James chapter 3 verses 1 through 10. Read together with me the Word of the Lord. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. Any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

Behold, we put bits in the horses mouths that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, are driven of fierce winds. Yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor enlisteth. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasted great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.

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 is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts and birds and of serpents and of things in the sea is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. But the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith we bless God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be." The word of the triune God. Let's pray. Father may Your Word not only be heard this day, but through the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit understood, and not only understood, but received, and not only received, but applied to our lives. For we ask it in Jesus' name, the name above all names.

Amen. Let's be seated. The title of this afternoon's message is taming the tongue. And I want to begin with a question. How many know or are familiar with the author of the book of James, known as James the Just, and that he was the half-brother of Jesus.

How many knew that? Half-brother of Jesus, son of Joseph and Mary, but not son of our Father in heaven, okay? The half-brother of Jesus. How many know that James the Just, the writer of the book of James, didn't believe in Jesus while Jesus was alive. How many knew that?

He didn't believe in Jesus while Jesus was alive. He didn't come to be converted until after Jesus' death and resurrection. How many know that this same James didn't just come to profess Christ but also sealed his profession of faith in Jesus through martyrdom? How many were aware of that? It's important I think to know that these things about James and to understand these things as we look at the things James says about true religion versus vain religion And the things he says about saving faith versus vain faith.

He's a man who sealed the evidence of his salvation, sealed his salvation with evidence that he was willing to die for the name of Christ. Leading up to chapter three, which we're looking at this afternoon, James has been driving home the point that an empty profession of faith not evidenced by works is a false profession of faith, that it is a dead faith. And James, as I said, will give evidence of his faith in Christ at the end of his life, not only throughout his life, but at the end of his life by suffering one of the most cruel and violent public executions of a follower of Jesus found in the pages of history. According to Eusebius, Has anyone ever read Eusebius Church History? Great book to pull off the shelf if you don't have it or to look up on or if you have it or to look in on the internet.

You can find it. Eusebius. It's E-U-S-E-B-I-U-S Church History. So written really early on in the early centuries of the church, and according to Eusebius, James, the son of Joseph and Mary, leader, a leader at the church of Jerusalem, will be thrown from the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem by the Jewish leaders, by the Jewish hierarchy, religious hierarchy, and will be thrown from the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem by the Jewish leaders, by the Jewish hierarchy, religious hierarchy, and will be thrown from the pinnacle of the temple and then clubbed to death by them after surviving the fall. What is very disturbing is the manner in which some professing Christians of history have attempted to set James against Paul on the most important question of life, how men are justified before God, And it relates to what we'll be looking at today.

They would set James, the half-brother of Jesus, who died a violent death in the service of Jesus, against Paul, who was martyred in the service of Jesus under the reign of Nero beheaded. They would set the one against the other as if the Holy Spirit breathed contradictions through these two writers of the New Testament. But those who would have Scripture contradict Scripture fail to understand. Paul's focus, especially in Romans, which we've been going through, was primarily on the means by which one is justified before God. We've been studying that, right?

Faith alone. While James' focus in his book that he's written, this epistle, the epistle of James, focuses on the evidence by which it may be known that one is justified before God. In chapter 2, leading up to what we're about to look at, James was saying, what does it profit a man if he says, if he says that he has faith? I've got faith. What does that profit a man, James says?

If there's no evidence of it in his life? What is a profit? Can that kind of faith, a faith that is nothing more than an empty profession, save a man? James said, show me your faith without your works. I don't know if he's kind of being sarcastic or what.

Show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works. James' message leading up to chapter 3 has been that an empty profession of faith is a dead faith. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so Faith without works is dead also. That's the way chapter two ends. Paul again taught us that faith alone justifies before God.

James, that authentic faith is always evidenced by works. We aren't saved by those works, but authentic faith is always evidenced by our works. And James continues driving the point home as chapter three opens. But look at chapter three, because only now, here in chapter three, James turns from the subject of works as evidence of true and saving faith to words as evidence of genuine, saving Faith. True faith also manifests itself in one's speech.

The words that flow from our lips and from off our tongues, brothers and sisters, matter. James begins his teaching on the tongue by addressing himself or those among those like himself. He addresses masters or teachers, Same word. And as a teacher himself, James includes himself. In verse one he says, look at chapter 3 in verse 1, my brethren, talking to Christians, be not many masters that is teachers.

Why? Knowing that we that is we who are teachers shall receive the greater condemnation. James includes himself in his exhortation. He also is a teacher. And James is saying, not many of you should become teachers, knowing that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

We're going to receive the stricter scrutinization, the stricter judgment. As teachers, we have a greater responsibility before God for the things that we say because of our office and our position of authority and because of the influence we have on the lives of others. Eric and I rarely miss a week where we're praying together. We always pray together, but we rarely miss a day or a time of prayer where we aren't praying, Lord, help us not to teach or preach any error. We prayed that last night.

Oh God, help us not to speak any words that could possibly lead anyone astray. That's why I so appreciate Eric's teaching, constantly dividing truth from error because it is written, because it is written. But we understand the weight that our words carry with those we teach, and it's sobering, it's sobering. Understanding the responsibility that that we bear before God. Knowing that one day we must give an account to the Lord for the souls under our care and under our teaching, under our shepherding and under our instruction.

James continues, for in many things we offend all. In many ways we all stumble, he's saying. But to be the cause of that stumbling in another person is very serious. It's very serious. Jesus uses the same word or wording in Matthew 18, 6 when he warned any who would offend one of his little ones who trust in him.

Remember what he said? Literally what he said is if anyone would scandalize them, the Greek word skandalizo, If anyone would be the cause of their stumbling into sin or into error who trust in Him, Jesus said, it's better for that man if a millstone were tied about his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Serious sobering language. The words that flow from the mouths of teachers from from off our tongues should be weighed carefully before we speak them. We shouldn't be careless with our words.

And brothers and sisters, this doesn't only apply to teachers, but to all of us. For in many things we offend all. In many ways we all stumble, is what he's saying there. In many ways we all stumble. In James, if you look at the text here, James broadens his exhortation here to quote any man.

Not just teachers, any man, if any man. Look at what he says there, if any man offend not in word, if any person doesn't stumble in what he says, the same is a perfect man. What? The word doesn't mean a sinless man, it means one who is mature in the faith. If any person doesn't stumble in what he says, the same is a perfect man, a mature man.

He is a mature believer. And look what he says next. Next. And able also to bridle his whole body. Able also to bridle his whole body.

He's making a connection here. James is saying if any person is in control of his or her tongue, which is so very difficult to control, he is able also to bridle his whole body. Mastery over one's speech, controlling one's tongue indicates a much broader range of self-control. A much broader range of self-control. Mastery over one's speech, controlling one's tongue, demonstrates a much larger sphere of control over one's life and conduct.

Everyone get that? Well, James, give us an illustration what you're talking about, okay? James' first illustration he uses in verse 3, it's that of horses. Consider horses, James says. Behold, we put bits in the horse's mouth that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body with that bit or bridle.

The bit or the bridle is a small piece of metal that's put in the horse's mouth to steer the horse, to steer the horse's course. And James is saying that the bit or bridle, though it's something very small, has a disproportionate influence over something much larger, much larger. Small bits can direct the course of massive horses. The influence and effect of something so small as a bit in the horse's mouth turns the horse to the left or to the right, in one direction or in another. James says Ships are another example.

Behold ships, consider ships, which though they be great in size, and even when they're being driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned about with a very small helm, which is the steering mechanism of the ship by which the rudder turns the ship in whatever direction the pilot of the ship or governor of the ship chooses. And James is saying that small things can have a powerful effect on the direction of much greater and more significant things, and can steer things in one direction or in another. And so it is with the tongue. So it is with that little tongue that is in our mouths. The tongue is a small member, but it wields great power.

The very direction of our lives and the lives of those around us are affected by something very small in our mouths is what James is driving at, our tongues. The words that flow from our mouths impact the course of our lives and the lives of others, our relationships. Just as a tiny bit in the mouth of a horse or a small rudder on the back of a massive ship, even so the tongue, though very small, wields great power and influence. The tongue really has the power to steer things in the circle of our lives and relationships. The power of the tongue to influence cannot be underestimated.

James says, like a bit in the mouth of a horse and a rudder on a ship, even so the tongue is a little member and yet It boasts great things. That's verse five. In other words, it wields tremendous influence both on our lives and on the lives of others. Many times those who are, and most of the time, those who are the closest to us and the dearest to us Behold he says how great a matter a little fire kindles Think of the analogies he's using here or as it's rendered in the ESV, how great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire. O, the power of the tongue to harm others, to injure others, even those that we love and care about so deeply, even those we love the most.

When we think of the most hurtful words that ever pierced our hearts, Think about that right now. Everybody has some, has a memory of something. What is the most, what are the most hurtful words that ever pierced you? We think on these things many times, they were words that came from the mouths of those we loved the most. When we're out doing street ministry on the street in Corner and Burnin' and a person on the street drives by and they shake their fist out the window and they let loose all of these insults or a barrage of cursing towards us, it doesn't affect us all that much.

But when unkind words or harsh criticisms are spoken to us by a family member, a friend, a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter, a mother, a father, it sinks our hearts. It sinks our hearts. And you know, it's easy to look at it as just going one direction. When we've spoken these kinds of words to others, we've often caused their hearts to sink. It's easy to bring to mind unkind words or harsh criticisms and even just careless hurtful words spoken to us by others but it's a lot harder to indict ourselves when we've let our words go like arrows from the bow string and injured others.

As our children were growing up and I was teaching them how to handle guns, I would often go through the four standard rules for gun safety. How many of you are familiar with those? That's good. Number one, treat all guns as if they're loaded. Two, never point a gun in the direction of anything you aren't willing to injure or destroy.

Three, keep your finger off the trigger till you're sure you're prepared to fire. Four, make sure you know who else may be around or behind the place where your bullet is going to strike before you pull the trigger. Need I say more? There's a lot of wisdom to draw from these cautions. The tongue is a powerful weapon.

It's like a powerful weapon for good or for evil. It's like a loaded weapon capable of causing great harm and injury to others. The direction in which it is aimed matters. Think about the words you're about to say before you put your finger on that trigger and make sure you recognize the potential impact your words may have on those all around you before you let off around. James goes on, and the tongue is a fire.

Oh, brothers and sisters, is it not a fire? The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, James says. So is the tongue among our members, so much so that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature itself that is on the entire course of our lives, literally the entire circle of our lives. And that it is set on fire of hell itself. Oh the power of this tiny member.

How great a force is set ablaze by such a small fire. Brothers and sisters, the tongue is a fire. It can spark tensions. It can kindle strife. It can fan flames.

It can ignite controversies. It can inflame passions. It can burn bridges. And it can torch relationships. The tongue is a fire.

The tongue is a fire. How many times have I wished that I could recall words that I've spoken? Have any of you ever wished that? That you could just recall those words. If I could just take back those words that I said.

Have you ever wished that you just hadn't struck that match? I have. God's law in Exodus 22, six says that the person who strikes the match in effect or starts the fire is the one responsible for the damage that it causes. It applies. You said those words but now you can't recall them.

The arrow has left its bow string and you can't get it back. You pull the trigger and the bullet is flying. You struck the match and the forest has been set ablaze. What can a believer do at this point? What do I do now?

Now what do I do? I already said it. I already let go of the arrow. I already pulled the trigger. I already struck the match.

I already said those words. Well, what could I do? The only thing you can do and the best thing you can do is to go to the one you've offended and say, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please forgive me.

Please forgive me. Jesus said, leave your gift at the altar and first go be reconciled to your brother or sister. James 4.6 tells us that God gives grace to the humble. Brothers and sisters, God gives grace to the humble. Brothers and sisters, God gives grace to the humble.

We need to the humble. We need grace because in many things we offend all. We're all guilty of this. Every one of us is guilty of this. We've let those words go.

We pulled the trigger. We struck the match. We let the arrow go off the string. It did its damage. We're all guilty of that.

We're all in the same boat. God gives grace to the humble. With much prayer and by the grace of God, when we humble ourselves before those we've injured with our words and work for restitution, we can hope to now ease the tension that we created. Quench that strife. Put out those flames in the controversy that we began.

Soothe the passions we inflamed. Build back the bridges that we burned and restore the late the relationships that we torched with our words. James goes on, for every kind of beast and of birds and of serpents and of things in the sea can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but the tongue no man can tame. It's not completely, perfectly tameable. James is saying that our tongues are like wild animals.

They're like wild beasts that can never be completely mastered or tamed, but must be brought under control. He goes on, the tongue is an unruly evil. And then look at what he says here, full of deadly poison. The poison of apses under their tongue, remember the verse in the Old Testament? It's an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Living here in Texas where we live and living near a creek, there's a couple of snakes I always look out for. Rattlesnakes and water moccasins. You don't want to be struck by them. Their venom is deadly. You see the picture that the apostle is painting here of the tongue.

Their venom is deadly. And if you're struck, you'll definitely feel it and you'll experience the effects of it. The tongue is an unruly evil, restless and full of poison. Full of poison. Prone to gossip, slander others, speak unkind and hurtful words.

So is the tongue, full of deadly poison. And James goes on to verse 9 to say that there's a contradictory aspect to our speech also. Look at this. He says, with the same tongue, try to figure this out. We bless God, even the Father, and with the same tongue, we curse men, which are made in the likeness or similitude of God.

Out of the same mouth, proceed both blessing and cursing. What's he saying? Both words that build up and words that tear down others, words that bless and encourage others and words that inject venom into their lives. Poison under the tongue. And James says, my brethren, he's talking to Christians, these things ought not so to be.

It shouldn't be like that. He's saying that this isn't the way the children of God are to use their tongues. Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, either of vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt, water, and fresh?

James sounds like his brother here. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles. The tree is known by its fruit, Jesus said. James would have us to look at the fruit that is coming from our lips as we come to a close. He goes on, but the wisdom that's from above is pure, it's peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy, good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy.

The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them who make peace. At the beginning we prayed, Father, may Your Word not only be heard this day, but through the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit understood, and not only understood, but received, and not only received, but applied to our lives. But applied to our lives. Brothers and sisters, those who are moved by James' exhortation concerning the tongue are moved because their consciences are tender to the Word of God. You've heard me say it before, the person I worry about is the one that is completely unmoved.

They could care less. They're looking at their clock. They can't wait. I've got something I need to go do. The Word of God says that they read this, it doesn't really affect them or it makes them mad.

Those who are moved by James' exhortation concerning the tongue are moved because their consciences are tender to the word of God, which is an evidence of the life of God in the soul, and evidence that one is truly a child of God and truly saved. So I feel conviction, good. Maybe the person next to you isn't convicted at all and can care less. Those who hear the word, these words of James and understand them and receive them and apply them to their lives, they do so because the spirit of the living God indwells their hearts. What else could they do?

What else could you do? You've been born from above. You're a new creation in Christ. And so you're sensitive to your ongoing need for sanctification, for further growth in holiness and to become more like Jesus. Christ indwells the believers, and so they're tender to these things, to the word of God.

They want to be more like Jesus, and so they read these things, they understand these things, they receive these things, and with a whole heart they desire to apply them To their own lives not to someone else but to their own lives. Oh Lord, I want to apply these things to Steve Today the unbeliever isn't isn't like that The unbeliever sees no fault in his or her words, only in the words of others. The unbeliever sees no fault in his or her words, only in the words of others. This isn't talking about me, it's talking about, yeah, I know who that's talking about. All those things apply to, you know, Joe whoever or Nancy whoever.

I know that's getting at. Not me, not me. The unbeliever sees no fault in herself or herself, only in the words of others. It was unbelievers who read the letter of James 2, 000 years ago and said, I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear what James has to say anymore.

Will somebody please shut this guy up? That's what the religious leaders of James Day said in response to his letter, in response to his life, in response to his ministry, in response to his words that were spoken under inspiration of the Spirit of God. They knew their lives didn't evidence any wit of the fruit of the new creation in Christ that James was describing and spoke of and they stopped up their ears and they rushed madly upon James and they carried him to the pinnacle of the temple, and they threw him off. If you're moved by the things James is saying, be encouraged. Only the true children of God are moved by the indwelling Spirit of God to apply the truths of the Word of God concerning the tongue to themselves.

We may never evidence our profession of faith in Christ through martyrdom like James, But as children of God, we will evidence our faith daily as we look at the fruit coming from our lips and pray to God earnestly, O Lord, that my speech, that our speech might more and more come to resemble His speech, the gracious words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us and was raised for us, and is coming again for us. Amen. Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word. May we ever be transformed by the renewing of our minds by your word, for we ask it in Jesus' name, Amen.