Words Can Save - Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ you like what you see that Jens is good as it gets.

You said a soothing tongue is a tree of life.

Somebody you can say the right words to you in the right circumstances is a tree of life do you avoid when you find yourself in total disarray and somebody can give you peace somebody can give you comfort somebody can give you hope on the basis of what they say is that the tree of life. Joining us today on this additional fellowship in the world Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our world naval yard had been hiding on the island of Guam for nearly 3 years ever since the Japanese took the island in 1941 survival for DR Tweed was nearly impossible. But when he waited against the idea of internment in a POW camp. He continued to hide late in the day on July 10, 1944, Tweed spotted an American ship on the horizon and so he scurried up the hill and he positioned himself on the cliff and then he reached into his backpack and he pulled out a small matter and he began to try to signal the ship. Three shorts three longs, three shorts he tried over and over… – – –.Dot.SOS. Finally, after several attempts, the signal caught the eye of a sailor on the USS McCall rescue party when a motorized dinghy slipped into the cove. Tweed was rescued when interviewed. He said he was very thankful for three things.

One, he said I was thankful that I had a mere two. He said I was thankful that I knew how to use the mere and three, and surprisingly he said. And I'm really glad and thankful that the mayor cooperate. What if it hadn't one of the mayor decided I'm not going to cooperate.

I I'm not coming out of the backpack he never needed me. Up till now I'm not doing it or say the mayor was real insecure. You know III get out of the backpack have to do some I may not be able to do it. It might not work in enema get blamed for this may be the mayor just had self-pity. You see, it's a good thing that dad DR Tweed's mere didn't have a mind of its own, but unfortunately God's mayors do you see you and I are God's mayors and sometimes we cooperate that often we don't open your Bibles to second Corinthians chapter 3 second Corinthians chapter 3 no one established the premise that we are the mayors of God in a verse that may not look that way.

At first, second Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 we are in a series of fact, the final message in a series. The weight of our words.

We started out in the book of James and James says that we have to be very careful to control our tongue gave us six reasons why we had to be careful. One is we will be judged on the basis of what we say. Jesus himself said, you will be judged for every careless word you speak, that's a sobering thought also that are words in our speeds reveal our spiritual maturity will see more of that today. He said that our tongue wants to control us and not only that our tongue wants to corrupt us and he said, and it's impossible for us our own to control our tongue.

It's untamable and he said our tongue has a tremendous capacity for hypocrisy and for compromise and so we then set out on things we shouldn't be doing. We needed to stop buying stop gossiping stop bragging and last time. Stop complaining. But this time I want to deal with something else I want to deal with how wonderful your words can be how powerful your speeches how important it is that you speak to reflect the glory of the Lord that you serve.

Now in verse 18. The apostle Paul writing to the church of Corinth says something he says but we all, with unveiled face is referring earlier to Moses he said, but we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the spirit, and so that NASB are the new American Standard translation.

Serta gives you the idea of contemplation that were looking into the mere. That's why beholding as in a mirror and when I read that in the past I've often wondered now were looking at the Lord in the mirror, but when I look in the mirror who I see I see me so I was never really super comfortable with that particular way of looking at it but there's another way to translate and often is the Jerusalem Bible says reflecting like mirrors in the NIV says that we all reflect the Lord's glory. This implies and assigns a much different way of doing it. It all comes down. By the way that simply that one compound word we say beholding as in a mirror. It's the word caught Patricia and caught up her trousseau means literally to reflect as a mere and in this case, and now this gets exciting part for you. This is in the middle voice okay in the great usually loved English Grammy love Greek grammar it's in the middle voice in the middle voice means you're the one.

It does the reflecting and so literally. If you were to can read them translate that verse.

Literally, it would be to reflect as a mere if you read it that way, but we all, with unveiled face reflecting as a mere the glory of the Lord. You see, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, and so I think that's exactly what Paul is saying that we all reflect as a mere engine every one of us and we all are doing it to different degrees of reflection. Some of us are very mature. Some of us reflect a lot of the Lord. Some of us reflect very little Lord. Some of us don't want to reflect the Lord of all.

But he said that's what we are. We are the mirrors of God and we are to reflect his glory. In what ways would we do that well. One would clearly be that we would reflect his glory and our behavior. So he's our role model in the way that he would've acted as the way we should ask what would Jesus do in the matter-of-fact vendors. Another way we could do it in our attitudes to have the same attitudes that Jesus had. But what I want to talk about is 1/3 way in which we can do it and that is do we reflect Jesus to reflect our Lord with the way we speak, to reflect the Lord in the way in which we talk. You see, our tongue doesn't send out SOS appeals, but according to the apostle Peter in his epistle.

We are to give an account that's with our time with our speech and with our words for the hope it's in our heart we are to give an account.

We are to use our speech to reflect our heart is extremely important for us to understand this go with me now to Proverbs chapter 15 I want you to see the power of your tongue over your speech of your words. Proverbs chapter 15 this the first four verses the first verse is a principal by the way, one that you probably are lousy at it says this. Solomon writes a general answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger which part of that person you somebody gives you the business. Somebody gets Appia somebody in Socha somebody judge somebody criticizes someone condemns you how you respond. Notice what he says. A general answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger. For if you could just incorporate this verse in a marriage. How much better would your marriage be. You see, because what happens in the context of close relationships.

Whenever somebody gives us something that's hurtful to watch what we do what's our default. What is it we cry out immediately. We give harsh words, we want to hurt back then Solomon says this the tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools about falling in other words, almost everything you speak comes out into categories according to Solomon, you either speak wisdom you speak falling one or the other, you're either wise or your fool according to Solomon pieces the eyes of the Lord are in every place. Watching the evil and the good and then the here's the principle of a soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit while there is the parallelism here is these are opposites very typical of Hebrew poetry, a soothing tongue is a tree of life.

When you think of the tree of life where you see that in Scripture Genesis Eden tree of life as good as it gets.

He said a soothing tongue is a tree of life. Somebody you could say the right words to you in the right circumstances to is a tree of life do you boy, when you find yourself in total disarray and somebody can give you peace somebody can give you comfort somebody can give you hope on the basis of what they say. He said that's a tree of life. On the other hand, he says, perversion, and it crushes the spirit words hurt. You can have your spirit crushed there been people that I had crushed spirits for almost a whole like because of the way their parents spoke to them when they were small. Now I want to move to Proverbs 25 Proverbs 25 verses 11 and 12.

He resorted gives you the idea of how precious the words are that we speak. He said like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in the right circumstances like an inner ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise reprove her to a listening year.

He's using jewelry and a lot of them in their world and have much so he said this to be just like having he said an apple of gold in settings of silver is got a lot of bling. In other words, he said that's way it is in a word spoken in the right circumstances. Choose two things about your tongue or your speech or your language. One is what you say and to is when you say timing is almost everything when it comes to speaking to someone, especially someone who is having a difficult time. The circumstances are important, and he says that's how precious it is to be able to speak the right words.

I want to illustrate that by now the end of the book of Proverbs Proverbs 21 May 31, excuse me, and Proverbs 31 is about the excellent wife. This is the best. A woman can be. In fact, by the way, you never see this about a husband. I don't know why it's not in the Scripture, but you never see it once here's an excellent husband what he looks like. I'm not sure there are any that might be the important issue. Notice what he says in verse 10, an excellent wife who can find for her worth is far above jewels since you know how rare it is to find an excellent wife. He says the heart of her husband trusting her and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. This is an amazing woman. Starting in verse 13 starts talking about what she does and it's astounding. She sacrifices everything for her family. She takes care of a kid. She has a business on the side. Everything about this woman is sacrificial and wonderful, but I will get just verse 26 when he describes the excellent wife. He says she opens her mouth and wisdom in the teaching of kindness is on her tongue while how does she speak such as wise, but how does she convey her wisdom.

He says she's kind see what a wonderful role model for all of us how precious these are. These words are the words in which you and I speak the reflection the reflection that we have of the Lord through us in the way in which we speak, not only for the Lord's glory and only for our good, but it's for the good and benefit of so many other people. Let me ask you something up with this. Your tongue reflect day in and day out.

Just take yesterday. What does your tongue reflect your conversations that you had. You see, the book of Proverbs says that for example if you speak with angry words, Solomon says you stir up strife. We know from last time and they sent the spies and that if you speak fearful words you'll stir up fear. That's with the 10 spies did they spend 40 years not going in because of those words. You see, if you speak negative words you're very pessimistic then you put for your negativism and the people around you. The power of your words is immense. For each and every one of us. But the point is this. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ and you have a personal relationship with him. Then the way you speak should always reflect him always. It should be a reflection of him and it should not be a continuation of the way you used to speak before you came to Christ.

Turn with me to second Corinthians chapter 5 start verse 14. Paul's going to put this together in an interesting way.

He says for the love of Christ controls us now.

He could've added the love of Christ should control us and of the love of Christ is controlling us. It controls our behaviors and controls our attitudes and in this case. It also controls our speech.

It controls the way you and I speak the love of Christ controls us. Having concluded this that one died for all, therefore all died and he died for all, so that they who might live no longer live for themselves but for him who died and rose again on their behalf. He said that's what we do once I am a born-again Christian. Once I put my trust and faith in Christ in his finished work. My job description if you can make it as short as possible as the reflector's glory and so is yours. You draw your job is to simply reflect the glory of Christ, so that he says in verse 17 therefore, if anyone he said is in Christ is a new creature. The old things passed away behold, new things have come. You see, I can go back to the default exhibit. You have to understand that just always the way have been.

I mean, I've always been pessimistic. I've always been negative. I've always been vulgar unit. I've always been cynical. I've always been sarcastic. That's just the way I want fine with word of God said it's time to stop. You see your new creature in Christ. Your to reflect someone else. So, notice what he says in the next verse he says now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. You see how how do I get into this relationship with God. How can I now reflect my Lord in my speech, my behavior, my attitudes, he says you been reconciled human reconciled to God. God did it in Christ.

That's how a sinful creature and a holy God come together. The reconciling work of Jesus Christ. He says, but that's not only what happened was he says he gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That means you want IR to be part of reconciling people to God. If you think about that for a moment. That's the most important thing we do I send this over all the years, but you do realize that every single thing that you experience as a Christian you would do much much better in heaven. Everything I mean worship in heaven will will beat this.

I mean, you see everything in heaven fellowship in heaven beats this everything in heaven beats this you know what you can do in heaven. You can't reconcile lost people to God. This can't that's why because of the great commission. He said that's why you have to reflect in your behaviors and in your attitudes and your words, my glory. He said that's our ministry, he repeats it then he says in verse 19, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the word dual world to himself, not counting their trespasses against and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation. You see, that's the word of reconciliation.

That's not what were committed to Peterson were to give an account for the hope the tennis.

Jesus said, go and make disciples. You see, we are to be witnesses for Christ. Luke writes in the book of acts.

That's what we do and by the way, you have to speak these words, your behaviors important. Gratitude is a great all that's important. But somehow you have to speak the ministry of reconciliation you have to talk to people about who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for them, and then he says this. Therefore, his conclusion, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ have to go get on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just like the message one more time.

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