JANUARY 6 - Tongue Twisters

This message is an adaptation of an original sermon by John Wesley - the founder of the Methodist movement. He titled his message - The Cure of Evil-Speaking. It is worth reading in its entirety, so click on the link and check it out.

Applying this message - and the teaching of Jesus - is very difficult because there is something in each of us that seems to enjoy passing along bad news. The Bible warns us of the danger of the words we speak:


JAMES 3:6,10. The tongue is a fire...from the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be.


Wesley used this verse from Titus as his key verse for the message:

TITUS 3:2. Speak evil of no one.

(Here he refers not to spreading lies - it matters not if it be a truth or an untruth that we are telling about someone.)

Look at Wesley's words about how common this sin is:

How extremely common is this sin, among all orders and degrees of men! How do high and low, rich and poor, wise and foolish, learned and unlearned, run into it continually! Persons who differ from each other in all things else, nevertheless agree in this. How few are there that can testify before God, "I am clear in this matter; I have always set a watch before my mouth, and kept the door of my lips!" What conversation do you hear, of any considerable length, whereof evil-speaking is not one ingredient? And that even among persons who, in the general, have the fear of God before their eyes, and do really desire to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man.


He suggests this passage from Matthew as an appropriate way to handle issues we might wish to speak about:

MATTHEW 18:15-17. If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.


These words are given by Jesus as a guideline for resolving conflict among believers, and Wesley uses them as a way to handle things we might wish to gossip or "chatter" about. Read the words of his sermon for more assistance in applying this passage.


Wesley adds one additional pice of advice to the verse about "speaking evil of no one." He suggests that we "HEAR EVIL OF NO ONE." "If any begin to speak evil in thy hearing, check it immediately. Resolutely refuse to hear."

Don't just be careful about what you say. Also be careful about what you hear! What a different world it would be if we were to obey this rule!