james series sermon notes wk 5 sun sept 9 2012

7/31/2019 James Series Sermon Notes Wk 5 Sun Sept 9 2012

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SermonNotesWk 5 // Tamingthetongue // Jms 3:1-12

Date: SundaySept 9. 2012Text: James 3:1-4:12Title: TamingTheTroubleMaker? // Week 5 of7OUTLINE:A) PowerToGuide - James 3:1-4B) PowerToGenerate - James 3:5-8C) PowerToGive - James 3:9-12INTRODUCTION:

JameshasexplainedtoustwodefiningfeaturesofamatureChristian: heis

patientintrouble ( James 1 ) andhepracticesthetruth ( James 2 ). Inthis

section, hesharesathirddistinctiveofthespirituallymaturebeliever: hehas

poweroverhistongue. Hereisahumorousstorytoillustratethistruth.

Amanworkinginthefreshfruitandvegetablesectionwasaskedbyaladyif

shecouldbuyhalfaheadoflettuce. Hereplied, "Halfahead? Areyouserious?

Godgrowstheseinwholeheadsandthat'showwesellthem!""Youmean," shepersisted, "thatafteralltheyearsI'veshoppedhere, youwon't

sellmehalf-a-headoflettuce?"

"Look," hesaid, "IfyoulikeI'llaskthemanager."Sheindicatedthatwouldbeappreciated, sotheyoungmanmarchedtothe

frontofthestore. "Youwon'tbelievethis, butthere'salame-brainedidiotofa

ladybacktherewhowantstoknowifshecanbuyhalf-a-headoflettuce."Henoticedthemanagergesturing, andturnedaroundtoseetheladystanding

behindhim, obviouslyhavingfollowedhimtothefrontofthestore. "Andthis

niceladywaswonderingifshecouldbuytheotherhalf" heconcluded.

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Laterinthedaythemanagercorneredtheyoungmanandsaid, "Thatwasthe

finestexampleofthinkingonyourfeetI'veeverseen! Wheredidyoulearn

that?" "IgrewupinLiverpool, andifyouknowanythingaboutLiverpool, you

knowthatit'sknownforitsgreatsoccerteamsanditsuglywomen."

Themanager'sfaceflushed, andheinterrupted, "MywifeisfromLiverpool!"

"Andwhichsoccerteamdidsheplayfor?"

LetslookatourpassageofScripturethismorningandseehowJamesteaches

ustotamethislittletroublemaker, thetongue. Jamesgivesussixpicturesof

thetongue: thebit, therudder, fire, apoisonousanimal, afountainandafig

tree. Wecanputthesesixpicturesintothreecategoriesthatrevealthethree

powersofthetongue.

UNDERSTANDINGHOWTOTAMETHETROUBLE

MAKER.

1. PowerToGuide // Thebitandtherudder (James 3:1-4)

ThewarningthatJamesbeginsthissectionwith, isaroundtheofceof

teachingandspiritualleadership. Preaching andteachingcansometimescarry

amistakenprestigeandauthority, butweneedtoalwaysrememberthe

tremendousresponsibilityandaccountabilitythatcomeswithteachingGods

Word. ThosewhopreachtheWordfacethestricterjudgmentbecausethey

mustpracticewhattheypreach, otherwisetheirteachingishypocrisy. Thinkof

thedamagethatcanbedonebyateacherwhoisunprepared, orwhose

spirituallifeisnotcongruentwiththemessagetheyarepreaching.

Butteachersandleadersarenottheonlyoneswhoaretemptedandsin; every

Christianmustadmitthat weallstumbleinmanyways ( James 3:2 ). Andthe

sinsofthetongueseemtoheadthelist. Whenweareabletodisciplineour

tongue, thisisevidencethatweareabletocontrolourwholebody. Weshow

ourspiritualmaturity ( perfect ) bydoingso.

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TheconnectionJamesmakesbetweenbridlingourtongueandkeepingour

wholebodyfromsin ( James 3:2 ), isbecausewordsoftenleadtodeeds. A

commonsayingduringWorldWar 2 was looselipssinkships. Looselipsalso

wrecklives. Apersonmakesanohandedremarkandsuddenlyfinds

themselvesinafight. Histonguehasforcedtherestofhisbodytodefend

itself.

Inselectingthe bit andthe rudder ( James 3:4 ), Jamespresentedtwoitemsthataresmallinandofthemselves, yetexercisehugepower, justlikethe

tongue. Asmallbitenablestheridertocontrolthepowerfulhorse, andasmall

rudderenablesthecaptaintosteeramightyship. Thetongueisasmall

memberinthebody, andyetithashugepowertoguidegreatthings.

Boththebitandtherudderandtheruddermustwinovercontestingforces.

Thebitmustovercomethewildnatureofthehorse, andtheruddermustfight

thewindsandthecurrentsthatwouldtryanddrivetheshipocourse. The

humantonguemustalsoovercomecontraryforces. Wehaveanoldnaturethatwantstocontrolusandmakeusstumble. Therearecircumstancesaroundus

thatwouldmakeussaythingswewouldlaterregret. Sinontheinsideand

circumstancesontheoutsidetrytogetcontrolofthetongue.

Thismeansthatboththebitandtheruddermustbeunderthecontrolofa

stronghand. Theexperthorsemankeeps themightypowerofhisbrumby

undercontrol, andtheexperiencedcaptaincourageouslysteerstheship

throughthestorm. WhenJesusChristcontrolsthetongue, thenweneednot

fearsayingthewrongthings - orevensayingtherightthingsinthewrongway

( Prov 18:21 , Ps 141:3-4 ).

Thebitandtherudderhavethepowertoguide, whichmeanstheyaectthe

livesofothers. Arunawayhorseorashipwreckcouldmeaninjuryordeathto

innocentbystandersorpassengers. Thewordswespeakaectthelivesof

others.

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Jamesremindsusthatanimalscanbetamed; andforthatmatter, firecanbe

tamedalso. Whenananimalistamed, itgeneratespowerfulworkinsteadof

destruction. Whenfireisharnessed, itgeneratesusefulenergy. James 3:8 - the

tonguemaynotbeabletobetamedbyanyhumanbeing, butGodcanbring

thislittletroublemakertoorder. LiketheApostlesatPentecost, whenGod

lightsthefireandcontrolsit, thetonguebecomesamightytoolforwinning

soulsandequippingthechurchforministry. Matt 12:34 - Iftheheartisfilled

withhatredandhurt, hellwilllightthefire. LetGodfillourheartswithlove, sothatHisfirewouldgenerateHispurposeinhowwespeak.

3. PowerToGive // theSpringandtheTree (James 3:9-12)

Thespringgivescoolwaterthatpeopleneedinordertostayalive. Inmiddle

easterncultures, thepresenceofafreshwaterspringisagreatblessingtoa

village. Peopleneedwaternotonlyfordrinking, butalsoforwashing, cleaning,

farmingandotheractivitiessovitalforahealthylife.

Prov 18:4 , Prov 10:11 andProv 13:4 allparallelwhatJamesiswritingand

highlighttheimportanceofwhatourwordsweredesignedtogive.

Waterislife-giving, andourwordshavetheabilitytogivelife. However, ifwater

iscontaminatedthenitbringsdeathanddestruction ( Prov 18:21 ). Ourwords

weredesignedtogivelifeandnourishment. Justaswaterrefreshesandbrings

health, sotoourwordsaretobringthesame ( Prov 12:18 ). Paulsprayerwas

thathemight refresh thesaintsinRomewhenhecametothem ( Rom 15:32 ).

HeoftennamedChristianswhohadrefreshedhim ( 1 Cor 16:18 , Phile 7 , 20 ).

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Thetonguegiveslifeandjoybecauseitislikeatree. InBiblelands, treesare

vitallyimportanttotheeconomy: theyhelptoholddownthesoil: theyprovide

beautyandshade; andtheybearfruit. Ourwordscanhelptoshelterand

encourageawearytraveler, andcanhelptofeedahungrysoul ( Prov 10:21 ).

JesussaidthatHiswordswerespiritandlife ( John 6:63 ). AsweshareHisWord

withothers, wefeedthemandencouragethemalongtheway.

Themostimportantthingaboutanytreeisitsrootsystem. Iftherootsdonotgodowndeep, thetreewillnotgrowinahealthymanner. Ifwearegroundedin

thethingsoftheLord, thenourwordswillbethefruitofourfellowshipwith

Him. WewillbeliketheblessedmaninPsalm 1 andproducefruitindue

season. OnereasonourLordwasabletosaytherightthingsattherighttime,

wasbecauseHecommuneddailywithHisFatherinHeaven ( Isaiah 50:4 , Mark1:35 ).

Ifwearetohavetonguesthatgivelife, strengthandencouragement, thenwe

mustmeetwithGodcontinuallyandlearnfromHim. WemustgetourspiritualrootsdeepintoHisWord. WemustprayandmeditateandallowtheHolySpirit

tofillourheartswithGodsloveandtruth.

Theissueisthetongueonlyspeaksoutoftheoverflowoftheheart ( Matt

15:18 , Prov 4:23 ). AswefillourheartswithGodsgrace, hecanuseustogivejoy

andlifetoothers, andwewillberefreshingspringsandtrees.

Conclusion:

Asweclosethissession, herearetwelvewordsthatcantransformourlives. If

weusethesewordsandsincerelymeanwhatwesay, Godcanuseustobea

blessingandanencouragementtoeachother. Thereareonlytwelvewords, but

whenusedwithhumilityandsincerity, theyhavepowertoguidepeopleto

Jesus, generateloveandgivelifetothosewhohearthem.

PleaseandThankyou. // Whenweusethesethreewords, wearetreating

otherslikepeopleandnotobjects. Weareshowingloveandappreciation.

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Imsorry. // Thesetwowordshaveawayofbreakingdownwallsand

buildingbridges.

Iloveyou. // Toomanypeopleread romance intothesewords, buttheygo

muchdeeperthanthat. AsChristians, wearedefinedasfollowersofChristby

thelovewehaveforeachother, andevenloveforourenemies. Iloveyou isa

statementthatcancarrytremendouspower.

Imprayingforyou. // Andbesurethatyouare. WhenwetalktoGodabout

people, thenwecantalktopeopleaboutGod. Ourprivateprayingforpeople

helpsusinourpublicmeetingwithpeople. Ofcourseweneversay Impraying

foryou inaboastfulway, asthoughwearemorespiritualthanothers. Itis

importantthatwecomefromaplaceofencouragementandlove, lettingothers

knowthatwecareenoughforthemtobringthembeforeGodsmercyand

grace.

Itisamazingtothinkthatthesmallestbutlargesttroublemakerintheworldis

thetongue. Butitdoesnothavetobeaweaponofmassdestruction.

Godcanuseourwordstoguidepeopleintothewayoflife, togeneratefaithin

theKingdompurposesofGodandtogivenourishmentandhealthtothose

aroundus.

Thetongueisalittlemember, butithasgreatpower. Letussubmitour

language

and

our

life

daily

to

The

Lordship

of

Christ,

and

ask

Him

to

use

us

to

beablessingtoCrossCentral, andthoseinourtownofBatemansBayand

beyond.

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james series sermon notes wk 5 sun sept 9 2012

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