Please turn with me to James 3.  We are in the part of James’ letter where James is focusing on what faith looks like in action.  James has been giving a series of teachings - with illustrations - for us to use - to test our selves - our faith on trial - teachings and illustrations to compare our lives to.  Put simply:  What do our actions tell us about our faith?  Here in chapter 3 James is going to focus on what comes out of our mouths - our words.

A little boy was selling a lawnmower.  A Baptist pastor came along and wanted to buy it.  He asked if it ran.  “Yes sir,” said the boy.  The pastor pulled and pulled the starter rope.  After a bit he said, “Son, this thing won’t start.”  The boy said, “That’s ‘cause you ‘gotta cuss at it.”  The pastor said, “Son, I’m a Baptist pastor and I haven’t cussed in 18 years.”  The boy said, “Keep pulling.  It’ll come back to you.”

What do our words tell us about what’s in our heart?

James 3 - verse 1:  Let not many of you become teachers my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.

In James’ day there were Jews who were pursuing being rabbis - teachers - because of the position - the clout - the recognition.  It made them look good.  Gave them a standing in the community.  Not much changes does it?

The teachers that I’ve learned the most from were those that genuinely cared about their students and who loved to teach.  Would you agree with that?  What makes a good teacher a good teacher is not the degrees they have or the years of experience - it’s the heart.  Its what’s in the heart that comes out in their words and their actions - good or bad.

So, let’s not miss this.  What James is writing here applies to all of us.  Parents teach children.  Siblings teach siblings.  Christians teach non-Christians what it means to be a Christian.  We all have roles - at home - at work - at school - where we have influence on others - good or bad.  What’s in our hearts is crucial.   

What we’re teaching with our words will tell us what’s going on in our hearts.

James writes, because teachers have such significant influence - teachers are going to be judged by a more exacting standard.  So, think carefully as you step into that role as a teacher.  Which means that for all of us who teach - formal or otherwise - this is really serious.

Verse 2:  For we all stumble in many ways.  If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

Have you ever wished you could take back your words?  Anything ever slip out that shouldn’t have?  We all stumble.  The tongue catches everyone - regardless of position or desire or maturity.

James is warning wannabe teachers who may be pretending they’ve got it all together.  He’s calling the rest of us to think seriously - honestly - about our lives.  We’re not perfect.  We need to pay attention to what James in writing.

Coming to verse 3 - James is going to give us a series of examples stressing the seriousness of what he’s writing about.

The first two examples focus on The Influence Of The Tongue.  Say that with me, “The influence of the tongue.”

Verse 3:  Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.

Some of you have horses.  Large animal.  Small bit.  Pull the reigns and the horse turns.  The horse may not always want to go that way.  But ultimately, where the head goes the body must follow.

Verse 4:  Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.

The German battleship Bismarck was commissioned on August 24, 1940.  She had displacement of almost 51,000 tons - which means she was big.  She could reach speeds of 30 knots - which meant she was fast.  She had 8 - 15” guns - which meant she was powerful.

On May 18, 1941 - the Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen made a break for the North Atlantic.  Their goal was to wreak havoc on conveys carrying supplies to England and to draw as many British ships as they could away from other patrols.  If these two ships got into the North Atlantic it would have decimated the British war effort.

The British sent every ship and aircraft they could to hunt down the Bismarck and sink her.  On May 24th - HMS Hood took on the Bismarck. 

The battle cruiser Hood was the symbol of British naval power.  She was the flagship of the British Atlantic Fleet’s Battle Cruiser Squadron.  Known as The Mighty Hood - she was the longest, heaviest, fastest armored warship in the British Fleet.  If any ship could sink Bismarck - Hood could.

The battle lasted only 20 minutes.  During the battle, one 15” shell from the Bismarck struck the Hood.  She exploded - sinking in 3 minutes.  Only 3 of over 1,400 crewmen survived.  The effect on the British was devastating.  Bismarck seemed invincible.

After days of pursuit and skirmishes - what finally did the Bismarck in was a last minute - almost in darkness - miracle hit by a single torpedo - that jammed mighty Bismarck’s rudder and steering gear.  So that - after that hit she was only able to steer in a large circle in the general direction of the British fleet.  She became a sitting duck.  The British fired almost 2,900 shells at Bismarck - finally finishing her off with torpedoes. 

James is talking about the merchant ships of his day.  Driven by the power of the wind - manned - complex - impressive.  The Bismarck's of the day.  All that turned by a small rudder.

Verse 5:  So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

James’ point:  The tongue is small but it has great influence.

Going on in verse 5 - James’ next set of examples focus on The Destructiveness Of The Tongue.  Say that with me, “The destructiveness of the tongue.”

Verse 5:  See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

Luciano Mares of Fort Sumner, New Mexico had a small mouse problem.  Pun intended.  It seems that he caught a mouse inside his house and wanted to get rid of it.  Mares, who was interviewed at his motel room, Mares said, “I had some leaves burning outside, so I threw the mouse on the fire.”  Then, Mares watched in horror as the - now on fire mouse - ran back to the house - to just underneath a window from where the flames spread throughout the house - destroying the house and everything in it.

Have you ever driven through an area destroyed by fire?  Acres and acres of charred grass or trees - black - all because of single spark.

James says the tongue - burning its path of destruction - is a world of iniquity - wickedness.  Its like all the evil in the world is wrapped up in that little thing in our mouths.  Anger, lust, bitterness, resentment, hatred, greed, malice, jealousy.  Its hard to think of a sin that the doesn’t somehow involve the tongue.

Notice three things about the tongue’s world of iniquity.

First:  It defiles the entire body.  The Greek word for body is “soma.”  It has the idea of everything that we are:  Mind, Body, Soul.  All of who we are is connected to what comes out of our mouths.

Second:  It defiles the course of our lives.

A woman was vacationing with some friends and just happened to wander into a jewelry store in Beverly Hills where she found this exquisite diamond necklace costing $10,000.  Not wanting to buy it without checking with her husband - she text messaged him about purchasing the necklace and the price.  His response came back, “No, price to high.”  Unfortunately, he left out the coma.  “No price to high.”

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never - what?  hurt me.”  James is saying that’s a lie.

If we’re told, “You’re a failure.” Or, “You’re stupid.”  Or, “You’ll never amount to much.”  “You don’t have what it takes.”  “You’re ugly.”  If we’re told that at the right time or often enough we begin to believe it.  Words effect how we look at ourselves.  They effect our actions. 

Words can be devastating - can radically change the course of our lives.

Third:  That defilement is ignited by the fires of hell.

The Greek word here for “hell” is “gehenna” - not “Sheol” or “Hades” - meaning the place of the dead.  “Ghenna” was the Jerusalem City Dump - located in the Valley of Hinnom.  That sounds kind of the same, doesn’t it.  Gehenna - Hinnom? 

All of the putrefying refuse - the filth - whatever defiled the holy city - was thrown there.  All of that was burned.  A continual stinking fire that never went out.  The people of Jerusalem used the term “Gehenna” as an expression for hell.  Because they could see it and smell it and it just looked like hell on earth.

James’ point:  The tongue is set in motion by the worst evil crud of this world.  That evil - unleashed by the tongue - is hugely destructive to our whole lives and the lives of others around us.

Going on - verses 7 and 8 are examples of how difficult it is to control the tongue.  Try this with me, “The tongue is difficult to control.”

Verse 7:  For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

David writes in Psalm 39 that he tried to keep his mouth shut.  But, the more he tried the more stressed out he became - the more he was burning inside - till finally what was inside came out - words that should not have been spoken.  Ever have that experience?  “I’m not going to say nothing.”  And then “BOOM” out it comes.

We will never be able to tame the tongue.  We cannot adequately or completely control it.

James writes, our tongues are restless - literally unstable - like a drunk weaving and wandering - staggering - out of control.  And, full of poison.  The purpose of poison is destruction - incapacitation - death.

James’ point:  The tongue is out of control - unrestrained deadly destructiveness.

Going on - verse 9 - James moves to The Cursing Of The Tongue.  Say that with me, “The Cursing of the tongue.”

Verse 9:  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

How can this be?  James asks.  One minute we’re praising God.  Then next minute we’re shredding His creation.  Slicing and dicing people that God created in His image.

Verse 11 - four examples - Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?  Answer - “No.” - Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives - Answer - “No.” - or a vine produce figs? - Answer - “No.”   Nor can salt water produce fresh. - Answer - “No.”  “These things ought not to be this way.”

The worst for me is when I’m driving.  Chuck Swindoll said that the last part of a Christian to get saved is - what? his right foot.  I think it’s my tongue.  What slips out of my mouth about other drivers is way too often not words of praise to God for His creation.

One minute we can be speaking so lovingly to our wives and the next minute we’re speaking words of anger.  We speak kindly to our children and then the next minute so harshly.  We clean up our speech for our siblings at church but when we get to work we can swear with the best of them - gossip - tear others down.

The tongue is amazingly unique.  It has the ability to both praise God or to curse God.  It can seemingly flip from one to the other with great ease.

Do you see what James is getting at here?  The source determines the flow.  The nature of the tree determines the type of fruit.  Someone flip-flopping - talking out of both sides of their mouth - is only demonstrating what’s going on in their heart.

This is a very serious question.  The tongue is influential.  Its destructive.  Its untamable.  Its even able to curse God.  What are we producing with our tongues?

In verse 13 James comes back to the teachers - with a question.  Verse 13:  Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

It’s a rhetorical question.  “Are you understanding what I’m saying?”  The teachers are responding.  “Yes.”  Then, James says, you need to show your understanding by your behavior - in your wisdom - in what’s coming out of your mouth.

Verse 14:  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

This is where the rubber meets the road - where all the things that James has been describing about the tongue - break into how we behave in our relationships with others - unleashing the unrestrained influence and destructiveness of the tongue.

Bitterness begets bitterness.  It eats at us internally like a cancer.  The more bitterness we allow to wind around our heart the more evil and harsh our words become.  Jealousy drives us to focus on the unfairness of how we’ve been treated.  To lash out and tear others down to seek our revenge - or own justice.  Selfishness ambition will lead us to say mean, evil, nasty things about people just so we can have it our way.  This is pure ugly Gehenna type behavior.

James says the source of all that is the pit of hell - demonic activity bent on producing disorder and evil.  Its not of God.

James says - verse 14 - if you’ve got all that going on in your heart - stop being so arrogant - stop letting Satan do a number on you - stop lying about what’s really going on - be honest - accept God’s truth about the condition of your heart.

Verse 17:  But - in contrast - the wisdom from above - from God - is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

When our words - what comes from our heart - when our words are guided by God there’s no sinful motive - no selfishness - no competitiveness - but our words promote peace - are seasoned with gentleness - consideration - compassion - mercy - sincerity - producing good works that can only come from the activity of God within us.  Rather than disorder and every evil thing - righteousness - is produced.  People drawn ever closer to God - people living rightly before God.

So which is it?  Do our words point to a heart controlled by God or influenced by Gehenna?

In thinking about all this for ourselves I’d like to share two thoughts with you.

First - all of what James is teaching us presents us with A Great Opportunity.  Say that with me - this is, “A Great Opportunity.”

I was reading about Florence Nightingale.  She was a British nurse during the 19th century.  At that time, the military medical camps were very unsanitary.  Florence Nightingale fought hard to make them better.

But a lot of people didn’t like her.  The doctors thought she was attacking them.  They told her she wasn’t welcome.  Even her own mother and sister criticized her.

But Queen Victoria was one of her biggest supporters.  The Queen kept encouraging Florence.  “You’re a hero of the British people.  No wonder the soldiers love you so much.  Keep doing what you’re doing.  Don’t give up!  Let me know if there’s any way I can help.”

Later on, Florence Nightingale talked about how much the Queen’s encouragement meant to her.  How it gave her the strength to go on.

We don’t have to be a queen to make a difference in someone’s life.  The very words we say can make a significant difference in someone’s life.

The tongue is influential.  That influence can be used for good.  The tongue is powerful.  But that power doesn’t have to be destructive.  It can be used strengthen and uplift and encourage.  Rather than cursing God - or cursing people that God has created - we have the opportunity to sow seeds of righteousness - to lead people closer to God - to encourage them to go deeper in their relationship with God - to hang in there faithfully trusting God.

What James says about the tongue should alert us to a great opportunity.  “It only takes a spark to get a fire going” could be a good thing

Second thought - We have a choice in all this.  Say that with me, “We have a choice.”  No man can tame the tongue.  But God can.  God can deal with our hearts. 

Remember Isaiah chapter 6?  Isaiah before the throne of God?  The angels are singing.  The temple is trembling all the way down to the foundations.  The whole place if filled with the presence of God.  Remember this?  The angel comes to Isaiah and touches his mouth with a live coal - signifying the forgiveness of Isaiah’s sin - purifying him from the lips on down to his heart before God.   Then - and only then - is Isaiah ready to go out and serve God.

That’s what you and I need this morning.  Listening to what James says about the tongue and thinking through our lives, we are all in need of cleansing - from our tongues all the way down to our hearts.  We need the touch of God on our mouths.  And on our lives.  So that what we say can be a blessing to others.  And not a curse.

Isaiah - in that throne room - before the angel comes with the burning coal - Isaiah says, “Woe is me,  I’m ruined.  I’m a man of unclean lips. Living among a people of unclean lips.  And I’ve seen come face to face with God.”   (Isaiah 6:1-17) 

That’s where we need to be.  Where James takes these teachers - honesty about ourselves before God.  God gives us a choice.  He invites us to let Him touch our lives - to purify us - to sanctify our lips - and do His work in our hearts.

________________________________

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible®, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.