James 3:1-18 Sermon Outline

Taming the Tongue


Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then speaceable, gentle, open to reason, tfull of mercy and good fruits, uimpartial and vsincere. 18 And wa harvest of righteousness xis sown in peace by those who make peace.





Illustration: Satan's Yard Sale & The Wedge



We can identify mature Christians by their:

attitude toward suffering (chap. 1)

by their obedience to the Word of God (chap. 2).

Now James tells us that a Christian’s speech is another test of maturity. We read and hear many words every day and forget what a wonderful thing a word is! When God gave us the faculty of speech, He gave us a tool to build with; but it can also become a weapon of destruction.



I. The Exhortation (3:1–2)



Apparently there was a rivalry in the assemblies over who would teach, for James warns them, “Let not many of you become teachers!”

The reason? Those who teach will be judged more strictly than those who listen.

It is a sad thing when immature Christians, or what we call Social Christians, try to become teachers either before they are ready or even in the face of utter opposition from God.

Many think they have attained a great place of honor, when they have really asked for a more severe judgment from God!

James is quick to agree that all of us stumble in many ways, especially in what we say.

In fact, the person who is able to control the tongue proves that he or she has control over the whole body.

Read 1:26 again, and note also the many references to the tongue in the Book of Proverbs. Peter is a good illustration of this truth. In the Gospels, while an immature disciple, he often lost control of his tongue and had to be either reproved or taught by the Lord. But after Pentecost, his spiritual discipline was evident by his controlled speech.



II. The Illustrations (3:3–12)



James used three paired illustrations to portray the power of the tongue.



A. Power to direct—the bit and rudder (vv. 3–4).



The word “helm” in v. 4 is “rudder,” the part of the ship that steers it through the water.

We often think that our words are unimportant, but the wrong word can direct the listener into the wrong paths.

An idle word, a questionable story, a half-truth, or a deliberate lie could change the course of a life and lead it to destruction.

On the other hand, the right word, used by the Spirit, could direct a soul out of sin and into salvation. Just as the horse needs a guide, and the rudder needs a pilot, so our tongues need the Lord to control them.



B. Power to destroy—the fire and animal (vv. 5–8).



The size of a thing does not determine its value or power.

The tongue is a little member in the body, but it can cause great destruction. How the tongue loves to boast! (Of course, what the tongue says comes from the heart: Matt. 12:34–35.) (v. 5) Each year, many thousands of acres of timber are lost because of careless campers or smokers.



A little flame can set a whole forest on fire. The tongue is a flame: it can, through lies and gossip and heated words, set a whole family or church on fire.

See Prov. 16:27 "A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.. " And the “soot” from the fire can defile everybody involved. When the Spirit came at Pentecost, there were tongues of fire from heaven to enable the Christians to witness; but it is also possible for the tongue to be “set on fire from hell” (v. 6). James also compares the tongue to a fierce and poisonous beast that cannot be tamed. No man can tame the tongue; only God can control it through His Spirit.



C. Power to delight—the fountain and tree (vv. 9–12).



It is impossible for a fountain to produce both fresh water and salt; and it is impossible for a tongue to speak both blessing and cursing.

However we “bless God” in our praying and singing, and then “curse men” in our anger and impatience! See Prov. 18:4 "The words of a man’s mouth are adeep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook."

Christians must allow the Spirit to give forth the “living waters” of the Word through their tongues. There is something wrong with the heart when the tongue is inconsistent. Likewise, a tree cannot bear two kinds of fruit. The “fruit of the lips” (see Heb. 13:15) ought always to be spiritual.

After considering these examples, believers must realize that they cannot permit Satan to use their tongues. The wrong word at the wrong time could break a heart or lead a person astray.



III. The Application (3:13–18)



One of the key themes in the Book of James is wisdom, or practical living directed by the Word of God.

It becomes tragic when Christians lack practical wisdom to direct their affairs, both personally and in the church. Far too many people have the idea that to be “spiritual” means to be impractical—and nothing is farther from the truth!

When the Holy Spirit guides us, He uses our minds, and He expects us to get the facts and weigh issues in the light of the Word of God. James indicates that there are two sources of wisdom and that the believer needs to be discerning.

We are thereby warned - The tongue of the believer can be filled with true wisdom from above or the false wisdom from below.



A. False wisdom from below (vv. 14–16).



When we have bitterness and envy in our hearts, our tongues will express these things. It matters not how spiritual our teaching might be: if the tongue is not controlled by the Spirit from a loving heart, then we are imparting false wisdom.

To their shame, Christians often believe this false wisdom and even glory in it! They know this “wisdom” contradicts the Bible, so they lie even against the truth of God’s Word! False wisdom belongs to the world (earthly), the flesh (sensual), and the devil (The Evil One)—the three great enemies of the believer (Eph. 2:1–3).

You can always tell when a church or a family follows false wisdom: you will find jealousy, division, and confusion. Instead of humbly depending on the Spirit and the Word, they look to the world for ideas and to the flesh for strength, and by so doing play right into the hands of the devil.



B. True wisdom from above (vv. 17–18).



Truly wise believers do not need to advertise the fact that they are wise; you will see it expressed in their daily life (edifying conversation and good behavior) and attitude (meekness). Knowledge puffs up (1 Cor. 8:1), but spiritual wisdom humbles us and keeps us from being arrogant. While the false wisdom has its origin in the world, the flesh, and the devil, the true wisdom “comes down from above” (see 1:17). It comes from God, by the Spirit; it is not invented by the mind of man

This true wisdom is pure; there is no error in the Word of God. It is peaceable: it leads to peace and harmony, not discord.

Man’s method for attaining peace is to sacrifice purity for the sake of harmony, but God does not work that way. Where people bow to the pure Word of God, there will always be peace.

The wisdom from above is also gentle; gentleness includes patience and forbearance. When the flesh controls the tongue, it unleashes a flood of words without self-control or a willingness to listen to others.

“A fool vents all his feelings,” says Prov. 29:11. The wise person uses gentleness and persuasion with patience; he or she does not threaten or accuse. “Easy to be intreated” (v. 17) suggests a willingness to yield, or to be reasonable.

Wise people are full of mercy, not quick to judge or condemn; their lives are full of good fruits.

There is no wavering (“partiality,” 1:6 and 2:4); though they are willing to yield, they are not willing to compromise with the truth. Finally, true wisdom will not allow for hypocrisy; the truth is spoken and is backed with a true motive.