Sunday Sermon – Aug 9/20

As always, you can read the transcript below

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under the heavens: ² a time to be born and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to uproot,³ a time to kill and a time to heal,a time to tear down and a time to build,⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,a time to mourn and a time to dance,⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,a time to keep and a time to throw away,⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,a time to be silent and a time to speak,⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,a time for war and a time for peace.

James 3:3-5;7,8a,9,10

³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. ⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; James 3:3-5,7,8a,9,10
WHEN TO BE SILENT AND WHEN TO SPEAK
Springford Baptist Church: August 9, 2020.

Today’s Scripture emphasizes the necessity of accurately recognizing, “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” (Ecclesiastes 3:7)

Do we realize how powerful are words? The words we speak can build up and encourage and they can also tear down and destroy. When we see evidence of someone who has learned to have some control of their words, we are seeing evidence of God at work.

A traffic light is a very helpful way of thinking about God working with us to take control of our tongues. There are times we will need to stop before careless or unloving words are spoken. There are times we will receive the green signal to go ahead and speak words that need to be spoken. Sometimes we are reluctant to speak and hesitate about finding the right words. This will require courage. And we will need to consider the yellow caution light as we proceed to carefully choose the words we speak. As God assists us and as we obey, we can learn the wisdom and the grace of, “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” (Ecclesiastes 3:7)

When you look at this week in review in your own life, when have you been silent when you should have spoken and when have you spoken when you should have been silent?

We can recognize this after the fact. Then the damage has been done. If we continue into an intersection when the red light signalling stop is right there in front of us, a collision is likely. If the light turns green and we refuse to go, we are blocking the flow of traffic and that doesn’t go well either.

Sitting at home after being out driving and causing an accident and thinking, “Oh, I guess I shouldn’t have gone through the red stop light” can indicate that we have learned something. The proof will be in what happens next time we are out driving.

Likewise, all of us have had opportunity to learn that there are times to be silent (to stop before speaking) and there are times to speak (to go ahead and say what we need to say).

When Ecclesiastes 3:7 describes in this same verse, “a time to mend” I find myself wondering about how we can use our tongues and the words we speak to mend. A garment that has been torn can be mended when time is taken to repair. A relationship that has been torn apart can be mended when the words spoken are sincere and loving.

It is a sad situation when people decide not to talk to each other. This happens in families, in community groups, in churches, and between friends and neighbours. The longer that silence goes on, the harder it is for that relationship to be repaired and restored.

We will need God to guide us for when to be silent and when to speak.

James 3:5 highlights the potential of the tongue to be like the spark that can set a huge forest on fire.

During the time of this pandemic, we are seeing how quickly a virus can spread and infect. Concerted effort has to be taken to bring this virus under control, to stop the spread.

When we, by God’s grace are controlling the words we speak, we are participating in helping to control the spread of the virus of hate and evil. We cannot take lightly the seasons and the times for silence and for speaking.

Think about what could happen in our homes and communities if instead of seeing the spread of mistrust, frustration, irritation, and anger, we see love spreading.

Only God can bring this about! It will largely be accomplished by the words we do not speak and the words we do speak. It can happen as we take seriously God’s direction in signalling to us when to be silent and when to speak.

Here is a wise consideration; “We need to learn to think without speaking instead of speaking without thinking.”

Notice what we read in James 3:9,10 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”

When our desire is to be available for God to use us to serve Him faithfully in this SEASON FOR SERVING then we cannot expect to be effective servants for God if we are not controlling our tongues.

If we are praising God together on Sunday and then out our mouths during the week come words of criticism and judgement towards people as James clearly declares, “this should not be.” (James 3:10).

Often, we find ourselves making excuses for the times we speak when we should be silent and the times we are silent when we should speak.

Every day God gives us the opportunity to choose differently, to actively spread His miraculous love as He enables us to control our tongues.

We cannot tame or control our tongues on our own, but with God’s help we can find ourselves paying attention to the traffic light indicating stop, go, and caution.

We will see this traffic light most clearly if we are committed to prayer and seeking God’s grace.

Again we pray together:
“HERE I AM, WHOLLY AVAILABLE.
AS FOR ME, I WILL SERVE YOU LORD.”