Can Grapevines Bear Figs~
Can Grapevines Bear Figs?
Introduction:
1. The first time that I spoke here it was on James 2.
2. Does anybody remember what it was about?
- Three kinds of faith:
+Dead, Demonic and Dynamic
3. I thought that I would just pick up right where I left off in James.
4. So we will be in James Chapter 3 this morning.
5. The first 3 chapters of James deals with how a Mature Christian can be recognized.
a. Chap. 1 “You can recognize them by their attitude toward suffering.”
i. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1.2-3
b. Chap. 2 “You can recognize them by their obedience (Works) for God.”
i. “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is NOT accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2.17
c. Chap. 3 “You can recognize them by their Speech.”
i. “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”James 3.9-10
6. This message will just be a continuation of the previous.
7. So if you would like to turn with me in your Bibles to James 3.1-12
8. And follow along as I read.
9. READ JAMES 3.1-12
Body:
I. The Exhortation (3.1–2)
Exhort: “To give warnings or advice: make urgent appeals”
a. James starts off in Verse 1 with “Not many of you should presume to be teachers,”
i. Apparently there were problems in the church with people wanting to be teachers and leaders.
ii. And these people were not ready to become the leaders that they wanted to be.
iii. It is a noble desire
1. But for those who are not ready for the task it is sad.
iv. WHY? Look at the second half of verse 1…
1. “Because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
2. Being a teacher or leader God holds us more responsible for what we say, do, and teach.
3. We have the responsibility to train others and instruct them in the ways of the Lord.
4. Therefore when we stand before God we will be judged more strictly.
b. James is quick to say that we all stumble in many ways, especially in what we say. In fact he goes on to say, “Anyone who is never at fault in what he says, is a perfect (mature) man, able to keep his whole body in check.” (Vs. 2)
i. James 1.26 says, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”
ii. Just in the book of Proverbs the word “Tongue” is mentioned 23 times.
1. More than half of the times mentioned in proverbs it is warning about a deceitful tongue… a tongue that is getting you into trouble.
2. Peter is a great illustration of this truth.
a. In the Gospels, while an immature disciple,
i. He often lost control of his tongue
ii. Had to be either reproved or taught by the Lord.
b. But after Pentecost, his spiritual discipline was evident by his controlled speech.
i. The day of Pentecost, over 5000 were added to the cause of Christ.
ii. Throughout the rest of his ministry many more were added.
c. James starts off with this because he is going to talk about keeping a tight reign on your tongue.
i. And this is especially for those who teach…
1. Why? Because we get paid to talk.
2. When one is talking all the time he is more likely to say something wrong and offend someone, and get himself into trouble
3. Like a wise man once said, “It is better to keep your mouth shut and let them think you are dumb, than to open your mouth and prove it.”
ii. So why, if you are not called to be a teacher would you set yourself up for a fall?
1. And a much higher responsibility?
d. So this is just where James is coming from when he gets into the text here on taming your tongue.
e. This is a good message for everybody but especially for those who talk all the time.
f. With that lets move into the illustrations, which James give us here…
II. The Illustrations (3.3–9)
James used three paired illustrations to portray the power of the tongue.
a. Power to direct — the bit and rudder (vv. 3–4).
i. The bit and rudder are used to direct or steer.
1. The bit is just a small piece of metal that you place in a horse’s mouth so that the rider can turn him either way.
2. The rudder is also very small but it directs a very large ship wherever the Captain wants to go.
3. The tongue is the same picture.
a. Think about your tongue in relation to size with the rest of your body.
b. Does it compare to the bit and the rudder?
c. Very small.
4. The tongue even though very small has the power to direct you in one direction or another.
5. We often think that our words are unimportant,
a. But the wrong word can direct the listener into the wrong paths.
b. An idle word, a questionable story, a half-truth, or a deliberate lie could change the course of a life and lead it to destruction.
c. On the other hand, the right word, used by the Spirit, could direct a soul from destruction and into Salvation.
d. Just as the horse needs a guide, and the rudder needs a pilot, so our tongues need the Lord to control them.
6. In a sense do you want to be the captain of your tongue or would it be much better to let God direct your tongue?
a. The times when we take the reigns or the steering wheel from the Lord those are the times when we drive off the path and end up in the ditch.
b. “Are you letting God be your steering wheel, or is he just your spare tire?” (PAUSE!!!)
i. Do you get it?
ii. When driving your car What do you depend on the most?
1. Steering wheel or
2. Spare tire
iii. So are you depending on God more than you are trusting in yourself?
b. Power to destroy — the fire and animal (vv. 5–8).
i. The size of a thing does not determine its value or power.
ii. The tongue is a little member in the body, but it can cause great destruction.
iii. How the tongue loves to boast! (Of course, what the tongue says comes from the heart: Matt. 12:34–35.) “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
iv. Verse 5; “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.”
1. Just think about the great forest fires that were destroying thousands of acres just here a month ago!
2. It seems like every year, thousands of acres of forest are burned to the ground and lost.
3. All because of a careless camper or smoker.
4. Just a little spark can set a whole forest on fire.
5. The tongue is a fire.
a. It can, through lies, gossip and heated words, set a whole family or church on fire.
b. Prov. 16.27 “A Scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.”
i. Obviously this is not a good person, someone like a rascal.
c. The “soot” from the fire can defile everybody involved. Whether guilty or innocent.
i. The soot being the rumors…
ii. The bad effects that come from the Scoundrel.
iii. Even if you are innocent that soot will still affect your life and what others see or think about you.
iv. Just like in a forest fire, the soot can damage things too.
1. Even if the flame doesn’t touch it it is still ruined by the soot that is left behind.
d. It is also possible for the tongue to be “set on fire from hell” (v. 6).
e. Satan can be using (influencing) your tongue for his own good.
i. Be very careful to let God be in control of your tongue.
v. The tongue is a wild animal that no one can tame.
1. Verse 7 “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.”
a. Man has tamed almost any animal that you can think of.
b. But the taming of the tongue is not as easy.
c. It takes a great deal of time and effort to tame it.
d. Even if and when you think that you have succeeded
i. You will find that you will still have slips and kick yourself and wonder why it happened.
e. That is why it says in verse 7 that “no man can tame the tongue.”
f. The Bible says no MAN can tame the Tongue but it also says in Phil. 4.13 “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength”
g. We can’t do it on our own but with God’s help we can tame our tongues.
h. Rely on him to keep your tongue in check, keep your hands off the steering wheel and let HIS arms wrap around you and guide you through life.
i. If you do that I can promise you that life will be much more bearable!!!
vi. The third and final pair “The Fountain and the Tree” Will be used as our application this morning.
III. The Application (3. 9–12) “Conclusion”
— Power to delight — the fountain and tree (vv. 9–12).
i. Verse 9 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.”
ii. Verse 10 “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My Brothers, this should not be.”
iii. It is impossible for a fountain to produce both fresh and salt water.
iv. It is impossible for a fig tree to bear olives
v. Can a grapevine bear figs? NO absolutely not!!!
vi. So why as Christian can we bear both blessing and cursing?
vii. THIS SHOULD NOT BE!!!
1. Christians should not be producing both blessing and cursing out of the same mouth.
2. We should Not allow Satan to rule our tongues and ruin our lives and witness in this lost and dying world.
3. There is something wrong with the heart when the tongue is inconsistent.
a. Just like these examples of water and fruit are always consistent!!!
b. We also should be consistent, never wavering, always saying what is pleasing and edifying to the Lord.
viii. After considering these six examples, believers must realize that they cannot permit Satan to use their tongues.
ix. The wrong word at the wrong time could break a heart or lead a person astray. We need to make Ps. 141:1–4 our constant prayer.
x. Ps. 141:1–4 “O Lord, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.”
1. David is asking God to take control of his tongue
2. Each of us needs to do the same thing and ask God to guard our mouths and lips.
xi. The tongue can and should be used for so many good things in this world today.
1. Praising God
2. Giving encouragement
3. Building others up
4. Witnessing
5. And the list can go on and on.
Let God Be In Control Of Your Tongue.
Is He The Steering Wheel Or The Spare Tire?