“Words Matter”
Pastor David Moore
Old Testament reading: Zechariah 8:14-23
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, “so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord. The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.”
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”
Review: regarding relationships
1. Healing relationships.
2. Sexual relationships.
3. Today the sermon is about the importance of words in relationships.
You know people by their words, you can tell what is in someone’s heart by what comes out of their mouths. ~D. Moore
Matthew 5:33-37
Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, do not swear at all; either by heaven, for it is God’s throne, or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘No’ ‘no’; anything beyond comes from the evil one.
Matthew 7:1-5:
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
When you accept Jesus as Master, we renounce our authority over our selves and come under God’s authority, then His power comes into you and change begins. That power is Christ’s character in you. His nobility, His obedience, His grace transforms us into His likeness. ~D. Moore
Christ in you: the hope of glory. Colossians 1:24-29
The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18
Isaiah 58:9b-11
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
If it’s not Right – don’t do it. If it’s not True – don’t say it. Simple.
Earn the right to be heard by listening to others. Seek to understand a situation before making judgements about it. ~John C Maxwell
Judging is writing someone off in your life. Judging occurs in three forms:
1. Forgiving but not forgetting is a decision that you are not important in my life.
2. Refusing to be merciful.
3. Gossiping is feeling superior to another.
This week think about your relationships before a word is spoken. Choose your words wisely and earn respect by listening and understanding the whole situation before speaking.
Pray that Christ will give you the patience to listen and the words of healing.
God bless you