Sermon Tone Analysis

James reveals to us that we may be playing God and not even realize by saying bad things about our brethren.

He gives 4 reasons why we should avoid saying bad things about each other.

*You Idiot*

In /Discipleship Journal,/ Don McCullough wrote: “John Killinger tells about the manager of a minor league baseball team who was so disgusted with his center fielder’s performance that he ordered him to the dugout and assumed the position himself.

“The first ball that came into center field took a bad hop and hit the manager in the mouth.

The next one was a high fly ball, which he lost in the glare of the sun—until it bounced off his forehead.

The third was a hard line drive that he charged with outstretched arms; unfortunately, it flew between his hands and smacked his eye.

“Furious, he ran back to the dugout, grabbed the center fielder by the uniform, and shouted, ‘You idiot!

You’ve got center field so messed up that even I can’t do a thing with it!’

”~*

~* “Let’s Illustrate,” /Leadership Journal, /Fall 1989, 51.

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!! I. You're Commanded not to (11)

"Speak against" - to speak evil of, back bite, slander.

This is a command.

Present Active command that indicates an ongoing action of back biting and slander.

Examples..."Did you see what so and so bought?

Like they can afford that!" "I told Sally that she shouldn't do that project that way and now.." Calling people names.

Telling second hand information.

Telling truth about someone in a hurtful way.

Guessing why something bad happened to someone.

Being a know it all.

Complaining about someone because you think they are a know it all.

Assigning a motive to someones actions.

Critisizing someone (in a local church, in your family, in another Christians church).

Absolom 2 Samuel 15:1-3).

Mariam and Aaron (Numbers 12:1).

Joseph's brothers about the dream.

Mary and Martha (Luke 10:40).

Pharasees about Jesus healing on the Sabath (Matthew 12:1).

Peter and John after breakfast with Jesus (John 21:20-22).

Eudia and Syntiche (Philipians 4:2).

Corinthians about who was of Paul (1 Corinthians 3:1-4) etc.

To disobey this command is to disobey God and is sin against God.

!! II.

You Judge the Truth (11)

The one who speaks against a brother is also making a judgment concerning him.

They are judging them according to their own standards instead of God's.

The Law says Leviticus 19:16, 18; Mark 12:31

Jesus taught Matthew 7:1 and Paul expanded Romans 14

This does not mean that we are not to be discerning or not judge at all.

We are commanded to judge according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 5:1-15, 11; 1John 4:1; 2John 10-11.

Philippians 1:9-10

!! III.

You're not a Doer of the Truth (11)

Jesus said, if you love you will keep my commandments.

When we judge one another we are no longer obeying His commandments and therefore not loving Jesus.

You have actually become a hinderance to the work of Christ and will cause great pain to His body.

*3** Sad Ending For Dakota Family*

They were a happy little family, living in a small town in North Dakota, even though the young mother had not been entirely well since the birth of her second baby.

But each evening the neighbors were aware of a warmth in their hearts when they would see the husband and father being met at the gate by his wife and two small children.

There was laughter in the evening too, and when the weather was nice Father and children would romp together on the back lawn while Mother looked on with happy smiles.

Then one day a village gossip started a story, saying that he was being unfaithful to his wife, a story entirely without foun dation.

But it eventually came to the ears of the young wife, and it was more than she could bear.

Reason left its throne, and that night when her husband came home there was no one to meet him at the gate, no laughter in the house, no fragrant aroma coming from the kitchen—only coldness and something that chilled his heart with fear.

And down in the basement he found the three of them hanging from a beam.

Sick and in despair, the young mother had first taken the lives of her two children, and then her own.

In the days that followed, the truth of what had happened came out—a gossip’s tongue, an untrue story, a terrible tragedy.

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!! IV.

You're not the Lawgiver (12)

#.

Jesus Has the Right to Judge \\ John 5:22-24 \\ Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:10 \\ Luke 12:4-5

#.

You do not Have the Right to Judge \\ Have you been flirting with a judgmental, critical attitude?

Even if your right according to the scriptures, if you are not heart broken and longing for restoration with your brother than who do you think you are?

You are not Jesus, you are not the Holy Spirit, so quit trying to be.

Leave the judging up to them or you may cause irreversable damage to the body of Christ.

*5167** To Scatter The Feathers*

Here is a story that we all would do well to lay to heart.

It has been told before, but will bear repetition.

A farmer’s wife had spread a slanderous story about her pastor through the village, and soon the whole countryside had heard it.

Sometime later the woman became sick and confessed the story was untrue.

After her recovery she came to the pastor and craved his pardon.

The old pastor said, “Of course I will gladly pardon you if you will comply with a wish of mine.”

“Gladly,” replied the woman.

“Go home, kill a black hen, pluck the feathers, and put them in a basket and bring them here.”

In half an hour she was back.

“Now,” said the pastor, “go through the village and at each street corner scatter a few of these feathers, the remaining ones take to the top of the belltower and scatter them to the winds, then return.”

She did so.

“Now go through the village and gather the feathers again, and see that not one is missing.”

The woman looked at the pastor in astonishment and said, “Why that is impossible!

The wind has scattered them over the fields everywhere!”

“And so,” said he, “while I forgive you gladly, do not forget that you can never undo the damage your untrue words have done.”

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