THE
DANGER OF LOOSE LIPS
James 3:1-12
I remember growing up in the 70's, a phrase by a comedian
named Flip Wilson,
as he played the role of a preacher; "Loose Lips Sinks
Ships". In the church
today, there is some truth in that phrase. The church ought
to be a place of
encouragement, uplifting and a sanctuary of peace and joy.
But often times
it is a place of tension and discouragement. Some of us own
our elected positions
as if we are the sole authority of right and wrong. Instead of encouraging people
to serve, we discourage.
BE CAREFUL OF YOUR DESIRES
V:1. " Let not many of you become teachers, my
brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment."
A. One of the covenant positions in the Church and the
Jewish Synagogue was that of
a teacher.
1. In the Synagogue, the Word of God was taught along
with the Jewish tradition.
2. In the
Synagogue, the Jewish tradition was
considered the authority over the
Word of God.
3. Those Jewish
teachers who believed in Jesus, came with their misinterpretations,
misleading
the Gentile and Jewish believers creating confusion and dissention.
B. James reminded-
teachers and preachers to be careful that we teach the Word of God
correctly. ;
1. 2 Timothy 2:15 states, " Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
2. The worst thing
you and I can do is to give our opinions on the Word without
studying the Word.
3. We cannot trust
what we have heard or believe without adequate research of the
Word.
C. There is a
penalty for teaching the Word
incorrectly.
1. As teachers we
will incur a stricter judgment.
2. Matthew 18:6
states, " But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in
me to sin, it
would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck
and to be
drowned in the depths of the sea."
3. We are warned
to take the job of teaching very seriously.
4. It is a honor
to be chosen to teach God's people.
SERVICE DOES NOT COME WITHOUT MISTAKES
V:2-3. " 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.
3 Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that
they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well."
A. No one is perfect. In the course of serving God we are
going to make mistakes.
1. However, we can
be in control of what we say and how we treat one another.
2. Colossians 4:6
states, " Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned
with salt, so
that you may know how to answer everyone."
3. From a baby, we
grow up looking out for our own interest.
4. We learned early
that crying when we were hungry, wet or sleepy got the attention
of our
parents.
a. Our mouths
controlled the action of our caretakers.
b. We learned
to be selfish.
B. As adults, we have
to reprogram ourselves to be more concerned about the
welfare of
others.
1. As long as we
are trying to promote ourselves, we will not see the needs of others.
2. One way to
start is to overlook the faults of others and concentrate on their good.
3. Philippians
4:8-9 states, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is
noble,
whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if
anything is
excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.
Whatever you
have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it
into practice.
And the God of peace will be with you. "
4. We have to
practice thinking of others in a positive way.
a. In this way
we can control the tongue.
b. If we don't
think negative thoughts, they want come out of our mouths.
WORDS CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE
V:4-5. " 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.
5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it
boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small
fire! "
A. The mouth is just a small part of the body. Yet it
controls the mood and attitude
of the entire
body.
1. We speak what
is in our hearts. And we can begin to believe what we speak,
weather it is true or not.
2. If we think
negative thoughts, we will say and do negative things.
3. The more
negative we are the more hurtful we will be to ourselves and
others.
B. Out of our mouths
come words that can control the mood and attitude of those
around us.
1. Hurtful
thoughtless words can discourage and drive people away
from the Church.
2. Hurtful words
from our mouths can cause the whole body to react to defend
ourselves.
WE CAN BE THE REASON FOR DIVISION
V:6. " 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. "
A. Out of the heart flows the issues of life. Prov 4:23
1. The only way
to control the tongue is to control the heart.
2. Jesus said
" But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and
these make a
man 'unclean." Matt 15:18
3. The only way
to control the heart is to have an active working relationship
with Jesus.
B. When we lose our
focus on Jesus, the world become our motivation.
1. Jesus said,
" For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual
immorality,
theft, false testimony, slander. These
are what make a man 'unclean';
but eating
with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean." Matt 5:19-20
2. We bring into
our church setting, the outside world.
3. While trying to
hold a Christian conversation, we mix it with worldly opinions,
and before we
know it, the Bible has lost it's authority over us.
UNTAMED WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD
V:7-8. " 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. "
A. We have become masters of obtaining our goals and
objectives.
1. We work at
being the best we can be in our areas of interest.
2. From the
Garden of Eden, God put man in charge of all the animals,
plants and trees of His creation.
3. We have found
ways of being successful in this charge God gave us,
B. When it comes to the mouth, we have no plans to control
its contents.
1. By ourselves we
are not capable of controlling the tongue.
2. We have to make
it our priority to reclaim for ourselves the righteousness
of Jesus that
God has imputed upon us.
3. A humble heart
is the beginning of our journey to Jesus.
4. We must come to
the conclusion that we have sinned and come short of
the glory of
God.
5. We must center our conversations around
the Word of God.
6. Since God made everything, then
everything we face can be related
to His Word.
7. We must realize
the fact that the knowledge we have gained in the world
is useless
against evil.
8. I think our
primary problem is a lack of fear of the Lord.
a. Proverbs
1:7 states, " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but
fools
despise wisdom and discipline."
b. We have
become fools chasing after the wisdom of the world.
c. We have
failed to discipline the mouth with the Word of God.
DOUBLE MINDED
V:9-10. " With it we bless our Lord and Father, and
with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;
10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My
brethren, these things ought not to be this way. "
A. An untamed tongue
is one that is not backed up with a mind devoted to the Word of
God.
1. An untamed
tongue is driven by emotions and current circumstances.
2. An untamed
tongue is driven by selfish motives.
B. A man controlled by his emotion will say anything that
please him and
others around him.
1. James is talking
to a Christian community.
2. In a Church
service, the spiritual emotions are high, so praise and worship is
pleasing.
3. Outside of
worship, especially during a confrontation, a man control by
emotions will
go into the defense mode and say
anything to support
his
position.
C. It is easy to forget that we are made in the image of
God.
1. When we look in
the mirror all we see is us and not the image of God.
2. We have to
constantly remind ourselves that we belong to God,
purchased by
the blood of Jesus.
3. An active daily
prayer life is key to our consciousness of a
Godly presence.
THE CURE FOR AN UNSOUND MIND
V:11-12. " Does a fountain send out from the same
opening both fresh and bitter water?
12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine
produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh."
A. A man not constantly controlled by the Word of God is
bound to be irrational from
time to time.
1. Lets consider
again Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech always be with grace, as though
seasoned with
salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. "
2. Our response is
off because we under value the grace of God.
3. Grace is God's
favor. We are under His grace, therefore protected by Him in all
things.
4. We do not have
to fear our position or status under any circumstance.
5. We do not have
to lift ourselves up, because if we humble ourselves before God,
He will do the
lifting.
B. Since our conversation is with grace, we are promoting
the well being of others.
1. Our encouragement and uplifting of another
is not empty chatter because it
has to be
seasoned with the truth.
2. And if we
proceed with grace seasoned by salt, we will always know the
appropriate
thing to say.
3. The appropriate thing to say will not always be popular or
well
received.
4. The appropriate
thing to say will lift up another person and place us
in a servant
position.
5. A servant
position is not a weak position but a position honored by Christ.
C. To be consistent in our Christian approach to others we
have be continually
mindful that we
are children of the King.
1. I believe that
we are fearful when we are challenged because we don't
lay hold to
the truth of scripture.
2. 2 Timothy 1:7
states, " For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of
power, and of
love, and of a sound mind.
a. An irrational
mind is not focused on the Word of God.
b. A sound mind
believes the Word to be true and applies to it's
present
situation.
LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE
WITH GRACE
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
For more lessons, follow me
on facebook or visit my blogs,
revmmitchell.com and
goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
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