Speaking The Truth In Love Series

"Speaking the Truth in Love"

Introduction:

Today we are continuing our series “Truth or Trash: What’s Coming Out of Your Mouth?”

Your words can shape destinies—or they can destroy them.

We talk about Jesus being Lord, but here’s the question:

Is He Lord over your whole life, or just the areas you’re comfortable surrendering?

So if Jesus is truly Lord over your life, He must also be Lord over your lips!

What we say should reflect the transformation that has happened inside of us.

But far too often, there’s a disconnect.

A person who comes to church, sings, lifts their hands in worship, shouts “Amen!”—but then walks out and slanders, gossips, or curses— is a person that is not just speaking out of both sides of their mouth, but they are living a contradiction!"

Your tongue is telling on you. It’s revealing what’s really in your heart.

A few weeks ago I preached on “Taming the Tongue”

We looked at James 3, where the Bible says the tongue is like a tiny spark that can set an entire forest ablaze.

Today we are talking about “Speaking the Truth in Love”

Have you ever had someone tell you the truth, but it felt like a slap in the face?

Or maybe someone sugarcoated something so much that you never really got the truth at all?

Both extremes are dangerous.

But God calls us to something greater.

He calls us to speak the truth—in love.

Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, gives us the right balance in Ephesians 4, Paul is talking about walking in a manner that is worthy of their calling.

Being unified, and growing in maturity as the body of Christ.

Then in verse 15, Paul gives us a crucial key to this:

Ephesians 4:15 NLT

15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

This is where the right balance comes in.

Paul is saying that truth and love are not opposites—they go hand in hand.

If we only speak truth but lack love, we wound people.

If we only show love but never tell the truth, we leave people in darkness.

Not just truth. Not just love. But both!

You see, some of us have the truth, but we don’t know how to deliver it.

We think being blunt is the same as being bold— It’s not.

Some of us have love, but we’re so timid, we’re afraid to speak up.

Jesus was the perfect example of this— He confronted sin, but He did it with compassion.

He corrected people, but always with an invitation to grace.

So, if we’re called to speak the truth in love, how do we do it?

It starts with our posture.

Before we ever open our mouths, we have to check our hearts.

Love is the posture—truth is the power.

Truth without love is like swinging a sword in the dark—you might be right, but you’re leaving a trail of wounded people behind.

But when love leads the way— it cleanses, it restores, it sets people free!

1. Love is the Posture—Truth is the Power

1. Truth without love wounds, but truth with love heals.

a. You see, truth without love is dangerous.

b. It doesn’t just hurt—it cuts deep, it scars, and it destroys.

c. But when truth is wrapped in love, Now that’s different, it becomes a healing agent.

d. It’s the difference between a butcher and a surgeon.

i. A butcher cuts with no concern for what’s left behind—just separating bone from meat.

1. No care. No precision. No healing.

ii. But a surgeon? A surgeon wields a blade too, but every cut has a purpose.

1. Every incision is made with skill, designed to heal, not to harm.

iii. So let me ask you—when it comes to your words, are you cutting like a butcher?

iv. Or are you speaking like a surgeon?”

e. Too many people today are swinging truth like a butcher’s cleaver—just hacking away.

i. Chopping people down.

ii. Tearing them apart.

iii. Leaving them wounded, bleeding, and with no hope of restoration.

f. We need to be like Jesus… He was a Master Surgeon.

i. He never dodged the truth, but He knew how to wield it.

ii. He knew when to speak, how to speak, and most importantly, why to speak.

iii. And if we’re going to follow Him, we better learn this also.

g. John 1:14 says

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

a. Jesus wasn’t just full of truth—He was full of grace and truth.