To Have And To Hold (Your Tongue)
Sermon
From This Day Forward
First Lesson Sermons For Lent/Easter
There once was a Roman Catholic priest, an Episcopalian rector, a Presbyterian minister, and a Lutheran pastor who met together for lunch on a regular basis. One afternoon they got in a confessional mood and the minister suggested that they talk about their personal problems.
The priest confessed that he was a compulsive gambler. The rector admitted that he had an obsession about attractive women. The minister hesitated, but then admitted that he was an alcoholic. Then all three turned to the Lutheran pastor and asked him what his problem was. "Well," he confessed, "I'm a compulsive gossip, and I can't wait to get out of here!"
Last week the eunuch was a God-fearer who became a Christian. We meet another God-fearer today. Last week the eunuch said, "Why shouldn't I be baptized?" Today, on behalf of many people, another man says, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized?" Last week we asked God to open our ears and speak to us. Today we ask God to use our tongues to lift up Jesus' name!
New ground was again being broken in the apostle's ministry. The apostle Peter had had a vision that told him to not be afraid to welcome believing Gentiles into the kingdom. At the same time (a day earlier), a God-fearing Gentile named Cornelius had an angelic visitor who told him to send for Peter and have him come to his home. A divine connection was being made in the heavens to bring about our text today. Cornelius obeyed the angel; Peter listened to God, and the entourage from Joppa met Cornelius and friends in Caesarea and Pentecost II happened!
"While he (Peter) was still speaking"(v. 44), the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. This was the same preacher God had used on Pentecost, and the Spirit had the same effect: speaking in tongues. But there is one major difference here: this visit by the Holy Spirit caused the faith birthday of these people. They became Christians that day and were baptized soon afterwards.
I wonder if Peter was surprised that all these Gentiles believed so readily. As a little aside to the main point of our text, are we astonished when people become Christians, especially unlikely candidates in our estimation of things? Maybe that is our problem. Our estimation is too low of what God can and wants to do. We don't expect enough from our great and faithful God.
Think about what the Trinity has done to effect the salvation of all who will only receive it. God desires all to be saved. The Holy Spirit's most important work and one that he does continually is wooing people to show them their sin and their Savior. Jesus accomplished the purchase from sin and the devil already, and no one can change that fact. No wonder people like football/baseball star Deion Sanders or the son of the famous atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair have become Christians. We shouldn't be surprised. God never gives up. He keeps on knocking!
A nurse on the pediatric ward, before listening to the little ones' chests, would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. Their eyes would always light up with awe. But she never got a response equal to four-year-old David's. Gently she tucked the stethoscope in his ears and placed the disk over his heart. "Listen," she said, "what do you suppose that is?"
He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap-tap-tapping in this chest. Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin. "Is that Jesus knocking?" he asked.
God never gives up. Neither should we!
But let's go back to our text. "And they spoke in tongues." Oh, no! One of those "supernatural gifts" that one part of Christendom says is obsolete, while another says is active, a gift for today. One side is fearful of it; the other gladly gives it prominence. Were these tongues spoken at Cornelius's home ecstatic gibberish or was it a known tongue? We don't know. Let's not get caught in a debate over this gift. Let's simply ask: what is the purpose of the gift and what did this new household of Christians use their tongues for?
They used them to exalt Jesus. It was proof that they had been given faith in Jesus.
What about the use of our tongues today? When we became a Christian (at our baptism or at another faith birthday), we became a brand new creation. That includes your tongue. No one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. You must use your tongue to speak that wonderful truth! When we remember our baptism and how Jesus changed us there, our speech life is nourished.
How adept are we at using our tongues as the Acts 10 people did? "For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God!" Do we continually praise God by what we say, by how we build up those made in the image of God, and by what we say behind the backs of those made in the image of God? Is your tongue a new creation each day or dangerous, like an old acidic, corrupt, and dead battery?
The story that began our message was about gossip. Has God brought a running tongue under the control of the Holy Spirit? Why do we say so much that is untrue and that damages reputations and churches and families? We rarely seem to think it's wrong. An unknown author has written this about the evil of the tongue:
I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me, for I have no face or no name. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
I am nobody's friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never quite the same. I topple governments and wreck marriages. I ruin careers, cause sleepless nights, heartaches, and grief. I make innocent people cry into their pillow. I make headlines and heartaches.
I am called gossip. The next time you want to tell a story about someone ... think. Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? If not, please don't say it!
Your wayward tongue not only hurts others, but it will eventually hurt you, too. An elderly grandfather was growing deaf, so he decided to buy a hearing aid. Two weeks later he stopped at the store where he had bought it and told the manager he could now pick up conversation quite easily, even in the next room. "Your relatives must be happy to know that you can hear so much better," beamed the delighted storeowner. "Oh, I haven't told them yet," the man chuckled. "I've just been sitting around listening -- and you know what? I changed my will twice!"
What about the jokes we tell? Is the light side, laughter-inducing part of our tongue under the lordship of Jesus? Here's a guideline to go by besides the Scriptural admonition of Ephesians 4:29: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who hear it."
It's a poor joke when ...
Some person blushes with embarrassment.
Some heart carries away an ache.
Something sacred is made to appear comical.
A person's weakness provides cause for laughter.
Profanity is required to make it funny.
Everyone can't join in the laughter.
A little child is brought to tears.
And what about criticism? Do you have a sharp tongue? Cornelius and his friends were given all of the Holy Spirit. We too have all of the Spirit through faith. But does the Holy Spirit have all of us, including our tongue? If you received a dime for kind words spoken about people and had to pay a nickel for the unkind ones, how rich or poor would you be? You can almost hear the gentle exasperation in James' voice as he mouths these words as the Holy Spirit writes through him: "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be" (James 3:9-10).
Here is one example I predict all our families can relate to: How often do we, as Christians, at 10:45 a.m. on a Sunday morning, love Jesus, lift up his name, honor him, and speak Scripture, but 45 minutes later on the way home in the family van pick on and criticize each other? How can we sing Jesus' name over and over and pray for others one minute, and then backstab our sister or brother or use profanity directed at "that stupid driver" ahead of me the next?
Where's the hope for our speaking habits? First, we must learn and receive strength from Jesus, the One who kept his mouth shut and didn't even defend himself when accused at his trial. Our hope is in the cross and the open tomb of this Easter season and the One who conquered both. He forgives wayward tongues and empowers us always to speak the truth in love. The hope is hearing Jesus' tongue say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," and using our tongues to cry out to him and say, "Forgive me, Jesus, and make me more like you!"
The second thing we need to do after admitting our need and receiving forgiveness is to be patient and let God refine the use of our tongues. It's a process to become more like Jesus. That's why the new creations in our text "asked Peter to stay with them for a few days." We're not finished products yet. We keep on learning and growing. Be patient and pray, "Lord, may the words of my mouth and the mediations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer!"
The tongue can be a blessing
Or the tongue can be a curse;
Say, friend, how are you using yours:
For better or for worse?
The priest confessed that he was a compulsive gambler. The rector admitted that he had an obsession about attractive women. The minister hesitated, but then admitted that he was an alcoholic. Then all three turned to the Lutheran pastor and asked him what his problem was. "Well," he confessed, "I'm a compulsive gossip, and I can't wait to get out of here!"
Last week the eunuch was a God-fearer who became a Christian. We meet another God-fearer today. Last week the eunuch said, "Why shouldn't I be baptized?" Today, on behalf of many people, another man says, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized?" Last week we asked God to open our ears and speak to us. Today we ask God to use our tongues to lift up Jesus' name!
New ground was again being broken in the apostle's ministry. The apostle Peter had had a vision that told him to not be afraid to welcome believing Gentiles into the kingdom. At the same time (a day earlier), a God-fearing Gentile named Cornelius had an angelic visitor who told him to send for Peter and have him come to his home. A divine connection was being made in the heavens to bring about our text today. Cornelius obeyed the angel; Peter listened to God, and the entourage from Joppa met Cornelius and friends in Caesarea and Pentecost II happened!
"While he (Peter) was still speaking"(v. 44), the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. This was the same preacher God had used on Pentecost, and the Spirit had the same effect: speaking in tongues. But there is one major difference here: this visit by the Holy Spirit caused the faith birthday of these people. They became Christians that day and were baptized soon afterwards.
I wonder if Peter was surprised that all these Gentiles believed so readily. As a little aside to the main point of our text, are we astonished when people become Christians, especially unlikely candidates in our estimation of things? Maybe that is our problem. Our estimation is too low of what God can and wants to do. We don't expect enough from our great and faithful God.
Think about what the Trinity has done to effect the salvation of all who will only receive it. God desires all to be saved. The Holy Spirit's most important work and one that he does continually is wooing people to show them their sin and their Savior. Jesus accomplished the purchase from sin and the devil already, and no one can change that fact. No wonder people like football/baseball star Deion Sanders or the son of the famous atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair have become Christians. We shouldn't be surprised. God never gives up. He keeps on knocking!
A nurse on the pediatric ward, before listening to the little ones' chests, would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. Their eyes would always light up with awe. But she never got a response equal to four-year-old David's. Gently she tucked the stethoscope in his ears and placed the disk over his heart. "Listen," she said, "what do you suppose that is?"
He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap-tap-tapping in this chest. Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin. "Is that Jesus knocking?" he asked.
God never gives up. Neither should we!
But let's go back to our text. "And they spoke in tongues." Oh, no! One of those "supernatural gifts" that one part of Christendom says is obsolete, while another says is active, a gift for today. One side is fearful of it; the other gladly gives it prominence. Were these tongues spoken at Cornelius's home ecstatic gibberish or was it a known tongue? We don't know. Let's not get caught in a debate over this gift. Let's simply ask: what is the purpose of the gift and what did this new household of Christians use their tongues for?
They used them to exalt Jesus. It was proof that they had been given faith in Jesus.
What about the use of our tongues today? When we became a Christian (at our baptism or at another faith birthday), we became a brand new creation. That includes your tongue. No one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. You must use your tongue to speak that wonderful truth! When we remember our baptism and how Jesus changed us there, our speech life is nourished.
How adept are we at using our tongues as the Acts 10 people did? "For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God!" Do we continually praise God by what we say, by how we build up those made in the image of God, and by what we say behind the backs of those made in the image of God? Is your tongue a new creation each day or dangerous, like an old acidic, corrupt, and dead battery?
The story that began our message was about gossip. Has God brought a running tongue under the control of the Holy Spirit? Why do we say so much that is untrue and that damages reputations and churches and families? We rarely seem to think it's wrong. An unknown author has written this about the evil of the tongue:
I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me, for I have no face or no name. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
I am nobody's friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never quite the same. I topple governments and wreck marriages. I ruin careers, cause sleepless nights, heartaches, and grief. I make innocent people cry into their pillow. I make headlines and heartaches.
I am called gossip. The next time you want to tell a story about someone ... think. Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? If not, please don't say it!
Your wayward tongue not only hurts others, but it will eventually hurt you, too. An elderly grandfather was growing deaf, so he decided to buy a hearing aid. Two weeks later he stopped at the store where he had bought it and told the manager he could now pick up conversation quite easily, even in the next room. "Your relatives must be happy to know that you can hear so much better," beamed the delighted storeowner. "Oh, I haven't told them yet," the man chuckled. "I've just been sitting around listening -- and you know what? I changed my will twice!"
What about the jokes we tell? Is the light side, laughter-inducing part of our tongue under the lordship of Jesus? Here's a guideline to go by besides the Scriptural admonition of Ephesians 4:29: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who hear it."
It's a poor joke when ...
Some person blushes with embarrassment.
Some heart carries away an ache.
Something sacred is made to appear comical.
A person's weakness provides cause for laughter.
Profanity is required to make it funny.
Everyone can't join in the laughter.
A little child is brought to tears.
And what about criticism? Do you have a sharp tongue? Cornelius and his friends were given all of the Holy Spirit. We too have all of the Spirit through faith. But does the Holy Spirit have all of us, including our tongue? If you received a dime for kind words spoken about people and had to pay a nickel for the unkind ones, how rich or poor would you be? You can almost hear the gentle exasperation in James' voice as he mouths these words as the Holy Spirit writes through him: "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be" (James 3:9-10).
Here is one example I predict all our families can relate to: How often do we, as Christians, at 10:45 a.m. on a Sunday morning, love Jesus, lift up his name, honor him, and speak Scripture, but 45 minutes later on the way home in the family van pick on and criticize each other? How can we sing Jesus' name over and over and pray for others one minute, and then backstab our sister or brother or use profanity directed at "that stupid driver" ahead of me the next?
Where's the hope for our speaking habits? First, we must learn and receive strength from Jesus, the One who kept his mouth shut and didn't even defend himself when accused at his trial. Our hope is in the cross and the open tomb of this Easter season and the One who conquered both. He forgives wayward tongues and empowers us always to speak the truth in love. The hope is hearing Jesus' tongue say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," and using our tongues to cry out to him and say, "Forgive me, Jesus, and make me more like you!"
The second thing we need to do after admitting our need and receiving forgiveness is to be patient and let God refine the use of our tongues. It's a process to become more like Jesus. That's why the new creations in our text "asked Peter to stay with them for a few days." We're not finished products yet. We keep on learning and growing. Be patient and pray, "Lord, may the words of my mouth and the mediations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer!"
The tongue can be a blessing
Or the tongue can be a curse;
Say, friend, how are you using yours:
For better or for worse?
