to the success of the store.

I was often “every-man.” In other words, there were times when the janitor was not available to deal with an emergency, so I grabbed a mop to clean up the mess. If the crowds were overwhelming the cashiers, I jumped on a register to ease the load. If a truck with an extra-large load showed up at the back door, I unloaded boxes. A willingness to experience hard work gave me credibility. If some smart aleck kid refused a job saying, “You do it,” I could easily answer, “I have; now it is your turn.” There was nothing I didn’t experience, and the employees knew it. They also knew that I was the boss, and they had their own job to accomplish.

Our Old Testament lesson for this week is a servant song spoken by one who was chosen to bring hope to God’s people. Some prophets were sent to speak words of warning or discipline, but this prophet was sent with a word of hope. The song is filled with hope for those weary from living in the midst of suffering and pain. This servant knew what it meant to suffer. He not only received the gift of the word, but he also lived in the midst of pain. He was persecuted, humiliated, insulted. He was shamed, but without shame. Though he experienced this suffering, he never turned from his calling. He persevered through it, trusting that God was there with him.

A favorite author posted a meme yesterday that said, “Two most important rules for interpreting the Old Testament: 1. Assume this text, in some way, is connected to the person, work, and kingdom of the Messiah. 2. See #1.” Through these eyes, we understand that this song was sung by our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the suffering servant who was persecuted, humiliated, and insulted. He was even crucified on the cross. Yet, He never wavered; He stood firm on the word that had been given to Him. He spoke those comforting words to the people and those who had ears to hear found hope in the midst of their own suffering and pain.

David was in a pretty bad place in his life when he wrote today’s Psalm. “The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow.” I don’t think I’ve ever felt so close to death and the grave as David felt. It is as if he has one foot in the grave. Most commentators believe this psalm was written by David, though we aren’t certain. It was most likely written by a king, perhaps the king of a nation that was facing a time of war or siege. It seems as if everything they knew and loved was about to be destroyed.

Still, the psalmist wrote, “I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy.” This does not seem like a very good reason to love God. First of all, how would he know that that God hears unless there was an answer to the prayers? Should we love God only because of what He can and does do for us? That seems rather self-centered and selfish. Yet, it is a very human response to God’s gracious mercy. Who are the people with whom we truly enjoy spending time? We spend time with the ones who listen to us, even if they have no answer to the problem or way to fix what is wrong. We appreciate their compassionate presence and listening ears.

We need not be so cynical about the attitude of the psalmist, here. Love for Yahweh comes not only as a response for answered prayer. Love for God is is manifest because God is there, present and listening. We are not promised answers to all our prayers. We are not guaranteed lives without suffering or pain. However, God has promised to be with those who love Him and that He will listen to those who cry out to Him.

There is a pattern to the poetry of this psalm. It begins with praise to God for listening. Then the psalmist describes his difficulty. Finally, the psalmist speaks words of thanksgiving and praise. This is a powerful pattern for us to follow when we pray: begin with a hope-filled prayer, praise God for His compassionate mercy based on faith and trust that God is present and that He hears, even if we have not seen evidence of His presence. We know that He is near, and we trust that He hears our cries because He has promised, and He is faithful. We worship Him and acknowledge His presence first, then we approach Him with our needs. Finally, we sing thanks and praise to God for His mercy.

The psalmist talks of death, but we need to remember that we face deaths throughout our lives that have nothing to do with our physical bodies. We experience broken relationships, unemployment, illness, and other difficulties that are like death. Death can happen when something about our circumstances changes and impacts our life. We grieve when we have to leave something behind. Even our hopes can die. It is then, especially, that we can cry out to God in praise, supplication and thanksgiving because despite these circumstances, we know that He is present and listening. God hears our cry and delivers us from death by His mercy and His grace.

I went to college to be an elementary school teacher. I did fairly well in theory, excelling in my classes and in the assignments designed to prepare me for the work. I was good at lesson planning and resource collection. I had long lists of children’s books and a collection of ideas that would make any elementary school child’s day fun and educational. I did not do well in practice. The classroom was not what I expected, and I did not have the aptitude to control a group of first graders.

My mentor was wonderful. She was almost perfect. The children listened to her; she never had to raise her voice. The class was difficult: it was an extremely diverse group of children, many of whom needed special classes because English was their second language. Still, she was able to impact their lives with her teaching and her kindness. I did well with the tasks that she assigned me, but I could not handle the most important thing: teaching the children. My frustration set my nerves on edge and reacted by raising my voice. During my reviews, my mentor constantly reminded me about my language. My raised voice and the words I used did not help the situation. I often resorted to the phrase “shut up” in my effort to get the children to listen. My attitude made the children respond negatively, rather than positively. Instead of getting quiet, they got louder. Instead of listening, they turned on their neighbor.

“If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” is a modern-day proverb that you often see posted in memes on the Internet. Most people interpret this to mean that everyone in the house (especially the father!) should do everything in their power to make Mama happy, believing that if Mama is in a good mood, she’ll do everything that will make our lives satisfying and comfortable. However, if Mama ain’t happy, she’ll make our lives a living nightmare.

The lessons learned in that classroom has helped me to look at that proverb from a different perspective. It is a reminder to me, as Mama, to do what I can to make my little corner of the world better for everyone. If I’m not happy, the atmosphere around me will be unhappy. My attitude affects the world in which I live. So, if I make a willful attempt to be happy, under any circumstance, those around me will feel comfortable and satisfied. If I had followed the example of my mentor when I was a student teacher, I might have had a much different impact on the children in my classroom. If I had been quiet and encouraging, rather than loud and angry, the whole class might have turned around.

I confess that I’m not always happy. I still occasionally use the phrase “shut up,” but I am much better. I try to take a breath before I respond to frustration with anger. I’m more likely to stop and hold my tongue, to respond with self-control. James wrote, “Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing.” While this is true for all of us who are both saints and sinners, it is not how we are called to live. I did use language in that classroom that was unhelpful and disturbing. Yet in the years that have passed, I have also been able to have a very positive impact on the lives of children, including my own. I’ve taught preschool and provided activities for the young ones at church. I have mentored elementary aged children, with kindness and peace. It is much better to live in a way that brings forth blessing from our mouth rather than cursing. This will help to make the world around us better, even happier.

The focus of the scriptures this week seems to be on the mouth, on the words we speak. Isaiah said, “The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary.” The psalmist said, “I called on Yahweh’s name.” James reminds us that we are able to bless and to curse with the same mouth and that we will be judged accordingly, so we ought to be wary of becoming teachers.

Our words matter. We might learn that old song, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me,” but words do hurt. Words cause broken relationships. Words condemn people. Words lead people down the wrong and perhaps destructive path. When we speak, but even more so when we teach, we give people words that might even change their lives. We might give them encouragement, direction, and knowledge. But our words can cause discouragement and guide people in the wrong direction. Our words can impart false or wrong knowledge.

There are writers who include shocking truths about the Church and its history in fictional novels that have been taken as truthful facts. These facts have been proven false repeatedly, but one writer’s excellent mystery has been understood as gospel truth not fiction. Too many people have given those falsehoods legitimacy, including other writers piggybacking off his success. I even attended a function where the guest speaker quoted that book extensively to convince a room full of Christian women that they should follow a different path.

Our words matter. Every word we write and every word we speak can have an impact on somebody, and not always in a good way. Our words plant seeds that grow and can spread destruction to others. A parent that yells or a teacher that responds in anger may not directly or immediately affect a child, but repeated negative comments can bring about change. Peer pressure can lead a teenager into dangerous decisions. Words are used and abused throughout the election cycle every year.

Peter and the disciples were called to be teachers, and they did as Jesus commanded them to do. It is not easy to follow God’s will in our world today, but we walk in faith knowing that God is always by our side. Speaking the truth can be dangerous. Our words might be “politically incorrect” or go against the popular consensus of the day, standing diametrically opposed to societal expectations. Our words can lead us toward our own cross. Yet, we are called by faith to confess that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, to take up whatever cross we may face and follow Jesus, blessing and not cursing so that our lives will bear good fruit to the glory of God.

We approach God in prayer with praise, supplication, and thanksgiving. Unfortunately, our mouths are not always filled with these good things. I did not respond well to my students and created an atmosphere of chaos. My positive example as a retail manager was more powerful than my raised voice and poor choice of words ever was. When we live our life with a positive and kind attitude, we make the world around us better.

Jesus, Peter, James, and John were on the Mount of Transfiguration when the crowds began to gather around the rest of the disciples. A man approached them hoping that they might heal his boy who had been possessed by a demon. Jesus and his disciples were quickly gaining notoriety because of the miraculous works they were doing. Even the disciples did amazing things when Jesus sent them to heal and preach the kingdom. They were excited by the power and amazed at the things they could do when they returned from that experience. They saw people transformed before their eyes. They thought they could do anything. People were flocking to these men who could do such incredible deeds, even without Jesus around. The disciples were basking in the glory, and the people sought them as they sought Jesus.

This man’s child was possessed by a particularly difficult demon. It rendered the child speechless and often threw him to the ground in violent convulsions. It even tried to kill the child by throwing him into dangerous situations such as water or fire. The disciples were unable to cast the demon out of the child. Jesus asked what was happening when He came down from the mountaintop. The man was desperate. Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, and it left the boy so violently that the child fell to the ground and appeared dead. Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet. The boy was healed.

Later, the disciples asked why they were unable to cast the demon from the child. The disciples were so confident of their ability from their successes that they forgot the most important thing: that Jesus is the source of their power. They took for granted the gifts given to them, trying to do it on their own volition. They did not take the time to pray, to ask God into the situation and to call on Him for the power to do His work. An unplugged light will not work, and the disciples would never bring healing without a strong connection to their power source: God. The disciples needed to pray, to stay in constant touch with God. They were seeing and doing incredible things, but they were being distracted from the work of faith by the glory of this world. They were trying to do it with their own power. We do the same.

Young pastors in training often think they can wing-it in the pulpit. When an internship pastor asked one of his trainees to see her notes, the trainee said she didn’t have any. She thought she would just let the Holy Spirit speak through her. She approached the podium on her day to preach with great expectations but stumbled over every sentence. Her sermon left the congregation bewildered and unfed. She was disappointed, “Why didn’t God put the words into my mouth?”

She forgot that it takes more than confidence and opportunity to share God’s Word. We must be prepared through prayer and study. We must be familiar with the text and everything about it. We must know who is speaking and who is listening. We must know how the thoughts fit together so that we can apply it to the world in which we live. We must be prepared. God doesn’t just fill us with words in our mouth, but through study and prayer He fills every cell of our being with His Word. An adlib sermon can work, but not without hours of preparation. In an information sermon, a researcher discovered that pastors spend an average of thirteen hours preparing their sermons, which often last less than fifteen minutes.

God can and does make an impact through us, but we must begin by seeking Him in prayer before we try. It will never be our power or knowledge or abilities that makes anything happen. God’s power, word, and Spirit makes things happen. We will be judged when we speak; sometimes we will disappoint those who have expectations beyond our ability. We might face persecution, rejection, and death. Whatever we do in word or deed in and for God’s Kingdom, let us always begin with prayer, seeking God’s purpose, word, and power. It takes so much more than what we see on the surface to accomplish God's work; the world might follow us because they see tip of the iceberg, but we know that without the unseen majority of the iceberg we would be nothing.

We will get there when we listen for God’s voice in our life, but it all begins with trusting that God is present and listening to our prayers even when it seems like He is nowhere to be found. We may have experiences like David, the prophets, and the apostles who were threatened, in danger, rejected, ignored, and even died as martyrs. We are to follow Jesus with faith and trust, knowing that in the end God is in control. Jesus went before us as the Suffering Servant who died at the hands of those who refused to believe He was sent by God. We are invited to follow Him through His cross, to join in His work with the promise that He will be with us through it all, listening to our cries and answering out of His great and wonderful mercy.

A woman I met in a Christian chat room thought she was a prophet, and she gave the title to me, too. She wanted a connection with others like her so that we could discuss the things of God. She was impressed with my words and looked to me for advice. She sent me several things that she had written, and quite frankly they were horrific. Not only was the theology questionable, but the writing was terrible. She had no grasp on spelling or grammar. Her sentences were confusing and sometimes incoherent. She was young and passionate, and she truly believed she was doing what God had called her to do. I encouraged her, but since she had sent me the writings for review, I was gentle but firm and gave her some honest opinions to help her make her message stronger and easier to understand. I showed her biblically where she was in error, and even rewrote some of the text to make it better. She was shocked at my response because she was expecting me to fawn over her wonderful work and tell her she was really a prophet.

She didn’t really want advice, but she needed to hear the truth because she would be judged by her teaching, not only in human terms, but spiritual. James wrote, “Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.” Prophecy and teaching are closely related and are often mentioned together in the scriptures. Some people are gifted at proclaiming the message of God’s Kingdom, while others are gifted at explaining it. It is vital that churches find those who are gifted in teaching, so that the congregation will learn how to apply the lessons learned from those who prophesy. These are gifts, not something we can grasp for ourselves. They are given by God, and though we can develop the gift, we can’t learn how to be a prophet or teacher if God has not first called and gifted us to that work. We might think that we want to prophecy and teach, but we won’t succeed if God is not calling us to that vocation.

Too many people try to be something they aren’t called or gifted to be. They try to teach, but leave their students confused and doubtful. The young lady in the chat room boasted that she was a prophet, but her words proved her wrong and she refused to accept the words of others. I was not the only one who tried to encourage her to seek God’s true purpose for her. She most certainly had other gifts that would glorify Him, but she was so focused on being a prophet that she missed the blessed life God had for her.

I originally went into elementary education as my college major because I was timid about teaching older students. I was encouraged to be a teacher, and I thought the youngsters would be easy. I quickly learned I did not have the aptitude for that career. I am a teacher, however, and God has used me in many other situations with this gift, including my job in retail management. Now I am blessed to teach the Bible through devotional writing and in adult forums and workshops. It took time for me to figure out how to use my gifts and I pray I will never take them for granted, always seeking God’s help to do what He wants me to do. Finding our place in God’s kingdom requires a connection with God. We have to listen to Him, trust in Him and let Him guide us in the way He wants us to go.

There are many things we can do as Christians every day to bring the Kingdom of God to the people who are dying in this world. We can love, serve, and speak the Word into their lives. We can step forth in faith and provide our neighbors with what they need, both tangible and spiritual. Yet, we should never forget the source of all we have is God and begin every word and work in prayer. We can do nothing without Him. Jesus reminded the disciples that they need to turn to Him, that it is not their own power or authority that brings healing and peace into the lives of those who suffer.

God will impact the world through us as we continue the work begun by the Suffering Servant, our Lord Jesus. It takes prayer, of course, because without that connection we can do nothing. Unfortunately, we use words in ways that won’t always glorify God, but as we grow in faith we learn to breathe before we speak so that we bring forth blessing from our mouths, trusting that God will help us make the world around us better by His word of grace that we speak by His power.