Hanging on His Words

And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words. (Luke 19:47-48 ESV).

In the last few days we have had ample example of what the phrase “Hanging on His Words” looks like. We have been able to witness countless press conferences from every corner of the professional world dealing with the Corona Crisis. Our reading today takes us to the Triumphant Entry when Jesus entered Jerusalem to the shouts of the crowd, celebrating him as their promised King. On Monday and Tuesday he taught in the temple, frustrating the religious leaders, who wanted to kill him but were unable to “because all the people hung on his words.” In fact, within five days he hung on the cross as they had expressed in their words of condemnation. In just that short a time the people didn’t want him anymore. “The whole crowd shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!’ …With loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed” (Luke 23:18-23). As bad as that seems, we should also recognize that our words also bear responsibility for Jesus’ death. We ought to examine our words in light of whether they are “full of grace” or not (cf. Colossians 4:6)? Do we consistently “speak the truth in love” (cf. Ephesians 4:15)? Is what we say “helpful for building others up according to their needs” (cf. Ephesians 4:29)? Does our “gentle answer” turn away wrath, or does our “harsh word” stir up anger (cf. Proverbs 15:1)? In a time of crisis it is so easy to be disagreeable rather than disagree. And, it should be easy to determine when we have crossed that line. If you are speaking of someone instead of something then you have fallen from words that change, transform, and heal to judgmental cynicism. As our nation becomes more and more polarized we ought to use this season of Lent to reexamine our speech. Our silent and gracious Savior took our sins on himself, and we are healed by his saving work, in which he declared once for all, “It is finished.” May we be finished with words that hurt, and may we give our tongues to words that heal. Lent is a good time to review how we use our tongues, and in our reviewing, to repent.