Words

Notes

Text

Notes:

Two Main Influences

Sermon on the Mount + Proverbs = Short wisdom speeches full o metaphors and one-liners.

MAIN CALL OF THE BOOK: Love God and love your neighbor.

Not writing to a specific group to address a specific problem. A letter to all Jesus’ followers.

— Reflection of

— Reflection of

James is very intentional about calling his audience not to be just hearer’s of God’s Word, but more importantly DOERS of it.

“You know what’s more destructive than nuclear bombs? Words.” — Kim Jong-un from The Interview

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.”

Literary Context of

Literary Context of

Chapters 2-5 include 12 teachings about wholehearted devotion to Jesus.

They all stand by themselves, and concluded with a catchy one-liner. But they are all connected through key repeated words and themes

Intr

2:1-13 — Favoritism vs. Love

Only loving those who benefit you.

2:14-26 — Genuine Faith

James introduces all of the topics he is going to talk about in the book. There is no straight flow of thought, but excerpts of wisdom that are all connected. In chapter 1:19-27, he explains the 3 ACTIONS that Christians should DO as a result of their faith in Christ.

These actions are:

Real faith always results in obedience to Jesus’ teachings.

Serving the poor

Being wholly devoted to God

SPEAKING WITH LOVE.

Chapter 3 — Speaking with Love.

Intro

Introduction

“Sticks and stones break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

As a child heard insults like

BIG head

Adult -

You’re stupid.

You aren’t good enough...

Senior -

TO THIS DAY, these are still insecurities that hinder me from being the person that God wants me to be.

Our words, though they may be small, can create

Body

Literary context leading up to

In Chapter 1...

In Chapter 1...

James introduces all of the topics he is going to talk about in the book. There is no straight flow of thought, but excerpts of wisdom that are all connected. In chapter 1:19-27, he explains the 3 ACTIONS that Christians should DO as a result of their faith in Christ.

James introduces all of the topics he is going to talk about in the book. There is no straight flow of thought, but excerpts of wisdom that are all connected. In chapter 1:19-27, he explains the 3 ACTIONS that Christians should DO as a result of their faith in Christ.

These actions are:

These actions are:

Serving the poor

Serving the poor

Being wholly devoted to God

Being wholly devoted to God

SPEAKING WITH LOVE.

SPEAKING WITH LOVE.

And so the entire book contains 12 teachings about wholehearted devotion to Jesus.

And so the entire book contains 12 teachings about wholehearted devotion to Jesus.

Body

— The Tongue (Read verse 1-12)

Read verse 1-12

Verse 3-4 — The power of the Tongue

Bits can move a horse.

Horses were known to be the most spirited of domestic animals.

Emphasis on the “littleness” of bits.

Rudder can steer a boat.

Ships were familiar because they bordered the Mediterranean sea.

Emphasis on the “littleness” of rudder.

Little bits, little rudder, little tongue. Big doings.

Commercial about blind homeless man with sign (BLIND. NEED MONEY.)

Asking for money, but not many people are giving money.

One bystander sees the man, grabs the sign, and changes the words. FEELS HER SHOES.

Suddenly, more money.

FEELS SHOES, AGAIN. “What did you do to my saying?” “I wrote the same, but in different words.”

“It’s a beautiful day, and I can’t see it.”

Verses 5-8

What is the tongue?

The words we speak can either heal or hurt.

A little member

A fire

A world of unrighteousness

What does the tongue do?

Stains the whole body

Notice that when someone continually uses their words to hurt and not to heal, even their actions reflect the words that they say.

EXAMPLE: Racist people that constantly say racist remarks, will in turn treat others

Sets on fire the entire course of life

When man things are burned by fire, they cannot return to the state they were in before.

The more we repeat destructive words to others, the more our lives are saturated in hate, violence, and evil.

“You know what’s more destructive than nuclear bombs? Words.” — Kim Jong-un from The Interview

It does more… (Verses 9-10)

Bless God with it, and curse God’s creation with it.

Story when I called someone names

Story when my words gave someone life

Calling my sister a “fatty”.

Slow sister because fat.

Called her fatty.

TO THIS DAY, she has let these insecurities define her life.

HOW CAN WE SPEAK WORDS OF LOVE?

— The Heart

It is only when we change our hearts that our words can speak life.

What can change our hearts?

, 14 — In the beginning was the Word.

The Word changes our hearts.

Story when my words gave someone life

Conclusion

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” — Yehuda Berg (Israeli speaker and Author)

This week, I challenge you all to speak healing words to those who are hurt.

If you’ve hurt someone with your words, then schedule a time when you two could make your wrong’s right.

Complement

Exegetical Idea

Homiletical Idea

Development of Idea

Sermon Purpose