Creative Agents Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday May 3, 2015

John 10: The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?

John 10: If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;

John 10: but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.

John’s Gospel All about the Deity of Christ... This passage, too, and yet... Jesus out- maneuvers His adversaries by pointing out that their tradition states that they (we) are all gods

In the beginning Was the Word (and the Word was with God and the Word was God) Implies Reason, Rationality, and desire for Relationship Hearkens back to Genesis 1: And God said, “Let there be light, and there was light” God’s Word is so active that when He speaks things come into being

It’s true for us as well Dong, Vietnamese character on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, knows the TV show Friends by a different title: Six White Complainers Our thoughts, choices, behaviour and speech all affect the outcome of who we are

Gregory of Nyssa (c. AD 335-c. 395) “We are in some manner our own parents, giving birth to ourselves by our own free choice in accordance with whatever we wish to be, whether male or female, moulding ourselves to the teaching of virtue or vice” (Life of Moses)

Gregory of Nyssa “Concepts create idols; only wonder comprehends anything. People kill one another over idols. Wonder makes us fall to our knees.”

James 3: But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

Implications Our words create our reality... In large measure this is true There is a need to clean the soul so that better things emerge from our lips more of the time We also need discipline in order to restrain ourselves from hurtful words, from racism, from demeaning others

Words + Wonder Builds a better reality Sees gift and potential in others Calls others to life Makes a celebration out of ordinary moments

Proverbs 10 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. 20 The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding. Note v.11: mouth of righteous a fountain of life

Thomas Oden Refers to Pastoral Care by Gregory the Great, Pope from Two ditches: not speaking what must be said or speaking too much even of the good

What is bad communication?

What is good communication? Courtship

Drawing Out Rock Badgers

Helping Others

Speaking for those who can’t speak for themselves...

Celebrate!

Psalm 82 1 God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. 2 How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah. 3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.

Psalm 82 4 Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. 5 They do not know nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High.

Psalm 82 7 “Nevertheless you will die like men And fall like any one of the princes.”8 Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is You who possesses all the nations.