The Transformative Power of the Tongue and Heart
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound power of the tongue and its connection to the heart. Drawing from James' epistle, we learned that the tongue, though small, can steer the course of our lives much like a bit in a horse's mouth or a rudder on a ship. James warns us that with the same tongue, we can both bless God and curse those made in His image, which should not be so. This duality reveals the true state of our hearts, as Jesus teaches in Luke 6:45: "For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."
We delved into the condition of our hearts, recognizing that a broken heart can lead to words of hurt and isolation, while a hardened heart can result in bitterness and division. The solution lies in allowing God to transform our hearts through His Holy Spirit. For those with broken hearts, God draws near to bind up wounds and offer comfort. For those with hardened hearts, we are called to see others as image-bearers of God, fostering empathy and understanding.
We also discussed the influences that shape our hearts, such as social media, entertainment, and news, which can distort our perceptions and harden our hearts. To counteract these influences, our hearts must be continually formed by the gospel. Engaging in daily Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship with other believers helps to soften our hearts and align them with God's love and truth.
Ultimately, as our hearts are transformed by the Holy Spirit, our speech will reflect the love, peace, and truth of Christ. This transformation enables us to be a blessing to others, speaking hope into a world that desperately needs it.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Power of the Tongue: The tongue, though small, has the power to direct the course of our lives, much like a bit in a horse's mouth or a rudder on a ship. It can bless God and curse those made in His image, revealing the true state of our hearts. We must be mindful of our words, as they reflect our inner spiritual condition. [31:26]
2. Healing for the Brokenhearted: For those with broken hearts, God offers comfort and healing. Rather than using our tongues to build walls and push people away, we are invited to draw near to God, who binds up our wounds and promises never to leave us. This healing allows us to speak peace and love from a place of wholeness. [33:27]
3. Empathy for the Hardened Heart: Hardened hearts often result in seeing others as enemies. By recognizing that all people are made in the image of God, we can foster empathy and understanding. This shift in perspective, aided by the Holy Spirit, softens our hearts and enables us to see others as God sees them—loved and forgiven. [35:23]
4. Influences on the Heart: Our hearts are shaped by what we consume—social media, entertainment, and news can distort our perceptions and harden our hearts. To counteract these influences, we must immerse ourselves in the gospel, allowing God's Word to form our hearts and minds, leading us to speak truth and love. [40:03]
5. Spiritual Practices for Heart Transformation: Engaging in daily Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship with other believers helps to soften our hearts and align them with God's love and truth. These practices, empowered by the Holy Spirit, transform our hearts, enabling us to speak words of hope, peace, and love into a world in need. [42:24]
### Youtube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[28:50] - Children's Activity Announcement
[29:41] - Horseback Riding Story
[30:31] - The Bit and the Tongue
[31:26] - Power of the Tongue
[32:26] - Overflow of the Heart
[33:27] - Healing for the Brokenhearted
[34:29] - Hardened Hearts
[35:23] - Seeing Others as Image Bearers
[36:14] - Empathy and Understanding
[37:10] - Tenderheartedness
[38:15] - Holy Spirit's Role
[39:09] - Influences on the Heart
[40:03] - Distorted Truths
[40:58] - Formed by Technology
[41:44] - Formed by the Gospel
[42:24] - Spiritual Practices
[43:26] - Prayer and Fellowship
[44:22] - Weekly Worship
[45:09] - Transformed Hearts
[45:52] - Speaking Truth and Love
[53:58] - Announcements and Closing
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. James 3:9-10 (ESV) - "With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so."
2. Luke 6:45 (ESV) - "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."
3. Psalm 34:18 (ESV) - "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to James 3:9-10, what dual actions can the tongue perform, and what does this reveal about our hearts? [31:26]
2. In Luke 6:45, what does Jesus say about the relationship between the heart and the mouth? [32:26]
3. How does Psalm 34:18 describe God's response to those with broken hearts? [33:27]
4. What are some influences mentioned in the sermon that can shape and harden our hearts? [39:09]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does James emphasize the power of the tongue in directing the course of our lives? How does this relate to our spiritual condition? [31:26]
2. How does Jesus' teaching in Luke 6:45 help us understand the root cause of our speech? What does this imply about the importance of heart transformation? [32:26]
3. What does it mean for God to be near to the brokenhearted, and how can this truth impact the way we use our words when we are hurting? [33:27]
4. How can recognizing others as image-bearers of God foster empathy and soften our hearts, according to the sermon? [35:23]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent time when your words either blessed or hurt someone. What does this reveal about the state of your heart? How can you seek God's help in transforming your heart? [31:26]
2. If you have experienced a broken heart, how can you draw near to God for comfort and healing? What steps can you take to allow God to bind up your wounds? [33:27]
3. Think of a group or individual you may have a hardened heart towards. How can you begin to see them as image-bearers of God and foster empathy and understanding? [35:23]
4. Identify one influence (social media, entertainment, news) that may be hardening your heart. What practical steps can you take to counteract this influence with the gospel? [39:09]
5. How can you incorporate daily Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship into your routine to allow the Holy Spirit to transform your heart? What specific changes will you make this week? [42:24]
6. Consider a situation where you need to speak words of hope, peace, or love. How can you prepare your heart to ensure your speech reflects Christ's love and truth? [45:52]
7. Reflect on the role of the Holy Spirit in softening your heart. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to work in your life more intentionally? What specific prayer or practice will you adopt? [38:15]
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of the Tongue
The tongue, though small, has the power to direct the course of our lives, much like a bit in a horse's mouth or a rudder on a ship. It can bless God and curse those made in His image, revealing the true state of our hearts. We must be mindful of our words, as they reflect our inner spiritual condition. The tongue's duality is a mirror to our hearts, showing whether we are aligned with God's love or swayed by worldly influences. By being conscious of our speech, we can better understand and address the condition of our hearts.
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 about a recent conversation where your words may have hurt someone. How can you seek reconciliation and speak words of healing today? [31:26]
Day 2: Healing for the Brokenhearted
For those with broken hearts, God offers comfort and healing. Rather than using our tongues to build walls and push people away, we are invited to draw near to God, who binds up our wounds and promises never to leave us. This healing allows us to speak peace and love from a place of wholeness. When we allow God to mend our brokenness, our words can become instruments of His grace, bringing hope and restoration to others.
Psalm 147:3 (ESV): "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you feel broken or hurt. How can you invite God into that space for healing today? [33:27]
Day 3: Empathy for the Hardened Heart
Hardened hearts often result in seeing others as enemies. By recognizing that all people are made in the image of God, we can foster empathy and understanding. This shift in perspective, aided by the Holy Spirit, softens our hearts and enables us to see others as God sees them—loved and forgiven. Empathy transforms our interactions, allowing us to build bridges rather than walls, and to speak words that reflect God's love.
Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
Reflection: Think of someone you have difficulty understanding or relating to. How can you practice empathy and see them as an image-bearer of God today? [35:23]
Day 4: Influences on the Heart
Our hearts are shaped by what we consume—social media, entertainment, and news can distort our perceptions and harden our hearts. To counteract these influences, we must immerse ourselves in the gospel, allowing God's Word to form our hearts and minds, leading us to speak truth and love. By being intentional about what we allow into our hearts, we can ensure that our speech reflects the values of the Kingdom of God.
Proverbs 4:23 (ESV): "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
Reflection: Evaluate your daily media consumption. What changes can you make to ensure your heart is being shaped more by the gospel than by worldly influences? [40:03]
Day 5: Spiritual Practices for Heart Transformation
Engaging in daily Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship with other believers helps to soften our hearts and align them with God's love and truth. These practices, empowered by the Holy Spirit, transform our hearts, enabling us to speak words of hope, peace, and love into a world in need. Consistent spiritual disciplines are essential for maintaining a heart that reflects Christ's character.
Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
Reflection: What specific spiritual practice can you commit to this week to help transform your heart and align it with God's love and truth? [42:24]
Quotes
### Quotes for outreach
1. "Our tongues are an overflow of our hearts. So our question for today is, how is your heart? I can't give you the five ways to control your tongue, but we can do some work on our hearts to begin to discern where are they. For out of the overflow of our heart, the mouth speaks." [32:26] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Today know that God has drawn near to you to bind up the brokenhearted. That you might speak peace out of the overflow of the heart. For some of us today we come and our hearts are hardened. Our hearts are hardened towards a different group of people." [34:29] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Our hearts are formed by the things we hear and the things we see. As we take in social media. Our hearts begin to be formed into that of the world. The distorted truths of the world of what life should look like. What the good life looks like." [39:09] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The good news of Christ must be the thing that daily forms our hearts and minds. And this is the work of the Holy Spirit. That we do as we engage in God's word. I don't know how many of you maybe read our daily Bible reading plan. To find yourself immersed in the story of God and reading his scriptures." [41:44] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Brothers and sisters in Christ. We too often have hardened hearts. My prayer is that by the power of the Holy Spirit. God would do the work of softening our hearts. Giving us tender hearts. That out of the overflow of the heart. Our mouths would speak." [45:09] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for members
1. "If the tongue is such a powerful thing that can turn a big ship or like a small ship, spark, set a whole forest ablaze, how might this powerful part of our body be controlled, be tamed? I think Jesus gives us an answer, or a beginning to the answer, in Luke chapter 6, verse 45, where he says, The good person, out of the good treasure of his heart, produces good. The evil person, out of the evil treasure, produces evil. For out of the abominable, abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks." [32:26] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "For some of us today we come and our hearts are hardened. Our hearts are hardened towards a different group of people. I know it's hard to imagine in the world we live in today that someone could be embittered towards somebody else. Or that our hearts could be hardened towards a different group of people." [34:29] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Finding ourselves in small groups in Bible studies with other believers. Who are continuing to point us to Christ and to the promises of scripture. Can help us to grow in a knowledge and love of him and form our hearts. Finding ourselves in the equipped teaching times. Where we find the opportunity to hear God's word proclaimed." [44:22] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "It is in the forming of our hearts through prayer that the Lord continues to do the work of forming us. Whether that is praying the Lord's prayer. When you wake up or go to bed. Whether that is like Chris, our guest preacher the other week suggested. A breath prayer of come Holy Spirit." [43:26] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Our lives and relationships begin to change as we begin to see others as image bearers of God. And in doing so our hearts become softened. We become tender towards the needs of others. And doing so we might get hurt. But that is when the Holy Spirit comes and binds us up. To strengthen us to move on." [38:15] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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