Welcome to this audio only edition of Lead in 10. Are your words as twisted as Charlie Kirk? I know you're probably wondering what I'm talking about, but if you're like me and you have friends that are on both sides of the aisle, you have probably seen how Charlie Kirk's words and actions have been misstated, misconstrued. Uh, people are talking about what he said and some are sharing what he said. Not always in context, but I think here's the lesson for us. Can our words be as twisted as Charlie's? And the reason why I say that is because for our words to be twisted, we actually have to say something. You know, your words cannot be twisted, cannot be misconstrued, cannot be misquoted, cannot be used outta context if they are never said. I think that's a lesson that perhaps many in the church are learning. I have heard people who are very outspoken, who are wanting people to be more outspoken, but I wonder many times, and I know many times what I think is what they're outspoken about is the wrong things done in the wrong way, not the way that scripture would have us to do. Now, I'm not saying Charlie was this way. It, it looks to me like in a lot of his conversations, although there were times where he lost his temper a bit, um, he was a true debater. So he wasn't a debate function, not in a private conversation, but he did seem to live life in such a way that he invited people to a conversation. And so today what I wanna do is I want to jump into scripture. I wanna look at five different categories of scripture, where it talks about what our message should be, what our calling is, and talk a little bit about that, especially in light of the things that I have seen. Uh. Over the past several days, over the past week, and the things that I'm continuing to see to grow in our Christian community amongst those who call themselves Christians. So let's look at scripture and see what scripture has to say. Number one. The first category we're gonna look at is the Great Commission, our core calling in Matthew and in Mark Matthew, chapter 28, verses 19 through 20, go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, I'm with you always to the end of the age. Mark chapter 16, verse 15 says, go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. These verses remind us that sharing the gospel is not optional. It's Jesus's final instruction to us right before he left for what we were to do. His whole time spent with the disciples and with those who listen was preparing them to deliver the message that he came to give. The second category is living and speaking boldly. Acts chapter one, verse eight, but you'll receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Romans chapter one, verse 16, for I am not ashamed of the gospel, for is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes in Ephesians chapter six, 19 through 20, pray also for me that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel. God gives us courage and along the courage, the words, our job is just to trust. And to speak those words, and you'll see in the first verse in Acts one, eight, it says, witnesses in Jerusalem, in other words, where they were, and then spreading out to their neighbors. Both the neighbors they liked and the labors neighbors, they didn't. Judea and Samaria, and then out to the ends of the earth. Category three is about our everyday conversations. One Peter chapter three, verse 15. But in your heart, honor Christ, the Lord is holy. Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason, for the hope that is in you yet do it with gentleness and respect. Colossians chapter four, verses five through six, walk in wisdom towards outsiders making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious seasons with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Sharing. Faith isn't just preaching at people, it's living. It's responding with grace and clarity In these two verses, I think a lot of times we get the, the first part, prepare to make a defense to anyone who asks you, and we'll defend even if they don't. But it says at the end, the last, those last few words, yet do it with gentleness and respect. Let your speech also be gracious, seasoned with salt. So you may know how you ought to answer each person. Do we do it with animosity? Can we do it with love? I have heard so many times, you know, people have talked about it. Well, Jesus ate with sinners and with prostitutes. You know, the church at the time. That was a condemning thing for them and, and we talk about it now. And yet I think the thing that we miss out of that is it wasn't just that Jesus was going. To the sinners and the prostitutes. He lived life in such a way that he was invited, invited by them to eat, invited by the sinners, invited by the prostitutes. People would come to him looking for advice, encouragement, and help because the way he lived and how he spoke. Do we do the same things? Do we see that in the marketplace? Do we see that in what we share and what we say on social media? We're doing things with gentleness and with respect. Number four, God says, we're to plant and water the seed. Second Timothy chapter four, verse two, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke and extort with complete patience and teaching. There we are again, those last five words with complete patience and teaching. I dunno about you, but I have and I have seen a lot of people who have no patience. Matthew chapter five, verse 16, the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven. Psalm 96, 3 Declare his glory among the nations. His marvelous works among all the peoples. God calls us to consistently sow seeds of truth and love. So how is it in this that we can learn? Well, I think one, we need to learn, that we need to speak, we should speak, and yet we should also be careful about how we speak and do it as such that we draw people to Christ, not push them further away. And I think that's the lesson that we need to take out of what we have seen over the last. Weak. I've seen both sides of the aisle, as they would say, the far left and the far right and the far left. And the far right are actually very close. If you actually look, and maybe we'll talk about this at a future time, but political thought is really a circle, not a line. Those that are on the far left and the far right are almost always pretty close to one another. They share, perhaps a little difference in what they say they would like to do, but they pretty much wanna do it the exact same way. So we need to be careful about how we speak, and we need to make sure we speak in the way that we would see Jesus speak to people, especially those who are not believers, those who God is most looking for. We always need to remember God died for them the same way he died. For us, he gave himself for them. The people that he called out to us to deliver this message is to them, and we need to remember whether it's through a testimony, a quiet conversation that we have simply living differently. Every believer is a living witness. And hopefully we're a witness that draws people to Christ. That's our challenge. That's our hope. That's our prayer. I'll see you next month.