Communication is Key

Introduction

Words have power. If you are a hip hop fan like myself you’ve lived through some of the most iconic beefs. Ice Cube, Common, 50 Cent and Ja Rule, Z-Ro and Trae the Truth and even the devestating beefs that have led to the death of iconic emcees like Tupac and Biggie Smalls. It’s a testament to the fact that words matter and lives have ended and reputations have been destroyed at the expense of what we say to one another.

One of the single most important facets of relationship building is communication. Friendships, marriages and even professional relationships typically end or are strengthened at the expense of communication. The inability to communicate is similar to standing in front of someone who speaks a different language than you. I would argue to believe that it’s almost more frustrating considering two people can’t get through to each other while speaking the same language. This portion of the Letter to the Church at Ephesus expresses the idea that poor communication, negative communication and toxic speech can grieve the Holy Spirit. Paul expresses the danger in lying and the impact that uncontrollable anger can have on our relationships within our church. Speech is one of the major component of morality. Ask yourself the question, how do you communicate with people? One of the ways our church can grow is how we talk to one another. How we talk to one another impacts the way we teach and serve within the confines of church and community.

Tenets of morality in this text

Lying

Anger

Theft

Communication

Lack of emotional intelligence and falling victim to emotions such as

Bittnerness

Wrath

Anger

Clamor

Evil Speaking

Corrupt Speech is a Destroyer

One way to destroy the work in the kingdom is corrupt speech. The build up to this text informs us that anger is bound to happen but anger should not be an obstacle to having our speech seasoned with grace.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth”

What is corrupt speech? Corrupt of pertaining to that which is harmful in view of its being unwholesome and harmful.

Our words either tear down or build up. We have to be mindful the way we speak to people. Poor and toxic speech can kill spirits. Sometimes it’s not about the level or talent, sometimes its the lack of affirmation and encoruagement that discourage people from walking in purpose.

This dynamic is reinforced by the way Jesus teaches. Corrupt speech is antithetical to the efforts of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus expresses this as He teaches the Pharisees who are predisposed to looking for loopholes.

Matthew 12:31–37““Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.””

How we speak about the Holy Spirit, how we speak about the Son of man impacts how we are viewed in the eys of God. Jesus and Paul are quite black and white in their approach. Either the tree makes good fruit or bad fruit. There’s no way you can claim to be a follower of Christ yet talk to people like they are worthless.

Understand that the words you say will either justify you or condemn you! Every word matters, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement”. It’s important that we avoid anything that hinders the work of unity being promoted. Everything isn’t going to work the way we desire but the way we respond to things not working out the way we desire is within our scope of control.

Words Hurt

This text is a testament that the words we use can be grieving, the words we use can not only cause pain to people but cause pain to God. Ask yourself before you respond will this promote unity. Poor word choice can be a sin that disrupt the purity and blessing that fellowship is.

It’s similar to changing our eating habits. To eat better doesn’t mean that you can’t eat and enjoy the food, health promotes the idea that I subsitute what is unhealthy for what is healthy. This idea of corrupt or unwholesome speech is used to describe somthing that is foul, putrid, decaying or rotten. Our speech should be a tool of preservation. Preserving our work through words of encouragement, preserving our words through words that are filled with grace.

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

The other side of corrupt speech is speech that edifies. The fact is that words used carefully or carelessly reveal the heart of those who are using them. Toxic speech is so common that we have to be careful, tearing each other down can lead to the demise of entire churches.

Romans 15:2 “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.”

Our conversation should benefit each other. Just as the former thief can change their live to go from a person that takes to a person that gives the person who consistently offends others can turn their life around to use speech that is filled with grace and be used to build each other. Our words have the power to enrich the lives of others.

The Word

It’s interesting that we refer to the bible as the word of God. It is a collection of letters that enrich and empower people to transform thier lives.

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Understand how power this word is! John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

It’s quite interesting that as much as we can help people see Jesus by how we live and our actions, our ability to show the power of the gospel happens by what we say. Imagine if Phillip had ridiculed or made the Ethiopian Eunch feel incompetent. It was the words of Phillip that led to evangelism entering the continent of Africa. It was the words of Jesus that empowered Peter to preach the gospel. It was the words of Jesus that helped the Samaritan women see value in her life. Words have power! How we speak to people can transform their lives.

Karl Marx supposedly said, “Give me twenty-six lead soldiers and I will conquer the world”—meaning the twenty-six letters of the alphabet on a printing press.

Our words can change the world and today the words of Jesus can change your life. You may have heard words of discouragement all your life. How terrible you are, how worthless you are, how much people dislike you but for every negative word that the world uses to describe you there’s a God that has an empowering word for you.

The world may call you weak but I know a God that says His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

The world may say you can’t do anything right, but I know a God that said “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me”.

Your sins may have caused the world to call you all sorts of negative names but God has said 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

They called Jesus a liar, a blasphemer and a treasonist but God said this is my son in whom I’m well pleased.

The world may tear you down with their words but God has the power to lift us up with His word! Trust in the word of God.