Our text for this week is Ephesians 5:4:
Jesus Himself is called “the Word.” He is the Communication from God. The Word of God has infinite value and power. Our words also have value and power to the degree that we have credibility and abide in the Lord. Therefore we should treat words with the utmost care, which is the reason for the exhortation of this week’s verse.
The Lord said in Matthew 12:34b, “…For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” If filthiness and silliness is coming out of our mouths, it’s because that’s what is in our heart. Filthiness and silly talk are like steam seeping from a teapot. If that steam were capped, the teapot would soon build up enough power to blow up the kitchen. However, because it is allowed to seep out it is just an irritating noise. Our words would have much more power if we likewise controlled their release.
The Lord also said that it is: "Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man" (Matthew 15:11). We are defiling ourselves when we speak that which is filthy or coarse.
We are also told that there should be no “coarse jesting.” It should be noted that this does not mean there can be no jesting, just that it should not be “coarse.” If you will allow a “thus saith Rick” here, high quality, mature, clean jesting can help the spiritual atmosphere of a church or ministry. Too many have been deceived by the religious spirit that implies that anything humorous or fun cannot be God. We must not forget that God commanded much more feasting than fasting. The Lord deeply mourns over the condition of mankind, but He also loves and has a very good time with His children. When we begin to take ourselves too seriously it is usually the result of a stronghold of pride overtaking us. When humor departs it is almost always the result of a religious spirit entering. However, it is important that jesting not be filthy, silly, or coarse, which is below the dignity of the sons and daughters of the King.
We are also told in this verse that in place of these things, which defile us, there should be the giving of thanks. Few seem to realize how powerful the giving of thanks can be. In fact, we are told in Psalm 100:4 that we “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.” Therefore a thankful person will enter the domain of the Lord, and as they learn to move higher into praise they will dwell in His very presence. Contrary to this, a complainer will fall further into darkness and the domain of the evil one, resulting in a much more to complain about!
We should start every day by thanking the Lord for all of His blessings and goodness. There is a lot of wrong in the world, in every church, and every life, but faith will always see potential more than the problems. If we are going to be aligned with the Lord, having a positive, thankful heart is fundamental. However, this does not infer that we are ignorant or blind to problems. It is simply knowing that God is much greater than any problem. In the midst of the most serious trials we can thank Him because “...we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Everything in our life is guaranteed by God to work out for our good. How could we not be in a state of continual thanksgiving?
