Speaking with Wisdom

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Psalm 119:81–88 NKJV

81 My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word. 82 My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, “When will You comfort me?” 83 For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, Yet I do not forget Your statutes. 84 How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me? 85 The proud have dug pits for me, Which is not according to Your law. 86 All Your commandments are faithful; They persecute me wrongfully; Help me! 87 They almost made an end of me on earth, But I did not forsake Your precepts. 88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

worship

Because he lives

How great thou art

In the garden

Amazing grace - offertory Sermon:

Welcome to worship today. What a blessing it is to gather together once again. We are in week four of our current sermon series called Street Smart: Wisdom From the Book of Proverbs. We have been discovering all the ways that the book of Proverbs gives us instruction to live a full life in Christ. The world is not an easy place to navigate, but we have been given all that we need to live smart and prudent lives in the Word of God.

Three weeks ago, we learned the secret to developing wisdom. Rather than being foolish and making avoidable mistakes along the way, we can embrace a healthy fear of God. When we live in the awe and wonder of the power and position God has before us, we are empowered to make wiser choices and repent of our mistakes.

Two weeks ago, we learned about the beginning of wisdom. We discoverd that what we allow into our hearts and minds is what we become. Our lives are largely a result of the influences we allow into our hearts.

Last week, we acknowledged that in order to develop godly wisdom, we have to first recognize that we don’t have any in and of ourselves. Today is the final week of our series, and we will be turning our attention to what is arguably the part of our lives that is in most need of wisdom, which is the way in which we use our words.

Illustration:

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6300 Daily 25,000 Words

Astronaut Michael Collins, speaking at a banquet, quoted the estimate that the average man speaks 25,000 words a day and the average woman 30,000. Then he added: “Unfortunately, when I come home each day I’ve spoken my 25,000—and my wife hasn’t started her 30,000.”

POINT #1 – WORDS ARE POWERFUL

Today I want to talk about an aspect of our lives that goes largely unnoticed. I think for most people, they do not make the connection between their language and their spiritual condition. But I contend that this particular area of our life needs wisdom from God to help us navigate it well. The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about our language.

READ Proverbs 18:21

Proverbs 18:21 ESV

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

We tell our children the story that Sticks and stones, but this is a lie.

Jesus warns us about our words

Matthew 5:22 ESV

22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

(Break down this verse)

We are unique in the created order in that we are able to communicate with other humans using language. No matter what culture or location on earth, humans have developed a sophisticated system to transfer ideas and concepts. Whether this is the ability to seal a huge business deal by clearly stating the facts, or if is it a middle school boy communicating to his family through a series of grunts and sighs…we have been given words, and words are powerful. They hold the power of life and of death.

Illustration:

At any rate, we, on average, speak 16,000 words a day. Most of those words are what I would call “throw away” words. We say them without much thought, and as soon as we say them, they are gone. When you think about most of the conflicts you have experienced in the past year, I would venture to say they have more often than not been caused by careless language. It is only when we begin to realize the kind of power that we wield with language that we will begin to use wisdom in how we speak. Without wisdom we will say things that tear down. With wisdom we will use words to build people up.

Proverbs 15:1 ESV

1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

POINT #2 – WORDS HOLD THE POWER OF LIFE

The very first place we see the use of language within the scriptures is in the book of Genesis. It takes place in the creation narrative. This Hebrew poem beautifully depicts for us how God created all that we know and see and experience.

READ Genesis 1:1-3

Genesis 1:1–3 ESV

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

How does God create the world? He uses words. He speaks it into being. In these first three verses we see a pattern emerge that is carried on throughout this first chapter. God continually speaks and it forms. He commands and it takes place. He invites and there is a response. The writers of Genesis seem to have harnessed the power that is evident in language and attributed this power to the creation of all things.

As creatures who are made in the image of this God, we too have been given the power to speak life. You have been given the power by your creator, in the 16,000 words you speak a day, to build, to create, and to give life.

STORY:

Do you know that researchers tell us that most kids will experience over 40 negative comments on any given day at school? Forty negative things. I never want to forget that I have the power to build up with the things I say to people around me rather than to destroy with my words.

But, just as you have the power of life, you also hold the power of death.

POINT #3 – WORDS HOLD THE POWER OF DEATH

There are some in the room this morning who know exactly what this feels like. Somewhere along the way someone used their words, full of power, to wound you. I would guess almost everyone in the room has collateral damage from someone who wielded their words as a weapon. Some of you today have been living your life for years trying to prove someone wrong. Some of you in this room have, for years, self-sabotaged your life because you believe you aren’t worthy of anything good. Some of you in this room refuse to respond to the invitation of God because you can’t believe He could actually love you, because of something someone else has said to you.

Whoever said sticks and stone can break my bones but words will never hurt me…is a fool. It’s simply not true. The book of James says it this way.

READ James 3:7-8

Break Down The Following section:

James 3:6–12 ESV

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

The Jewish Rabbi Abraham Heschel makes this observation about our language and speech:

“Words are themselves sacred, God’s tool for creating the universe, and our tools for bringing holiness—or evil—into the world.”

It’s your choice.

What you have been given is a gift. But you must decide what you do with it. I want you to think back to the last 48 hours of your life. If you were to account for all of the words you texted to your friends, all of the words you emailed to your co-workers or boss, all of the words you said to your parents or your kids, if you were to be honest, what category would they fall into? Have you used your words as a tool to bring holiness or evil into the world?

I cannot overstate the importance of our language, because as Heschel says, our words create worlds. Just as the Creator spoke the world into being, our words can create worlds for people around us as well. As a pastor, this is a sobering thought. As I have interactions with people inside and outside of the four walls of this church, the way I respond, address, encourage, or ignore the people I come in contact with, someone else may be living in the world I just created for them. What you see as a throw-away word, someone else may take to heart.

In a society where people love to sit behind the computer screen or cell phone and speak hatred to the marginalized and the oppressed, to bully a classmate with their words or demolish a political figure no matter which side of the aisle they come from, just know your words create worlds.

Here is what I know: If you change your language, you can change your legacy. What do you want to be known for? Who do you want to be?

Here is where I want to land today. Wisdom comes from receiving God’s words for us so we can give them to others. To be able to speak life and build up, you must first accept it for yourself. So, I want to speak the words of God over you this morning. I want to invite you to close your eyes as I pray God’s words over you today.

PRAYER

- You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

- While you were still sinners, Christ died for you because He loves you.

- You are children of God.

- There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. You are a new creation.

- The very spirit of God lives and dwells inside of you.

Benediction

Worship team it is well with my Soul

Say: As we close our service of worship dear brother and sister please stand for our benediction and receive by faith this blessing from God!

Today the Benediction will be done by the worship team!