Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Good morning GracePointe.

We are continuing our series in Proverbs titled “A well ordered life in a disordered world”.

Disorder

Recently, I had an experience that went south quickly when it comes to order.

I am not sure when my wife and I succumbed to the allure of McDonalds…probably around the time my kids could start eating and recognized the golden arches.

But now, its a goto.

Not proud of it…just saying it is our reality.

Just last week after a great but hot and long day with carefree, I got home and my wife Jen gave me the look that says....”do it.

Go get mcDonalds.

and my look back is…absolutely.

“ So I head there and put my order in.

I get to the first window, pay for the meals, then get to the second window where a food service worker opens the window and asks me what my order was.

I was caught off guard because usually…they have this down.

But I told him my order.

He responded with “ok man.

Kitchen is being slow today.”

and then he shut the window.

5 min goes by.

In the world of Mickey D’s, this is a lifetime.

Window opens again and the same person asks me if I have an online order.

I smiled and said nope.

Still waiting on my order number and what was in it.

He goes “ah man sorry i am new.”

I said no problem.

I asked him if he wanted me to move ahead.

He shrugged and said if you want.

I move ahead in the line.

Now I am in the “your food is taking too long” spot of the drive through.

Friends, 15 min go by.

We are going for a record in slowness when it comes to fast food.

I flip around, go back through the drive through.....tell the guy at the ordering spot my order.

He said oh yeah we have it.

I go past the payment window....I don’t even stop.

Don’t want to complicate things.

I get to the window…the same worker opens the window ands asks if I am waiting on a mcflurry.

I smile…and say nope just waiting on my order number and the meals.

He goes aww man you didn’t get your food?”

I smile and say nope.

Suddenly like a miracle, my food appears behind him with another worker.

The bag with the fries from heaven.

As another worker brings my food up, the young man I have been talking to turns and knocks my back over on the ground.

He then looks at me and says “dude..i just knocked your food to the ground” I smiled and said “yep…we all have days we wish we could do over am I right?

I eventually got my food but i was a strange and frankly a situation that highlights the disorder that we often feel at times in our lives.

I just want my food…but either foolish decisions that I make or someone else makes…or both can contribute to me driving around circles in a Mcdonalds drive through.

Have you felt that disordering?

Answer to Disorder

In proverbs we have been identifying the answer to disorder is wisdom.

Proverbs 1:7

This idea that the joyful life we have to the full, the thriving life is sought by way of posturing ourselves to humble ourselves before the Lord and seek his wisdom.

Not an earthly wisdom but a wisdom that comes from above.

James 3:16-17 says it best.

We want to seek out that wisdom.

We want to live our lives in such a way that when we find ourselves circling the drive thru of life wondering where our fries are, wondering if we might run out of gas in the drive thru line.....we can pursue wisdom from above and seek the Lord in all things.

That can be in our finances, that can be in our parenting, and in the way we work.

But we all have a problem.

We all have a diagnosed issue that gets in the way of pursuing what God has for us.

This issue is deadly.

The issue is our words.

Our words get in the way right?

Mosquitos

It reminds me of an article I read recently where it asked “What is the deadliest creature on the earth?”

Right now…think about what that might be.

I know when I think about it....something with claws…something with fangs.....large.

But the answer.....mosquitos.

Those annoying little guys.

The article went on to say that globally, 50% of the population is at risk of mosquito born diseases.

There are 16,000 mosquitos for each person.

That is astonishing.....each mosquito can carry bad things depending on the area of the world....yellow fever and horrible virus’.

Deadly to say the least.

Many of us would like to figure out a way to eradicate mosquitos from the face of the earth!

Now of course, with a little more time and thought, we recognize that mosquitos…while annoying…are actually an essential part of the ecosystem.

They provide food for many different species of animals and pollinate different types of plants.

Capable of life and death.

GOD’S WORDS

When I read that about mosquitos, I was immediately caught by how a small thing can be so deadly.

And my mind went to how the words that I use can be both equally life giving or deadly.

In fact, I did some digging and several studies point to a person speaking about 16000 words on average a day.

I thought ....what if I treated those words like mosquitos.

They have the potential to be incredibly annoying and even deadly.

But they can also bring life and build others up.

The idea of words in scripture is quite immense.

Right in Genesis 1, we see it outlined that God spoke the universe into existence.

Right off, we are gathering intel on who God is based on what he says and does.

In fact, this theological principle is a critical moment.

John 1 points to this.

Creation begins with God speaking, and then a new creation begins when this speaking “Word” of God becomes a human being in the flesh, the living and active person of Jesus.

As John says, “In him was life, and that life was the light of humanity” (John 1:4)

God is our king.

God is our creator.

God uses words to create life, save life, and deliver life to the everlasting.

That is the God we follow and serve.

OUR WORDS

Contrast that with you and I. Let’s be honest together.

Are we using our words to give life?

In humility, we all recognize that we fail at this.

That our 16000 words resemble the annoying and at times deadly form of mosquitos.

Our focus today is going to be on Proverbs 10:18-21 as we look at our words.

Proverbs 10:18-21

Words express the mind, will, and character of a person.