James 3:1-12

The Meanest Member of Our Church

Verse 1. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

I. Verse 1 is not saying, "Don't teach - keep your mouth shut". This would go against every other commandment that we ought to teach and be a witness to others.

II. It is saying, "Be careful what you teach (and we do teach!), for if people see that we are trying to follow Christ, they will naturally expect us to be "perfect". If we give the impression that we are perfect, then these people will expect us to be more than what we are. When they see that we fall short of perfection, just like they do, we shall receive a greater condemnation of men and of God.

III. Teachers do receive the greater condemnation.

A. Because people expect more of them.

B. Because of the position they hold.

IV. It's very easy to unthinkingly offend people (cause them to stumble) by what we say.

A. Mark 9:42 - It is better to be cast into the depths of the sea, rather than offend a little one in Christ.

B. Matt. 15:18-20 - What comes from the mouth comes from the heart. That is what defiles a man.

Verse 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.

A. The person who attempts to watch what he says proves he has true grace. The person who does not bridle his tongue (though he says he has faith {2:14} has proven that his faith is vain {2:17}).

B. It also shows a person that has grown in Christian graces. It may take a newly saved person a while to unlearn the habit of ill use of the tongue.

Verse 3-5 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. {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. {5} Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

I. The influence of the tongue.

A. Very small, but very dangerous.

1. Bit in horses mouths - a small word for good or bad.

2. Helm on a big ship - note strength of the wind.

a. Words have more power than we realize.

b. Compare great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, for good; and Adolph Hitler for bad.

3. A small fire which makes a great forest fire. The Chicago fire destroyed 17,750 buildings and was started by Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicking over the lantern.

B. Fire is a wonderful servant, but a very poor master. Don't let your tongue be your master.

1. The story of the man who went outside, and cut open a feather pillow, letting the feathers fly away with the wind, then told a gossip to gather up all the feathers.

2. The moral is that once you say something, you cannot gather it back again.

Verse 6-8. 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. {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.

II. Iniquity of Tongue.

A. Verse 6. Tongue defiles.

1. Do you talk dirty? It's because of your heart.

2. Ps. 52:2-4 - David wrote this song about Doeg and God's judgment on him.

3. I Sam. 21:7, 22:9, 22:18,19,20-23. The person that will speak against you will kill you if the law will allow them to. (Doeg spoke against David, and didn't mind killing the priests of God!)

B. Verse 6. Destroys like a fire from hell.

1. Sets the course of nature on fire. Mankind, by nature, is exceedingly wicked, but the tongue hurries their hell bound progress.

2. Prov. 16:27,28 - A wicked man digs up fire of the tongue (from hell) to destroy people.

3. "Nice" people use the tongue to destroy people and their reputations.

C. Verse 7,8. Devours like a wild beast. Gal. 5:15 - We can devour one another.

D. Full of deadly poison.

1. Matt. 5:21:22 - We kill with our tongue, ruins many reputations.

2. Rom. 3:13 - The poison of asps (serpents) is under the tongue of the lost person.

a. The serpent {Satan} controls the tongue.

b. John 8:44 - Ye of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.

Verse 9-12. 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.

III. The Inconsistency of the tongue.

A. Matt. 12:34-37 - If there is an inconsistency of speaking, it is because there is an evil heart.

1. Verse 11, a fountain.

2. Verse 12, a fig tree or vine.

B. I John 3:14,15 - It is impossible to love the father and hate the father's son or the fathers children.

IV. What do we do?

A. Compare verse 2 and 8

B. Note: word "man".

1. Let God control our tongue.

2. Bit that controls horse - but somebody holds the reins.

3. Helm (rudder) controls ship, but somebody holds the tiller.

4. Is it self or the Holy Spirit?

5. Matt. 12:34 - For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.