Transforming Words: The Power of Generosity and Grace
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound impact of our words and how they intertwine with a lifestyle of generosity. We began by celebrating the recent baptisms and the overwhelming generosity shown through the EVC Go Gift offering, which supports local and global ministries. This generosity is a reflection of the grace we have received from God, a theme central to our series on living with open hands.
We delved into the power of words, drawing from Ephesians 4, where Paul emphasizes the transformation that should occur in a believer's life. This transformation is not about striving harder but about surrendering to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to renew our thoughts and speech. Our words have the power to build up or tear down, and as followers of Christ, we are called to be builders, speaking life and encouragement into others.
Paul's letter to the Ephesians, written to a diverse and broken community much like ours, reminds us that our identity in Christ should lead to a change in behavior, including how we speak. Our words should reflect the grace we've received, moving from death talk to life talk. This transformation is a partnership with the Holy Spirit, requiring daily surrender and a commitment to speak words that build up rather than corrupt.
We also discussed practical ways to use our words for good, such as offering comfort, encouragement, and even correction when necessary. These words can have a ripple effect, impacting not just individuals but entire communities. By being intentional with our speech, we can be agents of change, reflecting the love and grace of Christ in a world that desperately needs it.
Key Takeaways:
- The Power of Words: Our words hold immense power, capable of building up or tearing down. As believers, we are called to speak life, reflecting the grace we've received from God. This requires a daily surrender to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to transform our speech patterns. [05:19]
- Identity in Christ: Understanding our identity in Christ is crucial. Paul emphasizes that our behavior, including our speech, should flow from who we are in Christ, not from striving to earn God's love. This identity transformation leads to a natural outflow of grace in our words. [22:34]
- Generosity in Speech: Just as we are called to be generous with our resources, we are also called to be generous with our words. This means speaking words of comfort, encouragement, and correction, all rooted in love and truth. [37:18]
- Practical Application: To build others up, we must be intentional with our words. This includes offering comfort to those in need, encouraging others to move forward, and providing correction when necessary, always with love and relational credibility. [40:46]
- Partnership with the Holy Spirit: Transformation in our speech is not about trying harder but about partnering with the Holy Spirit. By surrendering our hearts, we allow Him to renew our minds and words, leading to a life that reflects Christ's love and grace. [28:28]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction and Celebrations
- [01:29] - The Power of Words
- [05:19] - Living with Open Hands
- [06:09] - Words that Wound and Heal
- [07:47] - Grace Received, Grace Given
- [09:28] - Transformation through Grace
- [11:11] - Generosity in Action
- [16:24] - Speech Patterns and Behavior
- [20:22] - Identity in Christ
- [23:11] - Surrender, Not Striving
- [30:00] - Specific Behaviors and Speech
- [35:26] - Death Talk vs. Life Talk
- [40:46] - Practical Ways to Build with Words
- [56:14] - Invitation to Pray
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 4:17-32
- Proverbs 18:21
- Colossians 3:8-10
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Observation Questions:
1. In Ephesians 4:17-32, what specific behaviors does Paul instruct believers to put off, and what new behaviors should they adopt? How does this relate to the transformation of speech? [30:00]
2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the phrase "Grace in should equal Grace out"? How does this concept relate to the way we use our words? [09:28]
3. What examples did Pastor Bart give to illustrate the power of words, both positive and negative, in our daily lives? [05:19]
4. How does Paul describe the old way of living compared to the new way in Christ, particularly in terms of speech and behavior? [30:30]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding one's identity in Christ, as described in Ephesians 4, influence the way a believer speaks and interacts with others? [22:34]
2. What does it mean to "surrender" to the Holy Spirit in the context of transforming our speech, and why is this more effective than simply trying harder? [24:09]
3. How can the concept of "building up" with our words, as mentioned in the sermon, be practically applied in a diverse and broken community like the one Paul addressed in Ephesians? [37:49]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our words can have a ripple effect, impacting not just individuals but entire communities? [36:06]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent conversation where your words either built someone up or tore them down. What could you have done differently to reflect the grace you've received from God? [33:31]
2. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle with "death talk" or negative speech. What steps can you take this week to replace those words with life-giving ones? [35:26]
3. Think of someone in your life who needs comfort or encouragement. What specific words or actions can you offer them this week to reflect Christ's love and grace? [40:46]
4. How can you partner with the Holy Spirit to transform your speech patterns? What daily practices or prayers might help you surrender your words to His guidance? [28:28]
5. Consider the concept of "generosity in speech" discussed in the sermon. How can you be more intentional about speaking words of comfort, encouragement, and correction in love? [37:18]
6. Reflect on a time when someone spoke life into you. How did it impact you, and how can you replicate that impact in someone else's life this week? [53:30]
7. What practical steps can you take to ensure your words align with your identity in Christ, especially in challenging situations or relationships? [22:34]
Devotional
Day 1: The Creative Power of Words
Our words possess the ability to shape realities, influencing both our lives and the lives of those around us. As believers, we are called to use this power to build up and encourage others, reflecting the grace we have received from God. This requires a conscious effort to surrender our speech to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to transform our words from those that wound to those that heal. By doing so, we become agents of change, speaking life into a world that often leans towards negativity and destruction. [05:19]
"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." (Ephesians 4:29, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where your words could have been more uplifting. How can you intentionally speak life into your interactions today?
Day 2: Identity Rooted in Christ
Understanding our identity in Christ is foundational to how we live and speak. Paul reminds us that our behavior, including our speech, should naturally flow from who we are in Christ, not from a place of striving to earn God's love. This identity transformation leads to a natural outflow of grace in our words, as we move from death talk to life talk. By embracing our identity in Christ, we allow His love and grace to permeate our speech, impacting those around us in profound ways. [22:34]
"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: How does your understanding of your identity in Christ influence the way you speak to others? What changes can you make to align your speech more closely with this identity?
Day 3: Generosity in Speech
Just as we are called to be generous with our resources, we are also called to be generous with our words. This means speaking words of comfort, encouragement, and correction, all rooted in love and truth. Our words can have a ripple effect, impacting not just individuals but entire communities. By being intentional with our speech, we can reflect the love and grace of Christ in a world that desperately needs it. [37:18]
"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." (Proverbs 11:25, ESV)
Reflection: Consider someone in your life who needs encouragement or comfort. How can you use your words to bless them today?
Day 4: Intentional Speech for Building Others
To build others up, we must be intentional with our words. This includes offering comfort to those in need, encouraging others to move forward, and providing correction when necessary, always with love and relational credibility. By doing so, we can create a positive impact that extends beyond individual interactions, fostering a culture of encouragement and support within our communities. [40:46]
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a situation where you can offer constructive feedback or encouragement. How can you ensure your words are received in the spirit of love and support?
Day 5: Partnership with the Holy Spirit
Transformation in our speech is not about trying harder but about partnering with the Holy Spirit. By surrendering our hearts, we allow Him to renew our minds and words, leading to a life that reflects Christ's love and grace. This partnership requires daily surrender and a commitment to speak words that build up rather than corrupt, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our interactions and influence the world around us. [28:28]
"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart." (Ephesians 5:18-19, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide your speech today? What practical steps can you take to ensure your words align with His leading?
Quotes
"Paul's letter to the Ephesians, written to a diverse and broken community much like ours, reminds us that our identity in Christ should lead to a change in behavior, including how we speak. Our words should reflect the grace we've received, moving from death talk to life talk. This transformation is a partnership with the Holy Spirit, requiring daily surrender and a commitment to speak words that build up rather than corrupt." [00:06:09]
"Paul begins to take very seriously what Jesus said to take the gospel all over the world. He didn't stay in Jerusalem; he started spreading it into places like Ephesus and Galatia. That's where letters where he would write to Philippi, to Corinth, all of these areas. He would raise up Believers, he would start a church, he would leave them as he's discipled them, and he would multiply." [00:17:00]
"Paul writes this letter to them. Now, who is Paul writing to? The Christians there. So Paul is writing to church people who still were struggling, like many of us can still struggle with areas of Brokenness. You need to hear this too: they had areas of addiction. Many of them were wrestling with past life stuff that was going on that would creep back into their lives." [00:20:22]
"Paul said this is who you are now. This should begin to transform you. Pastors don't transform people; the Holy Spirit of the Living God transforms you and me, amen. And that is what Paul is getting. So they're hearing it, they're weeping, I imagine, because they're hearing who they are in Christ, their identity." [00:23:11]
"Instead of that selfish way of living that you used to be living like, now this is where the hands are open. Let the spirit renew your thoughts. Notice you don't renew your thoughts. Notice the spirit of God does that, brothers and sisters. Listen, he does that in you and for you. Do you hear what he's saying? Stop the striving and start to surrender." [00:28:28]
"Paul will do, and I want you to notice the pattern, okay? He will say this is your old way. That's when you were dead, like the Gentiles do. Okay, Gentile again is non-Jew. This is what the new way in Christ looks like. You're going to see this pattern, and then the third part of that is, and this is why you should do this." [00:30:00]
"Don't let that come out of your mouth, that death stuff, but only such as good as is good for what's the next thing he says? Building, building up as fits the occasion. Now the NIV will say don't let unwholesome talk. That's another good translation there, okay? But here's what it's saying: don't do this old way, that's death talk." [00:35:26]
"Words of comfort, okay? Words of comfort is a good place to start. These are words that are life words. In this church, in the last year, there has been a lot of loss. It's a big church now, and there's a lot of loss that is going on on an ongoing basis. And I'm not just talking about loss of loved ones; it could be loss of job, loss of a marriage, loss of maybe health." [00:40:46]
"Encouragement is something when you say something to someone that may they may not even realize about themselves, and you see something in them, and you speak a word of life into them, that there is a ripple effect. Let me give you an example, okay? When I was a teenager and I was going to Boswell High School right across the street." [00:48:33]
"Correction. That youth pastor brought me a word of correction that I needed, and he had the relational credibility to be able to say this is something I'm concerned about in you because this is what I see. And this is the ability, and I believe this is where the Lord speaks of bringing Grace and Truth in Balance. Speak the truth in what? Love." [00:53:14]
"Who needs you to speak some life? What could you be impacting, the ripple effect? Okay, now this goes hand in hand, and here's the last one: it's correction. That youth pastor brought me a word of correction that I needed, and he had the relational credibility to be able to say this is something I'm concerned about in you because this is what I see." [00:56:14]
"Lord, we thank you for your grace, your kindness, your goodness, and I pray, pray, Lord, that for us as a Church, Holy Spirit, as you breathe over us, that it would be grace in producing Grace out, that our community would be different because we all go out and we are this agent of your voice of, of, of, Lord, just not corrupt talk but words of life." [00:56:14]
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