Wisdom, the Tongue, and the Stuff people say (Free Version)
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost (Year B)- Proverbs 1:20-33, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38
This week’s Lectionary texts can be found here.
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All of our texts speak to us today about the significance of words. It would be easy to turn this week’s sermon into something superficial: “Be careful how you talk!” But it goes much deeper. Speaking is at the heart of what it means to be human. We are created in the image of God and our God speaks. God’s ultimate word is spoken in the true “Word,” Jesus Christ.
Throughout the book of Proverbs you will see that “wisdom” is personified, often called “Lady Wisdom.” This is an adjustment for us because we are used to thinking of wisdom as a virtue. Of course, it is a virtue, but Proverbs shows us the dynamic and relational nature of wisdom.
Proverbs 1:20-33 reminds us that Wisdom speaks. The call goes out into, not just what we would consider to be “sacred” spaces, but into the marketplace, calling the foolish to repentance. And the calling is stern. This is an important reminder that a loving heart often leads to stern warnings when the one they love is prone to stray.
James (3:1-12) says that, like the bit in the mouth of a horse (that little thing controls this giant animal? vs. 3) or the rudder on a ship (that little thing controls this sea vessel? vs. 4), the tongue can determine the entire direction of a person’s life. It’s also like how a great forest is set on fire by a small spark (vs. 5).
But…why? Why is the tongue like this? Jesus said that what comes out of the mouth is a sign of what is really in the heart (Matt. 12:34; Luke 6:43). James echoes this with his language in vs. 12. The tongue needs to be tamed by the Holy Spirit. If not, the tongue may just be its own world, getting its fuel from hell itself (vs. 6).
James takes human speech seriously. Words are powerful and we (teachers especially) must be careful how and when we speak. James calls us to submit our speech to sanctification.
This will also challenge us when it comes to “online speech.” On one level, it is a warning to be careful how we interact, because the person on the other end of the internet conversation is created in the image of God, worthy of dignity and respect. On a deeper level, this may challenge us to look at the very nature of social media and “disembodied speech.” Is a social media conversation different from writing letters? If so, how so? What is that kind of speech doing to us? What would it mean to submit the entire practice to God? Finally, what is the role of silence in our churches? Might it need to be recovered as a spiritual discipline?
In Mark 8:27-38, Jesus asks his disciples “Who do people say that I am?” The crowds are still in the process of revelation. They see Jesus, but they aren’t quite sure what to say about him, how to identify him. After walking with Jesus for a long time, Peter confidently says, “You are the Messiah.” Peter speaks truth, and yet his understanding of Messiahship is still limited. Peter questions Jesus’ words about his suffering and death. In his strong rebuke, Jesus calls Peter, the rest of his disciples, and all of us into a new kind of kingdom: one formed by denying, taking up, and following. This is the great mystery of the kingdom. We are not called to self-preservation, but to radical love. “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it."
*Our Deep Dive this week features research from Barna on how people use words online, as well as quotes Clement of Rome, Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and Rowan Williams. You can sign up for this in-depth (9+ page weekly brief) here.