"Building Relationships With Our Words"
Pastor Matt. September 18, 2005
Week 1: We need to become friends with sinners so we can lead them to Jesus.
Week 2: We need to serve others so they can experience
the love of God and bring them to Jesus.
Words are how we
communicate as seen in the following ways:
Words are how we come to believe.
Romans 10:14-15. 14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of
whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless
they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
Our words are used to confess our faith in Jesus.
Romans 10:9. That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead, you will be saved
We love and we hate with words.
1 John 3:15. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal
life in him.
Proverbs 12:6. (NLT)
The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save
lives.
Words have the power of life and death in them.
Proverbs 16:24. (NLT)
Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Proverbs 10:11. (NLT) The words of the godly lead to life; evil people
cover up their harmful intentions.
Proverbs 15:4. (NLT) Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful
tongue crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 18:4. (NLT) A
person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.
Words can bring us blessings or trouble
Proverbs 13:2. (NLT) Good people enjoy the positive results of their words, but those
who are treacherous crave violence.
Proverbs 16:27. (NLT) Scoundrels hunt for scandal; their words are
a destructive blaze.
Proverbs 17:20. (NLT) The crooked heart will not prosper; the twisted tongue tumbles into
trouble.
Proverbs 18:20. (NLT) Words satisfy the soul as food satisfies the stomach; the right
words on a person’s lips bring satisfaction.
Proverbs 18:21. (NLT) Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the
tongue can kill or nourish life.
Words spoken remain
forever in the minds of those who hear.
Words cut to the
heart, damage or heal.
We don’t have
a choice to not speak. Words are the line we draw, the direction we go.
Life is often determined
by what we say and how we say it.
James
3:1-12.
Based on the above,
we can assume we need to take our words seriously.
10. as Christians, we need to
learn to control our tongue.
Question: How can we control the tongue? How is
a person to change the tongue?
Answer: We must change what is on the inside
Matthew 12:34-37
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Our mouths are outward evidence of what is going on inside us.
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Our mouths do not condemn us but what is on the inside (as evidenced by
the outside) is what condemns us.
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We are judged by the beliefs and intentions of our hearts which is evidenced
by our words
o There is a little bit of truth in everything we say
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Our tongue gives us away for who we really are.
Matthew 23:25-26.
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We must clean the inside of the cup if the outside is to be clean.
Question: How do we change what is on the inside?
Answer: We need to replace our words with the Words of
Life.
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Psalm 119:1-16
o By putting the Word in our heart
o By meditating on it
o By obeying it
Some practical Biblical suggestions for proper use of the tongue
I. If you can’t say something good don’t say
anything at all
Proverbs 10:32.
The godly speak words that are helpful, but the wicked speak only what is corrupt.
II. Think before you speak
Proverbs 13:3. Those
who control their tongue will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything.
Proverbs15:1 A gentle
answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.
Proverbs 16:1 We
can gather our thoughts, but the Lord gives the right answer.
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Seek God’s advice before you answer
Proverbs 17: 28 Even fools are thought to be wise
when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
III. Don’t say something in private you would not
say in public
Proverbs 25:
23 As surely as a wind from the north brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!
IV. Don’t judge others
Luke 6:37 commands
us not to judge others.
What do I mean by
not judging others?
See them as Jesus
sees them
See the good in
everybody
Don’t assume
Don’t try
to read the other person’s mind. You cant possibly know for sure what they
are thinking
You never know what
that person has been through. There could be a reason they are acting the way
they are.
Always remember
that everyone is either a child of God (therefore a brother or sister) or they are in need of a savior (and therefore every
word counts)
V. Always share the Good News
The good news
of Jesus is the best news of all. Everything about what Jesus did on the cross……
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forgave us our sins
……
and what He continues to do for us is good news.
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heaven
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hope
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joy
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blessings
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comfort
