Sunday, October 30, 2011
pm
SERMONS IN SONG
Angry Words, #112
We know little of the background of this song.
Written by one with initials DBK and originally put to music by
H.R. Palmer who also composed and wrote “Yield No To Temptation”.
The arrangement we have (four part harmony) is by Will Slater,
who was a member of the church.
The song is nearly 150 years old and first appeared with 6 verses
and a different tune.
Tonight we will examine the text of this song.
I.
Vs. 1 – “Angry Words, O
Let them Never…”
a.
Vs. 1 deals with the
self-control that is necessary to control the tongue or anything in
life. Every sin we commit
involves to some degree our self-control.
We need self-control (Gal. 5:22-23, 2 Pet. 1:5, 1 cor. 9:27,
etc.). We need self-control
with every aspect of our lives, especially our tongues.
b.
Angry words, O let them
never, from the tongue unbridled slip –
i.
We understand full well
the dangers of the tongue.
James 3:1-12 describes the tongue including the damage it can do and
also how difficult it is to control.
3:1-5 - describes the reward of mastering control of the tongue.
ii.
This song begins by
reminding us of the resolve we ought to have to ensure that we do not
sin with our words by speaking in anger.
Eph. 4:26 tells us to not sin in our anger.
iii.
Many proverbs warn
against the dangers of an uncontrolled tongue and the blessings of
mastering it -
Prov 15:1-2, “A soft answer turns
away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of
fools pours forth foolishness.”
Prov. 10:12 says, “Hatred stirs up
strife, but love covers all sins.”
Prov. 17:28-29, “He who has
knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm
spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he
shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.”
c.
May the heart’s best
impulse ever check them ere they soil the lip –
i.
Self-control is a matter
of the will. Remember the
saying, “We do what we want to do.”
How true it is!
ii.
We are told that what
one speaks is a product of the heart –
Jesus in Matt. 12:34 noted that out of the heart the mouth speaks
iii.
David understood this in
Psalm 141:3-4, “Set a guard, O
Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline
my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work
iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies.”
Psalm 17:3-5 says, “You have
tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and
found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
Concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips, I have
kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip.”
iv.
Prov. 21:23, “Whoever
guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.”
II.
Vs. 2 – “Love is much,
too pure and holy…”
a.
Vs. 2 describes motives
that will help us to control our tongues – Christian love and
friendship.
b.
Love is the attitude
that will govern what we say and HOW we say it.
We cannot emphasize the importance of Christian love enough.
It is the motive behind our thoughts and actions.
Do we truly “care enough to sacrifice for what is best”?
The attitude of love is described in 1 Corinthians 13:1-7.
If we study this text and seek to develop these characteristics
in our love, we would be less likely to sin with the tongue.
c.
Love is much, too pure
and holy – Jesus said the greatest command was to love God and the
second greatest was to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37-39).
Have you considered that the 10 commandments (and all laws of
God) were actually based upon these two commands?
It is greater than faith and hope – 1 Cor. 13:13.
d.
Friendship is too sacred
far – Friendships grow out of godly love toward one another.
Prov. 17:17 says that a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born
for adversity.
Prov. 18:24, “a man who has
friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks
closer than a brother.”
Prov. 22:24-25 – “make no
friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you
learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.”
e.
Prov. 27:6, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are
deceitful.”
f.
For a moment’s reckless
folly thus to desolate and mar – friends, it only takes a moment of
foolish speech to do its damage.
III.
Vs. 3 – “Angry Words,
are lightly spoken…”
a.
Vs. 3 describes the
damage that that angry words and a loose tongue can do.
We are again reminded of James 3:6-12 describes the damage the
tongue can do.
b.
Angry words are lightly
spoken – do we truly think about what we say?
i.
Solomon said, “In
the multitude of words, sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his
lips is wise.” Prov. 10:19
ii.
Eccl 5:2, “Do
not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything
hastily before God. For God
is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.”
iii.
Prov. 29:22, “An
angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgressions.”
c.
Bitterest thoughts are
rashly stirred – are we in control?
Regrettable actions.
Do not let the sun go down on your anger – Eph. 4:25-26
d.
Brightest links of life
are broken – Oh the damage an angry and uncontrolled tongue can do.
It can ruin or damage friendships, families and relationship.
It can divide churches. It can cause distrust.
It can even lead to killing (cf. Matt. 5:21-22).
The list goes on!
Prov. 16:27-28, “An ungodly man
digs up evil, And it is on his lips like a burning fire.
A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of
friends.”
Prov. 17:9, “He who covers a
transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends.”
e.
By a single angry world
– It doesn’t take much! Have you ever said something in anger only to
wish IMMEDITELY that you could take it back?
But it’s too late. It
has been said and the damage done.
IV.
Chorus – “Love one
another…”
a.
Love one another, thus
saith the Savior – John 13:34-35, 15:12, 14:15 – if you love Me keep my
commandments. Cf. Matt.
22:37-39
Eph. 3:17-19 – to know the love that passes knowledge…
1 John 3:18 – Love not in word only but in deed and in truth
b.
Children obey your
Father’s blest command – we are the children of God.
Don’t forget that!
1 John 4:7-11, 20-21 – Loving God means that we love one another.
1 John 5:3, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.”
May
we, as we sing this song, be reminded of the importance of loving one
another. AND may we resolve
to do as this song says. Oh
how much more peaceful things could be.
Think about it!