Rare Breed: Control
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
Rare Breed-
What makes a dog breed rare?
That there are not many?
That the breed is different than other breeds?
If there are not many around it is usually because they have undesirable traits, like they aren’t good with children.
Most consider a breed rare because they are different than other species.
-Peruvian- no hair.
-Puli- Hungarian herding dog with very long curly locks.
-Bedlington Terrier- looks more like a lamb than a dog.
Christians are a rare breed. We must be different than unbelievers.
Read James 3:1-12
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.
10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?
12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
ILL- Nuclear Weapon- 140 lbs of enriched uranium ended WWII because it created a 15 kilotons chemical explosion.
The tongue is more impressive- All wars start with the tongue. Hitler was dangerous because of his tongue.
Tongue= communication- Age of Communication- Social Media
3 Areas the Tongue Controls
Direction (1-4)
Direction (1-4)
James 3:1-4
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
It determines the direction of your life.
Tongue failure= total failure.
It controls the direction of others.
Teaching (1)
Higher standard for teachers- their failure hurts more people.
It controls the direction of you.
Maturity (2)
Causes imperfection. Slows sanctification.
Control (3-4)
ILL- Cricket taking off.
If you cannot control your tongue you will never accomplish what you want to accomplish.
The direction of your life is steered by your tongue.
Consequences (5-8)
Consequences (5-8)
James 3:5-8
5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
ILL- California- worst fires ever/ El Dorado Fire in California
On Sept 5, an expectant couple met family at El Dorado Ranch Park in California to reveal the gender of their baby.
They used a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device that ignited a wildfire that burned over 20,000 acres.
Control is concentrated at a single, highly significant point
Bit- power under control
Rudder- power under control
Fire- power under control
Body owes all success and failure to the effectiveness of speech.
Speech= communication.
Social Media has destroyed many lives.
ILL- Justine Sacco
Only 170 twitter followers
On way to Africa posted what she meant as a joke.
“Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!”
She went viral during her 11 hour flight.
Her life was in shambles by the time she got off the flight.
Death threats/ fired from her job
told she disgraced family.
This is an example of not only her need to control her tongue but millions of Americans who destroyed a ladies life over a joke that was in poor taste.
You have the power to destroy or build.
James 3:13
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
You cannot control your tongue/ social media posts you will live with difficult consequences.
Fruit (9-12)
Fruit (9-12)
James 3:9-12
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.
10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?
12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
ILL- reason passenger jets made such a great bomb on 9/11.
It was full of fuel.
“full of deadly poison”= the fuel of the tongue is your heart.
2 Natures- godly and sinful
Tongue reveals what is in your heart.
Faith is proven by fruit.
Matthew 7:15-20
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Your tongue proves the fruit of your life.
CONCLUSION
We are called to be different from the world.
How we communicate must be different.
Do you have control of your tongue?