Transcript Words Do Matter - Cross Creek Community Church

‘Words Do Matter’, part 4
James 3 & Selected
Pastor Dave Martin, Cross Creek Community Church, July 27, 2014
Words Do Matter
Matthew 12:36-37 36 But I tell you that men will
have to give account on the day of judgment for
every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by
your words you will be acquitted, and by your
words you will be condemned."
I. The mouth speaks the
content of the heart
Mt 15:18-19 But the things that come out of the
mouth come from the heart, and these make a
man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil
thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality,
theft, false testimony, slander
I. The mouth speaks the
content of the heart
Mt 12:34b “… For out of the overflow of the
heart the mouth speaks.”
Eph 4:29-32 29 Do not let any unwholesome
talk come out of your mouths, but only what
is helpful for building others up according to
their needs, that it may benefit those who
listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of
God, with whom you were sealed for the day
of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness,
rage and anger, brawling and slander, along
with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving
each other, just as in Christ God forgave
you.
Offenses Happen…
• Bitterness – we feel the hurt
Eph 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Offenses Happen…
• Bitterness – we feel the hurt
• Rage – smolder & burn inside
Eph 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Offenses Happen…
• Bitterness – we feel the hurt
• Rage – smolder & burn inside
• Anger – moves to the outside
Eph 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Offenses Happen…
•
•
•
•
Bitterness – we feel the hurt
Rage – smolder & burn inside
Anger – moves to the outside
Brawling – speak hash and loud
Eph 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Offenses Happen…
•
•
•
•
•
Bitterness – we feel the hurt
Rage – smolder & burn inside
Anger – moves to the outside
Brawling – speak hash and loud
Slander – use of destructive words
Eph 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Offenses Happen…
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bitterness – we feel the hurt
Rage – smolder & burn inside
Anger – moves to the outside
Brawling – speak hash and loud
Slander – use of destructive words
Malice – desire to hurt
Eph 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Psalms 64:3 3 They sharpen
their tongues like swords
and aim their words like
deadly arrows.
 The Tongue is Powerful –
Change your Heart
James 3:1-5 1 Not many of you should
presume to be teachers, my brothers,
because you know that we who teach will be
judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in
many ways. If anyone is never at fault in
what he says, he is a perfect man, able to
keep his whole body in check. 3 When we
put bits into the mouths of horses to make
them obey us, we can turn the whole
animal…
 The Tongue is Powerful –
Change your Heart
James 3:1-5 … 4 Or take ships as an
example. Although they are so large and are
driven by strong winds, they are steered by
a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants
to go. 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of
the body, but it makes great boasts.
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by
a small spark.
 The Tongue is Perverse –
Guard your Words
James 3:6-8 6 The tongue also is a fire, a
world of evil among the parts of the body. It
corrupts the whole person, sets the whole
course of his life on fire, and is itself set on
fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds,
reptiles and creatures of the sea are being
tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but
no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless
evil, full of deadly poison.
 The Tongue is Polluted –
Model your Consistency
James 3:9-12 9 With the tongue we praise
our Lord and Father, and with it we curse
men, who have been made in God's
likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come
praise and cursing. My brothers, this should
not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt
water flow from the same spring? 12 My
brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a
grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt
spring produce fresh water.
II. Right Heart = Right Thoughts,
Right Talk, Right Lifestyle
Romans 10:9-10 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. 10 For it is with your
heart that you believe and are justified, and
it is with your mouth that you confess and
are saved.
Fruit that reveals your inner character
and condition of your soul
 A Wise Man is a Humble Man
James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding
among you? Let him show it by his good life,
by deeds done in the humility that comes
from wisdom.
 A Wise Man is a Gracious Man
James 3:14-16 14 But if you harbor bitter
envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do
not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such
"wisdom" does not come down from heaven
but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For
where you have envy and selfish ambition,
there you find disorder and every evil
practice.
 A Wise Man is a Peaceable Man
James 3:17 17 But the wisdom that comes
from heaven is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy
and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
III. Be planting seeds of peace:
Reap a harvest of righteousness
James 3:18 Peacemakers who sow in
peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Words Do Matter!