Will you pray with me as we come to God's word?
Father, we know that we don't live off bread alone,
but we live off every word that comes from your mouth.
I pray, Lord, that you would be speaking to us today,
and I pray that you'd be transforming our mouths
so that we might better reflect you
and better at being a source of your life to others around us.
So I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Well, think back on the last week.
Were you in a situation where your words had the potential
to do damage to a relationship?
Or the potential to do a lot of good?
To relationship.
Not a week goes by where we're not in a situation
where we have to choose our words carefully, don't we?
We can do a lot of damage or a lot of good.
I don't think I've got to convince you of that.
But it's complex, isn't it?
Do you find it hard, choosing the right words?
You say things accidentally sometimes
or quite intentionally other times.
It can be quite complex, choosing the right words.
By nature, I know I'm up front now,
but by nature I'm on the quieter end personality spectrum.
But I've been learning recently that even silence communicates.
It's so complex.
You think, just be silent and you can get through life.
You can't.
Even silence communicates.
It's complex.
Choosing words, when to speak, when to be silent.
The Bible is a very simple but profound explanation
for why our words are so central to our life.
It's because God is a speaking God.
He guides and instructs us.
He reassures and comforts us.
He warns and rebukes us.
He makes promises and covenants.
We encounter the living, relational God by his words to us.
And when God speaks, he brings forth life.
We see in Genesis 1, creating this marvellous world by his words.
We see it in his promises to us, like John 3, 16.
Whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life.
That word, if we believe it, gives us eternal life.
God's words are a fountain of life.
Our words matter because we are made in the likeness of this speaking God.
Our words are meant to be a fountain of life.
See, I don't think I've got to convince you of the power of words.
We've all experienced it.
If we've stopped and thought about words that have damaged us,
we could all think of some very quickly.
But I wonder if we take full responsibility for our words.
Like, have you ever been on the receiving end of a harsh comment,
quickly followed by, oh, just joking?
Really? Are you just joking?
Or when you've lost control of your tongue and your words cut the person closest to you,
and later you try and make it right,
I'm just tired and stressed.
I didn't mean that.
I don't think those excuses cut it.
I don't think they cut it because those words came from somewhere.
Where did they come from?
Why did you say that?
You said it for a reason.
Now, sometimes we accidentally pick the wrong words
and we need to clarify what we mean.
It's very good to clarify what we mean.
I'm not talking about that.
But where do the words come from?
Do we take responsibility for them?
It's not like it's like Scrabble,
where we've got these tiles of words
and the wise person just picks the right ones.
They don't just come to us by chance.
And our words don't come to us by our circumstances.
I think we love blaming others.
I snapped at you only because you're frustrating me.
I yelled because you're not listening to me.
You're just blaming the circumstance.
Blaming others has been the excuse since the first human beings
and God sees right through it.
So where do our words come from?
Where's the source?
Who or what's responsible?
Jesus tells us in Luke 6.45.
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good
and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil.
For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
My true inner self, the place of my desires and decisions,
wells up and my mouth just lets it fly,
either for good or evil.
I must take responsibility for every word I speak.
We all must take responsibility for our words.
And the goodness or evil of our words depends on the treasure in our heart.
So how do we navigate this complex life where we need to speak
but our words have the power to do good or a lot of damage?
Well, the Lord's given us Proverbs, God's applied wisdom, very specific.
How do you live wisely in God's world?
Before we jump in and treat these Proverbs as a self-help, quick fix,
moralisms to get us through life,
we've got to remember the first nine chapters of Proverbs.
We've got to remember the context of this coming to us.
The nine chapters implore us, choose the path of life.
Don't choose the path of death.
Embrace woman wisdom.
Don't be seduced by lady folly.
It's the choice between fearing the Lord
or giving yourself to some created thing, living for idols.
So Bo took us through last week with how we relate to family.
We can see wisdom or folly in how we relate to family.
Today we see wisdom or folly on our lips,
fearing the Lord or loving idols.
And I think the two lines in these Proverbs,
they're opposites,
where there's clearly a right choice and clearly a wrong choice.
I think in this section there's opposites put together.
I think that helps us see the choice before us,
choosing wisdom or folly.
Will we be wise or a fool,
righteous or wicked,
fear the Lord or love idols?
In every conversation,
we're expressing one or the other.
Proverbs doesn't give us a middle ground.
So let's take a look.
What do your words say about the condition of your heart?
Let's just reflect on a few of these Proverbs this morning.
The theme of words is just massive, isn't it?
The Bible has a lot to say on it.
We're just going to look at a few things.
Let's have a look at verse 11.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Some people are like walking, drinking fountains.
You encounter them and you go away feeling impacted for the better.
Words, they give you words that sympathise with your pain.
They calm your fears.
They correct your misunderstanding.
Words that give direction when you just don't know what to do.
Words that warn you when you're choosing something that's going to destroy you.
Words that express deep relational connection and commitment to you.
Words that advocate for you when you're vulnerable.
Words that bring your needs before the throne of grace.
Some people are just a fountain of life.
You come into contact with them and you receive life through their words.
Do you remember who has helped you understand the grace of God in Jesus?
Their words to you.
Our words have the power to give life, even eternal life.
Obviously through God's words.
But we can be a fountain of life.
I was shocked a little by the description of our words doing violence.
I got into fisticuffs when I was in grade 9.
I don't think I won.
That's not really the point, is it?
I don't consider myself a violent person.
But what about my tongue?
It may not be obvious, like swearing at people or threatening or blatant lies,
but it can be concealed.
It can be hidden.
Words that on face value seem fine,
but they're hiding knives that want to cut to that person's soul.
If I take an honest look at myself,
I have to admit that I have been violent.
And often.
I want to focus on a particular way we do violence,
even within the church.
Jerry Bridges puts this among the group he calls acceptable sins.
We accept it, even endorse it.
Listen to the damage done in Proverbs 16, 28.
A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
A whisperer separates close friends.
Even the closest of relationships,
with years of trust built up,
can be separated by gossip.
So are you a gossip?
I really don't want that label to sit on me.
I doubt you want that label either.
So I'm just going to rephrase the question.
Do you consistently speak to the person you ought to be speaking to,
and no one else?
Are you careful with confidential information?
If you're critical of what someone else is doing,
do you talk to that person,
and don't talk to anyone else,
try and protect their reputation,
or do you share your critical opinion with others?
When you're in conflict with a person,
do you try and rally other people to your side
to sympathise with you,
and in so doing,
you poison the reputation of your enemy
in the minds of your allies?
Do you consistently speak to the person you ought to be speaking to,
and no one else?
If not,
whatever socially acceptable packaging you put on it,
we're doing violence.
Gossip is like a cancer in the body of the local church.
The antidote I found most helpful,
personally,
is to regularly bring to mind Ephesians 4.29,
at least the gist of it.
I don't know it off by heart,
but the gist of it I bring to mind all the time.
I need to.
It says this,
So,
is your mouth a fountain of life?
People are impacted for the better every time they encounter you,
or is it doing violence?
Another way our mouths can be a fountain of life or do violence
is by what we praise.
Now, in a sense,
I'm just bringing this in because today is focused on praise,
and singing in particular,
but in another sense,
it's really close to the heart of being renewed in Christ,
in Colossians 3.
So, to be renewed in the image of our Creator,
to no longer lie to one another,
but speak the truth,
is what we've heard right out.
This is the instruction of how we can do that.
Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly,
teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,
singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
God commands us to praise him.
Have you noticed that people love talking about
what they're passionate about?
You can be in a conversation,
and it is dead boring.
It's just really hard to get anywhere in the conversation,
and then you land on a topic
that the person is actually interested,
and boom, you're off and racing,
and you can't shut the person up then.
Have you ever been in that kind of situation?
People love...
We just talk about what we enjoy.
It's very natural, isn't it?
I'm indebted to C.S. Lewis
for understanding why we praise,
why we just can't help talk about
what we're passionate about.
I'm going to share four of his observations,
which I think are true.
So first he says this,
I think it's true.
Praise is just everywhere.
It's just...
It's like we're made for it or something.
Obviously we are.
We all praise what we enjoy.
We just can't help it.
It's very human to do that.
His second observation is
praise doesn't just express our enjoyment.
It completes our enjoyment.
So he gives the example...
So he believes that it's not out of...
This is his words.
It is not out of compliment
that lovers keep on telling one another
how beautiful they are.
The delight is incomplete
till it is expressed.
I think that seems to fit.
Seems to make sense.
Praise completes the enjoyment.
His third observation is
implication when it comes to God.
So for God to command us to praise him
isn't because he's just craving our praise
as if he needs it,
as if he needs compliments.
He's not insecure.
What he's doing is
he's inviting us,
come and enjoy me.
Come and complete your enjoyment
in praising me.
He deserves our praise.
He doesn't need it,
but he deserves it.
And he's inviting us,
come and enjoy me.
The last observation
is that when we praise something,
we are implicitly urging others
to join us
in delighting in whatever it is
we're passionate about.
We're implicitly saying,
isn't she lovely?
Wasn't it glorious?
Don't you think
that magnificent?
When we praise stuff,
when we're passionate about things,
we're inviting others
to delight in that same thing.
So,
what can you not help
but speak about?
What topics do you love?
Now,
I'm not suggesting,
I'm not implying here
that we should only ever praise God.
God has made a marvelously
diverse world
and very different personalities
to enjoy different aspects of it.
I'm not saying
just exclusive praise of God,
but surely
we should want to praise
the most valuable thing
in existence.
So,
let me get specific.
Are you passionate
about the Bible?
Are you just obsessed
with it?
It's God speaking to us,
revealing his heart to us.
Are you obsessed
with the Bible?
And if you don't yet know
the completion of enjoyment
in singing,
you might not feel musical.
I was there once.
I really urge you
to just take steps
to learn to.
And let's face it,
our singing now is,
how to put it,
our motives are mixed,
our quality is mixed.
I'll quote C.S. Lewis here
in the sense that,
or he makes some comment about,
really we're just tuning
our instruments,
getting ready for heaven.
It's not like our singing today
is perfect,
but we're getting ready
for that endless praise
when Christ returns.
What we praise
with our lips matters,
either urging others
to delight in God
or else our silence
and lack of interest in God
is really communicating
to others,
knowing God,
yeah,
he's okay,
I suppose.
when we sing together,
we're completing
our enjoyment of God together
and we're urging one another
and any unbelievers
who are listening in,
look at Jesus,
isn't he lovely?
Isn't he glorious?
Don't you think
he's magnificent?
So singing is really crucial
part of our meetings,
which I think we lost
during COVID,
didn't we?
Alright,
so if we praise
what we enjoy
and life or violence
comes out of the abundance
in our heart,
then we might presume
that this is all
pretty mechanical
and transparent,
that the literal words
on our lips
automatically show
what's in our heart.
They do show
what's in our heart,
but it may not be
immediately obvious.
This is where we come
to verses 9 and 10.
Whoever walks
in integrity
walks securely,
but he who makes
his ways crooked
will be found out.
Whoever winks
the eye
causes trouble
and a babbling fool
will come to ruin.
Words can either
have integrity
or be deceptive.
Have a listen to,
I found Tim Keller's
description of integrity
really interesting
and exposing,
so have a listen
to what he says
and see where you fit
with this.
Integrity means
being one and whole,
not marked
by duplicity.
People of integrity
are not one way
in one setting
and completely
different in another.
Are you a churchgoer
on Sunday
but ruthless
in business
during the week?
Do you say
conservative-sounding
things to traditional
people but liberal-sounding
things to younger adults?
Do you present yourself
as one kind of person
online but live
as a very different
person in real life?
The wise
and upright
are driven
by integrity,
consistency
of character.
They have one
real self
and it is not
hidden.
It is on display
in every setting,
in every role.
With them,
what you see
is what you get.
I found that
really helpful.
can your words
consistently
be taken
at face value?
I think
if you're like me,
I think most people
have learnt
how to play
the crowd.
Like a teenager
telling their parents
only the bits
of what they got up to
with their friends
so that they don't
get in trouble
and so that they can
go out with their
friends next time.
Excuse me.
Still there.
Or a business
person exaggerating
the quality
or the timing
of a job
so that they
make a sale.
Playing to the crowd.
A spouse
who says
whatever they need
to just to get
the outcome
they want.
Or someone
who presents
only one side
of the argument
to win over
supporters.
I reckon
we're pretty good
at reading people
and knowing
what they want
to hear
and playing
to the crowd.
I think
if you stop
and think
about what
we're actually
doing when we
play to the crowd
is we're
manipulating others.
It's a form
of doing violence
using people
for our own
advantage.
And the Lord
tells us here
it is only those
who have integrity
who walk
securely
while playing
to the crowd
will be found
out.
I've found
in the short
term
that sometimes
it's really
risky
speaking with
integrity.
It can cost
you in the
short term.
So how can
being deceptive
be found
out and come
to ruin?
What happens
when a loved
one discovers
your deception?
Trust is lost
so easily
isn't it?
Or if
you're playing
to the crowd
to be accepted
in the group
you can never
be sure
if you're
actually accepted
because
are they
accepting you
or just the
image you're
presenting?
I think we
can be found
out in these
ways but
much more
than this
we can be
found out
by the
Lord
and he
says he
will find
each person
out in the
end.
He's warned
us in
Matthew 12
36
Jesus says
I tell you
on the
day of
judgment
people will
give account
for every
careless word
they speak
for by your
words you
will be
justified
and by your
words you
will be
condemned.
It's the
person of
integrity
who is
secure in
the Lord.
so do
you take
your words
seriously?
Is your
mouth a
fountain of
life?
Do you
want to
build up
others
rather than
doing
violence?
Do you
want to
praise the
Lord rather
than urging
others to
praise idols?
Do you
want to
say words
that can
be trusted
at face
value or
are you
just deceiving
people to
manipulate
them?
Have you
noticed the
painful thing
about taking
your words
seriously?
I can get
through a day
feeling like a
pretty righteous
person if I
just look at
my deeds
some days at
least but if
you take your
words seriously
believing that
the words come
from the heart
you start to
see the
violence
you start to
see the praise
of idols
you see the
playing to
the crowd
and suddenly
the idols of
the heart
just become
so much
more obvious
and more
often.
I want to
give you an
illustration of
this in my
own life
even within
a church
setting
of how our
heart produces
words that
either come
from the
treasure of
Christ in
our heart
or the
treasure of
idols.
So at a
youth group
leaders meeting
a few years
ago now
I was leading
the meeting
and we were
trying to
plan what
would be
teaching the
youth in
the coming
term.
So a very
honourable
good reason
to be meeting
and talking
the whole
purpose was
to help the
youth come
to know
Christ better.
together.
Now I put
forward a
thought through
plan for
what we
should be
teaching and
members of
the team
weren't quite
so confident
in the plan
and they gave
an alternative
but in that
moment I felt
threatened,
personally
threatened.
I felt
undermined
and
unappreciated
and the
frustration
came up.
Now I
could have
welcomed the
new idea
and the
combined wisdom
of the team.
I could have
given a gentle
response that
unified the
team to help
us then come to
the best outcome
for the sake of
the youth.
In that
moment my
heart had a
choice of what
to cherish.
was I going
to cherish
Christ for
the sake of
the youth
and my
fellow leaders
or was I
going to try
and keep
control?
Was I
going to try
and keep
the authority,
protect my
authority,
try and shut
down this
threat?
And sadly
in this case
the tension
in the room
just built.
It was quite
an unproductive
meeting because
I had idols
driving me.
Our words
are always
expressing the
treasure of
Christ or the
treasure of
something else
we just have
to have.
So how do
we fix our
words?
More self
control can
minimise the
damage.
Proverbs 17
28 is helpful
here.
Even fools
are thought
wise if
they keep
silent and
discerning if
they hold
their tongues.
So putting a
plug in it
will slow
down the
damage but
what will
fix the
spring?
What will
get deep in
our hearts
and make
our hearts
wise so
that our
lips are
wise?
wise words
require a
wise heart.
whether you're
wise or not
really comes
down
fundamentally
to this
do you
listen?
Are you
teachable
or are you
a babbling
fool?
When I
tried to
picture a
babbling
fool I
first thought
of the
folk who
walked down
Beaumont
Street just
yelling to
themselves not
really making
any sense but
then I
thought that's
not quite
right.
A fool in
Proverbs is
anyone who
doesn't fear
the Lord.
Anyone who
fails to
acknowledge Jesus
Christ denying
their creator
who see no
problem with
their sin
who despise
God's
salvation
who have
no fear
of facing
God in
judgment
I don't
care how
knowledgeable
and intelligent
and respectable
impressive
that person
is that
person is a
fool.
They just
listen to
themselves
they're
babbling
too much
to stop
and listen
to God.
even quiet
people can
be babbling
fools only
ever listening
to themselves
but the
wise in
heart
listen
they make
a priority
of receiving
first before
speaking.
Now
relationally I
think this
obviously looks
like understanding
what someone is
saying before
responding but
I think it's
more than
that because
we've got the
word commandments
here that
points us to
God's words
to us.
The wise in
heart listen
to the Lord
they depend
on the
life giving
words of
God to
renew them
from the
inside out
the wise in
heart look
to God's
wisdom in
Jesus Christ
marveling at
the only man
who committed
no sin
Peter says
this about
him he
committed no
sin neither
was deceit
found in
his mouth
that is only
true of one
man
the wise in
heart listen
to the person
who went to
the cross
not just to
pay for our
deeds
but to die
for our
violent
careless
words
who paid
for them
the wise in
heart look
to Jesus
and think
where else
have I to
go when
you alone
have the
words of
eternal
life
the wise
of heart
continually
sit and
drink from
the life
giving fountain
of God's
words to
us in
Jesus
and then
our hearts
become wise
our hearts
become renewed
so to
finish up
as you look
to the week
ahead
what will
others see
in your
heart through
your words
will your
words
will your
mouth be a
fountain of
life
you