Chestnut Ridge Church
Blurred - Part 6
Music from today
Where The Streets Have No Name [Derek Jones (Special Vocal)] Our Great God, Faithful To The End, This I Believe, Here As In Heaven [Derek Jones (Lead Vocal), Leslie Dorchester (Background Vocal)]
BLURRED - Part 6 [May 21/22, 2016] Tim Haring
Slander and gossip hurt. They hurt us; they hurt the person to whom we are speaking; and they hurt the person about whom we are speaking.
James 3:5-6 HCSB
Slander: The utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation. – Merriam-Webster
Slander…is an accusation maliciously uttered, with the purpose or effect of damaging the reputation of another. As a rule it is a false charge; but it may be a truth circulated insidiously and with a hostile purpose
- The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia
My name is Gossip.
I have no respect for justice.
I maim without killing.
I break hearts and ruin lives.
I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age.
The more I am quoted the more I am believed.
I flourish at every level of society.
My victims are helpless.
They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face.
To track me down is impossible.
The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
I am nobody's friend.
Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.
I topple governments and ruin marriages.
I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion.
I spawn suspicion and generate grief.
I make innocent people cry in their pillows.
Even my name hisses.
I AM CALLED GOSSIP. – Anonymous
Psalms 15:1-3 HCSB
Proverbs 16:28 HCSB
Proverbs 10:18 HCSB
Proverbs 17:4 HCSB
1 Peter 2:1 HCSB
1. Is it true? (Have you checked out the facts?)
2. Is it helpful or necessary for me to know or share this? (Is it really to help the other person or is it just to complain?)
3. Have you (I) talked to the other person about this? (You should not talk to others if you have been unwilling to talk with the person who is the subject of your conversation.)
4. Do you mind if I quote you? (Or would I mind if others quoted me?)
Discussion Questions
1. How would you define “gossip?” How about “slander?”
2. Why do you think people love to gossip or slander others? Have you been guilty of gossip or slander? Share what happened.
3. Read James 3:5-6. Can you think of examples where people have been hurt by the hurtful comments of others? What happened? Were things ever resolved? Why do you think James writes that the tongue is set on fire by hell?
4. Read Psalm 15:1-3; Proverbs 16:28; Proverbs 10:18 and Proverbs 17:4. What are some of the negative consequences to spreading slander or gossip?
5. Read 1 Peter 2:1. Why do you think Peter says we need to rid ourselves of slander? What can we do to help us remove these habits from our lives?
6. Tim suggested that we ask ourselves 4 questions before listening to (or spreading) slander:
Is it true?
Is it helpful or necessary for me to know or share this?
Have you (I) talked with the other person about this?
Do you mind if I quote you? (Or would I mind if others quoted me?)
How might asking these questions help us as we sort out whether we should or should not listen to someone who wants to share something with us? How might these questions help keep us from spreading slander or gossip?
7. How might you apply tonight’s lesson to your life?