Sermon Notes
Pastor Jeff Stanfill

Making Your Home a Treasure House
(Communicable Attributes of God)
"Holiness (With Words)" - Part 3
June 18, 2006 - AM Service

MAKING YOUR HOME A TREASURE HOUSE - FAMILY SERIES
(COMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD)
HOLINESS - PART 3
"WITH WORDS"
ILLU: "Things I've learned from my boys"

John 17:17. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

I. THE POWER OF WORDS.
1. To consider the power of words we start with the most powerful of words - God's Words. It needs to be set at the start this morning that our words are not like God's Words. 1 Thess 2:13. And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
The distinctions are "distinct!" or significant.
· God's Word is inspired or God-breathed while ours is not. 2 Tim 3:16. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
· God's Word has creative power. He spoke everything into existence (Gen 1).
· God's word has spiritual life giving power. 1 Peter 1:23. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
· Authority. Mark records the witness of the crowds who heard Jesus' words that no one else taught as He did, that He taught with authority. And they further noticed that His words were authoritative in that they delivered people. (Mark 1:22-27).

While not as powerful in both degree and kind as God's Words, our words affect others who hear them. More books continue to be written about communication as we still aren't communicating. Perhaps it is due to a misunderstanding of what communication is. Communication is not unloading all one's emotional baggage, gripes, disappointments, frustrations, and complaints. If that is what communication is for someone, then they are living far below God's design. Kaye Arthur gives a great definition of communication, "the free exchange of thoughts, ideas, and opinions shared between two or more people who are willing to be open, honest, and vulnerable." (Marriage Without Regrets, pg. 136).

2. Two pronged power of words. Distilling what Scripture tells us of words their power is two-pronged. One is the power to pierce and the other is the power to spread.

One can be pierced by a sword or by a hypodermic needle. One can kill and the other heal when used properly. Of the sword, Proverbs tells us that reckless words pierce like a sword (12:18) and "A wounded spirit who can bear?" (Prov. 18:14). How many of us carry scars from the wounds of words spoken to us in childhood, or by a critical person, or an uncaring leader?

Of a hypodermic needle, we can be injected with words of flattery that cause inflammation of the ego - not always a deadly condition but always a life affecting one. A word whispered can deeply affect our attitude toward a person - affecting our vision in the way we see someone.

Or the hypodermic needle of words they can put into our system life like a vitamin shot that is sweet to the soul and healing to the bones (16:24). They also can fill a person with conviction and belief (10:21, 11:9).

Words have the power to spread because they implant ideas and ramify. Just as the piercing of words can be good or evil, words can spread like a virus or like a pleasant fragrance. Like a deadly virus spread from one victim to the next so the words of gossip separate even close friends (16:28), evil words are a fire that destroys everything in its path, strife foams and spreads everywhere like an overflowing acid drainer. And all of this can be done with indirect words that insinuate, hint, suggest, or provocate. Words can be like a single spark that ignites a forest or a spoon that stirs anger like a simmering pot (Prov. 15:1). How discord, broken homes, bitter ongoing feuds begin with words!

And spreading like a pleasant fragrance words of kindness lift anxiety from someone's heart better than aroma therapy (12:25). They spread like honey pouring from a honeycomb and actually heal deep wounds (16:24). In their spreading effect, words can douse a temper like water does a flame as does the spread of water over a burning building (15:1). Often the difference between a failed life and a fulfilled life is one other person - just one other person speaking kind words can turn a potential delinquent into a dynamo for good; a kind word can redirect the path one has chosen or bring light into their dark day. ILLU: In hospitals I engage the staff, doctors, and other patients to make them smile by my words. In tense situations in public we can do the same with strangers.

Words can change a countenance and soften stone-hard attitudes. They can give hope to the depressed, eradicate discouragement, introduce truth and light into error and darkness, mend misunderstandings, and build bridges.

Words are a gift to us from God that enables sharing our ideas, our hearts, and our expectations. They are tools given to us to ward off disappointment, to set up others for success, to fill another's life with joy and hope. I could go on about the power of words but every one of us knows the power words have - we need only to be reminded.

As we can be a reflection of the attributes of God, our words spoken to one another can be a mirror reflection of the qualities of God's words. We cannot speak and create something out of nothing but we can speak and create a pleasant or unpleasant atmosphere for others. We cannot impart spiritual life but we can encourage someone in their life with Christ. And as our conversations are saturated with the Word of God, we do have a degree of authority.

Eph 5:25-28. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. This means that in relationships, especially the marriage relationship, words made real with actions can set others apart as special. While communication includes emotions, body language and facial expressions, it is words that set others apart.

Therefore, as God uses His Word to sanctify us, how might our words and conversations "sanctify" others? How may we set our friends and family apart with our words?

II. POWERFUL WORDS.
1. Pleasant words. (Prov. 16:24). Prov 16:24. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. To the Hebrews, pleasant words are those that reflected the character of God for God and His name are described as pleasant (Ps. 135:3). Pleasant words are kind, like God's kindness that leads us to repentance. They are delightful. One thing that delights God is showing mercy Mic 7:18 You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. Merciful words are a delight when instead of condemning someone with phrases like "You always ..." or "You never ..." we bring blessing to them with words such as "I forgive you when ..." or "I do not hold it against you." Pleasant words show favor. Favor is when someone is in good standing with another, usually a superior. Pleasant words show that the other is in good standing with endearing words and gentle tones.

2. Timely words. (Prov. 15:23). Sharing our words at the right time is an art form - one I can describe but struggle with myself! The Bible warns that too early in the morning even a loud blessing is heard as a curse by our neighbor (Prov. 27:14). ILLU: Newly married and discussing life insurance with Mary Ann - not good timing! Timely words can be a word of warning, a word of instruction, a word of encouragement, a word of correction given in its time when it is most needed and likely to be recognized.

3. Restrained words. (Prov. 17:27). Words should be restrained in number. Ecc. 10:13 identifies the fool by the multitude of his words. The balance of that is if words are pleasant, timely, and filled with grace then a multitude of words will prevent sin (Prov. 10:19). It simply is not true that if you think it you ought to go ahead and say it. Words should be restrained in volume. That blessing early in the morning may have been received if it wasn't too loud! Words should be restrained in tone. We are warned about harsh words (Prov. 15:1). But restrained words are calm.

4. Pleasant, timely, and restrained words are applauded for at least three reasons. One, they allow time for a fair hearing Prov 18:13. He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame. Two, they allow tempers to cool Prov 15:1. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. And, three, their influence is powerful Prov 25:15. Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

5. 'Grace' words. Acts 20:32. "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. It should be our prayer that our words are so "God's Word saturated" that they point others to the grace that is in Jesus Christ. What a person says springs up from within the person. Luke 6:45. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks .

CONCL:
How can we set apart others with our words? What is our responsibility in this so that our words are pleasant, timely, restrained, and gracious?

1. Become Word saturated. Col 3:16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. This can involve memorizing the Bible but more of it means being so informed and shaped by the Bible that you view life and others with a Biblical view.

2. Be word surrendered. Matthew Henry comments on Col. 3:16 that the Word of Christ must "keep house" in our lives. The Word does not dwell in us as a live-in servant but as a domiciled Lord. He is the master, we are the minion. Many have Bibles in their houses but does the Word of Christ dwell in their homes?

3. Be word supreme. This is the word of Christ that dwells in us. What is the word of Christ but the message of the Gospel's deliverance? When the supreme desire of our hearts is the salvation of all our friends and family members, our words become words that teach and admonish with all wisdom.

Perhaps today you must go to someone and apologize for the words you have spoken.

Perhaps you must repent for the vocabulary, the lack of restraint, the unpleasant tone, the harsh words that penetrated and spread throughout your family or your friend's heart.

Please do so but do so with the hope that God is setting you apart as you do. He has given His Word to sanctify you and that is just what He is doing!