The sermon by Mike Davenport explores the power of the tongue in connection with the 6th Commandment, 'You shall not murder.' It uses metaphors of fire and water to describe the tongue's ability to give life and cause destruction. Biblical references from Proverbs and James highlight the tongue's dual nature, capable of blessing and cursing. The sermon stresses the importance of controlling one's speech to reflect Christian values, drawing on the example of Jesus Christ, who spoke words of life and forgiveness. It challenges listeners to use their tongues as instruments of life rather than death, encouraging them to follow Christ's teachings and align their speech with righteousness. The sermon concludes by urging believers to repent and seek forgiveness, emphasizing that life and death are in the power of the tongue.

Let's look to the Lord in prayer as we begin. Oh Lord, we Thank you for your word. Lord, it's a mirror. Lord, we don't always enjoy seeing what we see. But Lord, may we gaze into it as we consider this verse.

And may we not forget what we see and change us by your law make us more like Christ we pray in his holy name amen. Well have you ever enjoyed a cold winter evening in front of a fireplace? Or maybe a crisp fall evening before a nice bonfire? Have you maybe enjoyed a meal that's prepared over such a fire or maybe roasting some marshmallows in that fire? You see fire contained is a blessing providing necessary warmth for the body and adequate heat if you're trying to cook or heat something.

Yet, even while I speak, thousands of people have had to evacuate their homes out west as fires continue to cause devastation in the Lake Tahoe area. The adult human body is made up, consists of some 60% of water. We need water. We've just had lunch and some of you have cups or jars or mugs in front of you with water. Some of it's a bit tinted and is hot, but you have water.

We need water. It's good for us. It's necessary, but we're able to benefit from the water because we have a cup. It contains it. If it's poured out on the table, we can't benefit.

Well, we've all seen in this past week what uncontained water can do as we saw the hurricane blow through and affect eight states. The last count I saw some 67 people already accounted for is dead because of the flooding and great devastation. Well you may be sitting here this afternoon thinking, I am so glad I'm not in those regions being affected by that devastation. I'm here right now in this safe environment. But dear ones, as you sit there this afternoon, do you realize that you actually have in your possession right now, and you carry with you wherever you go, something that has such life-giving and yet destruction causing potential what am I speaking of It's the tongue that little member in your mouth the tongue Turn with me to Proverbs 18 Proverbs 18 We We all know of the wisdom of Solomon.

Proverbs 18-21, and this is what it says, the first part, Proverbs 18-21, death and life are in the power of the tongue." That's a mighty powerful statement. Is Solomon engaging in mere hyperbole? Is he being a bit extreme just simply trying to make a point or is there reality to what he is saying and expressing here? Well dear ones there is indeed much power in the tongue. James certainly does not consider Solomon's words as hyperbole or extreme.

He states this in in chapter 3 of his epistle, see how great a forest, a little fire kindles And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird of reptile and creature of the sea is tamed and has been tamed by mankind but no man can tame the tongue it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men who may who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.

My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh." John Newton, a famous hymn writer, had this to say about the James 3 passage. He says, quote, I allow it possible that the best of men in an unguarded hour and through the pressure of some sudden and violent temptation or provocation may occasionally act or speak unsuitably to their habitual character.

But I think the apostle must mean this much at least, that when grace is in the heart, it will so regulate and control the tongue that it shall not customarily offend, and that without some evidence of such a regulation we are not bound to acknowledge any man to be a Christian however splendid his profession may be in other respects." End quote. Does the Word of God really teach that? Or is He being extreme too? Well, consider first the refreshing life-giving picture of Proverbs 10-11. It says this, the mouth of the righteous is a well of life.

It is a well of life. There's life in the well. It's not empty. It never runs dry. Dip that bucket down time and time again, and there's life that comes up from this well, and it quenches the thirst of needy souls But not only does Solomon give us a picture of a well of life He also gives us the picture of a tree of life Proverbs 15 for A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.

It's a tree of life. A tree continues to bring forth life-giving fruit. Such a tongue provides refreshment and nourishment no matter how much fruit it drops. It bears yet more. And a quick perusal of Proverbs, just Just turn through the book of Proverbs.

It reveals the life-giving nature the tongue is capable of. Proverbs 10, 20, and 2015 says, the tongue of the righteous is choice Silver the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel So we see there that there can be value value in what is said Proverbs 10 21 the lips of the righteous feed many. There's nourishment to be gained by a wholesome tongue. 12 18, the tongue of the wise promotes health. It promotes health.

There is healing to be found. The tongue should be a healing instrument. 1225, a good word makes the heart glad. You see there is there is joy and gladness that can be found in the tongue. Proverbs 15 7, the lips of the wise disperse knowledge.

They're just, it's everywhere, it's just dispersing this knowledge. So there's this knowledge to be found in this speech. 1523, a word spoken in due season. How good it is. There's timeliness.

There's timeliness in a wholesome tongue, bringing that word that's needed in due season. Proverbs 1526, the words of the pure are pleasant. Pleasantness of the words. 16-21, sweetness of the lips increases learning. You see, there's persuasiveness and then there's abundance that flows from that persuasiveness.

There's this learning that's going on, this acquisition of wisdom and knowledge because of words. In 1624 pleasant words are like a honeycomb. Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. You see there there are body and soul benefits from words that come from a wholesome righteous tongue. Solomon as an inspired writer also makes it clear because we've seen in the commandment, right?

It's it's not just murdering your neighbor You can you can do violence to your own self and so Solomon as an inspired writer Makes it clear that there's also promised life and benefit to you as you speak life-giving words. Proverbs 12 6, the mouth of the upright will deliver them. It brings deliverance. You see, we often fall into the hands of our tongue, and it brings us into bondage, but the mouth of the upright delivers them there's deliverance you think you can't control your tongue He says you can and it'll deliver you. It'll deliver you from that bondage.

12-14. A man will be satisfied with the good by the fruit of his mouth. It provides satisfaction. Deliverance, satisfaction. 13-2.

A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth. There's refreshment. He eats well. It's refreshing. 13.3, he who guards his mouth preserves his life.

Preservation. There's preservation for your own soul in how you speak. And 21-23, whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles. There's a protecting element, a protection of even your own soul. So the question is, is your mouth, Is your tongue a well of life?

Is what's being drawn up from within life giving? Is it a tree of life? Is it producing good fruit, nourishment, healing? But my dear friend, life is not the only thing that's in the power of the tongue. Death, death is in the power of the tongue.

If you're not able to say that the general effect of your words is life-giving, then that means the other is true, that the general effect of your words is life-robbing. The book of Proverbs once again states these this very reality Proverbs 11, 9, the hypocrite or the The hypocrite or the godless man with his mouth destroys his neighbor. Destroys. There's destruction that can come from our tongues. Proverbs 12, 18, there is one who speaks like the piercing of a sword, the thrust.

It's painful. It's painful. Our tongues can cause such pain. 15-2, a harsh word stirs up anger. There's provocation that can come from a tongue that's not controlled, provoking others to sin, just like we saw in Ephesians 6, right?

Fathers are not to provoke their children. The vast majority of our times, fathers, we provoke with our tongues. With our tongues. It stirs up anger. 15-4, perverseness in the tongue, it breaks the spirit.

There can be discouragement from what is said. Discouragement. Proverbs 18 6, a fool's lips enter into contention and his mouth calls for blows. Words can lead to strife and fighting. Inconsistent with what we've seen already, it just doesn't affect others, it affects ourselves.

The Word of God warns us of the destruction in life robbing effects on us as we speak such words. Proverbs 13 3 and 18 8, He who opens wide his lips shall have destruction, not just cause it, he shall have destruction. A fool's mouth is his destruction and his lips are the snare of his soul so self destruction in snare mit is what it brings. 1720, he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil. You see it opens oneself up to mischief, to trouble.

Dear ones, after considering how much God has to say about the use of our tongue and the death and the life that are in its power, can we afford to take the things that flow out of our mouths lightly? Can we afford to do that? Death in life with every word, every life with every word, every word. Can we join the mocking words of the children that taunt sticks and stones? They can break bones.

Words, they don't hurt. Charles Bridges corrects any wrong thinking or dismissive spirit. He says this, quote, born as we are for eternity, no utterance of our tongue can be called trifling. A word, though light as air, scarcely marked and soon forgotten may rise up as a witness at the throne of judgment for death or life eternal. Shall I not cry to my God, he says, that he would restrain my tongue, yea cry more earnestly that he would consecrate it as a sacred gift.

We just sang about that, right? Stamped with his image that it might be my glory and not my shame, my organ of praise, my exercise of joy. In the inner man, in the inner man, the heart, he says, is the main thing to be kept. In the outer man, the tongue, the tongue." End quote. Bridges is right.

The inner man, the heart's the main thing to be kept. Our outer man, it's most often the tongue. What was it that David prayed at the end of Psalm 19? Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer what was he focused on that inner battle the meditations of my heart and that outer what comes out of my mouth The sins of the tongue are no trifling matter. The great Puritan John Flavel wrote the following regarding the sinfulness of sin, quote, oh the depth of the evil of sin.

If you ever wish to see how great and horrible sin is, measure it in your thoughts by either the infinite holiness and excellency of the God who is wronged by it, or by the infinite sufferings of the Christ who died to satisfy for it and then then you will have deeper apprehensions of its enormity." End quote. See we want to make that big deal of somebody else's sin, but our own. If we think about the excellencies of our God, the holiness of our God, and our sins are an offense. If we think about the death of Christ that he suffered, he suffered, maybe for what I'm getting ready to say, It brings the right perspective. Dear ones, we have broken the law.

We've broken the law in regard to this commandment. You shall not murder. With the mirror of God's word open before us. How can we not but declare what Isaiah said? Woe is me.

Woe. Woe is me. For I am undone. Why? Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.

How can we not cry out like Paul, oh wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death? But John the Baptist has our answer. John the Baptist has our answer. Hear him as he points to our deliverer, our strength and our Redeemer. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Behold him who kept this commandment perfectly in order that we might be clothed in his righteousness. Behold him indeed as the scriptures declare him. He will not cry out, nor raise his voice, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench.

He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before it sheers is silent, so he opened not his mouth, who when he was reviled did not revile in return. When he suffered he did not threaten but committed himself to him who judges righteously who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we having died to sins might live for righteousness by whose stripes you are healed. You, oh mighty King, are fairer than the sons of men. Grace, grace is poured upon your lips.

Therefore, God has blessed you forever. My dear ones, he will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing." So all bore witness to him and marveled. They marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.

Even his enemies were forced to declare, No man, no man ever spoke like this man. Behold some of those gracious words of the lamb who takes away the sin of the world. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. Let not your heart be troubled. 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 if you ask anything in my name I will do it peace peace I leave with you my peace I give to you as the father loved me I also have loved you These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain and whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give you. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." And Jesus prayed these gracious words to his Father about you my friend. I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world I pray for them for those whom you have given me for they are yours These things I speak in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves I have given them your word. I pray that you should keep them from the evil one.

Sanctify them by your truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will, who will believe in me. You see the things he was praying for them, he's praying for us. Father I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me." Consider the fact that those who are Christ's are being conformed into his very image, becoming more Christ-like. Can I ask you a question?

How is that transformation process going? How is it going? Are you making progress? Can you see more of Christ in the use of your tongue? Consider as well that at the very moment that you're getting ready to speak harshly toward someone, one of your brothers or sisters in Christ, or to say something to somebody else unkind about that one or that one, in that very moment that brother or sister is on the lips of Jesus Christ as he intercedes for that one whom he gave his life for.

We've seen recently from the book of Revelation that the devil, the devil is the accuser of the saints. Christ, dear ones, is the intercessor. Who do you want to be like? The accuser or the intercessor? Will you, will I, will we use our tongues as an instrument of life or of death.

Maybe you're here and you're without Christ. You may be wondering if If Christ has any words of life for you, for you, well, can I share with you what Christ has declared to you? These are his very words, gracious, life-giving words. Come to me. Come to me.

All you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, And you will, you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. But not me, not me you say. You don't know me.

You don't know my past, preacher. You don't know where I've been or what I've done. My friend, no greater words have ever come from the lips of Jesus Christ than these. Your sins be forgiven you. Your sins be forgiven you.

That's spoken by the one who Isaiah saw high and lifted up in the temple among before whom the angels cried, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. And he says, Son, my son, your sins be forgiven you. Do you doubt those words that they can be spoken to you, then consider the thief on the cross, a hardened criminal who moments before cursed God, cursed Christ, blasphemed Christ, But having confessed his sins, the thief received these glorious life giving words from his dying Savior assuredly assuredly I say to you this day this day you'll be with me in paradise the thief who moments before had cursed him. And if you still refuse to think that these words can be spoken to you. Consider the gracious words of Jesus Christ uttered on behalf of those who drove the nails into his hands and his feet, who beat the crown of thorns into his brow, who spit on him, who mocked him, struck him with their hands.

He said this, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. Those are the gracious words of my Savior for you come to him, repents of your sins, receive him and find forgiveness. Dear ones, death and life are in the power of the tongue. You shall not murder. You shall not murder.

If you love him, dear ones, if he indeed is precious to you, then keep his commandments. Keep his commandments. Let's pray. Gracious God, we thank you for your word. It is sufficient for life in this world and all aspects of holiness.

Help us to be changed by it and changed more into the image of your dear son. Help us to love him more. What a gracious king. What a gracious king. May all the praise go to him.

Amen.