Words from the Heart

Nikolle Bauder • January 13, 2021

Summary of sermon on Matthew 12:33-37 from Pastor Lance Shumake

Ours is a God who speaks.

When there was nothing -- only darkness -- He SPOKE creation into existence. Day and night, skies and seas, heavens and earth, plants, animals, and even us. All with His breath.


He spoke then and still speaks to us today. He gave us His Word. Through it, we see who He is; His purpose; His character. He reveals Himself to us.


Out of everything God spoke into existence, He only spoke us (humans) in His image. Because God is a God who speaks, He gives us the ability to speak. As stewards of what He has given us, we should be mindful of our words and how He wants us to use them. 


Words have the power to build up and also to tear down. What we say -- and how we say it -- matters.


Jesus makes it clear that the words that come out of our mouths (and in text, and on social media) are a reflection of what’s going on in our hearts.


“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” - Matthew 12:34


(Message translation: “It’s your heart, not the dictionary that gives meaning to your words.)


He tells us that if a tree bears good fruit, we can assume the tree is healthy. If the tree produces rotten fruit, it’s not the fruit that bad but something wrong on the inside of the tree.


Jesus goes on to say, “for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 


What He’s saying is that your words are a good indicator of what’s going on in your heart. Jesus is concerned with the condition of our hearts.


On Sunday, Pastor Shu gave us several good filters to use before we speak:


Before you speak (or post or text), ask yourself...


...do my words bring glory to God?

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” - Colossians 3:17


...do my words proclaim the gospel?

“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” - 1 Peter 3:15


…do my words encourage others?

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”  - Hebrews 10:24–25


...do my words build others up?

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” -  Ephesians 4:29


The condition of our hearts is desperate without Jesus! To gain control of our words, we need His help. We need the Holy Spirit working within us, giving us new hearts.


How do we get help? We pray.


Ask the Lord to “help me say what I should say, not what I could say.”


Scripture to pray for your speech:


Psalm 141:3

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;

keep watch over the door of my lips!


Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.


Colossians 4:6

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

When we pray to God for help, it’s a confession that we can’t do it on our own. Prayer acknowledges that only God can do what we can’t do.


When we believe and trust in Him, He promises that:


“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” - Ezekiel 36:25-27


We need God to change our hearts.


Only He can transform us from the inside out. 



..


Watch this sermon here.

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