Open: OK, So the first question I want to ask today is how many parents want to know where you can buy the zipper that's pictured on the screen? The next time you say, "You better zip your lip young man or I'll zip if for you," it would have a whole new meaning, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it be great if we could actually do something as simple as zipping our lip to stop the negative kinds of things that come out of kids mouths? But let me ask another question: How many people here would like the phone number of the company that makes these so they can order one for themselves? How many spouses would like the number?
Obviously today we are going to be looking at what James has to say to us about the use of our tongue. We've seen throughout this book that James is a pastor that focuses on the tangible side of faith. - If you just talk about your religion but spend all your time in the lazy boy -- that's meaningless. Do something with God has done in your life other than just talking about it. Faith that is all talk but isn't backed up with deeds is a dead faith and is utterly useless. Today James wants to talk about the tangible side of how we talk.
Let's talk about the power you have when you talk. One of the primary lessons
this passage has to teach of us to
never underestimate the power of the words that come out of our mouths.
James is trying to get his people to understand how powerful their words actually are. One of the issues I think we all struggle with is that we often fail to realize how powerful our words actually are -- both for good and for harm. You know before we leave here today, you could just a few words that could just devastate me. It wouldn't take much. A few harsh, critical well spoken words and I would walk away from here today totally devastated. I could do the same things to any of you. One of the realities that happens when we live in community with one another is that we get to know one another's tender areas. Likewise you could say a few words that could just make my day. -- You have that type of power. So do I.
- I have a theory that there has been a moment in each of our lives when we discovered the power of our words. Either in a negative or a positive way. Most likely it was early in life. Either you said something that destroyed someone or perhaps it was something that was said to you and it just wiped you out emotionally. (ill- how many adults here still remember something someone said to you during your grade school years that hurt your feelings) Or you discovered that in a very positive way --you said an encouragement to someone and it really impacted their life. Maybe you had a teacher that come up to you when you were down and they said something positive about you and it stuck with you all these years. You can still hear the tone of their voice in your mind saying that positive thing that filled your heart. You have had things that have been said to you that you know were wrong -- you know there wasn't one bit of truth to what that person said and yet you walk away from that and inside you are still ruined. You lay in bed and you think about it over and over "Why did they say that?" We don't realize how much power is available to us.
Over and over again in the Bible there are warnings about the dangers of an unrestrained tongue.
He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3)
A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. (Prov. 17:27)
Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him. (Proverbs 29:20)
In fact it's absolutely incredible the number of verses in Prov. that address the issue of controlling what we say. In all of creation, nothing comes close to the power of words. Speech has the power to build, encourage, redirect, empower, to change. When people want to express love, the words have to be spoken -- and once they are lives are often redirected. Words have a phenomenal potential to build and they have the same potential to destroy. Poorly chosen words can kill enthusiasm, impact self-esteem, lower expectations and deflate hope and utterly destroy relationships.
In fact I don't think it's over stating the case to say that nothing impacts your life more than then the words coming out of your mouth. Words are powerful, important, and significant. And it's always been that way. Few things have as much significance as our speech. They impact you and they impact others. You've got to realize that every time you open your mouth you are causing movement. They can bring peace and joy -- they can lead someone into truth and change -- they can wound and scar and push others away.
But every time you open your mouth it is influencing a person's life.
God is very concerned about the words that come out of our mouths. James has already pointed that out to us in the first chapter.
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. (James 1:26)
Worthless? That's a pretty strong word! Seems too strong -- just because I can't control the words that come out of my mouth -- it wipes away the total collective value of my faith? That's what it says, isn't it? That's pretty serious. When this verse says "keep a tight rein" what's it mean. Picture a person on a horse pulling back on the reins -- what's it show? . Control & management. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. (Luke 6:43) Professing religion and having a tongue out of control is a great deception. If Jesus is in the inside -- and he actually is in control then that's going to show on the outside. External words show what's actually going on internally.
Religious = threskos. Only used here. Has to do with external religious appearance. Different than the more common eusebeia = godliness from the heart
I want to take a few moments and show you how important this is to God. I'd like you to turn to Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. This is a passage of Scripture that teaches on how we should respond when we come into worship and how we are to approach God with out mouths.
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. Notice Solomon says be careful when you come to the house of the Lord -- Come with the motivation to what? Listen. Not to see if the Bible agrees with your perspective -- not to grade the message -- or the music -- or even the preacher -- or what other people are wearing - We come to listen. Guard your mind to listen. Then he says, "Don't be quick with your mouth to say anything." - Why? God is in heaven and you are on earth -so your words should be few. - here we are on earth and up in heaven is God who is Almighty - already knows everything, has all power -- is everywhere -- So he says before you start saying things in His presence -- you ought to stop and think about that -- think about how to approach him -- why do you think that you -- this little being on earth -- must be so quick to either agree or disagree with God? Stop and think about whom it is you are approaching. Don't be quick to argue with what the Word of God says to you. When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God. (Ecc. 5:4-7)
What's he saying here? God pays very close attention to the things that you say. And from time to time he gets very angry at the things you say. Why should God be angry at you?
(notice God responds to the things that people are saying.)
Because you don't say in God's presence, that you are going to do something and not do it. Why would you want to make God angry at you by making a vow and then not keep it? God is saying -- "Don't you dare say -- "for better or for worse and then call it off" Don't you dare say "Till death do us part" and then call it off. Don't stand before God and make a vow and give an oath and then pretend as if it didn't happen. Don't go running to the temple messenger (pastor) and say "Oh it was a mistake"
- I relate this to what happens on an average Sunday -- We come in and say, "I will give you all my worship -- I will give you all my praise" and some sing it half-heartedly if at all." Is that all you got? We rush in and we say things and we don't think about whom it is that we are singing to.
Verse 7 -- Stand in awe of God -- that's the way we worship -- not a lot of words -- but just be in awe. Isaiah 6 -- the angelic beings cover their eyes and never stop saying Holy Holy Holy is the Lord - never stop -- they can't stop saying it because not matter how matter times it is said it hasn't come close to reflecting fullness of what His holiness actually is. They dwell in the presence of the Almighty and they have to cover their faces because they cannot look at the blazing glory of His presence. "God, You are so set apart -- you're so far beyond - you're so absolutely unique and perfect in every way -- nothing compares." - Ill. of people who would come each week to air their complaints -- the leaders got into this habit of listening to them and then calling me over to have a little meeting before worship to let me know of all the little problems the people were grumbling about. It would wreck me every week -- because then I had to get up and lead worship and preach God's word -- Not only was I ruined for worship -- the leaders who were propagating the dysfunctional behavior were ruined because I knew they certainly weren't actually hearing the word of God -- and the people who were grumbling over their pet issues weren't hearing anything --because they were just sitting there mulling over and over their little complaint. No one standing in awe. And all the time there was this pretense of worship --everyone pretending to worship -- no one doing --because somebody didn't recognize the power of negative speech patterns. The power of the tongue is amazing. One person can say something & ruin it for everyone else.
Teachers Are Held Accountable For The Things They Say.
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We 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. (James 3:1-2)
The word teachers = didaskaloi, It's not the word "leaders." It's "teachers." (someone who teaches -- counsels, instructs, guides, informs) It can be used to designate an official recognized teacher -- someone set apart specifically to the function of teaching. But can also means teaching in other capacities as well -- Bible studies -- children's classes, ect. It's not necessarily isolated to one level of teaching -- whether it's official or unofficial- there is a tremendous potential to influence others. He is saying take great pains to ascertain the seriousness of the role of teaching before you start shooting off your mouth. Scriptures are filled with warnings about false teachers. But James has in mind not only false teachers, but immature, unqualified, unprepared and wrongly instructed teachers. Being a teacher of God's Word is a very dangerous occupation for anyone because of the power of the tongue to speak error...or to speak misjudgment...or to speak inappropriately...or to misrepresent Christ, or the Holy Spirit.
When James talks about stumbling in the second part of this verse -- it's in the context of people wanting to rush in and influence others by talking to them - What he is saying is, "Don't hurry to be spending your life using your mouth if you realize how potentially disastrous that is. Because you are a sinner, you'll take it quite reluctantly rather than hurriedly." He says "If anyone doesn't stumble, he is a perfect man." The only people who don't sin with their mouth are perfect people. So don't be quick to rush into teaching -- because you are a sinner and in your sinful state of mind --you are going to mislead people -- and you will be held accountable for it. Why do teachers have a stricter judgment? -- because their words are powerful. Because their words cause movement -- And God will hold me and every teacher accountable for the movement that our speech produces.
Now Catch This: None Of Us Should Be Quick To Give People Counsel That Is Not Tied Directly To Clearly Understood Biblical Principle.
-- - Make sure you get this --Every time you open your mouth to give your opinion to someone -- you are teaching. You're influencing them -- and you better be sure that you're right. You better be sure that you're giving biblical advice. So many times I hear people giving advice that I absolutely positively know is absolutely contrary to biblically revealed truth. I just cringe -- somebody says I feel like a haven't forgiven this person and I need to" Someone else says, "really? I could understand why you shouldn't forgive them." I feel like I need to try to reconcile with this person instead of getting a divorce. "Oh I wouldn't -- I would take out the trash and forget about it." "I think God is calling me to give and step out in faith? "No I think I would pull back and be very careful." Really -- you think that advice is grounded in a biblical counsel? You better be sure -- because your opinion can lead somebody directly away from - outside the will of God --so you better be careful before you give it.
You and I have the ability to have our tongue set on fire by hell that would actually pull people away God. It's a dangerous thing -- do you know how powerful your words are? Shouldn't we know that by now? Not many of us should be giving advice -- because we are going to be judge pretty strictly by the advice we give.
You're never going to stop people from talking. - Yet sometimes when I hear the counsel that one person gives to another I just cringe -- because I think to myself, "That's not biblical" That's their opinion -- "Well what I think is..." that's their personal take on an issue -- but that's not what God's word says. And they're giving another person advice that is going to impact and shape their thinking and their response to a problem and all they are really doing is multiplying the depth of the other person's struggle. Because now not only does the person have their own misconceived ideas to struggle with -- now they've got this added baggage they also have to sort through that's complicated their issue even further.
-Here's what I wish -- I wish I was immune from this but I'm not. Don't think the leader is immune from any of this. I hear people come up to me and say this and that and this and that -- and then I begin to filter that through my own grid of emotions and thinking and experiences and understandings -- and then I begin to respond to the stuff that is coming my way -- and I want to be right in my response. -- More than anything I want to be right -- but to think that the person living in this package of flesh is always going to maneuver through the icebergs that come my way and never hit one is naive.
Let me give you a little insight from this side of the pulpit (kind of a word from the sponsor thing) I love what I do -- but I also hate what I do. Because I know that I am going to be judged more strictly. Do you think I like that? (This is one of those verses I would love to edit out of my Bible.) How would you like to know that God is going to judge you more strictly than everyone else? Would you say, "Oh that's pretty cool"? You have no idea how many times I fret over what I have to say. "But Lord if I say these things -- I'm going to get people upset at me -- this is going to make my life more difficult." Preach my Word. -- If I steer you away from what God says is the standard - from what is true -- if I get influenced by people's opinions and culture and the traditions of man -- If I start saying what I think people want me to say -- then I have to answer for it. If my real concern is making man happy instead of fulfilling my calling to preach the objective truth of God -- then there is going to come a day when I will be held accountable for that. To be honest it scares the hell out of me. I have an accountability to God for the things I say when I open this book. You think this isn't scary? That doesn't mean I don't love what I do -- there is nothing that pushes my buttons like being to open up this book and lead people into an understanding of truth. But there is this other side that remains haunting. You just can't be too quick to teach.
Recognize The Power Of Your Words (James 3:3-4)
"When we put bits into the mouth 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 driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever they go." What's his point here? He's saying, "Do you understand the power that the tongue has?" He says in verse 3 consider a bit in a horses mouth. You've got this huge stallion, 2-3000 pounds and you've got a 95 pound jockey on his back. But that jockey can control that tremendous horse by simply placing a little piece of metal strategically over his tongue. Ill.- My wife has a horse and it's always a battle to get him to take the bit. Know what he does? He clenches his teeth so that she can't get the bit into his mouth. He shakes his head in defiance so she isn't able to reach him. Know why? He doesn't want to give up control. He's a stubborn animal who wants to do what he wants to do. By the way, do you want to know how she gets him to take the bit? She puts a little treat in her hand so that as he opens up his mouth to take the little bit of sugar, she slips the bit into his mouth. (many people want the truth sugar-coated before they accept it.)
-- Then he says consider a ship -- he says, think about a great big ship -- like an ocean liner. The queen Mary has 3 acres of recreation space. The anchor is equal to the weight of 10 cars. And yet a relatively small rudder directs the direction of that huge ocean liver. In the midst of the waves and wind and seas a little-bitty rudder keeps it on course.
He says our tongue is like that. Our tongue is like a rudder that steers -- it's like a bit that directs. My tongue directs wherever I want to go. He's saying your tongue is the steering wheel of your life. It's your guidance system. If you don't like the way you are headed right now -- change the way that you talk to other people.
Recognize the Destructive Power of Your Tongue
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 person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. (James 3: 5-6)
James says, imagine a beautiful green forest, ferns and tall trees -- the then imagine it all up in smoke in a matter of minutes, charred -- completely destroyed -- all started by one little careless spark. James is saying that our words are like a fire that can burn people. Folks, our words hurt people. You can't just say things about other people and not expect others to react or that there will not be any damage done by what you say. The fact is that fire and words under control provide tremendous warmth and light. But fire and words out of control can be devastating and leaves scars on people for years to come. Burned houses can be rebuilt -- but at a sig. expense. Forests can be replanted and re-seeded. But it takes years and years to bring them back to the point where they can be enjoyed again. And in the same way it can take years and years to repair the damage in people's lives put there by the spark of an uncontrolled tongue.
Now the really interesting thing that James says is right at the end of verse 6, "is itself set on fire by hell." - So why do you think he says that? Satan absolutely loves it when you choose to be free with your tongue. That's his moment of opportunity. If you choose not to give control of your tongue to Jesus, then Satan steps in and says, "Fine, I'll control it. I'll use that tongue" How many times have you heard the words of the accuser spewing lava your way? Let me show you a classic illustration of this in Scripture:
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." (Matt. 16:21-23)
Classic illustration of Peter after Jesus tells them the plan of the cross -- he says "No Lord, not you, never! -- What's Jesus say? "Get behind me Satan." When Peter opened his mouth and gave his opinion about how things should progress -- Jesus made it very clear that he was being used by Satan. Jesus says, "Just get behind me -- I can't listen to you." Jesus calls Peter Satan -- He says your mind is not on the interest of God but on man. You're not thinking about what God wants -- you're thinking about what man wants -- so get behind me satan. That's a strong statement -- At that moment who was in control of his tongue? Hell. The motivation behind what Peter was saying was demonic. Now Peter probably was stunned. He probably thought his motivation was what? Compassion -- love -- concern for Jesus, right? But his compassion and concern was misguided. The issue isn't whether or not he was expressing concern for Jesus -- The issue is that his counsel stood in opposition to God's revealed purpose. Peter could have rationalized with Jesus, "But Jesus I was just saying that because I love you. Don't you understand?" How many times have we done that? Under the guise of concern and love and exercising discernment, spew demonically inspired ideas towards others? How many of you know that Satan loves to play around in the area of our emotions? He loves to take those emotions and twist and turn them around so that it seems totally reasonable to ignore God's will. Be very careful when you're using emotion to rationalize a behavior. Sometimes we don't think through or pray through what we say in conversation. Sometimes I hear people say, "Well I was just speaking my mind?" Really -- Are you sure? Are you sure it's your mind that's speaking or is that just the cover-up of what the devil is trying to speak through you? Peter thought he was just speaking his mind -- and it was actually the devil speaking through him.
It was Satan who enflamed his heart -- not the Lord -- not even his own emotions.- And Peter didn't even understand that. Sometimes we are way too quick to give our opinion on something without it actually being carefully thought through -- way to quick to attack and criticize and condemn. Who enflamed your tongue the last time you became a verbal arsonist? What's the text say? -- set on fire by hell itself.
Now James makes another point.
Never Let your Guard Down (7-8)
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.
He says, no man can tame the tongue -- only God can do it. Think of all the animals we have tamed -- I've seen whales trained to jump out of the water and over ropes -- I've African lions roll over in the sawdust of a circus -- I saw a snake raise up out of a a basket while a person played a flute. We've tamed them all -- we've got lassie and trigger, flipper, Shamu and Benji, babe the pig, and Mr. Ed. We've tamed them all -- but no man can tame the tongue. It says it is restless -- that means that it I always liable to break out at any moment. Ill of lady who got to close to the polar bear exhibit at the zoo. Polar bears are just so cute aren't they? They got that white fluffy fur, and cute little eyes and teddy bear smile to them. Who wouldn't love a polar bear? You better not loose sight of the reality that they are wild dangerous beasts. She did and it nearly cost her life. It about ripped her leg off. She let her guard down near a beastly animal and that thing nearly killed her. Notice he says -- your tongue is full of deadly poison -- like a cobra -- a venomous viper waiting to strike if disturbed in the slightest way. What's the point here? Don't ever let your guard down for a moment.
Our Tongue Reveals Our Heart
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. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. Using a series of short questions James gets his point across. Can both fresh and salt water flow from the same spring? Can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? What's the self-evident answer? Not possible. If there are figs on the tree, what's the reason? It's a fig tree. If there's grapes on the branches, what the reason? It's a grapevine.
If there is an unrestrained tongue, what's the reason? It comes from an unrestrained heart. The tongue is a tattletale and it tells on the heart. Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." The tongue is the revealer of the heart. The nurse puts a thermometer under your tongue and tells your physical temperature. James says, your tongue itself will take your spiritual temperature and it reveals what is actually happening on the inside of you.
-- Ill of giving a toothbrush to a person -- they use it for awhile but then you need to borrow it back and let an out-of-town guest use it. After he goes back home you return it and say, "Here you go - He's done with it now -- you can have it back." How would you respond to that? Disgusting right? That's exactly what we do when we become a Christian and we say "Here God here's my tongue, my hands, my mind --I surrender them to you -- I give them to you and it's all yours -- you control it and I only want to say things that are true and according to your word. But then from time to time we say -- I want my tongue back for a little bit -- I want to lend it to satan for a few moments -- let me say a few things that you wouldn't say - Here Satan here's my tongue for awhile -- let me gossip -- let me criticize -- let me slander somebody -- let me say some things that aren't true. And then we come back with it and say -- "OK Here God, I'm done with my tongue and you can have it back again." God hold's it at arms length and says -- "you just gave that to satan to borrow and use and now you want to give it to me? That's gross -- we don't trade like that. Whose tongue is it anyway?
Don't Casually Write Off Negative Speech Patterns.
"I was under stress" "I had a bad day" "Everything was going wrong." We rationalize and attempt to justify our speech and write it off so casually. Negative speech patterns should say something to us -- negative statements about others, critical attitudes, gossip, hurtful words, off-color jokes, profanity, -- reveal there is still a dark side of us that has not yet been brought under the authority of Christ. Something in our heart is still rebelling or is still wounded and needs healing. Something within us still needs to conform to his likeness. Something inside of us is still not under the reign of Christ. Don't attempt to rationalize your negative speech patterns. If you are saying hurtful things it is because of something inside that has not yet been surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. Decide to surrender your thought life to Jesus and you will experience transformation in your tongue.
