[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 15A: "Watch Your Mouth"

[Joe Parrish]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Aug 19, 2017 4:10 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 15A: "Watch Your Mouth"



Dear Friends,
 
This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Watch Your Mouth” anddeals with the Gospel (Matthew 15: 10- 28). Here it is: 
 
            Parents, do you ever have to yell, scream, beg yourchildren to wash their hands before they eat? This morning, I’d like us to think through the implications of Jesus’statement to the Pharisees about what makes a person unclean.  In the part of the Bible immediately beforeour Gospel begins, the Pharisees had just criticized Jesus for allowing hisdisciples to eat without washing their hands. Jesus responded with the statement we heard in the gospel- it’s not whatyou put into your mouth that makes you unclean. It’s what comes out of your mouth that makes you unclean.  Why? Because what comes out of your mouth shows what’s in your heart.  The symptom of a nasty, sinful heart is anasty, sinful mouth.  So---what comes outof 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.  Whatdoes the commandment say?  “Thou shaltnot 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 teachingdays how many fights either started or almost started because of the waysomeone was talking about someone else’s mother.  So- watch your mouth.  The ancient Israelites didn’t even speak thename of God- they considered it too holy. We can learn from them.  If you’vegot a bad habit in this regard, break it. Only use God’s name with the highest reverence, respect, and honor.
Whatabout other kinds of swearing that do not use God’s name in vain?  Are they sinful?  That depends. In my opinion, if the words are used to describe another person or as aweapon against that person, then they are very sinful.  If, however, they are simply part of yourvocabulary or used to express anger at someTHING (not someONE)- they may notproject the image you want, but they’re probably not sinful.
Mosttimes when someone continually uses God’s name in vain or swears casually, itusually signifies a bad habit, not a sinful, poisonous heart; however there’sother 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 heartproblem, not coronary artery disease but poisoned spirit disease.  These kinds of remarks have heart-roots ofjealousy, anger, hatred, poor self-esteem, desire to look better than others,and other negative emotions.  MolefiAsante 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 mouthby getting control of your mind.  Don’tthink evil thoughts.  Don’t dwell onnegatives.  Remember the old Cherokee who was telling his grandson about afight that constantly goes on inside himself. It’s a fight between twowolves.  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 askedhis grandfather “Grand-daddy, which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee thought for a minute and then replied simply, “The onethat I feed.”  Don’t feed thenegatives.  When you find yourselfdwelling on such thoughts, take charge. Go for a walk.  Wash thedishes.  Listen to some music.  Read your Bible.  Say your prayers.  Call a friend on the phone.  Change the content of your thoughts fromnegatives to positives.  That’s exactlywhat 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 trulyworthwhile and worthy of praise.”
Whybother to watch your mouth?  Because whenevil words come out, they can never be recalled.  They can be explained, forgiven, maybe ifyou’re lucky forgotten- but when they’re out, they’re out.  I want to close with a story I’ve toldbefore, but it explains so very well why we’ve simply got to think before wespeak and keep Jesus in control of our lips. There was a little boy with a badtemper.  His father gave him a bag ofnails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in theback fence. The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Gradually thenumber of nails he was pounding into the fence dwindled down.  He discovered it was easier to hold histemper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when theboy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it, and the fathersuggested that now the boy should pull out one nail for each day that he wasable to hold his temper.  The days passedand the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails weregone.  The father took his son by thehand 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 yousay things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.  You can put a knife in a person and draw itout.  It won't matter how many times yousay “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, youknow 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 isthe true test of what’s in our hearts. So remember Jesus’ warning, it’s not what you put into your mouth thatmakes you unclean, but what comes out of your mouth- because it shows the stateof your heart.  May God bless us as weclean up our hearts and watch our mouths.
 
For anyone who isinterested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements areposted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .
 
Blessed preaching,
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan

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