Taming the Terribly Powerful, Tiny, Twopronged, TickerTattling Tongue

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Taming the Terribly Powerful, Tiny, Two-pronged,
Ticker-Tattling Tongue

• James 31-12

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The Big Idea

• The terribly powerful, tiny, two-pronged tongue
  that tattles on the ticker needs to be tamed!
• The tongue is disproportionately powerful. It has
  great potential for good and evil. It
  demonstrates the true intentions of the sinful
  heart. It needs to be tamed!
• If we can tame our tongues, then we, as New Hope
  church, will be able to pursue relationships that
  change the world!

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Teachers the Tongue

• Not many of you should become teachers, my
  brothers, for you know that we who teach will be
  judged with greater strictness. (v. 1)

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James 32-12

• 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if
  anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a
  perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
  3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so
  that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as
  well. 4 look at the ships also though they are
  so large and are driven by strong winds, they are
  guided by a very small rudder wherever the will
  of the pilot directs. 5 so also the tongue is a
  small member, yet it boasts of great things. How
  great a forest is set ablaze by such a small
  fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of
  unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our
  members, staining the whole body, setting on fire
  the entire course of life, and set on fire by
  hell.

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James 32-12 Continued

• 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile
  and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed
  by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the
  tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly
  poison. 9 with it we bless our Lord and Father,
  and with it we curse people who are made in the
  likeness of God. 10 from the same mouth come
  blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things
  ought not to be so. 11 does a spring pour forth
  from the same opening both fresh and salt water?
  12 can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a
  grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond
  yield fresh water.

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The terribly powerful, tiny, two-pronged tongue
that tattles on the ticker needs to be tamed

• The tongue is disproportionately powerful. (v.
  3-6)
• Compared to the bit in a horses mouth
• Compared to the rudder of a ship
• The tongue tattles on our heart. (Matt. 710-22
  Js. 116)
• The power of the tongue is generally destructive.
  (v. 5-6)
• How great a forest is set ablaze by a single
  spark.

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The terribly powerful, tiny, two-pronged tongue
that tattles on the ticker needs to be tamed

• The tongue is two-pronged. (v. 9-12)
• Compared to a spring
• Compared to a fig tree or a grapevine

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The Tongue is Untamable (v. 7-8)

• Jesus Christ was the perfect man who did tame his
  tongue.

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James 119-21

• Know this, my beloved brothers let every person
  be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
  for the anger of man does not produce the
  righteousness that God requires. Therefore put
  away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and
  receive with meekness the implanted word, which
  is able to save your souls.

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We need to be quick to hear.

• When words are many, sin is not absent, but he
  who holds his tongue is wise. (Prov. 1019)
• There is one whose rash words are like sword
  thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings
  healing. (Prov. 1218)

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• When the door of the steam bath is continually
  left open, the heat inside rapidly escapes
  through it likewise the soul, in its desire to
  say many things, dissipates its remembrance of
  God through the door of speech, even though
  everything it says may be good. Thereafter the
  intellect, though lacking appropriate ideas,
  pours out a welter of confused thoughts to anyone
  it meets, as it no longer has the Holy Spirit to
  keep its understanding free from fantasy. Ideas
  of value always shun verbosity, being foreign to
  confusion and fantasy. Timely silence, then, is
  precious, for it is nothing less than the mother
  of the wisest thoughts.
• Diadochus of Photiki from The Way of the Heart
  by Henri Nouwen

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Wise words are born out of silence.

• Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness
  to the soul and health to the body. (Prov.
  1624)
• A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a
  setting of silver. (Prov. 2511)
• Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
  but only such as is good for building up, as fits
  the occasion, that it may give grace to those who
  hear. (Eph. 429)

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• Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful
  in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray
  also for us, that God may open to us a door for
  the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on
  account of which I am in prison that I may make
  it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Conduct
  yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the
  best use of the time. Let your speech always be
  gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may
  know how you ought to answer each person. (Col.
  42-6)

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Corporate Silence Reflection

• What words have you spoken this past week that
  have been gracious? What words have been
  destructive?
• Who can you bless today with a kind word? How?
• Who do you need to apologize to for destructive
  words?
• Do people know that youre friends with Jesus
  when you speak? How?
• How can New Hope become a place that offers an
  attentive ear to others? Whats my part in that?
• How will you incorporate silence into your life?
• How will your words help you pursue relationships
  that change the world?
• Do you need to listen and respond to the words of
  the Gospel?