Reboot Our Dictionaries - Reboot Week 2

Lead Off Question

Have any of you ever said something and then immediately had that feeling, Oh crap, I shouldn’t have said that?

Illustration

My brother and I are like best friends now, and thank goodness we are both so forgiving otherwise we would hate each other for the things we said to one another when we were kids. I remember, when we were kids and we were arguing one day, I will never forget that Aaron told me he hated me. I know right? What a terrible brother. But in that moment I remember responding with, well I wish you had never been born and that I had never been a part of this family. WHAT TERRIBLE THOUGHTS RIGHT? I remember saying this and just feeling my face turn red. Immediately swarmed by regret, guilt, shame. I know I don’t really feel that way but how else was I supposed to respond.

Transition

You guys a message like tonight is one that comes at a very timely moment in today’s political atmosphere. How are we supposed to respond to those who hate us? How do we respond to the disdain the world has for Christianity? How does our response reflect on us, on our relationship with God, and our relationships with others? How do we respond?

Bottom Line

Watch the words we use.

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Context

Tonight as we continue working through James, I want to highlight why a message like this was so timely to his audience. As we have discussed in previous weeks, James, the half brother of Jesus is writing this to the twelve tribes who are scattered through the Middle East. As previously mentioned, each of these tribes has separated from the other because each one thinks that they are in the proper place for their people by governing and moral courses. And here James is writing to them about how they speak to one another, both within the tribe as well as to one another. How do people who do not agree interact with each other. Tonight as we look into James 3 we will see the course for communicating through disagreement.

Bible Verse

James 3:2–12 NIV

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 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 body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

James 3:2 NIV

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

* The words we use shed light as to what is really happening in our hearts.

Breakdown

You guys the words that we are using are really peeling back the lays to what is happening in our lives. The words we use distinctively show what news outlets we seek, what moral outputs we approve, and what social outlets we allow to influence us. Our lives our not only influence by others words but our thoughts are also. That’s why it is so critical that we are aware of the words we are using when we talk to and when we talk about others. The words we utter shed light as to what is really going on behind the scenes. The words both day to day and the words we use in moment of crisis. What is your response, where is your heart.

Bottom Line

Watch the words we use.

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Bible Verse

James 3:3–6 NIV

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 body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Matthew 15:18 NIV

But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.

* Our words define our direction.

Breakdown

Our words are dictating our turns and our next moves. They speak volumes about who we think we are or where we think we should be. The challenge here is determining if those destinations are the same that God has in mind for you. If you recall the example I gave two weeks ago, when I said your direction determines your destinations, and look at what this point relays. Then in reality, according to deductive reasoning, your words define, your direction which defines your destination. So, in totality, your words determine your destination. Scripture actually iterates this in other places in the Bible as well.

The things that our heart believes and agrees with will eventually surface. The question is whether or not the things deep down in our lives are glorifying to God or not. What are you hiding away that will eventually come to light?

Bottom Line

Watch the words we use.

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Bible Verse

James 3:7–8 NIV

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

* Our words, when used improperly, are a deadly poison.

Breakdown

I find it very interesting what James says here. You see, there are things of this world that mankind has tamed, ANIMALS. Things that are nothing like us. Yet, even while we can tame them we are still unable too tame a muscle that exists in our very own body. Does that amaze anyone else? Does it make anyone else feel dumb, shameful, ignorant? But James is not done there, he continues, and he says, “Our tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” Did you know that the normal person will never once in their life experience and form of tongue fatigue unless it is onset by some other physical ailment. The reason this is is because the tongue is made of a bunch of muscles that do the EXACT SAME THING. So basically one sentence muscle a does the job, sentence two muscle b does the job and so on and on and on. The muscles are constantly getting a break. THIS IS WHY IT IS RESTLESS AND NEVER EXHAUSTS! It always has something to say and not only that but it thinks that each new thought is more important than the last and that it must be spoken.

Yet still, it is the four last words of that sentence that leave an impact. The tongue, while steering, while being untamed, while be restless, it is full of deadly poison. Look at the specificity of the words chosen there. DEADLY POISON. James did not want us to be deceived, our words are not mild inflictions to the skin but rather a deadly poison, they infect the inner most working. And here is the astounding part, they not only infect those who are hit by them, but they are also inflicting deep wounds in our own lives that to this point we did not even know existed.

Bottom Line

Watch the words we use.

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Bible Verse

James 3:9–12 NIV

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

* What taste do your words leave behind?

Breakdown

And so, neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. And so neither can a deteriorating heart produce words that worship our King. Neither can a deteriorating heart produce a speech that is genuinely uplifting. Our words are infectious. They either infect culture, politics, social standards and moral agendas in a way that honors God, or in a way that inflicts deadly poison.

Bottom Line

Watch the words we use.