Words

Bible Texts

The Epistle Reading - James 3: 1-12

The Gospel Reading - Mark 8: 27-38

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be now and always acceptable in thy sight O lord our strength and our redeemer Amen


Way back in the mid-90's Boyzone recorded a song ... Words



The major lyrics are - "It's only words and words are all I have to take your heart away"

Words are so powerful with them we can change our lives and the lives of those around about us.

Take for example - When a man asks a woman to marry him - and she says yes then both of their lives are changed - one word

another example when a jury brings back a verdict in a court case - guilty or not guilty - there are ramifications to these words for the person on trial.

Dramatic changes happen when words are spoken. In History we know what happened when Martin Luther King said ... "I have a dream..."

There are also many instances when words are destructive - when they build up tensions and barriers rather than tear them down. When words are spoken in haste, without thought for consequences. Much suffering is caused when words are not used appropriately.

Throughout my life I have met many people who were told as young people that they were useless and good for nothing sometimes by teachers or by parents or bosses- those wounds have stayed with them right into adulthood and have shaped their relationships. They have had to undergo a period of search for the truth that they are actually good for something, that they were created for a purpose and have something to contribute to society.

In our world today, Christians have so much to contribute to those around us in terms of our words, how we interact with people. In our epistle reading this morning from James there is a warning about the use of words.

A few images are used here, firstly the bit which controls the horse, you are in control of the whole animal with a small piece of metal, secondly the rudder of a ship, point the rudder in the right direction and the ship follows - These are quite positive images - get the words rights and the rest of the body will follow.

But then James points us to a destructive image, that of a small fire setting the place ablaze, we just have to look at the destructive power of fire in the USA, Greece or Australia in recent years to know how powerful something so small can be. James says that the tongue, the smallest part of the body is difficult, near impossible to tame, full of deadly poison. So often something said begins to spread and when it does great harm is caused.

James does not hold back in verse nine - "with the tongue we bless the Lord and father and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing"

The tongue can be used for great things or it can be used for sheer evil, it can be used to encourage or it can be used to rebuke, it can be used to build up relationships or it can be used to tear them down.

In our gospel reading this morning we see at the turning point in marks gospel when Peter (my hero!) the one who got it right sometimes and got is wrong often- used his tongue for Good as he made his confession of Jesus as Messiah ... the high point

went on, when Jesus explained what that meant, to rebuke Jesus ... Peter had put his foot in it.

Some of the things which the disciples did were stupid ... Some of you know that I am learning to drive... I have had about 10 lessons now ... I have been taught how to:
- Parallel Park
- Emergency Stop
- change gear
- Reverse into a parking bay
- Reverse round a corner

However, see coming down the Dual carriageway and stopping that the traffic lights and getting going again, I do stupid things, I sometimes forget what I am doing, and conk out, the car stalls ... even forgetting to take the handbrake off

Peter the disciple did do things rights but he also did things wrong

In our Christian lives we are called into a process of learning ... that is Discipleship
We are also called into a process of sanctification ... meaning that we are called to change, to clean up our actions and our words, to be more like Jesus. to be transformed.

In a recent study, it might surprise people to know that women speak more than men... in a average day the average male speaks 6,073 words, females speak 8,805 words.

The question is what are we going to do with our words, are we adding to the destructive flames which destroy people, which build up barriers or are we, as we are called to do as people living with the Holy Spirit in us - going to let our words and our actions be glorifying to God, displaying the fruit of the spirit

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self Control?

Yes we are a work in progress, of course we are - But God is challenging us, as people who believe in him and who are trusting him to live out that fruit - to put the sinful nature behind us and live for him.

If we say, as we do each week in the creed that Jesus is Lord, and we pray the prayer at the end of the communion service that we are living sacrifices - our words and our actions do have to come under the Lordship of Christ not just on a Sunday but every single day of the week.

Let us Pray

Sermon preached on Sunday 13th September 2009 at St. Columba's Parish Church, Knock 1030 Holy Communion Service.