Words Matter

[INTRODUCTION]

What do all these pictures have in common?

Horse

Sail Boat

Forest Fire

Each of these things are powerful in and of themselves but each of them is guided by something small or started by something small.

[TRANSITION]

God Speaks

Lets look at what the Bible says about words

Genesis 1:3 (CSB)

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

This little phrase, “Then God said,” coms before each thing God created. God created all things by the power of His words. This already shows us that words are important.

Psalm 33:6–9 (CSB)

The heavens were made by the word of the Lord,

and all the stars, by the breath of his mouth.

He gathers the water of the sea into a heap;

he puts the depths into storehouses.

Let the whole earth fear the Lord;

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

For he spoke, and it came into being;

he commanded, and it came into existence.

God speaks and amazing things happen. He gave some commands to Adam and even in

Genesis 2:16–17 (CSB)

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

Satan Speaks

Shortly after this command from God, we have Satan on the scene speaking to Adam and Eve.

Genesis 3:1 (CSB)

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

We must recognize the cunning and deceptive words of the serpent. Satan’s words contradict, distort, and twist God’s Word. Satan says,

Genesis 3:4–5 (CSB)

“No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

[TRANSITION]

People Speak

Words are so important, not only because they can be used in many good ways but also because they can be used in many evil ways. This brings us to James 3. We saw what happens when God speaks and when Satan speaks. Now lets look at what can happen when people speak.

James 3:1–12 (CSB)

Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body. Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we direct their whole bodies. And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.

Beginning with James 3:1, we learn that teaching God’s Word takes great responsibility.

Great prayer and care must go into becoming a teacher of God’s Word.

James is talking about teaching within an official capacity within the church. But this is true for you as well because do you think you are to teach God’s Word as well?

Think of the Great Commission where we are commanded to “make disciples of all nations…teach those we disciple to observe all that Jesus commanded us.

We must be careful teaching because teachers will be judged with greater strictness. When they stand before Christ, they will be judged for every word they have said.

Matthew 12:36–37 (CSB)

I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

False teachers who speak lies and distort the Word of God cunningly and deceptively, like Satan, will be condemned to hell.

For those who are in Christ, our words also have eternal significance, for Christ Himself will reward our faithfulness, and the words we have spoken.

Think of the eternal ramifications before you teach God’s Word

Verse 2 says that we all stumble. For the one who does not stumble, that person is “mature.” What does mature mean?

“whole” or “perfect” A mature Christian man or woman probably has learned to bridle his or her tongue to some degree. He is giving us an example of Christ because none of us are perfect.

We need to recognize the great power of the tongue.

James gives 3 illustrations for us

Horse bit - By controlling the mouth of a strong horse, we can control his whole body.

Ships rudder - Something as small as a rudder can control something as large as a carnival cruise ship.

Spark to forest fire - if you drop a spark in the right place, you can have a blazing inferno in seconds because fire multiplies fast.

Proverbs 16:27 (CSB)

A worthless person digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.

Show me a a man or woman who stirs up strife, who gossips, or who criticizes everything due to a proud and critical heart, and I will show you someone who is not pursuing after the Lord.

Think of ways the words of people have affected you positively and negatively. Words hurt, and many of us have been affected deeply by them.

Some of you may have never gotten over what someone said to you in the past. Many still carry the would from those hateful, evil words.

The tongue is a dangerous weapon. Thats why he said earlier

James 1:19 (CSB)

My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

We need to recognize our inability to tame the tongue.

We can tame all kinds of animals. Just like the horse, we can put a bit in its mouth and direct it to go in any direction we want. We teach our dogs to follow commands. People even train orca whales to do as they command. We can tame all these things but we cannot tame the tongue.

We bless with it and we curse with it.

Why can’t we tame our tongue?

Because its not a tongue issue, but a heart issue

Sinful words come from a sinful heart. Our problems are deeper than most people think.

Mark 7:14–23 (CSB)

Summoning the crowd again, he told them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

When he went into the house away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a person from the outside can defile him? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach and is eliminated” (thus he declared all foods clean). And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”

Luke 6:43–45 (CSB)

“A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

These passages can make us feel like we are helpless. But I want to encourage you. We need to recognize that God spoke in creation, Satan spoke in the fall, but then God speaks again in redemption. God has the last word. He revealed good news for us. We have all been burned by broken promises but God always keeps his promise. Therefore, no matter how the words of other people have affected you, as you learn to hear God’s voice, you can find hope and healing.

One final thing to think about.

Matthew 6:9–15 (CSB)

“Therefore, you should pray like this:

Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

“For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.

We need to forgive others just as Christ Jesus forgives us.