James: Practical Faith (3:1-12)

Where We’ve Been

Good morning and welcome everyone. Over the last few weeks we have gone on this journey through exploring and learning what it looks like to live in the faith that was gifted to us (Eph 2:8) Over the last few weeks we’ve seen how suffering ties us together and that through that trial we are grown and strengthened. We also learned that as “believers our job is to give this great love of service to our communities.” Last week we looked at how living as if by the law of liberty leads to the freedom of loving neighbor and as the new command that christ gave says, to love each other as believers or brothers and sisters,

English Standard Version Chapter 13

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

And as we saw last week, that wasn’t the case in the dispersed churches.

The biggest thing for us has been that we want to show how the letter from James shows us that the fruits of this work, or the Justification of our faith as he called it, is for others, not ourselves. Even when we look at the fruits of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

A secondary effect of these at work might be an easier more blessed feeling life, but what is the primary effect or who are the primary beneficiaries? The primary beneficiaries are those we come in contact with. When we say that before we can speak to those in our lives about God and the Gospel, we must live and act as if we know the Gospel, This letter gives us that.

Just a reminder. All these things are from the stance that we talked about last week,

James 2:12 ESV

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.

Please take the time to watch those and get caught up, they’re up on our facebook page.

That now brings us to this weeks verses.

Taming the Tongue

James 3:1–12 ESV

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 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. 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! 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. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

When we were setting up and scheduling for this sermon series everything was cool until I realized I was going to be preaching this text. The end of last week’s text was tough cause it challenged the perspective I use to look at scripture and even some of the things we hold true as protestants, but this week, hits at one of my deepest rooted struggles. Taming the tongue. Before we get there, lets look at v.1

John Calvin out it well:

Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles Chapter 3

The common and almost universal interpretation of this passage is, that the Apostle discourages the desire for the office of teaching, and for this reason, because it is dangerous, and exposes one to a heavier judgment, in case he transgresses: and they think that he said, Be not many masters, because there ought to have been some. But I take masters not to be those who performed a public duty in the Church, but such as took upon them the right of passing judgment upon others: for such reprovers sought to be accounted as masters of morals. And it was a mode of speaking usual among the Greeks as well as Latins, that they were called masters who superciliously animadverted on others.

It seems that some in the dispersed churches were taking on this role of teacher to maintain a type of standing or certain status. To some sense this comes back around to ch.2 where he’s telling the church not to be partial or favoring one over the other. The cool thing that John calvin pointed out was that there were some either calling them masters or calling themselves masters and this was because they counted themselves as masters of morals and passed judgement on those around them.

As teachers, preachers and pastors, there are many things we do need to judge. Whether it be the times, culture, the people in our church and what they might know or believe. There’s a survey ligonier puts out every two years called the state of theology and it’s a great tool to get a general pulse on what chirstians in this country believe, Unfortunately not available in spanish. Judgements are helpful and necessary in order to be able to supply a fix, or answer to some pressing questions in the life of the believer. But judgement is different from condemnation. There are those who seek to understand in their judgement and those who seek to tear down in their judgement, which are you?

So, when we look at this first verse in light of these interpretations and read “not many of you”, we should say, yeah, you right. Not many of us.

This is where we get into the tough part. And I love that there is grace in this opening portion. “We all stumble in many ways.” Another translation reads

James 3:2 KJV 1900

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.

Something I learned as a kid was the illustration of the toothpaste and tube. Simply put, if you squeeze all toothpaste out of the tube are you able to put it back in? Granted, I understand that you might able to with the right tools, but that’s not the point. The point is that once things are said, they don’t get unsaid. That is so much more apparent today than in the past. With the internet and social medai platforms, that stuff is out there forever. Even people with tons of money can’t get away from some idiotic comment they made years ago. And because of technology the ripple effect of our words is greater as well.

This idea of guarding your words was not new to the Jewish Christians that James was writing to. God has long reminded people of the power of their words. This is coming from the person Who spoke and the world came into existence.

Proverbs 11:9 ESV

With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

Proverbs 15:4 ESV

A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

Proverbs 18:21 ESV

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Our words build up, our words tear down, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

James Why We Should Not Teach: We All Stumble (3:2)

The persuasive tongue can convince ordinary people of almost anything. What self-control it takes to wield that tool—that weapon—to bless others and not to seek selfish gain. The witty tongue grants people the sweet gift of laughter, but humor often wounds someone. If anyone could control the powers of persuasion and humor, he would possess singular self-mastery. He would be perfect.

How true is that?! Have any of you joked with someone and accidentally hurt them?

One time My parents had picked up Eden and were watching her. Then I got a text that said that she was having a rough evening, that she was moody and so on, which if any of you know my daughter, know that my mom was lying. jk. So I responded to my mom, she must have sundown syndrome. to many of you, that may not mean anything, but for those of us who have experienced a loved one with dementia and alzheimer’s know that this basically describes a change in cognition. Lucid during the day and confused at night. The confusion cause terrible anger spells and such. For those who don’t know, my grandfather, mom’s dad, had dementia. And my mom was primarily there to help. So I made the joke, eden must have sundown syndrome, knowing my mom understood the reference, but not knowing that this would trigger her. Looking back it’s obvious, but the toothpaste was out…sufficed to say, it didn’t go over well and I apologized.

There are often times that you could be as oblivious as me and in the heat of someone calling you out or being honest about the hurt, what do we say? “woah you’re sensitive.” Look back on your life and think about how many times you’ve said that or thought that. I would need hands, feet and several other people’s hands and feet. The same is true for just being witness to it. I don’t how many times I’ve heard those words uttered around me, even in this church.

At work we have a yearly sensitivity training that teaches the value and power of our words and teaches us to be sensitive to those around us. I’m not trying to be that guy, but I’d be remiss not mention that the church needs that. I’m not just talking about Horeb (which we do), but the church generally speaking.

Another thing that I believe that mars us gossip. Oh how blessed we would be if we could just not…and I can’t speak for other ethnicities, but I know mexicans love to gossip and get all up in the Mole. Why do you think Novelas are the way they are, scandalous. Brothers and sisters, whether Latino or not, we cannot and must not be this way. Want to ruin lives? Gossip. Want people not to trust you? Gossip. Want to spit on the repurtaion of God, his love and grace? Gossip. Again, our church here and outside of here suffers with this. I don’t mean to air out our dirty laundry, but no church is perfect. If we were, our tongues would be bridled.

I breaks my heart to know these things happen. It breaks my heart to know that I’m up here preaching and that tomorrow I’ll drop some dumb swear word that was completely unnecessary for conversation. That my coworkers know what I do and who I am and yet they can say, “you go to church?” Oh how long for them to say, “of course Miguel goes to church. His God has changed how he talks. From mud to a spring of living water.” Not for my sake, but for the glory of God. Obviously they wouldn’t use those words, but they can’t say that today. That my faith may be justified before them. That they may know the wondorous love and grace of our God.

Oh how I want for chirst to be known and loved and Oh how my tongue impedes. Jason, one of our sound techs and English ministry VP, just started working with me. And I’m praying that God uses him to keep me accountable. And I pray that I can be helpful for him as well.

Brothers and sisters, if there is one thing that exposes our heart it’s our words.

Matthew 15:10–12 NASB95

After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand. “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”

How we speak to one another, how we deal with sensitive information, how we joke (lord knows I joke), and most especially how we are slow to speak tell of treasures of our hearts. In this letter James has reminded them of the law of liberty, being that by that law they have been bound to christ, no longer offenders of the law of moses, but free to live in liberty. They are no longer bound by who they were or their own righteousness, but bound to God the father in Jesus christ. James is reminding to live in that declared reality. That they were once dead in their sins and trespasses, now they are alive and adopted, grafted, risen into the family of God.

This is who you are, don’t despair in trials.

This is who you are, Live as people under liberty

this is who you are, don’t look down on a raggedy looking brother or sister

This is who you are, show the world.

This is who you are, bless the father and be slow to speak.

And to you today hearing my voice, these are true for you.

This letter was written to the believer for maturity sake. But for the unbeliever, looking in, this is the God we believe in. that even as believers, as we fail him, fail to measure up, fail to love one another, we are still forgiven, still shown grace and still his children. that even as this letter corrects us, he calls to you to see grace in these correction and not just admonishments. That even as these words are hard, he still holds us in his hands. Hear his voice calling your name and respond.

“O Lord, keep our hearts, keep our eyes, keep our feet, and keep our tongues.” – William Tiptaft