What A Word

What A Word - Luke 4:36 Read 31-37

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

2:28 PM

Luke 4:36

And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

Words are amazing and powerful things. Sometimes words are funny especially when they are not quite translated correctly. Here are some signs from foreign countries translated into English:

In a Denmark airline office: "We take your bags and send them in all directions."On the door of a Moscow hotel room: "If this is your first visit to Russia, you are welcome to it."On a Bucharest hotel elevator: "The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable."On a restaurant menu in Poland: Roasted duck let loose; Beef rashers beaten up in the country people's fashion."

, 6,000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths, (Omaha, Nebraska: Christianity Today, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Words".

Paul tells us clearly in Collossians 4:6 to "let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt."

Words tell us something about you. In an interesting article in the U.S. News & World Report, 1994 tells that several psychologist studied newlyweds over the first decade of mariage, they found a very subtle but telling difference at the beginning of the relationships.

"Among couples who would ultimately stay together, 5 out of every 100 comments made about each other were put-downs. Among couples who would later split, 10 of every 100 comments were insults. That gap magnified over the following decade, until couples heading downhill were flinging five times as many cruel and invalidating comments at each other as happy couples."

U.S. News & World Report, February 21, 1994, p. 67

Soft words sung in a lullaby will put a babe to sleep. Excited words will stir a mob to violence. Eloquent words will send armies marching into the face of death. Encouraging words will fan to flame the genius of a Rembrandt or a Lincoln. Powerful words will mold the public mind as the sculptor molds his clay. Words, spoken or written, are a dynamic force.

Writing of Napoleon and his Italian campaign, Emil Ludwig said: "Half of what he achieves is achieved by the power of words."

Words are the swords we use in our battle for success and happiness. How others react toward us depends, in a large measure, upon the words we speak to them. Life is a great whispering gallery that sends back echoes of the words we send out! Our words are immortal, too. They go marching through the years in the lives of all those with whom we come in contact.

When you speak, when you write, remember the creative power of words.

, 6,000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths, (Omaha, Nebraska: Christianity Today, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Words".

James writes in 3:2 …"if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man…"

James 3:2 (KJV)

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. One writer put it this way, "If the words you spoke appeared on your skin…. Would you still be beautiful"

If our words have so much power - how much more power does the word of God have. Listen to the Bible speak on this:

Born again by the Word 1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18 Cleansed by the Word Eph. 5:26; Psalm 119:9 Saved by the Word 1 Tim. 4:16; James 1:21 Growing by the Word 1 Peter 2:2; Jer. 16:17 Sanctified by the Word John 17:17; 1 Tim. 4:6 Enlightened by the Word Psalm 19:8; 119:105 Kept by the Word Psalm 17:4; Rev. 3:10

From the Book of 750 Bible and Gospel Studies, 1909, George W. Noble, Chicago

In our passage we are talking about the words of Jesus. Notice that even though the text begins with an interrogative word, it is an exclamation.

It Was as Magnificent Word - It Astonished the hearers his word was with power 4:32 This isn't the only time that Jesus amazed and astonished his hearers. There is an interesting incident in the life of Jesus in Luke 2:42-49 that I think gives us a glimpse of this. Jesus was just 12 years old and it appears was the first time he had been taken up to Jerusalem for the feast. On the way home Joseph and Mary could not find him, so they turned around and went back and when they found him three days later, he was "in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions."In verse 47 it says, "And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers." In John 7:44-47 another interesting passage, the religious leaders were going out of their way to try to not only intimidate, and confuse Jesus as he was teaching in the temple, but to arrest him. They finally sent officers to pick him up, but they came back empty handed. When demanded "why have ye not brought him?" Their reply was " Never man spake like this man: In Luke 24 we find that two men were walking down that long lonely Emmaus road. They had watched their Savior die, they were sad, they were lonely, they were scarred, they were worried, As they walked on their way, a stranger joined them and began to talk to them. He told them marvelous things, starting from the prophets all the way through to how the Savior must suffer and die. As they come to their lane on the Emmaus Road, the stranger makes like he is going to go on, and they beg him to come and have dinner with them. Which the stranger does. As he picks up the food to bless it, their eyes are opened and they realize it is Jesus - Their very next words recorded in the Bible are inspiring - 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

It was a Marvelous Word - He Spoke and things happenedJust the vibration of his vocal chords the sound from his lips and things changedBlind eyes received sightDeaf ears were openedLimbs restoredDead brought back to lifeThose possessed by unclean spirit sets free Just by his word!!! It was a Mighty Word - Because He is the WORD

John actually calls Jesus the Word of God who represents God to us and us to God.

John 1:1-3

(Joh 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(Joh 1:2) The same was in the beginning with God. (Joh 1:3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

I've Had Him Speak To Me!I’ll never forget the morning at a little camp-meeting in Seneca, MO as I went to the altar with my load of sins, and I looked to Jesus that morning in faith, and by Grace God through Christ Jesus forgave my sin, cast them as far as the East is from the West. My what a time - when Jesus himself came down on that straw covered ground and whispered to my heart - "Child your sins are forgiven" I remember the time he came to me after that and spoke to me - "Child you have strayed, won't you come back" I remember as he spoke that Sunday night in Gadston, TX "That all was clear again - that bright and clear forgiveness." He spoke to me yesterday as I was driving Book Review I had BBN on and they played a song by I believe Julie Cravens - "I trust in God, I know He cares for me: On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea: Though billows roll, He keeps my soul;

My Heavenly Father watches over me.

Let Him Speak To You - When is the last time he has spoken to you? When he speaks it often leaves you like those dear people in our scripture where all you can say, "What A WORD IS THIS!!!?

3. I want you to know tonight that He still speaks, if you haven't heard from him in a while, or if you have never heard him - I want to give you an opportunity tonight we are going to close in prayer - and I want you to listen for God's voice - let him speak to you. And then obey.