| January 21, 2001 |
| Nehemiah 8:2-4,5-6,8-10 + 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 + Luke l:l-4;4:14-21 |
| Ezra reads to the people. Jesus reads in the Synagogue. Priests and Lectors read in the churches. Another President reads his speech. Judges read their verdicts. We read and we talk: words, words, and more words. “Poor little talkative Christianity” is the way one writer has described us. In the last six weeks, only the most zealous political fans could be inspired and sustained by the words that have been spilled on us from Florida to confirmation hearings to inaugurations and farewell speeches. It’s as though we are beginning to think that Words could make a difference, that Words could feed the hungry, that Words could pay the drug bills for the elderly, that Words could stop gun sales, child abuse, and violence in our schools; that words could make and keep peace; restore respect for life, or stop the state sanctioned killing in McAlister this month. |
| Yet there must be some power left in words, because there are things we won’t talk about, like campaign finance reform, and issues in our church that we’re not supposed to talk about, and words we’re not supposed to use to describe another race or culture because we want to be “politically correct”. All of which tells us that there has been no loss of power in spoken words. The power to hurt and sting, power to destroy a reputation, the power to deceive is still there. We know the power of silence too, silence in the face of injustice and wrong doing; the power of words not spoken when forgiveness is asked or refused, the power of words withheld affirms again and again the power of Word. |
| Nehemiah understood it, and so did Jesus. Thepeople knew the power of the Word from Nehemiah as they were moved first to remorse and repentance, then exhorted to joyful celebration in acknowledgment of the Words God had spoken to them in the Law. They were words which expressed God’s care for them, God’s love for them, God’s presence among them as they faced the discouraging challenge of restoring what had been lost through their unfaithfulness. That scene from the prophetic reading was probably the first public worship assembly following their return from exile. You can imagine the emotional impact upon the old ones and the young ones as the ancient Word of God was proclaimed again after so long a silence during their oppression in defeated exile. Those words Nehemiah spoke set them free again. |
| Luke knew the power of the Word too as he give us this scene with Jesus in the synagogue. Ifwe had read on just a few more verses, we’d get the whole picture, because in that synagogue on that day following the commentary Jesus gives to the text he has read, the congregation rose up and nearly killed him on the spot as they threw him out of town. Those folks listened with open ears but with closed hearts. Luke knew the power of the Word. |
| It’s all about words today, the Word of God, the Word tha.t leads to truth. It is a life-giving and life-challenging word spoken through Nehemiah, Paul, and Luke. It is a word that says: “Now is the time: to be cleansed from the darkness of sin and selfishness, to be illuminated by the truth of who we are and what we are as people who receive the Word of God”. It speaks of conversion and proclaims not just a year of favor or jubilee, but a never-ending time of jubilation that speaks to more than the forgiveness of financial debt in the third world. It speaks of the debt we sometimes refuse to forgive by our hard hearts and long held grudges. There is more to be forgiven than financial debts. |
| It’s all about words today, the word we speak as well. Words like: “I’m sorry. Thank you. I forgive you. I love you. You did well. I’m proud of you. You’re good….” Springing out of the hearts and minds that have been filled with the Word of God, there is comfort to the sorrowful, courage for the fearful, guidance for the lost, clarity for the confused, strength for the weak, and affirmation for the faithful. |
| It’s all about words today: God’s and ours. We should have a lot to say if we’ve been listening to what God has had to say. Here in the middle of winter in the first year of a new millennium, it’s probably time to start saying it, and when we do, we will finally be free and filled with Joy. |