James. Pt. 5: Proverbs for Modern Living James 3:1-12

Transcription

1 James Pt. 5: Proverbs for Modern Living James 3:1-12

2 Spiritual Journey A few weeks ago, we set out on a Spiritual Journey heading towards a Greater Wisdom and Knowledge Regarding God s Plan, and we decided to use as our GPS, the book of James. JAMES

3 Spiritual Journey James doesn t allow for one to simply cruise through life. He frequently posts some very serious Sig Alerts, informing us of serious problems ahead and asking us some very challenging questions, such as:

4 Challenging Questions James 2:7 [Regarding catering to the rich and ignoring the needs of the poor] Do the rich not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

5 Challenging Questions James 2:14- [Regarding an Active/Consistent Faith] If someone says he has faith but he has no works, can that faith save him?

6 Challenging Questions James 2:20, 25 {Again, RE. The Faith That Saves] Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? Was not Rehab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

7 Challenging Questions James 3:11-12 Tonight s text - [Regarding the Faithful Use of the Tongue] Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my Brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs?

8 A Conscious Consistency These, and so many other verses in James, reveal James desire to direct of his readers toward a conscious consistency in their faith. James as you know was raised a Jew. His primary audience is made up of Jews and his writings are (to me) much more Old Testament in their principles and tones than any other book in the New Testament.

9 Proverbs of the N.T. Indeed, James warnings are so emphatic and so proverbial in form, that the Book has come to be described by many as the Proverbs of the New Testament.

10 Proverbs of the N.T. There is scarcely a page in the book which does not contain a quotation from, or an allusion to, a text in the Old Testament.

11 Proverbs of the N.T. James 1:19 - be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, points towards Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

12 Proverbs of the N.T. James 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor reflects Proverbs 14:21 He who despises his neighbor sins, But happy is he who is gracious to the poor.

13 Proverbs of the N.T. James 3:6 - The tongue is a fire set on fire by hell, is an allusion to Proverbs 16:27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire.

14 Wisdom Literature James frequent utilization of the Wisdom Literature for the benefit of the young Church is an effort to CONSISTENTLY apply the ancient Wisdom of God to the grind of modern daily life. The way I read it, This is Ancient Wisdom for Modern Daily Living. This is Proverbial Wisdom for today.

15 Proverbs on the Tongue Proverbs 10:19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. Proverbs 12:13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, but the innocent escape trouble.

16 Proverbs on the Tongue Proverbs 13:2 From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence. Proverbs 13:3 Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

17 Proverbs on the Tongue Collectively these verses teach us to be PRUDENT, INNOCENT, FAITHFUL, GUARDS of our tongues to sum it up: Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue (and therefore ) Proverbs 21:23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

18 A Fine Commentary All of these Proverbs certainly offer insight into tonight s passage, but that last one seems to hit the bull s-eye, when it comes to James 3:1-12. The statement- Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity, would make a fine commentary for James 3:1-12 (or vice-versa).

19 One Sig Alert Let not many of you become teachers, my Brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. 3 Now if we put the bit into the horses mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.

20 One Sig Alert 4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

21 One Sig Alert See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

22 One Sig Alert (photo credit believinggodtoday.com) 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

23 One Sig Alert (photo credit believinggodtoday.com) 9 With it we Bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My Brethren, these things ought not to be this way. LOVE YOU GOD.

24 One Sig Alert (photo credit believinggodtoday.com) 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my Brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

25 Be Not Many Teachers James is not a big fan of free-talking. By that I mean untrained, undisciplined talking. This modern idea that everybody s opinions are equal just isn t true.

26 Be Not Many Teachers He knew some want to be teachers in the worst way - and they often achieve their goal. Today the airwaves are so permeated with false teachers and the web is so saturated with Spiritual Error. It can make your head spin Exchanging our ignorance is useless.

27 Be Not Many Teachers James is saying that it is a mistake to believe that everyone should become a teacher. Some obviously should not. Especially in light of the fact that teachers will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1) As the Apostle Paul illustrated time and again - the Body of Christ has many members, and not all members have the same function!

28 Be Not Many Teachers Rom 12:3-8 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: 1 Cor. 12:12-31 (esp. vs. 5 & 29) 5 there are varieties of ministries, 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?

29 The Powerful Tongue James knew that while the tongue is only one relatively small part of the entire body, it gets us into some of the biggest problems in life! His early illustrations: A horse s bit (3:3) A ship s rudder (3:4) And a tiny spark that starts a giant conflagration (3:5-6) All suggest this.

30 The Powerful Tongue James seeks to compare and contrast to the minuteness of the source with the potential enormity of the consequences. According to James, there is a very real sense in which the use of the tongue (the spokesmen for the heart) defines the body... or one s character.

31 The Powerful Tongue One may (for example) start out just telling a lie, but it won t be long before they find themselves living a lie. Some will simply start out only speaking suggestively, or in an immoral manner, but for many, it won t be long before they begin acting immorally!

32 The Powerful Tongue To tame the terrible tongue, we must recognize the tremendous magnitude of the battle that we face Although we become new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) when we are baptized, there remain the daily battles of the old nature of the flesh, which wages war against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17) The tongue is one of the major battlegrounds in that war. To become a truly Godly people, we must wage war daily on this front.

33 James 1: [The] one who looks intently at the perfect law, the Law of Liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he 26 does... If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.

34 Death & Life No one wants to come to the end of this life and find that but for their tongue, they might have gone to Heaven but because they did NOT control their tongue, they defiled their entire life, and set on fire the course of their life, which is (in turn) is set on fire by Hell. Eph. 4:27 - Do not give the Devil an opportunity.

35 Death & Life Most Christians shrink back from perversities like homosexuality, (Rom. 1:24) bestiality, (Deut. 27:21), pornography (Rom. 6:19) etc as being Satanically depraved. Yet we tolerate gossip ( 1 Tim. 5:13), we allow slander, deceit,(col. 3:8) half-truths, sarcastic put-downs, (Eph. 4:31) and other sins of the tongue to come from our own lips - as if they were no big deal.

36 Death & Life James says that all such sins; gossip, slander, deceit, half-truths, sarcastic putdowns, have their origin in the pit of Hell. They defile the one committing them. They destroy others. As a believer in Christ, we must first confront these sins in ourselves and then we must be bold enough to confront them in the lives of our Christian neighbors.

37 Life & Eternity Because the end result [of our use of the tongue] is our salvation, and the glorification of God Matt. 12:36 But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the Day of judgment.

38 Life & Eternity I told you it was going to be a tough road to travel at times. As I said, James doesn t allow for one to simply ride through life on cruise control. Instead, he frequently posts some very serious Sig Alerts, informing us of serious problems ahead and asking us some very challenging questions, because he loves us and wants us to go to Heaven. JAMES

39 Life & Eternity Do you want to go to Heaven? Are you disciplining your tongue? Will you start tonight?