Pierced Tongue Series

Pierced Tongue

Bible text: James 3:1-12

“Extreme Makeover: What Really Looks Good to God” Message Series

1. The need to PIERCE the tongue!

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, THIS SHOULD NOT BE 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. Jas 3:9-12

a. It is a weapon of weapon of MASS DESTRUCTION!

“…no man can tame the tongue. It is a RESTLESS EVIL, full of deadly poison.” Jas.3:8

It is never God’s will for Christians to be involved in dirty talk, it looks really bad, and God is grieved whenever thoughtless, unloving words fly out of our mouths. The Bible goes on to say that the mouth or tongue or our language is a very dangerous weapon, a weapon of mass destruction like a small spark that can set a whole forest on fire, or like a little rudder that can steer a huge ship or like a bit on a horse’s mouth that turn a whole big animal this way or that. When the Bible uses these many illustrations to prove a point, we better sit up and take notice.

b. Consider the damage

“Words KILL, words give life;

they’re either poison or fruit--you choose.” Pro.18:21 (MSG)

Many live damaged lives.

See our sitcoms on TV – major on putdowns to bring out the laughter.

See our heroes in politics, in culture major on cutting others down.

See how terrorist incite others to hatred in their messages.

See how our culture now cannot stop swearing.

The damage is severe and invades and pollutes and kills lives!

One website catalogued the embarrassing results of bad language and the poison and evil it can spawn (source: www.cusscontrol.com)

Swearing Imposes a Personal Penalty (In other words, it’s just not cool!)

It gives a bad impression

It makes you unpleasant to be with

It endangers your relationships

It’s a tool for whiners and complainers

It reduces respect people have for you

It shows you don’t have control

It’s a sign of a bad attitude

It discloses a lack of character

It’s immature

It reflects ignorance

It sets a bad example

Swearing is Bad for Society (In other words, it shows how uncivilized we are)

It contributes to the decline of civility

It represents the dumbing down of America

It offends more people than you think

It makes others uncomfortable

It is disrespectful of others

It turns discussions into arguments

It can be a sign of hostility

It can lead to violence

Swearing corrupts the English language (In other words, it shows how unintelligent we are, it is never a smart thing to do)

It’s abrasive, lazy language

It doesn’t communicate clearly

It neglects more meaningful words

It lacks imagination

It has lost its effectiveness

What do you think now, want to change the way you speak to look really good to God and to others? Even the great talk show host Oprah Winfrey admits this - "I swear, and it’s the one thing that I really don’t like about myself. In a recent survey, 89 percent of the people said swearing is an issue with them... I agree that swearing is terrible, and I’m going to quit."

-- Oprah Winfrey, the Oprah Winfrey Show

89% say swearing is an issue, wow! I really believe 89% is a conservative figure. The truth is, according to God’s word, all of are guilty of using the wrong words. WE ALL STUMBLE! In so many ways!

2. All are GUILTY of using the wrong words.

1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We 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. Jas 3:1-2

Each one of us here have regretted words we have used.

Some of us diguise it with passive agrresion - using words design to hurt or putdown but yet sounds "unoffensive".

Many want to take back what was said.

How then can we change things?

3. How to get our tongues to look great

a. CLEANSING MAKEOVER by Jesus (Romans 3:22-25, NLT)

22We are made right in God’s sight when we TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST to take away our sins…23For all have sinned, ALL FALL SHORT of God’s glorious standard. 24Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. 25For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. WE ARE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD WHEN WE BELIEVE that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.