It's O.K. to Copy!

Reverend Debra Cato

Peace Presbyterian Church

Exodus 17:1-7 and Philippians 2:1-11

September 28, 2014

It’s O.K. to Copy

Today, the lectionary has us in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. If you participate in the Acts Bible study that begins today, you’ll learn that the church in Philippi was Paul’s first church plant. Just in case you aren’t sure how Paul feels about this, his first church, let me read you a few verses from the start of his letter.

Philippians 1:3-8 “I thank my God every time I remember you, ⁴ constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, ⁵ because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. ⁷ It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.”

Paul begins his letter to the first church he planted with words like “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy;” “I long for all of you with the compassion of Jesus Christ.” Paul loves this congregation. Philippians is filled with joy and love and encouragement.

Philippians is one of Paul’s prison letters – Paul writes to his beloved congregation in Philippi from prison. It’s hard to tell from the positive tone of the letter that Paul is writing from prison, except for a brief mention in verse 7: “It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me,both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.”

I’ll be perfectly honest – I don’t think I have the strength, the courage, or the fortitude to remain joyful in the midst of the kind of circumstances Paul found himself in while imprisoned in a first century prison. But Paul’s faith is authentic. It is deep. His faith does not falter. It is later in this letter that he tells the Philippian congregation, “¹² I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” That’s the kind of faith I want! What about you?

While I was on vacation, I did not think about or worry about the church. I rested and relaxed and enjoyed my family and friends. BUT – I did continue to pray for you. It is something I do every day and something I continued to do while I was on vacation. It is a natural part of my life as your pastor. Yet it is from prison, not vacation, that Paul the pastor continues to be concerned about his flock in Philippi.

He writes to encourage them and admonish them and remind them who they are called to imitate. Listen to the ways that Paul lovingly reminds his beloved congregation that they are united through Christ. Listen as if Paul is writing directly to you – the congregation at Peace Presbyterian.

Philippians 2:1-2 “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ² make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”

Do you hear that? Do you doubt who you have in the Lord? Paul says even though we are all very different; even though we may like different things and have different opinions; even though we may not be friends outside of church – Christ makes us one. Philippians 2:1-2 “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ² make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” In Christ, we have one mind. Christ brings us together.

Even as Paul endures imprisonment and faces possible execution, he is nourished knowing that he continues to be a part of the body of Christ. It is a love that burns with desire for the flourishing of others, a love whose joy is be made complete only when all are included. Paul burns with a joy and love he desperately wants the Philippians to share. This “joy made complete” marks the realization of koinonia, the fellowship of those for whom living is Christ.

But there's more! Paul writes: Philippians 2:6-8 “[Christ] who, though he was in the form

of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷ but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.” (pause)

The celebrated pacifist Mohatma Gandhi lived from 1869 – 1948. He was an advocate and pioneer of nonviolent  social protest and he led the struggle for India's independence from British  colonial rule . Gandhi is reported to have made this observation in the midst of his non-violent struggle for justice for his people in the face of the occupation of his native India, “I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”¹ You Christians are so unlike your Christ.

In 2007, more than 65 years later, a pastor named Dan Kimball wrote a book called They Like Jesus But Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations. Dan graduated from Multnomah Biblical Seminary and Western Seminary – both in Portland and he received his doctorate in leadership from George Fox University, in Newberg, Oregon. Dan interviewed over 2,000 people in their twenties and thirties – the missing generation. In the introduction Dan says, “As you read this book, you might get defensive at first, perhaps even a little depressed. But after listening to the people I interviewed, I experienced hope. Yes, they had some harsh things to say about the church and Christians, but as the title of this book implies, they are open to Jesus, and this give me great hope.”

I read Dan's book in 2010 and it's everything Dan promises it will be. It's exciting! It gave me great hope. It changed the way I think about the church. Young people say they don't come to church because they don't see Jesus in the church. They see hypocrisy, judgment, unloving attitudes, exclusion, harsh political agendas – things that don't represent Jesus. Young people say they like Jesus. They are just turned off by the church.

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Paul wrote: Philippians 2:3-8 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.”

We are called to be imitators of Christ, to live in a way that allows other people to see Christ in us. Paul is telling us that it is O.K. to copy Jesus.

Now an imitator is different than an impersonator and I think that's what the young people that Dan Kimball interviewed are saying – that when they see Christians, they see a bunch of impersonators. Impersonators take great pains to make people believe they are who they are not. I imagine that impersonators of Christ are members of church (members of the body of Christ), they sing the hymns and pray the prayers and mouth the words but perhaps they hold harsh judgments about those who are different; they are unwelcoming to newcomers – particularly those who look and act different; believe differently; come from a different social class, racial class. Pehaps there is a lot of infighting. Perhaps a Christian impersonator is kind in church but in the business world is harsh to employees or co-workers, rude or even cruel to neighbors. You get the picture. I think there is bit of an impersonator in all of us; trying to be someone we aren't; trying to be better than we are.

Imitators know that they strive to live up to the challenge of being a reflection of someone they look up to. It's hard to walk in the foosteps of others – particularly when the other is God! The standard is very high. We know that we will fall short. That's O.K. Paul isn't expecting perfection, he's telling us we must adopt Christlike attitudes in all aspects of our life.

So, what does it mean to be called a reflection of Christ? It is not a call to perfection, but rather an invitation to be honest with ourselves and to understand that God is doing something unique and special in each and every one of us. This is God's challenge for us to live in a manner that is counter-cultural. Paul is reminding the Philippians – and us, of the reality in which we live as believers.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”

Understand that you are no better and no less than anyone else. You and each person around you was created in the image of God. If Christ – who is God himself could empty himself so completely that he took the form of a slave; that he took on flesh and was born in human likeness; that he completely and totally humbled himself even to the point of death; then surely Paul says, we can humble ourselves enough to think of others before ourselves.

If we could do just this – think of others before ourselves, we would indeed

     reflect the love and compassion of Christ

         live out the justice and redemption of the gospel

               transform the world because we ourselves would be transformed.

I read recently that if we want to change the world, we have to be changed first.

I think this is what Gandhi was talking about. I think this is what the young people crave to see when they say they like Jesus but not the Church. Genuine people trying to live out the call. We have to become like Jesus and Paul tells us it's O.K. to copy Jesus. He's our model.

Christian living is a process. God's timeline for each one of us is unique, and only God knows what the final product is going to look like. We can not expect an instantaneous transformation of our life's attitudes and actions, but we should expect an ongoing process of change that results from the ever-growing awareness of our need to be at a different place if we are truly Christ followers. The process begins with our conscious decision to become reflections of Christ in our actions and reactions to life.²

There's no such thing as a perfect church because every church is full of people like us. Trying hard but still human, messing up from time to time and learning as we go. But what if we decided that we were going to take our name seriously? That we were going to do more than sing “Shalom” at the end of each worship service that we were going to be a community of “Shalom”? It makes Paul's words of encouragement, consolation from love, compassion and sympathy, and joy mean all that more. It makes you sit up and take notice of his admonition to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.” Shalom means more than peace – it means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

      In a world with so much violence – that would be counter-cultural!

Can the world see Christ in us? Can people see Christ in you?

            May His kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen

1Feasting on the Word: Year A, Volume 4. Pastoral Perspective. Gilberto Collazo. p 110.

2Feasting on the Word: Year A, Volume 4. Pastoral Perspective. Gilberto Collazo. P 114. 

The Right Time to Pray

Rev. Debbie Cato

Psalm 86 and James 5:13-20

Peace Presbyterian Church

September 14, 2014

The Right Time to Pray

We’ve spent the last month studying the Book of James and this is our fifth and final week - the end of our study of James. When we started, I introduced James by saying that his primary concern is the shape of the Christian life. Based on who God is, and therefore who His Son, Jesus Christ is, James says we must live holy lives and so his book – all five chapters, is about what this holy living looks like. James assumes that we have faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and he asks the question, so what? What does this mean for our life? For James, the faith that counts is the faith that is active in a person's life; a faith that’s alive. James insists that true faith is active or obvious in our life. True faith can be seen in how we live; how we act; how we behave. According to James, faith that is not active is not faith at all.

First, James warned us not to be deceived by who we think we are. We don’t always live as the people we are in God because there is a lack of connection between hearing and doing; between who we are and what we do. James warned us that we must not just be hearers of the word; we must be doers of the word.

In chapter Two, James expanded this idea of hearing and doing, insisting that “faith alone” is not adequate without the “deeds of faith”. Faith is more than just believing. Faith is a response to God out of obedience and love. Our faith should be visible by its fruit – the way that we live, the things that we do and say; by our attitudes and our behaviors. James says that our faith ought to be who we are; not just something that we believe.  It's not just head knowledge. It's heart knowledge.

Chapter Three taught us to tame our tongue. Easy to say but much harder to do. James reminds us that our words can be used to tear down or to build up. Words – or the misuse of words are the cause of conflict. Words are the cause of disputes. They are the cause of hurt and pain and brokenness. As beloved children of God, we must relate to one another as people created in the image of God. We are called to be humble and gentle, pure and peaceable; yielding to one another, full of mercy and good fruits, willing to hold our tongues rather than use our words to hurt. We should listen more than talk. These are the marks of those that are wise and mature in faith.

Last Sunday, we looked at James’ Fourth Chapter where we learned that true wisdom comes from above; true wisdom comes from God. James says that we must admit that we really don’t have ultimate power or authority over ourselves. God does. And so if we are to live holy lives; if we are to have true wisdom, we must submit ourselves to God. We must draw near to God so that He will draw near to us. We must be willing to pray, “Your will be done. Not mine, but yours.” And mean it.

And now James ends his letter with perhaps his most important teaching on holy living. The key thing that pulls everything else together. He’s been telling us what he thinks the most important traits of holy living are; the most important evidence of a living faith in Jesus Christ.

Being doers; not just hearers of the word.

   A faith that’s visible; a faith that’s who we are, not just what we believe.

       Using words to heal, rather than using words to hurt.

          Submitting to God.

James final teaching on holy living is about prayer. Prayer is powerful – the most powerful tool we have. Think about it. We have direct access to God himself – the creator and ruler of the universe! Prayer is our way of talking and listening to God. It is through prayer that we combine the pieces of holy living that James has been talking about – using our words in the right way and the wisdom found in seeking a relationship with God. It’s how we draw near to our Abba Father.

James asks us a rhetorical question. When is the right time to pray? When is the right time to pray? When do you pray?

James provides examples:

   Are you suffering? Pray.

       Are you happy? Pray.

          Are you physically ill? Pray.

               Have you sinned? Pray.

                   Do you have a need? Pray.

James says we are to pray for ourselves and we are to pray for others. We are to pray individually and we are to pray as the Body of Christ. Sounds to me like there isn’t anything we shouldn’t pray for or anytime we shouldn’t pray! When is the right time to pray? Maybe the better question would be – Is there a time we shouldn’t be praying?!

There’s an old formula for prayers calls ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. As the old formula goes, we open our prayers with adoration; praising God for who God is. Then we admit our sins and ask God to forgive us. After we’ve admitted we are sinners and fall short, we thank God for the ways he has blessed us and met our needs. And then, only then do we ask God for what we need or for the needs of others – called supplication. Sounds like what James is talking about doesn’t it?!

We praise God first because we were created to praise God – to worship him. We get into the habit of praising God because of the things he has done for us, but we should be praising God just because of who he is. We should praise him because He is holy and just; ruler over all creation. It is a test of faith when we can still adore or thank God in the midst of suffering and illness; when we can still see God’s blessings in the midst of crises and difficult times. There are many scriptural examples of those, strong in faith who were able to praise God in difficult times; Job, Jonah, Hannah, Mary, and Jesus, just to name a few.

It is often in our brokenness that we can hear most clearly God’s reply to our prayers. When we are too broken to speak our prayers, it is often through remembered hymns and spiritual songs of praise that we are able to continue to have conversations with God. Or even a simple, “Help me, Lord.” He knows. He knows.

But it isn’t only ourselves that we pray. We pray for others that we know who are in need and those whose needs are known to us in the wider world. Mary is always so good about reminding us to pray for those who don’t have; who are vulnerable; who may not have someone to pray for them. That is the kind of heart God wants. This allows us to see the image of God expressed in others, to share in their suffering, and to add our voice to God’s hearing for the good of the world.

The church as a praying community engages in all these types of prayers. We sing together, minister to the sick, and confess to one another. Our prayers as a community shape and allow us to become more closely the true Body of Christ. In community prayer, we have the opportunity to both listen for and be God’s voice in the world. Through prayer, the body of Christ is empowered to carry out the mission of Christ.

Prayer changes relationships, prayer changes our hearts, and prayer changes lives. It is the way that we can communicate directly to the living God. It is the way to true wisdom which comes from above. It is the way to holy living, so it’s no wonder that James ends his letter with a teaching on the right time to pray. Pray when you are suffering; pray when you are happy; pray when you are physically ill; pray when you have sinned; pray when you have a need. For just as Paul said in his letter to the church in Thessalonica, “Rejoice always and pray without ceasing.”

Many of you probably recognize the name, Corrie ten Boom. Corrie was a Dutch Christian who, along with her father and other family members, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II and was imprisoned for it. Corrie is quoted as saying, “Is prayer your steering wheel, or is it your spare tire?” Is prayer your steering wheel or is it your spare tire? Do you use prayer to guide you every where you go or do you only use it when you are in trouble?

Friends, we find ourselves in a time that is right for prayer. It’s a time to praise God because He is sovereign over the universe and He is still in control. It is time to thank God for the blessings He pours down on us each and every day.

This is a good time to focus on your prayer life. Spend time alone with God – talking and listening. Ask for wisdom from above. Spend time as a family or as friends, praying together; praying for one another; praying for the church. It is only through prayer that you will find peace and clarity and comfort.

It is through prayer that you will draw near to God and God will draw near to you. God is in the midst of your pain and your struggles. He is in the midst of your joy and celebrations. Invite him into your thoughts and into your hearts. Ask Him to give you His heart and His mind. Now is the right time to pray. Not my will, but Yours, Lord.

May His Kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

The S Word

Debbie Cato

Psalm 1 and James 4:1-10

Peace Presbyterian Church

September 7, 2014

The “S” Word

When it comes to conversations with God, there are several words that I've learned it's better not to say – certainly better not to pray for! For instance; the “p” word. I'm not good at patience and I wanted (actually still do) to be more patient. I thought I should be more patient - you know, be better at waiting. I used to pray that God would give me patience. Then I realized that instead of giving me patience, God was giving me opportunities to learn patience. I didn’t like that – it was way too hard. It was painful! Never mind, God! I said. I’ll never learn! You can stop trying to teach me!” So, I’ve stopped praying for the “p” word. Sometimes I think he’s still trying to teach me, but I never talk to God about – “you know what” anymore!

Today, as James continues to teach us about holy living, he uses the “s” word. In American culture, the “s” word has become a dirty word. “We are our own person,” we say with pride. We do our own thing. We are independent. We don’t report to anyone. Nobody tells us what to do. We do our thing; I’ll do my thing. You do your thing. It’s the American way.

But, as we should expect, it’s not the Christian way. It’s not the way of holy living. This week, in week 4 of our series, James teaches us that we are to “Submit to God.” All the problems he has presented us with so far; all the obstacles to holy living come from living by the wisdom of the world – submitting to things that are not of God. Submitting to our own pride – the “I will do it my way.” All the “I know best” things in our life. All the “no one is going to tell me what to do” times in our life. All the times we submit to the pressures of culture; our surroundings; popular opinions; the popular person. Whether we want to admit it or not – we are in fact submitting to something or somone! The question is – what exactly has authority over you?

Think about it – the conflicts we have are because we want to be right. We don't want to let go; give in; forgive; forget. We can't hold our tongues. Listen. We don't put our faith into action because we think about our selves first. Pride stands in the way. Selfishness.

But James says that we must admit that we don’t have ultimate power or authority over

ourselves. We really don't! God does. And so if we are to live holy lives; if we are to have true wisdom, which we’ve already learned is wisdom from above – wisdom from God himself - we must submit ourselves to God. We must yield power and authority of our lives over to God. Power and authority that God already has. We must be willing to pray, “Your will be done” and mean it. We pray it every Sunday: “Your will be done.” Your will be done, God. Yours. Not mine. We must pray it and mean it.

While this may initially cause us much fear and trepidation; we should actually feel the opposite. We should find peace and comfort in submitting ourselves to God! God is tirelessly on our side. He never falters in respect to our needs; he always has more grace at hand for us. He is never less than sufficient; he always has more and more to give. His resources have no limits; his patience is never exhausted; his initiative never stops; his generosity knows no limit; and his love never ends. Submitting to God results in blessings and God’s goodness pours over us! This is a good thing, friends. The “S” word really isn’t a bad word! Submitting to God who has only good things planned for us can only be good!

Submitting to God leads to holy living, because it draws us nearer to God. Nearer to the God who created us in His image. Nearer to the God who loves us unconditionally. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? We need to draw near to God because we can’t submit to God unless we are in constant communion with Him. We must be earnestly and constantly praying and listening and discerning where God is calling us; who God is calling us to be. How God is calling us to be.

Perhaps the reason we are fearful of submitting ourselves to God is because submission is calling us to a life of obedience. To live near to God requires us to do things that bring us close to God. It requires a life of regularity and discipline. Time spent in His Word – reading and meditating on Scripture. Time listening and talking with God through prayer. Public and private worship. Devoting ourselves to Christian fellowship. Feasting at the Lord’ Table as we will do later in this morning’s service. Cultivating every opportunity we have to draw near to our Lord and Savior.

Psalm 1 is alluding to the same thing – submitting to God's authority. You have a copy of the NRSV of Psalm 1 that Jeanne read this morning. Take it out and look at it while I read a couple 0f other versions. They are fun to compare and help us to really understand the passage. The first I’m going to read is a translation by John Goldingay. John is an Old Testament theologian and professor at Fuller Seminary. He was one of my professors. He has written a commentary on Psalms and this is his translation directly from the Hebrew to English:

¹The blessings of people

who have not walked by the strategy of the faithless,

or stood in the path of offenders,

or lived in the company of disdainers!

²Rather, their delight is in Yahweh’s teaching,
and they talk about his teaching day and night.

³They are like a tree planted by channels of water,
which gives its fruit in its season,
and its foliage does not fade;
all that they do succeeds.

⁴The faithless are not like that,
but rather are like the chaff that the wind blows away.
⁵Therefore the faithless do not stand at the judgment,
nor offenders in the assembly of the faithful.

⁶Because Yahweh acknowledges the way of the faithful,
but the way of the faithless perishes.

And now I want to read Eugene Peterson’s translation from The Message. Eugene’s translations are raw and use everyday language:

How well God must like you -
you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,

you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,

you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.

Instead you thrill to Yahweh’s Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.

You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,

Never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom.

You’re not at all like the wicked,

who are mere windblown dust –

Without defense in court,
unfit company for innocent people.

Yahweh charts the road you take.

The road they take is Skid Row.

Psalm 1 believes in the importance of choice. It believes that the key choice we have to make is enormously important – but it also believes that it is straightforward. There are two ways that open up before us as individuals; they way of God; and the way of evil (the way that isn’t God). Delighting in God’s teachings (chewing on Scripture) and bearing fruit – or as James puts it faith in action. Submitting to God.

Jesus takes up the idea in Matthew 7 when he speaks of the broad path and the narrow path. We are like people on a journey who face a fork in the road and have to decide which path to take. One of the paths involves “walking by Yahweh’s Torah – or God’s Law.

The narrow way is both easy and difficult. The Law says things like we must “bow down only to God; keep the Sabbath; don’t commit adultery; tell the truth; don’t fancy other people’s stuff.” It’s really not that complicated. Yet, it is the narrow path. It goes against human instinct. We like to worship other things; we like to control the whole week; we don’t like to submit to anything. We must be living a life of faithfulness if we expect to worship or pray – we can’t separate living and worship.

Fellowship with God—and its consequent blessing of his fellowship with us—does not ‘just happen’; we cannot drift into it any more than we drift into holiness. It is a discipline we have to develop through obedience and practice.

James says that this is a “deliberately cultivated fellowship” (8a). The command is draw near to God, and we find ourselves encouraged to obey it by the promise which goes along with it, and he will draw near to us.

We have a tendency in ourselves to want to reverse this order. How easy it would be to keep a daily time with God if only we had a more vivid sense of his presence—in other words, we want the promise to come before the command! But James reminds us that God enriches with the grace of his presence those who obey his command to seek his presence.

Unless our inner focus shifts from the earthly to the spiritual we’ll wreak greater havoc on ourselves and others. We brag, we covet, we murder, we’re hypocrites, we quarrel, and we create conflicts. With the gift of holy wisdom we can, even in our weaknesses, learn to live lives of mercy, purity, peacefulness and gentleness, which is exactly what James tell us God wants for us and from us.

And it’s not just for one of us. It’s a gift to all of us. All of us are expected to be channels of spiritual wisdom for our own greater good and for the good of those around us. All we have to do is ask. We must submit to God. May His Kingdom comes on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

Small But Powerful

Debbie Cato

Isaiah 50:4-6 and James 3:1-18

Peace Presbyterian

August 31, 2014

Small But Powerful

I spent quite a few years ministering to homeless families and children before God called me to be a pastor. During that time I met some wonderful people; beautiful people who weren’t as blessed as I was to have a safety net of healthy people in their lives to help them – including a church family. I was honored to be able to hear their stories and journey with them as they worked hard to get back on their feet and get their lives “together” - whatever that means; so that they could provide the kind of stability and home for their children that I was able to provide for mine.

Each of them had a different story; different stuff that had happened in their lives that resulted in them ending up homeless. Different circumstances led them to homelessness; but something in their histories were the same. There was one part of their stories that were similar. It never failed. I heard it over and over.

Each adult that came to us for help, had grown up in an environment where they were repeatedly told that they were worthless; that they would never amount to anything. Each person had been told – and shown through the actions of their parents or guardians or caregivers, that they didn’t deserve anything good in their life. As a result they had lived up to that prediction. They lived up to the expectations. Because they had been told they were worthless since childhood, they believed it with every fiber of their being. It was part of who they were. They had absolutely no self-esteem. When things started going well; a good job, almost graduating – whatever it was- they would unwittingly sabotage things – because after all; they didn't deserve it. They were worthless. They wouldn't amount to anything. It was heartbreaking.

It’s hard to teach self-esteem. Especially after a lifetime of negative messages. We believe the stuff that we’re told over and over and over. Especially as kids. Those messages stick with us. Even 50 years later.

This is a painful example of the power of speech to inflict personal harm. We all have our own memories. Words we have received. Words that we've given. Words that wound. Words last long after they have been spoken.

The Epistle of James includes the longest passage in the Bible about the role of speech in the life of a Christian. "We all stumble in many ways," says James; only the person who has "tamed the tongue" can claim Christian maturity. It isn’t easy; taming the tongue. Humanity has tamed the world of nature, James observes, "but no one can tame the tongue."

Human speech seems innocent enough. After all, the tongue is such a small part of the body. But its small size belies its powerful influence. James compares it to a bit that controls a horse or a rudder that steers an enormous ship. The tongue can burn like a raging forest fire, he says, incinerating everything that it touches. It corrupts both the subject and object of speech. What we say to one another, James writes, can be "full of deadly poison" that kills. Our words can kill the soul. The tongue is small. But it's powerful.

What we say reveals far more about us than about the recipient of our swords. We may think that our words are insulting the other person but they are really speaking volumes about our own heart. The scary part about toxic talk is that it reveals the character of our own inner identity.

THE TWO WOLVES

A CHEROKEE STORY

A young boy came to his Grandfather, filled with anger at another boy who had done him an injustice.

The old Grandfather said to his grandson, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and hate does not hurt your enemy. Hate is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times."

"It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one wolf is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way. But the other wolf, is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper."

"He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, because his anger will change nothing. Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, because both of the wolves try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked,

"Which wolf will win, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather smiled and said, "The one I feed."

If we don't let it go – our disappointments, our anger, our bitterness eats us up alive. We think we hide it but we don't. It comes out through our words to other people. Through our small but powerful tongue.

Toxic talk reveals the bitterness, the hatred, the anger and the fear that fills our own heart. In Matthew 12, Jesus said, "Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good person brings good things out of the good stored up in them, and the evil person brings evil things out of the evil stored up in them. But I tell you that people will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:34–37).  Ouch. Does that scare you as much as it scares me? “By your words you will be acquitted and by your words you will be condemned.”

We can say we are sorry we said something but – we really can't take those words back can we? What is said, is said. The sting remains. We can't take back the hurt we have caused the other person. And we can't take back the condition of our own heart that has spilled out and revealed itself.

Our words create reality. Once our speech and descriptions take hold, they have tremendous power for good or evil. They can exclude or embrace; heal or humiliate; lift up or tear down.

How many of us have internalized self-hatred that resulted from repeated criticisms from a parent?

     Who hasn’t experienced the useless attempts to prove your self-worth

        against school yard bullying?

             How often have you been caught off guard by a cruel, harsh, hurtful rant of                         someone who took their anger out on you?

Perhaps the best cure for “taming our tongues” is to let go of our own past hurts; our own old anger and disappointments and bitterness to minimize the possibilities of hurtful words rolling off our tongues. Of course, we will never be perfect. We will still say hurtful things. But if you find yourself angry more often than not, or feeling bitter more often than joyful – perhaps there is something in your past that you need to let go of so that you can be free.

James reminds us that, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?"

James commends a spiritual discipline that's good for our own selves and even better for our neighbor: "Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak" (1:19). Excellent advise. Hard to do – at least for me.

Silence can mean the absence of speech and the end of words, but it's also more than that. Silence is a way of waiting, a way of watching, and a way of listening.¹ Silence is a way of dying to self, which Jesus talked about so often – dying to self. In silence we die to the need to justify ourselves, to prove ourselves, to condemn others, or even just to be heard.

This morning we read in the prophet Isaiah (50:4): "The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary." Our words can do so much good. How wonderful it is when you are really down; exhausted; at the end of your rope – to hear kind, loving words.

As much as words can hurt – words can also be life changing.  How many can still remember a compliment made by an elementary school teacher even though it was made many decades ago?  Perhaps you are even who you are today, doing what you do today, because a teacher or some other adult in your life took an interest in you; saw something in you; was kind to you; encouraged you. For me – it was my Grandma Potter.

And as you might expect, Proverbs are full of wisdom about words:

Proverbs 12:18: "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

Proverbs 16:24: "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Gracious words are a honeycomb. Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

What does God want? God wants holy living and in today’s passage, James lifts up a number of markers of the evidence of God- given wisdom in the life of individuals. These include:

     Gentleness and humbleness;

          Pure and peaceable living;

               A willingness to yield to others; not always having to be right;

                     Full mercy to one another and good fruits;

                          No trace of partiality or hypocrisy.

These traits often come out in how we speak to one another. These are difficult traits to live into. They speak of a life that is not ego- driven; not grasping or envious. These are traits that come from wisdom from above; traits that come from focusing on God and not focusing on ourselves or other people. This kind of holy living is a way of life.

Our primary calling – our primary purpose for being, is to be the children of God and the children of God are actually supposed to be living holy lives. We have to ask ourselves if God would want His children using words to hurt or to conquer or even to protect ourselves or get ahead. As beloved children of God, relating to one another as people created in the image of God, we are called to be humble and gentle, pure and peaceable, yielding, full of mercy and good fruits, willing to hold our tongues rather than use our words to hurt. These are the marks of those that are wise and mature

in faith. Easy to talk about. Hard to do. That's why they call this a faith journey. But it's not an excuse not to work on taming our tongues – a small but powerful part of our anatomy. Perhaps the most hurtful part of our body. Certainly a key component to holy living.

Let us all pray that we might act as ones who are wise and mature of faith.

May His Kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

1 John Chryssavgis in his book "In the Heart of the Desert."

See-Thru Faith

Rev. Debbie Cato

Proverbs 22:2; 9; 22-23, Ezekiel 33:30-32 and James 2:14-26

Peace Presbyterian Church                                                                                                                                                August 24, 2014

See-Thru Faith

Like most parents, my parents used catchy phrases to instill wisdom and life lessons in us kids. You might be familiar with them. “Honesty is the best policy.” “The early bird gets the worm.” Or “Work before play.”

Today’s readings from Proverbs are a collection of wisdom and life lessons for all the ages that offer ways to live a life of honesty and integrity where honor, justice, and good reputation are prized. They are rules for ethical living. They are a call to act generously, reputably, honestly, and justly; as persons of a God who cares deeply for the poor.

This collection of wisdom about how we are to treat one another fits well with James' thesis of holy living. If you remember from last week, James insists that we be not only hearers of the word but also doers. James says that if we are only hearers, we deceive ourselves and have no faith at all.

In today’s reading, James expands on this idea of hearing and doing. He insists that “faith alone” is not adequate without the “deeds of faith”. He says that faith is more than just believing. Faith is a response to God out of obedience and love. Faith ought to be visible by its fruit – the way that we live, the things that we do and say, our attitudes and our behaviors. James says that our faith ought to be who we are; not just something that we believe.

We talked last week that James is focused on this question of “So, what?You say you have faith, you believe in Christ but so what? What does that mean for your life? What does a Christian life look like? What is this holy living?”

So I was thinking, what do us Christians look like to the world – to people who aren’t sitting here with us this morning? What do we look like to all those people that don’t know we go to church? Can people outside the church tell that we are Christians? Do we stand out in the world or do we look the same as everybody else? What ought our Christian faith look like?

I don’t know if you have ever eaten or even heard of Entenmann bakery products. They are in the same grocery aisle as Hostess donuts and the other “health food”!

Well, Entenmann’s started out as a small family bakery on Long Island in the late 1800’s. The Entenmann family baked fresh breads, rolls and cakes and delivered them door to door by horse and carriage. The baked goods arrived in white paper boxes tied up with red strings. The packages looked so nice and inviting, that when the pastries arrived in their homes, families were excited to eat the goodies. But there was one problem! The customers couldn’t see inside the white paper box so they had to poke a hole in the package to see the goodies.

When Martha Entenmann realized that customers couldn’t see the goodies, this was unacceptable to her and before long, she invented the see-through cake box. Soon all the baked goods from the Entenmann Bakery arrived in see-through boxes so that everyone could see the goodies inside without poking a hole in the white paper box. After this, sales went crazy and this small bakery in Long Island began selling their baked goods in stores from New York to Miami and beyond. Even here on the West coast. I actually noticed that there is an Entenmann Bakery Outlet store on River Avenue.

Sometimes I think that’s what the church is like. Most of us would like to live our faith inside our church with our Christian brothers and sisters where we are comfortable. Where we think alike – or mostly alike! But, when the world “looks inside us” – remember you and I are the church – do they see the goodness of our faith? Do they see Christ? Or is our faith hidden in a white paper box tied up with ribbon?

What should a Christian look like to the world? That’s the question that James asks us – individually and as a church. James is telling us there is more to it – this Christian thing – than staying in our churches and worshiping God, reading our Bible at home, or praying every morning and night. Don’t misunderstand me. These are all good things to do! Don’t stop! These disciplines help us continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. But what ought our faith, look like?

James insists that we be not only hearers of the word but also doers. He insists that “faith alone” is not adequate without the “deeds of faith”. He says that faith is more than just believing. Faith is a response to God out of obedience and love. Faith is a response out of gratefulness for all God has done for us; for the ways He has transformed our lives. James says that faith ought to be visible by its fruits’ – the way that we live, the things that we do and say, our attitudes and behaviors. James says that our faith ought to be who we are; not just something that we believe.

This isn’t a new idea James just came up with – something he made up. Much of the Old Testament law teaches how God’s people are to treat others – particularly the poor and needy. The Ten Commandments is about how to love God and how to love and respect and treat one another. This morning we read how the prophet Ezekiel admonished the people who sat around and listened to the Word of God but then did not obey it; they did not do what the Scripture taught them. When the religious leaders ask Jesus what the greatest commandment is, Jesus says, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and to “love your neighbor as yourself”. We see this same theme again in 1 John 3: 18: “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”

The very character of God is love. So I ask you, how can we love without doing?

Paul says that saving faith brought us into union not only with the Jesus who died, but also with the Jesus who rose from the dead; if we truly died with him, then we must just as truly live with him. The very nature of faith in the living Christ can only define faith as a living faith; with good works which ‘necessarily spring out of a true and lively faith’. To say we are Christians means that we are followers of Christ – literally “little Christs.” We are to live as Christ lived and the gospels are full of example after example of how Jesus lived what he taught. We are to do the same.

James’ has clear teaching that faith is the primary thing - the hallmark of the Christian, the irreplaceable priority. Faith is God’s foundational gift. It is the common mark of all Christians – faith in Christ. It is the continuing reality, running like a story-line through all the experiences of Christian life. And, it is the root from which the fruit of our faith grows. When we mirror God’s word with our deeds then we are living out our faith.

We receive faith through the grace of God so is it not reasonable that we ought to be fruitful with this amazing gift? Is it so hard to venture that our gratefulness show itself through love to others? Is it possible to love as God wants us to love without doing? We must not just hear the Word. We must also be doers of the Word.

James shows how our faith is false if we refuse to help those in need. Professing that we

believe; professing that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, without living out our faith Monday through Saturday is self-deception. You see, there is a delusion that we can hear the Word of God without doing. Authentic faith is faith acted upon.

James’s passionate insistence that faith must be translated into practice seems obvious. Yet the evidence is overwhelming that this reminder needs to be made repeatedly and urgently – over and over again. There is something deep inside us that lead us to presume that knowing the right truth or holding the right position is enough to make us righteous. The tendency to find refuge in religion – refuge in our faith – and a resting place within our community of faith remains constant. The mark of a “good” Christian easily becomes affirming the right confessions, the use of religious language, and the memorization of scripture. These are certainly pious actions. But to sit in worship “in the name of Jesus” and then walk out the door and leave it all behind confuses religion with authentic faith.

One of my favorite quotes is something that St. Francis of Assisi said over 800 years ago. He said, “Preach often. And when necessary, use words.” The way you live, the way you are, the very core of your being ought to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to all you meet – without saying a word. We ought to be a living testimony to the love and grace of God. We’ve all heard the saying that actions speak louder than words. “Preach often. And when necessary, use words.” Don’t just talk about it. Do it.

I was talking with a woman recently who is a survivor of domestic violence. She told me that when she was married she and her husband would go to church every Sunday. They were “good” members. Often, he would beat her in the morning before they left for church and then scream and yell at her while he drove. But when they arrived in the parking lot, he would put on his “church” face. Back in the car, after the service ended it would start all over again.

She told me how one day she got up the nerve – “got up the nerve, mind you” – to go talk to her pastor. She said that she sat in his office and cried and cried while she told him about all the abuse. She told me how she took off her sweater so he could see all the bruises on her arms. And then she told me how he prayed for her and sent her on her way – never doing a thing to help her. She said she never went back to church again, until last year – 11 years after she went to her pastor for help. It broke my heart.

This is what James is talking about. “If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” but yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”

Talk is cheap. It’s easy and it’s safe. But we Christians – those of us who call ourselves followers of Christ must live like Christ lived. I think often it’s the simple things that reflect a living faith. It’s smiling at people you meet on the street and actually saying hi. It’s treating the clerk who’s checking you out at the grocery story like a real person and asking them how their day is going. Thanking them for helping you. It’s sending a note to a shut-in or better yet –visiting them. It’s helping someone who needs some help. The mom trying to get her kids and her groceries into the car. The elderly neighbor. The troubled kid.

But it's also going deeper. It's taking risks. It's asking the question: Are we being good stewards of our building and grounds? How is God calling us to use what He has given us? Where is He calling us to use our gifts and skills? What needs in the community could we step out and meet?

We took a risk with youth this summer. It was something very new to us. It fell in our laps and we took a chance. We weren't sure if it would work. We weren't sure that we even knew what we were doing. But it has been amazing – a gift to each of the leaders who has been involved. And we have touched the lives of young people in North Eugene. We have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit each and every Wednesday.

I think that every night before we go to bed, we need to ask ourselves this question: Did I exhibit the love of Christ in my interactions today? Did I exhibit the love of Christ in my interactions today – with my family, my friends, and the strangers I met along the way.

We must get out of our boxed faith and allow Christ to be seen in the world – in our community. We must untie the pretty little bow and let people look inside. We must be vulnerable. We cannot claim to live by the faith of Jesus Christ or the law of love if we are not doers of the Word. Maybe if the world could “see” the goodness of Christ in us through our actions, God’s kingdom on earth would expand and grow just like the little family bakery did. Maybe if we were doers of the Word, people would be drawn to the church eagerly wanting to hear the gospel. Maybe there would be a revival in our churches if we were out in the community being the church; being doers of the Word.

So I ask you, what do we look like to the outside world? Do we stand out in the world or do we look the same as everybody else? When the world looks into your box of faith, do they see Christ?

May His Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.