March 12, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor… Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (Ephesians 4.25a, 31)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD

In mentioning “double meanings,” I speak to the way words are used so that the perception of them leaves the speaker innocent of any guilt from one party or another. It is easy for them to say, “That is not what I meant.” Take, for example, the word used yesterday which was “righteousness.” Is it the righteousness of God that leads, guides and directs us by the outpouring and indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Is it the righteousness as determined by human beings for themselves and one another to rule, restrict and judge others with a word or a look? Among those who were leaders of the Temple as well as those beyond who feared them, or at least to lose some advantage in their own lives over others, “righteousness” was claimed to be given to them by God and they then the shepherds of that righteousness. But it was a “righteousness” cloaked in “bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” The vehicle of righteous dispensation was ego, pride and loathing. Taking the words of Abraham to the lost brother of Israel who now resided in Hell, the efforts afforded only a chasm fixed between them and the true righteousness of God. It was a chasm that could not be bridged nor overcome. I have thought of that “gap” before. It is with an image of the fence which separated Lazarus who sat at the gate and the Rich Man who sat in the world’s luxury. The Rich Man was cloaked with the false promise of righteousness which was bound in riches and property not laid up in heaven. Indeed, they were as prophetic utterances against the Rich Man. As they were not laid up in Heaven neither was he. His “righteousness” now spoke against him by his own doing. No one could be blamed but himself. His cry which sought to warn his “left behind” family echoed back in the voice of Abraham, “They had [the same as you] the witness of the Law and the Prophets to guide them. How then, if they did not heed those teachings from God, would they begin to understand, comprehend and accept One who had come back from the dead.” Was Abraham speaking of the Rich Man? Lazarus? Or the Christ of God who now told the story to those who gathered around Him. Those who “hungered and thirst for righteousness” were intrigued and found desirous of the truth which would set them free. Those who called themselves “righteous” hungered and thirsted for the blood of the One who declared Himself to be a Good Shepherd.

What was the response of those who presumed “righteousness”? Were they not the ones who plotted and planned against Jesus of Nazareth? Did they not engage in bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice and forethought? Didn’t they confront Jesus with “words” by which the meaning could be easily twisted so as to convict others and justify themselves? With those very individuals, it was always a battle of words and never works. Sure, they could slander and insinuate falsehood against Jesus because of the works He did. They could not explain them away by any other means than to associate Jesus with Beelzebub, Satan, the Fallen Lucifer, the Father of Lies and Deception. Yet, it was the works of Jesus Himself which bore witness to the Word that He was. Even when the disciples of John the Baptizer were sent by him to ask Jesus, “Are you the One or should we expect another,” Jesus replied, “The deaf hear, the blind see the lame walk, the lost are found. Believe on the works themselves if nothing else.” And it is that level of authenticity which Jesus called His disciples to represent when He commissioned them to go out first “two by two” and then in post-resurrection to the entire known world. He did not commission them to simply “speak the Word” but to do the works with the Word. We are able to hear in that Great Commission the very referral to the beginning of human history itself at Creation. By the Word all things were made. The Holy Spirit was the messenger sent as light into the darkness. The darkness could not control it, overcome it nor hide from it. It was the light of life and intended for all people to see, understand and invite into their own heart, mind and soul. It was the evidence of God’s righteousness putting all things into order and thus subduing the chaos which had ruled the space before and before Him.

Mighty ones of God, we are invited to abide by that same Spirit for that same purpose. It is with the “works of the Word” that we evidence the righteousness of God and its redefining effect on the human being and the human condition. It is the evidence of faith in action and not merely a walk of constriction. By that I mean, when we seek to control others in order to promote that we ourselves are under control- we lie. True freedom and control in life does not come by controlling others but by recognizing we must submit to the “control of God” which is the on-dwelling and in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. In that we must repent, be baptized and commit ourselves to the “way, truth and life” of the authentic Word of God. Paul reminds rather forcefully with his words, as he himself is in prison and unable to be with them physically present, of his former actions. He, too, had abided by the “word given.” It was the word given by the Temple rulers who feared the followers of “The Way,” as the early Church was known. Saul of Tarsus, his name before the transforming ministry of the Resurrected Lord came upon him, used “bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice up to and including death” to exact “righteousness.” It was not the righteousness of God, however, but the “righteousness” of people who themselves were not under control which was being exhibited. It must not be so among us. We must allow the Word of God to subdue us as we surrender willingly to its truth for our lives and for the lives of all others. We must allow the Work of God to transform and renew subdue us as we surrender willingly to its purpose for our lives and for the lives of all others. It is by this that we shall truly win some [into the faith which becomes our salvation] and influences others [to consider the faith which leads to salvation.] It will not come through “bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” Instead, it will come with faith, hope and love; the greatest of these being love as only God has intended for love to be known.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit spoke us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.