Rev. David Holwick ZC Book of James #8
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey (very similar to sermon of 6/26/84)
September 9, 2007
James 3:1-6
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I. The uniqueness of communication.
A. Do humans alone communicate?
1) Dogs and birds have instinctive calls.
2) Research on speaking gorillas.
a) Turned out researchers better trained than gorillas.
b) [dolphin research with hand signs]
B. Their inability to speak may keep animals out of trouble.
1) How many times has your tongue caused you embarrassment?
2) Speaking is a wonderful gift, but often abused.
a) Speeches have started revolutions and riots, revivals
and reformations.
b) Christianity is about communicating good news about
God.
c) If you can't control your tongue, is God in control
of you?
II. Getting your words across. 3:1-2
A. Christian teachers are the focus here.
1) "My brothers" points to leaders as James's main audience.
a) Teachers in the early church were not professionals.
b) They felt called of God, then began to teach.
c) Some heard God's call, others *thought* they heard it,
but were really on their own.
B. Teachers use a lethal weapon - the tongue.
1) Moses had trouble with his tongue. Psalm 106:33
2) Isaiah. Isaiah 6:5-7
3) Peter. (opened mouth to change feet)
C. Teachers will be judged by a harsher standard. 3:1
1) They are supposed to know better.
2) Jesus taught the same thing.
D. If we can control the tongue, we can control anything. 3:2
1) "Perfect" equals maturity, not sinlessness.
a) He has just admitted that everyone stumbles.
b) The "we" means he includes himself in this.
2) Lack of self-control shows up soonest in the tongue.
3) How do our church leaders measure up?
III. It's not the size, but the impact. 3:3-6
A. The tongue is small.
1) Only .... [this big].
a) Charles Swindoll calls it "two ounce slab of trouble."
2) What small things can do.
a) Horses and bits. 3:3
b) Ships and rudders. 3:4
B. Good things the tongue can do.
1) Inspiration in critical times.
Back in 1940 the nation of England was on the verge of
collapse.
Hitler had almost wiped out their army at Dunkirk and German
warplanes were bombing them every night.
In this hour of darkness the tongue of Winston Churchill
saved England.
He told them:
We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be;
we shall fight on the beaches;
we shall fight in the fields;
we shall fight in the streets;
and we shall fight in the hills.
WE SHALL NEVER SURRENDER.... #2677
2) Marriage ceremony: "I do."
a) Simple words, but tremendous impact.
b) Expensive to undo.
C. Fiery destructiveness of the tongue. 3:5
1) Gossip: Saying behind their back what you would never say
to their face.
In a small town in North Dakota there was a young family.
They were happy, even though the mother had not been
entirely well since the birth of their second baby.
But everyone in town knew there was warmth there because
of the way they treated each other.
Then one day the town gossip started a rumor that the
husband was being unfaithful.
It wasn't true, but the story spread.
Eventually it reached the ears of the young wife.
It must have been more than she could bear.
That night when the husband came home, he knew something
was wrong.
No one greeted him, and the whole house was silent.
Down in the basement he found the three of them,
hanging from a beam.
In despair, the sick young mother had taken the lives
of her two children and then her own.
#2678
There is an old story about a monk who confesses to his
superior that he is guilty of gossiping.
The monsignor orders him to place a feather on each
doorstep in town.
The monk thought this was a little weird, but he obeyed.
When he was done, the monsignor tells him to collect them.
The monk was astounded.
"That's impossible! They have blown all over town!"
The monsignor responded, "So it is with your words, my
son."
#489
2) Flattery: Saying to their face what you would never say
behind their back.
a) Compliments can build people up, but make sure it's
valid.
b) Phony flattery is manipulative in the end.
3) Criticism.
a) Christians can be the worst.
Think about the last time you socialized with a group
of Christians.
Even better, think of what you are going to talk about
at our picnic this afternoon.
Who will be the topic of conversation?
b) Does our talk build people up?
c) Is it true?
D. Ever-widening influence of the tongue. 3:6
1) First it only affects two people.
2) Then family is no longer speaking, then church is divided...
IV. Controlling the tongue. 3:7-8
A. Training animals vs. training people.
1) Busch Gardens: dogs, birds, killer whales.
2) One trainer says the techniques work on husbands, too!
B. The hardest thing to train. 3:8
1) A few people seem to have control over their words.
President Calvin Coolidge is a famous example.
Teddy Roosevelt's daughter Alice said Coolidge acted like
he'd been weaned on a dill pickle.
At a White House party a beautiful woman came up to him.
She said, "Mr. President, could you please help me?"
"My friends have bet me that I can't get 3 words out of you."
Coolidge replied, "You lose." #2679
2) Emphasis on "by man" shown by position in sentence.
a) An exception is in mind.
b) Man cannot control the tongue, but God can.
V. God can do it! 3:9-12
A. Seek God's control over our tongues.
1) Ask God to cauterize our lips. Isaiah 6:5-7
2) Get rid of coarse talk. Eph 4:29; 5:4
a) Bad language is out of place for Christians.
b) Dirty jokes and "cuts" are wrong.
3) Build people up. Compliment and encourage others.
A study was done by psychologist Dr. Henry H. Goddard on
energy levels in children.
He used an instrument he called the "ergograph."
How he ever got some children to stand still long enough to
connect them to the machine is a mystery.
But he did, and his findings are fascinating.
He found that when tired children are given a word of praise
or commendation, the ergograph shows an immediate upward
surge of new energy.
When the children are criticized and discouraged, the ergo-
graph shows their physical energy take a sudden nosedive.
Without a doubt those results could be duplicated in adults.
When we are praised our energy levels go up.
When we are criticized our energy levels go down.
#2268
4) Our tongues can worship and witness. Heb 13:15
5) Consistency is the name of the game. James 3:9-12
B. Practical advice on controlling tongue. T.H.I.N.K.
Alan Redpath once formed a "mutual encouragement" fellowship at
a time of stress in one of his pastorates.
The members agreed to apply a simple formula before speaking of
any person or subject that was perhaps controversial.
T - Is it true?
H - Is it helpful?
I - Is it inspiring?
N - Is it necessary?
K - Is it kind?
If what we are about to say does not pass these tests, we
should keep our mouth shut. It works! #2635
C. The tongue is the barometer of our souls. Matt 12:34
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 489 "Gossip: Holding Tongue In Check," by Carole Mayhall, Discipleship
Journal, #44, March-April 1988, p. 27.
#2268 "Empowerment," Dynamic Preaching (www.sermons.com) Disk, Spring 1992,
quoting Les Giblin, CONFIDENCE AND POWER (New Jersey:
Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1986).
#2635 "A Pastor's Mutual Encouragement Fellowship," by Alan Redpath in
"A Passion For Preaching", Christianity Today magazine,
August 20, 1990, p. 33.
#2677 "Churchill's Stirring Words," David Holwick, from a sermon on
November 8, 1987.
#2679 "You Lose," David Holwick, from a sermon on November 8, 1987.
These and 30,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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