Oct 14: James Chapter 3

OBSERVATION:
SINS to avoid:
being evil with our words
PROMISES to claim:
V18, living in peace
EXAMPLES to follow:
V12, fresh vs. salt water; fig tree vs olive or grapevine
COMMANDS to obey:
V14, do not boast, V13, heavenly wisdom
STUMBLING BLOCKS to avoid:
V12, do not be a hypocrite, V14, do not envy

INTERPRETATION:
WHO?
everyone then and today, us
WHAT?
strength in the tongue, our words can be both evil and good, our tongue is powerful, a warning to think before we speak!
WHERE?
No locations mentioned
WHEN?
approximately 50ad
WHY?
so that we have integrity with our words
HOW?
pray for wisdom from God, seek others who model speaking with a good purpose

APPLICATION:
Theme? the tongue is a powerful force
Best verse? V17 & 18, wisdom comes from heaven
Challenging? V8, no man can tame his tongue
Difficult?
Encouraging? V17 & 18, heavenly wisdom is awesome
Favorite? V18, peacemakers raise a righteous harvest
Gift? V17 & 18, heavenly wisdom
Helpful? V16, envy and selfish ambition result in disorder
Informative? V16, envy and selfish ambition result in disorder
Just do it? God, give us kind hearts and minds that speak with heavenly wisdom to others; let us encourage and built each other up with our words


James Chapter 3:1-18

Taming the Tongue
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or 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. 5Likewise 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. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Two Kinds of Wisdom
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.