[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 17B

[Joseph Parrish]

Forwarded:

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
> Date: September 1, 2012 11:35:15 AM CDT
> To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 17B
> Reply-To: propertalk.topic+owners at ecunet.org
> 

> Dear Friends,
> 
> This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “What Comes Out of Your Mouth?” or
> “Breath Mints Won’t Help!” and deals with the gospel (Mark 7:1-8,
> 14-15, [16], 21-23).  Here it is:
> 
> This morning, we heard Jesus talking about what makes us unclean, and
> I’d like us to think about the implications of his teachings.  In the
> part of the Bible immediately before our Gospel begins, the Pharisees
> had just criticized Jesus for allowing his disciples to eat without
> washing their hands.  Jesus responded with the statement we heard in
> the gospel- it’s not what you put into your mouth that makes you
> unclean.  It’s what comes out of your mouth that makes you unclean.
> You know He’s right!  I do our household shopping once a week, and-
> WOW!  You should see the huge number of products for bad breath-
> mints, pocket packs, pocket mist, mouthwash, special toothpaste,
> tongue scrapers on those shelves!  Guess what, friends?  They’re
> really not going to help that much, except maybe the tongue scraper,
> since the cause of most bad breath is a rotten tooth, a gum disease,
> an infection, an illness, or that garlic you had at dinner!  A breath
> mint or its equivalent just won’t cut it, because the source of the
> problem is deep inside your body.  You know how deodorant won’t help
> if someone hasn’t showered or bathed for a week.  We’ve got to clean
> up the inside before we worry about the outside.
> 
> What’s true with bad breath and deodorant is true with a sinful
> heart.  What we put in our mouths won’t affect the state of our souls
> any more than breath mints will clean up seriously bad breath or
> deodorant will clean up a filthy body.  We’ve got to clean up from the
> inside out.  It’s what comes out of our mouths that signifies what’s
> on the inside.  So what comes out of your mouth?
> 
> Do you have a bad habit of using God’s name in vain?  It is so very
> easy to pick up this habit- saying “Oh, Lord!” or such phrases.  What
> does the commandment say?  “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord
> thy God in vain.”  You wouldn’t use your mother’s name that way.  In
> fact, I still remember from my teaching days how many fights either
> started or almost started because of the way someone was talking about
> someone else’s mother.  So- watch your mouth.  The ancient Israelites
> didn’t even speak the name of God- they considered it too holy.  We
> can learn from them.  If you’ve got a bad habit in this regard, break
> it.  Only use God’s name with the highest reverence, respect, and
> honor.
> 
> What about other kinds of swearing that do not use God’s name in
> vain?  Are they sinful?  That depends.  If the words are used to
> describe another person or as a weapon against that person, then they
> are very sinful.  If, however, they are simply part of your vocabulary
> or used to express anger at someTHING (not someONE)- they may not
> project the image you want, but they’re probably not sinful.
> 
> Most times when someone continually uses God’s name in vain or swears
> casually, it usually signifies a bad habit, not a sinful, poisonous
> heart; however there’s other poisonous nasty verbiage that comes out
> of our mouths far too often.  Gossip; put-downs; lies; swearing AT
> people; labeling people as bad, stupid, ugly, etc.- these seriously
> show a heart problem, not coronary artery disease but poisoned spirit
> disease.  These kinds of remarks have heart-roots of jealousy, anger,
> hatred, poor self-esteem, desire to look better than others, and other
> negative emotions.  Molefi Asante reminds us, “There are two things
> over which you have complete dominion, authority, and control- your
> mind and your mouth.”  He’s right, and you get control of your mouth
> by getting control of your mind.  Don’t think evil thoughts.  Don’t
> dwell on negatives.  Remember the old Cherokee who was telling his
> grandson about a fight that constantly goes on inside himself. It’s a
> fight between two wolves.  One is evil: full of anger, envy, regret,
> guilt, false pride, resentment, inferiority, superiority, etc.  The
> other is good: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
> faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The
> grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather
> “Grand-daddy, which wolf wins?”  The old Cherokee thought for a minute
> and then replied simply, “The one that I feed.”  Don’t feed the
> negatives.  When you find yourself dwelling on such thoughts, take
> charge.  Go for a walk.  Wash the dishes.  Listen to some music.  Read
> your Bible.  Say your prayers.  Call a friend on the phone.  Change
> the content of your thoughts from negatives to positives.  That’s
> exactly what St. Paul meant when he taught the Philippians (4:8)
> “Finally, my friends- keep your minds on whatever is true, pure,
> right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what
> is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise.”
> 
> Why bother to watch your mouth?  Because when evil words come out,
> they can never be recalled.  They can be explained, forgiven, maybe if
> you’re lucky forgotten- but when they’re out, they’re out.  I want to
> close with a story I’ve told many times before, but it explains so
> very well why we’ve simply got to think before we speak and keep Jesus
> in control of our lips.  There was a little boy with a bad temper.
> His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he
> lost his temper, to shut his mouth and hammer a nail in the back
> fence. The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Gradually
> the number of nails he was pounding into the fence dwindled down.  He
> discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails
> into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his
> temper at all. He told his father about it, and the father suggested
> that now the boy should pull out one nail for each day that he was
> able to hold his temper.  The days passed and the young boy was
> finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.  The
> father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.  He said,
> “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.  The
> fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave
> a scar just like this one.  You can put a knife in a person and draw
> it out.  It won't matter how many times you say “I'm sorry,” the wound
> is still there.  A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.”  And
> while we’re thinking of such things, you know who gets the worst of
> our poison?  Those we especially love- our family and dear friends.
> How we act at home and with those we love is the true test of what’s
> in our hearts.  So remember Jesus warning, it’s not what you put into
> your mouth that makes you unclean, but what comes out of your mouth-
> because it shows the state of your heart.  May God bless us as we
> clean up our hearts and watch our mouths.
> 
> For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American
> wisdom statements either is or will be posted on our parish web site.
> The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.com .
> 
> Blessed preaching,
> Judy Boli
> St. Paul's Episcopal Church
> Saginaw, Michigan
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