Priest's Perspective

6 July 2021 Priest’s Perspective

Matthew 9: 32-43

32As they were leaving, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to Jesus. 33And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

34But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons.”

35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. 36When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

37Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”

The ability to speak is a powerful thing. Moses words that he was not able to speak, Isaiah’s lips being touched by the coal, “Thus says the Lord,” creation being spoken into existence, the Hebrew culture of never speaking God’s Name but using the term YAHWEH (which is said by breathing in and out so that in fact every breath is a proclamation of the Name of God).

Being mute means that you are not able to be seen for what you are worth because you cannot participate in conversation, you can hear, you can think, you can reason, you just can’t voice what you think or feel. When Jesus comes into our lives, in a sense we are all healed of our inability to speak out. Part of our calling is to share the Gospel, to speak out against injustice, to speak for those who have lost their voice.  Sin makes us mute because it deprives us of the ability to speak out. When we are living in sin ourselves, we can hardly speak out against other people’s actions or lack of action.  But Jesus forgives us and gives us the power to speak, not judgementally but compassionately. Jesus gives us the ability to speal loving words of hope and healing and comfort. There will always be the critics who try to silence the power of speaking truth. But we are called to speak out, we are called to receive the healing hand of Christ and His Spirit that drives out all fear.

Jesus tells his disciples and we are his disciples; that there is a world out their just waiting to hear Good News, to hear words of comfort and hope. Don’t let those who would silence you discourage you – accept the Love of God in your heart and speak His love into the world .

For consideration: “ Where am I keeping silent, where I should be speaking out?”

Let us pray.

Lord God, you have called us to go out into the world and speak your love into and over it. Fill us with your Holy Spirit that all fear may be driven out and so that we will only speak in your Name and speak your truth. Silence all other voices but your own that the world may know that you are Sovereign and you reign. Amen.

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