Ephesians 4:25-5:2
John 6:35, 31-51
Message:
Have you hear anything about the disruptions of the town hall meetings concerning health care?
Here is an article I found from the Associated press:
DES MOINES, Iowa – Loud outbursts, hot tempers and pleas for civility at town hall meetings around the country Saturday foreshadowed a long, hot August as Democratic lawmakers returning home faced resistance to proposals to reform the nation's costly health care system.
At a meeting in Des Moines, Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, was interrupted several times by people in the audience shouting criticism and questions, even though he said he didn't expect Iowans to take part in what he called "scare tactics, misinformation and obstruction."
"As we have seen in recent days, opponents are pulling out all stops to kill the reform effort. This is a shame," Harkin said.
I heard a report on Public radio where a concerned citizen asked, well, if there are people creating diversions and differing “truths or untruths” who do we believe?”
I found this a powerful and sad statement.
Yes, there is free speech. There is conservative speech, liberal speech, progressive speech, and, there is the speech expected, encouraged of these believers in the way of Jesus.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus teaches that he embodies a new way of being in this world.
The people of the Hebrews had shared the covenant of Moses. They ate the manna in the desert and they died. This way of Jesus is a way that is like bread again from heaven but this time this is truly life giving. When we live by this way of Jesus we have life and life eternal. Now, most read that to mean that we have life that is in a spiritual realm beyond this realm. Others read it that when we live this way of Jesus, we leave life behind. We are remembered and in that remembering we are alive.
We are remembered because this way of Jesus builds up life.
The reading from Ephesians gives teachings about this way of life in Jesus.
Lets look at that passage together.
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
The speech of believers is to be:
* Let it be Truthful: Believers, in this way that gives life are taught that the way to have life is to put away falsehood. The reason people lie is because they are trying to improve things for themselves. Believers are to speak the truth with the love it takes to build up the community. Why? Because there is no such thing as a independent person. We are members of one another whether we believe the same things or not. We live here together.
*It can be angry but not in a way that leads to sin:
Be angry. It is a feeling that when you harness it for good can give you the energy to bring about change, but do not let it lead you to sin
Consider that if anger leads us to act in a ma.nner that breaks down the community instead of building up the community, then we have acted in sin. We have acted in a way that separates us from the Divine.
Our speech must be followed by actions that build up community. The writer says that thieves must give up stealing. Oh, my. There are the obvious ways of stealing, breaking into someone’s car or home and taking what is there. Punching in n the work time clock and then doing as little work as possible.
But what about the stealing that comes from a group putting out misinformation, lets say on marriage equality. Lets say it is even a church group that comes from out of state and tells untruths and partial truths to get what that group wants to happen. Thus, by stealing the truth, they get what they want. How different is what is happening in these town hall “debates?” Stealing is happening today by those who use their right of free speech. Is free speech the right to miss represent and lie? Some would say yes. You are free to do that and I am free not to believe you. How does that build up society or community? The speech of believers is to be truthful speech spoken in love. There may be anger, even appropriate anger as long as it is controlled and does not lead to harmful speech.
Be the loving presence of God in the world. It is a practice. You don’t get baptized and end your journey. Our coming to a life of faith is just that it is a life of faith it is a journey. It is a practice.
Today, our readings remind us that this practice of the way of life, this bread that gives us life is one where our speech matters. How we speak to one another shapes our community. There are those quite happy to tell the truth about all our shortcomings as a church or as individuals. They may even say these things sweetly so as to appear to be speaking them “in love.” To speak the truth in love is to actively help the building up of the community that the community itself may be shaped into the bread that gives life.
Speak the truth in love which builds up the community. Be angry but do not let it cause you to sin, and let your work reflect the truth of your faith.
