Maturity in Speech
James 3.1-12
I.
Introduction
A.
Our speech is an
expression of our maturity.
1.
Paul said, “When I
was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a
child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways”, 1 Corinthians 13:11.
2.
Observe a child, as they mature physically,
there is also a maturing of his or her speech.
B.
I have seen people who
looked mature physically, yet their speech revealed an immature person.
C.
I remember a radio commercial for a product
called “Verbal Advantage”; it stated that vocabulary is a direct reflection on
your intelligence.
1.
It’s misleading to say
that an incredible vocabulary alone determines your intelligence.
D.
Communicating verbally
is a means of expressing a mental thought with words and applying speech to
vocally express the thought successfully to a person.
E.
Mature speech is the ability to communicate
verbally thoughts with a caring spirit for the one you are communicating with.
F.
You may have a
vocabulary and the ability to speak, but without mature speech your verbal
communication can do more harm than good.
G.
James wants Christians
to know the power of the tongue and the need to master it in order to archive
spiritual maturity.
H.
The spiritually
immature often fail to realize the tongues power.
1.
"Death and
life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its
fruit", Proverbs 18:21.
I.
So, ask yourself the
question:
1.
“What type of fruit have I been eating
because of my tongue?”
J.
The fruit of your
tongue is an expression of who you really are, not what you think you
are!
K.
Those who are immature
often fail to realize the power and danger of the tongue.
L.
Six Pictures of tongue:
the bit, the rudder, fire, animal, fountain, fig tree
II.
The Caution for
Teachers (1-2)
A.
Let not many of you
become teachers: Romans 12.3-8; 1 Corinthians 12.29; 1 Peter 4.10-11; Hebrews
5.12-14
1.
James does not say,
"Let not many of you be teachers", but rather, "Let not many of
you become teachers"
2.
This passage is not
just a rebuke of those who try to be teachers before they are ready, but also a
warning that many should not even become teachers in the future!
3.
It is a mistake to
believe that everyone should become a teacher at some point in his or her
service to Christ!
a)
Romans 12:3-8, NAS95 "3 For through the grace given
to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he
ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted
to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and
all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one
body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts
that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them
accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if
service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who
exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with
diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."
b)
1 Corinthians
12:29, NAS95 "29 All
are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not
teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?"
c)
1 Peter 4:10,11, NAS95 "10 As each one has received
a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking
the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the
strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through
Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen."
4.
How apply the
responsibility to be teachers?
a)
Hebrews 5:12-14, NAS95 "12 For though by this time
you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the
elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and
not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to
the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the
mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and
evil."
b)
To mean that everyone
should one day be teachers
c)
Don’t use an excuse not
to teach gospel
d)
The author of Hebrews
may have been writing to a select audience, whom he knew ought to have been
teachers
B.
Why many should
not become teachers
1.
Teachers shall receive
"a stricter judgment"
a)
There is a grave
responsibility involved in teaching others
b)
We can lead people to
truth - but we just as easily lead them to error!
c)
Just as with elders,
those who teach will be held accountable if they mislead others!
(1)
Hebrews 13:17, NAS95
"17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your
souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with
grief, for this would be unprofitable for you."
2.
Because we all
"stumble in many things"
a)
Everyone has faults,
and with many people the improper use of the tongue is a major one
b)
But it takes spiritual
maturity ("a perfect man") not to stumble in word!
C.
Do not use this warning
as a reason for you not to teach and defend your faith to non-Christians.
D.
Today there are too
many self-proclaimed Bible teachers engaged in creating verbal noise without
enriching anyone with God’s Word.
E.
Knowledge of God’s Word
and the power to control our tongue will make an effective teacher of God’s
Word.
III.
The Power to
Control: Bit and Rudder (3-4)
A.
Control over
Power
1.
With a small bit, a
rider can control the much more powerful horse
2.
With a small rudder, a
pilot can steer the huge ship.
3.
Tongue controls the
body
a)
Tongue is small but has
power to control and steer our lives
(1)
Really, for both good
and ill.
b)
If you speak a lie, it
won't be long before you find yourself living a lie
c)
If you speak
suggestively in an immoral manner, it won't be long before you begin acting
immorally!
B.
Power to
Overcome
1.
Bit and rudder overcome
contrary forces
a)
Bit overcomes nature of
the wild and willful horse
b)
Rudder fights winds and
currents that drive ship off course.
2.
Tongue often fights contrary
forces
a)
Our old man often wants
to lie, use bad language, off-color jokes, etc.
b)
Often circumstances
pressure us to say things that we should not.
3.
Strong Steersman: Psalm
141.3-4; Matthew 12.34
a)
Must be under control
of a strong steersman
b)
We must turn to help
from God for this control:
(1)
Psalms 141:3,4, NAS95 "3 Set a guard, O LORD, over
my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. 4 Do not incline my heart to any
evil thing, To practice deeds of wickedness With men who do iniquity; And do
not let me eat of their delicacies."
(2)
Matthew 12:34, NAS95 "34 "You brood of
vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out
of that which fills the heart."
4.
Affects lives of others
a)
A runaway horse or
shipwreck could injure or cause death
b)
I have personally
witnessed the power of an uncontrolled Christian tongue.
c)
Christians who have
made inappropriate comments to another Christian.
d)
Rash words from a
heartless Christian have an everlasting affect.
(1)
The victim will
remember heartless words beyond the memory of the person responsible.
e)
I have heard some of
our “blunt” speaking Brothers and Sisters in Christ say, “Well, I’m only
telling the truth”.
f)
Well, if that’s the
best you can do in speaking the truth because you can’t speak with a
compassionate love for people; then find one who can speak with a spirit of
gentleness to say it for you.
g)
Think about the
outcome, do you really want someone to listen to your advice, or just hear you
speak!
h)
No one listens to the
advise of someone who can’t control their tongue.
i)
Never underestimate the
positive power of the guidance you give to others
(1)
Jesus speaking to woman
at the well: John 4
IV.
The Power to
Destroy: Fire and Wild Animals (5-8)
A.
Small spark =
big fire Proverbs 26.20-21;
Psalm 39.1-3
1.
Fires this past summer:
caused by small beginnings; grew to uncontrollable
2.
Starts small and grows;
heat; spreads; destroys
3.
Proverbs
26:20,21, NAS95 "20 For
lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention
quiets down. 21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a
contentious man to kindle strife."
4.
Psalms 39:1-3, NAS95 "1 <<For the choir
director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.>> I said, "I will guard my
ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence." 2 I was mute and silent, I refrained
even from good, And my sorrow grew worse. 3 My heart was hot within me, While I
was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue:"
B.
Wild Animals:
Ephesians 4.29; Colossians 4.6
1.
All tamed by man, but
still very dangerous
a)
Siegfried and Roy:
Tiger mauled
b)
Trip through Wild
Animal Park: "Do not leave your car! Do not open your windows!"
2.
Poisonous animals
a)
Works secretly,
internally, small dose
3.
Tongue has not been
tamed by man
a)
It is true that no man
(by himself) can tame the tongue
b)
But with God's help, we
can tame it (as David prayed in Psalm 141:3)
c)
And with God's
help, we must tame it.
(1)
Ephesians 4:29, NAS95
"29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word
as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will
give grace to those who hear."
(2)
Colossians 4:6, NAS95
"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."
C.
The Taming of
the Tongue
1.
Both fire and animals
can be tamed and used productively: work and power
2.
Instead of destruction.
3.
Point is that control
is tenuous.
4.
Warren Wiersbe:
"If the heart is filled with hatred, Satan will light the fire. But if the
heart is filled with love, God will light the fire."
V.
The Power to
Refresh: Fountain and Fig (9-12)
A.
The Fountain
1.
Provides water that man
needs for life
a)
Drinking, washing,
cooking, farming, etc.
B.
The Fig Tree:
Proverbs 18.4; 10.11; 13.14
1.
Provides food and shade
2.
Proverbs 18:4, NAS95 "4 The words of a man's mouth
are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook."
3.
Proverbs 10:11, NAS95 "11 The mouth of the righteous
is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence."
4.
Proverbs 13:14, NAS95 "14 The teaching of the wise
is a fountain of life, To turn aside from the snares of death."
C.
Inconsistent Use
of the Tongue: Matthew 15.18; Proverbs 4.23
1.
Bless God and then
Curse Man
a)
This is unnatural: ought
not to be!
b)
Fountain cannot produce
fresh water and bitter water (It's all bitter)
c)
Fig cannot produce
olive and fig (wrong kind of fruit)
2.
Sing hymns and then
argue and fight on the way home.
a)
But in driving home, we
might curse men (other drivers who pull out in front of us)
b)
Do you speak
differently around Christians than friends; work and home?
3.
If there's both coming
from us; something is very wrong with our hearts
a)
Matthew 15:18, NAS95 "18 "But the things that
proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man."
b)
Peter in the absence of
Christ, used oaths.
c)
Problem is not the
tongue but the heart.
(1)
Proverbs 4:23, NAS95 "23 Watch over your heart
with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life."
VI.
Conclusion:
A.
Psalms 19:14, NAS95 "14 Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and
my Redeemer."
B.
Growing up isn’t easy,
but is required.
C.
God needs our lips to
take the words of life to the hearts that are suffering from the destructive
forces of sin.
D.
E.
Our tongue is the
truest expression of our heart and we need to allow God to control it because
precious souls depend on our mature speech.
Original material
modified from David Stewart.
Ron Herring