The Words We Heed

4th Sunday after Epiphany

Today's Readings: Deut. 18:15-20; Mark 1:21-28

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There is power in the words we speak. And no words hold more power than those that come from God. We learn this first at creation, when God speaks all that exists into being. God SAID ‘let there be light’ and there was light. God SAID ‘let there be birds of the air and creatures of the land and sea’ and so there were. God SAID ‘let us create humanity in our own image’ and so humanity was born. Not only did God speak the world into being, but upon seeing what God created God called it all GOOD. (Genesis 1 – 2:3)

God’s Word continues to show up again and again just as powerfully throughout all of history. Perhaps one of the most notable moments was when the Word of God came to Moses in a burning bush, striking up a relationship between God and human unmatched throughout time. That is until the Word literally comes to life in the form of Jesus of Nazareth. In our first reading we hear a conversation between God and Moses as Moses is getting older and nearing death. He wonders who will be the next prophet of the Israelites, who have requested to have someone to speak with God on their behalf because they cannot handle it themselves. So.. who will be the next Moses, the prophet whom God will raise up amongst the people to speak the Lord’s truth?

In our second reading we see the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, continuing to work miracles simply by speaking them into being. When an ‘unclean spirit’ cries out against Jesus in the synagogue Jesus simply speaks the words “Be silent and come out of him” and the ‘unclean spirit’ listens. So without Moses and his successor and without the physical presence of Jesus, how do we encounter the Word of God today? Who are our modern prophets? Who is God speaking to and through? And if there is such a person, how do we know? How do we determine a false prophet from a true prophet?

In our world today, it is extremely hard to know who to listen to and trust. With so many voices speaking at once, we are left to wonder who is trustworthy and correct and who is twisting reality or downright lying. The flurry of contending voices can feel so overwhelming at times that we are paralyzed with confusion and anxiety, perhaps wondering if God is still speaking to us at all or if God has jumped ship. There is power in words; power to lift up and power to tear down.

I’ll admit I don’t see any Moses like figures in our world today and, as much as we’d love for Jesus to return, I’ve seen no signs of him on earth just yet. But that doesn’t mean the Word has lost it’s power or that God no longer speaks with humanity; and it most certainly does NOT mean God has abandoned us. To be honest, I’m not so sure if we did have a modern day Moses or John the Baptist or even Jesus himself that we wouldn’t lock him up in prison or throw him in a mental institution. So perhaps God has found new ways to speak to modern society.

Scripture tells us who God is and the gospels tell us how God has chosen to be revealed in Christ. God, revealed in the manger and on the cross, has shown us that love, liberation, forgiveness, healing, wholeness, and relationship are what God is all about. These, therefore, are what we must look for in our search for truth. When we are unsure if something is true or from God, we must ask ourselves: Does accepting this and/or acting on this build up God’s creation or destroy it? Is this grounded in the liberating love, forgiveness, and wholeness of God? If yes, then we must not only hear God’s Word, but heed it.

For centuries humanity has divided itself, with both sides claiming that God stands with them. From the crusades, to Hitler, to 9/11 – those we’ve deemed as the enemy said they were acting “in the name of God.” At a recent forum, our ELCA Bishop, Bishop Elizabeth Eaton said something I think we all need to hear: “There is a difference between saying ‘God is on my side’ and trying to be on GOD’S side.” We know that a divine priority is relationship. We must stop driving wedges between each other and pretending that we have God on our side alone. God does not choose sides. God died for both the most vulnerable and the rich and powerful. Some of the most powerful words ever spoken were Jesus’ words of those who crucified him ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’

Yes, Father, forgive us; as we continue to beat, mock, and crucify one another in your name. We miss the forest for the trees when we spend all our time picking sides rather than getting on board with God and God alone. We have been raised to think of ourselves first, but we have been called as disciples to follow Christ, to think of God first, to heed God’s will above our own. It’s not what do I believe is true, it’s what has God told and shown me is true. This must be our foundation. This must be the lens through which we encounter the world.

In this morning’s gospel we see Jesus’ word is one of healing. It is effective and powerful. It has the ability to transform and make new. God’s word still works the same today. If it’s from God, it will liberate, heal, and foster loving relationships amongst creation. We love because God first loved us. We love because the Word in the flesh said the greatest commandment is to love God and love neighbor. On this hangs all the law and the prophets.

This is most certainly true. Amen.