Sunday 2nd November 2025

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God …
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
John 1:1,14 (NIV)

There’s currently a lot of talk about freedom of speech, with some arguing that we should all be free to say what we like, whenever we like.  They’re only words, and what harm can words do?  After all, words aren’t violence.  And we’re reminded of the playground chant, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names shall never hurt me.”

But we know that’s not true.  Names, and other words, can scar us for life.  Which of us can never forget something that someone said to us many years ago, and it still stings, especially when it came from someone we love or look up to, such as a parent, a teacher or a friend?  And which of us wouldn’t gladly recall words we’ve spoken ourselves, now that we can see the damage they’ve done?  We know that words have power.

Christians above all should know about the power of words.   Our Bibles open with the power of God’s words to bring things into being from nothing: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).  Just like that.  And what name does the apostle John give to the eternal Son of God when he introduces him to us?  “The Word.” And it’s this Word who “has made [God] known” (John 1:1,18).  That’s another powerful word.

Then there’s the gospel word, a message about Christ: “the gospel … is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).  That’s pretty powerful, and it’s a power that most of those reading this will have experienced.

And it’s not only God’s words that are powerful either, it’s ours too.  As James vividly warns us, “The tongue also is a fire … set on fire by hell … but no human being can tame the tongue” (James 3:6,8).  Words can do great good, and they can also do great harm.

So, on the one hand we want to defend freedom of speech, but we also want people to be careful how they use words.  And that means we need be careful how we use our words.  Do we use words to speak the truth, to build relationships, to encourage others, to do good?  Or do we use them to manipulate people, to get what we want, to express our frustration?  We need to remember that true freedom is not only ‘freedom from,’ where we seek to have all restraint removed.  It’s also ‘freedom for,’ where we think carefully about how we will use our freedom.

Interestingly, the first application Paul turns to when he urges his Ephesian friends to “put off the old self … and to put on the new self” is in how they use words: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour.”  And it’s so important that he follows it up by adding, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:22,24,25,29).  Words are powerful, so use them well.

Prayer
Lord, forgive me for using words to get what I want.  Help me to love truth as much as you do, and teach me to use words as carefully and well as you do.  Amen.

Yours warmly, in Christ,
Chris Hobbs (Senior Minister)