series: Practice
teacher: Jacob Bender
date: October 19, 2017
scriptures: James 3:1-12, Proverbs 6:16-19, Proverbs 26:17-26
“If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discernment, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in Christianity, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it.”
-Charles Finney
“James is concerned to point out ‘the responsibility of teachers and the dangerous character of the instrument they have to use’.”
“There is no good preacher who is not moved almost to the point of tears at the end of every sermon at how poor was the message he just delivered.”
I have seen the way that my words have been an instrument for good… an avenue for salvation and hope…
and I have used my words as weapons…
wrecking havoc where I go, and causing people more hurt and more problems than I ever imagined I was capable of.
Proverbs (12:18) says that “Reckless words pierce like sword.”
- in other words, words absolutely are weapons and they can be used to cause more destruction than you can ever even imagine…
So learning how to use that instrument… that is crucial.
