Luke 11:47-54
“You’re hopeless! You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed. The tombs you build are monuments to your murdering ancestors more than to the murdered prophets. That accounts for God’s Wisdom saying, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, but they’ll kill them and run them off.’ What it means is that every drop of righteous blood ever spilled from the time earth began until now, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was struck down between altar and sanctuary, is on your heads. Yes, it’s on the bill of this generation and this generation will pay. “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won’t go in yourself, and won’t let anyone else in either.” As soon as Jesus left the table, the religion scholars and Pharisees went into a rage. They went over and over everything he said, plotting how they could trap him in something from his own mouth.
Food for thought!
Watch your words! Our enemies use them to catch and destroy us. Why is it that our enemies' best weapon to attack and destroy us is the word we speak, and not something else? Well, as the Bible says, our words are us, and we are our words. The old saying, “You are only as good as your word,” is very true.
In the Holy Bible, we are informed that the creative power of speech had its derivation in the creative power of word. In the book of Genesis, God literally “speaks” the universe into existence. “Let there be light…. Let there be a firmament.” Each verse of the entire first chapter of Genesis begins with the notable acclamation, “Let there be….” And with the same potency begins the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the word; Everything was created through the Word; nothing — not one thing came into being without the Word!"
Words can both create and destroy; they can both build and damage our life and our reputation, and of others. This is why the enemies of Jesus "went over and over everything he said, plotting how they could trap him in something from his own mouth." They scrutinized the words of Jesus because our words reveal who we truly are; our words are us. So, let's be aware of the power of our words. There is a hidden potential in you that is known to few people.
King Solomon said in Proverbs 18:21 that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” The words we release may result in either life or death to us and our hearers hence the need to be mindful and careful of the words we speak and the words we pay attention to. When we study the life of Jesus, there was no place where Jesus made a statement and said “Oh do not worry about what I just said. I was only joking”. No, every word that proceeded out from Jesus’ mouth was for a reason and purpose.
We are made by words. Jesus said in Mark 1:17 “ . . . follow me and I will make you to become…” Jesus was not just asking his disciples to follow him wherever he went but to follow him in his word. Jesus’ words revealed His nature, character, life and glory (which are also God’s nature, character, life and glory). By following and giving attention to Jesus’ words we become transformed into that same nature, character, life and glory. To him be glory and honour and praise, forever!
Do you want a long, good life? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from lying. Turn from all known sin and spend your time in doing good. Try to live in peace with everyone; work hard at it.
No comments:
Post a Comment