My Epic Journey

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to preach at Grace Point Community Church.  The topics of my talk was the tongue.  It was part of a series we are doing called Street Smarts.  Below is my sermon outline for my talk. If you are more of a listener than a reader you can listen to it HERE.

5 C’s of Life-Giving Communication

(Proverbs 18.21; Ephesians 4.25-32)

Introduction:

Over the past month we have been studying the book of Proverbs in a series we have titled, Street Smarts.    Our base verse for the series is Proverbs 1.20, “Wisdom calls aloud in the street.” The goal behind the series is to point out that there are two different types of wisdom, wisdom from God and earthly wisdom.  Earthly wisdom is often referred in this world as having street smarts.  We want to have street smarts but not so much in the way the world thinks.  We want to have heavenly street smarts and we want to know what it means to live life according to how God desires us to live it.

In the series we have already looked at giving, compassion, fear, hard work, and purity.  Today we are going to look at the tongue.  I will never forget in middle school, sitting in the main service and hearing our pastor announce the topic of the sermon and hearing it was on the use of the tongue.  I remember frantically getting out my Bible, notebook and pen and feverously taking notes to realize halfway through that this had nothing to do with kissing which was very disappointing to me.  So just to clarify this morning, this has nothing to do with kissing and everything to do with glorifying God with our speech.

Read Proverbs 18.21

The writer of Proverbs has much more to say about the tongue.  Listen to some of these warnings:

Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 15:4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 17:20 A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

The tongue, according to God, literally is either a spring of life or a pit of death to not only ourselves but to others around us.  So how can we make sure that our speech is life-giving instead of speech that brings death?

5 C’s of Life-Giving Communication

Read Ephesians 4.25-32

1. Be Correct (Ephesians 4.25)

• Speak Out
• Speak the Truth
• Speak the Truth Lovingly

Example:  Someone who is in the church that we feel may be harming themselves spiritually.  Our obligation is to first speak out, but to speak the truth and to do so with love.

2.  Be Current (Ephesians 4.26-27)

• It is not always sinful to be angry
• It is sinful not to solve problems daily
• Failing to keep current gives the Devil an opportunity

Example:  Pastor Pow-wows where we check to make sure there is nothing between any of us that may give Satan any room to cause division.

3.  Be Constructive (Ephesians 4.29)

• Don’t use “unwholesome” words

1.     Your momma’s so dumb it took her an hour to make minute rice

2.     Your momma’s so dumb she stayed up all night studying for her blood test

• Speak only edifying words

Challenge:  How many of your conversations today ended up with the other person feeling better about who they are?  How often, even in sarcasm, do we tear each other down and rarely give thought to building each other up with our words.

4.  Be Controlled (Ephesians 4.31)

• Exercise Self Control.  Don’t allow the situation to control you
• Put off unbiblical reactions: bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, malice

5.  Be Compassionate (Ephesians 4.32)

• Make the decision to act in a Christlike fashion
• Don’t allow yourself to react to the unbiblical actions of others.
• Put on biblical actions and attitudes: kind, tender-hearted, forgiving

Challenge:  If words such as, I’m sorry, How can I help?, is there anything I can do, etc. not in your vocabulary then perhaps you need to start working on being more compassionate with your speech.  The phrase, “If you don’t have anything nice to say than it is better to say nothing at all” is true on some levels but what is best is to work on creating a vocabulary that is full of compassion than just being silent.

These five principles of speech are necessary for us to develop so that we can give life instead of death with our words.

Conclusion:

Just a reminder that one way we can have street smarts is to heed the words of Proverbs 18.21, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”  The words that God desires to hear aloud in the street are life-giving words.  May all the words that come out of your mouth be pleasing to the ears of others but more importantly to the ears of God.

I had the wonderful privilege of speaking at Olentangy Liberty High School’s Baccalaureate this past Thursday.  Here is the notes from the message I gave:

Turning the Page—Liberty HS Baccalaureate (June 3, 2010)

As the Pastor of Student Ministries at GPCC, I have had the privilege and responsibility of casting the vision for what I believe God wants for our students. As I prayed and sought God’s direction, He seemed to be pointing back to this idea of a STORY and hence, the reason we have called our ministry, EPIC.

EPIC is defined as a “grand” story that highlights the adventures and achievements of a hero. A list of EPIC stories would include:

1. The Epic of Gilgamesh

2. The Iliad

3. The Odyssey

4. Beowulf

5. Star Wars

6. The Lord of the Rings series

I haven’t always been a reader but over the last 12-13 years I can’t stop reading. I didn’t use to enjoy reading because it was something I HAD to do. Of course, school always had us reading and not necessarily “fun” books and having a mother as a teacher meant my summers were consumed of weekly trips to the library and “countless” quiet hours for reading. Now, I always have a book on me, and though they are normally “non-fiction” books about ministry, leadership, or creativity, I do wander upon a good Fiction book every now and then. But not every story grabs my attention. To me, the characteristics of a great story are:

· Intriguing characters

· Depth and yet ease of plot

· A story that is bigger than the characters

· A deep longing for the next chapter

You are about to turn the page and enter a new chapter of your life . . . literally. The next chapter of your life, for many of you the next 4-8 years, will be some of the most rewarding and yet challenging times in your life. It is during this chapter of life that:

· Ties from friends are stretched and yet new ties are made with new friends.

· The role of parents move from parental authority to counselors, friends, supporters.

· You will determine who and what you want to be for the rest of your life.

· For many of you, this chapter of life is where you will meet your damsel in distress or your knight in shining armor.

This new chapter in your life is HUGE!! So how does God want you to handle this new chapter? Four things I want to share with you tonight from Ephesians 5.15-17, concerning how you need to live this chapter of your life:

1. Be Prepared–prepared for the twist and turns (v.15)

a. There will be ups and downs during this phase of life. Seeking godly counsel from parents, wise friends, etc. is essential during this time of life.

b. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

2. Live life on purpose (v. 16)

a. Don’t hold back.

b. God didn’t design us to live a mediocre life.

c. God designed us to live life on purpose for Him.

d. But in doing so, live for God, not for self.

3. Keep God as your focus. (v. 17)

a. It is easy in life to go with your plan, your parent’s plan, or someone else’s plan, but ultimately you must go with what God want for your life.

b. If God is not the main character in your story than you are not living the right story.

c. The most important part of God’s plan is for you to be a part of HIS story.

God desires that you play a part in a GRAND story—a story that is bigger than yourself but a story in which you are one of the main characters. So how do you become part of God’s story?

Roman 10.9-10 states, “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

You must choose to be a willing participant in God’s story. It is not up to your parents, friends, church, pastor, etc. It is solely up to you. So have you entered God’s story? If not, I am asking you to please find me after the service and simply say—“So I want to be part of God’s story!” and I would LOVE nothing more to help you enter this amazing Story God has planned for you.

If you are here tonight and you already have made that chose and you are living out the story, as you turn the page and begin to live out this next chapter, make sure God is your focus, that you are living on purpose, and that you are prepared for what life brings your way.

Prayer

God, thank you for allowing us to be a part of Your story. Thanks for this moment in the life of these graduating seniors where they turn the page and enter a new chapter. Yet as they do so, God remind them of their need for you. Remind them that life isn’t worth living if you are not the main character. For the parents, we ask that you give them the strength and wisdom to help their seniors in this new chapter. Thanks again for the opportunity to stand here and to talk to this group. Use them in mighty ways to enrich and bring depth to your story.