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“Let The Beauty Of Jesus Be Seen In Your Speech – Part 3”
Let The Beauty Of Jesus Be Seen In Your Speech – Part 3
Wade Webster
The song that serves as the central thought of this lesson contains both direct and indirect references to our speech. What kinds of words characterized the speech of Jesus? So far we have noticed that the words of Jesus were gracious, thoughtful, and true. This week we will notice that they were good words.
Good Words
Jesus declared, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. (Mat. 12:33-37). The good man and the evil man bring out of their hearts or treasure chests good and bad things. To the saints at Philippi, Paul wrote, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8-9). Please notice that Paul began with good thoughts and then referenced what they had heard from him and seen in him. Good thoughts in Paul’s mind had produced good words from Paul’s mouth and good deeds from Paul’s life. Good is translated from the Greek word agathos which means “excellent in nature, useful.” Evil” is from the Greek word poneros and means “bad.” We are not to let bad words come out of our mouths. To the saints at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers”(Eph. 4:29). Corrupt is from the Greek word sapros which means “rotten, unfit, putrid.” Certainly, curse words and crude talk would all fall among that which has been described and forbidden. Sadly, sometimes I think that we may feel as if we have used our tongues properly if we do not say bad things. While it is very important not to say bad things, it is also very important to say good things. Notice the rest of Paul’s inspired instructions: “…but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” We are to speak good words that build up and impart unmerited favor. Solomon wrote, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad” (Prov. 12:25). Again, he wrote, “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” (Prov. 15:23). Just think of all the good words that Jesus spoke in the gospels. Think of how he encouraged and comforted people through His words. For example, think of the words that He spoke to His disciples as they sadly and fearfully contemplated His departure. “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). These good words must have edified and ministered grace to them. They continue to do the same for us. If the beauty of Jesus is going to be seen in our speech then we must not let bad words and we must let good words come out of our mouths. To the saints at Colosse, Paul wrote, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6).
