Power of the Tongue

Everyhting that James brings for us in this book is really like going through a tuneup for your car. We are checking the oil and changing it if needed.

Application Point: We must make a habit of thinking before we speak.

We are evaluating our tires and rotating them if needed.

Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:

Maybe we’re in a new season and all this rain made us realize we need new windshield whippers. So we changed those.

This is what the book of James is for us as Christians. A list of things that if we are not careful, can easily become in need of repair in our lives because we have grown lazy and possibly neglected some things.

Trials

Trials start to test our faith. do we fully rely on God or are we trying to do this whole life thing on our own. Do we continue to be faithful to his promises or do we sway easily and turn away from God?

For some of us, the trial may be much longer than other’s. It is even more important to hold fast to the promises of Christ.

Doers of the Word

We then saw that simply reading our bibles to retain knowledge is good but not the end goal. We must take what we have learned and understood from the text and put it into action.

We can not simply have faith and nothing else. We have to be doer’s of the word.

As we allow the word to sink in on our life’s, then we start to actually live it out but this will not happen unless we spend time in it and meditate on the word.

Love your Neighbor

Last week we saw that if we are to truly know and understand God, we know then that he does not play favorites and in facts love everyone. He treats everyone the same. There is room at his table for the sinner and the saint.

We as Christians should be doing the same thing. We should be walking life with everyone, not just those who we are comfortable with.

There are plenty of people who are lost and we see them but we choose to ignore them.

The Holy Spirit may be tugging on your heart and saying, “Go talk to that person. Go share Christ with them.” What do we tend to do a lot of times? We just shrug it off and go about our day.

If we are not careful, we start to live life as if we are wearing blinders and all we can see are fellow Christians and everyone else is blocked out.

According to Jesus and Leviticus, this is sinful in God’s eyes.

We can not play favoritism.

This brings us to this weeks systems check if you will.

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James 3:1–12 ESV

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

There is a lot to be taken away from the text today. A lot. Someone read verses 1-2.

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James 3:1–2 ESV

Maturity

1. Certain positions require a particular amount of responsibility and come with a large amount of influence—for instance, teachers, mentors, and any kind of supervisor role.

Certain positions require a particular amount of responsibility and come with a large amount of influence—for instance, teachers, mentors, and any kind of supervisor role.

What they say, do, or teach should reflect the type of maturity that they are at in their walk with God.

We put more trust into teachers rather than someone who may not know a whole lot on an issue.

Communication is the way in which human beings thrive, grow, and make progress in the world and relationships.

In verse 1, James expresses the caution against too many people in the community becoming teachers; he warns that teachers receive stricter judgment.

Since teachers have such a great influence on people and their progress, they have a much larger responsibility than others.

It is awkward when a teacher leads someone in one direction only to find out later that they were wrong. This is the weight that comes with teaching.

A teacher of the Scriptures better know his stuff. This is why i myself am taking classes on biblical theology. My hope is that I can be as equipped as possible to teach the word.

Let’s keep going. James makes some good points about the tongue ehre in verse 3-5

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James 3:3–5 ESV

3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

The Tongue Controls

2. The tongue is compared to two things that are considered small compared to the force they exert.

The tongue is compared to two things that are considered small compared to the force they exert.

A horse, as big as it is, can be moved by the use of bits (v. 3).

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Only if the Word of God is actively applied to the situation will there be the guidance required for action and beneficial results.

A ship, as large and intimidating as it and the winds that drive it might be, can be maneuvered through the sea by a small rudder (v. 4).

In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body that can cause much damage or much prosperity. It is the tongue that can control our lives.

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James 3:6–8 ESV

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

James 3:6-8

These examples James gives make the point that many things, especially animals (v. 7) have been tamed, ruled, and dominated by humankind.

The beasts of the field can be tamed; however, the tongue is far harder to tame (v. 8).

What we say has an effect. Depending on what we say it is good or it is bad.

Here is a video to show you how what we say, it can not be taken back. It is already out there and the damage is being done.

3. Use this video of a match domino effect to illustrate verse 5–6. One match quickly sets fire to the entire set of matches.

In a similar way, the tongue can quickly do the same (vv. 5–6):

Video

So we must make sure that what we say is edifying to God.

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James 3:9–12 ESV

9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

James 3:9

Good or Bad?

4. The tongue is able to communicate what’s in our heart and on our mind.

The tongue is able to communicate what’s in our heart and on our mind.

This means that we are liable to speak many good things, but also can cause much destruction.

James emphasizes this by reminding us of how we can bless God in one moment and curse his image bearers in the next (v. 9).

The tongue cannot be tamed by sinful human beings (v. 8).

We must continually make the choice to renew our minds in order to try to control our tongue, along with the help of the Holy Spirit.

5. “Verse 9 mentions both a positive and a negative use of the tongue.

The positive use involved praise of God, the highest function of human speech (see ).

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Psalm 103:1–5 ESV

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The negative use involved cursing human beings.

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Cursing refers to personal verbal abuse, perhaps arising from loss of temper in an argument or debate.

It also involves the expression of angry wishes on enemies. It includes speech which is insulting as well as profane.

Verse 10 spotlights the inconsistency of this action.

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We are sinfully inconsistent when we bless God and then curse those made in God’s likeness.

When we curse those whom God has made, we are effectively cursing God. He is the object of both expressions.

Such a double standard is outrageous

In the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap, Annie runs into her future stepmother Meredith as she’s hanging out with her dad. Meredith speaks very highly of Annie in front of her dad and assistant, continuing to give her many compliments.

However, as soon as she drives off with her assistant, she begins to tear Annie down and call her names, expressing the exact opposite.

This is how quickly our hearts can turn. In a simple moment.

Use this illustration to show how quickly we often change how we speak about someone, depending on who is listening.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is one thing that stood out to you from this week’s message?

2. Have you ever been given wrong information by a teacher? How did it affect you?

3. What are some reasons proper communication is so important?

4. Has your tongue ever gotten you in trouble? Did it have lasting repercussions?

5. Can you remember a time when you spoke nice things and in the same day had an inappropriate outburst? Or anything similar?