Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

We are right back into our study of James.

Our text for this evening is James 3:9-10.

I have prepared another handout.

The handout shows the work that I did in preparing for our study.

As I have done the past couple of weeks, I will simply highlight some key words.

You can look through the rest of my work if you so desire later.

So let’s read the entire paragraph and then come back to verses 9 and 10.

As you may have noted, we are almost done with this paragraph.

We will finish up next week with verses 11-12.

However, for this evening, let’s get into verse 9 and 10 which say:

So, as I was studying this past week, here are some words that I highlighted.

WORD HIGHLIGHTS

The word’s “bless (blessing)” and “curse (cursing)” are repeated twice in these two verses.

“Bless” means blessing, praise.

Refers to speech that invokes blessing, or to the positive circumstances associated with blessing.

“Curse” means to curse, pronounce a curse upon.

Refers to the act of pronouncing misfortune for someone else .

I think we all understand what both of those words mean.

They are opposites.

Cursing is the antonym of blessing.

None of like to be cursed, however, we enjoy blessings.

Unfortunately, we tend to allow cursing to flow much more than blessing.

“Similitude” is a word we don’t use often anymore.

It simply means “likeness.”

Thus, every person is made in the likeness of God.

The word “proceedeth” is an important word in our text.

It carries the connotation of go out repeatedly.

Thus, out of the same mouth blessing and cursing go out again and again.

Another important word for context is “brethren.”

We know that word means a brother or near kinsman.

The reference then is to all believers as part of God’s family.

We are brothers and sisters.

Therefore, the context is the Holy Spirit speaking to us as believers.

Now, let’s move right into the:

SPIRITUAL APPLICATION

As always we begin with this question.

What is the Holy Spirit talking about?

Without a doubt, the Holy Spirit is talking about the tongue.

His use of the tongue in our text reflects the overall topic of communication.

Thus, the Holy Spirit is teaching us about Biblical communication.

We use our tongue to communicate thoughts, plans, and actions to others.

Our tongue is a crucial instrument in teaching others.

For this reason, it is a powerful instrument as well.

What is the Holy Spirit saying about the tongue in verses 9 and 10?

There are several things the Holy Spirit teaches us in these verses.

Here is what I learned as I was studying them.

There are three points here.

The first is:

The Tongue is a Paradox

Note again verse 9.

The paradox is this.

How could a person use their tongue to both bless and curse in almost the same breath?

It just doesn’t seem right.

Yet, God’s Word is true.

So many times we come to church singing “O How I Love Jesus” and just a few minutes before walking in the door we were cursing the guy who pulled out in front of us.

Note a further paradox here.

We bless God who is our Father.

We touched on that subject in this morning’s message.

He is our Father.

We love Him and He loves us.

We wouldn’t think for a moment to curse Him.

None of us would dare to do so.

Yet, Scripture is quite clear that all of us are made in God’s image.

A fact that is stated again in our text James 3:9 “9 ...men, which are made after the similitude of God.”

One Bible commentator said this:

The point in the remark of the apostle is, the absurdity of employing the tongue in such contradictory uses as to bless one who has to us the relation of a father, and to curse any being, especially those who are made in his image...As we bless God, we ought with the same organ to bless those who are like him.

There is an absurdity in cursing men who are thus made, like what there would be in both blessing and cursing the Creator himself.

- Thomas Lea

There is a classic illustration from Scripture that demonstrates our problem in this area.

Over in Mark we read:

And then, in Scripture, a few verse later, we read:

It didn’t take long for Peter to go from “I will not deny thee in anywise” to “I know not this man of whom ye speak” as he cursed.

And, may we not be so quick to judge Peter, we all know we are capable of the same.

The tongue is a paradox.

O, how the truth of God’s word reveals our sin.

It is moment like this when Hebrews 4:12 echoes in our hearts and minds.

Not only is the tongue a PARADOX, the Holy Spirit reveals that is also one other thing.

The Tongue is a Parrot

Look again at verse 10.

Psalm 34:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.

Proverbs 13:3 (KJV 1900)

3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Proverbs 21:23 (KJV 1900)

23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles.

1 Peter 3:10 (KJV 1900)

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

Remember the word “proceedeth” means to go out repeatedly.

Thus, we are constantly parroting over and over again the same things.

We bless, we curse.

We bless, we curse.

It is a constant drip of praise to God and pronouncing misfortune on others.

It is a moral incongruity.

Herein lies our dilemma.

We cannot control it constant drip.

Everything about the way we use our tongue is completely inappropriate.

Yet, here we stand face to face with this reality.

We know it.

In our heart of hearts, we know that this is true.