Pastor Keren talks about the power of our words to others.
SERMON NOTES:
Slander & Gossip vs. Edification
Power of the Tongue part 4
Definitions:
Slander – to make false and damaging statements about someone.
Gossip – casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.
Edification – the act of edifying…meaning to instruct and improve morally and spiritually.
James 4:11 (New Living Translation)
Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law; is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
Principle: God’s law prohibits slander and demands love for our neighbor.
Proverbs 17:4 (New Living Translation)
Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.
Condition of The Heart
Proverbs 10:18 (New Living Translation)
Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool.
Principle: Your words will be an overflow of what’s in your heart towards people.
Matthew 12:34-36 (New Living Translation)
…For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgement day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.
Mark 7:20-23 (New Living Translation)
And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
How God Feels About it
Proverbs 6:16-19 (New International Version)
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
(In some translations it says sowing discord or strife in a family
Principle: We can use destructive words or constructive.
Talking to Others
Principle: Speak honorable words.
Conclusion – Get rid of evil behavior
1 Peter 2:1 (New Living Translation)
So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.
Psalm 101:5 (New Living Translation)
I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride. I will search for faithful people to be my companions…
Isaiah 6:5-6 (New International Version)
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
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