Choose Your Words Carefully
Pastor Tan Thai · Jul 1, 2022
This sermon explores the power of words and the importance of speaking gracious, truthful speech in the Christian life. Drawing from Proverbs, Matthew, Ephesians, and James, the pastor emphasizes that words reveal the heart and will be judged before God. A person bearing the fruit of the Spirit must speak truthfully, kindly, wisely, courageously, and carefully.
The sermon opens by asserting that discussing the fruit of the Spirit without addressing speech is a very serious omission. The pastor explains that words are the most important means of communication between people, revealing inner thoughts, attitudes, and character. Jesus taught in Matthew 12:34-37 that on the day of judgment, each person will be judged by their own words, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
The first section focuses on the power and strength of words. Words can revive a person in despair but can also kill someone full of hope, as Proverbs 18:21 confirms: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." The pastor uses the tragic story of soccer player Andres Escobar, who was shot dead because of verbal abuse following a mistake in the 1994 World Cup, to illustrate that words can literally kill. Words are even more dangerous than a sword because they cannot be retrieved, and when passed from person to person they are often exaggerated and distorted.
The second section addresses five qualities of speech that a person bearing the fruit of the Spirit must practice. First is truthful, honest speech that does not deceive. Second is kind, gentle speech because "a soft answer turns away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1). Third is wise speech, knowing the right time and place to speak. Fourth is straightforward, courageous speech, not speaking ambiguously or staying silent when one needs to defend another. Fifth is speaking sparingly and carefully, because "in the multitude of words sin is not lacking" (Proverbs). James also warns that the tongue, though small, is extremely poisonous and no one can fully tame it.
The third section addresses the restoration that words can bring and the particular dangers of gossip and slander within the church. The pastor warns that gossip usually begins as personal sharing but gradually becomes misunderstanding, prejudice, and division. He cites Jesus' teaching in Matthew 18:15-17 about resolving conflict by speaking directly to the person involved rather than talking about them to others. Paul also exhorts believers in Ephesians 4:25 to put away lying and to speak only words that are good for edification and impart grace to those who hear.
The sermon closes with a practical call for every Christian to recognize that words are a mirror reflecting the heart. If a person's words are consistently harsh, bitter, or dishonest, that reveals their true inner self. Therefore, believers need to allow the Holy Spirit to transform their hearts so that their words may also be sanctified, becoming a source of encouragement, comfort, support, and restoration for those around them.