This Week\’s Sunday School Lesson, \”The Danger Of Loose Lips\”, 2/11/2018

THE DANGER OF LOOSE LIPS

 

James 3:1-12

 

I remember growing up in the 70\’s, a phrase by a comedian named Flip Wilson,

as he played the role of a preacher; \”Loose Lips Sinks Ships\”.  In the church

today, there is some truth in that phrase. The church ought to be a place of

encouragement, uplifting and a sanctuary of peace and joy. But often times

it is a place of tension and discouragement. Some of us own our elected positions

as if we are the sole authority of right and wrong.  Instead of encouraging people

to serve, we discourage.

 

BE CAREFUL OF YOUR DESIRES

V:1. \” Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.\”

1. One of the covenant positions in the Church and the Jewish Synagogue was that of

a teacher.

1. In the Synagogue, the Word of God was taught along with the Jewish tradition.
2. In the Synagogue, the Jewish tradition was considered the authority over the

Word of God.

1. Those Jewish teachers who believed in Jesus, came with their misinterpretations,

misleading the Gentile and Jewish believers creating confusion and dissention.

1. James reminded- teachers and preachers to be careful that we teach the Word of God

correctly. ;

1. 2 Timothy 2:15 states, \” Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that

needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.\”

1. The worst thing you and I can do is to give our opinions on the Word without

studying the Word.

1. We cannot trust what we have heard or believe without adequate research of the

Word.

1. There is a penalty for teaching the Word incorrectly.
2. As teachers we will incur a stricter judgment.
3. Matthew 18:6 states, \” But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in

me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck

and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.\”

1. We are warned to take the job of teaching very seriously.
2. It is a honor to be chosen to teach God\’s people.

 

SERVICE DOES NOT COME WITHOUT MISTAKES

V:2-3. \” For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

3 Now if we put the bits into the horses\’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.\”

1. No one is perfect. In the course of serving God we are going to make mistakes.
2. However, we can be in control of what we say and how we treat one another.
3. Colossians 4:6 states, \” Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned

with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.\”

1. From a baby, we grow up looking out for our own interest.
2. We learned early that crying when we were hungry, wet or sleepy got the attention

of our parents.

1. Our mouths controlled the action of our caretakers.
2. We learned to be selfish.
3. As adults, we have to reprogram ourselves to be more concerned about the

welfare of others.

1. As long as we are trying to promote ourselves, we will not see the needs of others.
2. One way to start is to overlook the faults of others and concentrate on their good.
3. Philippians 4:8-9 states, \”Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if

anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it

into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. \”

1. We have to practice thinking of others in a positive way.
2. In this way we can control the tongue.
3. If we don\’t think negative thoughts, they want come out of our mouths.

 

 WORDS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

V:4-5. \” Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.

5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a     small fire! \”

1. The mouth is just a small part of the body. Yet it controls the mood and attitude

of the entire body.

1. We speak what is in our hearts. And we can begin to believe what we speak,

weather  it is true or not.

1. If we think negative thoughts, we will say and do negative things.
2. The more negative we are the more hurtful we will be to ourselves and

others.

1. Out of our mouths come words that can control the mood and attitude of those

around us.

1. Hurtful thoughtless words can discourage and drive people away

from the Church.

1. Hurtful words from our mouths can cause the whole body to react to defend

ourselves.

WE CAN BE THE REASON FOR DIVISION

V:6. \” And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. \”

1. Out of the heart flows the issues of life. Prov 4:23
2. The only way to control the tongue is to control the heart.
3. Jesus said \” But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and

these make a man \’unclean.\”   Matt 15:18

1. The only way to control the heart is to have an active working relationship

with Jesus.

1. When we lose our focus on Jesus, the world become our motivation.
2. Jesus said, \” For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual

immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.  These are what make a man \’unclean\’;

but eating with unwashed hands does not make him \’unclean.\”   Matt 5:19-20

1. We bring into our church setting, the outside world.
2. While trying to hold a Christian conversation, we mix it with worldly opinions,

and before we know it, the Bible has lost it\’s authority over us.

 

UNTAMED WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD

V:7-8. \” For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. \”

1. We have become masters of obtaining our goals and objectives.
2. We work at being the best we can be in our areas of interest.
3. From the Garden of Eden, God put man in charge of all the animals,

plants and trees of His creation.

1. We have found ways of being successful in this charge God gave us,
2. When it comes to the mouth, we have no plans to control its contents.
3. By ourselves we are not capable of controlling the tongue.
4. We have to make it our priority to reclaim for ourselves the righteousness

of Jesus that God has imputed upon us.

1. A humble heart is the beginning of our journey to Jesus.
2. We must come to the conclusion that we have sinned and come short of

the glory of God.

1. We must center our conversations around the Word of God.
2. Since God made everything, then everything we face can be related

to His Word.

1. We must realize the fact that the knowledge we have gained in the world

is useless against evil.

1. I think our primary problem is a lack of fear of the Lord.
2. Proverbs 1:7 states, \” The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but

fools despise wisdom and discipline.\”

1. We have become fools chasing after the wisdom of the world.
2. We have failed to discipline the mouth with the Word of God.

 

DOUBLE MINDED

V:9-10. \” With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;

10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. \”

1. An untamed tongue is one that is not backed up with a mind devoted to the Word of

God.

1. An untamed tongue is driven by emotions and current circumstances.
2. An untamed tongue is driven by selfish motives.
3. A man controlled by his emotion will say anything that please him and

others around him.

1. James is talking to a Christian community.
2. In a Church service, the spiritual emotions are high, so praise and worship is

pleasing.

1. Outside of worship, especially during a confrontation, a man control by

emotions will go into the defense  mode and say anything to support

his position.

1. It is easy to forget that we are made in the image of God.
2. When we look in the mirror all we see is us and not the image of God.
3. We have to constantly remind ourselves that we belong to God,

purchased by the blood of Jesus.

1. An active daily prayer life is key to our consciousness of a Godly presence.

 

THE CURE FOR AN UNSOUND MIND

V:11-12. \” Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?

12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.\”

1. A man not constantly controlled by the Word of God is bound to be irrational from

time to time.

1. Lets consider again Colossians 4:6, \”Let your speech always be with grace, as though

seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. \”

1. Our response is off because we under value the grace of God.
2. Grace is God\’s favor. We are under His grace, therefore protected by Him in all

things.

1. We do not have to fear our position or status under any circumstance.
2. We do not have to lift ourselves up, because if we humble ourselves before God,

He will do the lifting.

1. Since our conversation is with grace, we are promoting the well being of others.
2. Our encouragement and uplifting of another is not empty chatter  because it

has to be seasoned with the truth.

1. And if we proceed with grace seasoned by salt, we will always know the

appropriate thing to say.

1. The appropriate thing to say  will not always be popular or

well received.

1. The appropriate thing to say will lift up another person and place us

in a servant position.

1. A servant position is not a weak position but a position honored by Christ.
2. To be consistent in our Christian approach to others we have be continually

mindful that we are children of the King.

1. I believe that we are fearful when we are challenged because we don\’t

lay hold to the truth of scripture.

1. 2 Timothy 1:7 states, \” For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of

power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

1. An irrational mind is not focused on the Word of God.
2. A sound mind believes the Word to be true and applies to it\’s

present situation.

 

 

LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITH GRACE

 

 

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Toll Way North

Houston, Texas 77041

 

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