OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE TONGUE
A. What is 1 of the first things a doctor tells you to do in an examination? Answer: Stick out your tongue, please. He can tell about you’re your physical wellbeing by your tongue. Likewise, it is possible to tell a whole lot because a person’s spiritual wellbeing by his/her tongue.
B. (Jas.3:1-12) The area in which we are more apt to “offend,” i.e. to trip and fall, is in how we use our tongue.
a. especially true in reference to teachers (Jas.3:1)
b. everyone who speaks a lot (Prov.10:19)
C. From our text I will make a few observations relating to the tongue.
A. (Jas.3:2) The words we speak indicate our maturity or immaturity.
a. the person who controls his words is controlling his thoughts
b. the person who controls his thoughts is controlling his actions
c. such a person bridles the whole body
B. There are a lot of mature bodies that have immature minds controlling them.
a. Ill. from BI Topic Cursing (Warning! “Adult language, viewer discretion is advised.”)
b. (Eph.4:28)
A. (Jas.3:3,4) James used 2 illustrations that most people could relate to & understand.
a. an average size horse weighs about 2,000 lbs., yet a steel bit weighing only a few ounces can control that animal
b. a cruise ship that is 987 ft long & weighing 139,365 tons is controlled by a rudder
B. (Jas.3:5a) An average size man can weigh 150 to 200 lbs., with the most powerful part of his body being his tongue that weighs only a few ounces.
a. his tongue is what will get him into or out of trouble
b. his tongue is what will make him a success or a failure
C. The point of James’ illustration is that small things can control big things & that is true with the tongue.
A. Illustration from BI Topic Tongue Title Squirrel that shut down New York – On Sept.11, 1995, a squirrel climbed on the Metro-North Railroad power lines near New York City. This set off an electrical surge, which weakened an overhead bracket, which let a wire dangle toward the tracks, which tangled in a train, which tore down all the lines.
B. (Jas.3:5b,6) Small things that control big things can be constructive or destructive. Unfortunately, the tongue is too destructive.
a. Nashville’s thermo plant was consumed by fire recently & investigators have determined it started with just a warm muffler igniting some decomposing trash.
b. the tongue is like a “fire” – a little spark from it & a war ignites
c. the tongue is “a world of iniquity” – vast potentialities for evil
d. the tongue is not isolated from other members of our body – it affects the whole body
e. the tongue affects our whole life
f. the only adequate word to describe the source of the tongue’s destructive nature is “hell”
C. (Jas.3:8) Of all the animals, the Holy Spirit likened it to a snake.
a. snake silently slither along in the grass until it strikes its victim
b. tongue of man can be just as vicious (we wouldn’t dare turn a sack full of snakes out in building, but we might turn our tongues loose)
IV. OUR TONGUE IS UNTAMBLE
A. (Jas.3:7) During my lifetime I have gone to 3 circuses. One of the things that amazing me is how the animal trainers are able to give orders to elephants, lions, bears, & other animals & those animals obey! James gives 4 classifications of animals which man has tamed.
a. “beast” – ill. of bear in Albania under owner’s commands
b. “bird” – birds have been used in carrying messages, trained to roller skate, talk, etc.
c. “reptile”- snake charmers
d. “creature of the sea”- I have watched dolphins perform at Six Flags over Georgia
B. (Jas.3:8) Remembering that the tongue has power to control & that it can wreak havoc, it is frightening to learn it is untamable!
C. To illustrate it untamable nature, James points out its inconsistent behavior (Jas.3:9- 12)
a. it is unscriptural to bless God & at the same time curse man
b. it is unnatural to use the tongue to both bless & curse
CONCLUSION
Since we all want to be mature; since we know how powerful the tongue is; since we
don’t want to wreak havoc & we want to be consistent, then we need to do the
following in reference to our tongue:
1. work on our heart (Mt.12:34)
2. use wisdom in the use of our tongue (Prov.31:26; Eph.4:28; Col.4:6)
3. keep the tongue bridled (Jas.1:26)
4. study to be quiet (1Thess.4:11)