When I began working on this sermon, I thought of the old movie "Look Who's Talking," about a baby whose thoughts are spoken. In fact, it became the title of the sermon. As the work progressed, however, the movie never made an appearance in the sermon or even had much influence. If I did the sermon over, I might use that title again and organize the sermon around who is talking: God, Jeremiah, Jesus, religious authorities. I think that might have worked better for the sermon.
“Look Who’s Talking” August 25, 2019; SAPC, Denton; Luke 13: 10-17; Jeremiah 1: 4-10 Richard B. Culp
Jeremiah 1: 4-10 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” 7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
8
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.”
9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth.
10
See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
Introduction: I want to speak about speaking today!
Reflect for a few moments about our call to speak, to testify, to share the gospel, if you will.
Move 1: First, let’s take a look at Jeremiah.
a. “Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”
1. Jeremiah trying to escape his calling to prophesy.
2. Jeremiah, the son of priest, probably well educated, in fact, probably trained to become someone who speaks in the Temple, is using the excuse that he is only a boy.
3. the Hebrew word used there is sort of interesting. it generally means young boy, but also is used at times to describe a young girl, specifically, a young girl on the margins.
4. It also can describe someone who is a retainer, that is, someone who only has to retain what is before him or her, just hang on to the status quo, no expectations of anything more.
5. In other words, Jeremiah tells God, I cannot do what you want because I am a young person, I have no power, and I am just someone who is holding on, with no new insights to share (L. Michaels, MONDAY, AUGUST 19 2019 / PUBLISHED IN 1ST READING, JEREMIAH, ORDINARY TIME; http://www.aplainaccount.org/jeremiah-14-10-2/; see also notation from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5288.htm)
b. God’s response?
1.An emphatic “NO.”
2. No because God has known Jeremiah in the womb.
3. No because God has a plan for Jeremiah.
4. No because God will give Jeremiah the words to speak that will be words of promise and future, words that will not simply hang on, but push people to see and hear what God has in store for them.
b. As we kick off our Sunday school year with Rally Day this morning, as we commission those who are participating in the leadership of our Christian education, we are reminded of the great task we have before us - to prepare ourselves for speaking God’s Word to the world.
1. We teach the biblical stories, we nurture community, we create space to explore God’s Word not for those particular moments we share together in the classroom, or at youth group, or in our small groups, but for the moments we live out our calling in the world.
2. In Jeremiah’s case, God touched his mouth and gave him the words to speak.
3. While I am not ruling out God literally touching our mouths, I also see our Christian education opportunities and other small groups gatherings as places where we can discover the words God has for us to speak to the world.
4. the God who knew Jeremiah in the womb, who had a purpose for his life, who called him to prophesy in the world is the same God who knew you in the womb,
the same God who has a purpose for you life,
the same God who sends you into the world to speak of God,
to speak about God,
to speak for God.
5,. No excuses, just the call to go and speak.
Move 2: Take a few moments and see what jesus is talking about this morning.
a. Jesus speaks, heals, and speaks again.
a. Jesus speaks a word of healing: “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”
1. With those words, Jesus heals and gives her new life and new hope.
2. In his words, we see the power of God’s Word in world.
3. Words that offer hope, healing, and new life.
b. For the woman being healed, of course, that is of primary importance.
1. Jesus speaks, and she is made well.
2. But Jesus also uses this occasion to speak more than words of healing, he speaks words that take the religious authorities to task.
3. In fact, in the Gospel of Luke this is the last time Jesus will be in a synagogue (http://www.aplainaccount.org/luke-1310-17/, CJ Childs; MONDAY, AUGUST 19 2019 / PUBLISHED IN GOSPEL READING, LUKE, ORDINARY TIME)
4. This is his final moment to set the record straight in the synagogue.
5. So he speaks a word of truth to power - he announces that healing and transformation matter more than any rules about the Sabbath.
6. In fact, not one of the 613 rules and regulations that were on the books about what can and cannot be done on the Sabbath matter as much to Jesus as healing the woman and transforming her life.
b. Luke tells us that Jesus’ opponents were being humiliated as he spoke.
1. Why? Because he was the voice of disruption.
2. he was the one pointing out the fallacies of those in power.
3. He was the demonstrating God’s desire to give new life that cannot be bound by the religious authorities.
b. We have a message to share with the world.
1. The Good news of Jesus Christ that frees people, that gives new life, that brings hope to the world.
2. this message can be disruptive.
3. This message speaks truth to power.
4. This message calls us away from those patterns that oppress and control people.
c. It is not just a word for those others.
1. It speaks and challenges us.
2. it asks us to examine our own practices to see if we are living in ways that reveal the good news of Jesus Christ.
3. Then God sends us out to proclaim the good news to the world.
Conclusion: Resident – immersed in the life and ministry of the community; Alien – able to proclaim the distinctive gospel in a time of crisis. (Resident Aliens, Hauerwas and Willimon)
Baptist pastor in Southern town during 1960s. It had been declared that the school would integrate. White community leaders gathered to discuss how to fight the decree or work around it. Angry, loud words spoken. Baptist minister who had served in the community 20+ years sat and listened. Then, he stood and asked to speak. He said, “I'm embarrassed and ashamed. If you have heard me preach and teach the gospel for 20+ years and this is what you are now saying about integration, I am ashamed and embarrassed to be your minister.” He walks out. Soon, others follow. The schools integrated the next week as they were supposed to do.
God sends you into the world to speak the Gospel.
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