Watch Your Mouth!

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 9th of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Washington Irving once noted that, "A tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use."  James, the brother of Jesus, wrote that, "The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do."

Our words can indeed be powerful tools.  Once given voice, they can linger for days, weeks, years.  Once spoken, they can never be unsaid.  So we should be careful what we say, and how we say it.

Jesus had a little chat one day with some Pharisees, His disciples, and some folks who listened in.  He cautioned about the words people speak, and the things people do, and the impact they can have.  Listen and follow along to this discussion as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 15th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 20, and I’ll be reading this from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

--Matthew 15:1-20 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You gave us the ability to communicate with one another, and the emotions that we might feel what others feel.  Too often, Lord, we communicate without feeling.  Too often, especially when we are hurting, we strike out fully intending to hurt others.  Father, please help us to stop and think before speaking.  Help us to understand the impact our words may have on others.  Help us to temper our emotions with love.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how much an impact our words can have, and how to use them to lift people up rather than put anyone down.  Help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  And Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


There once was a minister who took his little child to a circus.  The clowns there were particularly good and the last one of them was a little fellow wearing a very wonderful high hat.  While he was bowing elaborately to a dignified woman, his hat fell off and an elephant sat on it before he could retrieve it.

The clown gestured wildly at the elephant, but the beast sat still.  He waved and shouted again and again, but the elephant never budged.  Angrily the clown stepped behind the elephant and kicked with all his strength… and hopped away with a sore foot in his hands but no hat.

Then, frantic with anger, the little clown turned back to the elephant and tried to lift him off the hat.  Defeated and in complete despair, the clown sat down and started to eat peanuts.  The elephant, quite interested in peanuts, got up, ambled over, and begged for one!

This was a powerful illustration for that minister.  He realized that he'd just witnessed a spiritual object lesson: You can't accomplish anything for God by crabbing and kicking at the world (or your spouse, child, neighbor or co-worker!).  Try motivating with kindness rather than anger.


There’s an old saying that goes well with that little tale.  You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  We need to invest more in sugar and honey so we can sweeten our actions and our words.  We will attain far better results in our endeavors by being polite and respectful than by being bitter and hateful in our dealings with others.


When I was a boy, too often I'd let my mouth run wild before engaging my brain and my mother would say, "You'd better watch your mouth, young man!"  And that is exactly what popped into my head when the title for this message came to me.  “Watch your mouth!”  Trouble is, I’d already said something bad, something hurtful, and I could only apologize - I couldn’t take it back.

But this message from our Bible is about more than watching what we say, or what we do, for that matter.  It’s also about why we say and do those things, where the impetus comes from.  The source of all we do is our heart, and that’s what sometimes needs to be fixed.


The Pharisees were complaining to Jesus about the habits of His followers, not observing Jewish religious rituals and ceremony.  Jesus shot back that their ritualistic traditions were pulling them away from God!  He quoted Isaiah that the people were merely giving lip service to God and not really honoring Him.  What was in their hearts was not God, but only concern for their man-made doctrines and commandments.

They complained that the disciples did not follow the hand-washing ritual (which did not really clean hands).  Jesus responded that it isn’t what goes into a person through their mouth that makes them a sinner in God’s eyes, whether their hands are “clean” or not.  It’s what comes out of the mouth that makes the person filthy.

And what comes out of the mouth originates in the heart, the epicenter of our emotions.  From our hearts, our emotions, come lusts, evil thoughts, contemplations of murder and mayhem, lies.  From our hearts come the actions and words that define us, that show who we truly are.


The Apostle Paul, having received special insight from Jesus, gives us the same warning – to watch what we do and say.  In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul describes how Christians should live.  In chapter 4, verses 1 through 3 and 25 through 32 of his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul writes…

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

--Ephesians 4:1-3; 25-32 (NLT)

Now as we read this, we’re probably all thinking, “I’m not a liar, I’m not a thief.”  But don’t we sometimes stretch the truth a little, especially if the harsh truth might hurt someone we love?  Or maybe we don’t speak out when we should, which is really a lie of omission.  And how often have we stolen from God when we spend time on other pursuits rather than giving it to Him?

Paul begs us to lead a life worthy of our calling as children of God, worthy of being followers of Christ Jesus.  We should be humble and gentle, patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults.  Get rid of all anger and bitterness and hatred and rage.

If we follow Paul’s instructions, we won’t have to worry about what may come out of our mouth.  Our love for one another, when true, will drive nothing but good words and actions from our hearts out of our mouths and through our hands.


Love one another.  Care about one another.  Try to feel what the other person is feeling, to understand what they are going through.

The words we choose to say can make a huge difference in how the listener will react.  Our words and our actions can make a huge difference in another person’s life.  Let’s do all we can to make that a very, very positive difference.  Let’s watch our mouth.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for the words of encouragement and instruction You left for us in our Bibles.  Thank You for breathing Your inspiration and insight into them, that they might edify us and give us pause to reflect upon how we are living.  Help us, please Father, to better feel what those we interact with may be feeling.  Help us to stop and think about the impact our words might have before we give them voice.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You command us to love one another and to make disciples, more followers of You and Your truth.  When we truly love someone, we want to lift them up, to help them out, to encourage them.  But too often, Father, our words do more damage than good.  Too often we let bitterness spill out of our hearts, filling our words, which pour out of our mouths like a raging torrent.  Forgive us, Jesus, for our weaknesses.  Help us, please, to be a positive influence in the life of another.  Give us the wisdom and mercy to make an impact for good, rather than for harm.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.