Good morning everyone. How are we doing this morning?
I want to Echo call this morning and thank you for being here.
Thank you for choosing to, to be with us to worship with us.
My name is James one of the Elder candidates here.
And today we are going to be in the Book of James once again.
And we're going to be on chapter 3, James chapter 3
Today is one of those scriptures that I think that. these are the
times that you need to make sure you have your Big Boar in big
girl pants on. This is not this is definitely
not a Fluff text today. Today I we're going to Endeavor
to break this down and and here we'll see this as we get into
the into the text James's, I believe is speaking to here in a
taxi speaking to a specific group of people.
However the scripture and the texts are applicable to any any
believer. Any believer that desires to
follow after Christ desires to, as we've been studying the Book
of James to look into God's perfect law, the perfect law of
Liberty and to walk away from from that and be doers of God's
word and not just hearers only this, it's his whole, his whole
book. Around that theme of being a
doer of God's word. Actually putting feet and hands
through the work of Christ. It's not it's it's not just the
proclamation that I say. I am a believer.
It's I show that I'm a Believer. Jesus said that way that the
people were no them was their love for one another and how
they treated one another and the same same still goes for us
today and James. Has here in his book is a very
practical guide to Christian Living it is a way to for us to
look and gauge where we are in our walk with Christ.
We're we're we're at our strengths our weaknesses the
things that we need to work on and today is is a is a group of
text that I leave is Something very important and it's on
taming the tongue, the words that are coming out of her
mouth. So the word tame, talk about
taming the tongue. The word team means reduced from
a state of native wildness, especially.
So, as to be useful to humans, To be made.
Docile and submissive that transitive verb of the word team
is the word tamed or taming and it means this to reduce From a
wild. To a domestic state to subject
to cultivation, to bring under control to deprive of spirit,
which means to make humble or to sidhu.
So when we were talking about taming the tongue, we're taking
something that is naturally. Wild naturally uncontrollable
and talking about learning how to control the words coming out
of our mouth. To be able to get back, we'll
get in this as we get into. Think about what we think about.
because our thoughts become our words, Amen.
Someone. If you ever been upset and you
say something and instantly you say it and you regret saying it.
As soon as it comes out of your mouth, you're like, trying to
grabbing but it's too late. It's gone.
It's out. And we may say, you know, to
that person, we're talking to, you know, I'm sorry, I don't
know why I said that got that's not me.
Well yeah that was you because it came out of you. our words is
a very good gauge of where we are, you know, walk with Christ,
it's tells us where we need to work on and this is something
that we're going to be working on forever.
Amen. So this tame and the tongue is
is work and it takes hard work. As a phrase, I've learned in
from the book of disciplines of a Godly Man, it takes holey
sweat, it takes perseverance. Taemin our tongue will not
happen overnight. We're not happen by simply
praying more or reading the Bible more or going to church
more. It will require all of these
things and so much more. It will require being diligent
to think about what we think about for what we think about we
speak. Jesus said that out of the
abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Matthew 12:34 talking to the religious leaders of the day.
Jesus said, you brood of vipers, how can you speak good when you
are evil for out of the abundance of the heart, the
mouth speaks. And Jesus also said that it is
what comes out of the man that defiles him and after the
Pharisees and scribes had Badger Jesus about his disciples eating
corn without washing their hands.
He went on to teach in Parables and then he goes and he sets and
his disciples came to him and said you know, what does these
Parables mean? And Mark chapter 7 verses 18 to
23, he responds to his disciples he says and he said to them,
Then are you also without understanding?
Do you not see that whatever goes into our person from
outside? Cannot defile him since that
enters into his heart, since it enters not his heart but his
stomach and he's expelled and he said, what comes out of a person
is what defiles him for from within out of the heart of man
come evil thoughts, sexual immorality theft.
Left murder, adultery coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality
and envy. Slander Pride, foolishness all
these evil things come from within and they defile a person.
So I set before you today, this as I said, it's a lifelong
journey. Taming our tongue is a journey
that will in case our entire life, it is a daily Quest that
we must embark on. We must choose on as Paul stated
that he must die. Daily everyday.
We must choose To control our words.
We must choose to think about what we think about to gauge.
What is in our hearts to fight the temptation.
To just let our words be filled with anger instead of love.
To fight against our natural natural, inclination to have
things our way because our way is the best way.
Amen. I'm a I'm a call.
I may need a little bit more shielding now here this morning.
Amen. Okay, let's get this continue.
Okay. We have to learn to put our
preferences aside because we all have our own preferences.
And know it becomes a joke but you know silly things have tour
churches apart. Silly things as carpet color.
Whether we're going to sing holding hymnals are saying offer
offer screen. so many things of how we how we do this and do
that because it's all personal preference, but what we have to
do, Is make God's word, our Authority.
Because our personal preferences in the light of God's word,
doesn't amount to a hill of beans.
We can have our own preferences. But if our preferences don't
line up with God's word or preferences need to change a man
and I'll get in I'll get into more of that in a minute.
So as we live out our mission statement that we exist to
glorify God by making disciples who grow in their faith in Jesus
and their love for one another. We must use Godly wisdom to
guide our words. Our group, our growth as a
community of Believers, can seriously be stunted by the
words that tear down, instead of lifting up.
So today, I just ask for you to focus and listen to the voice of
the holy spirit this morning. As, as I'm up here and I speak,
I can be like the teacher on Charlie Brown.
If you've ever seen the Charlie Brown's teacher speaks and all
you hear is won't won't won't, won't that may all you here?
This morning coming out of my mouth but allow the Holy Spirit
to speak to you. As you hear the truth of God's
word and let it dictate how you go from this point and how you
choose your thoughts and your words, a man, let's pray.
Father, I praise you, I magnify you, I worship you.
I thank you for the awesome privilege that we have two
common together, assemble ourselves, father together to
lift one another up to just be Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
father today, I ask that you will Soften our hearts, soften
our beliefs, our preferences. Father, help us to hear your
word. Help us to hear your truth this
morning. Help us as we are on this Quest
as individuals but also as a corporate body, father to, to
tame our tongues. To control what we say and how
we say it. And father I give you honor and
glory and praise. Amen.
So today James chapter 3 and we're going to be reading verses
1 through 18. The whole the whole chapter.
If you're able if you stand for the reading of God's word.
James 3:1. Not many of you should become
teachers my brother's for, you know, that we who teach will be
judged with greater strictness for we all stumble in many ways.
And if anyone does not stumble, and what he says he is a perfect
man, able also to Bridle his whole body, if we put bits into
the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their
whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also though.
They are so large and driven by strong winds.
They are Guided by a very small Rudder, wherever the will of the
pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small
member yet it boast of great things.
How great a forest is set, Ablaze by such a small fire and
the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness, the tongue is
set among our members staying in the whole body setting on fire.
The entire course of life and set on fire by hell, for every
kind of mankind. Every kind of Beast and bird and
reptile. Reptile and sea creature Can Be
Tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
But no human being can tame the tongue.
It is a Restless evil full of deadly poison with it.
We bless our Lord and father and with it, we curse people who are
made in the likeness of God from the same mouth.
Come blessing and cursing. My brothers these things out not
to be so does the spring pour forth?
The same from the same opening both fresh and salt water can a
fig tree, my brother's been Are olives or a grapevine.
Produce figs, neither kind of Salt, Pond.
Yield fresh water. Verse 13, who is wise and
understanding among you by his Good Conduct.
Let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your
hearts do not boast and be false to the truth.
This is not the wisdom that comes down from above but is
Earthly unspiritual demonic for a jealousy and selfish ambition
exist. There will be disorder, and
every vile practice. The wisdom from above is first
pure then Peaceable. Gentle open to reason full of
mercy and good fruits impartial and sincere and a harvest of
righteousness is shown is sown in Peace by those who make
peace, you may be seated this morning, So the big ideal that I
want to get across to you. This morning, is this, by
allowing Godly wisdom to God or words.
We can be a doer of God's word. By speaking words, that lift
people up instead of tearing them down.
By allowing Godly wisdom to guide our hearts.
We can be a doer of God's word. By speaking words, that lift
people up instead of tearing them down.
Being a doer of God's word is the central theme of the book of
James. And once again, he does not,
he's not starting a new line of thought here.
And we finished up last week in Chapter 2, talking about faith
without works is dead. The very last text on the very
last sentence here in chapter 2 verse 26.
It says for as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also
Faith apart from works is dead and he goes straight into not
many should become teachers. This here in verse 1 and 2 will
look at it again. It says not many of you shall
become should become teachers my brother's for, you know, that we
who teach will be judged with greater strictness verse 24.
We all stumble in many ways but if anyone does not stumble, and
what he says he is a perfect man, able also to Bridle his
whole body. So raise your hand, if you're
Fect this morning. Not anybody raise their hand.
Why? Because we all struggle.
We all struggle at times by the words that are coming out of her
mouth. Amen, I want you to look at two
two words here. From verse 1, the word, meaning
in the word, become not many of you should become teachers.
James says, It says here, the word become means.
The meaning of this word means to come into existence, begin to
be to arise come up on a stage or to be made.
So, apparently many people were lifting their own selves up to
be teachers without God's calling. for a says, many of you
shit, many of you who should not many of you should become
teachers, he goes on and he tells them that for, you know,
We who teach will be judged with greater strictness. so, we have
to realize That a Biblical teacher, that is being talked
about this word. Teacher is one who teaches
concerning the things of God and the duties of man it's one who
is fitted to teach or at least thinks he is.
It is someone who under who undertakes the work of teaching
with the spiritual assistance of the Holy Spirit.
A Biblical teacher is not a person, but a position, it's a
calling. A Biblical teacher is not a
person. It is a calling it is a position
Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11. It says and he speaking of Jesus
gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the Shepherds
and teachers, it's for the work of the ministry, it's for
teaching and leading the church. It says there in Ephesians
chapter 4 so God gave these positions.
Not man, God. And he calls people to fill
these positions. So that the church can be made
complete. So the church can be able to be
made to go out and do what the works of Christ.
The same thing that James is talking about here, being a doer
of God's word and not a hearer only So these people were
apparently lifting themselves up. because, They wanted to use
their words. to blast others, but he ones them said, hey, you
remember we who teach Where held?
Two more strictness. The Book of Ezekiel chapter 3
verses 17 through 21. God is speaking to his Ezekiel
and he says this son of man, I have made you a Watchman for the
house of Israel. Whoever you whenever you hear a
word from my mouth you shall give them warning for me.
If I say to the wicked, you shall surely die and you give
him, no warning. Nor speak to warn the wicked
from his Wicked way in order to save his life that Wicked person
shall die for his iniquity. But his blood, I will require at
your hand but if you want the wicked and he does not turn from
his wickedness or from his Wicked way, he shall die for his
iniquity but you have delivered your soul.
So again if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and
commits Injustice and I lay a stumbling block before him, he
shall die. Because you have not warned him,
he shall die for his sin and his righteous Deeds that he has done
at and his righteousness that he has done, shall not be
remembered but his blood, I will require at your hand.
But if you warn the righteous person not to sin and he does
not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning and you
have delivered your soul. And this goes directly back to
the sin of partiality. That we studied about here in
the book of James. It is lifting our own selves up.
To make others look less than us.
You ever been around someone that no matter what you're
talking about or what anybody else in the room is talking
about, they've always done done that.
Oh yeah, I've done that and they've always done it better.
Their story is better than the person telling the original
story because, you know, they, you know, that goes back to
illegitimate shame. We're not going to get into that
this morning, but you know that person, you know feels
threatened. By that person success.
So they have to one-up them. Hey, ma'am.
And that's what these people were doing here.
That James was talking to here. They were, they were trying to
lift themselves up to make themselves look better.
So they were showing partiality because they were targeting
these people and trying to make them.
They were trying to point out their sin instead of and at what
that same time, ignoring their own, it talks about for the
tongue to be so little it can do so much damage.
Image. And he gives a reference here
about Putting a small bit in a horse's mouth and how a small
Rudder controls the ship. And even though the tongue is a
little part of the body, it can do a world of hurt.
And our tongues is set on fire by hell.
We must remember what it says. In Proverbs chapter, 18 verses
20 through 21. It says this.
From the fruit of a man's mouth. His stomach is satisfied.
He is satisfied satisfied by the yield of his lips and this word
satisfied doesn't mean necessarily as satisfied in a
good way. It means he has to settle for
what he comes out of his mouth, he's going to live with that.
Death in life. Or in the power of the tongue
and those who love it, will eat its fruit death and life are in
the power of our words. We can up we can uplift or we
can tear down. We can tell a person.
We can complement that person. We can we can just be an
encourager to that person. Or we can be that detriment that
person and the choice is ours because we control, we can
control the words. Come out of her mouth takes
work, takes hard work. It's not something that we it's
going to happen overnight. So I said earlier, it's not just
reading your Bible, more praying, more coming to church
more, you think it's going to help, you know, it's going to
cure, all cure all ailments. That's not, that's not true.
It takes that. Absolutely, but it takes
dedication. It takes perseverance to push
every day. To think about what I'm thinking
about. Because our thoughts become a
words or thoughts become our actions and our thoughts,
determine our lives. Course, we determine we
determine if we have a life of Joy or a life of misery, By the
thoughts that are in our minds, amen.
But it says, the tongue is set on fire by hell.
And yet it boast of great things.
Let's look at verses 5 and 6 here in chapter 3, it says this.
So also the tongue is a small member, get it boast of great
things. How great a forest is set,
Ablaze by such a small fire verse 6.
And the tongue is a fire, a world of our own righteousness.
The tongue is set up among our members staying in the whole
body sitting on fire. The entire course of life and
set on fire by Hill, anybody read?
Week or so ago, maybe a couple of weeks ago of an incident
where people were gathered for some festival and someone threw
out a cigarette butt, caught the grass on fire and it burned up
70 cars. Just a simple end of a cigarette
butt that used carelessly tossed aside.
Caught the grass on fire and ended up burning 70 people's
cars up. That's what our tongue can do.
That is the power of life and death.
And it's right here. It's in my tongue, it's in your
tongue. Says that they boast that boast
of great things. This this boasting is a
self-promoting of themselves because of Pride and their self
promoting themselves over others.
Like what Matthew Henry says here about verses five and six
he says to dread an uncontrollable tongue, that's
one of the greatest and most harmful evils.
There is such great sin in the tongue, that it may be called a
world of iniquity. James 36, the tongue is said,
among our members staying in the whole body sitting on fire.
The entire course of life and set on fire by Hill, he
continues. The whole body is often drawn
into sin and guilt by the Tongue, the Affairs of the human
race and of communities often thrown into confusion.
And all set on fire by human tongues.
Hell has more to do in furthering the fire.
The tongue than people are generally aware of when it is
set on fire by Hill, as is in all undo passion, it is
troublesome producing rage and hatred and those things that
serve Satan's purposes, I like this phrase, hear that?
When it is set on fire by hell as it is in as it is in all undo
passion. It's when When your emotions are
running High. What comes out of your mouth?
Do you think about what you're thinking about when you're mad
at your spouse? When you're upset at this hurts?
For me when you're upset? You have road rage driving down
the highway. That that stepped on my toes is
then what comes out of our mouth because what comes out of our
mouths is what is our in our hearts.
If it's not in our hearts it's not going to come out you man.
So it's in a hard. So we have to, we have to, we
have to watch this. Now, this goes directly back to
James chapter 1 verses 19 through 22.
It says, says, this know this, my beloved Brothers, let every
person be quick to hear slow to speak, slow to anger for the
anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God,
therefore, put away all filthiness and Rapid wickedness
and receive with meekness the implanted word.
Which is able to save your souls, but be doers of the word
and not hearers only deceiving yourselves.
Quick to hear slow to speak. Slow to anger.
We need to slow down. We need to actually hear what
people are saying. And then respond in a Godly way,
led by Godly wisdom. Not worldly, wisdom, a man not
by all on preferences, own preferences, can get ourselves
in trouble. Here in here, in back in James
and chapter 3 and verses 7 through 12, it says, for every
kind of Beast and bird of reptile and sea creature Can Be
Tamed and has been tamed by mankind but no human being can
tame the tongue. It is a Restless evil full of
deadly poison with it. We bless our Lord and father and
with it, we curse people who are made in the likeness of God for
From the same mouth, come blessing and cursing.
My brothers, these things out not to be so.
There's a spring pour forth. The same opening from the same
opening, both fresh and salt water, and a fig tree.
My brother's bear olives or or Grapevine.
Produced figs. Neither, can I Salt?
Pond yield freshwater. This in verse 8, this word, West
Restless. When talks about a Restless
evil, the word Restless means unstable, who remembers What the
person is called in James chapter 1 verses 5 through 8.
The asked for wisdom, but didn't he has to believe not doubting
because if he doubts He is unstable in all his ways.
This is the same same, same thing here this Restless, it's
an unstable nature. Someone lacking wisdom.
They may have Earthly wisdom but they don't have Godly wisdom.
So that the tongue is a Restless evil.
It, someone that is unstable. And they, you can tell it by the
words and this phrase, deadly, poison means they use words to
hurt people. However, when you get on, in the
verse 13, we get some. We get some good news here verse
13. It says, who is wise and
understanding among you by his Good Conduct.
Let him show. His good works, show his works
and the meekness of wisdom, but if you have bitter jealousy, and
you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast and be false to the truth.
This goes back to verse 1 here in chapter 3, that many of them
should not become teachers because they says, who is wise
and understanding among you By his Good Conduct, let him show
his Works. What works are those that is
teaching God's word in the meekness of wisdom and this is
that Godly wisdom that we can ask for according to James
chapter 1. If you lack wisdom asked, and
God will give it to you liberally, A man, but we have to
believe that. He goes on This Bitter, jealousy
and selfish ambition in your hearts do not boast.
Do not, do not try to lift yourself up, do not try to do
not try to teach and be be false to the truth.
He goes on, this is not the wisdom that comes down from
above. But is Earthly unspiritual
demonic for a jealousy and selfish ambition exist.
There will be disorder and every vow practice.
But the wisdom from above is first pure then Peaceable gentle
open to reason full of mercy and good fruits impartial and
sincere. There's that word impartial
again. And a harvest of righteousness,
is sown in Peace by those who make peace verse 13.
This speaks of the true God called teacher.
That many were not up or not according to James chapter 3
verse 1. These were people that did have.
Bitterness and jealousy that did exist in their life.
They should not teach others. Why?
Because if we have bitterness and jealousy, if I have
bitterness and jealousy in my heart, if I have selfish
ambition, it's going to come out.
In my speech, the way I talk to people and in my teaching.
Amen. So we someone that has those
things should not teach Paul instructed, you know, Timothy
and Titus that when they were appointed Elders, you know, one
of the things about the elders, one of the qualifications, you
know, that he mentions is not having selfish ambition, you
know, he's encouraging the elders, don't don't do it.
It for selfish ambition but do it as unto the Lord Do It
willingly. I know I've used this analogy
before, I usually Wednesday night in our conversation. when
a person that aspires, This is the person that inspires to, to
move up and God is is, you know, that's a worthy thing.
We want to get closer to God. We want to be more christ-like.
That is an inspiring though. But remember this, The higher,
the monkey climbs in the tree. It is the easier it is to see.
It's ugly behind So, the higher someone goes up.
You know, Authority, the easier it is to see their bad nature,
we can hide things for a while. But give give give people enough
Authority and your see, their nature, your see, their true
nature, a man as Spider-Man says, you know, with with you
know, with, with great power comes great responsibility.
You know, that was supposed to be funny.
I'm not a funny guy. As you know, as you can see,
Verse 17. This is one of those holy butts
again, but this is one of God's but it's not not man's butts
because as I've said before any time the word but is using
scripture, when it comes to, when it comes to mankind, it's
almost all the time - But anytime the word but is used in
relation to God or his power or anything about God is always
100% in the positive context. This is one of those Godly butts
verse 17 but the wisdom from above is first pure then
Peaceable gentle open to reason full of mercy and good fruits
impartial and since Sear. Remember, Proverbs 18, 20 and 21
that we eat the fruit of our lips and our stomachs will be
full of the fruit of our lips. Instead of speaking out of
anger, bitterness and jealousy in order to put others down and
Elevate ourselves. We We will speak God's, we will
speak words of Godly wisdom and not of our wisdom.
And how things how we thinks that's good English.
Thanks and how we think things should be.
Amen. I know I have an opinion of how
I think things should be. Amen.
Many of times you many a times in my earlier, in our marriage.
You know, my mouth got me, a logical.
Still gets me in trouble. Amen.
But you know, They're going to be nevermind.
I'm not going to give you that. Okay?
So Proverbs 4 verse 1, through 7.
It says Hear o sons of Father's instruction and be attentive
that you may gain site. For I give you good precepts.
Do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son of my father
tender, the only one in the side of my mother.
He taught me and said to me, let your heart.
Hold fast my words, keep my Commandments and live.
Get wisdom. Get insight.
Do not forget and do not turn away.
Away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her speaking of
wisdom and she will keep you love her.
And she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this?
Get wisdom, and whatever you get, you didn't cite.
So controlling, our tongues learning the tame.
Our tongues is directly linked to pray in for Godly wisdom.
According to James chapter 1, Remember when you this is yes,
this is chapter 3. But we have to take all this in
context to everything. We've read up to this point It
is directly linked to Godly wisdom that we can have that we
can ask for and God and James says, he'll give it to us,
liberally. Whoever asked he'll give it to
you. But don't ask doubting because
you're like, a way wave tossed to and fro at you.
He's an unstable person and Bible says, don't let that
person think they're ever receive anything.
From God, and that unstableness will lead us.
To not being able to control all words.
It's Earthly wisdom. It's unspiritual, it's demonic.
The scripture says But Godly wisdom.
It says pure. he man says it's pure then Peaceable gentle open
to reason full of mercy and good fruits impartial and sincere and
we can receive Harvest of Peace when we make peace.
Amen. There.
That's that's one of the What you sow, you shall Reap is one
of the one of God's laws. That will never never go away.
Other things will go and pass, but that law will never whatever
we so we're going to read Amen. We sow Discord.
We're going to get Discord back. We so piece, we're going to get
piece back. Amen.
So in closing this morning, I want you to.
You realize that through the trials and sufferings that we go
through, they help us to gain the wisdom to use our words
correctly. Trials and sufferings are a part
of our journey, our quest to tame our tongues.
If we were allow them, they will Propel us on our life's journey
of being a doer of God's word and not a hearer only.
Amen. The stand this morning.
Hallelujah. Let's, let's, let's bow our
heads and let us pray. Father.
I just thank you for your word. Father, I thank you that threw
you to the power of the holy spirit that we can tame our
tongues, we can get better. Help us to think about what
we're thinking about. Father, help us to use our words
correctly. Father, help us to lay down our
pride or bitterness or jealousy. Father, help us to speak words
that lift up, instead of tearing down, help us to be an
encourager. father, help us to be that one that people seek us
out. When they're going through
struggles, when they're going through, trials of Life, father.
When they just have a bad day. We're the ones that they text or
call because they know that they're going to get up lifted
from us. Father help us to be doers of
your word by speaking words that are pure Peaceable in general.
Father, help us to be open to reason.
Help us to be full of mercy and good fruits.
Help us to be impartial. Help us to be sincere.
Father. Father help us to sew.
Goodness. Gentleness humbleness, peace.
so, father of that, we can reap that in return.
Father, I just ask that. Father, I know we're all on
different levels. Father, I just ask her, whatever
level we are at in this place this morning that you were help
us. To gain more control, over the
words that come out of our mouths.
Father, help us to be quick to here, to here with with the
intent of understanding, not just the here.
Just enough to so that we have our rebuttal ready.
Because we think our way is better.
We think I'm always right. father, help us to look at your
word as our only Authority father, Father, help us to live
lives, that are worthy of you. Help us to walk.
Worthy of your calling to love one.
Another And father, I give you honor and glory and praise.
Amen.