The Rock Church is now making our sermons available in several varieties.
You can go to our family site to download, stream and subscribe via Podcast. We’ll
be archiving the past couple months worth.
Happy listening!
Wordsmith Apprenticeship
James 3:1-12
(Go here to listen. For those who missed it, I read a love letter I wrote to Michelle when I was 17! What was I thinking?)
“Sticks and stones my break my bones but names will never hurt me.” Great sound byte for playground politics but how many of us, through our own experience, have come to believe that “band-aid” phrase?
Yesterday we worked our way through James 3:1-12 where James illustrates that our words hold the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). That is, they can be used to encourage, build up, heal, and everything else good or they can be used to destroy. James compares our tongue to the bit one would use to control a horse and a rudder that a captain would use to steer his ship. Simply put our words have tremendous power to direct our lives.
On the flip-side our words can rip people apart. James also compares our tongue to a spark that can destroy any relationship in our path. We don’t even need a scripture to know that this in true. It’s been true in our own life. All of us have been seared by people who didn’t restrain their tongue.
Then James just ends. No solution. No, “ok, here’s what you do…” We’re left with just this heavy reality that our tongues really are a “world of evil” (v 6).
The challenge to us yesterday was simply to accept responsibility for our words and realize that they have tremendous potential for good. Let’s leverage every word out of our mouth for His glory and others good!
I will be at the Starbucks at 4028 196th Street SW, Lynnwood (Map it), Tomorrow from 6:30-8:30 AM. Stop by on your way to work for 5 minutes or longer! Everyone is welcome!
Especially those of you new to The Rock. I’d love to meet you.
Yesterday we continued our tour through James. We were in James 2:1-13. James clearly and succinctly says, “Do not show favoritism.” (v.1)
Then because of the illustration he uses we think that this passage doesn’t apply to us or we simply don’t struggle with prejudice. When in fact we do. We do a pretty “good” job sizing up others and drawing conclusions about them. Too fat, too skinny, too rich, too poor, too… James says that we’re casting judgment and he calls that sin. Ouch!
Fortunately the solution is love. Loving others the way we ourselves want to be loved.
Go here to listen online and just a reminder that we’re podcasting our messages now. Go to our family site to learn what it’s all about.
Next Sunday: Wordsmith Apprenticeship – James 3:1-12
Garrett and I met for coffee this morning then we headed for the office where he’s uploading yesterday’s message MP3. In a week or so we’ll communicate Garrett’s role with a little more specificity (pretty big word for a Monday).
Nice specs Garrett. It’s great to have you around!
