James 3:1-12 - Show Me Your Muscles
James: Put on Kindness • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 40:06
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· 17 viewsIn Christ's Kingdom and God's family honest words are essential for harmony and growth into Christlikeness.
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Word choice matters! Sometimes we have a range of options and the word we choose over other options has a purpose.
If you came to the parsonage at 5:00 this afternoon I am likely to offer you something to drink. I might call it pop, soda, soda pop, coke, soft drink, carbonated beverage or even a fizzy drink.
My choice of words would be determined by what I think would best communicate to you. But if I offer you a soft drink then hand you coffee or chocolate milk, you will question my hearing, my sanity, or my intent.
But what if word choice involves falsehood or deceit? Yes, there are times when I have made a poor choice of words. The older I get the more frequent I find myself not being able to find the word I know exists for a situation. James even admits in v. 2 that we all stumble in many ways. But sometimes a stumble is NOT accidental; it is careless, dishonest or manipulative.
36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
The NIrV is a translation of the Bible that uses simple words for younger readers or readers where English is not their first language… in Ecc 5:5 this translation renders the complex idea of making a vow this way:
5 It is better to make no promise at all than to make a promise and not keep it.
Last Monday I had some keys made at the hardware store in Strong City. I asked the clerk to charge it to our church then asked if she needed me to sign a sales slip. She replied, “No, I trust you if you trust me.”
I replied, “business by handshake!”
There is not a single other hardware store in the country where I could have had that conversation. But trust is built over time when one party knows the word of the other party is reliable.
James addresses 2 groups of people in today’s text regarding the way we use words. First, he addresses the not many of us who communicate Biblical authority upon others, then v.2 expands the applicability to we all and v.10 includes my brothers which he has used repeatedly since 1:2.
Transition: We may not expect this level of honesty from used car dealers or politicians, but in Christ’s Kingdom and God’s family honest words are essential for harmony and growth into Christlikeness!
The Reality of Word Accountability (James 3:1-2)
The Reality of Word Accountability (James 3:1-2)
Explanation
Explanation
1. Sometimes false teachers have an agenda.
Phil 1:15 describes teacher who desire to make a name for themselves
Phil 3:2 describes teachers who desire to take advantage of listeners.
2 Cor 11 addressed directly false teachers whose big goal is to discredit another teacher.
2. Sometimes false teachers are genuinely unlearned.
Jesus himself confronted those who thought they knew more than they actually did
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
b. Isn’t it amazing that the same Apostle Paul writing to young Timothy says both, “let no one despise you for your youth” then a chapter later writes “do not be hasty in the laying on of hands.”
c. Time is no guarantee. Heb 5:12 indicates that enough time has passed that his audience ought to be teachers. But in our text today James is putting the brakes on how many do the work of teaching.
3. Sometimes mistakes are honest mistakes.
Have you heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? It is the idea that when you are looking for something, you are more likely to find it.
Gossip, rumor and inuendo are toxins! Remember what was said back in 2:13 about mercy and judgment. When was the last time you substituted one for the other regarding a brother or sister? When was the last time you willingly extended mercy when you could have been judgmental? When was the last time you jumped to judgment when the situation called for mercy?
We must have the humility of v.2a toward others and choose to believe the best (love covers a multitude of sins). While at the same time hold ourselves to a HIGH standard, because each must give an account.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Illustration
Illustration
I heard of one pastor who literally was publicly accused of heresy before the congregation because he referred to a wrong Scripture citation!
Application
Application
3:1 reminds us that Accountability is real. Jesus said in
36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
2. 3:2 reminds that the task of judgment is not assigned to me or you! God is sufficient to administer His own accountability.
Transition: the next group of verses introduces a couple word pictures to consider.
The Need for Word Accountability (James 3:3-6)
The Need for Word Accountability (James 3:3-6)
3 observations:
3 observations:
Tongue, bit & rudder are all relatively small.
Just as a hangnail or blister can be felt throughout the whole body, these may be small, but they are significant.
2. Tongue, bit & rudder are all influential
My children hardly ever drive in Chase County, but that doesn’t stop them from getting flat tires. A couple weeks ago our oldest was concerned that she was going to need to replace some tires that she had not budgeted for. It turned out that one small nail put her whole car in the garage and threatened her peace of mind.
It turned out she had road hazard insurance and the tire was replaced at no expense, but that did not keep that little piece of steel from causing days of frustration and anxiety.
3. Tongue, bit & rudder are all mastered by another.
a. A bit is controlled by whomever holds the reins. A rudder is moved by whomever is at the wheel. Your tongue is dependent upon nerves and muscles to move it, and your words are also dependent upon a controlling source.
One of my favorite Christmas movies is A Christmas Story. In one scene, while waiting to get a Red Rider Carbine Action 200-shot BB Gun that will shoot his eye out, Ralphie is invited to hold the hubcap full of lug nuts while his dad changes the tire. The hubcap spills and a word comes out of Ralphie’s mouth that earns him time with a bar of soap between his teeth.
One thing I have observed is that unplanned words may come, but they are always in a language that I speak. I have never hit my thumb with a hammer then began to speak Chinese. I have never bumped my head and spoken Swedish. I have never bruised my knee and uttered Russian.
Whatever comes out of my mouth is something that has gone into my ears.
b. The Jesus speaks of the heart being a source
18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
c. But fortunately our brain CAN be reprogrammed
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Illustration
Illustration
If the direction of either our tongue, a bit, or a rudder is off the damage can be catastrophic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Dpy7xcd1E4
Application
Application
This afternoon many of you may tune in to a football game. If you do, you will hear words and phrases that may or may not mean anything to you. You may hear about an empty backfield, a 2-high defense, a pistol or shotgun formation, or a man or zone defense. While these words will flow off the tongues of the announcers like everybody knows what they mean, they are a language only for the initiated.
To avoid the collision we just saw, you and I must unlearn harmful words and intentionally replace them with godly expressions.
Otherwise, we are a disaster waiting to happen!
Transition: a drifting boat, a stampeding horse, or a loose tongue are all dangerous because of their unpredictability. But James says unpredictability is only one challenge for our mouths.
The Challenge of Word Accountability (James 3:7-8)
The Challenge of Word Accountability (James 3:7-8)
Explanation
Explanation
· Notice the word pictures of a forest fire and deadly poison.
Illustration
Illustration
Both begin concentrated and contained, but the more they spread the greater the damage and the harder it is to remedy.
A match may be extinguished with one little puff of breath. Any of you who have done controlled pasture burns know how small the tip of the flame stick is, but how thousands of acres can be ignited by that small flame.
The longer venom spreads from a snake or spider bite and the greater the destruction occurs.
Too many of our neighbors are finding out that a speck of Fentanyl cut into another pill can be deadly. It only take s one pill to end a person’s life.
2. Similarly, one harsh word can utterly destroy a tender spirit OR just one kind word can impact for a lifetime.
Application
Application
I learned on Monday that a man who came into my life went to be with Jesus last weekend. Mike knew the power of words!
My sister and I, from separate incidents, were able to reflect on conversations that took less than 5 minutes that have remained memorable some 40 years later.
For my baby sister it was a simple compliment about her ability to give driving directions when many teens don’t know left from right or North from South. It impressed Carlen with the need to know and communicate where you are and where you want to be.
For me it was a word of correction about honoring girls and being aware of their feelings. It wasn’t a “sin” issue, but I was insensitive and selfish.
The challenge of giving account for our words is that they are more powerful than we usually realize in the moment!
Transition: This sermon started with an illustration about how the staff at the hardware store and I have developed enough rapport that we know what to expect from each other. The final word picture emphasizes that rapport.
The Reward for Word Predictability (James 3:9-12)
The Reward for Word Predictability (James 3:9-12)
Explanation
Explanation
Salt water has its purposes if you know it is salinized. Fresh water has it’s purposes if you know it is potable.
James is telling us that there is a benefit when people know what they can expect from us.
Illustration
Illustration
I understand from counseling people who live with addicts unpredictability is the greatest challenge. It is hard to deal with physical brutality or financial struggles when the grocery or rent money is spent on booze. The shame that you can’t do what “normal” families do because of consequences of the drugs.
But worse than all of that is not knowing if he is going to be mean or nice, not knowing if she is going to be angry or passive.
The hardest part of living with an addict is never knowing what to expect in a given moment.
Application
Application
When blessing and cursing come from the same mouth, it is as unpredictable as if a stream contains questionable water, or a vine produces unexpected fruit.
When a Bible teacher mixes truth with error it becomes dangerous for all who listen.
When I was a teen, our Bible club did a lot of skits and games. I thought about doing one of those stunts this morning, but I love y’all too much.
We would hang 3 pieces of carmel-covered fruit from a string and challenge 3 contestants to commit to eating all of their fruit first. This would encourage big and vigorous bites of the fruit. However, One piece of fruit was not a carmel apple, but an onion covered in carmel.
You can imagine the response when a 7th or 8th grade boy got a big mouthful of onion when expecting apple.
I have since learned the lesson of Mt 7
9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The laugh that I may get from others is NOT WORTH the trust that is lost between the victim and me. The damage of our words is more costly than you may think.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
I labeled this sermon “show me your muscles”. How can we demonstrate strength? We can do it by posing, or by performance.
Before He became an actor or a governor, a certain Austrian was named Mr. Universe. The competition that he won was VERY different from the Myrtle Beach competition that will be held in May (that I have yet to decide if I will enter).
The World’s Strongest Man is determined by timing events like carrying a boulder over distance or pulling a bus with a mouthpiece.
Our world does not need Christians to flex, they need to see our self-control muscles by the way we control our tongues in conversations Monday-Saturday and social media when we are triggered.