Pastor’s Bible Class Thomas Road Baptist Church
What Makes You Do the Things You Do? Dr. Elmer Towns
Lesson 4: What makes you say the things you say? October 14, 2007
A. INTRODUCTION
1. For your destiny, change your heart, and your words will change.
2. For your character, change your words, and your heart will change.
The Five Most Five Powerful Words
- I love you.
- You are forgiven.
- I pronounce you husband and wife.
- You are hired.
- Yes.
B. THE INFLUENCE OF WORDS
1. “How forceful are right words” (Job 6:25). As forceful as life.
2. Your words determine your future. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:37).
The Five Most Awful Words
- Later. “Felix trembled . . . go thy way . . . when I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25).
- Guilty. “I never knew you: depart from Me” (Matt. 7:23).
- Condemned. “Thou art the man” (II Sam 12:7).
- Rejection. “Crucify Him.”
- Hell. “Shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10).
3. 800,000 words in the English language, 300,000 are technical. We select from 500,000 and use about 5,000 each day. How do you use them?
4. God could have created the universe many different ways, but He used words, “Then God said” (Gen. 1:3).
5. How did God connect with us? “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God . . . and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).
6. Our problem is our heart, but is reflected in our words. “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, and blasphemies. These are [the things] which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man” (Matt. 15:18-20).
“We all think we know best and we act like teachers, telling others what to do and pointing out their faults. But we who are believers should know better, therefore our punishment will be greater for our faults. If anyone can control his tongue, it proves he is a mature person, because he can control his entire life” (James 3:1-9, ELT).
Three Illustrations: a bit, a rudder, a spark
We control a large horse by putting a small bit in his mouth, and we make him go wherever we want him to go. We control a huge ship with a tiny rudder and we make it go wherever we want it to go, even when the winds are strong. A small spark can start a large forest fire and it will do enormous damage. The tongue is a small flame, but it’s full of wickedness and its flame comes from hell that sets on fire the whole body. It can destroy lives with a blazing fire . . . no human can control their tongue; it’s always looking to destroy its owner and others. Sometimes it praises our heavenly father, and sometimes it curses others.
7. Only Christ can control our tongues.
C. FOUR WRONG CONCEPTIONS
1. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT I WANT. Woman told Churchill, “If I were your wife, I would poison your drink.” He replied, “If I were your husband, I would drink it!”
- Brutalized by honesty. You’re not just under the U.S. laws; you are under the laws of God’s kingdom.
- No shock-jock.
- “I will guard my ways lest I sin with my tongue” (Ps. 39:1).
- “These six [things] the Lord hates, yes, seven [are] an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness [who] speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19).
2. HEY, I WAS JUST KIDDING!
- Trying to get off the hook when they say something mean, or they see they have hurt someone.
- “Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, [is] the man [who] deceives his neighbor, And says, ‘I was only joking!’” (Prov. 26:18-19, ELT).
3. WHEN PEOPLE FORGET WHAT I’VE SAID, IT’S OVER.
- Words are like cookies, they’re never erased.
- “By your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:37).
4. IT’S ONLY A WHITE LIE
- Diogenes searched Athens with a lantern, looking for one honest man.
- Don’t have to tell children to lie.
- Why do children lie; (a) parents, (b) habit,(c) sin nature.
THE ANSWER
1. We are saved by words/scripture (Heb. 4:12).
2. Words build up people. “To all who mourn in Israel, He will give beauty for ashes, a spirit of joy instead of heaviness, praise instead of despair” (Is. 61:3, ELT). “Then shall every man have praise of God” (I Cor. 4:5).
3. Give others joy instead of mean words (gossip, complaints, curses, criticism, scold, belittle, insult, put down).
4. The golden rule (?). “Say unto others, what you would have them say unto you.”
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
To receive this lesson, log on to www.elmertowns.com. You will find it under Sunday School lessons. To email Dr. Towns, eltowns@liberty.edu. For more information on the class, log on to the Internet for TRBC Home page at www.trbc.org/pbc.
