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Gossip and Rumours
SERMON – 10.15am, Emmanuel Church, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Sunday 13th September 2009
Revd. Canon David Pickering
Mark 8.29 He asked them,' But who do you say that I am?'
Gossip!
Some would say it makes the world go round. It certainly sells newspapers and magazines.
Gossip is usually made of rumours.
We don't like being the victims of false rumours, but often we can't help believing stories about other people, especially if they come from a close and reliable source.
Jesus' ministry attracted a great many rumours. For a lot of the time, he was followed by large crowds most who had heard stories about him. In those pre-mass media days every bit of news and non-news was by word of mouth.
So what was the word of the block about Jesus? What were people saying about him? What were the rumours? What was the gossip?
In the morning's gospel reading that is what Jesus is asking. Verse 27b on the way he asked his disciples,' who do people say that I am?'
What are the rumours, what's the gossip, what's the word on the street?
Rumours spread like wildfire so the disciples can give an immediate and prompt answer. Some are saying Jesus is John the Baptist, others go further and say, no he is Elijah, and still others are saying he is one of the prophets. All sorts of stories are doing the rounds. Sharing this is good fun.
Then Jesus pulls them up sharp, 'but who do you say I am?' Silence! except for the impetuous Peter. He's always got an answer. Having seen the wonderful things Jesus has been doing, he blurts out, probably without thinking about it,' You are the Messiah' or as the Greek says, 'You are the Christ.'
And of course Peter is right, well almost.
Jesus goes on to say that it is not quite as simple as Peter thinks or says.
There's more to being the Christ or the Messiah than performing miracles and mighty works. Jesus knows that to be the true Messiah means suffering and even death.
This is too much for Peter. He gives Jesus a quiet rebuke on the side.
Peter has been influenced by what everyone expects a Messiah to be.
But Jesus knows that for the Christ or the Messiah to complete the victory of God's goodness and love over all evil, this will entail suffering in the conflict between goodness and evil. It will mean what we see on the cross of Calvary.
This is no rumour or gossip this is the hard fact. This is the reality of the cross. To deny it is to be on the side of evil. Peter's is not a simple little mistake, it is satanic.
It is going the way of rumour rather than reality.
When it comes to rumour and gossip we have to ask ourselves is what we hear and say on the side of truth and goodness or the satanic side of evil?
Today's readings have quite a lot to say about speaking and talking.
In the Old Testament passage from Isaiah the prophet says in one of the Suffering Servant passages The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens — wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.
The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backwards.
I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face insult and spitting.
The prophet knows that he really is teaching what he has learned from God, even though everyone around him despises and disregards him.
Rumour and gossip can be a camouflage for the truth.
Then in the letter of James there is a solemn warning about the dangers of careless and unkind speech. There is a marvellous passage in the middle of the reading; the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
Anyone who talks, whether to teach or the gossip, will be held responsible for the outcome of their words.
That challenging or even awkward passage in the gospel reading, For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. can also apply to our speaking. We can play it safe and save face and our lives by going with the crowd and popular opinion. Or we can take the risk of losing our life among those around us by standing up for what is true and just.
Whether we do this will depend on how we answer the question Jesus posed, who do we say he is?
Have we decided who Jesus is in our lives?
This will make all the difference to how we see the world, lead our lives and relate to everyone around.
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