Week 4...”Faith...and the Tongue”, Ja. 3.1-12

Well so far in our study we've considered faith in light of our trials and temptations, and then faith, and the effect it has on you, and last week, the effect of your faith on others. And we found last week, that if Jesus really is the focus of our faith, then the effect of our faith, on us, will be to root us in Him, to build us up in Him, and to establish us in Him (Colossians 2&3). And when that happens, it won't only be you who will benefit, but so will everyone you come in contact with...your spouse, your children, your friends and the church...everyone will benefit!
Well tonight we're sort of continuing that theme, in terms of how often we allow our faith to lapse, just long enough to offend someone...often the ones we love the most. And I know you know what I'm talking about!
Read James 3.1-12...
Well as we see from what James has written by H.S authority in vs. 2...”In many things we offend, all”. Now of course, we can find throughout the entire word of God, very practical truth regarding our problem of offending others. We're told in the Proverbs, 18.19 that...”An offended brother is harder to be won than a strong city; their differences separate them like a barred door.” And in vs. 21 of the same chapt. we read that...”Death and life are within the power of the tongue, and anyone who indulges it will eat the fruit it bears.” Now I think we can all agree tonight that it's in the “heart” where the root of all evil is found, but indeed it is the tongue which most often carries out the thoughts and intents of the heart. In Matthew 15:19-20 we read...“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; these are the things which defile a man...” So, this small matter of the tongue, is not so small after all! King David was painfully aware of the damage the tongue can do, and from what he wrote in the Psalms, the darts hurled from his enemies' tongues may have caused him the greatest pain of all. Let's look at some examples...
5.8-9; 10.2,7; 12.1-4; 15.1-3; 31.17-18; 78.36-37; 109.1-3; 120.2-4; 140.1-3...etc.
The Scriptures describe many different forms of ungodly speech...for example, taking the Lord's Name in vain, lying (the two mentioned in the Ten Commandments), hateful talk, worldly talk, filthy talk, boasting, gossip, criticism, anger, slander, speaking without thinking... 
And of course, Jesus gives us a pretty stern warning regarding the foulness of the language that sometimes comes from a person’s mouth. The way a person talks is a very revealing clue as to his character. Let's read this warning from the Judge of the universe...
Matthew 12.31-37 (read)... 
And...Ephesians 4:29-31, Colossians 3.8-9; 
And...Proverbs 26:20..."Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.” 
And 21:23..."Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles." 
And of course we should also consider God's displeasure with His people murmuring in the wilderness...
Exodus 15:24..."And the people complained against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?" 
And 16:2..."Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness." 

Numbers 11:1... "Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp." 

And 14:27..."How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me." 

So let's go back to James 3 and examine the dangers of the untamed tongue... 

...”Be not many teachers because teachers will be judged by a higher standard”, v. 1; 

-Romans 2:21...“Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?”

...”We all often stumble, and offend”, v. 2(a); 

-1 Peter 3:10...“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile...”; 

...”Control your words and you will control your whole body”, vss. 2(b)-5; 

-horses are controlled by small bits in their mouths, v. 3 

-large ships are controlled by a small rudder, v. 4 

...”the tongue is small (but)...”, vss. 5(a) 

-Luke 6.45...“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks.” 

-it boasts great things, v. 5(b) 

-it can produce a great fire, v. 5(c), 6(a,d) 

-it is a world of iniquity, v. 6(b) 

-it can defile the whole body, v. 6(c) 

...”the tongue cannot be tamed...”, vss. 7-8(a) 

-it is an undisciplined evil, v. 8(b) 

-it is full of deadly poison, v. 8(c) 

-it can bless God and curse men, v. 9 

-if the tongue blesses God, it should not curse men, v. 10 

-a fountain cannot have sweet and bitter water, v. 11 

-a fig tree cannot bear olives, v. 12(a) 

-a vine cannot bear figs, v. 12(b) 

-a fountain cannot have salt and fresh water, v. 12(c)
Small but mighty, and often a little salty...indeed!