Purify My Lips Zephaniah 3:9 Objective: Motivate folks to strive to be a people of pure lips. Reading: Zephaniah 3:6-17. Memory: Zephaniah 3:9, Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder. Introduction: 1. Listen and hear what comes out of most people s mouths. By and large, much of what you hear will not be nice of good. Much of it will be derogatory. Some of it downright foul, consisting of bad language, scandalous remarks, grumbling against someone or something. Truth will be slanted. 2. Most of us are raised in this environment and take on the character of this to some extent. What would it be like if we all had really pure lips? 3. In Isaiah 6, when the prophet first comes face to face with the glory of God (which we can all expect to do on Judgment day), his immediate response is Woe to me! I cried. I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty. (Isaiah 6:6) 4. He clearly was wishing that he had pure lips. Such should be our goal. We should desire pure lips. (WHY?) I don t think that we can attain this on our own. We need God s help. In Isaiah s case, a Seraph takes a burning coal from the altar of God and touches Isaiah s lips to take away the guilt. James 3:2, says, We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. In today s reading from Zephaniah, it is also God that does the purifying to people s lips. But we need to be willing and cooperative We need to be wanting to be included in the people whose lips God purifies. Genuinely pure lips are critical to some very essential and desirable things. As we read this section of Scripture, we gain a new appreciation of what blessings are ours if we have purified lips. I. Enables Us To Genuinely Call On The Name Of The Lord. Zephaniah 3:9, Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder. A. Calling on God infers sincere honesty in what we say. 1. Why would God pay attention to anyone who is calling hypocritically; not being sincere; real, pure? Don t expect God to pay attention if you are saying something you don t really mean. If you are asking Him to help you while intending to do things your own way, your lips are not pure. 2. Zechariah 7:13, When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen, says the LORD Almighty. a. They wouldn t listen to God because they didn t really want to submit to Him. b. They were not really serious about accepting God s help or correction. 3. Pure lips mandates living honestly before God. No twisting of status. 4. Would you respond to someone s calling if your knew they have their fingers crossed? 5. Recognizing and clearly stating what their situation is; I am a sinner. I need help. I am not really worthy, but God loves me so much that I can come to Him for Grace. B. Pure Lips relates to an honest and open heart. 1. Speak truth even when it is hard to hear. No deceit, but clear realization of truth 2. Not just how we perceive them or want things to be. No twisting of Truth. 3. No lip-service. Words are backed up with action. 4. No rationalizing speech. No loopholes. Their yes means yes, their no means no. Straightforward and clear. Nothing conniving. No hidden agenda. Like Nathan in John 1:47,
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false. C. Pure Lips relates to a meek and humble mindset. 1. Indicated by a readiness to accept correction (they are humble before God). a. Show me the way, Lord! Show me my error. Teach me the paths of Righteousness. 2. No haughty or arrogant allowed. Zephaniah 3:11-12, On that day you will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from this city those who rejoice in their pride. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill. 12 But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in the name of the LORD. 3. A reversal of the impure lips associated with the spiritual arrogance of Genesis 11. They were trying to make a name for themselves with tower of Babel. 4. Same reversal is seen in premise in Acts 2 which enables strangers to stand shoulder to shoulder, and of which we can anticipate a future fuller fulfillment. D. Pure Lips relates to a right spirit. 1. Zechariah 7:9-10, 9 This is what the LORD Almighty says: Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other. 2. What comes out of the lips first generates from within the heart and spirit and nature of the person. For the words to be pure, the inner man must be pure. 3. James 3:9-10, 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 4. If we claim to have a pure heart and a right spirit, but fail to love men ( who are made in God s likeness, our lips are NOT pure because our hearts are not pure. Pure lips show in pure deeds II. Enables Us To Serve God In Unity And Harmony. Zephaniah 3:9, Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder. A. Pure lips leaves no room for words that tear each other down. 1. Ephesians 4:29, 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. 2. No deceit whatever. No Gossip or slander. 3. Only words come out that are helpful for building others up. 4. Only words that are spoken are those that benefit those who listen. 5. I WANT to be part of that group!!!!! B. Pure lips speak only truth. 1. Word of caution; Just because something is true does not mean it is not gossip. Truth is NOT a license to tear someone apart. 2. Pure lips stem from a pure heart and a sincere love that strives to build up and encourage and strengthen. Not to undermine and destroy. C. Pure lips speak only words that are beneficial. 1. To God s glory! To educate. To build up. Even to confront, to correct and to challenge. But all of this in love. 2. Pure lips don t ignore problems; don t keep silent when something needs to be pointed out. Don t keep silent when part of the body of Christ wanders off course or becomes endangered. Pure lips would have to speak out, but would do so gently, firmly and in sincere love. 3. Pure lips allows and enables one to say what needs to be said, but to do so in love and without sin! Pure lips speaks up even when truth might hurt, but does so in love and compassion.
4. Galatians 6:1, Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 5. Pure lips are on spiritual people. I WANT to be a part of that group! D. Pure lips produce godly unity. 1. Enables God s people, the church, to live and work together in one spirit and one body! 2. Ephesians 4:4-6, 4 There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 3. Enables folks to know where they actually stand in regard to each other. Enables people to work together, shoulder to shoulder without the friction that comes from snide remarks, hidden agendas or anything less than pure lips.! III. Enables Us To Constitute A Faithful Remnant That Is Pleasing To God. A. This is God s goal in purifying the lips of the peoples. 1. Zephaniah 3:13, The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will speak no lies, nor will deceit be found in their mouths. 2. God is producing a people in His likeness. A people that are pleasing to Him in every way. 3. A people that are in Christ, Who, as the very Word of God is truth and love and the very essence of pure lips. B. God is getting rid of anything that is not pure. 1. Like a bolt of cloth that has stains, etc. Stripping away whatever is defiled to keep the good. 2. What will be left are those who genuinely live in praise to the Maker; all the haughty and arrogant will have been removed. 3. Those that remain will have pure lips that correlate with pure hearts and pure spirits. 4. They will have lips that only manifest genuine praise to the Maker. That SAY the right things because they are lips that hose a spirit that knows the nature of God, are in right relationship with God and that reveal the true nature of Almighty God. C. So, God will have a people He is happy with. 1. Here is what will be said of the remnant of God s people at that time; Zephaniah 3:17, The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. 2. This is the remnant that will be sheltered from all of God s wrath and anger. 3. This remnant will live in peace and security. So What? The result of attaining pure lips will be a people that are meek and humble and that will serve God shoulder to shoulder. Same team. Same body, same lord, same people. And who will be absolutely pleasing to God in every way! These are the Christians. These are the saved. These are the True Israel. These are the people of God. I WANT to be a part of that faithful remnant that pleases God so much He rejoices over us with singing. If you want to be a part of that remnant, ask God to work with you to purify your lips. Closing Prayer: Lord I want to be with you. I want to be pleasing to you. I need your help because the tongue is so hard to control. Lord, help me. Work with me. Lord, purify my lips.
Purify My Lips Zephaniah 3:9 Reading: Zephaniah 3:6-17. Memory: Zephaniah 3:9 T_ w_ I p_ t_ l_ o_ t_ p_, t_ a_ o_ t_ m_ c_ o_ t_ n_ o_ t_ L_ a_ s_ h_ s_ t_ s_. We should desire pure lips. What blessings are ours if we have purified lips. I. Enables Us To Genuinely Call On The Name Of The Lord. Zephaniah 3:9 A. Calling on God infers sincere honesty in what we say. Zechariah 7:13 B. Pure Lips relates to an honest and open heart. John 1:47 C. Pure Lips relates to a meek and humble mindset. Zephaniah 3:11-12 D. Pure Lips relates to a right spirit. Zechariah 7:9-10 James 3:9-10 II. Enables Us To Serve God In Unity And Harmony. Zephaniah 3:9 A. Pure lips leaves no room for words that tear each other down. Ephesians 4:29 B. Pure lips speak only truth. C. Pure lips speak only words that are beneficial. Galatians 6:1 D. Pure lips produce godly unity. Ephesians 4:4-6 III. Enables Us To Constitute A Faithful Remnant That Is Pleasing To God. A. This is God s goal in purifying the lips of the peoples. Zephaniah 3:13 B. God is getting rid of anything that is not pure. C. So, God will have a people He is happy with. Zephaniah 3:17 So What? Ask God to work with you to purify your lips.