|
100714 Let Talk Choices 4
Choosing Word
Tim Franklin
Introduction:
· Words are a powerful part of our lives. With them we can bless or curse. We can also give life or take it.
· Words affect us all in positive and negative ways.
· Let see what Thumpers dad had to say about words.
1. Ouch that hurt!
A. Discuss a time in your life when your words hurt someone.
B. Have you ever been hurt by what someone has said to or about you?
C. What is sarcasm? A cutting remark, a laugh at someone else’s expense.
i. Have you ever hurt someone with sarcasm?
ii. Have you ever been hurt by sarcasm? Sarcasm is a common characteristic of our culture. All major successful sitcoms are very sarcastic. On TV it is funny to watch and to laugh at actors entertaining us. But life is not actors it is real people. We never know when our sarcasm may really hurt someone deeply. If sarcasm is so painful, and we have been hurt by it, and we have hurt others by it—then why do we use it?
iii. Read this sarcastic remark from the Bible: Luke 23:35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God." NKJV How do you think their sarcasm made Jesus feel? Why?
2. Life and Death
A. What is poison used for? What things in life have you seen poisoned? What was the result?
i. Read Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. NKJV Words kill, words give life; they are either poison or fruit—you choose. Message Bible
ii. How do our words/what kind of words poison and kill others?
iii. Read Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. NKJV What kind of words would qualify to be like honeycomb? Who are two people you could encourage tonight? What kinds of words will you use?
B. Read Mark 11:12-14;20-21 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it. … Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." NKJV
i. What is a curse? Evil/death that is released or empowered by our words.
ii. What did Jesus do to the fig tree?
iii. What are some of the ways you curse yourself? I am stupid, I am to slow, I am to fat….
iv. What will these curses do if we do not change the way we speak?
3. PAUSE for Help
A. When do bad words (words that hurt, curses) most commonly come out of our mouths? When we are frustrated and angry. Mt 12:34 states: Out of the abundance of the heart of the mouth speaks. To change what is in the mouth we have to change what is in our heart. Often all that is required is wisdom—what does God think/say. And secondly it require we pause and think. Acrostic P.A.U.S.E. Every letter stands for something.
i. Pray- stop and ‘find’ God in what you are about to say
ii. Assess—what are we actually discussing? What are the issues?
iii. Understand—seek to understand the other persons heart
iv. Speak—Speak to communicate
v. Evaluate—how did you do? How did they receive? How you have done better?
B. Create a skit/role play in your group and practice PAUSING
i. Some one just backed into your new car.
ii. Your mother will not let you go out with your friends because she really does not care for one of them.
iii. You just were unfairly accused of not handing in a paper resulting in a F grade.
iv. You keep making the same mistake over and over and are getting frustrated with yourself
Conclusion: Words contain life and death with it you bless or curse—the choice is yours.
| 
