Caution for Aspiring Teachers

Text: James 3:1-12, emphasis on v.1-2

We were given an outline at the end of ch. 1 James 1:26–27 “26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

caring heart ch. 2a

clean testimony ch. 4-5

controlled tongue ch. 3

James presents the matter of the tongue as another test of living faith,because true faith will be demonstrated by speech, and so will false faith. 

Nothing is more telling on the heart than the tongue.

He mentions the tongue in every chapter. 

He mentions it twice in chapter 1:19-26. 2:12, 4:11, 5:12, large portion of ch. 3

Why does James follow up a section on faith and works by talking about speech?

James is reminding us that our works are not limited to actions, they include our words, our speech.

Nowhere is the union of faith and works more visible than in your speech and my speech

The tongue really is you, it really is.  The tongue is a snitch, and it tells on the heart.  Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”  The tongue is the revealer of the heart.

Sermon Introduction

What would you consider the 5 most dangerous occupations? Answers given my teens Linemen, Presidents, Seriel Killers / James - Teachers

Just two verses today

Been looking at bigger portions, this is part of a bigger portion

Needed being we are a church where you are often challenged to be a Bible teacher. That will continue but it comes with this caution.

James 3:1–2 “1 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.”

We need Bible teachers, but please proceed with caution.

Teachers deal with built in temptations

My words - and your words are never neutral.

There is a higher accountability for teachers for the same standard of all Christians.

1. We need Bible teachers, but please proceed with caution.

James 3:1 “1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”

A. Bible repeatedly calls upon us to teach it.

This caution may sound odd because everywhere else in the New Testament teaching is held in such high esteem.

In 1 Timothy 3:1 Paul says that if a man desires to be a pastor, that is a noble desire.

According to 1 Timothy 3:2, no one is allowed to be an elder in the church unless he is able to teach

Teachers and preachers are described in Ephesians 4 as God’s gift to the church.

Teaching is an absolutely essential component of church life. Colossians 3:16 “16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Jesus spent his entire ministry going around teaching and preaching, and then He commissioned His Apostles to go out and preach.

The heart of a teacher is that others would join us in the work.

In Numbers 11 the spirit of God came upon two men named Eldad and Medad and they began to prophecy.

A runner came to inform Moses of this occurrence, and Joshua, Moses’ right-hand man, requested that Moses stop Eldad and Medad

And Moses exclaims in Numbers 11:29 “29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!”

B. Teaching is more than an occupation in the church.

Teaching is vital to the work. 2 Timothy 2:2 “2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

In the Great Commission all of us are commissioned to teach the Gospel.

One of our most fundamental duties as Christians is teaching – every one of us.

Teaching is honorable. 1 Timothy 5:17 “17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”

Matthew Henry, commenting on this says, “For him that is taught in the word to give respect to him that teaches is commendable enough in him that gives it.” So if we’re being taught the Bible, it’s commendable enough for us to pay respect to our teachers.

“But,” says Matthew Henry, “for him that teaches to love it, and demand it, … is sinful and abominable; and, instead of teaching, he has need to learn the first lesson in the school of Christ, which is humility.”

James identifies as a teacher. James 3:1 “1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”

In spite of his own warning, James made the decision to go ahead and become a teacher.

James outlines what the teacher should expect.

C. James cautions those who will join him

Teaching brings influence, influence brings greater responsibility.

Words are arrows. Psalm 64:3 “3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:”

The reason they said the tongue was an arrow rather than the tongue was a knife was because an arrow kills at a distance, and the deadliness of the tongue was that it could kill without even being anywhere near the victim.  The tongue is a deadly arrow. 

David mentions an attack by arrows from a hidden or secret position, his enemies act like the ancient version of snipers.

Teachers are influencers.

We all are given a measure of influence. Romans 14:7 “7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.”

The word we see is here is Master. The word given often to Rabbis.

A teacher is someone whose words have great influence over our thoughts and actions.

With the literacy less than 15% and everyone not having a copy of the Word of God, it was a place where people were vulnerable to the teachers.

In fact, we might read the passage this way: “Not many of you should become <people of great influence>, my fellow believers, because you know that we <with great influence> will be judged more strictly.”

Teachers are people of influence, people who seek to influence and inform the way others view God and live with God. People who are seeking to become teachers are looking to have exactly that kind of influence over others.

Radio program with J. Vernon McGee would often say “Do not take my word for it, look at the Bible and follow along.”

Transitional Statement:

2. Teachers deal with built-in temptations

James 3:1 “1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”

A. Pride: The sin of the rabbis

Jesus points out the distinction between the externals and the internals in the lives of those who were the Pharisees. Mark 12:38–40 “38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.”

They loved their signs of being successful; long clothing.

Yesterday, with the Bartholomew family. I told Luca there is a difference in eating at his table as a Bible teacher and walking out those doors. Both can be dangerous.

Look at this caution 1 Timothy 3:6 “6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

Notice, the concern is not that they won’t do a good job as an elder. They might do a great job.

The concern is the danger of becoming proud.

You make someone like that an elder and he looks around at the older men and says, “I’ve only been a Christian five years and I’ve already made it to this level,” and here comes the pride.

B. Temptation to desire the approval of others.

Enjoy working with teenagers because they are like more honest version of humans. They don’t hide their desire to fit in as well.

When Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 “28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” One of the burdens He gives us rest from is the exhausting labor of self-glorification.

In his book The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer has a whole chapter on the heavy, heavy burden of seeking human approval. (BTW I recommend you read all you can from): “The heart’s fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honor from a bad opinion of friend and enemy, will never let the mind have rest. Continue this fight through the years and the burden will become intolerable. Yet the sons of earth are carrying this burden continually, challenging every word spoken against them, cringing under every criticism, smarting under each fancied slight, tossing sleepless if another is preferred before them.” (Slide)

Teaching can add fuel to the fire of temptation seeking approval for others. Proceed with caution.

C. Our imagination can exceed our obedience

This phrase comes from a quote by C. S. Lewis in The Four Loves “Those like myself whose imagination far exceeds their obedience are subject to a just penalty; we easily imagine conditions far higher than … we have … reached. If we describe what we have imagined we may make others, and make ourselves, believe that we have really been there,”

Through teaching we can fool others and ourselves into believing we have understanding on matters we do not.

3. My words - and your words are never neutral.

James 3:2 “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.”

A. Death and life in the tongue.

The Bible says that our words are either moving in a life direction, or they're moving in a death direction. What we say either builds up or tears down. Proverbs 18:21 “21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

There isn't any middle ground.

I don't know about you, but I often speak as if my words exist in a happy neutrality. It's uncommon for me to think before I speak, "Is what I'm about to say in this moment going to bring life or bring death?"

Author Paul Tripp argues that Proverbs is most fundamentally a treatise on talk.

He summarizes Proverbs’ teaching on talk this way: “words give life; words bring death—you choose.”

Every utterance that escapes our lips mat­ters, which means you’ve never spoken a neutral word in your life.

Misuse of the tongue is perhaps the easiest way to sin.

There are some sins that an individual may not be able to commit simply because he does not have the opportunity.

There are no limits to what one can say, no built-in restraints or boundaries.

B. Words help shape our lives.

God spoke this world into existence.

It was by Words we came to the Gospel.

To a far lesser degree this is true in our lives. Proverbs 16:24 “24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

We receive a spouse with the words “I do.” The partner we have after many years is very much the result of the words we have spoken into their life.

C. Words can bring destruction.

The natural tendency of the human heart is to selfishly employ words to get what we want.

First actual sin after the fall was a sin of the tongue.  Adam said, “The woman You gave me,” and slandered God by blaming God for the sin. 

When the apostle Paul characterizes the wretchedness of man in his sinful condition, he hones right in on the tongue.  Romans 3:13 “13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:”

Isaiah wanting to confess to God his utter sinfulness in the midst of a vision of God’s holiness. Isaiah 6:5 “5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

The different ways you can sin with your tongue are almost endless. How about

The hasty, thoughtless word

The proud word.

The selfish word.

The self-serving exaggeration.

The sly suggestion.

The manipulative flattery.

Words of anger.

Words of slander.

Harmful gossip.

Innuendo.

Words of doubt.

Impure words.

Rebellious words.

Self-aggrandizing words.

Words of condemnation.

Threats.

Words that inflict guilt.

Words that induce shame.

Unkind or unhelpful words.

Words of criticism.

Boasting.

Complaining.

Grumbling.

Divisive words.

Self-serving, selective stories.

Lying.

Half-truths.

False doctrine.

Insensitive words.

Sarcastic words.

Insults.

Belittling words.

Discouraging words.

4. There is a higher accountability for teachers for the same standard of all Christians.

A. For good and for bad spiritual maturity is evidenced by the use of the tongue

Tongue is the hardest thing to contain.

Spiritual maturity is evidenced by the use of the tongue. James 3:2 “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.”

If a man can control His tongue he demonstrates His ability to control the rest of his life. James 1

Do we expect perfection, no but their should be growing maturity. James 3:2 “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.”

Some of you might want to make this your new life verse.

The tongue is the dashboard of our lives. It shows us there is need for repairs.

Not a higher standard but a higher penalty for wrong doing.

Sometimes people take that to mean that there is a higher standard for teachers or church leaders than there is for everyone else.

How could there be a higher standard for teachers than for regular Christians? The standard for regular Christians is in Matthew 5:48 “48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

What standard could be higher than that? The standard for regular Christians is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Pastor should be above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2) do you get to be below reproach?

Deacons are to be temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable are these not characterisics for us all?

B. The consequences for violating the standard are more severe for the teacher.

God holds you accountable for what you know, and as a teacher you have more access to knowledge than everyone else.Luke 12:47–48 “47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

Challenge of speaking about speaking, talking about talking, using my words to speak about the value of the words. - Speech class. I thought saying words correctly was so hard. Choosing which words to say is much harder.

All Christians will stand before Christ to have our works tested with fire. 1 Corinthians 3:11–15

On the judgment day, every secret thing will be brought to light. Luke 8:17–18

The motives of our hearts will be exposed, and there will be no more pretense or spiritual deception. There is no, no-one will notice in our lives.

Teachers of the Word will be judged more strictly.

Conclusion

A Word to the Teachers.

Am I dedicated to being a student?

Good teachers are good learners. Those with the gift of teaching also love to continue learning.

The best teaching arises from the heart of someone who is passionate about what God is teaching him or her. 2 Timothy 2:15 “15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Am I living according to the truth I am teaching?

Besetting sins are those that can easily cause another to stumble (Luke 17:1).

A teacher with ongoing, besetting sins will be judged more strictly because of the influence of those sins.

The life of a teacher will be multiplied, and so will our sins.

A Word to Listeners

It is expected that you will look at our lives. Hebrews 13:7 “7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”

Teachers do not complain saying you feel like you are scrutinized more than others. We were given this caution before we signed up.

Listeners be careful of having teachers in your life if you are not able to know their lives.

Recognize we will give an account for how we look over your soul. Hebrews 13:17 “17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

This might explain to you why we care more than you think we should.

We have a God given responsibility to you.

Pray for those who teach. Hebrews 13:18 “18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.”

Pray for us as we teach.

Pray for us as we strive to live out what we teach.