Building Bridges: Speaking Grace and Forgiveness

Devotional

Day 1: Building Bridges with Grace

Our speech should aim to build bridges and foster relationships rather than create divisions. This involves giving grace freely, even when it feels undeserved, reflecting the love and forgiveness of Christ in our interactions. In a world where divisive speech is common, especially in politics and social media, Christians are called to be different. We are to avoid slander and gossip, which violate the Eighth Commandment, and instead speak with humility and truth. Martin Luther's large catechism reminds us that bearing false witness and speaking ill of others are serious sins that harm our neighbors and dishonor God. Ultimately, we are encouraged to extend grace freely, even when it feels undeserved, and to build relationships that reflect the love of Christ. By doing so, we walk in the talk of Christ, living out our baptismal grace and shunning the devil's attempts to sow discord. [00:39]

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV): "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where you could have spoken more graciously. How can you approach that person today to build a bridge instead of a wall?

Day 2: Reflecting on Baptism

Reflecting on our baptism and the forgiveness of sins it signifies helps us live out our faith daily. This backward reflection reminds us of the grace we received and encourages us to extend that grace to others in our speech and actions. Living life backwards means continually reflecting on our baptism and the forgiveness of sins it signifies. This forgiveness should ripple out into our interactions, encouraging us to speak in ways that build others up rather than tear them down. Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 4:29 to let no corrupting talk come out of our mouths but only what is good for building up is central to this message. [02:41]

Titus 3:5-6 (ESV): "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior."

Reflection: Reflect on your baptism and the grace you received. How can you let that grace influence your interactions today?

Day 3: Speaking with a Christian Accent

Adopting a "Christian accent" in our speech means speaking in ways that convey the love and forgiveness of Christ. This involves avoiding corrupting talk and instead using words that build others up and give grace to those who hear. The concept of "talking like this" refers to adopting a Christian accent in our speech, reflecting the love and forgiveness of Christ. This begins with our baptism, where we are clothed in Christ's righteousness and called to live out our faith daily. In a world where divisive speech is common, especially in politics and social media, Christians are called to be different. [04:05]

Colossians 4:6 (ESV): "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

Reflection: Consider your recent conversations. How can you ensure your words reflect the love and forgiveness of Christ today?

Day 4: Avoiding Slander and Gossip

Slander and gossip violate the Eighth Commandment and harm our neighbors. We are called to speak with humility and truth, avoiding false witness and speaking ill of others, which dishonors God and damages relationships. Martin Luther's large catechism reminds us that bearing false witness and speaking ill of others are serious sins that harm our neighbors and dishonor God. Ultimately, we are encouraged to extend grace freely, even when it feels undeserved, and to build relationships that reflect the love of Christ. By doing so, we walk in the talk of Christ, living out our baptismal grace and shunning the devil's attempts to sow discord. [05:21]

Proverbs 16:28 (ESV): "A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends."

Reflection: Think of a time you participated in gossip or slander. How can you seek forgiveness and make amends today?

Day 5: Extending Grace Freely

Extending grace, even when it feels undeserved, is a core aspect of walking in the talk of Christ. This involves shunning the devil's attempts to sow discord and instead building others up with our words, reflecting the forgiveness and love we have received. In a world where divisive speech is common, especially in politics and social media, Christians are called to be different. We are to avoid slander and gossip, which violate the Eighth Commandment, and instead speak with humility and truth. Martin Luther's large catechism reminds us that bearing false witness and speaking ill of others are serious sins that harm our neighbors and dishonor God. [08:18]

James 4:11 (ESV): "Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge."

Reflection: Identify someone you find difficult to extend grace to. How can you take a step towards showing them Christ's love today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today's focus is on building bridges rather than walls in our relationships, emphasizing the importance of speaking with grace and love. Drawing from Ephesians, we are reminded to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, which includes how we communicate with others. The concept of "talking like this" refers to adopting a Christian accent in our speech, reflecting the love and forgiveness of Christ. This begins with our baptism, where we are clothed in Christ's righteousness and called to live out our faith daily.

Living life backwards means continually reflecting on our baptism and the forgiveness of sins it signifies. This forgiveness should ripple out into our interactions, encouraging us to speak in ways that build others up rather than tear them down. Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 4:29 to let no corrupting talk come out of our mouths but only what is good for building up is central to this message.

In a world where divisive speech is common, especially in politics and social media, Christians are called to be different. We are to avoid slander and gossip, which violate the Eighth Commandment, and instead speak with humility and truth. Martin Luther's large catechism reminds us that bearing false witness and speaking ill of others are serious sins that harm our neighbors and dishonor God.

Ultimately, we are encouraged to extend grace freely, even when it feels undeserved, and to build relationships that reflect the love of Christ. By doing so, we walk in the talk of Christ, living out our baptismal grace and shunning the devil's attempts to sow discord.

###

Key Takeaways

1. Building Bridges, Not Walls: Our speech should aim to build bridges and foster relationships rather than create divisions. This involves giving grace freely, even when it feels undeserved, reflecting the love and forgiveness of Christ in our interactions. [00:39]
2. Living Life Backwards: Reflecting on our baptism and the forgiveness of sins it signifies helps us live out our faith daily. This backward reflection reminds us of the grace we received and encourages us to extend that grace to others in our speech and actions. [02:41]
3. The Christian Accent: Adopting a "Christian accent" in our speech means speaking in ways that convey the love and forgiveness of Christ. This involves avoiding corrupting talk and instead using words that build others up and give grace to those who hear. [04:05]
4. Avoiding Slander and Gossip: Slander and gossip violate the Eighth Commandment and harm our neighbors. We are called to speak with humility and truth, avoiding false witness and speaking ill of others, which dishonors God and damages relationships. [05:21]
5. Extending Grace Freely: Extending grace, even when it feels undeserved, is a core aspect of walking in the talk of Christ. This involves shunning the devil's attempts to sow discord and instead building others up with our words, reflecting the forgiveness and love we have received. [08:18]
### [08:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:39] - Introduction to Building Bridges
[01:28] - The Importance of Unity
[02:07] - Personal Anecdotes on Accents
[02:41] - Living Life Backwards
[03:24] - The Ripple Effect of Baptism
[04:05] - Speaking as Christians
[04:44] - Building Up vs. Tearing Down
[05:21] - The Challenge of the Eighth Commandment
[05:54] - Insights from Martin Luther's Large Catechism
[06:30] - The Broader Application of the Commandment
[07:09] - The Sin of Slander
[07:41] - The Devil's Influence on Our Speech
[08:18] - Extending Grace Freely
[08:50] - Conclusion and Call to Action

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Paul mean by "corrupting talk" in Ephesians 4:29? How does he suggest we should speak instead?
According to the sermon, what is the significance of living life backwards and reflecting on our baptism? [02:41]
How does the sermon describe the "Christian accent" in our speech? What are some characteristics of this way of speaking? [04:05]
What examples did the pastor give of how divisive speech is common in today's world, especially in politics and social media? [04:44]

Interpretation Questions

How does reflecting on our baptism help us in our daily interactions and speech? What does it mean to live life backwards in this context? [02:41]
Why is it important to avoid slander and gossip according to the sermon? How do these actions violate the Eighth Commandment? [05:21]
What does it mean to extend grace freely, even when it feels undeserved? How does this reflect the love of Christ? [08:18]
How can adopting a "Christian accent" in our speech impact our relationships and community? What are some practical ways to speak with grace and love? [04:05]

Application Questions

Think of a recent conversation where you might have built a wall instead of a bridge. How could you have spoken differently to build up the relationship? [00:39]
Reflect on your baptism and the forgiveness of sins it signifies. How can this reflection change the way you interact with others this week? [02:41]
Identify a situation where you were tempted to engage in slander or gossip. How can you avoid such behavior in the future and speak with humility and truth instead? [05:21]
Consider someone in your life who you find difficult to extend grace to. What steps can you take to show them undeserved love and forgiveness this week? [08:18]
How can you practice speaking with a "Christian accent" in your daily conversations? What specific words or phrases can you use to build others up and give grace to those who hear? [04:05]
In what ways can you shun the devil's attempts to sow discord in your relationships? How can you actively work to build bridges and foster unity in your community? [07:41]
Think about a time when you felt hurt by someone's words. How can you use that experience to be more mindful of your own speech and its impact on others? [04:44]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for outreach

1. "How do we build a bridge to create relationships with one another? And then through that, to give grace freely. Grace meaning undeserved love. Grace when maybe grace doesn't feel like it should be deserved to your fellow neighbor who might violate you in some unique way. But it's giving grace freely. And that's walking in the talk of Christ." [00:00] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The beginning of talking like Christ is talking in a manner that conveys at its very core the centrality of what Christ came to do, which is to give us all forgiveness of our sins through his death and resurrection. And then today, through baptism. Because we are baptized into Christ's death and we are raised through baptism as a new creature into life." [03:24] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We speak freely in love with one another. And that's a ripple. Later on in a verse that I'd like to use for the rest of our text, it's verse 29 of Ephesians chapter 4. It's let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." [04:05] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "It's very easy to get in an argument with someone to defend something we believe in. It's sometimes hard to get into a relationship discussion that builds our relationship up. But that's what the ripple effect is of the forgiveness of sins when it's at the center of our lives." [04:44] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "So with the mind of Christ inside you from your baptismal roots, ripple out from the forgiveness of sins that was granted in your best baptismal grace, extend grace to others and build others up as tough as it may be and shun the work of the Satan to put evil thoughts and slander in your mouth." [08:18] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for members

1. "Living life backwards means reflecting on the very beginning of your Christian life. Which today, for Theodore and for us, is really in our baptism. Yes, faith can begin in the womb, you know, before we were even baptized when we're part of a Christian family. Because the Holy Spirit can work inside the womb. But we know, he puts the mind of Christ inside us. Clothes us with Christ's righteousness so that we speak as a Christian from our baptism." [02:41] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "It's encouraging one another in building up. And today, of course, it's so easy, as I just mentioned, to do the exact same thing. To do the exact opposite. To rip our neighbor down. To say look at what they did. It's slandering. It really violates the eighth commandment, of course. And the eighth commandment is one I always struggle with. I think it's one of the harder commandments to follow." [05:21] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "For wherever there are godly preachers and Christians, they must bear the sentence before the world that calls them heretics, apostates, instigators, and desperately wicked unbelievers. God's word must suffer in the most shameful and hateful manner when we violate this commandment, being persecuted, blasphemed, contradicted, perverted, falsely quoted, and interpreted. For this is the way of the blind world, which condemns and persecutes the truth and God's children." [07:09] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "He goes on to talk about that this commandment forbids all sins of the tongue by which we might injure or confront our neighbor. To bear false witness is nothing else than a work of the tongue. Now God prohibits what is ever done with the tongue against a fellow man. This applies to false preachers with their doctrine and blasphemy, false judges and witnesses with their verdict outside the court, and speaking evil." [07:41] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "It's how do we build up a bridge versus build up a wall that separates us? How do we build a bridge to create relationships with one another? And then through that, to give grace freely. Grace meaning undeserved love. Grace when maybe grace doesn't feel like it should be deserved to your fellow neighbor who might violate you in some unique way. But it's giving grace freely. And that's walking in the talk of Christ." [08:18] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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