Last night we continued our study of the Lordship of Christ in all of life with a discussion of our speech. Here’s the notes:
Part 1: What is Speech?
- Gen 1:1-3 Speech was the beginning of our universe. It predates matter. It created all! The universe is the result of communication!
- Gen 1:26-28 Our purpose is known through God’s speech
- Gen 2:15-17 God’s will for us in known through God’s speech.
- Gen 11:1-9 The fall leads to miscommunication.
- John 1:1,14,17,18 “The Word of God” incarnated to declare God to us. His ministry is teaching.
Part 2: What about Our Speech?
Mt 28:20, Luke 24:44-49 Our Lord commands us to:
- speak the truths about Jesus
- speak His commands
*** My mouth is for His use: to communicate information which if responded to leads to knowledge of God—Eternal life (John 17).
Part 3: Getting Practical
- Luke 6:45-46 The heart is the key to controlling the mouth. The Gospel offers a new heart!
- Colossians 4:6 Towards unbelievers: w/grace, seasoned with Salt. A heart under Christ’s lordship, changed by the Gospel, will speak a certain way. A case study of this: How do I respond to a “dirty” joke at work…
- Always have grace filled salty speech, then you’ll know what to say in each situation.
- A changed heart won’t laugh won’t laugh.
- You’ll answer with grace: not harshly or judgmentally.
- But you’re answer will have the flavor of Christ: you’ll engage the person, as a person, with truth. You’ll know how to cut through the joking and laughing to the core issues that adrress people where they’re at with what’s really going on. It’s not a popular thing to do today, but it is how Jesus spoke with people.
- James 3:1-12 How we talk to people shows how we feel about God.
- Eph 4:25, 29 Lying is a contradiction of the Lordship and the Gospel. Corrupting talk is too…