Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to look at a passage of Scripture from James 3 but before we do that I want to tell you a story.
For many years when Andrew was very young, he would sit outside on a chair. He enjoyed watching the birds, especially the chickadees. One day he had a complete stranger show up, a red squirrel. Andrew started to feed him some snacks until he had completely tamed him. The Squirrel eventually sat on his shoulder, and Andrew held him in his hand. It wasn’t long after that the squirrel had some friends show up. Andrew eventually tamed them as well. When I looked outside, I could watch as Andrew played with a bunch of squirrels, who at one time were unruly, but now had become submissive and obedient to his will and command.
Andrew had learned how to control a wild creature. Our tongue is just as wild. It needs to be tamed and controlled like my son’s squirrels.
The control if a tongue is a very powerful thing. It is something that reveals control and temperance in somebodys life.
James 3:1-18. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
The definition of a bridle is a device used to control an animal, such as the headgear used to control a horse.
Offend means to sin against others. It is by the mouth that we can sin against others. If you are capable of controlling speech, you can control everything else in your body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
Andrew and I like to sail, and when I read this verse it always reminds me of the small rudder on our sailboat. It is very small but turns the boat perfectly in the heaviest of wind.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
Our tongue is very small, but can do very damaging and hurtful things to others. It can be a small little fire that developes into a huge forest fire.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
When you defile something, it means to go against love.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
James teaches that the tongue is evil and filled with poison. It’s like the forked tongue on a snake. We need God’s help to tame it.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
The tongue is something that needs to be controlled.
Proverbs 21:23 – Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Proverbs 15:1 – A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
I thinks that’s where I will stop for today, but Lord willing we will talk some more tommorrow. Till then, bye bye everyone.
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