Words Mean ___?
II Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word
__________
What was the last thing you said to someone? What was the last thing you sent to someone via text, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media platform you’re on right now? I won’t ask you to pull out your phones and share them with us, but do take a second to recall the last thing you said or sent to someone. Thinking about it, I believe the last text I sent was this morning. A friend in Korea had let me know what they passed an exam and earned their teaching certification, so I congratulated them. All of this is to say that we have a multitude of ways to express ourselves. It is a gift that has limitless possibilities and something that we do not always give respect to. The words that we use not only show what is on our hearts but has the power to shape them as well.
This morning we are confronted by the power of our words. The words that we speak to one another, and the words that we say in secret to one another and our own hearts. You see, Paul found himself in a quandary of sorts. He receives word that amongst the church in Thessalonica, there are rumors being spread, rumors of what one leader said, or what one group of people did. It even gets to the point where people are buying into the “fake news” that Jesus has come back. So Paul writes to them, hoping to reorient their wayward minds and recenter them on the things that are at the heart of their faith.
Perhaps you’re familiar with those kinds of words. Maybe you’ve been on the receiving end of rumors that were aimed at you. Perhaps you’ve witnessed first hand or not, chain emails or texts that seem to propagate inaccurate stories. Or maybe you’ve dabbled or partaken in the infamous “parking lot meetings,” you know the meeting after the meeting. Words have power. Words mean things. They are one of the very few things that we can actually control. How and when we use them is reflective of ourselves and the realities that we seek to create. Realities that can either bring us together or tear us apart using fear, hate, and anger.
This morning as we reflect on the practice of stewardship, I want us to consider the words that we use as an act of stewardship. Because as I said before, words mean things. They convey our feelings of love, hate, joy, and sorrow and articulate the connections that we have towards one another and God. If we aren't careful with what rolls off our tongues or flows from the tips of our pens, we will find that our lack of care will inflict harm on our relationships, communities, and the body of Christ. And as we look around us and see the faces of those gathered here and in our town, the act of stewardship of our words becomes ever more important. With rhetoric from powers on high that aim to split us, divide us, pit neighbor against neighbor, may we not as Paul wrote, “be shaken.” May we instead be rooted and fed by the Spirit of God as we move, speak, and have our being.
You may wonder why the words we use would be part of a conversation about stewardship, and that is because the things we speak give vision to the work that we do together as a church, as a body of individuals who are all broken yet all whole at the same time. In stewardship of our language, we will find that we have to give up things in order to receive the promises of God. Perhaps instead of lamenting about how our church has changed (i.e., I wish there were people here on Sunday morning), we can say, “I am open to seeing what new things God is calling our church to do.” You see, what we say externally and internally drastically impacts our vision for what it means for us to be the church. And in letting go of our lament or frustrations, we may find that the new word we are called to speak, makes space for the Spirit of God to enter like a fresh new breath of air.
It would be my hope, it would be my prayer, that we take seriously the charge that we find in this morning's reading. That if we dare to call ourselves followers of Christ, disciples of God Almighty, then we will honestly change the way that we use our gifts of communication to shape our ministries and faith. That means we are challenged whenever we find a fault or criticism we want to speak. That means we are challenged whenever we feel as though we have been hurt. That means we are challenged to be good stewards of our words because the very God who spoke the world into being has tasked us with the responsibility of creating a church, a community of love with the words that we speak. It doesn’t mean that we can’t speak what is on our hearts. What it means, though, is that we do have to change our attitudes when talking about the things that are important to us.
The people who were gathered at the church in Thessalonica were distracted. They had become so caught up in the noises, the ads, billboards, internet banners, TV talk shows, that they began to forget the good news, the good words that reminded them of who they were as people God had called. With everything that goes on in our lives, we too may find ourselves like those who were in the church of Thessalonica. We may be overwhelmed with what we hear, we may feel it pushing us down, and in some cases, we may be the ones speaking those harsh words or rumors. But Paul steps in, Paul steps in and says, “Hey! Step back and listen to my words, the words of God. Don’t you remember what I told you how you are people God has chosen.” And I love how Paul ends this passage for today with reassurance, encouragement, a restored vision, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.”
Friends, as Paul said, and as I said previously, it is only by grace and love of God in which God has spoken us into being, brought us together to work, labor, and stand side by side. So will we? Are we willing to let go and change the way we speak to one another, to ourselves, and to God for the sake of this shared mission? It may seem like an impossible task, but that is why we God sent Jesus Christ into the world; it is why the Spirit of God dwells amongst us. So as we continue to reflect on the stewardship of our words and how they shape us and our vision in our common calling, may we feel emboldened by the Spirit who gives us eternal comfort and good news. Amen.