Sunday, January 6, 2008
Sun Oak Baptist Church

Introduction

        When we boil it all down the singular goal of the Christian life is to bring glory to God by becoming more and more like Christ – as Paul puts it in Rom. 8:29: that Jesus be the first-born among many brethren. This means to be actively engaged in and consciously, purposefully, pursuing the process of “progressive sanctification.”

        If there was one thing we could pick, aside from the basics – what I’ve referred to as “the fundamentals,” one resolution, one goal, and it had to come from God’s Word what would it be? Here’s the one I would suggest if I was asked: purpose to learn this year and to take seriously the incredible power of our tongues (for good and bad) and then purpose to learn how to control that power and use it for good. Prov. 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue...” See James 3:1-12.

I. The problem: our tongues.

        A. The importance, power, and affect of words can be traced all the         way back to Gen. 1:1-5.

        Many false teachers today take these very verses and twist them.

        B. Gen. 3:1-5: how did Satan deceive and tempt Eve? With his         words.

        C. Ex. 20:1-17: notice how many of the Ten Commandments are         directly related to our tongue?

        D. Prov. 6:12-19: notice that three (3) of the seven (7) things the         Lord specifically says He hates originate with the tongue.

        E. Prov. 10:11-14; 10:18-21; 12:18-19; 15:4; 18:8 & 21; 21:23;         25:11-14; 26:17-28; 29:20.

        F. Matt. 15:10-20: our words are revealing.

II. The solution: replace bad speech with good speech. See Eph. 4:25-32.

        Learn and then apply 4 rules that are essential to God honoring communication.

        Please note: this message will be continued next Lord’s Day.

Conclusion

        See Psalm 17:1-3. The word “purpose” here means “devise, consider, or plot.” It refers to devising a plan.

        Let’s consider not a resolution, not a goal, but a plan and plot for 2008 and beyond – in our personal lives and in the life of our church. Let’s purpose to do what the Psalmist says here: to not transgress with our mouths.

        We can literally break someone’s spirit with a word; we can set on fire the course of our life with just 1 word said in the wrong way.