Power of words… [4 points]

• 1^st – Teachers… vs. 1
  • The power of WORDS…
    • WORDS alone are NOT enough to save us – but that does NOT mean they are not powerful…
    • On the contrary WORDS are VERY powerful – and come with GREAT consequences!
    • We will look at FOUR examples of just how powerful WORDS can be!
  • 1^st – Stricter judgement… vs. 1
    • Not many teachers…
      • My brethren – let not many of you become teachers…
      • TEACHERS – [διδάσκαλος] – 58X in NT – someone who INSTRUCTS others…
      • By context we are talking about TEACHERS of the Bible – PASTORS…
      • The command [imperative] – let not many of you become PASTORS!
    • Call of a PASTOR…
      • Paul tells us it is good to desire to be a PASTOR – I Timothy 3:1
      • Why are we commanded then – to NOT let many become PASTORS…
      • The answer lies in the BALANCE – it is a GOOD thing to desire to be a PASTOR…
      • If the Lord has a calling on our life – then by all means step out in faith!
    • WORDS of Pastors…
      • Knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment…
      • Those who are called to be PASTORS will receive the stricter judgement.
      • Judgement – [κρίμα] – 28x in NT – here speaks of accountability for our WORDS…
      • We will ALL be judged for what we SAY in this life – every idle WORD…
      • Mathew 12:36 – “Every idle word men speak… will give account of in the day of judgment.”
      • PASTORS will receive a STRICTER judgment for their WORDS!
  • 2^nd – Two reasons…
    • Because of EXAMPLE…
      • A GOOD example draws people to Christ / a BAD example will discourage them!
      • The Priests Hophi and Phinehas – I Samuel 2:12-17 – were a terrible EXAMPLE…
      • They stole the meat of the sacrifices – had affairs with the women who came to worship…
      • They were such poor representatives of God – the people hated coming to God!
      • People do not SEE the Lord – but they do FOLLOW their PASTORS…
      • So when PASTOR misrepresent God – give a false impression of what God is like…
      • It is no wonder people are not that interested in getting to know Jesus!
      • And God will judge these PASTORS for their misrepresentation!
      • We might argue – I am GLAD I am NOT a PASTOR…
      • We might not PASTOR a church – but we do PASTOR our families!
    • Considered from God…
      • You never hear a pastor say – I need your money / they say – God needs your money!
      • What a PASTOR says – people assume is coming from the Lord!
      • People do not HEAR the Lord – but they do LISTEN to PASTORS…
      • So PASTORS will receive greater judgment because of their influence on others…
      • Therefore pray for LEADERS – pray they will be righteous God fearing men…
      • Pray – because if they are not – they will be held accountable!
      • Pray – because as we about to see – ALL men have a hard time controlling their WORDS!

• 2^nd – The perfect man… vs. 2-5
  • 1^st – Controls words… vs. 2
    • We all STUMBLE…
      • For we all stumble [present] in many things…
      • We all stumble in MANY ways – there are LOT of areas where we make mistakes…
      • We might stumble with our eyes / or stumble with our ears…
      • Bottom line there is no lack of opportunity in the ways we can get into sin!
    • Victory over sin…
      • If anyone does not stumble in word he is a perfect man – able to control the whole body!
      • BUT if we can keep from stumbling in WORDS – then we are COMPLETE [τέλειος]
      • The inference is that there is nothing harder to control – then our WORDS…
      • SINCE we have the power to do that – everything else will seem EASY by comparison!
      • There is some great insight here on how we learn to live a Godly life…
      • If we are looking to overcome some sin – or see victory in some area of our life…
      • The key is to find a way to control our mouth!
      • Not that our WORDS make us PERFECT– it is just the hardest thing to PERFECT!
      • So if we find out how guard our WORDS – we will find the key to overcoming all sin!
  • 2^nd – The imperfect man … vs. 3-5
    • Controlled BY our WORDS…
      • We put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us – and we turn their whole body…
      • Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds…
      • They are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires!
      • James sets out two examples of how SMALL things – move GREAT things…
      • We put a SMALL bit in the mouth of a horse – but it turns a GREAT animal…
      • Also a SMALL rudder – can turn a very GREAT ocean faring ship!
      • The rule of thumb for a ship is that a rudder is ONLY 2% of the ships underwater profile! 
      • An 1100’ long – 100k ton aircraft carrier – has two 30’ rudders!
    • The TONGUE is very SMALL…
      • Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things!
      • The implication is – our TONGUE has the ability to direct our lives…
      • Like a bridle in the mouth of a HORSE – like the rudder of a great SHIP…
      • Our direction / destination in life is determined by our TONGUE!
        
      • How is it that in life we seem to be ruled by our WORDS – unable to control them…
      • We DO NOT want to say harmful things to those we LOVE…
      • Yet we seem incapable of at times of holding back lethal daggers from our mouth!
      • Psalm 141:3 – “Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips.” (NLT)

• 3^rd – The Tongue… vs. 5-8
  • 1^st – The SPARK… vs. 5
    • Forest fire…
      • See [imperative] how great a forest a little fire kindles!
      • We might not think a SPARK is very dangerous – but that is how forest fires start!
      • The worst forest fire in the US – consumed 62k hectares / 85 killed…
      • It was started by a SPARK from a faulty power line!
    • Little WORDS…
      • When we choose to pass on the latest juicy stories – gossip…
      • When we use sarcasm – trying to be funny – but instead hurt those we love…
      • When we blurt out things in anger – things we wish we had not said…
      • When we tell inappropriate jokes – to try and get a laugh…
      • When we curse – swear words / or using the name of God in vain!
      • Our words might start by only effecting ONE person – but like a FIRE it can spread!
      • BATTLES begin with words – if are not careful of what we say – we can start a WAR!
  • 2^nd – Devastating FIRE… vs. 6
    • WHAT influences…
      • The tongue is a fire – a world of iniquity!
      • WORLD [κόσμος] – perhaps speaking of WHAT influences our TONGUE…
      • We learn how to control our WORDS by the example of those around us…
      • If we are surrounded by the WORLD – then we will have worldly WORDS…
      • If we are surrounded by GODLY believers – then we will have Godly WORDS! 
      • We are foolish if we think that our surroundings do not affect us…
      • Choose VERY wisely who we spend time with – because we will become like them!
      • I Corinthians 15:33 – “…bad company corrupts good character.”
    • WHERE it takes…
      • The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body!
      • DEFILES [σπιλόω] – speaking of WHERE our TONGUE takes us…
      • Jesus told Peter – if you bath you only need to wash your feet – John 13:10
      • This is NOT referring to hygiene – if we just wash our feet – we will stink…
      • It is a spiritual picture – our feet are AFFECTED by where we GO…
      • If where we GO and what we do is CLEAN – the rest of us will also be CLEAN!
      • In the same way our TONGUE can lead us to places that we do not want to go…
      • We do NOT choose our destination – our WORDS will do that for us…
      • That first harsh word we give – that leads to a harsh reply…
      • Before we know it – we are at WAR – wondering how we got there!
    • HOW it affects…
      • Sets on fire the course of nature…
      • COURSE – a racecourse [circuit] – NATURE [γένεσις] – from the start…
      • I like how the NLT translates this phrase – It can set your whole life on fire…
      • When our TONGUE is allowed to be influenced by the WORLD…
      • Taking us to places that will DEFILE us – makes us spiritually UNCLEAN…
      • The result will be the DESTRUCTION of our life – we will be left in RUINS!
      • We live in an unusual age – we POST our WORDS online for all to see…
      • How many times have we read in the news where a POST destroyed a life…
      • Some silly rant – or ill thought out comment – that set a life on FIRE!
    • WHO inspires…
      • It is set on fire by hell!
      • HELL – [γέεννα] –12x in NT – all occur in the Gospels with the exception of right here!
      • Gehenna – means the Valley of Hinnom – the southern valley of Jerusalem…
      • Where King Manasseh sacrificed children to the God Molech – II Kings 23:10
      • The valley was turned into a trash heap – where trash was cast out and burned…
      • Where the worm did not die [garbage] and the fire never went out!
      • Jesus uses the Valley of Hinnom as a picture for the Lake of Fire – final destination of satan!
      • Do you ever wonder WHO inspires us to say hurtful things…
      • WHO loves to deceive others – WHO lives to steal joy – WHO enjoys destroying hope!
      • John 10:10 – “[the devil] does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”
    • Wife of Job…
      • Job 2:9 – “Do you still HOLD FAST to your integrity? Curse [imperative] God and die…”
      • What is amazing – this is the SECOND time we have heard this…
      • The FIRST time was when God used these words to PRAISE Job – Job 2:3
      • Meaning Job was NOT hearing from his wife – This was SATAN speaking through His wife!
      • This is the ONLY time we read about the WIFE of Job…
      • And her MARK on history – is that she was a TOOL of SATAN!
      • We need to be CAREFUL what we let come out of our mouths…
      • We can be a TOOL of SATAN – used to sow divisiveness and discouragement…
      • Or we can be a TOOL that is used by God to being GRACE and SALVATION!
  • 3^rd – Deadly poison… vs. 7-8
    • Tame animals…
      • Every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea…
      • Is [controlled] and has been [controlled] by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue!
      • God gave us MASTERY over all of His creation – Genesis 1:28
      • But NO MAN has EVERY had the POWER [δύναμαι] to CONTROL the tongue!
      • By extension – NO man is PERFECT – because NO man can CONTROL his WORDS!
    • An unruly evil…
      • It is an unruly evil – full of deadly poison!
      • UNRULY [ἀκατάσχετος] – only here NT – IMPOSSIBLE to restrain…
      • We seem to find it IMPOSSIBLE – to keep from saying the WRONG things…
      • Even though the result of those WORDS – are deadly [death bringing] poison!
      • WORDS leave scars that NEVER go away – words are POWERFUL…
      • Better to think first about what we are going to say – the consequence of our words…
      • It is easy to say something – it is almost impossible to take our words back!
      • Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

Till the day when – perhaps in heaven – we finally have control over ALL our WORDS!

4^th – Evidence of the heart… vs. 9-12

1^st – Hypocrisy… vs. 9

With [the tongue] we bless our God and Father – and with it we curse men…

Who have been made in the similitude of God!

Anticipating the argument – what if we use our TONGUE for GOOD…

With it we bless the Lord – our Father in heaven – and sing His praises!

BUT if we use the same TONGUE to curse men – who are made in the image of God…

We are HYPOCRITES – our praise for God CANNOT be true!

I John 4:20-21 – “If someone says – I love God – but hates his brother – he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen – how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

2^nd – Out of one well / fruit… vs. 10-12

Out of the same mouth…

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing…

My brethren – these things ought not to be so!

Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening…

Can a fig tree bear olives – or a grapevine bear figs…

Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh!

CLEAN and DIRTY water – CANNOT come from the SAME well…

A FIG tree CANNOT bear GRAPES / or a GRAPEVINE bear FIGS…

There CANNOT be both FRESH and SALT water from the same spring…

LIKEWISE – we CANNOT have both BLESSINGS and CURSES come from the same mouth…

One of them will be TRUE – while the other is an IMPOSTER!

3^rd – Listen to the WORDS…

Jesus said it is what comes out of a man that DEFILES him – Matthew 15:11

We are DEFILED because our WORDS reveal our heart!

Luke 6:45 – “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

We need to be aware of the weight of our WORDS – they are POWERFUL!

If we could CONTROL them – we would be PERFECT – but more OFTEN control us…

Like a rudder of a SHIP – the bit in a HORSES mouth – they steer us into TROUBLE…

And the SPARK of those WORDS can set a FIRE that will destroy all things near and dear!

What is the SOLUTION – recognize the PROBLEM – it lies in our HEART!

If we run to Jesus – He can CHANGE our HEART – which will CHANGE our WORDS!

Not perfect…

Proverbs 24:16 – “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.”

We are going to have our moments – be inspired to use the wrong WORDS…

God is not surprised when we make MISTAKES – He knows we are sinners…

The important thing is to REPENT – APOLOGIZE to those who have offended…

Run back to Jesus and ask Him to do a work in our HEART again!