Christian Living

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by Rev. Jeff Hagan, DCE, DMin, (ThD)


Matthew 7:28-29, "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes" (ESV).


Introduction:


Jesus spoke as one who had unique authority which shocked and amazed the crowds. They were drawn by his words because they were truly life-changing. God has called us to be messengers on his behalf as well. Most of us realize that left to our own devices our words seem weak and inadequate. Even the Apostle Paul was aware of this truth, in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 he writes, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (ESV).


However, our boldness comes from Christ and His Spirit. Jesus models the ingredients we need in order to be effective communicators:


1. The Right Voice - When we speak we need to speak according to God's Word, we need to speak on his behalf. When we do this, as we see above, he gives us boldness and power.


2. The Right Words - The right words are found in God's Word. He must rely completely on His Word for it contains all that is needed for life and faith. In fact, the Word of God is life itself.


3. The Right Tone - If we want people to listen and respond to us we need to speak with gentleness and respect. Using the right tone can make all the difference in the words we say.


4. The Right Reason - The most important reason is to change lives, change lives for the better that is. And the best way to changle lives is to share the truth. It is important for us to have faith that every time we speak there is an opportunity to make a difference.


Conclusion:


In Scripture we are called ambassadors of Christ, and when we speak in his place, when we speak for him, we speak with his authority. In case you have doubt about this look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (ESV). So you see, speak up! Speak up for God! God will use us despite our weaknesses and to our own amazement. The things that may impress a crown are not the things that are important to God. Authority from him and his Word, which is grounded in full humility, is the process for effective communication as far as God is concerned.

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