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Pentecost 14 (14 September 2003)

Proverbs 1: 20 –33; Psalm 19; James 3: 1 – 12; Mark 8: 27 – 38.

There appears to be a theme running through all four Scriptures this week. This theme relates to the consequences of our actions.  That what we do and think and say, shapes our lives for good and bad.

Proverbs 1: 20 – 33

This is a somewhat uncomfortable reading as it places responsibility squarely on our shoulders for the choices we make.  Wisdom cries out to those who have refused to listen to her.  She warns that people, who ignore the wise counsel she offers, will find that those wise words will return to haunt them, when their lives fall to pieces.  We could read this passage in a spiteful way – ‘you didn’t listen to me, and now a bad thing will happen to you’; but I think a more helpful way the read it is as a pastoral warning ‘pay attention to wisdom, so you can avoid the errors which will bring you great distress and anguish’. 

Almost every one of us has had the experience of painful choices, which have been damaging to others, and ourselves and as we have reflected on what happened, we have realised that if we had listened to someone more carefully at the right time, we could have avoided the trauma.  We say that we learn from our mistakes, I think one of the best things to learn from our mistakes is to listen more attentively to the voices of wisdom in our homes, churches and communities.

Psalm 19

This is a classic and I think many in my congregations would be happy for it to be read almost every week.  The sense of God’s glory on a cosmic scale pouring out day and night touches us deeply.  Obviously, it is written in a different scientific framework, than that of expanding galaxies and planets revolving around stars.  But still the sense that all creation is ‘telling the glory of God’ and ‘proclaim his handiwork’ invites us to worship God from this planet.

Then the psalmist turns to ‘the law of the Lord is perfect’ theme.  Note the clear connection with the Proverbs passage:  the effect of ‘the law of the Lord’ - - reviving the soul - -  making wise the simple - - rejoicing the heart - - enlightening the eyes; expresses the call to be attentive to the wisdom found in the pages of scripture.  Verse 11 notes: ‘Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them is great reward.’  We hear a call to pay close attention to the wisdom that speaks to us from the scriptures.

James 3; 1 – 12

This is a powerful passage encouraging us to recognise the power of the tongue in our lives.  The passage is full of images of the impact of the tongue – the power of language: bits in the mouths of horses, rudders on ships, the small fire that sets the forest alight. The way we speak and the images we use in speech, have great power to shape peoples lives.  It is increasingly frustrating to see the way the media can use its ability to pick and choose quotations, often taken out of context, to shape how we think about issues and people. In our everyday lives, we can often choose to speak words of encouragement and affirmation or words of judgement and criticism.  As preachers, we have opportunities to create language that builds up or tears down, and I think concerns about our choices in this area are behind the sober warning in verse 1.

Again, we are back with the theme of the choices we make and their consequences for ourselves and others.  Every word that comes out of our mouths has potential for good or harm.  Every image we chose to communicate can likewise be positive or negative.  The words and images that we allow into our minds and hearts also have consequences in terms of the sort of people we become.  How are images like the Twin Towers, régime change in Afghanistan and war in Iraq affecting how we cope with people we don’t relate easily to?  Do we allow the mature voices of wisdom and compassion to be heard by us and through us, or do we settle for simplistic and superficial language that reinforces the status quo in thought and action?

Mark 8: 27 – 38

There is some powerful language used in this passage – Peter’s declaration ‘you are the Messiah’ will give shape to the disciples’ perception of Jesus from this point on.  Peter’s choice to use the messiah language of Jesus has had far reaching consequences in the lives of Christians ever since. But it is more than choosing one word over another; it is the naming of a reality Peter and the disciples have observed.  There are times when someone uses an expression, which so resonates with the reality they are describing, that it redefines how people see things.  I think this is what is happening with Peter, rather than choosing an expression that creates the perception that Jesus is the Messiah, he finds a word, which resonates with the perception, which was already growing among the disciples.

However, Peter could have chosen not to name this perception of who Jesus was.  He could have played it safe and used an expression like ‘you’re the son of Mary’ or ‘you’re the Galilee prophet’. There are times when the act of naming what is going on, takes real courage. In contrast, a failure to give expression to what is happening is a failure of courage.  As preachers we often face the dilemma, do we speak of comfortable non-controversial things, or do we adopt the mantle of the prophet and speak courageously of the realities we observe around us.

There is another power image in this passage, which also has implications in terms of the theme of the consequences of our actions.  Jesus says: “Let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me”. Even before Jesus’ own death by crucifixion, this must have been an immensely powerful image.  The people seen dragging their crosses through city streets were identified as people about to have their lives ended.  None of these people would be seen alive again.  So the invitation to ‘take up your cross and follow’, was a clear invitation to costly and demanding discipleship. 

Following Jesus’ death and resurrection, the image of the ‘cross carrying disciple’, gained even more significance among the early Christians. The ‘cross carrying disciple’ embarks on a journey where the consequence of our actions are immense.  You don’t pick up your cross to follow Jesus, and then change your mind.  Discipleship is a permanent choice, more like becoming a parent than choosing a career.  The image of carrying a cross emphasizes how significant the consequences of that choice are.  Life can never be the same again, for those who take up their cross and follow Jesus.

Some preaching suggestions:

1. Explore the theme of ‘choices have consequences’ through all four passages
2. Choose one passage that particularly resonates for you and work through this theme in greater depth.
3. Explore one of the powerful images used in these passages, for example: Taming the tongue, or being a ‘cross carrying disciple’, or the nature of true wisdom, or the significance of Peter’s confession that ‘Jesus is the Messiah’.

Hymn and song suggestions:

1. Lift High The Cross
2. I Have Decided To Follow Jesus, No Turning Back
3. God Gives Us A Future, Daring Us To Go
4. Where Could I Go [Ps 139] – Natalie Yule Yeoman

Prayer

Journeying God, we have decided again today to follow you on this journey called faith. Today we take up our cross as you did and follow in your footsteps. Help us to be faithful disciples through all the experiences of this life, to live with dignity and integrity, and to stay faithful to the end. Amen.