Monopoly: Week 2

October 23rd, 2022

Notes

Monopoly
My Mouth

• Matthew 15:10-11, 15-20

• Why do we need a monopoly on our mouth?

  • Words have power over our relationship with God.

  • Words activate our thoughts.

• What does it look like when we lose monopoly?

  • Criticism (slander):  Articulating your critical thought with an intent to disarm or disable the target of your words

  • Contempt (malice): speaking with the intention of incinerating the source of your irritation.

  • Entrapment (enticement): verbal attempt to enfold people into a sinful act or lifestyle

  • Flattery: Verbal manipulation of an individual in order to obtain a personal objective.

• James 3:2

• Gaining a Monopoly on the mouth is a common challenge

  • James 3:3-4

• Gaining a monopoly on the mouth provides spiritual productivity

  • James 3:5-6

• Loss of monopoly on the mouth will wreck your life

• Controlling the mouth is beyond human ability

  • James 3:7-8

• There is no excuse for lack of monopoly on the mouth

  • James 3:9-11

• ". . . the Bible nowhere places much value on knowledge that remains merely cerebral or credal. Nothing is known until it also reshapes the life."

  -Thomas Constable

• How to reclaim a monopoly on our mouth

  • Own the problem

  • Change the pattern of speech

  • Do the relational damage control