James 3:1-12
One way to get James’s point across about taming the tongue is to squeeze a tube of toothpaste out onto a table and ask onlookers to put the paste back into the tube.
You can’t.
And that’s why the tongue has the power to destroy far worse than most people realize. The words you say, once you say them, can’t be pushed back—they are out there—loose—out of your control and able to either heal and build up, or destroy and bring death.
Never underestimate it.
Let’s turn to the Word to see what James actually says about it.
First, let’s recap what the book of James is about, and what was in the first two chapters—before we begin chapter 3.
Who wrote James?
James was the brother of Jesus. He died in 62AD so this must have been before then. Also, this is not one of the two James that were two of the first 12 disciples of Jesus. James was the leader of the original church in Jerusalem.
Chapter 1
In the first chapter, James talks about trials and how we should consider them joy because when you react to a trial with patience, you get a successful experience behind you. You now have hope of knowing you can lean on God again through the next trial.
Chapter 2
Here James stretches us because he tells us that without works, faith is dead. That’s a head scratcher, because Paul always teaches that grace is sufficient, and that it’s not by works that we are saved. What James teaches here is that, great, you’re saved, but what good are you to the purpose of bringing others to Christ if you have faith without works? You might as well be dead.
Chapter 3
Here James goes into one aspect of extending your faith into your works—the mouth. Remember James already told us that trials are good for testing and improving your patience, and then he already told us that faith without works is dead. So now he will tells us about controlling the tongue. That makes sense, because when satan tempts you by hurling a trial at you, aren’t you tempted to lash out with the tongue? How?
How about these four ways?
Gossip
Insults
Complaining
Cussing
Let’s give examples of these four, and see who’s brave enough to admit examples when we’ve been guilty of them. Because gossip is one of the four, we’ll practice not gossiping in this group by only discussing what we ourselves have done, not anyone else’s faults.
· (take time to allow anyone who wants to share—as the leader, be prepared to have my own examples that can be used if the group is too afraid to share theirs—usually someone will step up and share because they all know we’ve all done these things at one time or another)
· Allow the person to share how it hurt other people or themselves to do it – how they regretted it later – think of the toothpaste
· The purpose here is to get the group to open up and have everyone see that we are all guilty of thee things and all need to learn about controlling the tongue
These examples are examples we’re return to as we go through James’s words here.
Verse 1
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Teachers have to be held to a tougher standard because they can end up teaching something that totally conflicts with the Bible and lead you astray. As your life group leader I prepare and pray before teaching—any small issue you need clarification on you check with Billy.
Verse 2
2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
James is about to go into the taming of the tongue. Here he’s saying how if you can keep your tongue under control, then you know you’ve got everything else in check (because the tongue is so hard to control)
Verses 3-6
Here James gives three descriptions of how powerful the tongue is a reeking evil. These examples are the bits in a horse’s mouth, the rudder of a ship, and a small spark in a forest. Each small but has huge impact.
How about this beautiful girl?
Do you know how some peoples’ tongues drove her to take her own life?
So let’s go through the horse, the ship, and the forest examples…
The horse – verse 3
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
Look how small a bit is…
The ship - Verse 4
4 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.
The spark in a forest - Verses 5 and 6
5 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. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Verse 7 and 8 tells us how the tongue is more wild than creatures
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Verse 9-12 talks about the source of what comes out of our mouths—comparing praise and cursing to fresh and salt water—if the heart is Godly, it’s impossible for both to come from the same mouth. Then comparing it to olives and grapes – the fruit matches the plant
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Gossip
Insults
Complaining
Cussing
What’s the story?
Was the tongue controlled or not?
What resulted?
Ho did the rudder steer the ship? Or the bit steer the horse? Or the spark start a forest fire?
What was the source? What spring did the words come from? Or plant?
What if it was handled the opposite way? What could have been the result?
Ho did the rudder steer the ship? Or the bit steer the horse? Or the spark start a forest fire?
What was the source? What spring did the words come from? Or plant?
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