The Restless Fire

The Restless Fire

August 10, 2014 Evening Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: The tongue must be controlled.

Focus Passage: James 3:1-12

Introduction: A man working in the produce department was asked by a lady if she could buy half a head of lettuce. He replied, "Half a head? Are you serious? God grows these in whole heads and that's how we sell them!"

"You mean," she persisted, "that after all the years I've shopped here, you won't sell me half-a-head of lettuce?"

"Look," he said, "If you like I'll ask the manager."

She indicated that would be appreciated, so the young man marched to the front of the store. "You won't believe this, but there's a lame-braided idiot of a lady back there who wants to know if she can buy half-a-head of lettuce."

He noticed the manager gesturing, and turned around to see the lady standing behind him, obviously having followed him to the front of the store. "And this nice lady was wondering if she could buy the other half" he concluded.

Later in the day the manager cornered the young man and said, "That was the finest example of thinking on your feet I've ever seen! Where did you learn that?" "I grew up in Grand Rapids, and if you know anything about Grand Rapids, you know that it's known for its great hockey teams and its ugly women."

The manager's face flushed, and he interrupted, "My wife is from Grand Rapids!" "And which hockey team did she play for?" Source Unknown

I. Think before you speak

a. The tongue seems to be disconnected from the brain

b. Once a word is spoken, it can’t be taken back.

c. And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. (James 3:6)

II. Watch the tone of what you say

a. The way you say something can ruin what you have to say

b. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. (James 3:8)

III. Realize your tongue is powerful

a. “sticks and stones” is a lie

b. from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. (James 3:10)

Application/Invitation: