"Tell Others"

So…

Do you know what a rumor is? 

It is a story about someone or something that isn’t public knowledge, information that somehow you know about, that someone told you about.

Now we all know we aren’t supposed to spread rumors!

Because, if what we know is a rumor, then it may or may not be the truth. And as people who are trying to be truthful and honest, we have no business spreading what may in fact be incorrect information.

In fact, the Ten commandments have a little note about that. It is actually the ninth commandment. It says, and I quote, “Do not tell lies about others.”

Pretty clear you would think, but…

We live in a world that is fallen, a fact that is often quite starkly made clear in politics, commerce, advertising and social media. But the reality is we all participate in that sin sometimes.

In particular when we choose to communicate information that is a rumor. 

If we don’t know a thing to be reality, we’ve no business sharing it. Period.

But the urge to tell is so great in us, so overwhelming sometimes, that we go ahead and share something we don’t know for sure is true.

And that is, at least in the view of the Ten Commandment, a sin.

Let that sink in!

While our culture often is quite concerned about some “sins” - sharing falsehoods is one we just let go by!

And yet, not telling the truth matters - and as a sin, it can potentially be a pretty grievous one. It can ruin other people’s lives. And, we often seem to be quite unfazed by that reality.

You might also be aware that if you tell an untruth in a courtroom, you could be spending time in the slammer. So, we know that telling the truth matters!

And that’s where we meet up with Paul’s instructions to Timothy, a younger follower of Paul’s, who is now become a leader in the Christian community. 

In fact, some believe that he had become the key leader in the church in Ephesus, a quickly growing community of believers in the huge Roman colony on the coast of modern day Turkey, right across the Aegean sea from Corinth and Athens.

Paul is writing to remind Timothy of his calling, what he learned from Paul about Jesus, and what he is to do with that teaching.

He is to tell others.

Remember last week I shared with you all Jesus’ final instructions to his followers! 

Make Disciples! Baptize! And tell them what I have commanded you!

That is the call to discipleship!

It is what we are to be doing if we want to consider ourselves followers of Jesus. Not to be telling stories we may or may not know are true, rumors.

But to be telling others about what Jesus said and did!

Little things like forgiving the soldiers that put him to death! 

And loving all kinds of messed up folks, perhaps like you and I.

For many of us, telling stories is our way of life.

As some of you have figured out, I love to tell at least some of the stories of my wonderful crazy life. 

Last week as I was going back up to the pulpit to continue the service after the baptism, I leaned over and said something to Charlotte, Krista Vellenga’s daughter.

And she scowled at me! 

And that just crack’s me up! 

I sincerely hope she can keep that scowl for every pain in the butt person who invades her peaceful life. 

It is a gift from God that communicates all that needs to be said in a single gesture.

Of course, being who I am, it will not discourage me in the least from smiling at her just to see if I can get that scowl again and again.

And it would never discourage me from telling anyone who wants to hear about Jesus, all about the amazing, wonderful, gracious Messiah who has not only come into the world, but also into my life and offered me an opportunity to be reconciled to God.

Paul says to Timothy, “Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others.”

Guess what?

Ditto!

You and I, all of us have been invited, actually commanded by Jesus, as repeated by Paul, to tell others. 

Got it!

Amen