Taming our Tongue
Notes
Transcript
Taming our Tongue
Introduction:
* A pastor is tasked with feeding God’s sheep.
* Jesus came to Peter three times and asked Peter do you love me?
* Each time, Peter would answer yes I love you.
* Each time Peter answered, yes Lord, I love you, Jesus would again say
then if you love me, feed my sheep.
* A good pastor feeds his congregation, God’s sheep, because he loves
he lord.
* If a pastor truly loves the Lord, then he will also love and feed the sheep that are put under his care.
* Many times a mother bird will break up and partly digest food, then re-girgitate that same food for the little hatchlings in the nest.
* Many times we as pastors will do the same thing for our congregations. God will feed a pastor spiritual food, then lay it upon the heart of the pastor to study over these truths, break them down, and share them with our congregation.
* This morning is one of those times.
* Four times this week, God has brought to my attention spiritual truths concerning the tongue. Each instance was just a little different from the other, but each involved the use of the tongue.
* Lets turn now to the most comprehensive, the most complete, passage of scripture about the use of the Tongue this morning James chapter 3.
Text: James 3:1–18
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Explanation of the Text:
(Verse 1) My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
* In the work of the church I find that there are many folks who want to be a master. Folks love to be able to make the rules and tell other people what to do.
* I am afraid that in too many cases in the church, we find people in positions of leadership, not because God has called them to this work, but because they simply love to be the one in authority.
* I was talking with another pastor this week, and he began to tell me the story of a man in his church that was causing major problems.
* This man was upset because the church had begun to grow and new folks were coming in and filling new positions of leadership in the church.
* Like many churches, this church had dwindled down in attendance to the place where there were only and handful of people left.
* This church had accidently hired a preacher who had the right kind of vision for the church, and he began to reach folks for the Lord. New people began to join the church with a desire to see the church go forward and grow.
* Now this all had sounded fine and good to the existing members until they realized that these new people were not going to just sit around and play church. They got busy working in the church.
* Additional positions of leadership were needed to accommodate the new growth. These positions began to be filled with new members coming in.
* Now, those of that original handful of people, who had for years called all the shots and made all the rules, all of a sudden were all out of joint and mad at the preacher because they were losing their control over the church.
* On of the folks that was giving this preacher a hard time and causing strife in the church says to the preacher “I am the only one left of the church!”
* Oh how arrogant we become when we love to be masters and lords over God’s church!
* This is exactly why James says here not to be many masters.
* Our goal as Christian leaders is not to be masters, but servants.
* Now in our role of servant-leaders in the church, we find that as we go along in the Lord’s work we offend some folks.
* This now brings us to our main subject in this passage of Scripture.
* James now begins to warn us to keep our tongue in check when these times of offenses come.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man,
and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds,
yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
* If we don’t tame and guide our tongue, our tongue will lead us by the nose down a path we never intended to take!
“Illustration of the pot smoker”
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
* The Devil knows how to use our tongue.
*The tongue communicates our fallen nature.
* There is something already inside of us that is of hell and it is ready to consume us at any moment. It’s called SIN.
Matthew 15:10–11 (KJV 1900)
10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Matthew 15:16–20 (KJV 1900)
16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
* The tongue must be trained. Like a dangerous animal.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
* A heart that is right with God will not praise God and then turn right around and say something bad about someone who is made in the image of God.
1 John 4:20–21 (KJV 1900)
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
1 Corinthians 3:1–4 (KJV 1900)
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
I. We should resist the impulse to exaggerate.
James 5:12 (KJV 1900)
12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
* “Two chickens, and three eggs a day”
II. We should resist the impulse to retaliate.
Proverbs 15:1 (KJV 1900)
A soft answer turneth away wrath: But grievous words stir up anger.
* Story of the blackberries-
* The carnal, or the natural man’s reaction when we feel like we are assaulted verbally by someone, is to say something back!
* You hurt me, I’m going to get you back!
* “Kiss my aspirin”
* The old “Got to have the last word syndrome.”
* I have heard that teen agers are major carriers of the “Last word syndrome.”
* I have also heard that married couples are highly susceptible to this disease as well.
Titus 2:6–10 (KJV 1900)
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. 7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. 9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; 10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
* The perfect solution to disagreement- Somebody shut up, doesn’t matter which one.
* If you want to cure someone of this disease, just let them have the last word. They will eventually just fizzle out and the argument will die.
Proverbs 26:20
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
III. We should resist the impulse to re-girgitate.
* “Discussing with the wrong people”
Proverbs 6:11–19 (KJV 1900)
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, And thy want as an armed man. 12 A naughty person, a wicked man, Walketh with a froward mouth. 13 He winketh with his eyes, He speaketh with his feet, He teacheth with his fingers; 14 Frowardness is in his heart, He deviseth mischief continually; He soweth discord. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; Suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. 16 These six things doth the Lord hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, Feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.
* The best way to stop rumors.
Proverbs 26:20
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
* Note- It is not just what you say that makes gossip, but who you say it to. Some things should remain only between you and the person involved only.
IV. We should resist the impulse to infuriate.
“Pushing people’s buttons”
* Some people love to go around pushing people’s buttons.
* Your wife or husband knows exactly where your buttons are.
* When you know where people’s buttons are, stay away from them.
* When you know a person is already angry, stop trying to reason with them.
* There is no reasoning with an angry person. This is why the Bible says this. Listen men and let the book of Proverbs make you very wise!
* The Bible has the good sense enough to tell you when your wife is angry get out of the house! Hop on the bus Gus! And stay gone until she is not angry any more!
Proverbs 25:23–24 (KJV 1900)
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
* The wise thing to do is go away and come back when their anger has subsided and common sense has returned.
Proverbs 14:7 (KJV 1900)
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, When thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
Proverbs 29:22 (KJV 1900)
22 An angry man stirreth up strife, And a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
* Messing with an angry person is like hitting a hornets’ nest with a stick. You are not going to be able to run fast enough to not get hurt!
Proverbs 22:24 (KJV 1900)
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; And with a furious man thou shalt not go: