James 3 – Taming the Tongue

Secular – 1950’s – diving under the desk, bomb shelters, Uranium / Hydrogen, Uranium Atom, TNT – Powerful, small, destructive/productive

Biblical - NIV James 3:1 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.

Personal – Ever step on a Lego block? Ever say something that blew-up in your face?

Bridge – Life tells us that even the smallest things can have great power and influence – As Christians we need to harness the energy of the tongue – Take the tongue which has the Power to Direct and the Power to Destroy and focus it as a Power to Delight.

Intro: 3:1-2

3:1 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.

James opens this section by talking about teachers (v.1-2)

• Church teachers primary message…
• Primary communication is verbal…
• Not steering everyone away from teaching Great Commission, Pauline lit. …

BUT,

• Responsibility / Accountability

James 1:19-20 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

• When are commanded to share God’s Word… we must be careful
• The tongue can lead the whole person to ruin OR
• Praise, Pray, Preach, Present Gospel
• Accomplish tasks

Taming the Tongue require that we understand its Power to Direct

Power to Direct: 3:3-4

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.

• Bit – large majestic horse, galloping
• Worthy users to accomplish task
• Bouncing around uncontrollably
• Wrong direction – consequences
• Heading someplace you didn’t intend
• Rudder
• Power to control – steer us into or out of trouble
• Titanic takes us into situations
• Into spiritually calm waters of Christ’s love and protection OR
• Into the tumultuous storms of this world…

Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

** The tongue has the power to set the direction in our life – to Tame the Tongue we must understand that and plot a course.

This week – Remember the impact:

                        :To change away from a desired course

hellish / heavenly

Taming the Tongue also requires that we understand its Power to Destroy

Power to Destroy: 3:5-8

. 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.

Boasting inconsistent with Christian behaviour – Gal. 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

This tongue is also a fire -

Proverbs 26:20-21 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

• Fire
• Illustrations
• London Books – after the war
• California Fires – scorched earth
• Chicago Fire – Decimated city core

• Heat and damage, but also smoke and smell **Campfire

-          Cleveland

-          Canadian Tire

-          SBC Foyer

• Burn and hurt - GOSSIP James 3:7 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.

• Animals
• African Lion Safari
• Majestic, Powerful * Wild – tear you apart
• Snakes / Lions – loose on Sunday Morning?
• Tamed not by Man, but by surrender to God

Taming the Tongue require that we understand its Power to Delight

Power to Delight: 3:9-12

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.

• Praising God, inconsistent even hypocritical to attack those in his likeness
• CONTRAST

• Fountain
• Good water supply very valuable
• Bad water supply not very valuable
• Unreliable water supply – same as bad
• Kindness, Encouragement, Prayer, Forgiveness, Confession
• Tree
• Matt 7:16  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
• Thorns and grapes/figs
• Inconsistent not in nature

Conclusion:

Power to Direct – Bit / Rudder

Power to Destroy – Fire / Animal

Power to Delight – Fountain / Tree

Offering our tongue to God.