Sermon Tone Analysis

Proverbs 26:20-22

The Destructive Power of Gossip

 

/Without wood a fire goes out;/

/without gossip a quarrel dies down./

/As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,/

/so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife./

/The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;/

/they go down to a man’s inmost parts/.

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mong the awful sins catalogued in Scripture, none contaminate the people of God more thoroughly than does the sin of gossip.

One tongue sharpened as a sword can destroy more saints than all the powers of hell.

One sanctimonious prayer request on behalf of another, one statement made just so another will know what is going on, one recitation of what was heard, can forever render a fellow saint powerless and ineffective.

As I began to research the Word of God in preparation for this message I quit printing when I had printed over three pages of Bible statements condemning gossip and warning of the effects of unchecked gossip.

I gather from this that gossip must be a serious problem among the saints of God.

Gossip does have an ugly twin—slander.

Together these terrible sins destroy the heritage of God, render powerful servants of the True and Living God ineffective, and ensure that God’s work grows stagnant and sterile.

It is a disturbing fact that gossip and slander reside within almost every church.

These dreadful sins are tolerated and excused by many within the churches of our Lord.

Perhaps it is by virtue of the regularity with which they are practised—their familiarity—that they are tolerated.

In some instances gossip persists because those promoting this wickedness have never been born from above.

You do realise that not everyone who claims to be a member of the church has necessarily been born from above.

It is not what I say I believe but it is rather what I believe that matters.

In other instances gossip persists and is permitted because no one has withstood such evil demanding that it cease.

Woe betides the church which has in leadership men and women with a tongue hinged in the middle and flapping loose at both ends.

Such people can work frightful evil in the vineyard of Christ all the while enjoying the reputation of being pious which permits them to continue working their wickedness unhindered.

Part of the work of the minister of Christ is to unmask evil so that the people of God may be horrified by its presence and thus avoid it.

I do not say that this is agreeable work for the man of God—it is not.

However, such labour is necessary if the Body of Christ will be healthy and strong.

By God’s grace I thus propose to address this dire evil which threatens even us that you may be warned and by that warning avoid its pollution.

It is not my intent to name names, but it is my purpose to equip each of you so that you are enabled to identify this wickedness and assist in stamping it out among us.

Consider the words of the Wise Man found in *the 26th Chapter of Proverbs*.

The latter part of that chapter focuses quite pointedly on sins of the tongue.

We haven’t time to review all the verses in the time allotted for worship this day, but I would encourage you to read *verses seventeen through twenty-eight*.

The words of Solomon will no doubt benefit each of us, and the more so as we endeavour to move beyond the tensions of days recently past.

The Attraction of Gossip for Christians —

 

/The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;/

/they go down to a man’s inmost parts/.

[*Proverbs 26:22*]

 

This is not the only time this warning is issued by Solomon.

The same saying appears in *Proverbs 18:8*.

Therefore, we might conclude that avoiding gossip is crucial to godliness.

Apparently gossip is more than a little sin.

Why do we gossip?

Knowledge is power and knowledge about people is potentially power over those people.

In honesty we enjoy holding power over others.

We like to think that we have private knowledge about others.

It is human nature to want to be in on what is happening.

There exists an entire industry devoted to informing us of what is happening in people’s lives.

Perhaps you don’t read the broadsheets at the grocery checkout counters (at least I hope you don’t).

However, I daresay that you do enjoy knowing what is happening in the life of your favourite movie or television star, the celebrity of the moment, or the news focus of the week.

If this were not so *People* magazine would cease publication.

*Ophra Winfrey* would cease broadcasting.

*Entertainment Tonight* would no longer be seen on evening television.

Let’s be honest enough to admit that we do enjoy knowing about others though we are less eager to expose our own lives to such scrutiny.

Perhaps we are not planning to blackmail any movie stars or divulge any secrets that threaten the security of the nation, but a story detailing the failings of a notable figure captures our attention and ensures that we carefully listen or read.

In a similar fashion we are interested in what is happening in the life of fellow Christians—especially if those saints are recognised as leaders, carry a label as being stalwarts of the Faith, or have years invested within the congregation.

We will listen if someone relates a story concerning them.

I would not suggest that you cease speaking of one another, but I would remind you of the teachings of the Word of God concerning your speech.

I would remind you that you are responsible to speak only those things which build up fellow believers.

In an extended passage the Apostle Paul addressed this very issue.

Listen to *Ephesians 4:11-32*.

/It was [the ascended Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ/.

/Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work/.

/So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more/.

/You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.

Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness/.

/Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members of one body.

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need/.

/Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you/.

I encourage you to focus on that *twenty-ninth verse*, where you read one portion which most of us say we obey: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths.

We would say that we obey this injunction because we don’t use /foul or abusive language/ [*nlt*].

We are not given to filthy speech and crude expressions and so we would say that we are obedient to this text.

Paul did not stop with this negative injunction, however, but continued by saying that we are to speak only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Please listen to this latter portion of the injunction as it appears in a couple of contemporary translations.

/When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger.

Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you /[*ncv*].

/Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them/ [*NLT*].

Your mother used to tell you, *If you can’t say anything good, don’t say anything at all*.

Mother’s advice was good; it communicated precisely what the Apostle says here in the Word of God.

You and I are responsible to review our speech to ensure that we speak only to build others up and not to permit anything we say appear as though it would tear another down, injure them, or harm them in any way.

We are to communicate only those things which strengthen others.

This is especially true when we are speaking of those who are fellow believers.

The words which Paul penned in *Philippians 4:8* are similar and are also applicable in this particular instance.

Take a moment to turn to that passage of Scripture with me.

/Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things/.

Of course, if the things of which I think are /true/, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, my speech will reflect those same qualities.

In order to make this instruction complete I urge you to remember that though a communication may be true, you are responsible to ensure that it is noble and pure and lovely.

Consider whether your recitation of a truth will be excellent or praiseworthy.

Not everything we may say concerning what we have heard or witnessed will honour God or build up others.

It is falls into the category of doubt—don’t.

The Real Picture of a Gossip —