Sexagesima

Luke 8:4-15 - Sexagesima Sunday - January 31, 2016         
The Sower and the Seed

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This morning, our appointed Scripture lessons for Sexagesima Sunday invite us to consider the power of words.  Words have immense power.  We know this as a matter of Christian conviction for at least three reasons: First, because we know that by speaking his word almighty God created heaven and earth.  Second, because we know that the divine Word became human flesh and dwelt among us in order to atone for all human sin on the cross.  And third, because we know that whoever abides in the words of Jesus has life abiding in him, and that it is through his holy word that the Holy Spirit persuades us of God’s love for us in Christ and makes us temples of the triune God.  Words have immense power.  To deny this is to deny the power of God and naturally also the Christian faith.  But we affirm that words are immensely powerful as a matter of Christian conviction.  That is why we are gathered this morning to hear God’s word. 

But we also know the power of words not merely as a matter of Christian conviction, but also inasmuch as we are not totally unobservant.  Words have power.  We see it.  We experience it.  We suffer the consequences of it when foolish words escape our lips as much as we enjoy praise when people hear our clever or funny or kind words.  “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  We know this is totally untrue.  We may try to rise above it when cruel words are spoken, but the whole reason we’d even try to let it not bother us is because we cannot deny the great power these words really do have.  We acknowledge the power of words by choosing our own words carefully, or else when we become upset with others for hurtful things they may say.  “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”  Why?  Because your words do things, that’s why.  They accomplish things whether you intend them to or not.  Beware.  Words are immensely powerful.  Learn, therefore, what to say and when, because words do what they do whether or not you want them to. 

Words have power.  More than any other weapon or tool that mankind has, words are able to affect and influence that which is most precious to us, namely, what other people think – what other people believe – about us, about others, about God.  As the saying goes, “The pen is mightier than the sword!”  False or harmful words can do much more damage than any weapon.  With physical force one can steal from you what you have worked hard to protect: your property, your health, even your life.  Yes, but with careless or malicious words something even more precious and irretrievable can be stolen: your reputation, your good name, even your soul. 

A lot of people promote some sort of gun control because violent people can use guns to do terrible things.  And they do.  Regardless of how one thinks about this political issue, we can certainly see the concern.  Guns are dangerous weapons.  So then, how much more do we need some sort of pen control or tongue control, so to speak?  Lies and slander do much more damage than guns!  False testimony can ruin a man!  False doctrine cuts off real people with real souls from the mercy of God who really desires to save them!  If criminal violence is bad for a nation, how much more terrible is it when people are persuaded to believe lies about God who desires to save us all by grace alone? 

The thing is with gun control, since the Second Amendment guarantees each of us the right to bear arms, it’s not so easy as simply taking people’s guns away, is it?  Rather, the most effective and legal form of gun control is for those who own guns to take it upon themselves to learn how to use them safely and with due concern for others.  So also with how we control our speech!  Since the First Amendment protects everyone’s right to speak what he believes without being silenced (so long as it is not slanderous or threatening), it becomes our very important responsibility, especially as Christians, to use our words wisely and with due concern for others. 

And if a good man with a gun has the duty to defend his neighbor from a bad man with a gun, how much more is it your duty as a Christian to use your words to defend your brother against lies, betrayal, slander, or anything – true or not – that might damage his reputation.  Just as the 2^nd Commandment requires us to speak the truth about God, the 8^th Commandment requires us to speak well of our neighbor and put the best construction on everything.  We do this when we speak up and defend someone who cannot speak up and defend himself.  Like a weapon in the hand of a good man, kind words can do so much good.  As the Proverb says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). 

It is easy and clear for us to oppose and condemn such sins as homosexuality, abortion, fornication, greed, drunkenness, and so forth.  And it is right that we should condemn these sins.  None of us is immune or innocent of these or related offenses.  The devil sure knows how to appeal to our sinful inclinations.  Each of us needs to hear what God says about such sins lest we make peace with our Old Adam instead of drowning him in daily repentance.  This is a pastor’s chief concern when he sees members of Christ’s flock neglect the word of God – that such a one has fallen into the habit of listening to the world instead of to God.  Since flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, it is for this reason that our greatest and most precious occupation as children of God is to hear his word, repent, and believe the gospel that for Jesus’ sake we are reconciled to him, as to a gracious Father, by the blood of his only begotten Son. 

God speaks harsh words to us in order to teach us the truth about ourselves — not to revel in our unworthiness, but to cover our sin and render us worthy through faith.  God speaks kind words to us in order to bear us up from the ashes and muck of our own doing, and to honor us with the forgiveness of our sins.  In this way, we learn the truth about God.  With his word, God both speaks what rebukes and warns us as well as what pardons and cheers us.  He lets no idle word fall.  He knows what he speaks and why.  He has only your temporal and eternal benefit in mind. 

For this reason it should be just as easy and clear for us Christians to condemn and also repent of the sin of gossip.  To gossip about your neighbor – not to mention your own brother or sister in Christ – is the exact opposite of what God does.  And it bears the opposite fruit.  Do we speak carelessly?  God does not.  Do we speak what is untrue?  God does not.  Do we speak what we aren’t even sure is true or not?  Do we complain about others who aren’t there to give an explanation or even an apology?  Do we speak in order to tear down or in order to genuinely lift up and help?  Do we prefer to hear something bad about someone else rather than praise?  Do we repeat what we hear out of concern for the one concerned or because it is exciting to be in the know and to participate in drama and judgment? 

The reason gossip does so much damage is twofold.  First, because it springs forth from sinful hearts and mouths like bad seed.  Second, because it lands on the kind of soil that desires to see it planted.  Since we by nature prefer to hear what is evil of others rather than good, our hearts give root to what we hear so that we might imagine that we are not as bad as others.  It’s always a form of self-justification.  But an idle word that falls on eager ears bears a hundredfold of rotten fruit.  A sinful ear is like a fertile field that delights to receive bad seed.  An eager ear that enjoys hearing gossip springs forth to repeat it and to pass judgment on others whom we have no right to judge.  And so gossip spreads and the body of Christ suffers.  But what does God tell us through the Apostle? 

“Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25).  

And this is because we are members of Christ.  As the same Spirit says through another Apostle, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:22-23). 

Since it is the word of God’s grace that saves us and unites us to God and so also to each other, therefore it is gracious words that we should speak and that we should be eager to hear.  In this way faith and love are joined, as we pray after communing together, that God would increase in us true faith in him and fervent love toward one another. 

God’s word is pure.  It proceeds from a holy and loving heart that desires to be reconciled to sinners – unholy sinners, lustful sinners, angry and bitter sinners, mean sinners, sinners who by nature close their ears to his voice and who by nature desire to raise themselves above both God and neighbor.  God desires to have mercy on sinners who with Adam preferred the devil’s lie to God’s truth.  But though the devil speak as he will, God will not be silenced.  He sends his sowers.  And God’s word is pure.  It is good seed.  It comes from a pure heart of love even for us.  And it is scattered liberally even upon us.  It comes down in order to take root in our hearts and bear fruit in patience. 

In his love, the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ created all things by the agency of his eternal Word.  In his love, the eternal Father sent this same Word to become a Man and live as a Man in our place.  He placed himself under the law in order to fulfill it.  This means he made himself accountable to it in order that he might live a holy life and then take our every sin upon himself and suffer and die under God’s wrath.  What evil have you heard of another?  Christ bore it.  What shame have you repeated?  Christ wore it.  He did not lie.  He spoke the truth.  He did not rejoice to hear evil spoken of others.  Instead he humbly bore all accusation of evil in himself and opened not his mouth.  He did not think lightly of anyone’s reputation.  Rather, he gave his own good name over to become dirt for a time in order that he might cover our shame in the glory and honor of his resurrection.  In us who know God’s grace, his name is now precious and highly exalted forever.   

Like a seed that can only be planted once it has died, the Word made flesh was buried in the ground.  Yet by the patience of his innocent suffering and death, he rose again with the everlasting gospel to preach.  What precious fruit this Seed has borne!  It is the everlasting gospel that tells sinners who it is who has borne their sins.  This gospel word tells sinners where all their sin was paid for and where all their sins are buried – in the grave that Jesus rose from with full and free salvation to give.  This is good seed!  And so as members of one another, we don’t repeat each other’s sins; we bury them in Jesus’ empty grave in mercy and love.  Thus we bear fruit in patience. 

God’s word is pure, because God is pure.  His word is intended for every man whose sins Christ bore – for the adulterer, the murderer, the abortionist, and yes the one with a loose tongue and an itchy ear.  God redeemed that which he assumed.  He became a Man – flesh and blood like you.  Therefore he has paid for every sin that man has committed.  This includes yours.  To evil or thoughtless words spoken, Jesus spoke mercy.  And so he speaks mercy also to you.  He was not sent to condemn you.  He was sent to save you.  And so it is with the seed that he sows, the word that he now commands to be preached in his name. 

There is nothing wrong with the seed.  There is no deficiency or limited scope to his word.  His word goes out to all nations because Christ has saved all nations.  The reason many reject this word Jesus makes plain.  It is not the fault of the seed.  It is the fault of the one who, though having ears to hear, did not hear it.  Christians can and do fall away.  As surely as our flesh is weak and we are sinners, the devil desires to take advantage of that and lead you astray.  And so you who have ears to hear, hear.  That ground that is noble and good is ground that is made honest by God.  It is the heart that hears God’s voice and knows that God is speaking to you.  As he speaks patiently to you, dear Christian see the fruit it bears!  It bears eternal life and confidence toward God your Father. 

So also in patience we bear fruit!  We do not speak based on how effective we might be.  We speak in love, knowing that God blesses every word spoken in true love.  In patience we bear fruit.  That is, in patience we repeat not bad news about our neighbor, but the good news of our Savior.  And this bears fruit.  Patiently defend your brother.  Patiently confess your Lord and defend his pure word.  God knows what good will come of it.  Patiently leave it in his hands. 

And so your loving God will close his ears to any bad word against you.  God hears no gossip about you.  Instead he hears the appeal of a good conscience which is yours in your Baptism.  He hears the appeal of your Mediator and High Priest who shed his blood for you and gives it to you to drink so that you might be certain of the peace it has won.  He hears the pleadings of his Holy Spirit who cries out, “Abba, Father,” within you by the merits of Christ alone.  He hears his verdict of approval, his pardon and forgiveness which Christ won.  The devil, the world, your very conscience, and even the law itself can say nothing against you.  God won’t listen.  So this is what you base your hope upon, and pattern your life after.  Amen.