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Matthew 12:33-37 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Good Fruit and Good Words."
The book of Matthew records Jesus' teachings as focused on words 20-30% of the time. That underscores the importance of understanding how our words reflect our hearts and impact our lives! The idea of “fruit” is used 12x by Matthew, more than any other NT writer!
Consider how can words be fruitful? Our words and actions are the fruit of our inner life. Only a healthy tree can bear good fruit, so we need to cultivate a good heart to produce good words and deeds.
Words are connected to the heart (12:34-35), which is the source of speech and actions. To achieve the inner purity we must perform regular self-examination of what fills our hearts. Additionally, realize that words have consequences, both now and in time to come. We read that our words will be brought into play at the Judgment Day and we will be called on to give an account for every "empty, useless, idle, or lazy word. God asks us to steward our words. They reflect our spiritual state and disclose what we have stored up in our minds.
Words can acquit or condemn (courtroom words), so be motivated to live with an awareness of eternal accountability. How to have a fruitful tree with wonderful fruit of good words!
1. What we say is how people see us.
2. Make everything we say “good.”
3. I need to be the daily fruit inspector of my own mouth!
4. What is my heart full of right now? That is what is going to come out!
5. Remember that the Lord is going to hold me personally accountable for what I say!
6. Am I guilty of using empty/useless words?
7. Imagine that I am going to stand in court to answer my language--will I be acquitted or condemned?