Did Jesus die on the cross for Gossipers? You know who I'm talking about. Gossipers are those people who love to tell stories and share secrets. They love to make sure that everyone is well informed. They love to be the bearer of news, be it good or bad, but usually news that will ruin a reputation. Gossipers love to hide their own secrets by covering them up in the faults of others. Gossipers love to reveal the failures of others so that everyone doesn't notice their own shortcomings and sins. Yes, Gossipers fill every church. The sin of Gossip is just as wicked as unbelief, adultery, murder, and a host of other sins that we hold to be unforgivable. Yes, Gossip, even if the content is 100% true, is never told in keeping with the 8th Commandment. No one ever tells a rumor in order to build their neighbor up and defend their reputation. What does the 8th Commandment say, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way." Yes, we are called only to share those stories that put the best construction on our neighbor, rather than seeking every opportunity to hear rumors and tell tales that bring them down. 

May the Holy Spirit grant us faith to recognize this law and repent because of our gossipy lips that have sunken fleets. May the Holy Spirit grant us faith not to despair, but to take heart in our Lord Jesus who took our unclean lips and made satisfaction on the cross for us so that He may now use His lips to be our advocate and defender before His Father and our Father in heaven. 

Remember Hebrews 7:25 which says, "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." Yes, on the cross, Jesus took your unclean lips and every gossipy tale that has flowed from them and claimed them as His own. Yes, He took every time you've told a secret you weren't supposed to, and every time you participated in hearing a rumor that you should have put an stop to. Yes, Jesus took all of these and made them His own, meaning the Law saw Him as the culprit, the Gossiper. Yes, the Law found Jesus to be the only one who ever told a lie, spread a rumor, and nurtured the grapevine. Yes Jesus was found as the liar, and what did He do? Did He defend Himself and say, "No, it was them. They did it. They told the lie. They destroyed the reputations. They continued the rumor without any thought to what it would do to all who heard it." No, Jesus did not pass the buck, but kept His mouth shut and took the blame for every gossipers rumor spreading. Yes, Jesus took the blame for everyone who has every told a rumor, heard a lie, or allowed a neighbor's reputation to be mud. Yes, Jesus is that Lamb who went uncomplaining forth to the cross, and when accused, opened not His mouth, but took the blame and paid the debt we owe for our gossip. Yes, Jesus purchased salvation for us there, that here in time we may be forgiven for all our lies, gossip, and destruction. 

Yes, Jesus kept His mouth shut on the cross, so that He may now open His mouth before His Father in heaven, not to accuse us, but to advocate for our forgiveness and place in heaven. Yes, Jesus pleads our case before His Father and our Father saying, "I paid for it all. There is nothing they have now that is not forgiven by Me." Yes, their unclean lips are cleansed in the forgiveness of their sins. Yes, they are pure and holy, spotless and clean. Yes, their lips are pure, and those lips eat and drink the pure Body and Blood of Jesus. Yes, our lips are cleansed and our hearts purified because of our Lord Jesus. He opens His mouth now, through the mouth of the Pastor, not to condemn you, but to absolve you and create in you a clean heart that seeks only to tell The Story of Jesus' love and forgiveness. 

Let us take heart that Jesus does not gossip about us, but is in heaven building us up before our heavenly Father. Yes, He bids His Father look to His cross, rather than to our failures.  Yes, Jesus is there preaching our forgiveness and justification night and day. He preaches it to you while here on earth in the means of grace, declaring you forgiven no matter how many times you fall. 

Peace be with you. May the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam be drowned anew so that you may hear only the peaceful voice of your Savior Jesus who says, "I love you. I forgive you. I claim you as My own forever," Amen,

Jesus' Sheepdog