The Power of Words

Good morning! Welcome to the Vineyard. If this is your first time, my name is Kevin and I’m the pastor here. Our vision at the Vineyard is to see people growing in three ways through what we call our pillars.

First, is Presence. We want everyone to experience the presence of God. This is what transforms us to love him and others. God’s presence is where we become fully alive. We want you to know the Father.

Then, Formation. God doesn’t just love us; he is forming us to be his people who can carry his life and love to those around us. Formation is where we learn to embody the Jesus way of life. We want you to imitate the Son.

Finally, Mission. Being on mission is how we join God in the work he is doing to bring his reconciliation, justice, and mercy to earth. This is how he is bringing healing and renewal to the world. We want you to partner with the Spirit.

Presence. Formation. Mission. Be thinking about your next step. Where is God calling you to go deeper with him?

Pray...

Intro

Intro series - the good life is life lived by wisdom.

Intro topic - have you ever experienced the power of words?

Prov 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”

Words have the power to harm. A harsh word by a parent, teacher or coach can affect you for a lifetime. Jeff N.

Words also have the power to heal. A simply encouragement when you are down can be the difference between despair and hope.

Our words have power - creative power. With our words we can create wounds in others, and with our words we can bind up. To hurt or to heal, to bind or to loose, to tear down or build up. This is the power of our words.

If you want to life the good life, learn to choose your words wisely.

The power to hurt

Prov 12:18 “Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Let’s focus on the first part of this. It’s said that there are three things that don’t come back to us in life: a spent bullet, a lost opportunity, and a rash word. Don’t you wish you could pull your words back? Have you every said something you shouldn’t have and then try to run after them to catch them before they reach their target?

Rash words are reckless words. They are words that are spoken without any regard to how they may affect the listener. They are reckless, like someone who waves a sword around without any regard for who’s around them. They don’t care about collateral damage.

Rash words are unguarded words. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve hurt Julie’s feelings with what I’ve said. When confronted, my response is often, “You took me wrong.” If you tend to hurt feeling by what you say - even if you didn’t mean too - it’s likely that you are not being careful with your words. Often it is speaking without first really listening. Being quick to give an answer before you’ve adequately heard the question. Solomon writes, Prov 18:13 “If one gives answer before hearing, it is folly and shame.”

In my experience, the greatest harm I’ve seen words do in church is the word of dissension. People get disgruntled, upset, hurt, and rather than dealing with it in a mature way by going to the one who hurt them, they start whispering. They start telling their friends. Then their friends take offense and now there’s two people disgruntled. And it just spreads like cancer. Some of the Bible’s most scathing words are toward this sin. Solomon writes Prov 6:16 “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him...” The last one on his list is Prov 6:19 “one who sows discord in a family.” Family can be those related by blood, or those who belong to your tribe or fellowship.

The little book of James in the NT is the NT version of Proverbs. James has some very dire warnings about the power of our words: James 3:5-9

James 3:5–9 (NRSV)

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.

If we want to live the good life, the first thing we need to do is learn how to control the harmful power of our words. We have an opportunity coming up next month to put this into practice - midterm elections. We may have differing opinion on what policies are the priority, but let’s make sure that our words don’t victimize those we differ with. If the words that are about to leave our mouth will tear down the recipient - don’t say them.

The power to heal

Words can also have an opposite, positive effect on others. As we’ve already seen: Prov 12:18 “Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Let’s focus on the second half of this: the tongue of the wise brings healing. How do we live the good life? By using our words to heal. Healing words are words that soothe when people are in pain. They are words to uplift when people are discouraged. They are words of comfort when people experience loss. They are words filled with hope and faith when others feel only despair. Healing words are even prophetic words, seeing past what’s on the outside to call forth the nugget of gold on the inside.

Prov 16:24 “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”

God has given us this incredible power to heal with our words. We may not ever affect a physical healing when we pray for someone, but we can all take part in the healing brought about by the wise use of our words.

Eph 4:29 “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”

What would it look like if we made a commitment to never say anything that doesn’t build up the other person? Does that mean we can’t ever confront people if they are in the wrong? I don’t think so. But so often we don’t speak the truth in love, we speak the truth and love it. We might be saying the right thing, but we say it wrongly. How powerful it would be if we paused before saying anything until we were able to speak it in a way that will encourage and build up the listener. God, give us grace!

The words of Jesus

We can learn something about the power of words by the way Jesus chose to use his words. Luke tells the story of Jesus being invited to dinner. While there a woman came in off the street and began kiss his feet, wetting them with her tears and drying them with her hair. The scripture tells us she was an immoral woman, not someone a pious Jew should let touch him. We don’t know what her sin was specifically, but we could probably guess. The Pharisee who invited him got very judgy toward Jesus. “If this man was a prophet, he’d know what kind of woman this was that was touching him.” Jesus turns the whole scene into a teaching moment about the power of grace.

I want you to notice how Jesus speaks to this woman, how he used his words. Luke 7:48-50 “Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.””

If there was ever a person who deserved a harsh rebuke for her actions, it was this woman. Jesus could have let her have it, and he’d have been in the right. He could have cut her, “Get your filthy hands off me!” In this moment, Jesus literally held her life in his hands. He could condemn her and send her away in shame, bleeding from the wounds his words caused. Instead, he chose to use his words to heal.

You sins are forgiven.

Your faith has saved you.

Go in peace.

I promise you, this woman left there a different person. All because of healing words.

How do you hear Jesus speak to you? If what you hear are words that cut and condemn, you’re not hearing Jesus. We are so prone to build a false image of God based on parents, authority figures, life experience, etc. And so often the words of this false God are hurtful, tearing us down, reminding us of our failure, convincing us of our insignificance. When Jesus speaks, even when it contains a rebuke, it is a healing, hopeful rebuke.

I opened with Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Your words have the power to hurt or to heal. However you use them, you will ultimately eat the fruit. Will you take the step to begin using your powerful words to heal others they way Jesus has healed you?