↓Audio link to the sermon:(Sunday worship recording)
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Let me begin by asking a question. What do you think people live by? Tolstoy argues in his short novel titled “What people live by” that people live “by love.” Do you agree? A Japanese novelist Yoshino Kenzaburo also wrote a book titled, “How will you live?” I also wrote a book titled “How Do I Live as a Christian?”
This kind of a question seems to be a profound, philosophical and even ontological question. Therefore, it’s not easy to answer this question. But let me ask you once again. What do you live by? How will you live?
Many people are just living. They live to eat. They live to survive. They live without any purpose in life. I guess it’s better to say that they are just existing. They are not living. They are just drifting here and there. How about you? What do you live for? How are you living? In particular, what do you live by?
Thankfully, the Bible answers this question, “What do people live by?” Let’s take a look at Matthew chapter 4 verse 4. It says, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
The Bible teaches us that we need two things to live. Bread(ご飯) and the word of God. You need to eat food to survive. You need the word of God to live a good and meaningful life.
In that sense, we could say that we are what we eat. We are what we say. The two most important things for human beings are “food and words.” Food sustains our lives, and words sustain our lives, too. Our eating habits affect our bodies. Especially, the way we speak affects our lives enormously.
People can judge us by listening to what we say. What we say on a daily basis or What we say habitually determines our present and even our future. Therefore, we should watch what we say. We should be careful in our speech.
As a man, I am also attracted to pretty women. That’s one of the reasons why I married my wife. But I am more attracted to women who speak graciously than to just pretty women. I find such women more attractive. I try to look at the heart rather than the outward appearance. To be honest with you, I do not want to get close to people who speak harshly.
How about you?
Usually, problems in human relationships arise because of words. Problems in marital relationships arise because of words. Problems between friends arise because of words. Above all, problems in the church arise because of words. Therefore, we must be careful with our words and speak wisely. Believe it or not, words have power. Words can kill us or save us. Words can comfort us and give us courage, but they can also make us depressed and hurt us deeply.
Today, I wanna talk specifically about speech. Thankfully, the Bible teaches us how to speak. Let us take a look at James chapter 3 verse 2. It says, “We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”
Hey you, folks! What kind of a person is a perfect person? The person who is never at fault in what he or she says. Oftentimes, unintentionally we say bad things or wrong things. We all slip up. We all make mistakes while speaking one way or the other. We don’t mean it. But it is as if bad words just come out of our mouths.
“Perfect” means “fully equipped.” It means “fully grown” or “fully mature.” Jesus was a perfect man. He never stumbled in what he said. Unlike Jesus, we screw things up by our words.
This verse stresses the importance of our speech. It is because in a sense, our words reveal our character. People might be able to judge us by our words.
In Matthew 15:11, Jesus says, “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Brothers and sisters, what comes out of our mouths? Our words. Our words reveal our true character. It shows whether he is a good or a bad person.
But the problem is that we can’t have control over all that we say. The tongue is the hardest of all the parts of the body to control. Let us take a look at James chapter 3 verse 7. It says, “All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
A wild animal can be more easily tamed than the tongue. In fact, James tells us that no man can tame the tongue. I am not saying that we never speak good. What I am saying is that oftentimes we speak evil. With the tongue we praise God, and with it we curse people, who have been made in the image of God. Evil words are very poisonous. Cursing words are very harmful and destructive. They kill us.
But the good news is that even our tongues can be under the power and the control of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can control our tongues. This is one of the reasons why we should be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only God Himself is more powerful than the human tongue!
In Proverbs 18:20-21, Solomon says, “From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Our words make us what we are. Good words build people up. Good words encourage people. Good words make people strong. Good words bring many benefits. This is why good words are like the harvest. Our words bring results. Our words bring us death and make us alive. We can help people with good words.
In Proverbs 15:4, Solomon says, “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”
Tranquilizing words make people alive. They have a calming or soothing effect. They often relieve anxiety or tension, promoting a sense of peace and relaxation. Gracious words are like a tree that continues to bring life.
On the other hand, the crooked tongue(such as lies) never achieves these good things. Lies hurt other people. Lies get people upset and cause great problems.
Words are far more powerful than we think. So, we have to watch what we say. We’d better think before we speak.
In Colossians 4:6, the Apostle Paul says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you many know how to answer everyone.”
We believers should put salt in our conversation. It means that conversations should be lively and interesting. If you put salt on your food, it tastes much better. Food without salt tastes dull. Same thing… In that sense, we need wit when we talk. We need a witty sense of humor. We should especially share the gospel in a witty and interesting way.
I want to give you one more verse in relation to words.
In Proverbs 16:24, Solomon says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Gracious words make other people happy. They make people laugh. They make people overjoyed. They are like a honeycomb. In Old & New Testament times, nothing was as sweet as honey. So, gracious and pleasant words are as sweet as honey. Solomon also used it as a medicine.
Encouraging and pleasant words are like honey. They are so sweet. They are good for the body. Encouraging and pleasant words bring pleasure to the soul. They especially bring health to the bones.
I want to finish my sermon here. Let us say gracious words if possible. Let us give it a try at home, at school, at work and at church. Let us pray.
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