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September 6-7, 2003 LIVING LIKE YOU MEAN IT! James 3:1-12, 4:11-12 TAMING YOUR TONGUE! 1. You’ve probably heard the expression, "Sticks and stones will break my bones. But words will never hurt me?" Of all the limericks we learned a children…dumbest! 2. When a child called you a name…chanted the limerick…ran home and cried… 3. Some of you right now are replaying in your mind names that you were called… painful to this day…! 4. Proverbs 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword….” [New International Version] 5. Someone has suggested we change the limerick to say: “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but they can soon be mending. But names and words will hurt my soul, and the damage is never ending!” 6. Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue has the power of life and death….” 7. That is why James is so direct here…if you were with us last weekend…being a Christ-follower is more than just talk…TALK THE TALK AND WALK THE WALK! 8. James gives us some great words to help us have great words… JAMES 3:1-12 9. Little survey…How many have ever gotten into trouble by something you’ve said? 10. James 3:2 “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.” [NIV] 11. HOW TO TAME OUR TONGUES! WE CAN TAME OUR TONGUES BY: 1. ACCESSING THE POSITIVE POWER OF THE TONGUE! 1. Human speech has its dangers…but it also has amazing benefits… A. THE POWER OF INSTRUCTION! 1. James 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.” [NIV] 2. He isn’t saying we shouldn’t…just be aware of the responsibility and power…! 3. Paul tell Timothy that those leaders who teach are worthy of double honor (respect and pay)…but with that privilege comes responsibility! 4. 1 Tim. 4:16 “Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you.” [NEW LIVING TRANSLATION] 5. ILL – backing the trailer into the driveway… “how am I doing?” “OKAY!” 6. B. THE POWER TO DIRECT! 1. James 3:3-4 “When we put bits into the mouths 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 are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.” 2. James is saying that the tongue is just a small muscle…inordinate power…BUT 3. YOUR TONGUE ONLY TELLS WHAT HARBORED IN YOUR HEART! 4. Luke 6:45 “A good man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.” [Living Bible] 5. ILL – Bruce Barton “For good or ill, your conversation is your advertisement. Every time you open your mouth you let men look into your mind!” 6. ILL - Aesop, told this fable: “Once upon a time, a donkey found a lion’s skin. He tried it on, strutted around, and frightened many animals. Soon a fox came along, and the donkey tried to scare him, too. But the fox, hearing the donkey’s voice, said, "If you want to terrify me, you’ll have to disguise your bray." Aesop’s moral: Clothes may disguise an fool, but his words will give him away. 7. ILL – Warren Wiersbe, “Control of our tongue leads to master control of our lives. The control of the tongue is more than the evidence of spiritual maturity – it is the means to it!” 8. Proverbs 13:3 “Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything.” [Message] *** THE TONGUE HAS THE POSITIVE POWER OF INSTRUCTION; TO DIRECT; C. THE POWER TO PRAISE! 1. James 3:9 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father….” [NIV] 2. This is the highest form or words we can speak! 3. Psalm 104:33 “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” [NIV] D. THE POWER TO ENCOURAGE! 1. 1 Thes. 5:11 “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” [NLT] 2. Every body need encouragement…! 3. Eph. 4:29 “Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” [NLT] 4. ILL – ENCOURAGEMENT NOTE… 5. At the same time…in July…didn’t preach… “Thanks for a great sermon today!” 6. ILL – LIFE’S MOST MEANINGFUL WORDS…I love you…You’re wonderful…It’s benign…It’s a boy…It’s a girl…No cavities…Thank you…I forgive you…God bless you…Welcome home…Your car is ready…You passed…You’re children are so well behaved…You’re right… 7. Proverbs 25:11 “The right word spoken at the right time is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl.” [New Century Version] *** WE CAN TAME OUR TONGUES BY: ACCESSING THE POSITIVE POWER OF THE TONGUE; 2. AVOIDING THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF THE TONGUE! A. UNINTENTIONAL WORDS THAT BURN! 1. James 3:5 “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.” [NIV] 2. ILL - Valinda Jo Elliot was beginning to panic. The forests that first seemed so refreshing, now felt forbidding. The 31-year-old hiker had been lost for three days. She was tired, dehydrated and desperate when she heard the rotors of a helicopter. Setting a small signal fire seemed the only way out of what, for her, was a nightmare. … Rodeo-Chediski Fire…470,000 acres burned… 3. We have no idea…devastation done…careless word… 4. James 3:6 “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.” [NIV] 5. Proverbs 16:27 “Evil people look for ways to harm others; even their words burn with evil.” [Today’s English Version] 6. Proverbs 26:21 “A quarrelsome person in a dispute is like kerosene thrown on a fire.” [MSG] B. INTENTIONAL WORDS THAT POISON! 1. James 3:8 “It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” [NLT] 2. Where a careless spark can start…poisoning is intentional…a malicious person can inject just a little bit of poison into a conversation…destroy…! 3. ILL - Karen Carpenter…first started singing, one of the critics that covered the band referred to her as "Richard’s chubby little sister." From that moment on, every time she looked in the mirror, she said to herself, "I’m Richard’s chubby little sister." And she started taking drugs to lose weight. And she became bulimic. And anorexic. Died of heart failure @ age 32… 4. Romans 3:13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their speech is filled with lies." "The poison of a deadly snake drips from their lips." [NLT] *** THE TONGUE HAS THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF: UNINTENTIONAL WORDS THAT BURN; INTENTIONAL WORDS THAT POISON; 3. CAUSTIC WORDS OF CURSING! 1. James 3:9-10 “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.” [NIV] 2. Come in here and sing “Rise Up and Praise Him!”…then damn someone…! 3. ILL: Little boy selling a push lawnmower. Preacher come along and wanted to buy it and asked did it run. "Yes sir", said the boy. The preacher pulled & pulled on the rope and said, "Son, this thing won’t start." The boy said, "That’s ‘cause you ‘gotta’ cuss it." The preacher said, "Son, I’m a preacher, and I haven’t cussed in 18 years." Boy said, "Keep pulling; it’ll come back to you." 4. Some of you need your mother’s to come and wash out your mouths…! *** THE TONGUE HAS THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF: UNINTENTIONAL WORDS THAT BURN; INTENTIONAL WORDS THAT POISON; CAUSTIC WORDS OF CURSING; 4. PAINFUL WORDS OF PRIDE! 1. James 3:5 “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.” [NIV] 2. ILL – had over 2800…called Steve…asked how…wanted to boast…! 3. ILL – “Whenever you toot your own horn you’re inevitably too high, to loud and too long!” 4. Psalm 75:4 “To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns.” [NIV] 5. DEVASTATING WORDS OF DISHONESTY! 1. James 3:11 “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” [NIV] 2. Proverbs 26:28 “A lying tongue hates those it hurts….” [NIV] 3. ILL – Hugh Mulligan…article, “Would I Lie To You, Trust Me!” Common phrases we all know are lies… “This isn’t going to hurt a bit! It’s easy to assemble! Please Dad, I’ll walk him and feed him and everything! It’s easy to find, you can’t miss it! Two can live as cheaply as one! Mother’s only staying for two weeks, you’ll hardly know she’s in the house! The check is in the mail! I’m from the government and I’m here to help you! 4. Proverbs 12:22 “The Lord hates liars, but is pleased with those who keep their word.” [TEV] 6. SUBVERSIVE WORDS OF SLANDER! 1. James 4:11 “Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it.” [NIV] 2. ANOTHER WORD FOR SLANDER IS GOSSIP! 3. ILL – Dr. Donna Eder a sociologist at IU…study on gossip… The initial negative statement was not the starting point for gossip. The critical turning point was found in the response to the initial negative statement. When someone else agrees with the negative statement, or “seconds it” that is the beginning point of gossip and it ensues. If there is no “second” the conversation changes direction and the gossip is at least temporally averted.” 4. Proverbs 26:22 “There is nothing so delicious as the taste of gossip! It melts in your mouth.” [Contemporary English Version] 5. Proverbs 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” [NIV] 6. James 3:12 “My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” [NIV] 7. Matthew 12:36 “Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously.” [MSG] *** WE CAN TAME OUR TONGUES BY: ACCESSING THE POSITIVE POWER OF THE TONGUE; AVOIDING THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF THE TONGUE; 3. APPLYING CORRECTIVE POWER TO THE TONGUE! 1. BY ADMITTING THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM! 1. James 3:2 “We all stumble in many ways.” [NIV] 2. In Proverbs 6:16-17…7 Things God Hates…3 of the 7 deal with how we speak! In Exodus 20…10 Commandments…2 of the 10 deal with our use of words…! 3. ILL – 2 little boys coming home from SS…new song, “It’s bubbling…in my soul…!” One isn’t paying attention…runs into his brother…smacks him on the shoulder, “Blast you Freddy, get out of my way!” Continues singing…! 2. BY DETERMINING TO TURN IT AROUND! 1. James 3:10 “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” [NIV] *** WE APPLY THE CORRECTIVE POWER TO THE TONGUE: BY ADMITTING THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM; BY DETERMINING TO TURN IT AROUND; 3. BY ASKING FOR HELP! 1. James 3:8 “…but no man can tame the tongue.” [NIV] 2. We need to ask the Holy Spirit for help… 3. Psalm 141:3 “Lord, help me control my tongue; help me be careful about what I say.” [NCV] 4. We need to ask those closest to us to help…accountability… 5. ILL – playing golf…4th joined us…cussed… what do you do…preachers… 6. Galatians 6:1 “Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” [NLT] 4. BY AIMING FOR PERFECTION! 1. James 3:2 “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.” [NIV] 2. Concentrate on the positive power…! 3. Col. 4:6 “Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.” [MSG]
Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” [NIV]
ILL – Bob Russell…man with stuttering problem…baptized…make his confession |