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Podcast: Do words have power?

Journeying Through James: Do Words Have Power?

Rev. Alan R. Rudnick – Journeying Through James: Do Words Have Power?

James 3:

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Pentecost B

Pentecost: On Fire, Literally

man-on-fireHave you ever been on fire?  I know it is kind of a crazy question.  One time, I was filling an oil lamp and I spilled the oil on my hands.  I wiped off the oil on my hands using a cloth thinking that I had prevented any calls to the fire department.  I put the cloth down, sealed the oil lamp, and then proceeded to light the lamp.  Smart, I know!  I should have washed my hands.  When I lit the lamp, the left over oil on my hands caught on fire.  I was literally on fire!  The good olde stop, drop, and roll did not really help because my entire body was not on fire, just my hands.  My hands were burning and I ran like heck because it hurt.   I did not know where I was running, but I ran.  As I ran, I tried to pat the fire out on my body, which ended up burning my shirt.  I quickly ran to a sink nearby and poured water over my hands.  Ahhhh, crisis averted.

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.  It is the remembrance of how the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples and others gathered and experienced flaming tongues of fire, rushing wind, and the ability for everyone to understand people in different languages.  There were those who believed it was God acting, as foretold by the prophet Joel (see Joel 2:28-32) and there were those who thought these men were drunk with new wine.  Peter stands up to make sense of what was happening.  They are not drunk!   But, they are experiencing with God promised would happen, that His Spirit would be poured out on Israel’s sons and daughters.  Jesus told the disciples in John 15: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the father, He will testify on my behalf… He will guide you to truth…He will glorify me.”

Literally, those gathered at Pentecost were on fire, in the Holy Spirit.  Figuratively, they were on fire for God.  They desired to share this experience.  The direct affect of the coming of the Holy Spirit enabled people to repent, believe, and be baptized.  They had a burning desire to live in community (Acts 2:42) and to serve God.  Being on fire, for God, in the figurative sense means that we must experience the Holy Spirit’s life giving presence.  How do we do that?  By worshiping, praying, believing, serving, and deepening our faith in Christ.  Being on fire for God means that we share that Pentecostal power of God’s Spirit changing our lives.  The Pentecostal experience was meant to be shared with others and not meant to be kept hidden.  This Pentecost, may you be on fire for God.  May you be on fire with the presence of the Holy Spirit, who comes to bring the sustaining power of God.  May you be on fire for God, who enables miracles to happen.  May God burn within you, giving you the warm love of grace in your heart.

So, next time you catch on fire, make sure you catch on fire for God…er… figuratively.

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