15 days into a brand new year.
How are you coming with your New Year's resolutions?
You know, I know a lot of people don't make them.
I rarely ever hear anyone talk about their New Year's resolutions,
but evidently many people do make them.
The Nielsen organization, the one that measures TV viewing,
they did a survey a couple of years ago,
and they came out, as you see on the screen,
with a top 10 New Year's resolution list in 2015.
Only 16% of the people, if you look down, do not make resolutions.
As you look at that list, what's missing?
Two things are not on that list that really do surprise me.
First, there's no mention of God on there.
I mean, there's no mention of God, of spirituality, of religion.
And that was a poll taken among Americans,
where we profess to believe in God.
Many still profess to be Christians.
But out of the top 10 New Year's resolutions,
drawing closer to God was not on there.
Learning more about how to please Him,
how to live like a Christian was not on there.
The other thing that was not on the list that surprises me,
there was nothing there about controlling your tongue.
The other thing on there about watching your words.
Don't you get into more trouble with your words than anything else?
I mean, I do.
And I know you do, too.
If you don't think you do,
you're in bigger trouble than you think.
Because people who know you would say,
yes, he, she does say things they ought not say sometimes.
Young people, you think about it.
How many times have you gotten in trouble at home or school
because of something you said or the way you said it?
Wouldn't that be the reason why you get in trouble more times than not?
It always was when I was growing up.
Adults.
How many conflicts have you had recently over something you said
or was said to you,
either in person, in an email, or on social media?
You know, if you keep up with the news,
just about every week,
you read where an athlete, entertainer, business person, or politician
has gotten into trouble over the words they spoke, tweeted, or posted.
It's just happening all the time.
We know words have power.
Words have tremendous power.
They can help.
They can hurt.
That's why the book of Proverbs has so much to say about our speech.
Chuck Swindoll does a good job of pointing out
the wealth of teaching about our words in Proverbs.
Look at it.
He says,
Solomon had a lot to say about what we say.
In fact,
the terms tongue, mouth, lips, and words
occur almost 150 times in Proverbs.
On average,
a reference to speech
appears five times in each of the 31 chapters.
Seems to me any subject mentioned that often
calls for extended attention
in our examination of the book of Proverbs.
He's right, isn't he?
If God filled this great book of wisdom
with so much
about our speech,
we need to pay close attention.
We need to look closely
at what he says.
So I would like to do this
for the next two or three weeks.
And I want to begin today by looking at
why we need to be serious about our speech.
And the first thing I want you to notice
is the power of our words
as seen in Proverbs chapter 18.
Our words are powerful.
We know that.
But look at how they're described here
in this one verse,
Proverbs 18, 21.
Death and life
are in the power of the tongue.
And those who love it
will eat its fruits.
The first part of this verse
is simple to understand.
The tongue,
which is a reference to our speech,
our words.
It has the power of life and death,
literally
and figuratively.
The second part is not as straightforward,
but we can figure it out.
Look at it.
Those who love it.
That's referring to the tongue.
He's just been talking about
the power of the tongue
and those who love it.
The tongue will eat its fruits.
The idea is
those who love to talk
or listen to themselves talk
will eventually taste the fruit of their lips.
Eventually,
we will experience the consequences
of our speech.
This is a warning.
We need to be careful.
We need to be very careful
with our tongue
because it is a powerful weapon.
And it can do
lasting damage.
Many of us,
we've got powerful handguns
and rifles
in our homes.
You may like to hunt with yours.
You may like to target practice.
You may like to just have it.
Just to look at.
But regardless,
when you handle that weapon,
you are very, very careful.
You don't play with it.
It's not a toy.
You handle it carefully
and responsibly.
Well, all of us,
we've got a powerful tongue
that can do more than
kill the body.
I want you to think
about the power of the tongue,
the power of our speech,
the power of your words.
With your words,
with your words,
you can kill someone's reputation
just like that.
With your words,
you can kill the closeness
of your family.
Your relationships
can be hurt.
They can be crippled.
With your words,
you can kill the trust
of a friend.
You know,
just think about it.
Through the choice
of your words,
you could destroy
the fellowship
of this church
this week.
You could destroy
the morale
of the place
where you work
or on your team
if you're playing a sport.
God's word
is warning us
and we're going to look
at several of these warnings
over the course
of the next couple of weeks.
But God's word
is warning us here
we need to be careful.
Our speech,
our words
have the power
to destroy,
to destroy people,
to destroy relationships,
to destroy community.
just like we need,
just like we do know
how to handle
our guns carefully,
we need to learn
to handle our words
carefully.
But words don't just
have destructive power.
That's not all
that's said here
in this verse,
is it?
On the positive side,
words also have
life-giving power.
power.
Our words
can
encourage.
Our words
can inspire.
Our words
can lift
someone up
in such a way
as to change
the course
of their life.
It may be
that you
have experienced
that yourself.
That what
a parent
or a grandparent
or a teacher
or coach
or some friend
said to you.
Just let you know
they cared,
they noticed,
that they saw
potential in you.
They encouraged you
and it made a difference
in your life.
Think about this.
Our words
can always
communicate
love
in any situation.
They can
communicate
our love,
our care.
our concern.
Have you ever
thought about
why our words
are so powerful?
You really can't
argue with it.
You really can't
argue with the fact
that words
are so powerful.
Why?
Well,
having the ability
to communicate
with words
is one of the ways
we're like God.
Think about it.
Our words,
our being able
to speak
as we do,
identifies us
as human beings
created in God's image.
You know,
Genesis 1
tells us
that God
created this world
by speaking
it into existence.
If you turn
to Genesis 1
and just read
through the account
of creation,
every act
of creation
begins
with this phrase,
and God said,
God spoke
the world
into creation.
Well,
as His image
bearers,
He has entrusted
to us
the power
of speech.
and we can be
like Him
in that we can
use words
in just a great
and positive
and helpful way.
We can create
trust.
We can build
relationships.
But we're not
always like God
this way,
are we?
And when we're not,
when we don't want
to be like God,
we can use our words
to destroy trust,
to break
relationships.
And you know
what I'm talking about.
You've experienced
that to some degree,
I'm sure.
There's another reason
why our words
are so powerful.
They can penetrate
into a person's
heart
and soul.
I want you to look
at one more proverb
this morning.
It's chapter 12,
verse 18.
He writes,
There is one
whose rash words
are like
sword thrusts.
There is one
whose rash words
are like
thrusting a sword
into someone.
But the tongue
of the wise
brings healing.
Some words
are spoken
like a sword
thrusting
into a person.
Some words
are spoken
with the intention
of penetrating
all the way
to a person's
heart,
to a person's
spirit,
and causing
real pain.
You know,
you think about it.
We call such words
cutting words.
We cut someone
or we've been cut
down by someone.
some of those
cutting words
are sometimes
spoken
rashly,
impulsively.
Sometimes we
just don't think.
Sometimes such words
are unfiltered.
And we just
don't,
you know,
we just don't
really think
about what
we've done.
But the person
on the receiving end,
they can't stop
thinking about
them
because those
words,
our words,
cut to their
heart.
They created
a painful
wound.
They may have
left a permanent
scar.
You know,
this brings to
mind,
thinking like this,
brings to mind
that most
untrue statement
ever told a child.
You know
where I'm going.
Sticks and stones
may break my bones,
but words
will never harm me.
Sticks and stones
can break bones,
but bones usually
heal in six weeks,
don't they?
You get over it.
Words can
break
a child's heart,
crush
a child's
spirit,
and it takes
a whole lot longer
than six weeks
for that heart
and spirit
to heal
if it ever
does.
I could have
some teachers
in this room
to stand up
right now
and tell us
stories about
children in
their classroom,
children they
teach,
whose heart
has been
pierced,
their spirit
has been
crushed,
and they
haven't gotten
over it.
it's seen
in the way
that they
look,
in the way
that they
interact with
their peers,
in the way
that they just
live life
every day.
Words
can penetrate
a person's
heart
and do
damage
that just
can't ever
be healed
except by
the grace
of God.
You know,
you've heard
the saying,
time heals
all wounds.
Well,
it doesn't.
Time heals
some things.
Time makes
a lot of
things better.
Time does
not heal
all
wounds,
including
wounds
that come
about as
a result
of someone's
words.
Now,
words can
penetrate the
heart and
spirit in a
good way.
look at the
second part
of that
proverb.
But the
tongue of
the wise
brings
healing.
The right
kind of
words can
bring
healing
to some
broken
relationships.
The right
kind of
words can
offer hope
in some
hopeless
situations.
If you
watch the
Clemson
Tiger
National
Championship
celebration
yesterday in
Death Valley
or were
there in
person,
you heard
several young
men tell
of the
impact that
a special
coach,
family member,
or teammate
has made
on them.
And one
of the ways
that these
young men
were helped
by that
special person
was through
that person's
words.
Words of
encouragement.
Words of
affirmation.
Words of
correction
sometimes.
times.
And one
thing that
impressed me
is those
big,
strong
men
spoke
about
words of
love
that came
from a
coach
or a
parent
or a
teammate.
Words
make a
difference.
They can
destroy a
life.
but they
can also
heal.
They can
also build
up.
The book
of Proverbs
goes to
great lengths
to make it
clear that
our words
matter.
Your words
matter.
My words
matter.
Words have
the power of
life and death.
The word of
God says.
That's why we
need to learn
to be careful
with our
speech.
We need to
learn to
watch our
words.
But there's
one other
thing I want
to point out
this morning
in this
first message
about words
that we
need to
hear and
think about.
This is
something that
every commentator
I read
pointed to.
I'm going to
call this the
revealing nature
of our
words.
All of us
have problems
with our
words.
If you
don't think
you do,
you really
are deceived.
All of us
have problems
with our
words.
The book
of James
says that
no human
being can
tame
their tongue.
Do you
know why?
The problem
with our
speech is
not really
a tongue
problem.
It's a
heart
problem.
And Jesus
pointed this
out in no
uncertain terms.
This is
what we need
to see
about the
revealing nature
of our
words.
Look at it.
One verse,
Luke 6,
45.
Jesus said
this,
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.
Look at
Chuck Swindoll's
comments on
that.
He says,
Just as a
bucket draws
water from
a well,
so the tongue
dips down
and draws up
whatever fills
the heart.
If the
source is
clean,
that is
what the
tongue
communicates.
If it is
contaminated,
again,
the tongue
will expose
it.
Hear what
Jesus says.
Our words
are a
reflection
of the
condition of
our heart.
If your
words are
filthy,
it's because
your heart's
filthy.
If your
words are
deceptive,
it's because
your heart
is deceptive.
But if
your words
are true
and wise,
that indicates
that your
heart is
true and
wise.
So let's
just look
at ourselves
now.
What do
your words,
don't think
about somebody
else,
what do
your words
reveal about
the condition
of your
heart?
do they
reveal that
Jesus Christ
is at work?
Now that
doesn't mean
that you've
got a
perfect heart
that produces
just perfect
speech,
but it
will mean
that your
heart and
words have
the Spirit
of God
acting as
a filter.
Think about
it.
In the life
of every
Christian,
the Spirit
of God,
the Spirit
of Christ,
the Holy
Spirit.
All three
names are
found in
Scripture
to describe
the Holy
Spirit.
He is the
Spirit of
God.
He's the
Spirit of
Christ.
He's at
work in
the life
of every
Christian,
and it's
the Spirit
of God
who actually
causes us
to desire,
to be able
to develop,
and then to
demonstrate
Christ-like
character.
See,
the fruit of
the Spirit,
the Scripture
says in
Galatians 5,
is love,
and joy,
and peace,
and patience,
and kindness,
and goodness,
and faithfulness,
and gentleness,
and self-control.
That's the
character of
Jesus.
There is a
struggle in
everyone,
every Christian's
life.
There's a
struggle about
this,
over this,
because we
all have sinful
desires within
us,
and there's
sinful temptations
all around us.
When we give
in to those
sinful desires
and temptations,
the Holy Spirit
will convict us
of our sin.
He will
inflict guilt
on us.
The Spirit
of God
will not
allow a
true child
of God
to be at
peace with
themselves
or with
God.
When there
is sin
in our
lives
and we
refuse to
confess it,
turn from it,
and seek
God's forgiveness.
I want to ask
you,
is the Holy Spirit
convicting you
of anything
right now?
Not just your
words,
attitudes,
some things
you're involved
in that you
shouldn't be.
I want you
to hear this.
If you're a
Christian,
and the Spirit
of God
is convicting
you about
some particular
sin in your
life,
He is not
going to
let up
until you
give up
and come back
to the Lord.
Now you need
to be thankful
for that
because that
is a sign
that you're
a Christian.
If the Spirit
of God
does not
live within
you,
if He
does not
convict you
of sin,
if He
does not
cause you
to desire
Christ-like
character,
if that is
absent,
you have no
reason to
think that
you are a
child of
God.
But if there
is that
struggle,
there is that
conviction,
it's a sign
that you're
a child of
God and
you can rest
assured God
will never
give up on
His children.
God loves
us enough
to discipline
us.
And God
will do
whatever it
takes to
bring us
back to
Himself.
If we're
His,
if we're
hard-headed,
if we won't
confess our
sins,
God will
make our
lives
miserable
He won't
let us
alone.
And His
purpose is
to get us
to wake
up,
confess our
sin,
turn from
it,
seek His
forgiveness,
and be
restored to
a right
relationship
with Him
and have
good fellowship
with Him.
Let me
ask you,
do your
words reveal
that your
heart
has been
changed by
the Lord,
is being
changed by
the Lord?
Does
your,
do your
words reveal
that your
heart is
the heart
of a
Christian?
Secondly,
do your
words reveal
that your
heart has
never been
changed,
that it's
just cold,
there's some
indifference?
it doesn't
bother you,
the words
that you
say.
I want you
to think
about this.
If your
words are
mostly selfish,
hateful,
worldly,
deceptive,
and hurtful
of others,
that's an
indication that
you've got a
sinful,
unchanged
heart.
And I want
you to wake
up to that.
You know,
every one of
us who are
Christians,
there are
times when
we do
speak selfishly,
hatefully,
there's times
when we do
hurt other
people.
But that's
not the
normal pattern
of our
lives.
That's not
just who
we are,
because the
Spirit of
God won't
let us be.
But if
that's who
you are,
your greatest
need is not
to clean up
your speech.
Your greatest
need is to
be changed
by God,
to let Him
clean up
your heart,
and that'll
clean up your
speech.
But the only
way that's
going to
happen is
if you will
humbly and
wholeheartedly
ask God to
save you,
and change
you this
way.
And if that's
your desire,
right now,
confess your
sin.
Ask God to
help you to
truly turn
from it.
Express to
God your
sorrow for
the way that
you have
lived and
dishonored and
displeased
Him.
Trust that
when Jesus
died on the
cross, He
actually paid
the penalty
for your
sins.
He took
your punishment.
Call upon
Him to save
you now.
Surrender
control of
your life
to Him.
He's the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
God cares
about the
way we use
our words
because they're
a gift from
Him, and
they are so
powerful.
That's why we
need to care
about our
words as
well.
We need to
care about
our words
because Jesus
said that our
words will be
a part of the
criteria for
judgment,
judgment at
the end of
our lives.
And I
want to
conclude,
this is it,
with these
most sobering
words of
Jesus about
our words.
Look at it,
Matthew 12.
Jesus said,
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.
Let's pray
together.
Father,
Father, help
us all this
morning to see
the seriousness
of our
speech.
Father, help
us to see
the power of
our words.
Father, help
us to admit
that our
words are
normal
speech is
an indication
of what's
in our
heart.
Show us,
Father, how we
should respond
to you now.
Father, so
work to
call people in
this room who
are not
Christians to
faith in
Jesus now.
We pray.
Father, call
Christians who
have become
indifferent,
uncooperative
to your
indwelling
spirit.
And it
comes, it's
come out in
their words.
Help them to
see it's more
than the speech
problem, it's a
heart problem.
Help that man
or woman or
young person
your God, right
now, to
confess their
sin, to
humble themselves
before you
and toward
anyone they
have wronged.
Help them to
seek your
forgiveness.
Help them to
seek that other
person's
forgiveness.
Dear God, do
heart work
in all of our
lives, not
just this
moment, but
every day.
So that our
speech will
do more
building up
than tearing
down.
And in an
attitude of
prayer, you
listen to the
Lord, you
respond to
Him, do
what He's
telling you to
do.
If I could
pray with you
about this,
help you in
any way, I'll
be here at the
front.
What's important
is you listen to
the Lord and
respond to Him.