Being Real with your Tongue
Dr. George Bannister
How to be Real in an Automated World • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 8 viewsChristians must exercise caution in using their tongue.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
How to Be Real in an Automated World
“Being Real with your Tongue”
James 3:1-12
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 (1-2).
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.
A- The realization: We all Blow it! ()
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).
20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?
a. With leadership comes higher accountability.
2- Moses was held to a higher accountability for his words ().
1 In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron.
3 The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers!
4 Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?
5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them,
7 and the Lord said to Moses,
8 “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”
9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the Lord.
10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?”
11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”
13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.
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. ().
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.
()
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
()
3 Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.
()
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 ().
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 ().
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 ().
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)
()
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 ().
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 ().
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 ().
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.
()
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.
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.
a- Love does not destroy others with the tongue!
(Note )
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. (Note verse 8).
1- Yielding control to the Holy Spirit will produce much different results in the use of the tongue.
()
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.
()
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”