Runaway Tongue, Part 1

Ever heard a speaker or teacher who had a lot to say but actually talked too much weary teachers to teach a master job at the same problem. He is confronted by God at the end of the book chapter 40 around there and he says I want my talking way to Isaiah great profit, faithful profit encounters the living God is as I am a man of on clean linen possible for teachers and speakers to that their job is talking so they do a lot. The real responsibility of the teacher, especially a Bible teacher is to communicate truth. It's a serious responsibility in James chapter 3, God gives a warning to those who want to become teachers but watching what we say is not just for teachers. The average person speaks between two and 10,000 words a day. That means we have thousands of opportunities daily to encourage others or tear them down today.

Stephen challenges you to think before you speak in this message. Called runaway time there is a common household plant use for the corridor. For purposes you probably have one. The home large green leaves little hint of lime green bordering inside the leaf and the touch of yellow called the defendant bought you what many people are aware of is that the deep and botches leaves are somewhat toxic. If a child or animal were to chew on one of his leaves their tongues would temporarily swell up and it would cause an inability to speak because of that fact.

The plant has the nickname Dom Kane, the effects of its leaves because the prevention or the cause of preventing someone from speaking but that's an interesting flat affect. Following the service the officer to go ahead everybody a leaf or two business week in case of emergency. Maybe we ought out of planner to put those in the practice does experts in the field of speech estimate that the average person creates about 12,000 sentences a day composing about 50,000 words that were put into print and make a small paperback of about 150 pages every day. I wonder how many of us would want to read from those paperbacks at the end of each day we had the tape recorder that followed you around this past week and recorded everything you said on how many would want it replayed in public tape recorders a rectangular piece of plastic plays cassette J. Vernon McGee that the former Bible teacher. Now the Lord with a strong Texas accent said you know it takes a baby two years to learn how to talk and then 50 years to learn how to be quiet.

The truth is we never do get it under control doing. We never master. And as I prepared to preach and as we will begin to expound on the text of Scripture related to the time. There are a few subjects that I know that all began to preach about and immediately we all find ourselves guilty right if I were to begin the preach on the subject of prayer. Every one of us would know immediately. We don't do it enough to get him to talk about the time all the sick and immediately know we do it, use it to much.

Nonetheless, we need the conviction and the challenge, the Bible refers to the power of the tongue to heal, to encourage to edify to teach to support, to exhort, to pray, to praise, but this little 2 ounce slab of muscle and nerve can also do the exact opposite cannot affect the first temptation came from the words crafted by a server. The very first sin following the fall of Adam and Eve was a sin of speech whereat is accusing God of giving you need to be his wife, and it's gone downhill from there. The Bible refers to the power of speech to corrupt to pervert, flatter, slander, gossip, blaspheme, complain, curse, seduce, destroy, lead astray, and that's just for starters writing is interesting every time I go to the doctor and I went a few weeks ago because I got sick. Even I had in case you're wondering taken my flu shot. The first thing the doctor looked at was my tongue. Why because the tongue often reveals deeper issues deeper problems. Frankly the tongue is nothing more than a little tattletale is, you know, as I study to prepare the night came across that thought. This is really nothing more than a tattletale. I immediately think of that moment in my life or my older brother tattled on me when I was undeserving of that kind of treatment and this will date me with the patriarchs, but my three brothers and I went to a school that could actually deliver spankings that can you imagine that how many of you can remember that old people in here right. Imagine that there is something you as you you have a kitten to be lawsuit that it that's true, would be now my parents have the rule share this with you in the past that if we got a spanking. This is to encourage all of you parents and to the chagrin of all of you young people they had a rule that if we got a spanking at school, we got a spanking where your parents were as cruel as my. Can you imagine though a time where parents would actually automatically sign with the teacher rather than student, horrible world was that, well, that's the one I was raised one afternoon I was taken by my fourth grade teacher Mrs. Jolley who was not very at least at that point in time actually loved her. She was one of the me up the stairs to the library and to get a spanking. She opposite not develop the fruit of the spirit which is patience and I had to pay for but the bigger problem was that my older brother saw me going up the stairs and who I was not checking out books and so my entire bus ride home I played with him don't tattle on me. Please don't tattle me. Don't tell and he promised he would not see my school did not automatically tell the parents about the spanking again another arrow so the possibility existed they would not find out that was at the top of my prayer list. That afternoon, but at the dinner table were sitting around eating and my older brother Danny said Stevie is something he needs to tell you so he could keep his promise of not tattling but open the door. They looked at me. I nothing to share about my testimony which I was ready to give that led to a phone call to Mrs. Jolley and that led to the great tribulation with no rapture insight to my parents had another rule and that was if you got a spanking at school and did not confess it at home. You got a spanking from both parent learned from Hitler to so I got I got three spankings that day, which was actually a good day compared to others I experience nobody likes a tattletale right now.

I've forgiven Danny Daniel Pastor's faith tongue is really nothing more than the messenger that delivers the mail composed by the heart.

It simply tadpoles on the heart.

That's why we have to think hard when we see Tom when we read the word tongue think deeper issues so we can handle this text that will handle a little bit and then doing the trite way. I found it treated that way. Many times we all leave at 10 resolution for the tongue is really about the heart Solomon would say. This way all wise man's heart guides his mouth. Proverbs 1623 Jesus Christ said in Luke chapter 6 verse 45 out of the abundance of the heart's the mouth speaks. We all have the same speech impediment called sin know where is our sin put on display anymore than with our mouths. So it is really no surprise that, as James deals with the subject of progressing maturity is going to address the issue of the tongue.

So every Bibles this letter from James Turner chapter 3 will begin. James writings and in this first session will just call the speech therapy for the tongue, the tongue of the St., that is those who believe to follow Christ and we need help with, and it begins with a rather serious caution verse one let not many of you become teachers, my brother, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.

This is actually an imperative. One of over 50 you can put an exclamation point at the end of this verse is saying we could render a little more wooden leg don't be so quick to be a teacher! Have an interesting way to start is I believe James is specifically relating this caution to teaching biblical truth is caulking could apply certainly to teachers in general because of the responsibility. But why is teaching as a relates to truth. Truth of Scripture under such scrutiny.

Why would teaching in general be something that he would caution anyone from pursuing a teacher deals with words. His instrument's speech. The agent is the time by which he fashions words lessons instruction which ultimately influence lie. Teachers deal with concepts, ideas they handle pliable mind's. They reveal doctrine that will influence and shape the thinking of those under their charge only backup for a minute or two, and extent of the problem. I believe James is addressing in the context from which this comes the work for teacher here glossed off comes out of the context of the Jewish synagogue carried with it the teacher determine a great deal of admiration and respect. The New Testament teacher.

The New Testament pastor was in some ways, inheriting the legacy the heritage of the rabbi of the rabbi was a Jewish teacher who'd given his life to studying the law, its application to life was engaged in teaching others.

It was it was more than likely the most highly influential position in the Jewish community probably second only to the Sanhedrin as those judges that occupied the Supreme Court of Israel. One Old Testament scholar commenting on James caution here said the rabbi was treated in a way that was most likely to ruin this character everywhere he went. He was called teacher or rabbit. The word actually means my great one great one. Can you imagine going throughout the day, everybody is this a lot is is a lot great to get her to say you're the greatest you're the greatest would ruin anybody during the lifetime of James was held that a man's duty to his rabbi exceeded his duty to his parents. They taught that because they believe that the parents only brought that person into the life of this world with his teacher brought him into the life of the world to come. The first was temporary. The second eternal effect of a person's parents and their teacher about his interest were captured by an enemy and held for ransom. They believe that the teacher was to be ransomed first. She now you move out from the synagogue into the life of the developing church for the believer, and in those early years and James is writing perhaps the first letter in the New Testament.

He he he's limiting ease ease ease he's stepping over the threshold, as it were of this transition. Teachers in the Christian church no longer have to be rabbis, they were required to have the training to teach or to speak from the floor, the Christian assembly.

Paul would later challenge Timothy to take his role seriously to work hard in the word so that he correctly interprets, so you add to this given admiration and respect for the teacher to the fact that that the synagogue had kind of an open platform policy for visiting teachers. Both Paul and Jesus would take advantage now you have in the New Testament church. The assembly still often meeting on the Sabbath that would transition by acts 20 to the Lord's day, the Sabbath being assigned Israel, the Lord's day being part of the new covenant for the assembly and we would worship back we can worship everything chosen by the early church to be Sunday which is the Lord's day because of his resurrection. So you have this open policy in this transition. And to be very easy for someone to step forward, who was motivated by the wrong thing he desired the admiration.

He wanted the respect he wanted to speak rather than listen to a lot of the attention given to the great ones he wanted to be one of the great one. James effectively says a lot. You want the platform okay but if you thought about the penalty with the penalty, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. You want respect. Have you considered that kind of responsibility be taken on the role because you want admiration don't overlook this coming day of accountability. So he says as he opens with the serious caution.

Let not many of you become teachers, my brother. And why knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. That's future tense by the way used here.

We will in the future incur a stricter judgment. James is referring to the bema seat. The judgment seat of Christ, for which every believer will one day stand not to determine whether or not to get into the kingdom, but how and where will serve him.

The unbelievers will be judged at a totally entirely different event called the great white throne where they will be judged and cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation chapter 20. The believer will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ and judgment. Basically, involving the evaluation. What he did in the name of Christ. Sin will be the issue, although that which we didn't do for his glory would certainly be seen or exposes all paid for already by Christ security. Chapter 5 is in the detail of James is delivering the news, which was surprising and in fact it's good to know. For those of you including myself. You teach that those who do are held to a higher standard which follows consistently with New Testament that give us a higher qualification for those who so pastors, youth leaders, Sunday school teachers were children, adult teachers, Bible study leaders, itinerant preachers, missionaries, parachurch leaders who handled the work Bible conference speakers, radio, television, Bible teachers, Christian counselors and the list could go on. Basically anyone who serves the word of God to others and communicate this truth to students are going to get a double dose. A closer look. A stricter judgment.

Every word will be judged not only for his delivery but its accuracy.

It's a fact. It's tone, its purpose, its spirit, its motive it's influence you know this means.

This means that teaching is the most dangerous occupation on the planet. Do you really want to.

I appreciate the fact that James show you this, he changes the pronoun must be a little tedious will get to it quickly, but I want to the notices he changes the pronoun it's first person plural. Did you notice we the word, we let not many of you become teachers, my brother, knowing that as such we will incur stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. James is not saying that. Let me tell you something. All you out there are going to incur a stricter judgment. Always he's holding himself in with this this company. He said this when I find it very encouraging. Not just all you ass.

And so my as I studied is on the just preaching this to you teach. I'm preaching this to myself. I understand my standing here and opening the word I am inviting the indictment of God upon my life that this very act will be evaluated. This is especially dangerous for me at this moment to.

I knew when we started, James and James three verse one was coming I was hoping for another snow day may be hereafter thinking I just volunteered to teach in a Vietnam not to so sure about that. I just volunteered to teach a ladies Bible class or I was thinking about teaching third-graders until now go-ahead James is not trying to shut down the recruitment office. He simply delivering a very serious caution. Be careful don't come unprepared.

Don't treat it lightly.

Don't enter into it for yourself. Study and live for the benefit of your student resist the actually resist this heritage of appreciation. Remember, you are a clay pot dye into fear to teach, pray that you will not leave your students astray.

Why there is James as a final exam just for teachers has that far final exam, especially for teachers is coming in Jesus Christ. The teacher, the chief Shepherd will do the grading. He will determine and then reward that which was indeed accurate, spiritually minded, spiritually motivated and beneficial to file courageously truthful.honoring no one makes a mad dash for the stay. The understand the gravity of the coming bema seat in its evaluation of our speech that will be greater and more strict than for any other Scottish reformer John Knox was so flawed and burdened by the responsibility to declare God's word faithfully that when he stood at the pulpit to preach his very first sermon, he burst into tears and wept uncontrollably and had to be escorted from the pulpit, until he could compose himself again.

Frankly, I fear more than ever the trivialization of the pulpit. In the sermon in the lectern now following the serious caution is a is a rather surprising admission diversity. For we all stumble in many ways. Notice again. James includes himself, for we all stumble. We all thank you James. I would've expected an apostle haven't nailed down and get to know you all stumble in many ways.

We all go yeah you're right, but how encouraging the James would say look I got the same the same cattle in the same soup, so to speak, especially regarding speech but is it true are we a little weary of teachers to teach as if they mastered it.

Joe that the same problem.

He is confronted by God at the end of the book chapter 40 around there and he says I don't violate my hand upon my mouth. It's another thing I've been talking way to Isaiah great profit, faithful profit encounters the living God is as I am a man of on clean… Peter periodically opened his mouth only to change feet right makes this an incredibly noble and passionate resolution. They will fall away from the Lord, but I will never came back insidious first church historian informs us that James had a couple nicknames one was came on these because of his hours spent in prayer is knees were leathery with calluses is also a nickname just because of his great virtue commitment to Christ. So here you have an apostle and agent apostle pastoring the church in Jerusalem writing to the scattered Jewish believers and he the apostle known first prayer life known for his virtues says for we all stumble. Would you know he does not safe for we all fatally fall toward stumble means to slip up.

By the way slip up and what we say. James uses the present tense to mean that this happens over and over and over and over and over and over again to surprise you that kind of realism that you have an apostle, saying we I stumble over and over and over again maybe rather saying he's not talking about me. I don't stumble over and over and over justly known as your wife is going away. We all stumble in many look at your text. The next word is italicized its offered by the translator ways could easily been translated words, we all stumble in many words that James was on the right of anyone does not stumble in what he says that's the context he is a perfect maddening all know that word again let me remind you that that word is different from what we think of telling us it means someone who is inventorying progress not arriving at perfection for the privilege. Over the years in ministry to be around very godly, mature saints who serve Christ for 30, 40, 50, even 60 always a delight to have some of these aged men come and preach during the summer and I can tell you this to a man please those get invited back to a man in private conversations.

Every one of them does the same thing.

James just did they classify themselves in the conversation as those who have much to learn. This is James encouragement is with us.

Scott Wiley and I'm jumping writing because there's more to James encouragement to us, but were almost out of time for today when we come back next time. Steven will bring you the conclusions of this lesson. This is wisdom for the heart. Steven called this lesson run away. It's part of a series called speech therapy for saints. You can learn more about us@ourwebsitewisdomonline.org would also enjoy learning about you give us a call at 86 648 Bible we'd love to hear from join us back here next time. For more wisdom