Sermons
Death And Life Are In It's Power
DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN ITS POWER
Discussion Led By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / July 22, 2018
The words we speak, as well as the attitudes we reflect, are powerful.
In fact they are so potent that they can bring about life or death.
Solomon writes in Prov.18:21 that death and life are in the power of the tongue...
James declares (Js.3:8-10a), no man can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the
likeness of God; from the same mouth come both BLESSING and CURSING.
It's easy to read this passage and get hung up on James' initial declaration, no man can tame the tongue,
as if his statement provides justification for our ill-spoken words. But we know better than this - - such a line of reasoning amounts to nothing more than rationalization (giving ourselves permission to say what we know is harmful).
If James was truly noting a behavior that is so ingrained in humankind that it cannot be changed, then he
would not have added the words we find in Js.3:10b - - My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.
The book of Proverbs is loaded with admonitions regarding how we speak to one another.
Our words have the power to crush others (Prov.15:4).
But they also have the power to nourish (Prov.10:21) and heal (Prov.12:18) and to turn away wrath (Prov.15:1).
Prov.15:23 adds, a man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word.
And Prov.15:30 states, bright eyes gladden the heart; good news (i.e., good words) puts fat on the bones.
Some of you may dislike my sermon this morning, although I hope that is not the case
Today, on the heels of last Sunday, brings a teachable moment.
Some may prefer that we ignore recent events, but to do so would be not only turning a blind eye,
it would also be a failure on my part to preach the word in season and out of season (2Tim.4:2).
Some have rendered that phrase “in season and out of season” as “when they like it and when they don't like it”.
Paul defines what this means when he tells Timothy to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
My message this morning has a small measure of reproof and rebuke,
but my primary focus will be on the latter - - exhorting with great patience and instruction.
I assure you that my intentions are not to retaliate. Neither is it my goal to make matters worse.
In fact, my aim is just the opposite - - to help us all learn from things that have happened.
In Scripture the word “leaven” is used in two distinctly different ways.
In one passage Jesus uses leaven in a positive sense. Mt.13:33 - - The kingdom of heaven is like leaven,
which a woman took, and hid in three pecks of meal, until it was all leavened.
This verse speaks of the POSITIVE power of the gospel - - just a pinch has the power to permeate the whole for good.
In two parallel passages, Jesus uses leaven to describe something NEGATIVE - - something evil and insidious (harmful).
In Mt.16:6 Jesus warns, Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
In Mk.8:15, Jesus cautions, Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.
In these two citations Jesus is speaking about words (false teachings) that mislead and corrupt.
In 1Cor.5:1-8, Paul addresses a serious issue of sexual immorality that had taken root in the church at Corinth.
It was so flagrant that Paul proclaimed that he was delivering the guilty one over to Satan (vs.5).
In 1Cor.5:6-10, Paul writes the following - -
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?
Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened.
For Christ our Passover has also been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven,
nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but the the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Our words often take shape in the form of criticisms.
There is a proper place for critical thinking.
I use critical thinking all the time in teaching about eschatology in particular.
We will never rightfly grasp such a difficult doctrine as the study of last things if we do not critically
ask questions like: who wrote it? … when was it written? … why? … and to whom was it written?
I employed this very process of critical thinking just a few days ago in talking to someone about
1Pet.4:7 - - the end of all things is at hand.
What did Peter's declaration mean to the first-century audience to whom he wrote?
What “end” was he talking about? If he meant the end of planet earth then he was mistaken.
What is the meaning of “at hand”? It never means 2,000+ years. If however, Peter meant the
end of Judaism and God's judgment on Jerusalem, he was quite precise in his prophetic utterance.
But critical thinking is not the same as chronic complaining.
Complainers and grumblers have plagued the church since its inception.
James writes (Js.5:9) - - do not complain, brethren, one against another, that you yourselves may not be judged.
Paul echoes this thought in Philp.2:14 - - do all things without grumbling or complaining.
The business world often employs the acronym, S.O.P.. Does anyone know what S.O.P. stands for?
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
This morning in our Home-Builders Class we discussed “Communication Goals For Husbands And Wives”.
We've all heard this story - -
An older wife appeals to her husband, “why don't you tell me you love me anymore?”
Her crotchety old husband responds by saying,
“I told you I loved you the day I married you and if that ever changes I will let you know.”
Surely no one among us would argue that that is a good S.O.P. for a vibrant marriage.
Now, let's use this illustration to segue to the church.
What is our S.O.P.? Why is my S.O.P.?
Is not LOVE to be our badge of discipleship?
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if that you have love for one another. / Jn.13:35
It is this love, which is to be first among us (i.e., our top priority), and which is to be fervent among us,
that works to cover a multitude of sins (1Pet.4:8).
The apostle Paul warns (Gal.5:15), If you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed...
By contrast, the Scripture applaud a different one-another way.
Eph.4:2 / with all humility and gentleness, with patience, show(ing) forbearance to one another.
Heb.10:24 / let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
1Thess.5:11 / Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another.
Rom.14:19 / Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
Paul exhorts (Gal.6:10) - - Let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Rom.13:7 urges us to give honor to whom honor is due.
We're not talking here about flattering others with false platitudes often driven by ulterior motives.
We're simply speaking of giving recognition, honor and esteem - -
speaking truthful and heart-felt words that supply positive reinforcement.
We're not contending that anyone is above criticism.
And we're certainly not meaning to imply that your preacher is above criticism.
What we're talking about here is making wholesome and edifying words our S.O.P..
One more proverb and then we'll have just a few more comments and then close this sermon with a prayer.
Prov.3:27 states, do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
This passage seems to be discussing financial or material assistance.
But surely we could all agree that we as the body of Christ should not be stingy with positive words.
On a personal note, Jeannie and I were overwhelmed with so many kind words that were directed to us last Sunday.
Some of you expressed words of affirmation in ways I had never heard.
Some of you vocalized specific positive things about my preaching that I have never heard you say.
In fact, in several instances, I would have honestly had to say, “I didn't know how they felt about my preaching.”
Many of you showered us with generous words, encouraging words, uplifting words.
We (Jeannie & I) thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Last week I heard someone tell one of our elders how much they appreciated them.
We really don't do this enough.
If we were to ask our elders, “what is the ratio of criticisms to compliments?”, what might they tell us?
Why is it that this ratio is so often upside down - - lots of criticisms, but so little praise?
I also want to use this point in time to say: don't wait for bad things to happen to tell others good things.
I'm not saying this to solicit compliments (I hope and pray that you can properly read my heart).
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka Mark Twain) is noted for having said,
“I can live two months on a good compliment.”
I think I know what he is talking about. We all know the good that can come from encouraging words.
What I am trying my best to say to all of us (to myself foremost) - -
as brothers and sisters in Christ (all of whom have been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus)
we shouldn't have to be prodded into speaking words and grace and edification to one another.
This needs to be our S.O.P..
Our world is full of critics, many of them harsh and mean-spirited.
The church of our Lord Jesus Christ needs to offer (to be) something different.
Indeed we are compelled to do so by the very Scriptures we hold so dearly.
This does not mean that in our studies we will not engage in critical thinking.
But it does mean that in our treatment of one another: our thoughts & feeling and words & deeds will
be blanketed by an exceptional LOVE - - a love enfleshed for us by Jesus - - which puts front and center
for us the true meaning of social skills that our world often overlooks, chooses to ignore or rejects.
Things like forbearance & forgiveness, and gentleness & kindness, and being patience & longsuffering
with one another. These precious commodities - - qualities and virtues that are frequently hard to find
in our dog-eat-dog world, but they ought to be present in abundance in the glorious church of our Lord.
