The Dangerous Power of the Tongue (James 3:1-5) [2025-11-30]

Says 1 to 5. James 3, verses 1:00 to 5:00.

So let's read the text together. I'll open this in a word of

prayer, and then we'll jump into the sermon this morning.

James three, beginning in verse one.

Not many of you become teachers, my brothers, for you know that

we who teach will be judged with greater strictness, for we all

stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in

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 are 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 boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire.

If you will pray with me, Father, this morning, I pray

that you would help us to consider our, our tongues, our

words. Lord, help us to consider this,

this instrument, this potentially weapon that we have

in our in our bodies, Lord, that as much damage as we can do with

our, our minds, our hearts, our our hands and and our legs.

We all know that we can do much greater damage with our tongues.

That you have given tremendous power to bless you and to curse

your creation. So God, would you give us a, a

renewed awareness of this, this responsibility, the

responsibility to bridle our tongues, the responsibility to

consider our words and, and that the impact of them as we look at

the tongue this morning and next week.

So convict us, God, exhort us, encourage us, challenge us and

help us, Lord, to to to be be striving to bridle our tongues.

Lord I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.

A 2000 LB vehicle is controlled by a 20 LB steering wheel.

A freight train weighs about 35,000 tons and yet it is

controlled by a single lever, and an entire computer is run by

a very tiny chip. An avalanche of snow weighing

30,000 tons can be caused by a very small vibration.

An entire building's lights can be controlled by one switch, and

a Christian's entire spiritual life can be controlled by this

tiny organ in the body known as the tongue.

There is a tremendous power. There is a tremendous, dangerous

power with the tongue. So the sermon is about this

morning as we work our way through the text typically will

give exposition and then application.

But this morning I wanted to change it up and I will be

weaving together the exposition and the application together.

So I won't have these two segregated.

I'll be weaving these two sections together as we go

through the text this morning. So let's look at it section by

section, verse by verse, beginning in verse 1, James

31-A, the first part where James writes, Not many of you should

become teachers, my brothers, not many of you should become

teachers. James is now going to change

subjects. We've been talking about the

topic of faith and works for the past few weeks, and now he's

going to change from this topic of faith to the topic of the

tongue. But before he gets to the topic

of the tongue, James is going to give the church a warning.

Now, it's not clear at first how verse one fits into the overall

context, right? It doesn't go with the previous

passage, and at first glance it doesn't appear to go with the

following passage. But I think they are connected

in this way. James is about to warn the

church about all of the potential dangers of the tongue.

And one of the most serious dangers of the tongue is the

tongue used in teaching what I'm doing right now, James writes.

Not many of you should become teachers.

Now. Why does James give this

warning? Don't we want everyone to be a

teacher? Don't we want everyone to be to

teach the Word of God? Well, in one sense, yes.

In one sense, The Great Commission is contingent on

teaching Matthew 2818 to 20 Go therefore, and make disciples of

all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son,

and the Holy Spirit. And here it is teaching them to

observe all that I've commanded you.

So yes, everyone in Christ should be striving to teach the

church to obey the commands of Christ.

Yes, but this is not the sense in which James is referring to.

Notice James doesn't say not many of you should teach.

He doesn't say that. He says not many of you should

become teachers, which clearly refers to the office of teaching

or a specific role of teaching in the church.

Now, at the minimum, this office or this role is carried out by

the elders in the church. At the minimum, one of the

qualifications of elders is able to teach, but it doesn't mean

that male deacons in the church shouldn't teach or can't teach

the congregation. They certainly can and should.

Nor does it mean that women deacons can't teach or shouldn't

teach other women in the church. They certainly should.

But to be an officially recognized teacher of the

church? This is only reserved for those

who are called, equipped and qualified.

Now I want to be clear here that while James says not many of you

should become teachers, let us not forget the the Apostle Paul

tells us that we can all prophecy.

Everyone in Christ can prophecy. Paul writes in First Corinthians

1426 and 31. What then, brothers?

When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a

revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation.

Let all things be done for the building up for you can all

prophecy 1 by 1 so that all may learn and be encouraged.

And so I pray church family, that when we gather for small

groups, when we gather for Friday nights discipleship, when

we gather for Bible study on Sunday morning, when we gather

right now in the sermon and in worshipping community, when we

gather for men's breakfast, when we gather for women's gathering,

we don't show up to these things and have a mindset.

Well, I'm not teaching. I'm not teaching.

Yes, you may not be teaching, but God has called you to

prophecy. God has called you all to

prophecy. God has uniquely equipped you

through the Holy Spirit who dwells inside of you to

prophecy. The church needs to hear from

its teachers, but it also needs to hear from you.

So yes, yes, not many of you should become teachers, but many

of you should become prophets, should give a word from God that

He has laid on your heart. Now why does James say that not

many of you should become teachers?

Look at verse 1B for you know that we who teach will be judged

with greater strictness. A what does this mean and B what

are the implications here? A the Greek is literally.

This is how it reads in the Greek.

We who teach will receive a greater judgement.

That's how it reads in the Greek.

We who teach will receive a greater judgment.

Now what this means is that at the judgment, when we die, then

we stand before the judgment. Throne of Christ, teachers of

the church will be held to a higher standard.

Right? I will be held to a higher

standard. All pastors are all teaching.

Elders will be held to a higher standard.

Why? Because teaching effects

people's lives. There are people who are in hell

as a result of false teaching, and there are people who are in

heaven in part as a result of true teaching.

Let me give a few examples. Jesus said to the Pharisees, Woe

to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you travel

across sea and land to make a single proselyte.

And when he does become a proselyte, you make him twice as

much a son of hell. The Pharisees were blind,

hypocritical teachers. In Hosea, God rebuked the

priest. My people are destroyed for lack

of knowledge. In Malachi, God rebuked the

priest, for the lips of a priest should guard knowledge.

The people should seek instruction from his mouth, for

he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

But you have turned aside from the way you have caused many to

stumble by your instruction. How many people are in hell

because they believed the prosperity gospel that was

taught to them? How many people are in agony of

flames because they believe the progressive Christianity that

was taught to them? This is why Paul charged

Timothy. Timothy, keep a close watch on

yourself and the teaching teachers will receive the

greater judgment. Now, what are the implications

of this statement? Here's one massive implication.

There are varying degrees of punishment in hell and there are

varying degrees of reward in heaven.

At the judgement is not just a filing system where you know

you're in one line. It's like sheep to the right,

goats to the left. It's not just a filing system.

There's also a judgement of our actions.

False teachers will receive a harsher punishment in hell, and

Christian teachers can lose, potentially lose rewards in

heaven. First Corinthians 3 alludes to

the fact that you can lose rewards in heaven.

It can be burned up. I think that's perhaps how

judgment works for Christians. So, in other words, if a

Christian teacher fails to teach the whole council of God's Word,

if you have a pastor or an elder or a teacher of the church who

fails to teach the whole council of God's Word, they may lose

their reward that they otherwise would have received.

Now let me give two cautions here.

Caution a The way to solve this danger is not to never become a

teacher. Some may read this verse and

think teachers receive greater judgement.

OK, I'll never become a teacher. Problem solved.

That is not a godly response. The church needs teachers.

We'd never have pastors if we all had that response.

We'd never have Sunday school teachers.

We'd never have teaching elders. We need people who are willing

to take on this responsibility. If they are called and equipped

and qualified, that's caution A Caution, B.

Even if you say, well, I'm not called, or I'm not equipped, or

I'm not qualified, It's not just teachers who received the

greater judgement. That's true, but it's not just

teachers. Jesus says in Luke 1247 to 48.

And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get

ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe

beating. But the one who did not know and

did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating.

Everyone to whom much was given of him, much will be required,

and from him to whom they entrusted much they will demand,

the more. Now, what is that parable

teaching us? I think it's teaching us this.

The more you know, the more mature you are, the more

sanctified you are, the more God requires of you parents.

You will be held accountable for how you teach your children.

It's not just a parental decision.

It's not like when we've decided this That's fine.

You will be held accountable for how you teach your children.

Children, ministry workers. You will be held accountable for

how you teach the church's children.

Disciple errs. You will be held accountable for

how you disciple, how you teach your disciple deacons.

You will be held accountable for the ministry entrusted to you.

Look at verse 2A. For we all stumble in many ways.

Don't you love that? That comes right after it?

Because verse one is kind of a shock, isn't it?

Verse one is kind of a shock verse.

It's kind of meant to shock us. Don't presume to be a teacher

because teachers are going to be held to a higher standard.

This kind of verse, though, can cause unnecessary fear to creep

into the hearts of the Saints. To think, you know, Oh my gosh,

like I got to make sure that I, I, I, I've dotted every I and

crossed every T and, and, and it can cause this fear and, and

teaching and serving. But James reminds us, look, we

all stumble in many ways. We all do.

The word for stumble literally means to lose 1's footing, to

trip or to fall, which is clearly a metaphor for falling

into sin. And I want you to notice, he

says not just some, not just bad teachers.

He says we all stumble in many ways.

All Abraham stumbled, Moses stumbled, David stumbled, Peter

stumbled. Pastors stumble, elders stumble,

teachers stumble, deacons stumble, missionaries stumble.

We all stumble. Not only do we all stumble, we

all stumble in many ways. Pride, greed, lust,

covetousness, selfishness, idolatry, lying, stealing,

complaining, anger. We all stumble in many ways.

I think this should serve as a reminder that we are to hold

certain people to higher standards.

That's true. Let's be true on that.

We are to hold certain people to higher standards.

Pastors should be held to higher standards.

So should elders. So should teachers.

So should missionaries. So should deacons.

But let's not hold them to so high a standard that we expect

them to be. There is only one teacher who

never stumbled, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Look at verse 2B. And if anyone does not stumble

in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his

whole body. Now what does James mean by this

statement? What?

What does he mean by this? Let me put it this way.

Suppose someone asked me this question.

Matt, what sins have you never committed?

Right. What?

What are some sins that you have never committed?

OK. I've never committed adultery in

the flesh. I say flesh because Jesus says

lust is tantamount to adultery. And certainly I'm guilty of

that. But I've never committed

adultery in the flesh. I've never murdered someone.

I've never kidnapped someone. You're like, that's what I've

done a lot of sin. I mean, I thought I was like,

what have I not done? Suppose we were to go around the

room and ask everybody in this room, I would ask all of you.

All right, I want you to write down.

I want I'm going to ask the same question to you.

What sins have you never committed?

We took everybody's answer together, and then we put it on

a giant spreadsheet. So we had all the sins that

everybody in this room had never committed.

Do you know what answer would not be on the spreadsheet?

I've never sinned with my tongue, and if it is there, you

best not have. I've never lied either because

you just did it because everyone has sinned with their tongue.

Whether it is lying, slander, gossip, complaining, cursing,

flattery, boasting, harshness, strife, or criticism, everyone

has sinned with their tongue. Now suppose we met someone who

said I have never sinned with my tongue.

And let's just suppose and the hypothetical world it were true.

Let's just let's just assume it's true.

What would that mean? James says it would mean this.

You're looking at a perfect man. Why?

Why, why, why? Why does he say that if you have

never sinned with your tongue, you're a perfect man?

Here's why He says this because it would take someone who is

perfect to never send with their tongue.

In fact, this task is so impossible that James says if

you are able to bridle your tongue, then you can bridle your

whole body. If this man can bridle his

tongue, then he can bridle his eyes from lust.

If he can bridle his tongue, he can bridle his mind from unholy

thoughts. If he can bridle his tongue,

then he can bridle his ears from listening to lies.

If he can bridle his tongue, then he can bridle his feet from

walking into sin. If he can bridle his tongue,

then he can bridle his heart from idolatry.

You can bridle this organ, you can bridle the whole body, James

says. But there is only one who has

successfully bridled his tongue, and his name is Jesus.

Have you ever stopped and thought about this for a moment?

There was never a time that Jesus complained.

Not one time. Not one time did he ever

complain. There was never a time that

Jesus cursed. Even when he hit his thumb with

his carpenter's hammer, He never let it slip or thought it.

There was never a time he lied, not even an emotional lie.

There was never a time that Jesus was sinfully harsh.

There was never a time he gossiped about his disciples.

There was never a time that he flattered the religious leaders.

He went 33 years, never once sinning with his tongue.

Just stop and think about that for a moment.

I don't think I can go one day without sinning with my tongue.

He went 33 years Now at this point we might be tempted to

think, well I'm not Jesus brother, I know I'm not perfect,

never claimed to be, that's true.

However, James has given us all a challenge.

This word bridal, it brings us back to James 126.

I skipped over that verse when we got there because I said I

would cover it when I got to James 3.

So look back with me at James 126.

We skipped over this when we got there.

James writes in James 126. If anyone thinks he is religious

and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this

person's religion is worthless. James says if anyone thinks he

is religious. Now that word religious, we

looked at it before, it means devout or pious.

If anyone thinks he is devout or pious and does not bridle his

tongue, what does that mean to bridle your tongue?

The word for bridle has a literal meaning and a figurative

meaning. The literal meaning is to guide

with a bit and bridle to hold and check.

What does that mean? In other words, if you have ever

ridden a horse, if you or desire to ride a horse, they put a

bridle around the horse's head, right?

It's like headgear. The source has this headgear.

That headgear holds that bridle holds a bit in the horse's mouth

or sometimes there'll be several bits, this little metal piece

inside the horse's mouth. There are reins that are

attached to that bridle that the rider will hold in his hands.

And when those reins are pulled in a certain way, it puts

pressure onto sensitive areas of the horse's mouth and and face.

All right? And So what will happen is that

as you pull those reins to the right or left or back, or as you

do that put that pressure, it will cause the horse to turn or

to slow or to stop to alleviate that pressure.

That's how it works. So if you're pulling on the

right, there's pressure. Now here, the horse will turn to

alleviate that pressure or it will stop to alleviate the

pressure. And so James uses this idea, but

with the figurative meaning. The figurative meaning is to

exercise close control over some function.

That word bridle means, in a figure of sense, to exercise

close control over some function.

So in the same way that the rider exercises control over the

horse, a person who bridles their tongue exercises control

over their tongue. And James says this.

He says if anyone thinks he is pious, if anyone thinks he is

devout and does not bridle his tongue, there are two

implications. A He deceives his heart.

How so? How does he deceive his heart?

Well, suppose a man said he loved his wife.

Suppose he met a a husband who was married and he said he loved

his wife. And then suppose you talk to his

wife separately and she said he constantly belittles me.

He calls me names, he puts me down, he harshly criticizes me.

But this man stands by his conviction that he loves his

wife. What would we call that man?

Deceived. Deceived in the same way, if a

person thinks they are a mature Christian, but they continuously

sin with their tongue in a way that there's no repentance, no

striving to change, no depending on the Lord, right, they are

deceived about their true spiritual condition.

Second thing B. Second implication.

James says this person's religion is worthless.

What does that mean? Worthless.

It means pertaining to being of no use, idle, empty, fruitless,

useless, powerless, lacking truth.

Now why is it worthless? Because while it is true that

actions speak than words, you preferred that before.

While it is true that actions speak louder than words,

friends, sometimes words speak louder than actions.

We were driving home the other day and we passed a Papa John's

and I was, I was, my boys were like, oh, Papa John's is the

goat. And I was, and I said, no, it

used to be, but it's gone downhill ever since Papa John

left, in my opinion, it's gone downhill.

And they asked, well, why did he leave?

I said well he was fired and they asked why was he fired?

And I said because some comments he made during a conference call

that got leaked and they asked why would he be fired over some

words? And I said because words matter.

Words matter. You see, you can lead a multi

billion dollar business, but your words can negate all of

that. Likewise, a person can be a

wonderful pastor, a wonderful elder or Deacon or missionary or

author or podcaster, but their words can negate all of it.

Now here's why this matters. If we put James 126 together

with James 32, we put these two things together.

Yes, it is true that everybody is going to stumble with their

words. That's true.

Nobody is perfect. And yet we must strive for

perfection. We must strive to bridle our

tongues. Friends, it is wrong to expect

perfection of people with their words.

If you get married, don't expect perfection of speech from your

spouse. You are in for a rude awakening.

Every married couple person in this church would give you

example after example of how their spouse has sinned against

them with their tongue. If you have roommates, don't

expect perfection from them. If you become a member of a

church, don't expect perfection from the other members.

But on the flip side, on the flip side, let's not get out

from under the burden of our sin by claiming, well, nobody's

perfect, nobody's perfect. That's true.

That's true, but Jesus did say you must be perfect as your

heavenly Father is perfect. Hear me when I say this,

Perfection is not never sinning with your tongue.

Perfection is striving by the grace of God to exercise

self-control over what we say. Look at versus 3 to 4 and 5B 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 that they are so large and are driven by

strong winds. They are guided by a very small

rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.

And then 5B how great a forest is set ablaze by such a small

fire? James gives 3 analogies to make

this point, to make his his central point, and I want to

look at these individually. 3 analogies, the first one a bit

and a horse a bit and a horse. That's the first one.

When I was about 10 or 12 years old, I remember exactly how old

I was, but I was around 10 or 12 years old.

I wrote a bucket list. I think I had like 50 things I

wanted to do before I died. Some of them were like strange.

It was like visit California, which I got to do recently a few

years back. I've been able to do actually a

great deal of them. One of them was to ride a horse.

I had never ridden a I'm going to grow up in the South.

You're like, yeah, that's like blasphemous in the South, like

you've never ridden a horse. I had never ridden a horse.

I actually did not ride a horse until a few years back.

A few years back, we're going to Alabama.

Lawrence family took us to a farm and I actually got to ride

a horse for the very first time. I remember as I got on this

beast, having one thought. I hope I don't die, because as I

got it, I could immediately tell how powerful this animal was.

I mean, I could tell that this, I mean the even even though.

But here's the thing. Even though this animal was

larger than me, faster than me, stronger than me, more powerful

than me, I actually had complete control over this animal the

entire time. How?

Because I had control over the reins, the owner of the horse

had put a bit into the mouth of the horse and he gave me

instructions before I got on. He said, you pull here if you

want to turn right, pull here if you want to turn left, pull up

on both if you wanted to slow down or you wanted to stop.

And as I got on the horse, I was nervous because I was like, is

this actually going to work? I mean, what if this thing just

takes off running? Like what if it just, is this

really going to work? And to my surprise, it did.

As we start going, you know, I'm like, and all of a sudden I'm

about to run into a tree and I pulled right and it turned.

I was like, Oh my gosh. And then when I wanted to slow

down, I would pull. The horse actually obeyed my

commands, James writes. If we put bits into the mouths

of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as

well. This 1000 LB animal actually

obeyed me because I had control over the bit that was in its

mouth. Brothers and sisters, the tongue

has the power to spiritually kill you and to spiritually kill

others. Proverbs 1821 Death and life are

in the power of the tongue. Do you have control over your

tongue or is it a wild stallion that runs free?

Two second analogy gives is a rudder and a ship.

James writes look at the ships also.

He invites his read his readers to look at the ships also.

He says they are so large. I was actually looking.

I was like how large are the 1st century ships?

Actually the largest ships were Alexandrian grain ships.

They could be as long as 400 feet long.

That's longer than a football field 400 feet long and 100 feet

wide. They could carry up to 200

people. James writes they are driven by

strong winds. All ships were powered by the

wind for the first like 1700 years.

James writes that they are guided by a very small rudder.

So here's this enormous ship and yet it's guided by this very

small rudder. Now actually in the 1st century,

ships would actually have two rudders.

They actually would take like an oar like structure.

One would be on the back right and one would be on the back

left. And it's like an ore that would

stick into the water and they would move these ores to steer

the ship. And so even though this ship is

massive, even though the the winds are strong, the pilot is

able to steer this entire ship. All 200 people, all 400 feet of

the ship is able to be steered through this little rudder.

Likewise, the tongue will often steer your life.

It can determine who your friends are and who they are

not. It can determine who you marry

and who you don't marry. It can dictate the direction of

your marriage or the direction of your career.

Your tongue is a powerful and effective rudder.

And three last analogy, He says a small fire and a wildfire.

He gives the analogy of a small fire and a wildfire.

In 2018, California had its largest and deadliest wildfire.

At its largest, the fire covered 153,000 acres.

That's about 240 square miles. That's huge. 85 people died.

Where did it start from? It started from Pacific gas and

electric equipment. A very small point, relatively

speaking. And we've all been watching the

devastation of the Hong Kong apartment complex fire, James

says. Likewise, the tongue is capable

of great destruction. If I were to ask everyone in

this room, what are some of the most painful things in your

life? If I were to ask that question,

what are some of the most painful things in your life?

Are not many of them things that people have said to you?

When I realized that, I I think about that in reverse.

What if some of the most painful things in other people's lives

are things that I've said to them?

You see, the danger of a fire is that once something is burned,

you can never get it back. Same is true with words.

You can never get it back. Now I want you to consider the

central point of James's three analogies.

The central point the central point is in is in verse 5.

Here it is verse 5 S. Also, the tongue is a small

member, yet it boasts of great things.

Now all three analogies have the same thing in common.

The power of something small, the dangerous power of something

small. A bit is a very small piece

compared to the size of the entire horse.

I actually asked ChatGPT what percent size is a bit compared

to an entire horse. According to it .004% of the

horse. I don't know if that's true.

It says check mistakes with who and yet that tiny little bit

controls the entire animal. The same is true with a rudder.

A rudder is a very small piece compared to the entire ship,

.007% of the ship, and yet the rudder steers the entire ship.

And a single point of fire is a very small fire compared to the

entire wildfire, .002% of the entire fire.

And yet this small little fire is responsible for the entire

wildfire. Likewise, the tongue is a small

member in the body. Your tongue is about .07% of

your body and yet it boasts of great things.

James here introduces one of the primary sins of the tongue

boasting. James's point is that even

though our tongues are very small instruments.

They often play loudly, they can worship loudly, they can boast

loudly. How many people in Scripture

were disciplined or judged for their boasting?

Pharaoh boasted that he would not yield to God's authority,

and God humbled him with a wall of water.

Nebuchadnezzar boasted, Is this not great Babylon, which I have

built by my mighty power as a royal residence, and for the

glory of my majesty? And God humbled him by turning

them into a beast. Herod Agrippa boasted by

allowing the people to praise him as a God, And God humbled

him with death and some worms. Cora Dathan and a Byron boasted

they were just as holy as Moses and God humbled them by

swallowing them alive. Haman boasted that he was second

in command and all of the Kingdom and God humbled him with

some gallows that he had built. Uzziah boasted that he could

burn incense just like all the other priests could, and God

humbled him with some leprosy. Peter boasted that he would

never deny Christ and God humbled him with a rooster.

You see, church family, Satan doesn't have to devour us with

egregious sins. Bible says that Satan is a war

and lion seeking someone to devour.

Satan does not have to devour us with egregious sense.

He can simply work through our tongues.

You know, what's interesting is that if you look at the history

of war, more soldiers died from sickness than from combat.

It doesn't take a tank or a grenade or a bullet or a mortar

or a spear or a sword or a missile to kill a man.

What is far more deadly, historically, what has been far

more deadly and war, is typhus, dysentery, cholera, smallpox,

malaria, influenza, measles, typhoid and tuberculosis,

bacteria and viruses that can only be seen with a microscope.

The same is true in the spiritual world.

A person doesn't have to fall through means of adultery or

sexual immorality or drugs or murder or theft.

They can simply fall through means of boasting or complaining

or anger or gossip. We all need self-control in many

areas. I think we all would agree if we

were honest that we need self-control in many areas.

Food and drink, sex and lust, how much we work, our thought

life, entertainment and social media, phone usage.

But one area that we all desperately need self-control in

is our tongues. Church family, let us strive, by

the grace of God, to bridle our tongues.

Let's pray.