Taming the Tongue: The Power of Our Words

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Words

Our words have the power to build up or destroy, much like a small rudder that steers a large ship or a tiny spark that can set a forest ablaze. We must be mindful of the impact our speech can have on others and strive to use our words to edify and encourage rather than harm. James chapter 3 vividly illustrates this by comparing the tongue to a small part of the body that can cause great harm if not controlled. This metaphor serves as a powerful reminder that our words, though seemingly insignificant, can have far-reaching consequences. [43:29]

James 3:5-6 (ESV): "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! 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."

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where your words may have caused unintended harm. How can you seek to make amends and use your words to build up that person today?

Day 2: Intentional, Unintentional, and Unknowing Speech

We can hurt others with our words intentionally, unintentionally, or unknowingly. It is crucial to be aware of how we communicate and to seek forgiveness when our words cause harm, even if it was not our intention. This humility and willingness to make amends reflect the heart of Christ. Personal anecdotes often reveal moments when our own words caused unintended hurt, highlighting the need for humility and the willingness to seek forgiveness. By striving for perfection in our speech, we can grow in our ability to speak life and truth. [49:05]

Proverbs 12:18 (ESV): "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you unintentionally hurt someone with your words. How can you approach them with humility and seek their forgiveness today?

Day 3: Heavenly Wisdom vs. Earthly Wisdom

James contrasts earthly wisdom, marked by envy and selfish ambition, with heavenly wisdom, characterized by purity, peace, consideration, and mercy. As followers of Christ, we are called to embody heavenly wisdom in our speech, promoting peace and righteousness in our interactions. This distinction between earthly and heavenly wisdom is crucial in guiding our communication. By seeking heavenly wisdom, we can ensure that our words reflect the purity and peace that come from God, rather than the envy and selfish ambition that characterize earthly wisdom. [55:58]

James 3:17-18 (ESV): "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

Reflection: In what ways can you seek to embody heavenly wisdom in your speech today, especially in challenging situations?

Day 4: The Role of Peacemakers

As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers, sowing seeds of peace to reap a harvest of righteousness. This involves speaking life and truth, even in challenging situations, and being intentional about building up rather than tearing down. Our words should reflect the fruit of the Spirit and point others to Christ. In a world where divisive and destructive language is rampant, particularly on social media, this call to be peacemakers is especially relevant. By being intentional with our words, we can contribute to a more peaceful and righteous world. [56:45]

Matthew 5:9 (ESV): "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Reflection: Think of a conflict or tense situation you are currently facing. How can you use your words to sow seeds of peace and promote reconciliation?

Day 5: Daily Surrender to the Holy Spirit

Controlling our tongue is a daily challenge that requires surrender to the Holy Spirit. By allowing Him to transform our hearts and minds, we can speak words that align with His will and demonstrate our faith. This daily surrender helps us to be recognized as followers of Christ through our words and actions. Just as a fig tree cannot bear olives, our speech should consistently produce good fruit, demonstrating our faith and commitment to Christ. This requires a daily surrender to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to transform our hearts and minds. [01:18:07]

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Reflection: What is one area of your speech where you struggle to align with the fruit of the Spirit? How can you surrender this area to the Holy Spirit today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

This morning, we gathered to reflect on the powerful teachings of James chapter 3, a passage that challenges us to consider the immense impact of our words. James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the early church, emphasizes the importance of taming the tongue, describing it as a small part of the body that can cause great harm if not controlled. He uses vivid metaphors, comparing the tongue to a small rudder that steers a large ship and a tiny spark that can set a forest ablaze. These illustrations remind us that our words, though seemingly insignificant, have the power to build up or destroy.

We explored the idea that our speech can be intentional, unintentional, or even unknowingly harmful. Through personal anecdotes, I shared moments when my own words caused unintended hurt, highlighting the need for humility and the willingness to seek forgiveness. James calls us to strive for perfection, not in the sense of being flawless, but in continually growing and improving in our ability to speak life and truth.

James also contrasts earthly wisdom, which is often marked by envy and selfish ambition, with heavenly wisdom, characterized by purity, peace, consideration, and mercy. He urges us to be peacemakers, sowing seeds of peace to reap a harvest of righteousness. This call to be peacekeepers is especially relevant in our current world, where divisive and destructive language is rampant, particularly on social media.

We are reminded that as Christians, our words should reflect the fruit of the Spirit. Just as a fig tree cannot bear olives, our speech should consistently produce good fruit, demonstrating our faith and commitment to Christ. This requires a daily surrender to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to transform our hearts and minds so that our words align with His will.

In closing, we reflected on the importance of being intentional with our words, seeking to build up rather than tear down. We prayed for the Holy Spirit's guidance in our speech, asking for the grace to speak life and truth in every situation, and to be recognized as followers of Christ through our words and actions.

###

Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Words: Our words have the power to build up or destroy, much like a small rudder that steers a large ship or a tiny spark that can set a forest ablaze. We must be mindful of the impact our speech can have on others and strive to use our words to edify and encourage rather than harm. [43:29]
2. Intentional, Unintentional, and Unknowing Speech: We can hurt others with our words intentionally, unintentionally, or unknowingly. It is crucial to be aware of how we communicate and to seek forgiveness when our words cause harm, even if it was not our intention. This humility and willingness to make amends reflect the heart of Christ. [49:05]
3. **Heavenly Wisdom vs. Earthly Wisdom**: James contrasts earthly wisdom, marked by envy and selfish ambition, with heavenly wisdom, characterized by purity, peace, consideration, and mercy. As followers of Christ, we are called to embody heavenly wisdom in our speech, promoting peace and righteousness in our interactions. [55:58]
4. The Role of Peacemakers: As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers, sowing seeds of peace to reap a harvest of righteousness. This involves speaking life and truth, even in challenging situations, and being intentional about building up rather than tearing down. Our words should reflect the fruit of the Spirit and point others to Christ. [56:45]
5. Daily Surrender to the Holy Spirit: Controlling our tongue is a daily challenge that requires surrender to the Holy Spirit. By allowing Him to transform our hearts and minds, we can speak words that align with His will and demonstrate our faith. This daily surrender helps us to be recognized as followers of Christ through our words and actions. [01:18:07]
### [78:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Introduction and Greetings
[01:30] - Reflecting on Past Experiences
[03:00] - Youth Camp and Legacy
[05:00] - Mission Work in Greece and Cyprus
[07:00] - Coffee as a Ministry Tool
[09:00] - James Chapter 3 Overview
[11:00] - The Power of the Tongue
[13:00] - Personal Stories of Miscommunication
[16:00] - Intentional, Unintentional, and Unknowing Speech
[18:00] - Striving for Perfection
[20:00] - James' Role in the Early Church
[22:00] - The Apostle Paul's Missionary Journeys
[24:00] - The Council of Jerusalem
[26:00] - The Importance of Being Peacemakers
[28:00] - The Impact of Our Words in Today's World
[30:00] - Closing Reflections and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What metaphors does James use to describe the power of the tongue in James 3? ([43:29])
According to the sermon, what are the three types of speech that can cause harm? ([49:05])
How does James contrast earthly wisdom with heavenly wisdom in James 3? ([55:58])
What does James say about the role of peacemakers in the church? ([56:45])

Interpretation Questions

Why does James emphasize the importance of taming the tongue, and how does this relate to our daily interactions? ([43:29])
How can unintentional or unknowing speech cause harm, and what steps can be taken to mitigate this? ([49:05])
What characteristics define heavenly wisdom according to James, and how can these be applied in our conversations? ([55:58])
In what ways can Christians act as peacemakers in today's divisive world, especially on social media? ([56:45])

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent conversation where your words may have unintentionally hurt someone. How can you seek forgiveness and make amends? ([49:05])
Think about a situation where you were tempted to use divisive language. How can you apply heavenly wisdom to promote peace and understanding instead? ([55:58])
Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to control your tongue. What practical steps can you take to improve in this area? ([43:29])
How can you intentionally use your words to build up others in your family, workplace, or community this week? ([56:45])
Consider your social media interactions. How can you ensure that your online presence reflects the fruit of the Spirit and promotes peace? ([56:45])
What daily practices can you implement to surrender your speech to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to transform your heart and mind? ([01:18:07])
Think of a person who often tests your patience. What specific actions or prayers can you use to respond with kindness and self-control in your next interaction with them? ([01:18:07])

Sermon Clips

1. "We say all the time when it comes to spiritual things, just so that way you never think too highly of yourselves when you lead someone spiritually, that we're always drinking or living in houses we didn't build, and we eat fruit from trees we didn't plant in, and as we're back in that room, it was, we felt a little selfish. There was like this legacy, this amazing moment where it's like, I almost felt like we were part of digging a well back there." [37:58] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Our goal as Christians is to be peacekeepers who have a harvest of righteousness that surrounds us. In Cyprus we have a coffee shop. And often times when our little drive through element of our coffee shop gets busy. I have first hand visual and hearing knowledge of how upset customers can sometimes be. When it takes a little too long. To get that caffeine in their hands. Now we give everybody a little bit of grace in the morning. Because we realize they haven't had their morning caffeine yet." [01:08:10] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Words are so important. I mean even in scripture. It talks about. God spoke our planets into existence. What comes out of the mouth is so important. This week I was sending. I saw a video on social media. Of the quarterback for the Texans. He's an NFL player. He's new to the faith. And he was talking about how to control his tongue. How to not curse. Because he said he saw himself on video in an interview. And he was like oh my gosh I was embarrassed of the way I was speaking. And as a young Christian. I want to get better at this." [01:05:31] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Our role as peacekeepers is to be able to speak to everyone in the world that we live in. But it should be so peculiar because we're speaking in ways that are submissive, peace, pure, full of blessing, full of good fruit, and impartial. That it should come across. And the only way to do that is to die to ourselves daily. The only way to do that is to learn that new language. The only one who can speak it perfectly, the language that we talk about here in James chapter three, is Jesus." [01:17:29] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We as Christians are trying to challenge ourselves in the way that we are. What is our natural default as humans to speak things that are not life. There's an illustration. I want to use in this. Because if we go back to the very end of James. He talks about. We need to be using words that are pure. Peace loving. Considerate. Submissive. Full of mercy. Good fruit. Impartial and sincere." [01:12:17] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles. This phrase is so wise. When we look through James chapter 3, he's talking about taming your tongue. Your tongue can be a fire. It can control a ship. We shouldn't let fresh water and salt water mix. And then it gets to the very end of the chapter and he's like, we should be a peacekeeper. People who sow in peace, they will reap a harvest of righteousness." [55:58] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "We are on a constant journey towards perfection. Perfection is the goal. We're never going to get there, but we're a work in progress. And I'm sure like you, you could look at your neighbor and you could say, man, they're a work in progress. And I think maybe you could just look down at yourself, too, and just say this morning. I'm OK. We're a work in progress." [50:45] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "The world that we live in, especially with social media, it is so easy to speak criticism and death rather than life. And that language begins to translate into the way that we speak about issues within the world that we live in. We oftentimes don't speak life. We speak criticism of those who step out to speak anything. This morning, I want to challenge us in the way that we look at things." [57:49] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "When you're learning language one of the great ways to get better at it is to just practice and use whatever you had learned. And so I just learned some vocabulary on how to fill up a gas car, put gas in the car and use those things. And Greek is a little tricky. There's a lot of nuance and so I remember pull the car up and they pump your gas in Greece like New Jersey. Greece and Cyprus, you know, you got a guy who you just you ask and they're like how much?" [46:53] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "We have a world that wants to tear down. We have a world that wants to divide. We have that wants to bring up discussions of division. Or we have a world where we put ourselves in echo chambers where we only speak with people who only agree with everything that we say. But our role as peacekeepers is to be able to speak to everyone in the world that we live in." [01:17:15] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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