Power Of Words

POWER OF WORDS!

MT 12:31-37

JAMES 3:10

INTRODUCTION: STORY OF A PASTOR WHO WAS BUILDING A TRELLIS FOR HIS ROSES. YOUNG BOY WATCHING “JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT A PREACHER SAYS WHEN HE HITS HIS THUMB WITH A HAMMER.

A). WHETHER A PREACHER, OR NOT, WHETHER SOMEONE IS

AROUND OR NOT, WHAT WE SAY CAN AND DOES MATTER.

B). WE MAY EVEN FIND OURSELVES LOOKING AROUND TO SEE

IF SOMEONE HEARD US, KNOW THAT IF NO ONE ELSE DID,

GOD DID AND IT MATTERS TO HIM.

C). IF IT MATTERS TO GOD, IT BETTER MATTER TO US.

D). I KNOW WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE VULGAR LANGUAGE

AND VULGARITY ARE COMMON IN MOVIES, TV AND PUBLIC.

E). SOME CHRISTIANS DO NOT EVEN HESITATE TO USE THEM

FREELY AS IF NO BIG DEAL.

F). BUT THE 3RD COMMANDMENT IS STILL IN TACT; “YOU

SHALL NOT USE THE NAME OF THE LORD IN VAIN”

1). JAMES 3:2-12 – THE MIGHTY TONGUE (METONYMY = WORD)

A). MT 12: SAYS WE WILL BE JUDGED BY OUR WORDS. JAMES

3 SAYS OUR WORDS CAN GUIDE US.

B). 1941; GERMAN BATTLESHIP NAMED BISMARK. SPENT 4

YEARS BUILDING IT. ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR 9 DAYS

BEFORE A SMALL TORPEDO STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF THE

SHIP AND DAMAGED THE RUDDER. PILOTS UNSURE IF ANY

DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. WITH THE RUDDER DAMAGED IT

WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER OR ESCAPE.

C). OUR TONGUE/WORDS CAN GUIDE US TO GOD’S BLESSINGS

OR KEEP US FROM HIS BLESSINGS.

D). OUR WORDS CAN HURT OTHERS OR HELP OTHERS.

E). TONIGHT LOOK AT HOW WORDS CAN HURT OR DAMAGE.

2). THE POWER TO HURT:

A). EVIL WORDS (GREEK) SAPROS – ROTTEN, PUTRID,

CORRUPT.

B). WORDS THAT SPOIL RELATIONSHIPS, POISON OTHERS

INFLUENCE, CORRUPTS CHARACTER.

C). JAMES “CURSES SHOULD NOT COME FROM THE SAME

TONGUE THAT PRAISES”

D). PAUL “LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE FULL OF GRACE,

SEASONED WITH SALT SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW HOW TO

ANSWER EVERYONE”

E). LOOK AT HOW THE TONGUE HAS THE POWER TO HURT.

1). THE WORDS WE SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER: JAMES 3:2

A). PARENTS POISON THEIR CHILDREN’S

POTENTIAL “TELLING EVERYDAY THEIR STUPID, GOOD

FOR NOTHING”

B). WHATEVER STANDARD YOU SET, THEY WILL LIVE UP TO IT.

C). CONSTANTLY TELL SOMEONE THAT WON’T WORK, THEY

MAY BEGIN TO BELIEVE YOU

D). MAY HAVE BEST OF INTENTIONS, WORDS CAN STILL HURT.

E). HARSH, NEGATIVE, OFFENSIVE WORDS ABOUT SOMEONE OR

THEIR FAMILY. WOULD THAT NOT HURT US? WHY DO WE

THINK IT’S OKAY TO EXPRESS THIS TO OTHERS .

2). THE WORDS WE SPEAK ABOUT ONE ANOTHER:

A). THE MOST COMMON FORM OF EVIL WORDS; GOSSIP.

B). WHEN WE SOIL SOMEONE’S REPUTATION OR WORTH.

C). WHEN WE TELL STORIES THAT ATTRACT ATTENTION TO

SOMEONE ELSE’S FAILURES OR WEAKNESSES.

D). KAREN CARPENTER (SINGER DIED @32) – EARLY DEATH

BROUGHT ON BY AN EATING DISORDER. STARTED WHEN A

REVIEWER CALLED HER “RICHARDS CHUBBY SISTER”

E). “STICKS AND STONES CAN BREAK YOUR BONES, BUT WORDS

CAN NEVER HURT ME”

F). THIS IS A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL.

G). LIE’S, UNSUBSTANTIATED STORIES, EVEN PROVEN TRUTHS

IF SPREAD CAN BE HURTFUL.

H). WE ARE USING WORDS THAT DO NOT BELONG ON A

CHRISTIANS LIPS.