Date of Sermon Delivery: 8. 5. 2022

Place of sermon Delivery:  Delhi, India

Sunday Worship Service

Speaker: Jatin Bisht

Title – Make your mouth give grace to those who hear. 
Bible: Ephesians 4:25-29
Key verse – Ephesians 4:29

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body. 

26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 

27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 

28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen

 

Hello,

My dear lovely brothers and sisters. 

Great to see you in the House of the lord. 

In Psalm 27:4 David says, one thing I ask from the Lord this only do I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 

David wished he could live in the tabernacle itself, surrounded every day by the presence and beauty of God. 

I hope that you have also same wish that you should also stay in the house of the Lord, therefore this morning you all have chosen to be present in the Lord’s house, instead to going for a walk, watching a movie, or spending time with someone you chose the lord and his house. 

May the Lord Jesus Bless you all. 

 

This week, when I was in my shop, and I was writing account of people. An aunty comes to my shop and mother asked to her, yesterday you had borrowed something. She responded to my mother that I did not borrow anything, gave money for everything. 

My mother could not remember what she had taken on loan, but that aunty was denying that she did not take anything on loan. After sometime my mother could remember that she took mustard oil on loan, now aunt’s lie was caught then she said yes, I have to pay oil money. That aunty knew this thing but was lying. Because of that incident my mother was not happy with aunty. 

In present time people are so conscious what goes into their mouth more than what comes out of their mouth. Jesus says in Matthew 15:11 what goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them but what comes out of their mouth that is what defiles them. 

Let’s Pray to God

Great Lord, this morning we all have made choice that we all came to you lord, we all do not want to leave from here with empty heart but we want to take your living words, your words pierce our hearts and renew it. 

Lord, today we have come to be new make us new with your words. We submit this time in your hands and ask your spirit of enclosure around this service.

We all pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Together we will say. Amen 

 

Do you know our tongue is powerful? The small tongue inside of our mouth is the strongest part of our body. 

It is so powerful that proverbs say 18:21 the tongue has the power of life and death. 

With our words we can build or destroy, we can make new friends or enemies, we can encourage or discourage, we can speak truth or lies, we can bring peace or tension. 

Really our words can cut like a knife or heal like a salve, it can make someone to smile or someone fight. 

We all can remember words spoken to us in childhood that still bring a strong sense of joy or pain. 

When I was in teenage, I went in family trip with my relative. In our travelling time my relatives used some embarrassed (Derogatory) word for my father that word remained in my heart for many years but by growing in the lord, I forgot those things and now I love them in Jesus Christ.

May be someone unthinkingly told you that your nose looks funny, and years later you would like to change your nose. 

Because we have such a powerful instrument in our mouth, which can bring fire and can also quench that fire. Therefore, God is very concerned with our speech/words, that the reason the Bible says much about our words. 

Book of proverbs alone contains more than 100 verses out of 900 that deal with our speech/words.

As a believer/follower of Jesus Christ our actions have a lot of impact in front of others.

Matthew 12:36 (I tell you, on the day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak)

Here Jesus reminds us that we have to give account for how we have used our tongues. therefore, it is important for us that we may learn to control our tongue with the help of God. 

Let’s read Ephesians 4:29

29. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

In this chapter of Ephesians, Paul talks about leave old life and put life on the way of Jesus Christ, and he addressed one of the toughest areas to change, the way we talk. 

I wish, when we are listening today’s sermon, I want we may do not find anyone else in this sermon but found yourself in it. 

As I have spent 13 years in Christ, but still, I am wrong in many areas with my words. Sometimes, I participate in unwholesome talk. And here unwholesome does not mean with abuse only, as written in BSI bible “Gandi baat”. 

But if you see in KJV bible there is written word corrupt instead of unwholesome. Corrupt talk not only corrupt ourself but it impacted to other with us because corrupt word spread corruption around of us. And why it is happened, because somewhere the old nature is yet to go, somewhere the old thought is yet to go.

But in this morning Jesus wants our tongue to put away from unwholesome (Corrupt) talk. 

In this verse Paul first says what should not come out of the believer’s mouth that is unwholesome talk. 

So, it is important for us to identify unwholesome talk. 

 

Falsehood/lie – Paul says Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body. 

Most of the time people take lies too lightly. I was not there, or I did not do it, but you were there and you did it. 

I will be there but you have no intention of being there. 

Many time we give false impression with a wonderful testimony that I am fine, but we are not. Many time we make up a true story with the help of lies so that audience feels better, but as soon as the artificial truth is removed it is all a lie. 

Dear brothers and sisters, whenever I or we take the help of lies, then once think whether our Jesus Christ lies to us? He does not speak lies, because he is the lord of truth and let us be like him. 

 

 

Words spoken in anger 

A second area of unwholesome talk is words spoken in anger. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 

Anger is not necessarily wrong, but we must know how to control it. Because uncontrolled anger quickly leads to doing wrong. 

When we are angry our brains stop functioning properly, but our mouth keeps on running. We start to think or says I hate you, I will kill, or I will never work here again, and later we regret on it. 

Once, I spoke to brother Mohit very loudly, and also got angry over him, I know that I was wrong on that time, today I want to apologize to you in front of God’s church. And I hope that all of us also ask forgiveness and give forgive to each other’s. 

 

Obscenity

Ephesians 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 

Obscenity language arouse the sexual thought in us more. Paul says here improper language should have no place in Christian’s conversation because it does not reflect God’s gracious presence in us. Avoid jokes or stories that focus on sexual activities, maybe we thought it is normal but somewhere enemy designed it so that we may not able to please to God. 

 

Foolish talk

If my mouth and action do not express that God is alive or I do not believe in God then I am foolish. Foolish talk can be without self-control, and it is like meaningless talk. 

 

Coarse Joking 

In this verse Paul is against coarse joking, Paul does not condemn all jokes, but he specifically mentions “coarse jokers. Joking and laughter is essential to a joyful Christian life, in present time believers really need to learn enjoy life and have a good laugh. But our jokes must not mock another person, or their life, or their body structure or their culture, even we must not joke against the God’s creation that is dishonor to God. 

 

Too many words/ Talkative 

Many times, we want to talk everywhere, we want to continue to talk, we want to comment on every issue and want to give opinion on every topic. But here maybe you also think that if you are silent then you are doing right, you are not doing good, but it is necessary for all of us that we should open our mouth even where it is necessary. 

Proverb 10:19 says “when words are many sins is not absent. Those who talk too much they will end their speech with sin. Which I see in my neighborhood, some women get together and talk a lot and often their words end into a fight. 

Those who talk too much also sin, because they fail to listen to others. God says in James 1:19 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to become angry. 

God created us prefect, if the Lord had given us two mouth and one ear, then listening would be less and speaking would be too much. 

Always remember that if you want to win more people then listen to other. 

 

Flattery

Flattery is saying nice thing about people to win their favor. Proverbs 26:28b a flattering mouth works ruin. Who us flattery think they can control others with their tongues. We do fluttery talk to keep someone heart, either to get something from someone, or to cover up someone’s mistakes. But more than that we may give honest compliment. 

For example – Before marriage couple says to each other, you are so beautiful or handsome, but after marriage totally opposite. Or if someone need someone needs they try to flattery to other then ask money or help. 

 

Swearing 

Before came to Christ, I used to swear to mother or to the gods, either to protect my lies or to show that I am right. Even in present time also many believers’ practices it. But in Matthew 5:34-37, Jesus commands us not to swear because the need to swear indicates that a person does not always tell the truth. But Jesus said therefore, let your yes be yes and you “no” be no. 

He commands us to tell the truth all the time. Swearing is related to using God’s name in vain. Many believers use God’s name very casually in conversation. But be careful to honor Gods name by using it respectfully. 

 

Gossiping

Gossiping is saying about a person that should not be said. Gossip is truly one of the most danger sin in the church and in the market place. Very often it is seen in the midst of best friend, or friend group. Many relationships have been destroyed by gossip; many churches have split and even many organizations destroyed because of gossip. Because Gossips always create misunderstanding and distrust.

Many times, we take it normal that we are just telling someone what you heard, but if you know it can be create problem in church or in your home, then it will be good to keep quiet. Gossip always tears people down; it never builds up. (1 timothy 5:13).

Slander

Slander is saying something untrue about a person, or spreading false report. In many cases people use to spread false report, because they will get some advantage. In office we can find it’s happened too much. 

And many time we do not want to see the good things of the people but if that person will do any bad things, we want to spread it without check the fact. Beware of passing second hand information if you did not verify it. So, I want to tell you here, please avoid to spreading negative information, then we will be safe form gossip and as well as slander. Proverbs 10:18 says whoever spreads slander is a fool. Please do not slander of anyone to anyone. 

 

Activity whole church will do. And examine himself and pray to God.

1 Evaluate your tongue in each of the following areas. Mark the column from one to five (one represents very bad and five represent very good)

	1	2	3	4	5
1.     Lying
2.     Words spoken in anger
3.     Obscenity
4.     Foolish talk
5.     Coarse joking
6.     Too many talk/ over talk
7.     Flattery
8.     Swearing
9.     Gossiping
10.  Slander

 

 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

No only we should identify our corrupt talk, we need to stop it. We must control our tongue, and must be responsible of our words, do not say he made me to say unwholesome word. It must be our responsibility to stop it. James says in his letter how we can praise God with the tongue and same tongue use it to curse human being who have been made in God’s likeness. Use your mouth for the purpose of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus wants our tongue to build other up 

In Ephesians 4:29 Paul says that our tongue should speak, only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, and that may give grace those who listen us. 

when we have recognized someone need, and then our word should reach in their heart like the comfort of God, instead of unwholesome words.

When we speak according to the needs of others, then our word will surely bring the blessing and healing upon others. 

I hope we may be that people/ believer of God that when we talk anyone, in our home, church, office, school, wherever. They may get comfort; people get from us encouragement. When someone have a bad day, but when he/she come to you, they may get healing. 

But this does not mean that we always say what people want to hear or that we cannot rebuke. Sometimes a rebuke is exactly what they need. But that rebuke must come in love. 

In every case, whether we are encouraging, challenging or rebuking, let our mouth may bring grace to the other person life’s.

 

My lovely brothers and sisters in Christ. 

In this morning Jesus wants our tongue to be changed, many times we want to be limited only to blessing in our life, but we do not to ask God, Lord changed my tongue or heal my tongue. 

You may feel like your tongue is out of control and change seems be impossible. 

But Here are four steps which can change our tongue. 

1.     Confession of sin – Nothing is going to change in our lives until we confess our sins. Humble yourself, to say and confess Infront of God, Lord my tongue is full of Gossip, confess in front of God, Lord I lied to my boss, to my parents, to my church members, or lord I do slandered to my friends. Confession is most powerful tool to bring changes in us. 

2.     Ask God to change – if we have problem with our tongue, then we must ask God to change our speech/words. but root problem is not our tongue but our heart. Luke 6:45 says for the mouth speaks what the heart is full off.  Our tongue problem is our heart. If I am hurting to people by my harsh word because my heart still is not broken. If I am going gossip that’s mean I have old gossip heart, if I am still lie to people because I want to think well of me, if I am doing slander because I hate another person. Think about which kind make you corrupt, is it your lie, or gossip, or anger, or slander, or everything? Please ask to God that he may heal your heart, and change your heart. 

3.     Memorize the God’s word – the best way to change our heart is to take the word of God deep inside of our heart and mind through memorize. And specially memorize the word of God that deal with the problem you have. If your problem is lying, memorize verses that speak of lying, if your problem is gossip memorize verse that deal with gossip. Through my life, I can say the word of God really change our tongue. 

4.     Give God time – changes take time, do not expect your word will change completely form today.  But it can totally change if you allow to God to change your tongue. 

 

Dear brothers and sisters 

I do not know about your lacking thing; I do not know what do you do more. Is it lying, word spoken in anger, obscenity, foolish talk, coarse joke, over talk, flattery, swearing, gossiping, slander or everything? But I want to tell you one think, we all need God’s help to control our tongue, because he wants to make our mouth give grace to those who hear.

May God bless us and help our church to be on the path of Jesus Christ. 

Let’s be an active church in the city of Delhi. 

Amen