Our Words Mean So Much
James 3:1-12 (quotes taken from the NKJV unless noted)
“You Choose the Words Sunday”
[Note: The congregation submitted five words of which I picked out three to use in the sermon. The words in between the ****’s are the sermon. The rest is what was given on the handout so people could follow along.]
Wakelee Church ~ October 31, 2004
Theme: We need to choose our words carefully so that God’s message may be heard in spite of the messenger.
Introduction – Computers and Telephone Calls
Every instance can be an opportunity to prove how
much we care by our choice of words.
___ greed ___ thankful ___ time will tell
___ together
****
Illus. – computer going down – originally called repairman about computer – ended up talking about his father’s death - the greed of his father’s insurance, how thankful he was to be together with his father at
his bedside before he passed away.
Time will tell about the computer, but that became less important as the choice of words needed to change in order to match the situation. Every instance can be an opportunity to prove how much we care by our choice of words.
****
I – Our Chosen Words are Powerful (verses 3-6)
“The tongue is a small organ, but it can control and
influence major events in life.”
___ children ___ sandbox ___ marbles
___ praise ___ serve ___ love
___ undying love ___ concern ___ encourage
___ good morning ___ how are you ___ caring
___ forgiving ___ gently ___ guiding
****
And I don’t believe that many of us recognize how powerful our words are. Our scripture talks about bits that control the horse, the rudder that turns the ships, and the small fire that may eventually consume us, as examples.
One only needs to have children near you to understand this concept. With a four and five-and-a-half year old living in the house, I’ve had to learn the hard way that if I’m forgiving, if I show undying love, if I am gently guiding and caring, then that is what will be repeated in the sandbox or when they’re playing marbles.
Unfortunately, though the other stuff is repeated as well. If you want to realize how you’re coming across as a parent, just watch your kids when they don’t know you’re watching. Our chosen words are powerful.
In fact, they are so powerful, that they can show our praise, they can lead us to serve, and cause us to love. We can show our concern through our words, while we take the time to encourage another.
As I’ve said before, far beyond the “Good Morning” and “How are You” greetings we use without even thinking, our chosen words can do more than just fill up air space. In fact, they can heal and they can hurt, causing rebellion, and double-mindedness.
****
II – Our Chosen Words may be Rebellious and Double-
Minded (verses 7-12)
“No once can tame the rebellious nature of the tongue especially when the same tongue is uses to both bless God and to insult God at the same time.”
___hypocrite ___ integrity ___ principles
___ authority ___ responsibility
___ faithful ___ company
****
Illus. – two older ladies at Pizza Hut – We had just finished raking leaves here at the church, when we decided to head over to Dowagiac. I was in jeans, a white t-shirt and my heavy green plaid shirt - both had Christian bumper stickers on their car, both were gossiping through their whole conversation.
Part of me wanted, so desperately, as a person of pastoral authority to confront these two chatter boxes and have them admit their responsibility. That would have been difficult, though. I really didn’t look the pastor type.
But, in any case, it got me to thinking. When I speak, am I talking about the company I’m speaking to or am I gossiping? When I speak, am I cognicient that what I am saying, do the words I choose take away from whom I claim to be in Christ?
If we want to be a person who stands on their principles, if we want to be a person who is know for their integrity, if we want to be faithful, then we need to stop acting like a hypocrite when it comes to the choice of our words.
James said that “no one can tame the tongue.” In fact, he goes on to say past the verses read this morning that it is through God’s wisdom and his wisdom alone, that this ability comes to control this little part in our body.
Without such control, the rebellious and double-minded nature of the tongue can literally take over especially when we using that organ to bless God today and insult God’s creation tomorrow.
****
III. – Our Chosen Words may be Toxic and have no place
in the body of Christ. (verses 1-2)
“Those who misuse their words in hurting others stand in need of God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness. Those who use their words wisely find perfection.”
___ sarcastic ___ bitter ___ cynical
___ confrontational ___ change ___ seed time
___ harvest ___ acknowledge ___ repent
___ grace ___ mercy ___ forgiveness
___ chickens ___ pigs ___ cows
****
This is especially true when we’re speaking about the Body of Christ, the Church.
At times the church and the people within it, by their choice of words, have come across as being sarcastic, bitter, cynical, and confrontational, when we’re supposed to be spreading the need of acknowledgement of our faults, the need to repent for those faults, in order to allow God’s grace and mercy, and forgiveness to flow through us. What we plant is often what we receive.
Farmers know this. During the Spring, during the seed time, seeds are put into the soil under the most opportune of conditions (at least they hope.) And when that seed grows to become that corn stalk or bean plant, eventually, when the time is right, it’s harvest time, and those crops come out of the fields.
So goes it with our choice of words. Every time we drop a few words here and there we planting seeds. And eventually we will harvest what we sow.
James tell us that unlike the chickens, pigs, and cows that are easily trained, our tongues are not so trainable. In fact in the second verse he says it loud and clear, “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man…”
Illus. – Firehouse – toxicity was spreading like wildfire – people unwilling to forgive one another – people unwilling to check their tongue before opening their mouths – people unwilling to choose their words more carefully.
But then the winds of change, began to blow. And the toxic speech is now being replaced with either silence, which is not always a bad thing, or with more thoughtful words.
And there are people in our churches who are no better than the firefighters. They make toxic comments that hurt people’s feelings. They have toxic personalities that drive people away. And they have a toxic view of God that no living being can live up to. That, too, has to change.
Those who misuse their words in hurting others stand in the need of God’s forgiveness. Those who turn to God and begin to use their words more wisely, find themselves moving closer to perfection.
****
IV. – Our Chosen Words Are Called to a Higher Purpose
“Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessing, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust, joyful community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.” (James 3:17-18, The Message Translation)
___ wisdom ___ joyful ___ forgetting
___humbleness ___friendliness ___ blessed
****
And when we move closer to perfection we begin to realize that our chosen words are called to a higher purpose.
In your handout, you’ll find a quote from The Message Translation’s version of James 3:17-18. Hear how they heard God’s chosen words…[read quote above]
You see…it’s all about wisdom. We become blessed, we become joyful, we develop community, when we strive for humbleness and friendliness, forgetting the two-faced, hot one day cold the next, attitudes for the gentle and reasonable choosing of words that are overflowing with mercy and blessing.
Our chosen words are called to a higher purpose.
****
V – Conclusion - Recruitment
defn: the range between the volume you are most comfortable hearing vs. the highest volume you are the most uncomfortable.
“Our chosen words must be loud enough to be heard comfortably, without getting so loud we become obnoxious.”
___ recruitment ___ church ___ peace
___ sight ___ care ___ witness
****
Which bring us to our conclusion this morning.
There’s a term in Audiology/hearing circles called recruitment. Unlike military recruitment or church committee recruitment, this recruitment is defined as “the range between the volume you are most comfortable hearing vs. the highest volume you are the most uncomfortable.”
I like the analogy this term presents. Because in the life of the church, I’ve seen a lot of folk, figuratively, who don’t talk loud enough to be heard comfortably, and I’ve heard folks who speak so loud that they’re just plain uncomfortable to listen to. Amen?
I believe this is key. If we want to maintain our Christian witness so that others may see Christ in us and thereby want to become disciples, if we want to keep in sight the life of peace that shows most prominently in how we care for one another...
...then we need to choose our words carefully so that God’s message may be heard in spite of the messenger.
Let’s stop being nothing more than cackling hens in the middle of a Pizza Hut. Let’s start, or hopefully continue, choosing our words more carefully, because we know that they mean so much! Amen.
Closing Song-#333–I’m Gonna Sing When the Spirit...
Benediction
As we leave this place,
May the words of our mouths,
and the meditation of our hearts,
Be found acceptable unto God.
For he is our Rock and our Redeemer,
And unto Him belongs all glory and praise.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
This is our prayer…Amen.
