Word of Mouth

(Back to Study Home Page)   Sermon January 11, 2004
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January 11, 2004 - Matthew 12.33-37

The lesson this morning is Matthew 12.33-37. The Epistle of James as much to say about the subject for this morning. This study guides in from James 3:1-12.

Open It

  1. If you could hear a tape recording of everything you said last week, what would you want to edit out?
  2. How can a person be hurt by the words of others?
  3. What can you learn about a person by listening to him or her speak?

Explore It

  1. If a person were never at fault in what he or she said, what would that show about the person? (James 3:2)
  2. What is significant about the way we talk? (James 3:2)
  3. What is the purpose of a bit in the mouth of a horse? (James 3:3)
  4. What is the purpose of the rudder of a ship? (James 3:4)
  5. What damage can a small spark cause to a great forest? (James 3:4)
  6. What similarity does a person's tongue have to a horse's bit, a ship's rudder, and a spark of fire? (James 3:5)
  7. How did James describe the tongue? (James 3:6-8)
  8. What damage do our tongues do to us? (James 3:6)
  9. What is so difficult about taming the tongue? (James 3:7-8)
  10. Of what inconsistencies are we capable? (James 3:9-10)
  11. In what ways are we inconsistent? (James 3:9-10)
  12. What illustrations from nature did James use to condemn cursing? (James 3:11-12)
  13. What can a spring or a fruit tree teach us about speech? (James 3:11-12)

Get It

  1. How is a Christian supposed to be different from the average person?
  2. Why will God judge Christians more strictly than other people?
  3. What are the ways we sin with our speech?
  4. Why are sins of speech often overlooked as not serious?
  5. How is our speech influenced by others around us?
  6. What practical advice would you give someone who wanted to control his or her tongue better?
  7. What weaknesses in our lives does our speech often expose?
  8. In what times or places can your tongue be used for good?
  9. How can you change your daily speech to reflect its importance in your life?

Apply It

  1. What do you need to remove from your speech habits this week to make your words more pleasing to God?
  2. What positive words do your family and coworkers need to hear from your mouth this week?

NOTES

James 3:2-3: What you say and what you don't say are both important. Proper speech is not only saying the right words at the right time, but it is also controlling your desire to say what you shouldn't. Examples of an untamed tongue include gossiping, putting others down, bragging, manipulating, false teaching, exaggerating, complaining, flattering, and lying. Before you speak, ask, "Is what I want to say true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?"

James 3:6: James compares the damage the tongue can do to a raging fire-the tongue's wickedness has its source in hell itself. The uncontrolled tongue can do terrible damage. Satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another. Idle and hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once they are spoken. We dare not be careless with what we say, thinking we can apologize later, because even if we do, the scars remain. A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build.

James 3:8: If no human being can control the tongue, why bother trying? Even if we may not achieve perfect control of our tongues, we can still learn enough control to reduce the damage our words can do. It is better to fight a fire than to go around setting new ones! Remember that we are not fighting the tongue's fire in our own strength. The Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say, so that when we are offended, the Spirit will remind us of God's love, and we won't react in a hateful manner. When we are criticized, the Spirit will heal the hurt, and we won't lash out.

James 3:9-12: Our contradictory speech often puzzles us. At times our words are right and pleasing to God, but at other times they are violent and destructive. Which of these speech patterns reflects our true identity? The tongue gives us a picture of our basic human nature. We were made in God's image, but we have also fallen into sin. God works to change us from the inside out. When the Holy Spirit purifies a heart, he gives self-control so that the person will speak words that please God.

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