I recently read an online comment that began, “Speaking as a Christian…” and proceeded to tell the metaverse exactly what they believed. Now, “as a Christian,” I disagreed with almost everything that particular Christian said. I imagine they would disagree with me. What struck me was the phrase, “as a Christian.”  When my doctor says, “Paul, as your physician… ” or when my engineer son explains the difficulty of reusing metal after it returns from outer space, or when my mechanic preaches about the power of routine maintenance, or when Paul Franklin talks about translating the Hebrew Bible, I listen. I listen because these friends hold specialized experience, training and knowledge that I lack.  But I have been wondering, does simply being a Christian qualify anyone to be a spokesperson for Christianity?  More than that, I wonder if  speaking “like” a Christian matters more than “speaking as a Christian”?

To speak like a Christian means we speak in the tone, manner, and style of Jesus, and maybe our neighbors, strangers and opponents need Christ-like words more than our speeches for Christ. And I hate to bring so many questions, but can we speak for Christ, if our speech is less than Christlike?

What is Christlike speech? Now to be clear, Jesus, like so many prophets, sometimes offered harsh, unwelcomed, and even offensive words.  In Matthew 23, Jesus calls the church leaders “blind guides… who neglect justice, mercy, and faith… outwardly pious but inwardly full of hypocrisy, greed and self-indulgence… people who burden others but never help with the burdens”. Jesus sharply rebuked church and state leaders, but if we dwell in the Gospels, we will see Jesus challenged religious and political leaders but offered mercy to those on the margins. (Matt 9)  I believe the Spirit still stirs us to rebuke systems, to say names like, Sonya Massey and call out violence around the world.  Jesus rebuked nations, systems, and leaders, but if we keep reading to the end of Matthew 23, we find Jesus weeping over these misguided systems. If we do not find our way to the tears of Jesus, we may never truly understand who Jesus is. To say a corrective word without love or hope for restoration may only pile more anger into the world.  

It is also tricky to speak as a Christian, because there are a lot of topics that Jesus never talked about. Have you noticed that Jesus did not leave us a creed, a baptism ritual, or even a collection of hymns? Jesus never directly addressed: abortion, artificial intelligence, automobiles, business law, bike lanes, baptismal rites, carbon offsets, democracy, evolution, free speech, genetics, homosexuality, in-vitro-fertilization, j-k-l-m-n-o, Pluto, private prisons, pollution, Q-R-S-T…the USA, vaccines, x-rays, or zoos. So whenever someone speaks as a Christian about these issues they are engaged in interpretation. Even quoting the Bible does not automatically make your position a Christian one. The devil quoted Scripture to Jesus. (Matt 4) In Mark 7, Jesus warns us how we  “have a fine way of setting aside God’s commandments to uphold your traditions.”  Speaking for God, is an awesome and almost idolatrous thing to do.    

A third difficulty of claiming to speak for Christ, is that even when Jesus gives us clear-cut commandments, we must engage in interpretation to apply them to our lives.  We must interpret the law to live it!  How do I love my neighbor who leaned over my fence and sprayed my unruly back bushes with Round Up? Consider how Jesus said, “no one can serve God and Wealth” (Matt 6) “do not store up treasures on earth” (Matt 6) and more directly “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Make for yourselves wallets that don’t wear out—a treasure in heaven that never runs out” Luke 12) Now, raise your hand, if you do not store up treasures on earth? Who by choice forgoes a bank account, a mattress full of cash, or a pension plan? Who among us trusts God alone for tomorrows’ daily bread?   Apparently, Jesus did not take these his own words literally, because the disciples had a little checking account at the First Nazarene Bank .Well actually it was called the “common purse” and they used to pay for events like the last supper. (John 13) . If we are going to apply the most important commands (loving our neighbor, keeping sabbath space, not serving wealth) to our lives then we must interpret the teachings. 

One final caution, before speaking up for Jesus. One of my preaching professors liked to remind us: “Remember, you are not Jesus.”  The world needs to hear about the hope, grace and love within us, but when we speak for Christ, let’s speak with a humble reverence. Let us speak like Moses before the Burning Bush, Isaiah in the Temple or Peter naming his own unclean lips.  (Ex. 3, Is 6, Luke 5) 

In Matthew 12, Jesus tells us how deeply God cares about our words, cautioning us that we will give an account of all of our careless words, thoughtless, forgetful, uncaring, graceless words. How might our conversations and interactions change if we decided to offer only Christ-like words?  

Think how often Jesus began a conversation with silence, a question, or with a parable or story free of a hard conclusion: “What do you think, Who was the neighbor, How do you read it, or a poor person lost a valuable coin and grabbed a broom” (Luke 10 or Matt 18) 

The writer of Ephesians introduces themselves to folks they have never met, not with a powerful argument about their Christian credentials, but by commending the readers faith “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and so I give thanks for you in my daily prayers. I pray that God may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation… so that your heart may be enlightened and you may experience God’s hope and God’s power working in your life.”  Isn’t the Christian message about God graciously coming to us?  How vulnerably did God come to us, as a baby laid in the manger and suspended between two thieves?  What might the incarnation teach us about Christian Speech? Does gentleness, grace and goodwill incarnate our words? Do our words reach out as God reached out to us? Perhaps, Christlike speech always reaches out to the listener, seeking to love them with the love of God that upholds us? (Luke 6)  Perhaps Christlike speech searches for ways to invite the buried image of God within both speaker and listener to appear among us? At a minimum, Christ-like speech refuses to compare our best arguments, ideas and moments to the other side’s worst ones? ( 3 Practices for the Difference Divide)   

Paul writes from prison, “as a prisoner for the Lord”. Paul, like Jesus, will face Roman injustice for claiming alliance to God’s alternative kingdom, for naming Jesus as Lord instead of serving Caesars’ system.  Paul holds deep convictions and speaks his mind, (Galatians 2) but the great inclusive evangelist encourages us, “to live as people worthy of the call you received from God.”  It is a deep challenge to live and speak with words worthy of our calling in Christ.  Will we practice baptismal speech, texting, and conversation using our words to remember and help others discover their belovedness?  Will our words drip with “humility, gentleness, and patience”?  Gracious words can only flow from a place of grace and belovedness, so we must remember how radically we are loved by God.  Now, 2 Timothy 2 tells us to disengage in battles over words that aren’t helpful and or filled with attacks.  If we are demonized by our opponents, it is tough to stay engaged, but let’s be careful to not lump everyone who votes or thinks a little differently as opponents. 

 “Accept each other with love, and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together.” Paul does not poke us to change our deeply held beliefs in hopes of finding a mushy middle ground. Paul calls for something far more radical than agreement, Paul calls for acceptance: “Accept, bear with, stick together with each other with love.”  If Christian unity and community was about theology or beliefs, then surely Jesus or Paul would have given us a clear working creed, ritual or hymn book. We are not called to intellectual agreement but loving acceptance.  Acceptance is much harder- it likely requires the presence of God in our lives.  

“Walk, talk, text, post, argue, speak in a manner worthy of your baptismal calling.. be humble, gentle, patient, and accept (bear with, stick together with) one another in love. Make your best  effort to stay united through the Spirit and to uphold peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace…” Paul is not saying there is only one right opinion, one way of finding hope, one formula of faith, one kind of baptism or just one proper theology. Paul is saying much more radical…There is One God and creator of all, who is above all and through all and in all. And each of us was given grace…”

 “God is above all and through all and in all and  each of us is given grace.” 

God above us requires no love or no relationship, but the idea that God comes through each of all, that God is in us, and God’s grace is given to all of us, well that is radical. I accept you because God does. Indeed, God is in you, God shines through you, and each of us holds a little slice of the image of God. You can help me see Christ better. That is a radical notion of grace, it moves us beyond argument about who or what is right into deeply valuing the other person for God created them to be.  “God is above all and through all and in all and  each of us is given grace.” 

If God is in all of us, maybe buried or ignored by some, we need to speak in a way that makes room for God. We need to honor even our opponents as Children of God. God’s grace is in there somewhere, how can we help each other find it? Christlike speech offers a pathway to transformation, creation, restoration and hope even when our words resist evil, injustice and oppression.  Christlike speech tries to open doors for faith, hope and love.  I know this is hard work, but it is holy work and there is Good News! Friends, when we speak with kindness, gentleness, hopefulness, humility, peace, patience and  love, we are singing these words into the center of our souls. We are remembering who we are in Christ and becoming instruments of God rehearsing God’s songs of peace, comfort and hope, no matter what is happening around us. So let us stick to the belovedness we believe God has given all of us.  

I know these are not the easiest words to hear and I could likely preach a rebuttal sermon right now. We will be considering the power of our words over the next four weeks, so today, I simply ask you to consider your words, for they hold such power to bless or curse, build up or tear down, encourage or judge. Beloved may we speak, text and post words seasoned with grace, reconciliation, gentleness, patience, humility and peace. Amen.