[Propertalk] ***SPAM*** Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 17B: “Breath Mints Won’t Help!”

[Joe Parrish]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Sep 1, 2018 9:16 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 17B: “Breath Mints Won’t Help!”



DearFriends,
 
ThisSunday’s sermon is entitled “Breath Mints Won’t Help!” and deals with thegospel (Mark7:1-8, 14-15, [16], 21-23).  Hereit is:  
 
This morning, weheard Jesus talking about what makes us unclean, and I’d like us to think aboutthe implications of his teachings.  Inthe part of the Bible immediately before our Gospel begins, the Pharisees hadjust criticized Jesus for allowing his disciples to eat without washing theirhands.  Jesus responded with thestatement we heard in the gospel- it’s not what you put into your mouth thatmakes you unclean.  It’s what comes outof your mouth that makes you unclean.  Youknow He’s right!  I do our householdshopping once a week, and- WOW!  Youshould 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 rottentooth, a gum disease, an infection, an illness, or that garlic you had atdinner!  A breath mint or its equivalent justwon’t cut it, because the source of the problem is deep inside your body.  You know how deodorant won’t help if someonehasn’t showered or bathed for a week. We’ve got to clean up the inside before we worry about the outside.
 
What’s true withbad breath and deodorant is true with a sinful heart.  What we put in our mouths won’t affect thestate of our souls any more than breath mints will clean up seriously badbreath 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 signifywhat’s on the inside.  So what comes outof your mouth?
 
Do you have a badhabit of using God’s name in vain?  It isso 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 thyGod in vain.”  You wouldn’t use yourmother’s name that way.  In fact, I stillremember from my teaching days how many fights either started or almost startedbecause of the way someone 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.
 
What about otherkinds 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 againstthat person, then they are very sinful. If, however, they are simply part of your vocabulary or used to expressanger at someTHING (not someONE)- they may or may not project the image youwant, but they’re probably not sinful.
 
Most times whensomeone continually uses God’s name in vain or swears casually, it usuallysignifies a bad habit, not a sinful, poisonous heart; however there’s otherpoisonous 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 oldCherokee who was telling his grandson about a fight that constantly goes oninside 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 oldCherokee thought for a minute and then replied simply, “The one that I feed.”  Don’t feed the negatives.  When you find yourself dwelling on suchthoughts, take charge.  Go for awalk.  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 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 truly worthwhileand worthy of praise.”
 
Why bother to watch your mouth?  Because when evil words come out, they cannever be recalled.  They can beexplained, forgiven, maybe if you’re lucky forgotten- but when they’re out,they’re out.  I want to close with astory I’ve told many times before, but it explains so very well why we’vesimply got to think before we speak 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 shut his mouth and hammera nail in the back fence. The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Graduallythe number 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, “Youhave 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.  Soremember Jesus warning, it’s not what you put into your mouth that makes youunclean, but what comes out of your mouth- because it shows the state of yourheart.  May God bless us as we clean upour hearts and watch our mouths.
 
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updatedAfrican-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under“Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org.
 
Blessedpreaching,
JudyBoli
St.Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw,Michigan

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