Bulletins - SpringCreek Fellowship (Springdale, AR)

Your Name
- - Psalm 34:1–8CSB
Good Good Father
In Christ Alone
The Old Rugged Cross
James 3:1-12
“If I ever hear you talk like that again, I’m going to wash your mouth out with soap!”
James 3 offers the most definitive discussion of pure speech in the Bible. If he could speak to us today, he might emphasize the need for people to wash out their mouths (spiritually speaking)!
As we mentioned last week the genuineness of a person’s faith is demonstrated by his speech (1:26)!
And because the mouth is such a clear indicator of our hearts, James gives us clear, compelling reasons for the person of faith to “tame the tongue!”
James 3:1–12 CSB
Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body. Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we direct their whole bodies. And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.
I. The Potential for the Tongue to Bring CONDEMNATION! – (3:1-2a)
The danger is both for the teacher (v.1), and for the listener (v.2a)
II. The Potential for the Tongue to CONTROL! – (3:2-5a)
If I want to bring my whole spiritual life under control, I need to work on my tongue because whatever spiritual dynamic controls my mouth can control the rest of me!
III. The POTENTIAL to CORRUPT! – (3:5b-6)
There is great DESTRUCTIVE power in the tongue!
A. The EXCLAMATION – (v.5b)
Unlike WATER, fire multiplies! You pour a cup of water out on the ground, and you have a wet spot. Yet a small spark can destroy a forest(Pine Creek)!
B. The EXPLANATION – (v.6)
(v.6a) – “And the tongue is a fire…” – Comparing the tongue to fire is not new in Scripture!
Proverbs 16:27 CSB
A worthless person digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
(Proverbs 16:27) – “A worthless person digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.”
(v.6) is one of the strongest statements ever made on the danger of speech! It describes the perilous nature of the tongue:
1. The Tongue is a SYSTEM of UNRIGHTEOUSNESS – (v.6a)
“World” is from cosmos, which doesn’t refer to the earth itself, but to the world’s evil system!
James is saying that the tongue is a system of unrighteous expression that rebels against God!
2. The Tongue STAINS the Body – (v.6b)
Some translations use “defiles” (the word means, “to pollute”) and refers to something that has been contaminated!
CSB, ESV – “stain”—dirt that is so engrained in the fabric of your life, you can’t get it out!
Like smoke from a fire, your words can permeate your entire being, and no matter what you do, the smell stays with you!
3. The Tongue Infects the Entire Course of our Life – (v.6c)
Perhaps a better translation – “…it is setting on fire the circle/wheel of life.” In other words, the influence of the tongue carries beyond the individual to the people and circumstances in every person’s life! There’s no part of your life that is not influenced!
4. The Tongue is FUELED by HELL – (v.6d)
WOW! Do you think James is trying to get our attention? This is the ONLY place this word, “hell”(Gr. Gehenna) is used outside of the Gospels!
IV. The POTENTIAL to CONTEND! – (3:7-8)
There is great DESTRUCTIVE power in the tongue!
A. That Which CAN BE TAMED – (v.7)
God gave man the authority to rule over the animal kingdom (Genesis 1:28), and that was repeated to Noah in (Genesis 9:2-3).
Humanity dominates the animal kingdom and can tame a variety of animals (i.e., Sea World, Circus, or Bush Gardens)! Man can tame the wildest and fiercest of animals! HOWEVER…
B. That Which CANNOT be TAMED – (v.8) – “but no one can tame the tongue…”
Two reasons are given by James…
1. “It is a restless evil…” – It never quits; never satisfied (ever wonder why you have to have the last word?); and it is bad to the bone!
2. “…full of deadly poison.” – How bad is it? – It is “full”; it is “deadly”; and it is “poison”
NOTICE that James doesn’t say it can’t be tamed; he merely states that, “…no human being can tame the tongue.” Only God can tame the tongue!
V. The POTENTIAL to COMPROMISE! – (3:9-12)
A. An OBSERVATION – (vv.9-10a)
Three times a day devout Jews repeated eighteen benedictions that ended with, “Blessed be Thou, O God!” It was customary for Jewish people to bless God throughout the day!
James points out the duplicity and hypocrisy of the tongue! – (v.10a)
B. An EXHORTATION – (v.10b) – “…My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.”
C. An EXPLANATION – (vv.11-12)
In these three examples from nature, we discover a simple truth: what you are determines what you produce(i.e., the root determines the fruit)!
“Do your words confirm or contradict your relationship with Christ?”
CONCLUSION – (1 Peter 3:8-12)
Just because you can’t tame your tongue on your own does not mean you have no CHOICE!
- - James 3:1–12CSB
- - Proverbs 16:27CSB

Psalm 34:1–8CSB

I. The Potential for the Tongue to Bring CONDEMNATION! – (3:1-2a)

II. The Potential for the Tongue to CONTROL! – (3:2-5a)

III. The POTENTIAL to CORRUPT! – (3:5b-6)

A. The EXCLAMATION – (v.5b)

B. The EXPLANATION – (v.6)

1. The Tongue is a SYSTEM of UNRIGHTEOUSNESS – (v.6a)

2. The Tongue STAINS the Body – (v.6b)

3. The Tongue Infects the Entire Course of our Life – (v.6c)

4. The Tongue is FUELED by HELL – (v.6d)

IV. The POTENTIAL to CONTEND! – (3:7-8)

A. That Which CAN BE TAMED – (v.7)

B. That Which CANNOT be TAMED – (v.8) – “but no one can tame the tongue…”

1. “It is a restless evil…” – It never quits; never satisfied (ever wonder why you have to have the last word?); and it is bad to the bone!

2. “…full of deadly poison.” – How bad is it? – It is “full”; it is “deadly”; and it is “poison”

V. The POTENTIAL to COMPROMISE! – (3:9-12)

A. An OBSERVATION – (vv.9-10a)

B. An EXHORTATION – (v.10b) – “…My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.”

C. An EXPLANATION – (vv.11-12)

CONCLUSION – (1 Peter 3:8-12)

James 3:1–12CSB

Proverbs 16:27CSB