O Be Careful Little Tongue What You Say!
Finding Our Sufficiency In Christ! • Sermon • Submitted
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· 8 viewsPaul describes how the person who finds their sufficiency in Christ will be impacted in their speech.
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When We Open Our Mouth People Can See Our Heart!
When We Open Our Mouth People Can See Our Heart!
Speech is a very powerful weapon…
a judge can speak a few words and either provide freedom or condemnation…
a doctor can speak a few words and either bring joy and adulation to their patient or they can bring despair
Whether the words are spoken or written or typed on a keyboard…there is great power in our words…
Speech is a very powerful gift from God and it must be used the way He ordains it to be used…
Sadly, like everything else that is good, we have corrupted it…our tongue is such a small organ in our body yet it reveals so much about us!
Listen to what Jesus says to the Pharisees...
“You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.
“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The tongue even though it is small, it is difficult to control…it is the truest indicator of our spiritual state…Jesus goes on to say...
“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
It is out of the abundance of heart the mouth speaks…so when we open our mouth people truly can see what is in our hearts!
Look at what the Scripture says about the unredeemed tongue…this is not an exhaustive list but worth a look...
The unredeemed tongue is...
Evil —
Deceitful —
Deceitful —
Filled with curses —
Lies —
Destructive —
Vain —
Foolish —
Careless —
Boastful —
Now let’s compare that with what the Bible says about the redeemed tongue…again this is not an exhaustive list, but worth looking at...
The redeemed tongue...
Confesses sin —
Confesses Christ —
Edifies —
Praises God —
Blesses enemies —
Speaks of God —
Speaks wisdom and kindness —
Gentle —
As we begin to wrap up this series in Colossians we find ourselves looking into the mirror with our mouths wide open… turn to …
In , Paul continues his exhortation of what the new man in Christ looks like…specifically in the area of speech…how we choose to use our tongue… personal conversations...
— personal characteristics of the new man that must be put on
— Personal conduct in our every day life will be impacted, both in our homes and in our jobs...
The world is constantly looking at us to determine if they want what we have…they especially take notice of how we talk to and about each other as well as to and about them… not just what we say, but how we say it…
The world is constantly looking at us to determine if they want what we have…they especially take notice of how we talk to and about each other as well as to and about them… not just what we say, but how we say it...
Let’s remember the key verse of Col…
Let’s remember the key verse of Col…
He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
If that is our heart this morning then we ought to want to grow in the use of our tongue…remember what James says about our tongue
For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.
So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.
See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.
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Paul is going to appeal to his readers and us that the outside world needs to see us walking and talking carefully!
Your Speech Must Honor Your Savior
Your Speech Must Honor Your Savior
Let’s examine three characteristics of speech that shows Jesus has first place in our life...
We Have A Tongue that Prays Faithfully
We Have A Tongue that Prays Faithfully
How is prayer described in verses 2-3?
- I know many of you would say – I already did that when you floated the idea of reading through the book of Colossians in one sitting this week…great…
Remember what Paul tells the Philippians at about the same time he writes this letter...
- that’s something else we like about Christianity – God is doing a work in us…but we cooperate with that work, right?…in other words, we work too…
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
- what did Paul tell the Philippians at about the same time he was writing the book of Colossians… - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
- So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
So since none of us have arrived at perfection yet, let’s let the text speak to us and then go after doing what it says, shall we...
How is prayer described in verses 2-3?
- so I think most of us would say as we read this passage – wow, I have some work to do…let’s let the passage guide us…how is prayer described in verses 2-3?...
A. Devoted
A. Devoted
proskartereo – kartereo – “to be steadfast, to endure” … with the preposition that intensifies it’s meaning – “to be courageously persistent, to hold fast and not let go.”
- with the preposition that intensifies it’s meaning – “to be courageously persistent, to hold fast and not let go.”
Does this describe your prayer life?…is it devoted
too many of us pray only occasionally…when we feel like it or when there is a crisis… God’s command to us is to pray without ceasing…… this means we are to be constantly in fellowship with God so that prayer is as normal as breathing...
This is not something done out of raw duty…it is to be connected to everything you know and learn about Christ and your position in Him… go back and read the entire book of Colossians in one setting… circle or highlight everything Paul says about Jesus...
If you and I truly believe all that, then we would be more devoted to using our tongues to pray… not because you have to, but because you get to!
- and please don’t think about that in the sense of raw duty…instead please connect it with everything we have learned about the person of Christ and our position in Christ…throughout the entire book…
B. Alert
B. Alert
- as you read it in its entirety – you could just go through and circle everything that Paul says about Jesus, that if I truly believe it, I would be more devoted to using my tongue to pray to Him…not because I have to…but because I can’t believe I get to…
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
- what else do you see in this passage about the way we’re to pray….
B. Alert
the word here means to be fully awake!
- 4:2 – Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it…
- Am I the only one who struggles with a mind that wanders during times of prayer?...like the disciples the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested…
We need to be awake to our own needs and those of our family, our church, our nation, our world…
not just physical needs, but spiritual and emotional needs...
- we love you Lord…we’ll never deny you or desert you…snore…
We need to be awake to the dangers that threaten the Christian community… the world wants Christians to compromise everything they believe to be true and stop calling sin sin…
just recently read an article where a mainline denominational pastor (I say that reluctantly) along with her organization, National Abortion Federation, gave gas cards to women seeking abortions because the distance they had to drive to abortion clinics often created financial hardships on them… she calls abortion a blessing and our work is not done...
Why is this happening… one reason is because believers are asleep in their prayers
We need to be awake to the blessings both received and promised
We need to be awake to the will of God...
- and you don’t really have to be alert when you’re doing that, right?...
so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
“Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
- so I’m picking up sticks and also preaching several upcoming sermons…and planning years-worth of projects…and on and on…
‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
- like Charles Barkley says in that hilarious commercial they’ve been running during the playoffs where he just claps for the games in his head – he says – it’s gets pretty loud up there…
C. Thankful
C. Thankful
- well, anyway, I had a whole load of branches in my arms and reached down to get another one except it wasn’t a stick…it was a snake…
- that’ll get your attention…it fact it shocked the fire out of me…
- then he acts like he’s going to bite me – and I say to him – really?...with those little teeth – what do you think you are, a rattlesnake or something…
- you know what he did next?...started sticking out his tongue at me…those things are rude…
- but the truth is – I was picking up sticks about half asleep and totally distracted from the task at hand…
C. Thankful
If all we ever do is ask and never show gratitude then we are selfish…we have so much to be thankful for...
this is the fifth time Paul has mentioned thankfulness in this short book…
- this is the fifth time Paul has mentioned thankfulness in this short book…
- Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
And then did you see the transition in verse 3…[read – v. 3 – through “word”]…
And then did you see the transition in verse 3…[read – v. 3 – through “word”]…
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
D. Purposeful
D. Purposeful
D. Missional
D. Missional
- praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word…
So often we pray in generalities…how much better our prayers would be, how much more they could accomplish if we would take the time to really show concern for one another by asking for specific ways in which we can pray and then actually PRAY...
We pray not that man’s will be done in heaven, but that God’s will be done on earth!
Praying is asking what God wants done here, not what we want done here…it is to be in accordance with His will, not ours...
now, let me ask you to pause and think about the way you tend to pray...
what we read in this passage is about using our tongues to pray in ways that are devoted, and alert, and thankful, and purposeful…
that’s the way people who want Jesus to have first place in everything pray…
Implications...
Implications...
Is the regular habit of your life to be faithful in your prayers, or do you only pray when there is a crisis?
Is the regular habit of your life to pray specifically for others because you are awake to the spiritual battles they currently face, or do you quickly criticize them in their struggles?
Is the regular habit of your life to be thankful for the blessings you have already recieved and those you know are coming, or are you more concerned about what you don’t have?
Is the regular habit of your life to pray with God’s purposes in mind, or yours?
- Please also add to that our Easter Sunday services, and each of us faithfully inviting those the Lord has placed around us…[develop]
- then there’s the matter of praying for our college students, and professors, and staff, and athletes, and coaches…along with all the educators in our church…[develop the challenges that come at this time of year – and the privilege of being in a university town]
One of the ways we show that Jesus Christ has first place in everything is by cultivating a prayer life that shows how much we treasure the privilege of coming into His presence.
One of the ways we show that Jesus Christ has first place in everything is by cultivating a prayer life that shows how much we treasure the privilege of coming into His presence.
- the bottom line is – there are all kinds of ways we can use our tongues…one of the ways we show that Jesus Christ is coming to have first place in everything is by cultivating a prayer life that shows how much we treasure the privilege of coming into His presence…
did you notice the “tongue transition” in verse 3…because Paul begins talking about the way he speaks…
which when you think about it is absolutely fascinating…if there’s any example of a man who faithfully gave his life to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, it was the apostle Paul – and yet here he is humbly requesting prayer from these dear believers to be sure that his witness is faithful and true…so not just a tongue that prays faithfully, but also…
We Have A Tongue that Proclaims Clearly
We Have A Tongue that Proclaims Clearly
please glance down over verses 3-4 and look for ways that Paul describes how we should speak for Christ…
A. Looking for open doors
A. Looking for open doors
- praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word…
praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
Paul didn’t pray that God would open up the prison door, but he did pray God open up the ministry door!
- there’s a couple of questions for us that flow just out of that…
He didn’t look at his circumstances as a detriment…he wanted to minister in the midst of his circumstances....
It was more important to him that he was a faithful minister of the word instead of a free man…his concern was for spiritual character and blessing, not personal safety and material help...
But doesn’t that seem to be the bulk of our prayer time?
- when you do pray, does it tend to be a laundry list of all the things you want the Lord to do for you…or does it include requesting that the Lord will give you, and show you ways to make a difference for Him…
we lay out for God this laundry list of things we want Him to do for us…or to give us…
What we see here is that our prayer list ought to be driven by God giving us ways to minister His Word to others…pray Lord help me make a difference in someone!
What we see here is that our prayer list ought to be driven by God giving us ways to minister His Word to others…pray Lord help me make a difference in someone!
When was the last time you prayed for that? When was the last time you looked for that?
So instead of praying Lord, change my co-workers, change my spouse, change my children, change my ________, stop for a moment and consider there might be an open door of ministry as you respond well to people who may never change!
- now please connect that logically to what we’ve already studied…how do these two points fit together?...
- the issue of devoting yourself to prayer…what is it about the process that takes so long?...convincing the Lord to change His mind about the situation…or convincing yourself to change your thinking about the matter…
- Lord, change my co-workers…change my co-workers…change my co-workers…oh, there might be an open door of ministry as I respond well to co-workers who may never change?....
Lord, thank you for the flaws of my co-workers and the excellent open doors of ministry those opportunities afford me…
Lord, thank you for the flaws of my spouse, my children, my _____________ and the excellent open doors of ministry those opportunities afford me...
There may be people here today who who can honestly say – I do that all the time…Lord, please help me to see and seize any ministry opportunities you make available today...
- this gives us a very straightforward question to ask – when is the last time you looked for, or prayed for, an open door of ministry?...
- and I’m quite certain that there will be many people here today who can say – I do that all the time…Lord, please help me to see and seize an ministry opportunities in this situation…
Yet there are others might have to say – I never even consider that on a daily basis…I am so caught up in my earthly work and pursuits, that I don’t stop long enough to consider who God wants me to minister to today...
B. So we will speak forth the mystery
B. So we will speak forth the mystery
B. So we will speak forth the mystery
praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
- - praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ…
What does that mean?
- you say – what does that mean?...well, we have to make an interpretive decision here…but Paul already used this term earlier in the book, when he said…
Paul already used this term earlier in the book, when he said…
that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,
to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
- …the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
in this case we’re talking about the content of the gospel…which involved God’s purpose for the Gentiles in relation to Israel…in the church, Jews and Gentiles are one…
- in this case we’re talking about the content of the gospel which would not have been fully known in the Old Testament and not fully available to the Gentile nations like it was in Paul’s day and is today…
Paul was imprisoned for preaching this gospel and now he’s requesting prayer that while he’s still imprisoned for it, that he would be faithful in doing the very thing that landed him in jail to begin with…
now, you might say – well, that’s because Paul had it so easy…he was writing this book from a hot tub, he wouldn’t be focused on spiritual ministry if he faced the kind of trials I’m dealing with right now…
- now, you might say – well, that’s because Paul had it so easy…he was writing this book from a hot tub, he wouldn’t be focused on spiritual ministry if he faced the kind of trials I’m dealing with right now…
- are you sure you would want to say that?...and I’m not minimizing the difficulties that many people in our church family are facing right now…but where was Paul when he wrote this book?...
no, he was imprisoned for preaching the gospel and now he’s requesting prayer that while he’s still imprisoned that he would be faithful in doing the very thing that landed him in jail to begin with…
- here’s a hint – the book of Colossians was one of the prison epistles…so Paul was writing this from prison…
- and why was he is prison…well, he had a lead foot and his traffic ticket problem caught up with him…
Why would Paul request prayer for this?
- now, he was imprisoned for preaching the gospel and now he’s requesting prayer which he’s still imprisoned that he would be faithful in doing the very thing that landed him in jail to begin with…
Because Paul knew that the proclamation of the gospel is empowered by prayer.
He knew the Spirit of God uses the Word of God as we come to Him seeking His blessing…we cannot separate the Word of God from prayer because God joins them together…
One particular day, a visitor was being shown around the building at Spurgeon’s Tabernacle in London. Spurgeon asked “Would you like to see the powerhouse of this ministry?” and showed him into a lower auditorium. “It is here that we get our power, for while I am preaching upstairs, hundreds of my people are in this room praying.”
Please listen carefully...
The power of proclaiming God’s Word does not rest in the skills and abilities of the preacher…it rests in the ministry of the Holy Spirit using His Word because God’s people are praying for that!
The power of proclaiming God’s Word does not rest in the skills and abilities of the preacher…it rests in the ministry of the Holy Spirit using His Word because God’s people are praying for that!
You don’t have to be a pastor to proclaim the Word of God, but you do need the power of the Spirit at work in your life and you do need the power of the Spirit to water the seeds you plant!
Are you regularly engaged in praying for the public proclamation of God’s Word from this pulpit and from your mouth and from the mouth of your brothers and sisters in Christ?
C. At whatever the cost
C. At whatever the cost
praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
- - praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
How far are we willing to go to bring the gospel to people?…are we willing to engage our culture with the truth and grace they need...
The homosexual needs to hear truth and grace
The heterosexual who sleeps around needs to hear truth and grace...
the drunkard, the woman seeking an abortion, the transgender, the abused, the poor, the list goes on...
Instead of wrapping ourselves up in some spiritual bubble wrap we need to engage them where they are...
Sometimes getting the gospel to them means we have to be willing to suffer a little…we might have to come out of our comfortable caves…we don’t have to participate in their sin, but we might have to have to experience some ridicule, some intolerance, some inconveniences, some hurts...
D. With clarity
D. With clarity
D. With clarity
that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
- that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
When is the last time you can remember using your tongue to clearly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to someone else in your life?
- isn’t it amazing how the evaluative questions just come spilling out of this passage…
- [if time – tie back to the introduction – we love the Word of God – cf – it correct us…]
- when is the last time you can remember using your tongue to clearly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to someone else in your life?
We sin with our tongues not just by what we do say, we also sin with our tongues with what we don’t say...
see, a tongue that proclaims clearly by looking for open doors, and speaking forth mystery, at whatever the cost, and with great clarity that only comes by depending on the grace and strength of our Lord…
We Have A Tongue that Speaks Graciously.
We Have A Tongue that Speaks Graciously.
- this has been an open door of ministry if there ever was one…
- that’s true because of the location…
- it’s true because of the strong support and involvement of both the city of Lafayette and the United Way…it’s a marvelous community project that we have the privilege of leading and directing and owning…
- what’s also amazing is that the majority of the funding is coming from outside Faith…
- with a $5M lead gift from the John Scheumann Family Foundation
- over $3M in equity from NMTC’s…
Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
- an anticipated $1M from the city…
- part of the land being gifted by the owners of Market Square Shopping Center…another parcel from the Price McKenzie family – a family that goes all the way back to Jim Price who owned National Homes and developed Market Square…
- but we could not go down this road were it not for the faithful giving and serving of our church family….people who in many cases are on the constant lookout for open doors of ministry…and who want to speak clearly and passionately about the good news of Jesus Christ…
- but it is crunch time for sure – between now and June 30th…and it would be very helpful if you could pray in these specific ways…
1. Land use due diligence – Joe Blake and Paul Refior – two men who are working tirelessly to bring these three parcels together…
- we’ve closed on the property…
- but there is environmental testing…
Thrust of verse 5 is … “Don’t just wait for opportunities, go after them!”
- surveys…variances…cross-parking agreements…
- please use your tongue to pray for us as we all seek to use our lives and our tongues to proclaim Christ more effectively in a new area of town…
The best way for you to reach your world for Christ is to live like Christ wants…conduct yourself with wisdom…especially in the way you talk!
Final facility design and budget – Steve Marsh – Titan Construction
- [explain the process and the importance of April 12 – and the next steps…]
just smacks us in the face...
Last Friday meetings with our collaborative partners…pray that friendships will be built
III. A Tongue that Speaks Graciously
just smacks us in the face...
All of us of would be helped greatly if we reviewed it each and every day…and it’s only through the Savior whom this entire book is about…whom we’re told lives inside of us…that we could ever hope to make progress in this area…
A. Always with grace
A. Always with grace
Your words are to reveal the grace that is at work in your heart...
Did any of you have parents that washed your mouth out with soap if your tongue got you into trouble…you didn’t have to curse, you simply used wrong tones or disrespectful words…mom or dad would grab the bar of Dial soap and lather your tongue pretty good and then leave it there for a few seconds which really seemed like hours...
We would do well to wash our mouths out with the soap of grace…to leave it there and let it roll off…
Before grace can be on our tongues it has to be in our hearts!
Before grace can be on our tongues it has to be in our hearts!
if you placed a sign on your desk that said, “grace spoken here,” would the people around you ask if that was a new policy?
B. Seasoned with salt
B. Seasoned with salt
Salt prevents corruption...
Salt adds flavor...
which in Bible times was both a preservative, and something that enhanced taste…
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
it was always good…but just good in different ways
Speech seasoned with salt is thought provoking and worth-while. It has a spiritual charm that is attractive. It seeks to build up instead of tear down.
Speech seasoned with salt is thought provoking and worth-while. It has a spiritual charm that is attractive. It seeks to build up instead of tear down.
C. Able to respond wisely
C. Able to respond wisely
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
We must be mindful of the situation as well as the person to whom we are speaking…we must be careful to know all the facts before we jump in and speak foolishly
Speaking the right word to the right person at the right time.
He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
A man’s gift makes room for him
And brings him before great men.
Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
I think it was Mark Twain who said “It is better to let people think you are a fool than to open your mouth and prove them right”.
This is learning to speaking the right word to the right person at the right time.
This is learning to speaking the right word to the right person at the right time.
So where do we go from here?
We must be careful with the use of our tongue to make sure that our character, conduct and conversations are working in concert with one another to proclaim the priority of Christ.
We must be careful with the use of our tongue to make sure that our character, conduct and conversations are working in concert with one another to proclaim the priority of Christ.
“Nothing will silence the lips like a careless life” — Warren Wiersbe
Let’s ask for God’s help in this...