Hard Love Part 4 James 3:1-12 James 3:1-2 “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 things in this passage about the power of the tongue.
The tongue has the power to direct where I go.
verse 3 “when we put bits into the mouths of horses we can turn the whole animal…”
verse 4 “Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”
2. The tongue has the power to destroy what I have.
verse 5-6 “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
Proverbs 15:4 MSG “Kind words help and heal, cutting words wound and maim.”
3. The tongue has the power to display who I am.
verse 9-10 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
verse 11-12 “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
Matthew 12:34 “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
How do we control our tongue? In James 1:19 we find 4 tips.
James 1:19 “ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
Open your ears.
James 1:19 “everyone should be quick to listen.”
2. Use your brain verse 19 “be slow to speak”
THINK before you speak! Is what I am about to say…
T.rue H.elpful I.mpulsive
N.ecessary K.ind 3. Close your mouth Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many sin is not absent but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
Psalm 39:1 “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth…”
4. Speak your heart Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Hebrews 3:13 "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today.
Hard Love Part 4 James 3:1-12 James 3:1-2 “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 things in this passage about the power of the tongue.
The tongue has the power to direct where I go.
verse 3 “when we put bits into the mouths of horses we can turn the whole animal…”
verse 4 “Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”
2. The tongue has the power to destroy what I have.
verse 5-6 “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
Proverbs 15:4 MSG “Kind words help and heal, cutting words wound and maim.”
3. The tongue has the power to display who I am.
verse 9-10 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
verse 11-12 “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
Matthew 12:34 “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
How do we control our tongue? In James 1:19 we find 4 tips.
James 1:19 “ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
Open your ears.
James 1:19 “everyone should be quick to listen.”
2. Use your brain verse 19 “be slow to speak”
THINK before you speak! Is what I am about to say…
T.rue H.elpful I.mpulsive
N.ecessary K.ind 3. Close your mouth Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many sin is not absent but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
Psalm 39:1 “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth…”
4. Speak your heart Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Hebrews 3:13 "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today.
Hard Love Part 3 James 2:1-12 James 2:1-4 “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
Prejudice = to pre- judging = to have a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
“Prejudice is not a skin issue, prejudice is a SIN issue.” Craig Groeschel
Verse 9 “But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
verse 10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” James 2:4 (NLT) “Doesn't this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by EVIL MOTIVES?”
4 things that James teaches us about dealing with Prejudice.
Look Up
Romans 2:11 NCV “For God judges all people in the same way.” I Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
verse 8 “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you are doing right.
Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Rev 7:9-10 “…There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Romans 10:12 “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
2. Shut up verse 12 “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,”
Matthew 12:36 “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”
Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
Ephesians 4:29 “Don’t let any evil talk come out of your mouths. Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs. Then what you say will help those who listen.”
3. Lighten Up Verse 12-13 “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
Matthew 7:1 CEV “Don’t condemn others, and God won’t condemn you. 2 God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them.”
4. Straighten Up Verse 12 “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.”
I John 3:18 “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Verse 14 “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”
Hard Love Part 1 James 1:-1-4 James 1:1-4 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
3 things about problems.
Problems are unavoidable.
Verse 2 “Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters WHEN you face trials of many kinds…”
John 16:33 “In this world you WILL have trouble…”
2. Problems are unpredictable. Verse 2 “Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you FACE trials of many kinds.”
Face = greek = to fall into unexpectedly
3. Problems are not unprofitable. 3 ways that problems can be profitable.
Problems purify our faith.
verse 3 “the testing of your faith produces perseverance…”
Job 23:10 “He has tested me through the refining fire and I have come out as pure gold.”
2. Problems fortify our patience. verse 3 “the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
Problems give us staying power.
3. Problems sanctify our character. God is more concerned with your Character than with your Comfort.
verse 3-4 “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything
When you are facing problems do these 3 things.
Rejoice
Verse 2 “Consider it pure joy.”
I Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks.”
The difference between bitter and better is just I.
2. Request Verse 5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
3. Relax Verse 6 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
Verse 12 CEV “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[a] does not produce the righteousness[b] God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. James 1:19-21
Where anger leads us…
Anger leads us into temptation
a. Temptation to get revenge
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”[b]21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. b. Temptation to abandon
c. Temptation to get more angry
How do we avoid Anger? “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires” James 1:20
1. Quick to Listen - “… you must all be quick to listen” vs 19
2. Slow to Speak - “…you must all be… slow to speak”
3. Humility - “So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” James 1:21
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. - James 1:22-25
