WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
March 9th 2007
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Can You Smell That?”
Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans; 8:6-11; John 11:1-50
Outside the chapel at Columbia Seminary is a picture of a preacher. While that does not seem all that surprising what always grabbed my attention was the unique nature of this picture. The preacher’s face was distorted, his hand was outstretched, and all around his head and coming out of his mouth was one word repeated over and over. That one word was: “Words.” It was a picture that captured my frustration and expressed my feeling that on some days we are better about talking about our faith than living it out.
In our reading from the Gospel of John, Martha speaks some rather eloquent words. “I know that God will give you whatever you ask… I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day… Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” However, because of her actions at the end of the passage, Martha’s words do not ring true. Despite Martha being the voice of orthodoxy her orthopraxy is heretical. When Jesus orders the stone removed from Lazarus’ tomb, it is only Martha who objects with these words: “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.” It appears that Martha is the poster child for the mantra: “Talk is cheap.”
In contrast to Martha is the witness of Mary. When Jesus arrives on the scene Mary does not speak words of faith. She shares her pain at the loss of her brother and she tells Jesus her wish that he had come sooner. Mary says nothing about the resurrection or the Messiah business. She simply shares her pain with Jesus. However, we must be careful not to fall into the cliché of pitting Mary against Martha. After all, neither Mary nor Martha have a clue to what is about to happen. But this passage does provide a helpful foundation for us to take a few moments to talk about the power of words. It is, I believe, a timely topic.
Despite conventional wisdom words matter. Talk might be cheap but words have the power to transform the world. If we take our bible seriously this is a central tenet of our faith. It begins with Genesis when God speaks and the world is created. No matter where you are along the theological spectrum; from those who believe it is a precise account of the origin of the world to those who think the story is simply a fable, the truth of the passage remains the same. And that truth is this: We believe that words have the power to create, shape and even change the world.
This is not simply a theological assertion. History has shown us that when totalitarian governments consolidate their power the first people they seek to discredit and even destroy are the speakers of words. It is the intellectuals and the poets that are the threats. They are the ones who get labeled as the “enemy from within.” The totalitarian leaders know and understand that words have the power to change the world. As a result, for the order of the state, these people must be silenced. It is the words of these trouble-makers that let people know that another world is possible. And, totalitarian thinking cannot afford for people believing that change is possible.
The people of Israel were living in exile. Their nation was destroyed and they have been humiliated as a people. Hope had become a luxury they could not afford. Survival was the order of the day. Yet, it was in the midst of this desperate situation that God gives Ezekiel a vision of hope. The prophet is placed down in the middle of the remnants of genocide. Dried bones lined the large valley for as far as the eye could see. It is an overwhelming scene of death. It even appears that Ezekiel has doubts that God can bring life to this vision of death. God tells Ezekiel: Speak to these bones, use words, and life will return! To a people without hope, speak words of change because God is at work bringing life in the places of death. It is a vision that had, and has, the power to inspire and bring hope.
Those who hold positions of power understand the power of words. They understand the change that can come when people have hope. Caiaphas speaks with clarity to the leadership of Jerusalem: “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” Caiaphas reminds everyone that Jesus teaches that there is an alternative to the ‘way things are.’ As a result, he is a threat to the established order and as such, Jesus would have to be sacrificed for national security.
As people of faith we must stand up and remind the world that no real change has ever occurred without words. It is true that mere talk is cheap. However, until someone speaks or writes that a new reality is possible nothing changes. In his life, Jesus speaks with integrity and authority. As a result, the people are willing to roll the stone away from Lazarus’ tomb even with the possibility of a nasty smell on the other side. When Jesus speaks Lazarus comes out of the tomb. And, when Jesus speaks the people unbind Lazarus from the cloths of death. Jesus speaks and the world is changed. As a people of the Word, we can never dismiss the power of words to change the world. The words of our faith imagine and proclaim that another way is possible here on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen? Amen.
March 9th 2007
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Can You Smell That?”
Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans; 8:6-11; John 11:1-50
Outside the chapel at Columbia Seminary is a picture of a preacher. While that does not seem all that surprising what always grabbed my attention was the unique nature of this picture. The preacher’s face was distorted, his hand was outstretched, and all around his head and coming out of his mouth was one word repeated over and over. That one word was: “Words.” It was a picture that captured my frustration and expressed my feeling that on some days we are better about talking about our faith than living it out.
In our reading from the Gospel of John, Martha speaks some rather eloquent words. “I know that God will give you whatever you ask… I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day… Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” However, because of her actions at the end of the passage, Martha’s words do not ring true. Despite Martha being the voice of orthodoxy her orthopraxy is heretical. When Jesus orders the stone removed from Lazarus’ tomb, it is only Martha who objects with these words: “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.” It appears that Martha is the poster child for the mantra: “Talk is cheap.”
In contrast to Martha is the witness of Mary. When Jesus arrives on the scene Mary does not speak words of faith. She shares her pain at the loss of her brother and she tells Jesus her wish that he had come sooner. Mary says nothing about the resurrection or the Messiah business. She simply shares her pain with Jesus. However, we must be careful not to fall into the cliché of pitting Mary against Martha. After all, neither Mary nor Martha have a clue to what is about to happen. But this passage does provide a helpful foundation for us to take a few moments to talk about the power of words. It is, I believe, a timely topic.
Despite conventional wisdom words matter. Talk might be cheap but words have the power to transform the world. If we take our bible seriously this is a central tenet of our faith. It begins with Genesis when God speaks and the world is created. No matter where you are along the theological spectrum; from those who believe it is a precise account of the origin of the world to those who think the story is simply a fable, the truth of the passage remains the same. And that truth is this: We believe that words have the power to create, shape and even change the world.
This is not simply a theological assertion. History has shown us that when totalitarian governments consolidate their power the first people they seek to discredit and even destroy are the speakers of words. It is the intellectuals and the poets that are the threats. They are the ones who get labeled as the “enemy from within.” The totalitarian leaders know and understand that words have the power to change the world. As a result, for the order of the state, these people must be silenced. It is the words of these trouble-makers that let people know that another world is possible. And, totalitarian thinking cannot afford for people believing that change is possible.
The people of Israel were living in exile. Their nation was destroyed and they have been humiliated as a people. Hope had become a luxury they could not afford. Survival was the order of the day. Yet, it was in the midst of this desperate situation that God gives Ezekiel a vision of hope. The prophet is placed down in the middle of the remnants of genocide. Dried bones lined the large valley for as far as the eye could see. It is an overwhelming scene of death. It even appears that Ezekiel has doubts that God can bring life to this vision of death. God tells Ezekiel: Speak to these bones, use words, and life will return! To a people without hope, speak words of change because God is at work bringing life in the places of death. It is a vision that had, and has, the power to inspire and bring hope.
Those who hold positions of power understand the power of words. They understand the change that can come when people have hope. Caiaphas speaks with clarity to the leadership of Jerusalem: “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” Caiaphas reminds everyone that Jesus teaches that there is an alternative to the ‘way things are.’ As a result, he is a threat to the established order and as such, Jesus would have to be sacrificed for national security.
As people of faith we must stand up and remind the world that no real change has ever occurred without words. It is true that mere talk is cheap. However, until someone speaks or writes that a new reality is possible nothing changes. In his life, Jesus speaks with integrity and authority. As a result, the people are willing to roll the stone away from Lazarus’ tomb even with the possibility of a nasty smell on the other side. When Jesus speaks Lazarus comes out of the tomb. And, when Jesus speaks the people unbind Lazarus from the cloths of death. Jesus speaks and the world is changed. As a people of the Word, we can never dismiss the power of words to change the world. The words of our faith imagine and proclaim that another way is possible here on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen? Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment