The Word of God

Jim:

There is a connection running through most of the readings having to do with the word of God as opposed to the words of people.


Psalm 12
Language is a powerful tool, both positively and negatively. Verses 3 and 4 say, “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, ‘With our tongues we will prevail; our lips are our own—who is our master?’” It reminded me of a song by the band the Police from many years ago:

Poets, priests and politicians
Have words to thank for their positions
Words that scream for your submission
And no one's jamming their transmission

The writer of the song has his own opinions about the use of words. While I somewhat resent having clergy types lumped in with politicians, I understand the point. Words are important and those who use words should do so with great care. After all it was by the divine word that God created the universe and by the same word pronounced it “good.” The church should be very careful in how it uses language, making sure that the messages we convey are what God would have us say, not our own ideas, and that our words help to build community and not drive people apart.

2 Samuel 7:18-29
In verse 28, David points to the authority of God’s word, “And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true…” David looks forward to God fulfilling the divine promise. He concludes in verse 29 by saying, “For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” God’s words are a source of blessing. God’s words can be trusted. God’s words should stand at the center of all we do as God’s people.

Acts 18:12-28
Verse 26 says, “but when Priscilla and Aquilla heard him (Apollos), they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately.” Here, words are shown to be a powerful tool in the hands of God’s people to educate and inform, to correct and to encourage. But the words that Priscilla and Aqilla used were the words of God. (Apollos, too, was very adept at using the word of God to spread the gospel.)

Mark 8:22-33
Here we see the Word of God––in this case Jesus Christ, God’s Word made flesh–– active in other ways. As the Word of God, Jesus heals a blind man and teaches the disciples.