July 12, 2015
Proverbs 4:20-22
The Power of Words
CIT:We must adhere to, and apply, the Words of God because they bring life (eternal) and health to the whole body (total salvation).
Purpose:God’s Word is powerful to: create and bring life; re-create and bring new life; and ultimately to bring about final victory. Live as if it has that power!
Introduction
We’re continuing in our series, Proverbs: A Guide to Life this morning, and looking specifically at the power of words. When he gave me this topic in May, Danny mentioned to me that there are many different directions this could be taken. In fact, Proverbs has much to say about the power of words. Let’s look at a few:
Pr 15:1A gentle answer turns away wrath,but a harsh word stirs up anger (Southern x-lation: ya’ catch more flies w/ honey than vinegar)
Pr 18:8/26:22 Thewords of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
(similarly) Pr 16:28A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
Pr 12:18The words of the reckless pierce like swords,but the tongue of the wise brings healing (words can both hurt and heal, so choose them wisely).
Pr 18:21The tongue has the power of life and death (some words even have the power of life and death…much more serious).
The seriousness of this last Proverb brings us to our text today Pr 4:20-22(read text & pray). For us to really understand this passage, we must understand again it’s authorship. As Danny said in the first sermon in this series, Proverbs is primarily Solomon’s wisdom with the collections of several other sages, but these words were not penned by men alone. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that “all Scripture is God breathed…” The first three words are πᾶσαγραφὴθεόπνευστος. πᾶσα, meaning all (every single word and letter, Matt 5:17-18). All what? γραφὴ which always means Scriptures in the NT. So all Scripture is θεόπνευστος (Godbreathed), the cramming together of θεός(God) and πνευmα (meaning breath or Spirit).Godbreathed is an excellent translation, but the word also means Spirit. When looked at in conjunction with passages like Romans 12:1-2, we are transformed by the renewing of our minds by what? Bible (v1), so that we can know God’s will, His good, pleasing and perfect will (v2). God lays bare his Spirit and will for us in His Word. We don’t have to guess at what His desire for us and our lives is, He makes it plain in His Word. So when we read these words, they are not just Solomon’s words of wisdom for his son, but the very words of God for you and for me. And because they are God’s Words, they are powerful. What do you do with God’s powerful words?
Transition:
Knowing this, let’s now try re-reading these verses (personalized). “John, My son…” We’re given the reason as to why we are to pay attention to these words, listen closely, not let them out of our sight, and keep them in our heart…for they are life to those who find them. We’re speaking of the “power of words,” but there are no more powerful words every spoken or written than the words of God. We all know that God’s Word is powerful, it is quick and active and sharper than any double edged sword (Heb 4:12). It is powerful. As God, through Solomon just shared, God’s Word also has the power to bring life! This is something we “know” but often-times lose sight of as we go about our lives. God’s Word has the power to bring life! We’ll look at three passages, from Old and New Testament, and see that God’s Word in Proverbs 4 rings true throughout the whole of His Word! Turn with me to Genesis 1. We’ll read Genesis 1:1-2.
- Genesis 1 & 2 – The Power of the Spoken Word
There are several things to point out in these opening verses of Genesis:
1) In beginning God (no definite article in Hebrew, “the,” so we learn that God is eternally existent, existed b4 all time),
2) The word used for God, is Elohim. In Hebrew the “im” is the plural ending.No mistake, nor a nod to the pluralism of the people of the day, if we believe the truth of Matt 5:17-18. So what we see is the Fatherand Holy Spirit in v1-2. In fact, when you look at the whole of Scripture you find outthat Jesus was there and active in creation as well(Jn 1:1-3).
3) It is by God’s decree/spoken Word that the universe was created
4) It would take great power, some might say the explosive power of God’s Word to create something out of nothing (in line w/ BBT).
Read v3. “G said”…”and it was so.” We see the power of the spoken Word to create. Re-read v3, and 5b.
Read v6-8b (God’s Spoken Word has the power to create again)
Read v9/11/13 (God’s Spoken Word has the power to bring creation life, 1st time)
Read v14-15/19 (God’s Spoken Word has the power to create again)
Read v20-21a/23 (God’s Spoken Word has the power to bring life again)
Read v24 (God’s Spoken Word has the power to bring life again)
Read v26-27(life, but more special walk thru v’s26-27, then address v31)
The first creation narrative ends with God resting/ceasing from His creative acts (Read 2:1-2).
We then get a recap of this creation narrative in the rest of chapter 2, this time with additional info. We learn more on how God created man in Genesis 2:7(read and focus on taking the time to form with hands and intimacy of breathing the breath of life into Adam, Ps 139:13). God also formed land animals from dust (v19), but He did not breath the breath of life into them (you are special). Intimacy, Care!
So when we read Proverbs 4:20-22, we can now read it with the knowing that we serve a God who cares(read personalized). John, My son, whom I care for, whom I breathed the breath of life/knit…
Point: God’s Spoken Word is powerful: powerful to create and bring life.
- Read Ps 33:6 Assignmnt – Go home tonight, re-read this verse and look at stars (if you can see them through the trees). God’s spoken Word did all of that, yet he took the time, cared enough, and desired intimacy with you enough to breath the breath of life into you…and he desires to continue to communicate with you through His Word!
Transition:
Just as God’s spoken Word has the power to create and bring life, His Written Word about the Living Word also has power…
- Romans 1:16-17 – The Power of the Written Word
Just as we’ve seen that God’s spoken Word had the power to create in Genesis, God’s Written Word has the power to re-create: 2 Cor 5:17. So how is it that we are re-ceated? Through Christ! How do we find Christ, where do we now go? The Bible…the Written Word of God!
Not only does the Written Word about Living Word have the power to re-create, it also has the power to bring life. Jesus said inJohn 11:25 “I am the Resurrection and the Life,” in Jn 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…” How?John 3:16 (repeat).It is through Jesus, but how through Jesus? See in Roman Road (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9-10). Read each/walk through.
We now know the how (through Jesus), but why? What is the source of this power to recreate and bring new life? Read Romans 1:16-17. Paul wrote Romans, but why was he not ashamed, why was he so eager to share the gospel? Because the Gospel is Power of God! First, what is gospel, where do we find it? Gen 1:1-Rev 22:21!
These verses form theme for the whole Romans, and in fact, contain gospel themselves! Paul uses gar/for thee times. Paul’s eagerness to share the gospel is seen in the logical flow of these two verses: 1) because hewas not ashamed, 2) Why? Because the gospel is the power of God, 3) God’s power in the gospel reveals His righteousness (right standing before Him for us).
Re-rd v16a: Paul was not ashamed? Are we bold as Paulin our total lack of shame for the gospel? If I am just like Paul, am I consistently sharing gospel? If I am not sharing the gospel, am I really unashamed?
So why is Paul not ashamed?Because the gospel is the Power of God. Power=dynamis where we get word for dynamite. The gospel is God’s explosive power. It is the same explosive power that it took from the SpokenWord to bring about creation & life! It is now seen in the explosive power of the Written Word of God to bring about re-creation and new life!
Does knowing the fact that the gospel simply is the power of God change how you view it? Might it change how much you share it with others?
Re-read v16c. The gospel has the power of salvation=eissoterian, or into bodily health, preservation, safety, deliverance from peril, restoration to wholeness. Listen again toProv 4:22,We are to listen to God’s Word because…v22 “health to one’s whole body” (very definition of Salvation). Re-read Prov 4:20-22w/ personal, God who cares, & loves, Jn 3:16.
Point: God’s Written Word is powerful: powerful to re-create and bring new life.
Re-creation and new life only come through sharing, but can’t share what don’t know. Re-read v20-21: 20b=Deut 6:4-9 (ears), 21a=Ps 1:1-3 (eyes)v21b=119:111 (heart). We see this in Romans 10:14-17.
Transition:
God’s Spoken Word is powerful to create and bring life, His Written Word (about the Living Word) has the power to re-create and bring new life…but what about the Living Word Himself? For that, we’ll look to Revelation 19 as we look at The Power of the Living Word.
- Revelation 19:11-16, 19-21 – The Power of the Living Word
Read Rev 19:11-16. These verses are just after wedding of Lamb v7. The apostle John is given a preview of the final victory!Exercise you don’t have to leave your seat to do…mental exercise. Close your eyes and try to imagine what we just read. John sees a rider on white horse. He is calledFaithful & True (2 Tim 2:13, Jn 17:17). His eyes are like fire. He has many crowns, and His name is the Word of God (Jn 1). The armies of Heaven follow Him, and His mouth is a sharp sword (Word, Heb 4:12) to strike down those who oppose Him.His name? Read v16! Quite a picture and contrast from when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey the week of His death. Christ (the Word) will return in Power!
Jump forward to v19-21 with me. Read Rev 19-21a.This is how the Word of God brings about final victory! Without a single shot fired or bomb blow, but with the sword (Word) out of the mouth of the rider. The Living Word of God brings about final victory with His Spoken Word!
Share “Turner Catechism” and “Timmy’s Heart-Song.” Turner Catechism is much less in-depth than even the Westminster Smaller Catechism… Many read “The Insanity of God” and are familiar with “Dmitri’s Heart Song” (Russian prison, beaten, even threatened with His life, yet sang his heart out to God every morning no matter the opposition). Well…this is nothing like that, but it is the heart-song of a three year old little boy. (Finish the story about Timmy).
Many of you areknow the Living Word of God experientially, but come back and re-read v22 of Proverbs with me. Re-readProv 4:20-22. Now read between the lines. Life and health to one’s whole body is solely for those who listen, see, and have hidden God’s Word. This is the other side of the coin! What about those who haven’t done so? We just read about them in Revelation 19.There is wonderful and exciting news in Proverbs 4:20-22, but there is also sad truth in these verses.
Look again at how final victory comes about (re-rd v21a). Jesus, the Living Word, brings final victory by the Spoken Word (word of his mouth)! And the Gospel finishesjust as it began Genesis 1. History began with the Spoken Word of God and it will end with the Spoken Word of God.
Point:God’s Living Word is powerful: powerful to bring ultimate victory.
Re-read Prov 4:20-22w/ personalization. God who cares, loves, and provides final victory.
Conclusion
(Purpose Statement on Screen)
God’s Word is powerful to: create and bring life; re-create and bring new life; and ultimately to bring about final victory. Live as if it has that power!
We’ve seen from the whole of God’s Word that it is powerful to: create and bring life; re-create and bring new life; and ultimately to bring about final victory. However, if that is the case, are you living as if it has that power? What are you doing with the explosive power of God’s Word to you?
Anyone seen “What About Bob” w/ Bill Murray? Explain movie, then quote “There are two types of people in this world: Those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don't.” I have to disagree with Bob’s take because I’m in a third category: Neil Diamond neutral. However, that dualism that Bob is attempting to bring out in that quote does exist in this room this morning. There are only one of two types of people in here: those who have recognized and responded to God’s Word, and those who haven’t (those that are in Christ and those who aren’t).
For those of you who haven’t, you now know that you have a heavenly Father who cares for you, who loves you, and who has provided ultimate victory for you, but solely if you willingly respond to His Word. Are you willing to do so this morning.
For those of us who have responded to His Word and come into salvation, what are you doing with the awesome, explosive power of God’s Word? Are you wasting it by not using it? Is your Bible going to be left in your car, on the table, in a drawer, or on a bookshelf until next Sunday? Are you sharing it with others, believers and non-believers? Do we even have a responsibility to do so? Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20), was this just for the Apostles? Great Commission is an intentional going, but in Matt 10:7 (Gk) reads “as you are going” (about your daily lives). Are you intentionally, verbally sharing the gospel? Again, is it our responsibility?
Listen to Paul’s words to the Ephesian elders as he leaves them for the last time in Acts 20:26-27. I used this text as my first and last to the church I pastored in Texas. Paul’s words have always struck me as a little odd. How can he say he is innocent of the blood of all men? Why would he say that? In Ezekiel 33:1-6 the Lord calls the prophet Ezekiel the “watchman.” He tells him in v’s 1-5 that if he sees the sword coming and warns the people and they perish, then their blood is on their own head. However, Ezekiel 33:6 reads(read v6). Their blood will be on his head if he fails to warn them. Paul was “a Jew among Jews,” a bit of a Bible scholar, and it wouldn’t shock me if he had this very passage in mind. To prophesy has a dual meaning: to foretell and to forth-tell. There is no more foretelling (outside of what is in Scripture), but we all have the responsibility to forth-tell. Are you upholding that responsibility? We don’t have to question whether we will be held to account for failing to share…God has already told us in His Word.
So which of these two kinds of people are you? One with the Word or one without?You have a caring, loving and providing Heavenly Father who has given you His words to bring youlife and complete healing/salvation. What will you do with His Words?
Pray.
1