"Taming the TOngue PArt 2"

Taming The Tongue – Part 2

Supporting Scripture – Psalm 39:1-5 (NLT)

James 3:1-12 (NLT)

Dear brothers and sisters,  not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.  2  Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3  We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.  4  And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.  5  In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.  6  And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7  People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,  8  but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.  9  Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.  10  And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!  11  Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?  12  Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. 

Quotes:

Moments of Silence ‘It is better to have people think you a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.’ 

Proverbs 17:28 (ESV) Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Words can comfort when we're feeling sad, inspire us to take action, acknowledge us for a job well done, humiliate us, make us laugh, stimulate our thoughts, educate us, a high compliment is, “He/she keeps their word.” But words have also created fights, divorces, murders, and wars. To “exchange words” has always expressed aggression and conflict. However, our words are so much more powerful than we realize because we talk all day. How are you using your words? Are you aware of what you say to others? Or do words just fall out of your mouth?

Last week we examined that our words reveal what our hearts contain.

This week we will continue to examine the subject of our speech by taming our tongue. The exhortations in James instructs us that we can tell the condition of our hearts by paying attention to what comes from our lips.

James 3:1

I think if we’re honest, at first glance, we have NO clue why James throws verses 1 and 2 here where he does. They seem…out of place…LOST! Yet when we consider the context of the 1st century church, we see how these first two verses become a natural springboard for a discussion on the tongue.

James in response says, “Hey, cool your jets! Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher.” For you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James is not intending to discourage true teachers, but to warn of the role’s seriousness and entering it for frivolous or selfish reasons – particularly in light of what he points out next.

James 3:2

The teacher puts himself in greater danger of judgment because the main tool of his ministry is also the part of the body most difficult to control.

 For we ALL stumble

 In many ways – there is one way in which we ALL sin – with our tongues. In fact…

 If anyone does not stumble in what he says he is a perfect man. Perfect = “teleios” meaning complete – spiritual maturity not sinless, perfection. There has only been one human master of the tongue and that is Jesus Christ! James’ warning of the tongue is not only to teachers, but for EVERYONE in the church! Illustration

Three preachers were on a fishing trip. They weren’t catching many fish, so one preacher said he thought it would be nice if they confessed their biggest sins to each other and then prayed for each other. They all agreed. The first preacher said that his biggest sin was that he liked to sit at the beach now and then and watch pretty women stroll by. The second preacher confessed that his biggest sin was going to the racetrack every so often and putting a small bet on a horse. Turning to the third preacher, they asked, “Brother, what is your biggest sin?” With a grin, he simply said, “Gossip.”

Truth be told the biggest sin in the lives of EVERYONE of us in this church this morning is this – stick out tongue. It is a widespread problem…in our lives, in our church, in our homes, in our workplaces, in our schools, in our communities, in our world. The first step to control the tongue is to recognize that fact and take an honest listen to the words we are unleashing daily. James Uses Four Comparisons to Describe the Tongue’s Incredible Destructive Power

James 3:3-4

#1 – The tongue is like a bridle for a horse or a rudder for a boat—a small thing that can turn a large body. Words can change the whole course of people’s lives. Place a guard on your lips.

James 3:5-6

#2 – James says, the tongue is like a fire, and how great a matter a little spark can kindle. One match or one spark can ignite thousands of acres of a beautiful forest into a blackened, barren area. And, so it is with one person with a burning tongue. James identifies the source of the burning tongue. He says, “The tongue is set on fire of Hell.”

 “a fire” James 3:6 In describing the tongue as “a fire,” James may have been thinking to similar Old Testament description. “A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.” (Proverbs 16:27, ESV)

 The second unflattering description of our tongues is that they are a “a world of wickedness” James 3:6. All kinds of evil come from our words.

 Our words “corrupt the whole body”

 They “Set on fire the course of life”

 They are “Set on fire by hell.” Theses three descriptions provide a THREE PART

PROGRESSION regarding our words. First, corrupt words stand in representation of our whole body (they stain the whole body). Second, corrupt bodies become corrupt lives (set on fire the course of life). Third, corrupt lives have their origin in hell (they are set on fire by hell itself). This third description informs us that Satan is ultimately responsible for the sinful words that we speak. Our evil words come from our sinful nature, which ultimately finds its source in Satan.

How many marriages or relationships between parents and children has the devil destroyed because of words heated by Hell itself. The devil has had a heyday destroying lives with malicious, violent, demeaning words that people have chosen to use against one another.

James 3:7-8

#3 – James goes on to say that the tongue is like an untamed creature, like a wild and ferocious beast, caged, yet pacing back and forth ready to break free. No one can tame the tongue. Every creature has been tamed, circus elephants, service animals, and killer whales. But the tongue (much smaller) cannot be tamed. Some people can walk into a room and leave people
crying, angry, and hurt. Others walk into a room bringing laughter, peace, and encouragement. The question, “What would Jesus say?” should be on the mind of everyone who has a tongue.

 James 3:9-12

#4 – Finally, James says the tongue is like a double fountain, which brings forth fresh water and bitter water. My brothers and sisters, this should not be! The fresh water is destroyed by the bitter. What would you think of my witness for Christ if I stood in church today sharing this message and then I walked into the parking lot using profanity. The validity of my faith would immediately be called into question. And, what I said here would be cancelled by the evil that came out of my mouth.

 Praise the Lord our Father, then cursing those made in His image

 Cursing vs. cussing

Closing Illustration

One the most prominent sins of church members lies in the use of the tongue. The longer people know each other in one church, they may find it easier to judge, criticize, and condemn one another. Many people resemble the snail. The snail is a very interesting creature, it may have taken a week to reach Noah’s Ark, but it ate well on the way. Naturalists tell us that the snail has teeth on its tongue. One scientist examining a snail’s tongue under a microscope counted 30,000 teeth on the organ. The snail keeps its tongue rolled up like a ribbon until it is needed and then it thrusts out this sharp appendage and saws through the toughest leaves and stems with comparative ease. Though our teeth form an ivory gate that protects our tongues, you would think that, like the snail, some people’s teeth are embedded in their tongues ready to slice, criticize, and vilify other people. James says that the tongue is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. David said in Psalm 39:1 (ESV), “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue. I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle.”

How many of you could make good use of a muzzle? As one Greek sage said, “I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.” If you find yourself slicing up someone’s character with the teeth in your tongue, STOP!THINK! Engage your God-given brain. Are you accurate or exaggerating? Are you making someone else look bad in the eyes of someone else? Is what you are saying necessary, or is it just pain malicious gossip to someone who is not part of the problem or part of the solution? Then, think about the fact that Jesus will call you to account for every idle word you speak. What if you stood before Christ today in judgment? Would you feel ashamed of the words that came from your mouth this week? Jesus said that believers are justified or condemned by their words.

A transformed heart should show transformed speech. Our words give evidence that we are genuine believers. Colossians 4:6 (ESV) says, “Let your speech always be always gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Salt adds flavor to any conversation. How? By turning the topic into words that are more palatable. You may change the subject, or you may build up a person’s good qualities as others seem to be bent on tearing people apart. Be the
salt of the conversation. Have the words of grace, and in the world’s eyes, your belief in Christ will be believable. When you take pleasure in hurtful words, you will be condemned as no better than an unbeliever. Pick your pleasure. Just know the world and God is listening!