VICTORY OVER OUR SPEECH

Text- Judges 12:1-7

Introduction

Since this morning is the first Sunday of the month we are emphasizing our church goals and theme for 1995.

The theme of our church this year is, "The Victorious Church" and I have been preaching from the Book of Judges on the ways God gave Israel victory when they settled in the promised land.

The experiences of Israel are excellent practical lessons for us today because they are so closely related to the things we experience in our own daily life.

The victories that Israel experienced did not come easily, but were gained through a great amount of faith and work on their part.

Neither do the victories that god desires for us come easily.

We must constantly rely upon the Lord and his strength.

But victory does not come through idleness.

It comes to those who are willing to serve the Lord and do what he has commanded.

This morning our text is found in Judges 12:1-7 and the title of my message is, "Victory Over Our Speech."

Mark Twain was invited to attend the opera and his hostess talked so much that no one in her box was able to enjoy the singing.  At the end of the performance she said, "Mr. Clemens, I want you to be my guest at the opera next Friday night, also.  I hear they are going to do 'Tosca'."  "I would be charmed," said Twain, "I've never heard you in that."

As we study this passage we need to keep in mind that Jephthah is still serving as the judge of Israel.

In chapter 11 verses 1-11 we learned that god had used him to lead the Gileadites against the sons of AAmon in spite of the fact that he was a son of a harlot.

In chapter 11 verses 29-40 we are told how God gave Israel the victory over the sons of Ammon.

But it was a victory that cost Jephthah dearly.

Judges 11:30-31,34-36, "and Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, "if thou wilt indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, [31] then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering...[34] when Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. [35] and it came about when he saw her, that he tore his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back." [36] So she said to him, "My father, you have given your word to the Lord; do to me as you have said, since the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon."

One of the lessons we can learn from this is the tragedy of speaking rashly.

As we examine our text we find that this was also a problem that the Ephraimites had.

Have you ever said something that you lived to regret?

Have you ever said something that got you into trouble or caused some kind of problem for someone else?

William Norris, the American journalist who specialized in simple rhymes that packed a punch, once wrote:

If your lips would keep from slips,
Five things observe with care:
To whom you speak; of whom you speak;
And how, and when, and where.

Most of us are probably like the Greek philosopher Publius who once said, "I have often regretted my speech, never my silence."

As we consider the things that take place in our text I would like us to see three things concerning the need to be victorious over our speech.