Who are You To talk?

[00:00:00] Good morning. I'd like to greet each one of you in Jesus' name this morning. Notes for the children. Are there any children that do not have notes that would like some? You raise your hand. Okay. Over here is one. Last Sunday night, we had Daniel Friesen at a time of kind of an open mic service, I guess. [00:00:38] You could just share whatever. 1 Corinthians 14, 26, for those of you that weren't here, says, How is it then, brethren, when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation let all things be done unto edifying are there any more children that didn't get notes? okay, thank you Will this isn't what I'm talking about this morning [00:01:12] but I was just thinking here Paul is saying He doesn't say, how is it then, brethren? He's not asking a question. He's saying, so how is it supposed to be? This is how it should be. When you come together, every one of you have a psalm, have a doctrine, have a tongue, have the revelation, have an interpretation, let all things be done and justified. I really enjoyed the service last Sunday night and I was thinking this morning sitting here, well one thing, Tony came and shared a few things about some of the things that had spoken to him in messages from the past several weeks and when he did that he brought his notebook and he looked at his sermon notes. [00:01:59] I would challenge you to think, there's two things I would like to present as a challenge, I guess. For one, when we come to church, do we come to church because we are coming to receive? That's why we go to church, we go to church to receive. I know for me it's easy to get, I study, I do whatever, get ready for the Sunday that I preach. And the funny thing is that I'm not preaching. I can just sit back, let Tom or Harold or whoever take over, and I can just come to church and not contribute. [00:02:35] Paul is saying when you go to church, have something to share. You are going to bless each other. That's why we come together, to bless each other, not so that the minister can bless me. I am going to church because we are a corporate body of believers that need to lift each other up. So the next time we open for sharing, everyone's going to have something to say. Think about it. Put some effort into it. [00:03:05] And I am the same way. It's so easy for me to just... When the time comes, does anyone have anything to share? That is the first time I start thinking about what I might want to share. And I can't think of anything right off hand. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do we take time to prepare before church that when somebody comes up, shakes your hands and says, How was your week? Right away we can tell them what the Lord did for us this week. What verse spoke to me this week. [00:03:38] Something, anything that we can be an encouragement to each other. And also, the thing about pony sharing was that he shared out of his notes. I would encourage you to take notes. You will, even if it's not something you're going to go back to, the simple fact that you're putting thoughts down on paper will make you get a lot more out of what you're hearing than sitting there letting your mind wander. When I went to Faith Builders, every day I went to class, I took a notebook. [00:04:09] A notebook. It would have seemed silly to see somebody sitting in class under a lecture that we're going to have a test on later. Everyone's taking notes. I mean, it's just, it would be silly not to. But when we come to church, we come, we listen, and we go home and forget most of what we heard. Maybe something sticks. Maybe we, I hope it does. But I would just challenge you. I remember when I was working at Fortune Homes. There was a man that I talked to, my foreman, about going to church. [00:04:45] And he said, yeah, I know it's a good thing and I try to make sure my kids get to church. And I said, why does everyone think it's good for their kids to go to church but it's not something for me? And maybe that would be the same thing here. We want to make sure the kids have sermon notes because it's good for the kids. They take those notes and they're going to get more out of the message. But it's not for me. Anyway, just a challenge. If you take notes, you will get more out of it, and it will be more meaningful. Now, for the title, Who Are You to Talk? Maybe I should have looked at that first, huh? [00:05:19] I'd like to talk a little bit about gossip, about our speech, why we do what we do, how we talk. Luke 18, 9 is my key verse. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Yesterday I, Friday I started studying, yesterday I studied for a good portion of the day. [00:05:58] I had two or three different topics that I thought I was going to talk about. and one time together it just seemed like things didn't work. And finally I just, I knelt in my office and I said, I can't, I need something from you. I told the Lord, I need something from you. But it just wasn't working. And I would have never thought of the publican and the Pharisee in the temple [00:06:29] being a proof text for a sermon on talking about others. But those are what came to me. That story and the idea of gossip. So that is where we're going this morning. I'd like to read the whole chapter of Luke 18, 1-43. I'd like to ask some questions. Ray, can I have the fans on, or someone, please? Why is my gossip so easy to overlook or excuse? [00:07:05] Why are we tempted to gossip? What does gossiping say about me? What is in my heart that feels good about putting others down? What am I saying about what I believe when I gossip? What am I saying about my view of others when I gossip? On what level do I put myself compared to others when I comment on their actions and guess at their motives? [00:07:39] Is it okay to make fun of someone else as long as they will never know? I did a lot of looking up different topics, speech, tongue, slander, different things. One of the quotes I came across, and this year I'll just throw in for free, if all the speakers of the world could be lined up on their backs, head to foot, they ought to be left there. So, okay, Luke 18, 1 through 43. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. [00:08:16] One thing I want to notice down through here, I think one of the root problems with gossip is that I do not have the right perspective of what it took for God to save me. I'm a good person, this person isn't, so I can talk about him because I am superior to this person. If we have the right perspective of how helpless we were, are, without God, I think it will help us understand a lot. Others are struggling too. We understand our own struggles. [00:08:46] I struggle with this, but I know why. It's because of so-and-so. I can rationalize my struggles. When I look at another person and see his struggles, all I see are his struggles. I don't know what's behind that. I don't know why he's struggling with that. but it's easy for me to take where I'm at and rationalize that, justify that but where he's at is wrong, he should be doing better than that and so I talk about him and question his motives, question his sincerity [00:09:19] mention to others what I saw him doing so each one of these stories I want to think about how helpless each one was without Christ They spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint, saying, There was in a city a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, [00:09:51] Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubled me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith, and shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? And he spake this prayer, shall he find, I guess I need to read that, nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? [00:10:25] Are people going to be trusting him, or are they going to be trusting themselves? And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. Notice he prays with himself. God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven [00:10:59] But smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful unto me, a sinner I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them But when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them But Jesus called them unto him and said Suffer, little children, to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. [00:11:36] Children cannot do much for themselves. They are dependent. We are dependent as well. Verse 18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? None is good save one, that is God. Thou knowest the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor thy father and thy mother And he said, all these have I kept for my youth up And it would appear that Jesus accepted that, he really did do this [00:12:09] Because Jesus didn't deny it, Jesus didn't contradict that, Jesus continued Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him Yet lackest thou one thing, sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor And now shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God? For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. [00:12:45] By the way, some people, and I've heard it taught, that that is a low doorway in the wall. Paul, that is, there is nothing in Israel history or the encyclopedias, that kind of thing, there is nothing to back that up. Jesus is actually talking about a literal needle, like we would think of using to sew with. He's not talking about a narrow door that's hard for a camel to get through. [00:13:16] He's talking about a literal needle, a needle's eye, and it is harder, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter through the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, who then can be saved? And he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Here again we see, it is impossible for us to be saved. It is impossible for us to go into heaven without God. Without God lifting us up, we cannot do it ourselves. [00:13:48] Verse 28, Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all and followed thee. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Here we see the reward of leaving. The rich young ruler kept what he had and went away sad because he could not have eternal life because he loved his possessions rather than eternal life. [00:14:22] This is the flip side. Those that did forsake all and turn to Christ, they are receiving much more than what they gave up. Verse 31, Then he took unto him the twelve and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. for he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully entreated and spit it on and they shall scourge him and put him to death and the third day he shall rise again and they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them [00:14:52] neither knew they the things which were spoken and it came to pass that as he was come nigh unto Jericho a certain blind man sat by the wayside begging and hearing the multitude pass by he asked what it meant and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace. But he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight, thy faith hath saved thee. [00:15:36] And immediately he received his sight and followed him Glorifying God and all the people when they saw it gave praise unto God Each one of these people could not justify their self Notice in each of these stories we can tell that we are dependent on God to meet our needs The woman and the judge, she needed the judge to do what she could not do She could not avenge herself on her enemy. We don't know what the conflict was there, but the judge could. She entreated the judge to meet her need. [00:16:14] The Pharisees trusted in his own righteousness in vain. The publican was accepted. When the Pharisee looked at himself, saw what all he had done, he justified himself and despised others. That did not work. He was not helped in any way by that. He failed in that because he did not turn to God. In 15-17, the children were given as an example of helplessly accepting what was given them. [00:16:48] We need to accept the kingdom of God as little children, and I think part of that is realizing we can't do it on our own. When our children come to us and they say, I need this or this, they want help with something. It's because they realize they are limited. They can't do it. To them, Dad can do anything. And so they come to Dad and Dad does it for them. They realize their dependence. 18-23, the rich young ruler chose riches over following Christ and was lost forever. Assuming that that young man never changed his way, that that young man did go into eternity lost, He is no closer now than he was then to ever making up for that. [00:17:31] He still regrets as much today that he chose riches over God. 24-27 Jesus said that he was going to be betrayed and crucified. Salvation is impossible with men. It is only possible through Christ. No, I'm sorry, I'm in the wrong section. 24-27 he explains that salvation is impossible with men, it is only possible through Christ The whole eye of the needle thing, the camel thing through an eye of a needle Do we realize that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for me to get into heaven? [00:18:09] It's not an easy thing, we need Christ's forgiveness, Christ needs to make that possible It's not something we're going to attain on our own 28-30, they that abandon their own pursuits are rewarded with things far more valuable 31-34, all this was only possible through the death of Christ Christ explained that this was going to have to happen, he was going to die and then the last part there, 35-43, the blind man was helpless to improve his situation but it was easy for Christ, Christ simply spoke the word and he received his sight [00:18:44] So here are some examples we have of our dependence on Christ. I guess what I really want us to think about is where we are, what we amount to without Christ. What we amount to on our own righteousness, our own deeds, our own goodness, our own attempts to justify ourselves. I read an account of a guy, it was supposedly true, he gave a name, I don't remember what the name was [00:19:17] Back in the depression era, a man was operating a drawbridge, that was his job And, I just, again, I want us to get a glimpse of what it took to save us And how our attitude is towards that I believe it's very easy for us to think about it that Christ died 2,000 years ago, He rose again, that's all been taken care of and now we just simply accept that and we don't really think about what it took to bring us salvation. [00:19:48] Here again, I don't know if this story is true or not, but it's a good illustration either way. The man was running a drawbridge and he had the drawbridge up at noon. One day he brought his 8-year-old son with him to work. And they were sitting there and they put the bridge up for, during lunch they would, at noon they would raise the bridge and let the ships get through. And he was sitting there just having fun with his son and all of a sudden he heard a train whistle blow. And he looked at his watch and it was 107 and he realized he had very little time to get that bridge down and there were 400 passengers on that train. [00:20:25] And if the bridge wasn't down, they would end up in the river and probably all be killed. He jumped down off the platform and ran to the lever. And when he went to flip the lever, he looked down to make sure there were no ships. And when he looked down, he saw his son had fell down in the gears of the drawbridge. He had a choice to make. He could throw the lever, let the bridge down and kill his son and save 400 people. [00:20:59] Or he could save his son and kill 400 people. He said he put his arm over his face and shoved the lever. He knew what he had to do. He couldn't kill 400 other people for the sake of saving his own son. But the point that was brought home was he stood there and the bridge just got down in time and the train come barreling through. [00:21:34] He stood there watching these people go through on this train and they were in there eating ice cream, kids running around in the cars. None of them had any idea what he had just done to save their lives. How often do we glibly take Christ as our Savior? Christ is my Savior, and now I'm going to heaven, and I'm a pretty good person. Without really realizing the sacrifice it took to save us, to get us to where we can be born again, [00:22:10] and rather than accepting that and being glad and thankful for that, We're looking around at others and finding fault with others and accusing others and putting others down in order to make ourselves look better. Over in Luke 16, Jesus was talking about money. And he talked about, well we'll just read those verses, Luke 16, 13-18 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. [00:22:47] Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, they wanted their money, they wanted to hold on to these things, heard all these things, and they derided him. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men. But God knoweth your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John. That would be John the Baptist. Since that time the kingdom of God is preached and every man presseth into it. [00:23:21] I believe what he's saying here is that, okay, now you think it's just free salvation. Now the law has passed away, I can just accept this and go right on in. I've been, the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming down to John to be baptized and John said, you generation of vipers, bring forth meat, fruit, meat for repentance. These people were pressing into the kingdom of God. Okay, I'm in now too because I'm accepting this. But look what Jesus says. [00:23:52] It is, in verse 17, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail. The law still stands and God's word still stands. We need to realize that sin is not acceptable. We are completely helpless without Christ. Every man presses into it and it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail. Whosoever putteth away his wife and marrieth another committeth adultery. And whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. [00:24:25] Apparently this was the issue at the time with Jesus was that these people were trying to keep their old sin and yet accept this new salvation, this new, they were pressing into the kingdom without wanting to give up the sin they were living in. And he was saying, listen, the sin that we told you is sin, is sin. You need to forsake your sin and then be born again. Let's go, now I want to talk a little bit about, I wanted to give us that as a foundation, as a thought to think about ourselves in the right perspective, what kind of people we are, what kind of person I am, who am I that I should talk. [00:25:14] James 3, let's go over to James 3, get a little more into now talking about the actual, about gossip, about talking, about our tongues. James chapter 3, I'll read the whole chapter, 1 through 18. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. [00:25:47] For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Think about that. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. [00:26:22] And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beast, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed with man time. But the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith blessed we God, even the Father, and therewith cursed we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeded blessing and cursing. [00:26:53] My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive trees, either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. [00:27:26] For where envying and strife is, there is confusion in every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. I think one of the things that makes gossip a big issue or something we need to really look at It's because it's not just simply gossip in and of itself is very bad, very harmful, very damaging, but it's also the sign of a deeper issue. [00:28:07] You will not get gossip and slander out of a pure heart and out of a clean heart. We need to look at the basis of it. In the last verse there it says, And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Gossip does not make peace. Talking about your neighbors does not make peace. We need to be about making peace, not about causing divisions. Psalms 34, 13-16 [00:28:38] Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. Why? The face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. Do we think about it that the face of the Lord is against them that do evil? Do we think about it that slander is evil? And here again, gossip is not lying about your neighbor. [00:29:10] Gossip can be absolutely true, it can be accurate, and still be gossip. This is talking about putting your neighbor down, putting him in a bad light, saying things about others that is damaging to their appearance, to their reputation, however you want to put it. Gossip is evil. It is not something to shrug off and say, oh well, I guess I just have a weakness. [00:29:43] It is something we need to take seriously and really check our lives to see if it's something we have a problem with. Maybe we have it there and we don't even realize it. Maybe it's something that we just need to be reminded again to make sure to keep it away. What do I do with a story if I hear something about someone else? When a story gets to me, is that where it stops, or is that where it gets added to a little bit and told to three more people? What do I do when I hear something about someone? When someone defames someone to you, do you defend that person? [00:30:18] Or do you say, wow, I didn't realize he was like that, but I guess what you're saying must be true. Psalms 15, 1-4 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. And whose eyes a vile person is condemned, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord. [00:30:51] Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. I know that could also apply to having a conflict with your neighbor. But maybe the neighbor on this side of you said something about this neighbor. You take sides with him, now you both don't like him. What do you do when someone has something to say about another person? How do you handle that? Do I sow discord among the brethren? I think this is a big issue. When people are talking to you about Calvary Chapel, [00:31:24] Do you say, well, yeah, I know there's some nice people, but do you realize that this and this is going on? Do you try to, are you a patch to help things, or are you a division? Do I sow discord among the brethren? Proverbs 6, 16-19 These six things doth the Lord hate. It's not just something that's not good, it's something the Lord hates. Yea, seven are an abomination unto him. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, and heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. [00:32:07] So it actually says he that sows discord. God hates when a person sows discord among the brethren. God is not happy when you tell someone else, did you know so-and-so did this? Or maybe they do something and you say, yeah, they did that, but I bet I know why. They're trying to look good, they're trying, you know, whatever. Why do we say what we do about people? Am I a fool? Proverbs 10, 18-21 [00:32:43] He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, but he that refraineth his lips is wise. The tongue of the just is as choice silver, the heart of the wicked is little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for want of wisdom. Is our speech foolish? Are we fools in the way we talk? Proverbs 11, 9, [00:33:15] A hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor, but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. Notice most of this, I'm reading verses, so it's just pretty much taking the verses and applying them to ourselves. A hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor. Well, I'm not a hypocrite. I know I say things about my neighbor, but I'm not a hypocrite. Proverbs says that if you destroy your neighbor you are a hypocrite. Proverbs 26, 20-28, where no wood is there the fire goeth out. I think that's a powerful thought. If the story comes to you and you don't tell anyone else, that's where the story will end, at least on your part. [00:33:58] Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out. So where there is no tailbearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a tailbearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Have you ever had a story told about you that wasn't true, and it got back to you? Somebody said you did this, somebody said you were at this place, whatever it is. [00:34:32] They are his wounds and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a posture covered with silver drawers. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips and layeth up beseeched within him. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips. When he speaketh fair, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart. If you are a person that likes to spread things about other people, even when you're talking nice about someone, when he speaketh fair, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart, people start to think of you as that kind of person. [00:35:11] Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein, and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. I think last time I preached I talked a little bit about gossip and flattery. Gossip is something you would not say to a person if they were present. Slattery is something you would not say if they weren't present. [00:35:46] 1 John 4.20 And I'm not sure that's exactly accurate in all circumstances, but it's something to think about. 1 John 4.20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? I've heard it said that you love God as much as the person you love the least. There again, I'm not sure how exactly accurate that is, but it's something to think about. [00:36:19] God, if you love God as much as you love the person you love the least, how much do you love God? And if you don't love your brother, you can't say I love God and hate my brother. If you don't love God, if you don't love a brother whom you have seen, how can you love God whom you haven't seen? Some of the effects of gossip. It separates friends. Proverbs 16, 28 [00:36:50] A froward mouth soweth strife, and a whisperer separated his chief friends. Proverbs 17, 9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love, but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends Deadly wounds, another one of the effects is deadly wounds, Proverbs 18, 6-8 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul [00:37:22] The words of a tailbearer are his wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly Then we want to look at what will happen We will be judged We, idle tales, talking about things And I think another thing with gossip, another temptation with gossip A lot of times it's a conversation filler I can't think of anything to talk about, so I talk about someone else I've heard it, I'm not sure if I've gotten this quite right. [00:38:00] I've heard that there's three levels of conversation that you can engage in. In order from top to bottom, the topics would be ideas, events, and others. When you're together in a group, you talk about ideas. Hey, let's do this. What would happen if we tried this? ideas, working together to improve things that would be the top level of conversation the next level would be events you talk about the news of the day [00:38:31] you talk about what's going on just current events or whatever that kind of thing and then the lowest form of conversation would be to talk about others rather than talking about things or ideas you're talking about people what they did just using people as subject matter and as a conversation filler. Matthew 12, 34-37 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? [00:39:04] For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. How willing are we to look at ourselves and say, you know what? I was speaking evil things. That tells me I have an evil heart. We speak what's in our hearts. And if it's a temptation and a constant problem for us to always talk about others, [00:39:39] what is in our hearts? We bring forth good treasures out of a good heart. And we bring forth evil treasures out of an evil heart. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give a count thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Think about people that you know, and think about, now there are people out there that you know will rip someone off. [00:40:18] There are people that you know might just be plain mean. But most people that you know, when you think about that person, you think about, you like him right away, you instinctively like him, or you don't. And it's usually because of what they say. They're pleasant to be around because of what they say. They always have a critical word for someone, so they're not pleasant. Guys, different people that I work for are building fence. You know, there's some that are really pleasant to work for and whatever. Most of it's because of what they say. [00:40:50] There's guys, I just did work for a guy this week. Everyone in the whole world is out to get that man. You don't leave anything, you know, Richard was crimping a wire, I was down at the other end, Richard was working, and I noticed that when Richard got done, he had laid the crimpers kind of in a clump of grass, and I said, well, that's a good way to lose them, why'd you do that? Well, he said, Pat was watching, and he was, you know, 30 feet off the road. He said, you don't want to lay them there where somebody will see them. [00:41:22] Put them behind a piece of grass. Somebody will stop and take them. He just, he's always, there's, you can just tell by the way he talks what kind of man he is. And I guess that's my point. What you say tells people what you are. And usually the way you read people is by the way they talk. There's an illustration of a phone call. This comes from a minister. Someone calls the minister. [00:41:56] I want to tell you about so-and-so. There's something on my heart. You know, you're coming in the right attitude. I need to tell you about what's going on with so-and-so. I want to tell you about so-and-so. Wait a minute. May I quote you? Then there's a long pause. I don't think that would be a good idea. Then I am not interested in hearing what you have to say. If you're not interested in putting your name on it, if you're not interested in being there when we confront the individual, [00:42:32] I'm not interested in listening to what you have to say. Gossip and rumor have ruined many a soul, haven't they? How often have you talked to someone that doesn't come to church, doesn't go to church, they left whatever, and it's because of something someone said. Something that someone said about them. Someone that they heard that someone said about them. Talk. Gossip is destructive. Gossip is something I think we really, and I think it's a, every church has its problems. [00:43:04] Something we need to really think about What can I do on my part to stop gossip Stop talking about other people And then my closing verse is from Hezekiah 6-9 There's not a Hezekiah in the Bible Blessed is the man who having nothing to say Abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact Let's stand for prayer. [00:43:44] Lord, I thank you this day for what you've done for us. Lord, I pray that you would help us to appreciate anew the amount of sacrifice it took to redeem us. How lowly we really are, how helpless we are, how sinful we are in your sight Help us Lord to appreciate the fact that we are sinners and that you save us Not our deeds, not our self-justification [00:44:17] And help us Lord to remember as we look at others to see them in the same light To see them as someone that you are saving, someone that can't save their self. Help us, Lord, to look at each other in a light of love. Help us, Lord, to be builders and to build each other up, to not divide, not sow discord. Help us, Lord, to bring glory to you through our conversation. Forgive us where we have failed. [00:44:52] Give us strength and grace and victory in the day of our death. I'm just going to ask right now if there's anyone who would like prayer for this. If you would like to raise your hand. And we'll just pray for that. Thank you. Lord, I pray for each one that raises their hand right now. Lord, I pray that you would help each one to have a real renewed determination to abstain from gossip. [00:45:25] I pray, Lord, that you would give them victory, that you would give them strength. Remind us, Lord, when we are tempted to gossip, to talk, to think about what we're saying, to think about how it sounds, how it might be taken the wrong way even, Lord. I just pray that you would guard our lips, give us grace, give us strength. Thank you, Lord, for caring. Thank you for your blessings. We just want to lift you up. [00:45:55] We ask, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen.