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From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org><br>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Aug 19, 2017 4:10 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 15A: "Watch Your Mouth"<br>
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<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Dear Friends,</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Watch Your Mouth” and
deals with the Gospel (Matthew 15: 10- 28).<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Here it is: </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Parents, do you ever have to yell, scream, beg your
children to wash their hands before they eat?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>This morning, I’d like us to think through the implications of Jesus’
statement to the Pharisees about what makes a person unclean.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In the part of the Bible immediately before
our Gospel begins, the Pharisees had just criticized Jesus for allowing his
disciples to eat without washing their hands.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Jesus responded with the statement we heard in the gospel- it’s not what
you put into your mouth that makes you unclean.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>It’s what comes out of your mouth that makes you unclean.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Why?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Because what comes out of your mouth shows what’s in your heart.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The symptom of a nasty, sinful heart is a
nasty, sinful mouth.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>So---what comes out
of your mouth?</font></font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Do you have a bad habit of using God’s name in vain?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It is so very easy to pick up this habit-
saying “Oh, Lord!” or such phrases.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What
does the commandment say?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Thou shalt
not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>You wouldn’t use your mother’s name that way.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In fact, I still remember from my teaching
days how many fights either started or almost started because of the way
someone was talking about someone else’s mother.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>So- watch your mouth.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The ancient Israelites didn’t even speak the
name of God- they considered it too holy.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>We can learn from them.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>If you’ve
got a bad habit in this regard, break it.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Only use God’s name with the highest reverence, respect, and honor.</font></font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">What
about other kinds of swearing that do not use God’s name in vain?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Are they sinful?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That depends.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>In my opinion, if the words are used to describe another person or as a
weapon against that person, then they are very sinful.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>If, however, they are simply part of your
vocabulary or used to express anger at someTHING (not someONE)- they may not
project the image you want, but they’re probably not sinful.</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Most
times when someone continually uses God’s name in vain or swears casually, it
usually signifies a bad habit, not a sinful, poisonous heart; however there’s
other poisonous nasty verbiage that comes out of our mouths far too often.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Gossip; put-downs; lies; swearing AT people;
labeling people as bad, stupid, ugly, etc.- these seriously show a heart
problem, not coronary artery disease but poisoned spirit disease.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>These kinds of remarks have heart-roots of
jealousy, anger, hatred, poor self-esteem, desire to look better than others,
and other negative emotions.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Molefi
Asante reminds us, “There are two things over which you have complete dominion,
authority, and control- your mind and your mouth.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He’s right, and you get control of your mouth
by getting control of your mind.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t
think evil thoughts.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t dwell on
negatives.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Remember </span><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">the old Cherokee who was telling his grandson about a
fight that constantly goes on inside himself. It’s a fight between two
wolves.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>One is evil: full of anger,
envy, regret, guilt, false pride, resentment, inferiority, superiority,
etc.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The other is good: love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
(Galatians 5:22-23). The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked
his grandfather “Grand-daddy, which wolf wins?”<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>The old Cherokee thought for a minute and then replied simply, “The one
that I feed.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t feed the
negatives.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>When you find yourself
dwelling on such thoughts, take charge.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Go for a walk.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Wash the
dishes.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Listen to some music.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Read your Bible.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Say your prayers.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Call a friend on the phone.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Change the content of your thoughts from
negatives to positives.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That’s exactly
what St. Paul meant when he taught the <span style="margin: 0px;">Philippians
(4:8) “Finally, my friends- keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right,
holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly
worthwhile and worthy of praise.”</span></span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Why
bother to watch your mouth?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Because when
evil words come out, they can never be recalled.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>They can be explained, forgiven, maybe if
you’re lucky forgotten- but when they’re out, they’re out.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I want to close with a story I’ve told
before, but it explains so very well why we’ve simply got to think before we
speak and keep Jesus in control of our lips.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span></span><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">There was a little boy with a bad
temper.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>His father gave him a bag of
nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the
back fence. The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Gradually the
number of nails he was pounding into the fence dwindled down.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He discovered it was easier to hold his
temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the
boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it, and the father
suggested that now the boy should pull out one nail for each day that he was
able to hold his temper.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The days passed
and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were
gone.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The father took his son by the
hand and led him to the fence.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He said,
“You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The fence will never be the same. When you
say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You can put a knife in a person and draw it
out.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It won't matter how many times you
say “I'm sorry,” the wound is still there.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>And while we’re thinking of such things, you
know who gets the worst of our poison?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Those we especially love- our family and dear friends.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>How we act at home and with those we love is
the true test of what’s in our hearts.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>So remember Jesus’ warning, it’s not what you put into your mouth that
makes you unclean, but what comes out of your mouth- because it shows the state
of your heart.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>May God bless us as we
clean up our hearts and watch our mouths.</span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">For anyone who is
interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are
posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: </font><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/"><u><font color="#0000ff"></font></u></a><u><font color="#0000ff"><a href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org" target="_blank">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</a></font></u><font color="#000000"> .</font></font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Blessed preaching,</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Judy Boli</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">St. Paul's Episcopal Church</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Saginaw, Michigan</font></span></div>
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