HOW TO BE A VERBAL ARSONIST by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC
Introduction: How many of ya’ll believe that words are important? We might not remember faces or places, but we do remember words. In our series through the Book of James, we come to the portion where James talks about our words. Words are powerful. Words can make people or break people. Words can bring peace or declare war. Words can make you a friend or make you an enemy. Words can also build a church or tear a church apart. How do you use words?
James 3 (page #1851) 1 “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.”
Background: James has been digging deeper into our lives. He is uncovering those areas that have been a hiding place for sin. When God does His work in our lives, He doesn’t leave any stone unturned. No matter how inconvenient or uncomfortable or unsettling it may seem, the Holy Spirit wants to strip away those things that have been keeping us from being more like Christ and being more under his authority. He wants us to come to the place of desperation and turn to Christ to live through us.
Today’s message will be difficult for all of us, but it is for me. Now someone might say – you always say that. Listen to verse 1 – “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” A word to the wise – those in leadership (Pastors, Sunday School teachers, leaders of any kind).
Application: There was a time when I first entered the ministry that I use to look at the pulpit as “showtime.” It is my time to show the listeners “how good I am.” Then I began to pastor and have been for about 28 years now. The longer I remain in the ministry, the more I realize how much I am unworthy for the task. One day I will have to give an account for every word that has left my mouth, in private, in public, and in the pulpit.
After addressing the lead teachers about being careful in their words, James turns his attention to all in the church. It’s not just the leaders who need to watch their words but all of us. He gives us 3 reasons why we need to watch our words. Under each of the reasons, there are 2 examples:
I. OUR WORDS CONTROL OUR ACTIONS.
Verse 2 (page #1851) “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.”
Meaning = If you can control your mouth, you can control your body.
That sounds strange, doesn’t it? But, it’s true.
Things don’t just happen – there is a progression. We might conceive an act in our minds, but the thought is first expressed in words. Words are the first building blocks to action. (FROM THE MIND TO THE WORDS TO THE ACTION)
James gives us 2 illustrations to prove his point:
- A HORSE AND ITS BRIDLE:
3 “Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.”
A Horse weighs on an average a 1000 pounds or more. But a 100-pound girl can control the horse. How? Because she has the reins and controls the bit in the horse’s mouth.
- A SHIP AND ITS RUDDER:
4 “Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.”
A small rudder can control a big ship.
WE SHAPE OUR WORDS AND THEN OUR WORDS SHAPE US.
IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHERE YOU ARE HEADED, CHANGE THE WAY YOU TALK.
Application: Many of us are speaking our world into existence. I am just a loser. I am just stupid. I am an idiot. You are living up to your words. Some people complain all the time. Some criticize all the time. We are living up to our words. Sometimes, we can get even more dangerous when we say things like “I’m going to kill him or kill her.” I’m not talking about kidding or joking. I’m referring here to words spoken in anger.
SOMETIMES it’s not your own words, you are living up to the words of someone in your life.
For e.g. Years ago, I was listening to a recording by someone who ministered to prisoners. He said: it does not fail when he asks them to raise their hands if they ever heard their daddy say: “Boy, someday you will end up in prison.” Almost all the hands go up. The direction of their life was set by the words of their father.
Let me take it a step further – By the words of your mouth, I can predict with a high level of accuracy where you are headed:
- Pitiful words – headed towards depression;
- Angry words – headed towards violence;
- Boastful/prideful words – headed towards a fall;
- Adulterous/flirtatious words – headed towards an affair.
For e.g. Did you know that adultery does not begin with the eyes? It begins with your words – “You look good.” “I hope your spouse appreciates you.” Next thing you know – there is an affair.
Listen to David in Psalms 34 12 “Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.”
II. OUR WORDS CAN CAUSE DEVASTATION.
5 “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.”
Meaning: The tongue is small but it is very powerful.
Someone said: “It is just a two ounce slab of mucous membrane but it can cause a tornado.”
Again, James gives us 2 illustrations to prove his point:
- WILDFIRE:
5 “…See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.”
For e.g. As we speak, there are wildfires all over the United States. There’s one right now in Utah called “Iron Fire.” It has grown to 13,000 acres. Officials are calling this human caused. Thousands of acres are destroyed due to one tiny spark. Application: Husband and wife arguing – “I said this and she said that and all hell broke loose.”
6 “…The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”
Some people are VERBAL ARCENISTS FROM HELL. They can destroy the reputation of a person with just a few words.
WHEN IN DOUBT, BE QUIET.
By the way – Prayer time is not the time for you to bring up some story that has been burning in your belly to get out. Some half-baked fact is not allowed at Clearview.
- WILD ANIMAL
7 “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue.”
Meaning: James takes us to circus with elephants, horses, lions and tigers. He takes us to Sea World with Dolphins and Killer Whales. All of these can be tamed but not the tongue.
8 “…It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
Meaning: the tongue carries venom like a snake.
For e.g. King Cobra in India – One bite and within minutes the person goes into convulsions.
Application: Do your words encourage and build up or do they discourage and tear down?
III. OUR WORDS COMMUNICATE WHAT IS INSIDE
James 3 (page #1851) 9 “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”
Meaning: One minute we praise God with our mouths and the next we cut people down with the same mouth. One minute we say, “I love you” and the next we say, “I hate you.”
What is the PROBLEM? 11 (page #1851-52) “Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” Once again, James employs 2 illustrations:
- WATER SPRING
- FRUIT TREE
Meaning: The problem lies in the source, i.e., the heart. The tongue is simply revealing what is inside.
For e.g. Old Illustration – when you go to the doctor what is the first thing that he tells you to do: “Open your mouth and stick out your tongue.” After that, he sticks a thermometer under your tongue.
A TONGUE IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE. James is simply using an illustration by Jesus. Listen to Matthew 12 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
JESUS EXPLAINED THE FREUDIAN SLIP CENTURIES BEFORE FREUD EVER EXISTED.
Someone said this:
- SHOW ME A HARSH TONGUE AND I WILL SHOW YOU AN ANGRY HEART.
- SHOW ME A NEGATIVE TONGUE AND I WILL SHOW YOU A FEARFUL HEART.
- SHOW ME AN OVERACTIVE TONGUE AND I WILL SHOW YOU AN UNSETTLED HEART. Proverbs 10:19 “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.”
- SHOW ME A BOASTFUL TONGUE AND I WILL SHOW YOU AN INSECURE HEART.
- SHOW ME A FILTHY TONGUE AND I WILL SHOW YOU AN IMPURE HEART.
- SHOW ME A CRITICAL TONGUE AND I WILL SHOW YOU A BITTER HEART.
- SHOW ME SOMEONE WHO SAYS HELL ALL THE TIME AND WILL SHOW YOU WHAT’S INSIDE.
***Very important Point – All the 6 illustrations are about control and source.
The work has to begin here (heart) and then here (mouth). It begins with humility, acknowledgment and repentance. WE NEED TO PRAY – “LET EVERY WORD OF MINE BE THE WORDS OF CHRIST.” Just like Isaiah we need God’s touch on our lips.
There are 3 ways you can respond to this:
1. Laugh it off and say, “that’s me!”
2. Feel hopeless and say, “I’m trying but I keep failing.”
3. Admit that you can’t do it and say with Paul in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.”
Invitation:
Have you sought forgiveness from people to whom you have hurt with your mouth?
Are you saved?
Are you letting Christ rule and empower your mouth?