The Tongue (YG)

A few weeks back, we discussed, “Faith without works is dead”

James is not promoting works that save, but rather because you are saved, naturally good works are produced

Take our leaders for instances, what motivates them to be here?

“The Untamable Tongue”

Introduction: Have you ever heard the expression growing up, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?”

Our words have the power to build people up or tear people down

“The Bible teaches us that our speech can bring life or destruction, encourage or tear down, bless or curse. As followers of Christ, we are called to speak with love, truth, and wisdom. The way we use our words reflects the condition of our hearts and our commitment to honoring God.”

Chapter 3 deals with the behavior of our speech. God's goal is that we bless others with our speech:

1. (V1) Let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we should receive a stricter judgment

-GREAT RESPONSIBILITY-

James found that this department of church-work had become extremely popular. Hence his warning about its serious responsibilities. 

The words of Jesus and James remind us that being among the teachers in God’s church is more than a matter of having natural or even spiritual gifts; there is an additional dimension of appropriate character and right living. “

***Teachers will be judged on…

a) Doctrine

Paul rebukes some who strayed away from sound doctrine to become idle talkers..

1 Timothy 1:7 “desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus rebukes Nicodemus for because he was a teacher of Israel, yet he didn’t understand the things Jesus was teaching

I place heavy emphasis on my study time to make sure I teach with accuracy

b) Does the teaching align with actions

-Great Responsibility-

A teacher has the opportunity help people become closer to the Lord, but if their actions differ from what they teach, they can stumble many people

Romans 2:21 “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?”

c) Because of the responsibility teachers will have a stricter judgement

I am thankful for the promise of stricter judgement because it motivates me and holds me accountable and helps me to walk closely with the Lord

2. (V2) For we all stumble in many things, if anyone who does not stumble in word is a perfect man

a) None of us are perfect especially when it comes to our speech

The ancient Greek word for stumble does not imply a fatal fall

We may trip, we get back up. We sin but repent and turn from it

We stumble in word about others, with our criticism, gossip, slander, two facedness, and anger or with flattery and insincere words that are ment to gain favor

Paul asks the question in his epistles, “Should we go on sinning that grace might abound the more?”

When we examine our lives…

Do we care about holiness?

Do we care about Obedience to the Lord?

Do we care about and love others?

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

The Greek word sapros, translated as “corrupt” (KJV, NKJV), “unwholesome” (NIV), and “foul or abusive” (NLT), means “not in good condition (damaged or decayed); hence unsound, bad, worthless and useless.”

James 1:26 “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.”

Jesus Speaking to the Pharisees…

Matthew 12:34–37 “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.””

If you are spewing bad things out of your mouth, thats a warning light to check the condition of our heart (Controlled by the flesh or the Holy Spirit)

Every idle word we speak, we must give account

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

Be gracious with your words as you think the best of people, not the worst

3.(V3-V7) Five illustrations of the power of the tongue

4. (V8) The tongue is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison

a) Gossip, slander, and evil speaking is deadly poison for you and the person who is being talked about

This way of speech breaks down our vertical relationship with the Lord and our horizontal relationship with others

5. (V9-V10) We use our mouth to praise God and the next we use it to curse man, who was made by God, in His likeness

a) With the same tongue we praise God, we curse man, who He has created in His likeness

Questions for discussion:

How have you been hurt by someones words? How have you been helped by someones words?

In what why can words destroy? (Think about your childhood. The things people have said about you, that still stick with you today)

When have you seen words bring delight? (What does it mean to be gracious or season your words with grace?)