LOVING PEOPLE WITH YOUR WORDS 40 DAYS OF LOVE – PART 3 Tom Collins

MATTHEW 22:36-40: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” The most important thing you can do in your life is to love. There are many different ways to love. Today, let’s consider HOW TO LOVE WITH YOUR WORDS.

I. LOVE PEOPLE WITH HONEST WORDS. Examples of Jesus’ honesty: 1. MATTHEW 22:17: “Is it right to pay taxes to Ceasar or not? But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?” 2. MATTHEW 16:23: “Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 3. MARK 9:19: “O Unbelieving Generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” Three things God tells us to do: 1) “Speak the Truth in love.” EPHESIANS 4:15 2) Don’t be passive. PROVERBS 27:5: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” 3) Bring JOY by speaking Truth. I CORINTHIANS 13:6: “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”

II. LOVE PEOPLE WITH CAREFUL WORDS. Three main areas to be careful: 1. ANGER. EPHESIANS 4:26-27: “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” 2. GOSSIP PROVERBS 16:28: “A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a Gossip separates close friends.” 3. SAYING TOO MUCH PROVERBS 17:28: “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his ongue.” PROVERBS 10:19 Says you’ll sin less. “When words a are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” ROVERBS 13:3 Says your life will be better. “He how guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”

III. LOVE PEOPLE WITH WORDS THAT BUILD THEM UP EPHESIANS 4:29: 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.” 5 Different kinds of words from the Book of Proverbs: 1. KIND WORDS. PROVERBS 12:25: “Worry can rob you of happiness, but kind words will cheer you up.” 2. GENTLE WORDS. PROVERBS 15:1: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

III. LOVE PEOPLE WITH WORDS THAT BUILD THEM UP 3. PLEASANT WORDS. PROVERBS 16:21: “The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.” 4. HONEST WORDS PROVERBS 24:26: “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” 5. WISE WORDS PROVERBS 12:18: “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” PROVERBS 2:6: “The Lord gives wisdom.”

MATTHEW 12:36-37: “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”