Insight from a sixth generation pastor.

The Power of Language

9/30/2020

When I visit family in Minnesota, I notice that my "o's" lengthen on words like "boat" and "snow." The accent returns. After a while, we start to sound like the people around us.

Last night I walked my neighborhood during the presidential debate. In nearly every window I saw the glow of a TV tuned to Trump and Biden. I caught the end of the debate. It was a tone and language that I warn my children against.

Language has the power to shape and form us. We are influenced by the voices around us, picking up their "accent." Our own language is often normed by what we hear. As a pastor in this cultural moment, I have a simple desire for my congregation.

I want us to listen to Jesus more than Fox News or CNN. More to Jesus than to Facebook, Instagram, or TicToc.
I want us to be more attuned to Christ than to a candidate.
I want us to echo the talking points of the Sermon on the Mount more than a Democrat or Republican platform.

My congregation will be hanging around Jesus in Matthew 5-7 in the coming weeks. I want us to absorb his language in the Sermon on the Mount as we go through an election season. I want us to be steeped in his distinctive accent. I want us to see how radically different his kingdom is.

In this sermon, Jesus says things that no one else is saying.  In a world obsessed with power, position, and popularity, Jesus' stump speech sounds foreign. For instance, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).  The "poor in spirit" stand in contrast to the world's "winners," "victors," and "influencers."  The values and virtues of the Kingdom of God contrast the trinket kingdoms of the world.

Poverty of spirit over power.
Dependence over control.
The humble over the proud.
The meek over the loud.

I want us to be formed more by the Kingdom of God than by the ways of the world. For the next month, I invite you to join me in digesting Kingdom language:

Read, study, and meditate on Matthew 5-7. Spend a month dwelling on just these three chapters.
Memorize the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:3-12).

Pick up the accent of your King. Then people might even ask where you're from.

17 Comments

craig a baker

9/30/2020 10:23:18 am

im for trump

Rlynnk

10/6/2020 10:37:40 pm

Hmmmmm ... interesting read. https://www.benjaminlcorey.com/10-signs-youre-actually-following-trumpianity-instead-of-christianity/

Nicole

10/7/2020 09:03:04 am

Benjamin L Corey is part of the The Emerging Church Movement which is not based on Biblical truths but Biblical uncertainty.

10/7/2020 11:22:50 am

Nicole is there a specific point he makes here that you take exception too?? Trumpism is not at all based on biblical truths. I prefer to stick with Jesus’s message 1) Love God 2) Love others (all others) and that He alone is the Way and that He alone should be exalted.

dee hager

9/30/2020 10:29:50 am

10/6/2020 10:38:59 pm

Might find this post interesting an interesting read... https://www.benjaminlcorey.com/10-signs-youre-actually-following-trumpianity-instead-of-christianity/

Lisa DeSherlia

9/30/2020 11:42:15 am

I listened to half of the debate; I saw one man-child, bullying President who kept interrupting, yelling, insulting, and demeaning Biden and Wallace. I felt sorry for Biden and Wallace. They both struggled to get a word in edgewise. It is sad and unfortunate that Trump had hi-jacked and co-opted the "debate," and that he soiled Biden & Wallace in the process. Most concerning is when DT issued a go ahead to a white supremacist group to "stand up" and "stand by." This is all dangerous, evil, and bad. Prayers for this country!

Joy

9/30/2020 02:15:43 pm

That's exactly what I saw as well. So embarrassed for our country.

Dana

10/1/2020 05:00:02 am

Wholeheartedly agree, and beg of all of us to listen to Christ’s teachings here. Where Christ has taught us to love our neighbors, our current president refuses to condemn hatred based on race. Where Christ asks us to look to Him for guidance and to act as a humble lader, our current president refuses to acknowledge our nation’s commitment to peace and transition of power, term limits and unification under God. I pray for our people, our nation and our world.

Jimmy Simmons

10/3/2020 01:35:16 am

I simply scrolled down, saw your comment, and decided to reply.
Your comment seems very one-sided, so I'll take the opposite approach. I watched the whole debate twice, and while Trump was generally the aggressor, I see things quite a bit different than you. It sounds to me like you disliked Trump before the debate even started and were therefore subconsciously searching for reasons to validate your dislike. (That's how our brains work.) Biden was actually the first one to say something legitimately rude, and made many rude remarks throughout the debate. Wallace apparently interrupted Trump 76 times while only interrupting Biden 15 times; and although it's true that Trump often didn't want to stop talking, Wallace was clearly covering for Biden, and outright bailed him out several times. In fact, everyone who acts like Biden was victimized in the debate should ask themselves how Biden is going to make his presence felt in a room full of world leaders if he can't even make his presence felt in a room with Trump. People have a tendency to focus on the aggressiveness of Trump to deflect from the fact that they're practically wheeling an assisted-living individual out on the world stage and pretending that he's the solution to all our problems, even though he failed to solve much of anything during the nearly 50 years of his prime.
I must say, Trump did NOT issue a go ahead to a white supremacist group. He did NOT say the words "stand up". He literally said "stand BACK"; and when he said "stand by" he meant "stand down" (which he later clarified, while condemning white supremacy). Actually, if you pay attention to the debate, you'll notice that he condemns white supremacy when he's first asked to do so. Oddly, both Biden and Wallace ignore him and continue saying "do it". Clearly, this confuses Trump, seeing as how he already answered the original question. He assumes that they must want him to be more specific, so he asks to be given the name of a group, and it is Biden who brings up the "Proud Boys". That's when Trump told them to stand back (not up) and stand by. The interesting thing is that the Proud Boys aren't even a white supremacist group, and Trump didn't even actually know about the group before the debate. He was simply giving a dumb response to an absolutely stupid line of questioning.
My guess is that you don't really know who the Proud Boys are either, and in misquoting the president - in regards to something as serious as white supremacy - you're either lying or you just weren't listening to the debate as much as you listen to the narrative.
Consider this: When people (especially the media) falsely claim that the president is activating white supremacists, it isn't actually him who is doing so. It is the people (especially the media), and it is you, who are doing so.
BTW, while everyone was busy trying to pin racism and white supremacy on Trump, Biden completely denied the existence of Antifa, and acted like no violence is coming from the left, without even being challenged on it, even though the majority of recent violence has been coming from the left. I'm telling you, it's all about the narratives.
Anyways, I would agree that our options aren't great, but let's be real about what's right in front of us.

~Jimmy

Lora

9/30/2020 03:24:23 pm

I'm for Jesus. Thanks for sharing.

Mark Kinnard

9/30/2020 04:48:49 pm

I’m for Jesus, I trust that who ever is elected has a tough job with corona virus still not being daunted, I would not wish this job on anyone, and if you think for a moment you cannot get corona virus, I would bet 50% of the people who have succumb to it said not me. And then gone!
Pray people life is not ours to take for granted it’s a gift of love from our God who is the one and only who controls our life, we are because of him.
So pray, and pray, and pray some more and when your done say the Lord’s Prayer. Then thank God for you!

RK link

9/30/2020 06:09:06 pm

Nice sentiments... as I pondered the portion of the debacle I saw last night today I couldn’t help but to stop and just pray for our country. The erosion of decency and the tenets of democracy over the past 4 years has been simply shocking. As other countries have written of our demise .. I very much believe bending our knees before the Lord will be our saving grace. Not the alignment to a political party that has hijacked & perverted Christ’s message but true repentance and humbling ourselves before Him. .. my 2 cents

Becca Misuraca

9/30/2020 09:29:24 pm

yes yes yes. Fully agree and have also been moved to prayer. Praying that we may be lucky enough to have a leader for the US who supports love, respect and decency. Either way, a steady reminder how much we all need our Lords grace, love and protection.

10/5/2020 09:28:38 am

In seeing these comments, especially the lengthy one that goes into details about what the person views as Biden's and Wallace's inappropriateness, I realize that each of us seeing the same reality differently. I did not mean for my comments to come off as biased or indicating that I support one Candidate or the other. Neither Candidate fully represents all that the Bible tells us that we should stand up for as believers. Joe Biden takes a position on abortion that many call "abortion extremism." His running mate's track record is even worse. In virtually every other way, I (and many others) view him as a man of personal character. On the other hand, Donald Trump represents the Bible in his anti-abortion views & support for religious liberties. Because of his policies, I :"get" why so many support him and are voting for him. On the other hand, I (and many others) see much lack of personal character. We Christians face a tough voting choice. There are deep, genuine reasons that people support Donald Trump. There are deep, genuine reasons people support Joe Biden. And there are deep, genuine reasons people vote for or write in Third Party Candidates. Prayers for both Candidates & both Parties. No matter whom we vote for, and support, let's have unity. God's will be done no matter who becomes our President and takes office on January 20, 2021! Jesus is in charge no matter what!

Lindee

10/6/2020 01:36:23 pm

I appreciate you trying to understand the other side of the debate. However, I would like to remind you that when Jesus chose his disciples they were not what people of that day would call “men of personal character”. Instead of focusing on the person, I think it is dire for our country to educated themselves on what President Trump has accomplished for our country and what Joe Biden and his side would like for America. One is trying to save our freedoms (freedoms and opportunities not available in any other country) and one is trying to eliminate things that would make it very easy for the government to control where you go and what you do (persecution is very real in other countries that have fallen victim to these “third party” ideas). So I pray for you and all of God’s children to open our eyes and hearts to see not just a person, but what impact that person can have on this amazing country, a country that was founded In God.

10/7/2020 08:48:31 am

We are supposed to be the Church of Jesus Christ NOT the Church of any political candidate. The Church is NOT a Republican or Democratic operation. I'm done with commenting on this thread. Prayers!

The Power of Language

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