CHRIST CHURCH

Sept 13 2009: 10.00am

James 3:1-12

In many ways I think this epistle of James, of which we heard part of chapter three this morning, is a sort of test of our growth and maturing in our Christian walk; its a yardstick of the quality of our claim to Christian discipleship.

Chapter 2 is a test of our faith in terms of: Is our faith matched by deeds and works of love, of care for other people, and we may think that this is it. If we pass this test, that's it. In that case we are now in for a rude shock! For we aren't judged just by our deeds. Much more potent than deeds are words! Most wrong acts can be put to rights and the wrong restored. But words have a life of their own. God's word is creative. Gen 1:3 says 'And God said..' and the creation is set in motion- and thus formula is repeated time and again.

But words of man can be equally destructive!
The Fall of Man was initiated when the serpent said 'Did God really say?' (Gen 3:1). When Isaiah was confronted with God's holiness, his immediate confession was: 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips..' (Isa 6:5). Jesus often taught that good fruit can only come from a good tree; evil from evil. Evil comes from man's heart (Mark 7:21); but 'out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks' (Matt 12:34).

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”

That's a well-known saying, but I wonder what planet its author lived on. Surely we all know the power of words. Words can be constructive. But so easily words can destroy and break down. This is so true in the character formation of children. Tell a child they're “good for nothing” and they can so easily become just that! 

So it should be no surprise that James directs us to examine how we speak, and especially what we speak in unguarded moments. He has told us already (1:26): the man whose religion is a superficial observance only will not control his tongue.

The tongue is a very powerful instrument and James uses many strong metaphors to liken its power on life. The tongue can speak in anger, in denial of Christ, in blasphemy and cursing can be Satan's tool. Satan himself is a liar, a deceiver and an accuser. He will do all he can to get us to speak deceitfully, to deceive, to accuse others, to speak maliciously and slanderously.

At the very outset of the chapter, James says that one way in which we use the tongue is to teach others. (We all like to tell others what we think is right and and wrong and true and what they should do!) The particular teaching James has in mind is the teaching of the truth. Thus teaching of (Christian) truth carries a note of authority, because it is God's truth that is being taught and also because the ministry of teaching is one of the gifts of ministry in the Christian church. (Eph 4:11), the aim of which is to build the church up to maturity (Eph 4:13)
So the role or ministry of teaching in the church should not be taken on lightly. The minister must be careful not to be judgmental in his teaching (Matt 7:1). His task will expose him to a greater standard of judgment from God

James here presses home the potent force of the tongue in shaping our lives, and its effect on other people. We have already noted the power of God's word: this is true not only in creation but (cf 1:18) in the new creation of the new birth. In our natural state, our words are destructive and nothing can convert the tongue except the conversion of the person.

Then in verses 3 to 7, James uses a series of vivid metaphors to reveal just how our tongues can rule our whole lives. He speaks of the bit in the horse's mouth and the ship's rudder. The argument does apply the other way round: control the tongue and you have a means of controlling the whole of life. How many Christians live in bondage to an uncontrolled tongue? Paul says we should offer ourselves to God, and the parts of the body a s 'instruments of righteousness' (Rom 6:13)

For: and here another metaphor, the uncontrolled tongue can be like a spark which can spark a forest fire. Earlier this year, we saw just how destructive a forest fire can be, as large parts of the south-east of Australia were devastated. The tongue is the most powerful way of expressing ourselves and it can be set alight by the 'fire of hell' (v6). If we do not control our tongue, Satan will, and set our whole life on fire. And we may be able to tame all kinds of animal; only God can tame the tongue.

James concludes this section (in verses 9 to 12) with another very acid test of growth. It is a strange fact that the mouth can be used to bless God and be used for cursing. Few Christians would ever curse the Lord Jesus Christ; for this is the very antithesis of the Spirit's presence (1 Cor 12:3). But, at a more subtle level, how often do we use our mouths to speak ill of our brother or sister, or to pull him or her down. It may be a case of repaying evil with evil (Rom 12:17) or just self-esteem at another's expense. How, asks James, can fresh water (blessing) and salt water (cursing) come out of the same spring? Then he gives a direct allusion to Jesus' teaching on the tree and its fruit (Matt 7:16-20). And the water of life can only come from one source. (John 4:14; 7:38)

Our tongues, our speech, our words, then are very powerful, for good or ill. They can control the course of our lives, they can lift some up or put them down, and can cause great good or great ill. They can never be controlled by sheer effort of will: They can be controlled by God's Spirit.

How we use our tongue is a yardstick of where we stand in our journey in the Lord. They are a sign, if controlled and used aright, of Christian maturity. Let our prayer this morning be the words of the hymn-writer:

Take my lips and let them move

at the impulse of thy love.