How to Speak Like Jesus

Mike Hosey, Elder

Jesus did a lot of talking.  Everywhere he walked, he talked.  And if He is our example, we should talk like Him, too. So let’s examine some of the ways in which He talked.

Jesus seemed to always be speaking about His kingdom. In Matthew 18 He tells his disciples one very important way in which to inherit His kingdom.  He tells them that they should humble themselves and be like children (Matthew 18:1-4). In fact, He is so serious about it that He says unless you are able to humble yourself like a child, then you won’t enter His kingdom. Jesus spoke with His kingdom in mind.

But like every good teacher, he also spoke words meant to keep his students alert.  Notice how he alerts his disciples in Matthew 18:5-11. He warns them that that temptation is very bad, and that those who bring temptation are in significant trouble – perhaps more so than those who simply fall prey to it.  He says that those who tempt His children to sin would be better off having a large stone tied around their neck and then to be thrown into the ocean than it would be for them to bring that temptation to another! He alerted His disciples to the consequences of sin.

But He didn’t leave them without hope. In Matthew 18:10-14 He clearly explains to them that it is not God’s will that any of His children should perish.  He teaches them that God goes looking for even one of His lost sheep, and rejoices when any one of them is found!

Finally, Jesus spoke to his disciples about how to make things right. In Matthew 18:15-20, He explains how to mend a relationship with a brother or sister who has sinned against you. And he gives specific steps on how to execute that process.

So if you want to talk like Jesus, make sure that your speech is kingdom minded, that it warns about temptations and sins, that it provides hope, and that it gives folks an avenue to make things right with those who have wronged them.