Your Words Matter (James 3:1-12)
Notes
Transcript
Today we are in our 6th Sermon in the our series in James… (James 3:1-12)
James has just finished laying out the important truth that faith produces action.
“For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (2:26)
James wanted his readers to understand,
that just because you say you have faith, does not mean you actually have faith.
Thus, he juxtaposed true faith and dead faith.
True faith produces action, whereas dead faith only talks.
True Faith is is evidential in our lives as the Spirit produces lasting fruit,
which testifies of God’s empowering grace in our lives.
Whereas dead Faith is only an intellectual endeavor, that hides behind good intentions.
When thinking of true faith that produces action,
it is important to remember that good works is not the root of our salvation, but it is rather the fruit of salvation.
(Justification and righteous lives)
I love the statement James makes saying “I will show you my faith by my works” (2:18)
It is not a matter of my faith might show up in the life I live,
No, it is a matter of my faith will up in the life I live...
(show up in every aspect of my life....)
[home, business, hobbies] to testify of my faith in God… my faith will point to God...
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 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. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 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. 5 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! 6 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. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
I will be unpacking 3 points from this passage...
Weight of the Tongue.
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 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.
Story of Ben Hooper Governor of Tennessee (responsibility) [rush into it]
I remember realizing how much influence I carried as a leader… Story of Larry food truck.
James begins this passage by articulating the point that not many of you should become teachers and leaders in the church,
because there is a greater level of accountability and responsibility that teachers have. (judged with greater strictness)
Teachers in the church can either use their position to lead people into the things of God or lead people away God.…
When someone has a title, people will follow that title if they are worthy of it or not....
Jesus… Religious leaders.. blind leading the blind…
I have realized people love the idea of being titled as a leader,
but most people don’t like the weight and accountability that comes with the title.
People love great title’s, but not great responsibilities. (People want to be the boss until it is 5 o’clock.… clean up messes)
James knows the responsibility and influence a leader carries,
thus he gives a warning to not run into leadership carelessly.
I have learned people who run the fastest to gain a title or position,
are the very same people who run the fastest away from accountability and responsibility.
We need more Leaders in the church like Jesus… Wash dirt off people’s feet
And we need less Leaders like Pilot.. who washed his hands of any responsibility of Jesus death.
Weight of the Tongue
2. Power of the Tongue.
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 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. 5 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! 6 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. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
James introduces this passage stating not many of you should be leaders,
and the reason for this is it is so difficult to control the tongue.
James then begins to explain how powerful the tongue is and what kind of damage it can bring.
(Carelessly we use words)
[tongue as a tool to kill instead of heel]
Everyone is blessed or cursed to carry the responsible of a having a tool that is has the power to defend truth or destroy truth
The tongue carries great power to do great things for the Kingdom of light,
or great things for the kingdom of darkness.
The tongue that is influenced by the power of heaven has the power to start the flames of revival,
but the same tongue influenced by the power of hell has the power to start the flames of destruction.
We can speak either as ambassadors of heaven, or echo the chaos of hell.
Heaven’s words, flowing through human lips, have the power to awaken souls, heal deep wounds, and unify divided hearts.
Heaven’s words, proclaim truth, speak life,
stir hearts toward repentance that change legacies of families, communities, regions, and even nations.
But out of the same mouth has the power to divide communities of faith, bring confusion, drive bitterness, and ultimately bring destruction.
James says “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.”
Those great things coming from your mouth,
are they great things spoken to build up the kingdom of God,
or are they great things that help bring growth for kingdom of darkness.
James uses the example of a bit in the mouth of a horse… influence the horse…
James uses the example of the rudder steering a large ship… influences the ship…
In the same way… the tongue has great influence to direct…
Who is your Captain… Captain steer the tongue that influences people’s direction…
Tongue usually regurgitates what your ears hear and what your eye see...
Our words have power to either build one another up,
or tear one another down.
Words have the power to lead people towards hope,
or lead people towards despair.
With just a sentence, we can breathe life into dreams,
or we can suffocate those very same dreams.
The tongue can build bridges or burn them.
It can speak healing into brokenness or can deepen the wound.
Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”
(How many know that your words have impact...)
It is interesting to me in this text that James says you can tame wild animals… “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
(example of people who have been poisoned)
The Words we say carry great significance…
That is why James has already introduce the important truth that we as believers need to be quick to listen but slow to speak. (1:19)
The tongue is an interesting part of our bodies because it seems to want to run wild more than any other part of the body.
The poison that can come out of the tongue when left undisciplined can destroy spouses, children, friendships, and even be used to destroy ourselves.
Thus, it is vital to surrender the tongue to the Spirit’s work,
and allow the Spirit be the captain to lead and guide your tongue in order that you may consistently use your mouth as means of blessing and not cursing.
3. Consistency of the Tongue.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
In verse 9 James begins by stating that with our tongue we bless God,
but with the very same tongue we curse people made in the image of God.
The Apostle John posses the rhetorical question in how can we say we love God but yet still hate our brothers?
James here I believe takes it one step further by not addressing not cursing only brothers and sisters in Christ, but rather those who are made in the image of God.
Imago Dei… Created in the image and likeness of God
Blessing God with one breath… Next breath cursing people made in God’s image…
James uses the analogy…
Can fresh water and salt water come from the same water source? A fresh water stream one day and salt water the next day?
Can a fig tree produce olives, or grapevine produce figs?
This goes against the laws of nature....
Therefore, James writes… “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”
The challenge for believers is to consistently use the tongue to praise God.
The challenge is to have the tongue be steadfastly devoted to speak truth in love,
even when the tongue may wish to run wild by speaking lies and hate.
James steadfastness, immovable faith… tongue likes to go with the momentum of emotions… like a captain in the sea example...
In the late 1800’s lived a man in Chicago who was a successful lawyer and businessman.
He had a beautiful wife and five children.
In the year 1871, his young son died of pneumonia, and in the very same year, the Great Chicago Fire ruined him financially.
Still after all of this, he continued to speak and live with a deep faith and steadfast devotion for God.
Two years later, this man planned a trip to Europe with his family to recover from their losses and help with a Christian revivalist in his meetings.
But at the last minute, business kept him behind, so he sent his wife and four daughters ahead of him on the SS Ville du Havre.
Tragically, the ship collided with another vessel and sank rapidly, which resulted in all 4 of his daughters to drown.
His wife survived and sent him the telegram “Saved alone”
This man was able to later sail across the Atlantic to reunite with his wife and grieve with her as they had suffered the loss of all 5 of their children.
And as they crossed the Atlantic the ship captain went to the man and told him this is the very place where the terrible accident occurred.
It was in this moment that he penned these words....
"When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul."
(Horatio Spafford)
(Words not charged by emotion but charged by a faith that was steadfast)
