Sermon Central
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Power Of Words
Contributed by Scott Gipson on Feb 20, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: STICKS AND STONES CAN HURT MY BONES, AND WORDS ARE JUST AS HURTFUL
POWER OF WORDS!
MT 12:31-37
INTRODUCTION: STORY OF A PASTOR WHO WAS BUILDING A TRELLIS FOR HIS ROSES. YOUNG BOY WATCHING “JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT A PREACHER SAYS WHEN HE HITS HIS THUMB WITH A HAMMER.
A). WHETHER A PREACHER, OR NOT, WHETHER SOMEONE IS
AROUND OR NOT, WHAT WE SAY CAN AND DOES MATTER.
B). WE MAY EVEN FIND OURSELVES LOOKING AROUND TO SEE
IF SOMEONE HEARD US, KNOW THAT IF NO ONE ELSE DID,
GOD DID AND IT MATTERS TO HIM.
C). IF IT MATTERS TO GOD, IT BETTER MATTER TO US.
D). I KNOW WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE VULGAR LANGUAGE
AND VULGARITY ARE COMMON IN MOVIES, TV AND PUBLIC.
E). SOME CHRISTIANS DO NOT EVEN HESITATE TO USE THEM
FREELY AS IF NO BIG DEAL.
F). BUT THE 3RD COMMANDMENT IS STILL IN TACT; “YOU
SHALL NOT USE THE NAME OF THE LORD IN VAIN”
1). JAMES 3:2-12 – THE MIGHTY TONGUE (METONYMY = WORD)
A). MT 12: SAYS WE WILL BE JUDGED BY OUR WORDS. JAMES
3 SAYS OUR WORDS CAN GUIDE US.
B). 1941; GERMAN BATTLESHIP NAMED BISMARK. SPENT 4
YEARS BUILDING IT. ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR 9 DAYS
BEFORE A SMALL TORPEDO STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF THE
SHIP AND DAMAGED THE RUDDER. PILOTS UNSURE IF ANY
DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. WITH THE RUDDER DAMAGED IT
WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER OR ESCAPE.
C). OUR TONGUE/WORDS CAN GUIDE US TO GOD’S BLESSINGS
OR KEEP US FROM HIS BLESSINGS.
D). OUR WORDS CAN HURT OTHERS OR HELP OTHERS.
E). TONIGHT LOOK AT HOW WORDS CAN HURT OR DAMAGE.
2). THE POWER TO HURT:
A). EVIL WORDS (GREEK) SAPROS – ROTTEN, PUTRID,
CORRUPT.
B). WORDS THAT SPOIL RELATIONSHIPS, POISON OTHERS
INFLUENCE, CORRUPTS CHARACTER.
C). JAMES “CURSES SHOULD NOT COME FROM THE SAME
TONGUE THAT PRAISES”
D). PAUL “LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE FULL OF GRACE,
SEASONED WITH SALT SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW HOW TO
ANSWER EVERYONE”
E). LOOK AT HOW THE TONGUE HAS THE POWER TO HURT.
1). THE WORDS WE SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER: JAMES 3:2
A). PARENTS POISON THEIR CHILDREN’S
POTENTIAL “TELLING EVERYDAY THEIR STUPID, GOOD
FOR NOTHING”
B). WHATEVER STANDARD YOU SET, THEY WILL LIVE UP TO IT.
C). CONSTANTLY TELL SOMEONE THAT WON’T WORK, THEY
MAY BEGIN TO BELIEVE YOU
D). MAY HAVE BEST OF INTENTIONS, WORDS CAN STILL HURT.
E). HARSH, NEGATIVE, OFFENSIVE WORDS ABOUT SOMEONE OR
THEIR FAMILY. WOULD THAT NOT HURT US? WHY DO WE
THINK IT’S OKAY TO EXPRESS THIS TO OTHERS .
2). THE WORDS WE SPEAK ABOUT ONE ANOTHER:
A). THE MOST COMMON FORM OF EVIL WORDS; GOSSIP.
B). WHEN WE SOIL SOMEONE’S REPUTATION OR WORTH.
C). WHEN WE TELL STORIES THAT ATTRACT ATTENTION TO
SOMEONE ELSE’S FAILURES OR WEAKNESSES.
D). KAREN CARPENTER (SINGER DIED @32) – EARLY DEATH
BROUGHT ON BY AN EATING DISORDER. STARTED WHEN A
REVIEWER CALLED HER “RICHARDS CHUBBY SISTER”
E). “STICKS AND STONES CAN BREAK YOUR BONES, BUT WORDS
CAN NEVER HURT ME”
F). THIS IS A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL.
G). LIE’S, UNSUBSTANTIATED STORIES, EVEN PROVEN TRUTHS
IF SPREAD CAN BE HURTFUL.
H). WE ARE USING WORDS THAT DO NOT BELONG ON A
CHRISTIANS LIPS.
