Who Is Igniting Your Words?
PPT1 Series Title slide
Today we are beginning a new series on words, we will be discussing their impact, influence, propriety, effects and power. In today's message we will be asking the question of who is igniting your words? And challenge us to, like the Toby Mac song, "speak life."
We begin with a very familiar scripture from the book of James:
PPT 2, text and pic
James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.
That text lays out for all of us the danger that lurks in our mouths. Here in contrast is an example of how our tongues can be used for blessing:
PPT 3 text
Acts 2:3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
So I ask again, "who is igniting your words?" Our words can be energized of heaven and they can be energized of hell, unfortunately even for the best among men we fall prey to the dark side, and let our baser instincts guide our tongues to places it should never go.
Words energized by God will always produce great blessing.
PPT 4 Pic (Of tongues of fire on believers on the day of Pentecost)
That is a picture of the fire we want behind our words. God let my words be energized by you! Let me speak by the impulse and prompting of the Holy Spirit. Let my words bring life!
Unfortunately that is not always the case. Today's message is a simple one, "watch your tongue." Because the truth is that all of us sometimes speak with a forked tongue. James has something to say about that also.
PPT 5 text
James 3:7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race.
James 3:8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
James 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;
James 3:10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.
There exists in the Christian fold at this present hour, people whom I would call the, "word police." According to them you are never to confess or speak forth anything that doesn't line up with their idea of faith. I sympathize with that view, but don't take it anywhere to the extreme they do. (For example according to them you can't ever say, "I have a cold" or "I have cancer." Or any other statement that "confesses," you have a sickness. Because then you are owning the sickness. To me that kind of view is close to the heresy that is Christian science. In the book of James we are told that if we are sick we are to call for the elders of the church and have them pray. How can you do that if you are not allowed to admit you are sick? That is just one example of the folly of the word police. I say all that to point out the so called, "negative confession", of James in the passage we just cited: James 3:8 "No one can tame the tongue..." The word police would not be allowed to agree with James because it is in their opinion a negative confession. I think there is a place for being careful about the things you say, but that should never take you to a place where you contradict the word of God.
I will be quite honest, I don't like that James says no man can tame the tongue, it leaves us in a quandary and if you will forgive a little tongue in cheek, it leaves us with a bad taste in our mouth. Yet the situation is not hopeless as it may seem on the surface. I remember reading a sermon by Spurgeon where he was commenting on this verse:
PPT 6 text
Jeremiah 13:23 "Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.
Like James it seems to leave us in a bad place, here is what Spurgeon brilliantly said in response. "Can the leopard change his spots? No, but can the leopard's spots be changed? That is quite a different question, and by the grace and power of God they can be changed.
I would like to illustrate how people who usually say the kindest of words, will in the course of their lifetime say some really bad things also. I want you to listen to the some words from a group I enjoyed listening to as a teenager, and I still enjoy listening to. Sly and the Family Stone. The song is, "Everyday People," and it is about how people of all groups, races, and cultures need to get along. It is important for you to know that this group was racially integrated in the 70's (a rarity then) and had both men and women in it.
PPT 7 video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrBOfP8lTSM lyrics at the end for those without access, also a youtube link)
I really enjoyed the message of the song, people need to accept and love each other no matter what our differences.
They had another song, that I liked also, but it had a message in it that was quite the opposite of everyday people. The song is called, "Dance to the Music."
Here is the lyric in question with a few others for context:
All we need is a drummer
For people who only need a beat
I'm gonna add a little guitar
And make it easy to move your feet
I'm gonna add some bottom
So that the dancers just won't hide
You might like to hear my organ
I said ride Sally ride
If I could hear the horns blow
Cynthia on the throne, yeah!
Cynthia and Jerry got a message that's sayin'
All the squares, go home!
I remember being a teenager and thinking that's right, all you squares get lost. So out of one side of the mouth they were saying all groups need to get together, but on the other side they were saying, all the square people, the conservatives, the straight laced, the short haired people, you don't jive with us so get lost.
We got to live together, all squares go home, that is the hypocrisy of modern and ancient times. We have both bitter and sweet water coming from the same fountain, and it ought not to be so.
Question: to whom did Jesus say, "get thee behind me satan..." For something he had just said? Peter.
Question: to whom did Jesus say, "flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven," and then added, "upon this rock, I will build my church." Peter. The living epitome of a believer who spoke both blessing and cursing, speaking of which, isn't that exactly what he did on the night Jesus was arrested, he cursed! and swore that he didn't know Jesus! He was an apostle, as such he reminds us and warns us that anyone can let their tongues get away with them.
Jesus can see through lip service, and indicted the Jewish nation for it's hypocrisy while at the same time trying to make it not simply a rebuke but to express the cry of His heart:
PPT 8 text
Matthew 15:8 THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
Words are important but they are meaningless if your heart is not really in them. Jesus didn't simply want the Jews to say the right things, He wanted them in a close heart relationship.
So words can came from two main sources of inspiration, one source will encourage, one will tear down.
I came across a powerful picture that visualizes bad speech and I want to show it to you that it might be remembered, and helpful as a key to watch our words.
PPT 9 pic (Fist coming out of a man's mouth and punching a woman, google image search: "fist out of mouth")
How many have experienced what that picture is illustrating in their life? How many have been the one punching with words? The effect of words can live in a person's spirit for a very long time. The only way to overcome the hurt and pain of words is to forgive the person who said them, or they will remain attached and locked into your spirit. God wants to free some people here today of the wounds caused by words, and God wants to tell the rest of us, not to wound people with our words.
Our words can be filled with love, joy, happiness and blessing or they can be filled with sarcasm, unbelief, all kinds of negativity, and even hate.
Words can curse and words can bless. Words can encourage and bring life. Words can discourage and bring death.
The words that you hear linger with you.
Biting, stinging, hurtful words we speak to our wife, husband, or children as they leave the house in the morning can rob them all through the day.
Loving and tender words of encouragement can linger too, and keep them encouraged all through the day and bring them to victory.
Words can make us buy stuff we don't need.
Words can separate people for a lifetime.
Words can help someone keep going who would otherwise quit and throw in the towel.
Words can move someone to suicide, or keep someone from suicide. Who is igniting your words?
Words can lead someone to Christ. Faith comes by hearing...
Words can overthrow the faith of some
PPT 10 text
2 Timothy 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2 Timothy 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2 Timothy 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Words can bring life.
I close with Toby Mac speak life
PPT 11 video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rK6O0YtBRY)
He sends out sayings on a regular basis, but not to impress us with witty true sayings, but to remind us to speak life.
Close: Have you punched anyone in the face with your words? Have you punched anyone's silhouette with your words. (Spoke behind their back.) God help us to speak life. Forgive me for being energized and set on fire by hell, help me to be set on fire by heaven.
Lyrics link for everyday people: https://genius.com/Sly-and-the-family-stone-everyday-people-lyrics
Lyrics link for speak life: https://genius.com/Tobymac-speak-life-lyrics
