Untitled Sermon

The Tongue

10-25-17

Pray

Game: have 4 volunteers each see who can blow up the balloon the biggest.

Balloons can take just so much just like our bodies!

The book of James is one of my favorite books. James has explained to us two characteristics of the mature Christian: he is patient in trouble () and he practices the truth (). In this 3rd chapter, he shared the 3rd characteristic of the mature believer he has power over his tongue.

The Christians that James wrote to were having serious problems with their tongues.

· Is that something that we struggle with today?

We see this in 1:19:

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ()

James uses a strong analogy in the 2nd chapter

We must speak and act as though we were already facing Christ in judgment. (2:12)

The power of speech is one of the greatest powers God has given us. With the tongue, man can praise God, pray, preach the Word, and lead the lost to Christ. What a privilege! But with that same tongue he can tell lies that could ruin a man’s reputation to break a person’s heart. The ability to speak words is the ability to influence others and accomplish tremendous tasks, and yet we take this ability for granted. Have you ever thought about that?

1. Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

2. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

3. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.

4. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

5. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

6. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,

8. but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.

10. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

11. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

12. My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

13. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

14. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

15. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

16. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

In order to impress on us the importance of controlled speech, and the great consequences of our words, James gave us six pictures of the tongue: the bit, the rudder, fire, a poisonous animal, a fountain, and a fig tree. You can put these six pictures into three meaningful classifications that reveal the three powers of the tongue.

<><>Power to Direct: The Bit and Rudder (3:1-4)

<><>Power to Destroy: the Fire and Animal (3:5-8)

<><>Power to Delight: The Fountain and Tree (3:9-12)

Are we using our words to help others or to tear them down?

What does it mean to be humble? Meek, modest, not proud

How are you using your tongue that God gave you to praise Him and to glorify Him?

What comes out of our mouth comes from you heart ()

<><>Are you controlling your tongue or is it controlling you?

If you feel like it is controlling you then you need to bring it to the Lord and allow Him to clean your heart tonight we are going to pray and have an invitation so if you need to get things right with God now is your opportunity.

Let us pray

· The believer has three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil ()