THE WORD 4 ev 1

Good morning everyone!

The Reading for today is Luke 6 (click here for link)

I guess an apology is in order. I knew it would happen eventually. Yesterday’s blog post never materialized. I was at various hospitals throughout the day making visitations and never found the time to sit down and write. In any case, today we will pick up with Luke 6 and carry on as though it never happened—and hopefully won’t happen again. But only the Lord knows.

Concerning our text today:

All I know about Jesus is what I heard him say. That’s all I know about almost anybody.

I was thinking about this fact as I roamed the hospitals at the Medical Center in Houston. That place is like a maze and I felt like a rat who obviously didn’t know his way through the maze. However, sometimes “getting yourself lost” can be a good thing. It brings you into contact with people. It forces you to interact with people, even if it is just looking for directions… which brings me back to my main point: It’s not true that "deeds speak louder than words." Only words speak!

Last Friday (and in the gospel lesson on Sunday) we read about Jesus calling the first disciples in Luke 5. He tells them that from that point on they would be “fishers of men.” However, the text doesn’t really say that—not exactly. Luke doesn’t just say the disciples will be fishers for people, instead, Luke uses the very rare Greek word Zogreo which means “capture alive.” Jesus literally is saying, “You will capture people alive for me.” Perhaps capturing people alive does take both words and deeds, but as I was making my rounds yesterday I realized that while words without deeds are empty, it is exactly the same the other way around.

The old "I’d rather see a sermon than hear one" is only partly true. Words give meaning to what we do. In fact, I did many kind deeds yesterday as I walked through the Medical Center and most of the strangers I encountered did kind deeds for me as well—holding the door, etc. But I wonder how many of those strangers thought I was a Christian?

In Luke’s account of Jesus great sermon on the plain (although, Matthew says the sermon took place on a mountain). Jesus talks a lot about deeds. He is describing holy living. But if his words in this text are the standard for Christian living, then we are all in a heap of trouble, that is, if deeds are what really matter. Thankfully, our Lord prefers words to deeds. He wants words that profess faith in Him. “I love you.” “I forgive you.” “Do not be afraid.” These are words that our Lord speaks to us and they are words which we speak to others. I know there are no better words to speak or words to hear when you have been angry with your spouse or your children. These words heal. They create faith.

Never forget the power of the Word of God. His word can bring life to your deeds, and your words about him can bring life to others. And there are plenty of people you know who need to hear “those” words today.

Pastor Aaron