James 3.1-12
'The tongue and resource for healing & wounding'
Wayne Hackman 7/Oct/01 6pm

Bible Reading:

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

 

    JAS 3:3 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. 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 person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

 

    JAS 3:7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

 

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

Talk:

  1. Practical example: “Contaminating water” – salt water and pure water look the same but taste different. If we contaminate pure with salted the whole lot is tainted
  2. (Teachers have a responsibility to teach what’s right) This section helps people understand that teaching is and important role. If we teach poorly we will make people stumble as a direct result of the words, which fall out of our mouths.
  3. (But your tongue can control how you lead your life!)  Small rudders control huge ships. Our tongue is small and insignificant but it is controls our body and if this is this case then what roles of the tongue is unfortunately direct reference to the person that you are.
  4. (So if all you speak are curses and lies) The unfortunate case, about this passage, is that it goes on to speak about the tongue not being able to be tamed. It is has evil tendencies. We know what to say when we want to get our own way. It can manipulate and coerce people into situations and scenario’s they don’t want to be. James here strongly communicates the destructive tendencies that our own tongues posses.
  5. (Then fine words of praise will just echo and die.) Finally he speaks about the praises and good things that comes from our mouths but along side the poor and bad things that can also leaves our lips. He stresses that these two things do not mix if we allow our lives to divulge in letting the tongue get away with its evil tendencies then the fruit in our lives will not be seen. Instead we will be looked upon as hypocrites and liars.
  6. How can we change this?
    1. Evil lies in what we say! If we say one thing on don’t do the other then we will be seen as un-integral people and the Christian gospel will also fall into that category.
    2. However, if we use our tongue and practice what this passage illustrates then we will produce fruit and people will see what type of person that is Good.
    3. What Person do you want to be do you need to make some changes? Do you need to use you tongue to restore and heal certain situations? Allowing God to work in these matters might be a good way to begin.