Preached by Pastor Mike Hess Sunday morning 02/07/2010.
Don’t Play with Fire (Part 1)
James 3:2-7
Introduction:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
Proverbs 18:21
“Every word we speak must be up to God’s standard and according to his design. They should echo the Great Speaker and reflect his glory. When we lose sight of this, our words lose their only shelter from difficulty. Talk was created by God for his purpose. Our words belong to Him.”
Paul Tripp
I. The Power of the Tongue (3:2b-5)
“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
“An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble.” Proverbs 12:13
“Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit. There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever. But a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
Proverbs 12:17-19
“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” Proverbs 15:28
“Know this, my beloved brothers; let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” James 1:19
“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” Proverbs 21:23
“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Proverbs 29:20
“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.” Ephesians 4:29
“Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” Ephesians 5:4
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Colossians 4:6
II. The Destruction of the Tongue (James 3:6)
“Taking James’ words seriously, we recognize that the tongue has more destructive power than a hydrogen bomb, for the bomb’s power is physical and temporal, whereas the tongue’s is spiritual and eternal.” R. Kent Hughes
III. What Only God Can Do (3:7-8)
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I know live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Application:
1. God’s holiness is what makes our words so important. God commands His people to be “holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15)
2. Do your words reflect humility and honesty or self defense and blame shifting?
3. Do your words spread God’s grace and hope in the gospel or do they discourage and spread infection?
“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”
Psalm 141:3
Download Sermon - right click; choose "Save Target As..."
To listen to sermon left click play icon on player