Being Real with your Tongue (2)
Being Real in an AI World • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsChristians must exercise caution in using their tongue.
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1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,
8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?
12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
Introduction:
A- illustrations
1- A new arrival in heaven was surprised to see a suggestion box along Main Street. He turned to a more seasoned resident and asked, “if everyone is supposed to be happy in heaven, why is there a suggestion box?” The experienced tenant replied, quote because some people are not really happy unless they can complain.”
2- On one occasion, Winston Churchill so angered Lady Astor that she said, “if I were your wife, I would give you arsenic to drink.” Churchill angered her even more with this reply, “and if I were your husband, I would gladly drink it.”
3- One woman was so intertwined with other people’s lives that when she had a near-death experience, someone else’s life passed before her eyes.
4- Three ministers gathered to form a support group. After several weeks of building trust in one another, they began to share some of their darkest secrets. One minister confessed to his problem with gambling and how he would sometimes lose concentration in a sermon when he looked down at the offering plates. The 2nd pastor admitted to his vice of alcohol and noted his fears of being found out by his congregation. The 3rd minister quickly piped up, “I am a gossip, and I cannot wait to get out of here.”
T. S.: Note 3 facts about “being real with your tongue.”
I- Control of the tongue is the Key to other self-control issues (James 3:1-2).
I- Control of the tongue is the Key to other self-control issues (James 3:1-2).
A- The realization: We all Blow it! (James 3:1)
A- The realization: We all Blow it! (James 3:1)
1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
1- There is a warning for those who want to be leaders in the church (vs. 1).
a. With leadership comes higher accountability.
b. With leadership come a higher visibility.
2- The reason for the warning:
a. We all blow it!!
B- The reality: The tongue presents our greatest challenge. (James 3:2).
B- The reality: The tongue presents our greatest challenge. (James 3:2).
2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
1- The improper use of the tongue destroys your testimony as a Christian.
(James 1:26)
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
(Proverbs 13:3)
3 Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.
(1 Peter 3:10)
10 For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.
II- The Tongue is Small but Powerful (James 3:3 – 8).
II- The Tongue is Small but Powerful (James 3:3 – 8).
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,
8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
A- Dynamite comes in small packages (James 3:3 – 5).
A- Dynamite comes in small packages (James 3:3 – 5).
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
1- Note the comparisons that James makes:
a- A small bridal controls a mighty horse.
b- A little rudder controls a huge ship.
c- The little tone affects the whole life of a person.
B- The tongue has tremendously destructive capabilities (James 3:6).
B- The tongue has tremendously destructive capabilities (James 3:6).
6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
1- It defiles
a- It defiles by revealing the condition of the heart. (v. 6b)
(Matthew 12:34)
34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.
2- it destroys (v. 6 a, c)
a- It destroys like fire!
b- It’s fire is kindled by the fires of hell!
C- The tongue is difficult to tame (James 3:7 – 8).
C- The tongue is difficult to tame (James 3:7 – 8).
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,
8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
1- it is an unruly member of our body.
a- Unless great care is taken, it will do great damage.
(1) In families
(2) In churches
III- Consistency in the use of the tongue is the goal (James 3:9 – 12).
III- Consistency in the use of the tongue is the goal (James 3:9 – 12).
9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?
12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
A- The tongue that praises God and abuses people is being used incorrectly (James 3:10).
A- The tongue that praises God and abuses people is being used incorrectly (James 3:10).
10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
1- Using the tongue in this manner reveals a heart problem.
(Luke 6:45)
45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
a- Love does not destroy others with the tongue!
(Note 1 John 4:7 – 11)
7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.
10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
B- The key to consistency is yielding to the Holy Spirit’s control. (James 3: 8).
B- The key to consistency is yielding to the Holy Spirit’s control. (James 3: 8).
8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
1- Yielding control to the Holy Spirit will produce much different results in the use of the tongue.
(Galatians 5:16 – 26)
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
(Ephesians 5:18 – 21)
18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
CONCLUSION:
illustration:
Hymn: “Living for Jesus”
Questions for Meditation:
What does James say about the accountability of teachers in the church?
Why does James emphasize the difficulty of controlling the tongue?
In what ways can the improper use of the tongue destroy a Christian's testimony?
What role does the Holy Spirit play in controlling the tongue, according to the sermon?
