Tongues of Fire (Not the Good Kind)

Introduction

Good morning and welcome back!

This morning we are going to be continuing our study in the Book of James, turning our attention to chapter 3.

And the passage we are going to be looking at is James 3:1-12, dealing with a subject that James introduced to us last week.

That subject being our tongue—and more specifically, our lack of control over our tongue.

If you recall as we were finishing up chapter 1 and moving into chapter 2, James has already had a great deal to say about our attitude and our actions.

In chapter 1 he reminds us to . . .

James 1:19–20 NIV - Anglicised

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.

Really, admonishing us to think before we speak and act.

Then in chapter 2 he warns us . . .

James 2:1 NIV - Anglicised

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favouritism.

And . . .

James 2:12–13 NIV - Anglicised

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

All of this really trying to guide us in the right direction, with regards to our attitude toward Christ, our attitude toward the Church, and our attitude toward others.

Because James already knows that depending on what our attitude is and what we think about things, that is going to directly impact how we act and react to things.

For instance, if we have a poor attitude toward the homeless and the poor, then guess what, we are not going to treat the homeless and poor with love and kindness.

We are not going to find the importance of helping those in need.

We are not going to find the importance of loving ALL of our neighbors as ourselves, because we do not see all humanity as our neighbor and deserving of our love and compassion.

And this is a sad and unfortunate reality in the 21st century church that is so inwardly focused.

A church that is ignorant of the true needs of the community around it and refuses to open its eyes the the changing reality of the 21st century.

We are particularly oblivious to this fact in the United States because we, honestly, in the church are living in the past.

Many churches are living in a reality that is over 100 years old, doing whatever they can to get back to the “good old days,” which in reality were not that great and are over and done with anyway.

Other churches have moved from the 19th to the 20th century and think that they are “up to date” and “relevant” because they have taken out the pews, turned the lights down, and turned the worship of God into a concert or performance on the “big stage.”

Turned things into a vision of what popular culture in the 1990s looked like, that in reality is just a shallow shell of religion with no deep roots in anything.

Sure, that way worked for a while, but people quickly saw through the shallowness of it all and today in 2020, it is just as ineffective as the 100 years old model.

And then you have other churches, who’s master plan is programs, programs, programs.

They have a program for everything designed to entertain and cater to every single group of people they can think of.

And this too, did well for a while, but now, again shallow religion with no real depth.

And then you have probably the majority of churches—ours included that really can’t identify with any of these.

We move in and out of models reacting to the trends of the times.

Trying what we can to “survive.”

And that is the problem—The Church was never called to “survive.”

The Church is called to thrive.

And we only thrive through Jesus Christ.

We only thrive through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And here we are in 2020, and I can tell you the key is not programs, it is not productions and concerts, it is not 100 year old traditions.

The key is being real and authentic.

Real and authentic with God.

And real and authentic with one another as well.

Life is a struggle—remember we have already talked about trials and tribulations.

And everyone faces life.

And people today are just looking for truth and meaning in life.

Truth and meaning that is found in Jesus Christ.

And our job is to share that truth and meaning with them.

But they will never listen or respond to us, if everything we call “church” is just surface level and fake.

We need to be true and honest with God about who we are and what our struggles are.

And we also need to be true and honest with one another.

And part of truth and honestly is growing in Christ.

And a big part of growing involves what we are going to briefly look at this morning, regarding the tongue.

The smallest thing that causes the most trouble, not only for Christians, but for everyone.

The old “Foot in Mouth” syndrome.

And the reason it causes so much trouble is because it is one thing that really reveals who we are and what we really think.

It can lift up and it can also tear down.

And we have to decide whether we will control our tongue or whether it will control us.

So, this morning we are going to be looking at the first 12 verses of James 3, but to set the tone let’s look at James 3:3-8.

James writes this . ..

Scripture Focus

James 3:3–8 NIV - Anglicised

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 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. 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. 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. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Stay In Your Lane

And now at first glance it is a bit disheartening isn’t it?

James says that we cannot tame our tongues.

And really though that should not come as any surprise, because without the Holy Spirit, there are lots of things that we cannot control.

But put this in the back of your mind for just a minute and lets back up to verse 1. James writes . . .

James 3:1 NIV - Anglicised

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

Now, James is making a subtle but very important point here.

One that if we are not careful will leave us scratching our head wondering what it has to do with our taming of the tongue.

Well, what is going on is that during their times it was a very prestigious role if you were called “teacher” or in Jewish tradition, “Rabbi.”

People looked up to the teachers and respected them.

So, naturally everyone wanted to attain that title and position.

And with Christianity being so young, it was an easy title to throw onto yourself.

There was so little in the way of Christian text and even guidance on qualifications, if you seemed like you halfway knew what you were talking about.

If you had that charismatic personality that people were attracted to, then regardless of how much you actually knew, you could call yourself “teacher.”

And people would listen to you.

Well, James is coming along now telling them to “slow their roll” just a bit.

He is reminding them that if you put yourself out there as a teacher, then you are responsible for what you are teaching others about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

And guess what, if you do that kind of haphazardly without regard and guidance of the Holy Spirit, your going to make a mess out of it.

However, you will be held accountable by God for it.

Accountable for your own sin and also accountable for how you have taught and led others.

So, we need to be very, very careful about what our calling is.

If you want to be a teacher, that’s great, but make sure you are called to do it, and rely on the Holy Spirit to teach you how and what to teach others.

James goes on here to say in verse 2 . . .

James 3:2 NIV - Anglicised

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.

And now he is getting into the tongue aspect of things.

James is acknowledging that none of us are perfect and we all have faults and stumble.

But he he is also showing us some tale-tale signs of people operating outside of their calling in Christ.

The Fiery Tongue

What happens when we are operating outside of our calling in Christ is we get frustrated.

We have all of these big plans of how we think things should be going and what time-frames we think things should happen in.

And when those expectations we have set for ourselves are not met, we become frustrated and angry.

And when that happens what do we typically do?

We lash out.

That frustration and that anger bubbles to the surface and comes out of us.

And the unruly tongue is unleashed.

James goes on . . .

James 3:3–4 NIV - Anglicised

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

So, he is drawing practical examples here.

Large animals or ships can be controlled by the smallest things, like bits or rudders . . .

James 3:5–6 NIV - Anglicised

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. 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.

And there have never been truer words spoken than this.

Our tongue gets us in more trouble than anything else.

Because every sinful thought.

Every frustration.

Every bit of anger in us, comes out of us by and through our tongue.

It is one of the smallest parts of our whole body, but can absolutely destroy our witness for Christ.

And if our witness is destroyed, then guess what, the witness for the Church is destroyed.

Think about it—How many of us know others who claim to be Christians but they are the most hateful and rude people we have ever met?

Always putting others down or everything out of their mouth is negative.

Most likely it is because they are completely ruled by guess what, their tongue.

They lack self control.

They lack the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in their life.

James goes on to say . . .

James 3:7–8 NIV - Anglicised

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

We try to tell ourselves that we have everything under control but the reality is the tongue is controlling us.

And the only way to gain control is to allow the Holy Spirit to be in control, which causes problems.

Because we do not want to give up any control over anything.

Altar/Challenge

So James finishes this passage up . . .

James 3:9–12 NIV - Anglicised

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig-tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

So our challenge is this—who is in control with us?

Does the Holy Spirit guide our actions and our attitudes?

Does the Holy Spirit temper us and control our tongue?

Or is our tongue out of control—running a muck—doing what it does?

And I can tell you, unless the Holy Spirit is in control, it is the latter.

Because in ourselves we do not have the ability to control it.

And the reality is, if we want to be The Church, if we want to be the light and the witness to our community, one of the first things we have to do is get the tongue under control.

And I say “we” have to do it but really all we can do is give the Holy Spirit control over it.

Can we do that?

Are we willing to do that?

That is our challenge this morning and that is what you need to consider this morning as we pray . . .