Check the Tongue - James 3:1-18

James chapter 3. Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

James 3 · chapter mention

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

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.

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.

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.

It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures are being tamed, and have been tamed by mankind.

But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who have been made in God's likeness.

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.

My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?

Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Who is wise and understanding among you?

Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,

do not boast about it or deny the truth.

Such wisdom does not come down from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure,

then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Peace-makers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Peace-makers who sow in peace.

Thanks, Chris.

Let's keep our Bibles open and we're going to pray.

Psalm 19, verse 14.

Psalms 19:14

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Amen.

Amen.

What am I?

I can start wars, break marriages, divide families, destroy churches.

I can bring healing, redeem marriages, restore families, renew churches.

I have the power to cause great evil and I have the power to do great good.

What am I?

Well, of course, we're talking about the tongue.

Look at verse 9.

With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse human beings who have been made in God's likeness.

James has already introduced us to the use of our tongues.

In fact, he said, if we claim to be a Christian.

Have a look back at chapter 1, verse 19.

If we claim to be a Christian.

Verse 19.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this.

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

Verse 26.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves and their religion is worthless.

So how we use our tongue reveals if our faith is genuine.

That was the theme of chapter 2, if you look at verse 14.

Chapter 2, verse 14.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith, so they claim to be a Christian, but has no deeds?

Can such faith save them?

Well, the answer comes in verse 24.

You see that a person, as you watch, as you look at a person, a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

The mark of true Christianity is seen by what we do, how we live.

And now in chapter 3, James gives us another example of what true Christianity looks like.

And it all comes down to how we use our tongue.

Three things we're going to look at.

First, check your tongue.

Check your tongue.

Not surprisingly, James starts with teachers.

Those who teach God's word, like pastors.

Those who are responsible for the teaching of this church, the elders.

Look at verse 1.

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers.

Well, why is that?

Because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Right now I'm teaching.

And as I teach, I'm using my tongue.

I'm saying a lot.

I'm talking a lot.

I'm going to be doing more speaking than listening.

That means I have to be very careful.

And as I teach, I've got great influence.

The words that I use have influence.

What I say can build up or tear down.

What I teach can be of great good or of great evil.

I need to check how I use my tongue.

Because, look at the end of verse 1.

You know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

This is serious.

The more I say, the more I will be responsible for.

The more I'm responsible for, the more accountable before God I am.

So it's crucial that I check out how I use my tongue.

But it's not just teachers that James is concerned about.

He's concerned for the whole church.

Verse 2.

We all stumble in many ways when it comes to using our tongue.

Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect.

Able to keep their whole body in check.

James is just so real and practical.

He just gets straight to the issue.

No messing about.

Look, he says, we all stumble.

We all mess up.

We all fail to keep our tongue in check.

But here's the encouragement.

When we keep our tongue in check,

our whole body is kept in check.

If we can control the tongue,

we can control our whole life.

Proverbs 18 verse 21 tells us that

Proverbs 18:21

the tongue has the power of life and death.

And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Control the tongue

and we control our whole life.

Sam Albury uses a very helpful illustration in James.

He talks about it like this.

It's like James is inviting us into the doctor's surgery.

We are to stick out our tongue

and to get it checked out.

Let the word of God

diagnose anything that is sinful

and let the word of God

heal

and make it useful.

Let the word of God

diagnose anything that is sinful

and let the word of God

heal it

and make it useful.

So as we continue,

I give us all permission

to stick out your tongues

and enter into the surgery

of God's word.

What does God's word

diagnose

about our tongue?

Well, second,

know your tongue.

Four things

we need to know

about our tongue.

Four things that the word of God

diagnoses

about our tongue.

First,

the tongue is a controlling power.

Look at verse three.

When we put bits

into the mouths of horses

to make them obey us,

we can turn the whole animal.

I don't know if you've ever been on a horse,

but a horse is very strong

and very powerful.

With a tiny bit,

it's a small little steel bar

about so long

which inserts into the horse's mouth

attached to the reins

and with it,

you control the whole animal.

A tiny tug in the reins

and the horse will stop.

A pull to the right

or a pull to the left

and it will go the direction

you want it to go.

It's the same with a large ship

or a cruise liner.

Look at verse four.

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.

The largest cruise ship

that sails the seas today

is called Symphony of the Seas.

It's 360 meters long

and 60 meters wide.

It has 18 decks

and it weighs in at 227,000 tons.

But the small rudder,

only a few meters long,

can turn this ship

in any direction.

verse five.

Likewise,

the tongue is a small part

of the body.

The tongue is just like a bit

or a rudder,

but it makes great boasts.

It has the power

to control the whole body.

In other words,

the tongue powerfully determines

and directs the course

of our whole life.

The tongue controls

our destiny.

How we use our words,

what we say

in our conversations,

how we talk

to one another

powerfully controls

what our life

is going to be like.

So it's a controlling power.

Second,

the tongue is a destructive fire.

Look at the second part

of verse five.

Consider what a great forest

is set on fire

by a small spark.

In France last year,

there was a forest fire

covering eight square kilometers

and it destroyed

everything in its path.

Homes, buildings,

the whole forest,

the whole habitation

was all wiped out.

Eight square kilometers

left in a pile

of ash.

You know what the cause was?

A dropped cigarette.

Look at verse six.

The tongue also

is a fire,

a world of evil

among the parts

of the body.

just one word

from our tongue

and it causes

devastation

and destruction.

One word,

one phrase

can break a marriage,

destroy a family,

wreck churches.

Look at the rest

of verse six.

It corrupts

the whole body,

sets the whole course

of one's life

on fire.

A tiny spark

that lasts

barely a second

and barely visible

to the human eye

can set a whole

forest on fire.

And the problem is,

James is saying to us,

when we open our mouths,

sparks fly everywhere.

A careless word,

a bit of gossip,

a lie,

a put down,

a snide remark.

And before we know it,

our whole life

is a blazing fire,

devastated by broken

relationships

all around us.

How do we cause

such damage?

Well, look at the end

of verse six.

The whole course

of one's life

is set on fire

and is itself

set on fire

by hell.

The source

of all this

fiery destruction

is the influence

of hell itself.

When we use

our tongues,

sparks fly

and we're only

speaking what

the devil himself

speaks.

As one writer

has put it,

our tongues

are satanic.

So our tongues

are a controlling

power,

a destructive

fire,

and third,

they are an

untamable evil.

Look at verse seven.

All kinds

of animals,

birds,

reptiles,

and sea creatures

are being tamed

and have been

tamed by mankind.

We've seen

the pictures

on television.

Maybe you've been

to a circus.

We can make

bears dance.

We can make

birds carry

messages

and come back

again.

We can make

crocodiles not

to bite

and insert

your head

in its chops

if you wanted

to.

We can make

killer whales

jump in the air

to catch fish.

But,

look at verse eight.

No human

being

can tame

the tongue.

We can't

stop ourselves

from talking.

We can't

tame this

tiny organ

inside of our

mouth.

I hate you.

I'm not

listening to you.

You're such

a pain.

You always.

Rather than

me taming

my tongue,

my tongue

controls me.

Look at the

end of verse

eight.

It is a

restless evil

full of

deadly poison.

How many

times have

we said to

ourselves,

I wish

I didn't

say that.

How many

times have

we said,

I wish

I kept

my mouth

shut?

Look back

upon the

relationships

that are

now broken.

What's

the cause?

Well,

it just

pops out of

our mouth,

doesn't it?

Before we

even have

time to

think what

we are

saying,

our tongues

just take

over and

an outburst

of anger,

a harsh

response,

a slanderous

remark?

My tongue

is like

a viper,

end of

verse eight,

full of

deadly

poison.

I open

my mouth

and out

comes

poisonous

words that

crush,

break,

and destroy.

the words

I'm quite

sure that

my family

remember

are the

words that

are like

deadly

poison,

words that

break and

destroy.

I can't

seem to

stop it.

It's an

untamable,

restless

evil.

fourth,

the tongue

reveals

my heart,

verse ten.

Out of

the same

mouth

come praise

and cursing.

My

brothers and

sisters,

this should

not be.

One

moment we

can be

singing

songs of

worship to

God,

the next

we're

criticizing

the people

who stood

behind us

to somebody

else.

verse

11,

can both

fresh water

and salt

water flow

from the

same spring?

My

brothers and

sisters,

can a

fig tree

bear olives

or a

grapevine

bear figs?

Neither

can a

salt spring

produce

fresh

water.

James

uses his

words so

carefully,

but they

are so

clear.

his words

are so

revealing.

A tree

will always

produce its

fruit,

pear trees

don't grow

apples,

and you

won't find

an orange

from a

banana tree.

You see,

it's what

comes out

of our

mouth

that reveals

the state

of our

hearts.

What comes

out of our

mouth only

reveals the

source from

which it

comes.

Remember

what Jesus

said.

This comes

from Matthew

15.

He says,

what goes

into someone's

mouth does

not defile

them, but

what comes

out of their

mouth, that

is what

defiles them.

The things

that come out

of a person's

mouth come

from the

heart, and

these defile

them.

For out of

the heart

come evil

thoughts, false

testimony, slander,

and we can

add to that

crosswords,

malicious gossip,

destructive

lies.

Our tongues

as we speak

only reveal

who we are

and what our

hearts are

like.

so what

are we to

do with

this diagnosis

as we step

into the

surgery, as

God's word

makes the

diagnosis, what

are we to

do with our

powerful,

destructive,

untamable,

evil,

poisonous

tongues?

I guess

we've never

thought of our

tongues like

that, have

we?

Well, as we

said at the

beginning, let

the word of

God diagnose

anything that

is sinful,

and let the

word of God

heal it, and

make it useful.

God's word

will diagnose

what is sinful,

but the same

word of God

can heal it,

and make it

useful.

So we

check our

tongue, we

know our

tongue, and

third, we

transform our

tongues.

Let me show

you how our

tongues can be

transformed.

It requires

wisdom.

Wisdom that

comes from

heaven, not

wisdom from

the world.

Look at

verse 13.

Who is

wise and

understanding

among you?

wisdom.

Well, if

you're wise, let

them show it

by their good

life, by

deeds done in

the humility

that comes from

wisdom.

Wisdom is not

academic ability.

Being wise is

not about clever

arguments and

using our words to

win people over or

to prove your

point.

Godly wisdom, true

wisdom, is about

living life God's

way, living the

way God has

created us to

be.

It is, as it

says in verse

13, it's

showing it by our

good life, by

deeds done in

humility that

comes from

wisdom.

wisdom.

So, having

this wisdom,

having the

right kind of

wisdom in our

life, will

keep our tongue

in check.

It will enable

us to use our

tongue to build

up rather than

destroy.

It will enable

us to tame and

control our

tongue so that

we bring healing

and peace.

So, how do we

get this wisdom

to transform and

change our

tongue?

Well, there's

two steps.

First, we

need to repent

of worldly

wisdom.

Look at

verse 14.

But if you

harbor bitter

envy, so if

you store up,

internalize those

words of bitter

envy and selfish

ambition in your

hearts, do not

boast about it

or deny the

truth.

You see, the

reason James has

been working

through what the

tongue is like,

helping us to

understand what

the tongue is,

is so that we

can see how

great a problem

our tongues

actually are.

And when God's

word reveals to

us what our

tongues are like,

he's revealing to

us what our

hearts are like

and what comes

out of our

hearts.

And as the

diagnosis is

made, he's

saying to us,

don't ignore

it.

Verse 14,

end of verse

14, do not

boast about it

or deny the

truth.

You see, if we

try and hide the

problem, if we

fight against it

and deny the

truth, it's

going to break

us and destroy

us.

Verse 15,

such wisdom

does not come

down from heaven

but is earthly,

unspiritual,

demonic.

For where you

have envy and

selfish ambition,

there you find

disorder and

every evil

practice.

us.

You see, as I

sit under God's

word and as

the diagnosis

has been made,

if my response

is, well, I

don't have a

problem with my

tongue, I

don't have a

problem with how

I speak, well,

such a view,

we're told in

verse 15, is

earthly or

worldly wisdom.

It's

unspiritual,

it's demonic.

And all it

will result in

is more

damaged, broken

relationships, end

of verse 16, for

there you will

find disorder and

every evil

practice.

If we walk

into a surgery

and a diagnosis

is made and we

just walk out and

do nothing about

it, we will

just get more

sick.

And I think

that's the point

James is making

here.

the diagnosis

has been made.

Worldly wisdom

says, ignore the

diagnosis.

Just keep on

going and live

the way you

want to live

and, well, if

we do, we

will just find

further disorder

and every evil

practice.

We need to

repent of

worldly wisdom.

wisdom.

And second,

we need to

receive heavenly

wisdom.

Verse 17.

But the

wisdom that

comes from

heaven is

first of all

pure, then

peace-loving,

considerate,

submissive,

full of

mercy and

good fruit,

impartial and

sincere.

fear.

Now, when I

look at verse

17, I think,

well, where

do you see that

kind of wisdom

displayed?

Well, the only

place that wisdom

is displayed is

in the person of

Christ.

Because the

wisdom that

comes from

heaven is

Christ.

Christ is

pure.

Christ is

peace-loving.

He is

considerate.

He is

submissive.

Christ is

full of

mercy and

good fruit.

Christ is

impartial and

sincere.

So,

Christ is

the wisdom

that we

need.

Look at

how Paul

refers to

Christ.

in 1

Corinthians.

He says,

Christ,

the power

of God

and the

wisdom

of God.

Again,

Christ

Jesus,

who has

become for

us wisdom

from God.

That is

our righteousness,

holiness,

and redemption.

Christ is

the wisdom

we need.

And Christ

is the one

who has

come to

us.

And in

his wisdom,

he came

to us

from heaven

to me

and to

you.

And through

his wisdom,

through his

work here

on earth,

through his

death on

the cross,

my destructive,

evil,

poisonous tongue

has been

dealt with.

Christ

has paid

the punishment,

the price

for all

my wrong,

hurtful,

cursing

words.

and through

his wisdom,

he has

now forgiven

me and

gives me

the power

of his

Holy Spirit

to control

and tame

my tongue.

A greater

power

that I do

not possess

within myself.

And when

our tongue

is so

transformed,

it produces

words that

are,

verse 17,

pure,

peace-loving,

considerate,

words that

are submissive,

words that

are full of

mercy and

good fruit,

words that

are impartial

and sincere.

when we

repent of

worldly wisdom

and humbly

receive

heavenly wisdom,

our tongues

are transformed

and look

what happens

when we

speak with

a transformed

tongue,

verse 18,

peacemakers

who sow

in peace

reap a

harvest of

righteousness.

Rather than

sowing words

that produce

hurt and

division

and angry

responses

and put

downs,

we now

can sow

words that

reap a

harvest of

righteousness,

transform

tongues that

bring words

of healing,

words that

begin to

redeem and

forgive where

marriages are

breaking down,

words that

can restore

families,

words that

can renew

churches,

words that

enable us to

unite broken

relationships,

peacemakers

who sow

in peace

reap a

harvest of

righteousness,

transform tongues

that enable us

to respond to

the people we

will meet

this week,

not with

anger or

bitterness,

but with

words of

compassion,

words of

grace and

mercy,

offering

people the

hope of

Christ,

the true

wisdom who

has come

down from

heaven,

the one

who said,

I will

give of

my life,

I will

die for

you so

that you

can have

life.

James's

words are

so clear.

Check out

our tongues,

listen to

the diagnosis

from God's

word,

and let

that same

word heal

our tongues

and bring

about a

healing so

that our

tongues become

useful,

peace-loving,

peacemaking

tongues in

this broken

and disordered

world.

Let's pray

together.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

As we pray,

reflect on

these words

and after

I've read

them,

we'll just

leave a

quiet moment

for you

to bring

our own

confession

and our

own

response

to God

in the

quietness.

these words come from Psalm 139

you have searched me Lord

and you know me

you know when I sit and when I rise

you perceive my thoughts from afar

before a word is on my tongue

you Lord know it completely

search me God and know my heart

test me and know my anxious thoughts

see if there is any offensive way in me

and lead me in the way everlasting

exist

I

I

I

I

Father, we all stumble in many ways.

All of us use our tongues in the wrong way.

We ask that you would forgive us

for the times where we have used our tongues unwisely.

Help us, Father, that we would repent of worldly wisdom

and stop trying to fix things on our own,

but rather that we would receive humbly the wisdom from heaven,

Christ himself,

asking that you would fill us afresh with the power of your Holy Spirit

as we depend upon you.

Heal us so that our tongues may become useful,

that we may use words to build up,

that we would be peacemakers,

and that our words would point people to Christ,

the true healer,

the one who gives life to all who turn to him.

Father, thank you.

Thank you for one another.

Thank you for words of encouragement.

Thank you for words that build up.

Thank you for your gifts to us.

And we pray that we would go into this week

speaking words of peace,

bringing words of compassion.

Help us, Father, we pray.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

We're going to sing in response to that last verse in James about sowing peace.

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord.

And where there's doubt, true faith in you.

Let's sing this as a prayer for ourselves personally,

and our prayer for each other,

that we would be a channel of peace.

Let's stand together as we sing.

Amen.