Opened Lips
You have heard it
said: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” The
truth is, no stick wreaks such havoc, no stone inflicts such terror and
destruction as the tongue. How shameful, proud, and insufferable we are! All
our gossip, all our whispering, all our pretending that we have not meant the hurtful
things we said, all our talk out of both sides of our mouth, all our deceptions:
these things display what is in our hearts. We back-peddle, deny, and even lie
with ease and comfort. We are comfortable in deceit. We are a people of unclean
lips; the tongue is our most obscene feature.
Our sinful pride
hates the simplicity of God’s Word! We seek to hide and justify ourselves in
the make-believe gray areas of the Law. That leads only to death. But thanks be
to God, there is One Man who never lied, who never failed to speak the Truth,
who never weighed the potential cost of men’s opinions, who did not compromise
for an imagined vain greater good. The Word made Flesh, Christ our Lord, God
Himself: He is no diplomat. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He opens
eyes, ears, and mouths by the power of His Word. He came to cast out demons. He
came to reclaim mankind for Himself. He came to speak the Truth. He came to
give voice to sinners who before could not speak.
The Lord knows
full well the weak ways of men. Even so, He rescued that poor mute from the
demon that held him down. He knew the man would lie, but He opened his mouth
anyway. The finger of God interferes in the lives of men—not because of who
they are, but because of who He is. He will not stay out. This is His business.
He will not go away and ignore us. He purifies the unclean lips of men. He
opens them and gives them something to say, something to sing, something to
confess.
The Psalmist said
that all men are liars. It is true; we are. But there is a way out. Take the cup
of salvation; call upon the Name of the Lord. Use that God-given voice for
good. Here is a purifying coal in the body and blood of our Savior: take and
eat; take and drink. That medicine allows us to sing with the seraphim. That
Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world, has satisfied the Law. He
has spoken the Truth that breaks false bonds. He gives a voice to the mute. He
opens our lips, so that we may declare His praise.
If men will preach
to itchy ears; if we will appeal to sinful flesh; if we will tell lies about
God to make the Church look appealing to the world; then God will raise up
praise from stones. God’s love will not be silenced. No Synod or District bureaucrat,
no committee, no hostile voters’ assembly, no compromising theologian, no false
preacher, no army of men or demons—nothing will stop this song. The deaf will
hear God’s Word. The blind will see His grace. The dumb will speak His praise.
The demons will be expelled.
To accomplish
this, Jesus gave His life upon Calvary’s altar.
They tried to silence the One who only ever told the Truth with the false
charge that He is a blasphemer. But on the third day, that holy mouth opened up
again. “Do not be afraid.” “Peace be with
you.” “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” “Your sins are forgiven.” He
has removed your guilt. He has paid your debt. You belong to Him. You are free.
You are holy. He has given you His Name and declared you righteous. He will bring
this to completion in you on the Last Day. Even now, the demons are gone. Your
mouth is open to sing, to praise, to confess, and to eat and drink. So come. Take
the cup of salvation. Have your lips cleansed. Have your demons driven away.
Call upon the Name of the Lord. He is your Salvation. In the name of the Father
and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The
peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus always. Amen.
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