Strong Words

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

I was out golfing with a friend the other day.  I had ended up in the sand trap one too many times, so I turned to him and said, “I hate sand traps.”  He looked at me and replied, “Pastor, hate is an awfully strong word for a sand trap.”  He was right. Indeed, the word “hate” is an awfully strong word period and we should be careful how we use it.  Jesus even warns us, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

There are a lot of words like this aren’t there.  Someone says, “I despise broccoli.”  Really?  You despise broccoli?  What you really mean is that you don’t like or appreciate the taste.  Or someone says, “I love pizza.”  Aren’t you trivializing a powerful word that is meant to express how much you treasure another person?” 

One very powerful word is the word “God” or the name “Jesus.”   By the gift of His name God has given us access to Him… to His throne room.  “Ask for anything in my name and it will be done for you.”  God devotes a whole commandment to His name, that’s how strong a word it is.  “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.”  In other words, don’t use it for trivial or even evil purposes.  The Pastor that confirmed me said that the worst thing you can say to another person is “God damn you.”  You are commanding God to condemn that person to eternity in hell.  That is a harsh misuse of some strong words.  But another misuse is when we hit our thumb with a hammer and say those words to our thumb.  In so doing we trivialize God’s name – one of the most precious gifts He has given us.  Think of what Luther wrote about the use of God’s name.  “We should fear and love God that we may not curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks.”

Of course, this book is a powerful word – God’s own Word.  “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  With His word He created the heavens and the earth.  He said, “Let there be light” and there was light.  This word is the word that is about the “word made flesh” – Jesus.  Here you find the word (the Gospel) that is “the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.”  That Gospel word “is able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”  This word is so strong that God gave the third commandment – “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy” – commanding us to have sacred time in our lives for His word.  “We should fear and love God, that we may not despise preaching and His word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.”

Yet we abuse this word when we are hearers only and not doers of the word.  We trivialize this word when we are too busy to take time daily… when so many things become so important that we regularly skip our time in worship… when we see no need for Bible Study and such. 

Most people, I meet, have questions.  They want to know about God.  They want to understand him better.  They desire that He would work in their lives.  Well here in these “strong words” is God’s tool box. This is how He works in our lives – through His word.  There is a believer in Germany who didn’t grow up in the faith.  In fact, she was told to avoid the Bible because “Christians have corrupted it.”  That just peaked her curiosity.  So when she ended up in the hospital, she started reading the Scripture.  God and His Spirit went to work in our heart.  She had lots of questions.  So after she got out of the hospital she went across the street to Trinity and saw my predecessor Pastor Bob Flohrs.  He did some more sharing of God’s strong Word with her.  Eventually the Spirit gave birth to spirit in her heart.  She became a believer and was baptized. 

My point is – words are powerful.  We should use them with respect.  God’s name and Scripture are especially powerful… strong… life changing words.  Treasure them. Use them with care and respect.  Let God use His strong Word to do His strong work in your life.