October 23, 2011
MP3 Audio
Youtube video
Keeping Our Mouths Pure James 6 (3:1-12)
A. Words carry a lot of weight
1) The weight of responsibility (1,2)
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. (1,2)
2) Our words can have positive or negative impact (3-7)
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, (3-7)
B. With our mouths we praise our Father in heaven and yet...
1) ...our mouths can be venomous (8)
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (8)
2) ...with our mouths we curse people (9-12)
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt [11] water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (9-12)
Summary
The Gospel of John describes Jesus as The Word. Words are meant to connect us to God and to connect us with other people. Jesus is the perfect Word connecting us with God. We have been commanded to follow and to share the Word with others. We must understand the responsibility that goes with our words and the power that they have. Jesus is the only one in the history of the world who did not make mistakes with his tongue. James tells us that praises and cursing should not come from the same mouth. Jesus is the perfect standard to which we need to aspire.
For Discussion
1) Why shouldn't we all presume to be teachers?
2) How can we keep our mouths pure?
A. Words carry a lot of weight
1) The weight of responsibility (1,2)
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. (1,2)
2) Our words can have positive or negative impact (3-7)
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, (3-7)
B. With our mouths we praise our Father in heaven and yet...
1) ...our mouths can be venomous (8)
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (8)
2) ...with our mouths we curse people (9-12)
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt [11] water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (9-12)
Summary
The Gospel of John describes Jesus as The Word. Words are meant to connect us to God and to connect us with other people. Jesus is the perfect Word connecting us with God. We have been commanded to follow and to share the Word with others. We must understand the responsibility that goes with our words and the power that they have. Jesus is the only one in the history of the world who did not make mistakes with his tongue. James tells us that praises and cursing should not come from the same mouth. Jesus is the perfect standard to which we need to aspire.
For Discussion
1) Why shouldn't we all presume to be teachers?
2) How can we keep our mouths pure?