Sermon: Foul Language – Part 5
by Chris Cumming

Are you using foul language in your communications with others?  I am not necessarily speaking to rude, crass or profane words or what we call cussing, but words and phrases that do not stand up to the Word of God.

My purpose, with this sermon, is to expose the negative idioms and phrases we might be using in our communications and encourage the positive ones.

Invoke positive language while eliminating foul language.

In Part One of this sermon, we read through the list of both the negative and positive idioms and phrases.  We then took the first one from the negative list and exposed it as “foul language” and something we want to remove from our vocabulary and communications.  That first one was, “Looking at the World through rose-colored glasses:”  

In Part Two of this sermon, we continued in the list and spoke to five more negative phrases. 
In Part Three of this sermon, we discussed six more negative phrases.
In Part Four of this sermon, we discussed the final six negative phrases


Let us review from our primary list:

NEGATIVE IDIOMS AND PHRASES

1] Looking at the World through rose-colored glasses: […handled in Part 1 of this sermon]
--Cheerful or optimistic, especially to an excessive degree: took a rose-colored view of the situation.
--With an unduly cheerful, optimistic, or favorable view of things: see the world through rose-colored glasses.

2] Beat around the bush. […handled in Part 2 of this sermon]
--Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

3] Cut corners.  […handled in Part 2 of this sermon]
--When something is done badly to save money.

4] Drastic times call for drastic measures. […handled in Part 2 of this sermon]
--When you are extremely desperate you need to take drastic actions.

5] I heard it on the grapevine. […handled in Part 2 of this sermon]
--This idiom means 'to hear rumors' about something or someone.

6] In the heat of the moment. […handled in Part 2 of this sermon]
--Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

7] That is the last straw. […handled in Part 3 of this sermon]
--The final problem in a series of problems.

8] Let the cat out of the bag. […handled in Part 3 of this sermon]
--To share information that was previously concealed.

9] I am going to give him a taste of his own medicine. […handled in Part 3 of this sermon]
--The negative concept of revenge

10] He’s playing fast and loose with the truth […handled in Part 3 of this sermon]
--Lying

11] A leopard can’t change his spots. […handled in Part 3 of this sermon]
--The Salvation Process is all about changing and building better and righteous character

12] Between a rock and a hard place. […handled in Part 3 of this sermon]
--The idea of being in a situation one cannot escape.

 13] Castles in the air. […handled in Part 4 of this sermon]
--Plans that are unlikely to happen.

 14] Go with the flow. […handled in Part 4 of this sermon]
--To do what people do and accept things as they are

15] In your face. […handled in Part 4 of this sermon]
--An aggressive and bold confrontation.

16] Knock on wood. […handled in Part 4 of this sermon]
--Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.

17] Sweep the situation/problem/subject under the rug. […handled in Part 4 of this sermon]
--A form of lying and/or not facing the situation/problem.

Today we will finish this series of sermons by looking at the eight positive phrases for our lives as I encourage all of us to invoke positive language while eliminating foul language.

 Invoke positive language.  Eliminate foul language.

 1] Actions speak louder than words.
 --People's intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say.

1 John 3:18 
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Matthew 25:41-45 ...chapter 25 being a Kingdom chapter
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Galatians 5:13
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Galatians 6:1-2
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:1-3
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

1 Thessalonians 1:3
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

James 2:15-16
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

2] Back to the drawing board.
 --When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.
--Repentance and overcoming

Failing:
Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Psalm 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psalm 37:23-24
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

2 Corinthians 4:8-12
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

Repentance and Overcoming
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Psalm 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

3] Cross that bridge when you come to it.
 --Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before.

Matthew 6:34 
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Notice the commentary on, "They are new every morning."

They are new every morning - Day and night proclaim the mercy and compassion of God. Who could exist throughout the day, if there were not a continual superintending Providence? ~Adam Clarke

"Start today [cross the bridge now].  Don't wait for the world to change.  Change the world."

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”

4] Hit the nail on the head.
 --Do or say something exactly right.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Matthew 5:37
But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Colossians 3:8
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Colossians 4:6 
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Ephesians 4:29 
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.

5] He is a man of few words.
 Ecclesiastes 5:2 
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Proverbs 10:19 
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

James 1:19 
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

James 3:2 
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

A quote from Shakespeare, "When words are scarce they are seldom spent in vain."

 6] Walk a mile in his shoes.
 --the only real way to have empathy for the other guy.

Romans 12:15-16
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Hebrews 13:3
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

John 11:32-35
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.

7] It's in the bag.
 --Certain or extremely likely to occur; assured about the success of something.
--A feeling we have once it is in the hands of God.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Psalm 37:4-5
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Philippians 4:6 
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

8] Let bygones be bygones.
 --To forget about a disagreement or argument.
--Matthew 18 Process

Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Kind:
Proverbs 19:22
The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

Tenderhearted:
Psalm 145:9
The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Forgiving:
1 Peter 3:8-9
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

So there you have it.  Eight positive idioms, based in the Bible for all of us to live by.

1] Actions speak louder than words.
2] Back to the drawing board.
3] Cross that bridge when you come to it.
4] Hit the nail on the head.
5] He is a man of few words.
6] Walk a mile in his shoes.
7] It's in the bag.
8] Let bygones be bygones.

So continue now... Invoke positive language.  Eliminate foul language.

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