Real Faith Will Tame the Tongue
Series: Real Faith (Book of James)
Brad Bailey – October 18, 2020
Intro
Hey everybody. I’m so glad you are joining in today. As we each go through this unique time of living through a pandemic... I continue to appreciate the significance of being able to go through these challenges TOGETHER. I sense how valuable it is to share this whole experience and all the crazy elements with one another. Having others alongside can help us stay more centered... and more sane.
We are continuing in a series entitled REAL FAITH...in which God is speaking to us... through the Biblical Book of James. For those who are less familiar...James is one of the smaller "books" in the last part of the Bible...in the New Testament ... that you will find after the four Gospels. It’s written by James....who was a half-brother of Jesus himself. James brings forth the nature of what we could call real faith. ... as notably different than just so called “religious beliefs.” It is God’s call to go for the real thing.
So one of the major themes of the book of James is self-deception... the ways we lie to ourselves. We rationalize, in other words, we tell rational lies to ourselves. We try to convince with our mind what we know in our heart is wrong. We come back to this theme in James over and over again... because you and I cannot become all that God wants us to be... until we start being honest with ourselves.
And one of the most common windows of our self-deception is what comes out of our mouths... what we say. We may want to believe that what is in us is all good... but our words betray us. What comes out of us can reveal that we're not nearly as God-centered and mature as we think we are. In James 1:26 he says this:
James 1:26
?Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.??Ouch. Here James introduces his reference to the tongue. And we are going to hear a lot of references to the “tongue” as he expounds further. It may begin to sound like he is really attacking this particular physical part of the body. But James is simply using a common way of referring to a part of the body to speak about the activity that it represents. He is speaking about how we act...in this case... what we say. Some may recall that Jesus spoke of the eye in a similar way...when he spoke of the eye causing us to stumble. He was referring to how we chose to look at others. So James is addressing the issue of what we say....of what comes out of our mouths. He is saying: If you say that you have committed your life to God... but your words show that they have no guide... you’re fooling yourself. Now in chapter three he expounds on this. Let’s listen to how this challenge is developed... and then consider what it means for us.
James 3:1-2
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 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.
He begins his point by referring to teaching. In particular, he is referring to those who may teach the Scriptures in the church...as I am doing now. His words remind me of the intense responsibility I feel every week. But I don’t think that his ultimate point is to discourage anyone from becoming a teacher. He is making the point that there is a strong tendency ...especially among religious people... to view teaching as having power...because we are enamored with the power of what we say. James is showing that when it comes to words...and speaking...we need to realize that we may be too quick to think that speaking will reveal how good and smart we are. In truth... those who teach are be accountable for what they say. Anyone desiring to teach should pause...and realize that no one is really that perfect... and so while we presume, we will always say the right thing... none of us will.
If you are familiar with how trail lawyers tend to counsel their clients... by experience or watching various shows...you may recall how lawyers will often implore their clients NOT to testify if they do not have to. What lawyers know...is that so many people... even when guilty of a crime...will think that they have all the right things to say. We tend to think what we say will be convincing... but the truth is...we usually reveal more of what is really in us that may not be so good. So often those who think they should get on the stand...can’t control what comes out... and the truth comes out... who they really are comes out...and their own tongue gets the best of them.
What James is beginning to get at... is that what’s in us... our pride and prejudice... is hard to control. The tongue...metaphorically is powerful.
Which is what James continues describing the nature of our tongue...of what we say...
James 3:3-5a
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 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. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.
James uses two great illustrations of something so small ... yet can direct something so large. He continues...
James 3:5b-6
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 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.
He continues..,
James 3:7-8
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
He adds in the irony...that we as humans have had the power to tame so many animals... how ironic that we cannot tame ourselves.
He continues...
James 3:9-12
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
And now James concludes his challenge.
James 3:13-15
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
These are strong words. Challenging words. Important words... about our words. We live in a time overloaded with words. We champion freedom of speech... but seem to be far less concerned for responsibility of speech. We want our freedom of speech... because we sense it is important...but then when something comes out that we know isn’t good...we can tend to say... don’t worry about what I say...it’s just words... I was just kidding... I didn’t mean anything by it.
Here James reveals just how much words matter... not simply the sounds...but the but what they reveal about us. We can note three really significant reasons why we need the reality of our faith to change what comes out of our mouths.
The first reason is this....because
1. MY TONGUE DIRECTS WHERE I'M HEADED.
My tongue directs where I'm headed. My words and your words, have tremendous influence and control over our lives. We don't even realize it. If someone was to do an assessment of where you were headed in the next five years....what do you think they would conclude...based on listening to what you talk about most... about your focus...your temper...your tone? The truth is that we shape our words and then they shape us.
Now, because the tongue is so small, just a small part of your body, we often overlook its power and its great influence. James points out that small things can exert enormous control. He gives us two examples...horses and from ships.
James 3:3-5a
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 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. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.
A massive powerful horse... can be guided by a simple bit in their mouth that is pulled one way or the other. Imagine a strong 2,000-pound stallion with a 95 pound jockey riding and with just a small metal bar in that horse's mouth, that 95 pound jockey controls 2,000 pounds of something far more powerful than he is...because that is the power of what a tiny bit in the horse’s mouth can do.
Then he says, "Imagine a giant ship ... driven by powerful winds.... and look at the small rudder than directs where it will go. If you’ve ever visited the Queen Mary Ocean Liner ... it's amazing how enormous the ship is...and how small the rudder is on such enormous ships.
Here's the point. Our words are like a rudder. They will direct our lives. Your tongue is the steering wheel of your life. It's the guidance system of your life. If you don't like the direction where you're headed, you may need to change what you are saying...to yourself and others.
So the first point is that I need a real faith that can tame my tongue...because my tongue directs where I'm headed... like a bit in a horse's mouth and like a rudder on a big ship.
Second, I need the work of real faith to transform what comes out of my mouth because my tongue can not only direct where I'm going, it can destroy what I have.
2. MY TOUNGUE CAN DESTROY WHAT I HAVE.
That's what’s described in the next couple of verses. Your tongue can destroy your life quicker than anything else.
James 3:5b-6
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 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.
A whole forest destroyed from one little spark. That’s something every Californian has been remined of ...and sobered by. This week... the wildfires that have been ravaging California have just surpassed burning 4 million acres. For those who have lived your whole life in Los Angeles... I realize that the word “acre” may be foreign language. We speak in square feet. So let me translate that. It’s the equivalent of 175 billion square feet. And those massive fires began with a spark.
As many may have heard over...several weeks ago...on Saturday morning, September 5th... a young couple prepared for a gender reveal ... someone wanted to reveal the gender of their unborn baby...so they set up what they thought would be a little poof of color... but the device sparked a fire... and that fire became the El Dorado fire. Here we are in the middle of October and it’s still burning. It took has taken away acres of forest... homes... and the life of one firefighter. I can only imagine what that couple whose gender reveal started such a fire have had to feel. James wants us to feel that potential... our words can do the same.
Like all the near 30 large wildfires ravaging California... they can begin with just a spark. That is the power of what comes out of our mouths.
Just like we know that a careless camper can destroy an entire national park, we also know that a careless word can destroy an entire life. Gossip and rumors are like fire. They spread quickly and destroy lives. We can become verbal arsonist... those who use their words to set things on fire. That is why we talk of how the wrong words can inflame the situation. It’s why we talk of how we can burn people with what we say.
The tragic truth is that many people have let their mouth destroy their career, or let their mouth destroy a marriage, or let their mouth destroy a reputation, or let their mouth destroy a friendship.
As the wisdom of Proverbs warns us...in Proverbs 18:21,
You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. What you say can preserve life or destroy it. - Proverbs 18:20-21 (GNT)
What I say can preserve life or destroy it. What you say can preserve life or destroy it.
My words not only determine the direction where I'm going, but they can destroy what I have. Look at the next verse.
James 3:5b-6
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 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
James says that the tongue is a world of evil among the parts of the body.” Among all the parts in your body your tongue is the one that causes the most wickedness and spreads evil everywhere. It can corrupt and ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing fire of destruction.
As Rick Warren noted, when we think of what part of our body is the is the greatest source of sin... of what brings shame...what do we usually think of? A lot of Christians act like the answer is the sexual parts of our body. your sexual parts. For a lot of Christians, when it comes to the body, many Christians act like God created your head, and your torso, and your arms, and your legs and the devil slapped on your genitals. The truth is that God created them all. They are all good. The problem is not in any part of our body...but in the misguided desires that we give ourselves to. And if we were to consider the biggest problem... we tend to be offended by all kinds of sexual sins in the world and think nothing about the sins of our words.
The Bible talks a whole lot more about the sins of the mouth. Listen to what God says is a significant violation of His nature. God speaks about backbiting, lying, threatening, cursing, deceiving, boasting, ridicule, slander, false witness, hypocritical words, complaining, bitter words, manipulative flattery, fault-finding, mocking, defaming, judging, filthy language, gossiping. These are the sins that we have made so relatively acceptable. Despite how much God speaks of their significance...their destructiveness. Some of us may think that social media is a responsibility free zone... that since we didn’t say something out loud... it doesn’t really represent our mouth...or that it’s hidden from God. The truth is that it reflects how who we really are... our integrity regarding our commitment to truth... fairness... respect. It may be the place some of us need to consider most.
The point is that we don’t seem to understand how significant our responsibility over what we say is. And James goes on to note that it’s the mouth that is most out of control.
James 3:7-8
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
To tame something...means to bring it into a peaceful state... a state that is safe. It’s interesting that both fire and words...when under control... give warmth and give light, but fire or words out of control are devastating. They can destroy everything.
Then James gives us a third reason on why we need real faith to change what we say. It's this: Because ...
3. MY TONGUE DISPLAYS WHO I REALLY AM
My tongue displays who I really am. It reveals my real character. It reveals my true identity. It shows my real heart, not the fake me, not the reputation me, the real me. Your words show how spiritually healthy or how spiritually sick you are.
Have you ever noticed that when you go to the doctor, and they want to evaluate your health... one of the first thing they say is stick out your tongue. Think about that. By looking at your tongue, they can assess the health of your body. Then what do they do? They put a thermometer in your mouth. They do that to reveal what's going on inside of you. Your mouth shows what's going on inside of you.
And James shows how revealing this can be. Our outward religious activity can prove not to be what is really in us.
James 3:9-10
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
We have to face up to truth about what is really in our hearts. Sure we can sing the right words in our songs of worship... but we have to face that the way we speak about others reveals what is really in our hearts. If we say... God...Father of all... I honor you... I love you...and then curse his children created in his likeness... the truth is that God does not have our hearts. We have only developed a shallow form of religiosity. It’s worthless. It’s what we have in our hearts that matters. If we have pride... we will treat others as inferior. If we have contempt...we will seek to hurt others. If we are selfish... we will only seek what we want.
James says, "You attack and you curse other people who've been made in the same image of God." That may sound strong... but in this season of becoming so politically adversarial... it may be exactly what we need to hear. Many will say whatever they want about someone God created in His image if they are support the other political side. I have never heard so many of us presume that we have no responsibility to treat certain people well. How do you talk to people who disagree with you politically? How do you talk to people who are different from you in your religion? Do you buy into all the name calling and the stereotyping? How do you talk about people who are immigrants or different race from you? I wonder if God’s not saying...it’s time to talk. It’s a divine intervention.
I know that talking about prejudice and bias has become more complicated...but it is even more critical. How we treat others runs through the whole Bible. How we see and treat those who are outsiders... those who are different... are central issues that God confronts in every life that he loves... and calls... and he confront these issues continually. So if we really want to know God... we will continue to listen to His word... we will keep our hearts open and find our way through the political chaos to the central heart of God. And here God makes it clear: "You can't treat people with disrespect who are made in the same image of God as you."
I know how disheartening it can be to face the inconsistency that slips out in us. I want to claim that I only care about others...but then find my mind dreams of winning a battle against them. I want to believe that I only have the interests of others in my heart...but then I react in a punishing or harsh way.
James challenges me to face the reality in the final verses.
James 3:11-15
11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Now, James is saying, We shouldn’t fool ourselves. Nature show us that what comes OUT of us... is what is IN us. If what comes out is fresh water...then that is the nature of the source. Whatever is in that well of my heart, whatever's in the well, comes out in the water. Whatever's in the well, comes out in the water. Whatever's in my heart comes out of my mouth. Whatever fruit comes forth...that is the true reflection of our nature. Whatever's in the tree, comes out in the fruit. What's the likelihood of a fig tree producing olives? Zero.
Here's the point. The truth is that our deeper problem isn't our tongue, it's our heart. My deeper problem isn't my tongue, it's my heart. My mouth eventually betrays what I'm really like inside. We've all probably used this excuse when you've said something that was mean or bad or whatever and you go, "I don't know what came over me. It's not like me to say that." The truth is...it really was in there... in your heart. We may not know “what came over us”...but we can be sure something is in us if it comes out of us. [1]
As Jesus explained.
It is not what goes into your mouth that makes you ritually unclean; rather, what comes out of it makes you unclean...Anything that goes into your mouth goes into your stomach and then on out of your body. 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these are the things that make you ritually unclean. 19 For from your heart come the evil ideas which lead you to kill, commit adultery, and do other immoral things; to rob, lie, and slander others. - Matthew 15:11, 17-19 (GNT)
As Jesus described just before prior...
Jesus: “For out of the overflow of your heart your mouth speaks.”
Matthew 12:34
My tongue simply displays who I am. The truth is I don't really have a tongue problem. I have a heart problem.
If we are harsh with our words... it reveals we have a harshness in our heart. Somebody with a negative tongue is revealing a fearful heart. Somebody with an unfriendly tongue is often revealing a hard heart. Somebody with a boasting tongue, they're always bragging, they're revealing an insecure heart. Somebody with a critical or judgmental tongue is revealing a guilty heart. Somebody with an overactive tongue... may be revealing an unsettled heart. On the other hand, somebody with a more controlled tongue... is developing a more a peaceful heart. Somebody with an encouraging tongue... is developing a loving heart.
Some may wonder: Is this just a call to filter our words? It’s not about just filtering them in some shallow politically correct self-serving manner... but rather to develop a heart that filters our feeling in humility... a humility that guides us to be wise and honest. He says if there is a bitterness towards others... or selfish ambition... don’t be proud of it... and don’t deny it with lies. Don’t just cover it up. As someone described well...It doesn't help to just paint the pump if there's poison water in the well. It doesn't help to just try to hide what’s in my heart.
So what do we do? Here’s the good news. God specializes in heart transplants. That's what Jesus came to do... to give you a new heart and he can start in your heart today with that transplant. God says that every heart has become lost... it has become given to doing it’s own thing. Depending on what has shaped our experience in life... we may have more or less damaged hearts... we may be more kind or harsh than others... but we all face that there is something in us that is given to doing it’s own thing. That is why Christ came into the world. To reconcile us with God by first taking the consequences of our self ruling hearts upon himself.... but THEN...to give us his own heart. He said...if you welcome me into your heart...I will come dwell in you through the Spirit. So that is where we begin. [2]
The power of real faith...will allow God’s love and goodness to change what is inside us.
As we close, I want to invite us to decide...who do we want to control our tongues... to guide our words? I want to invite you to join me in a prayer.... of asking Christ to come and give us a new heart... his heart....to give him control.
As we were reminded today...what is coming out of you... is controlling the direction of your life... and what damage is done in your life. It controls your identity of your life.
Let's bow our heads for prayer. Take a moment...and decide who you want in control of your words...and ultimately your heart?
If you desire God’s Spirit to change your heart...then you can join me in prayer:
God... we were created to be like you... to bear your heart. But our hearts have sought our own ways. We need a new heart...your heart...in us again. God, I need a heart transplant.
Jesus... I admit that I need you, that I can't control my mouth by myself. I'm asking you to forgive my sin and fill me with yourself and put your hand on the rudder of my life and on the bit and direct me in the right direction. In your name I pray, amen.
Resources: Rick Warren (A Faith That Helps Me Filter What I Say) July 18-19, 2020. I drew greatly from this message. Having taught this passage in the past...and developing my own initial draft for this message... I found Warren to give me a fresh way of shaping and speaking about this...and chose to adapt that to bring a fresh way of engaging this text.
Notes:
1. Consider also:
Matthew 7:3-5 (CEV) ?3 You can see the speck in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the log in your own eye. 4 How can you say, "My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye," when you don't see the log in your own eye? 5 You're nothing but show-offs! First, take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend's eye.
Matt. 23:26-27
Jesus said: “Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.”
2. 2 Chronicles 5:17, "Therefore, if any man, any person becoming Christ, they become a new person inside. The oldest passed away, the newest come."
