Scripture Passage: James 3:1-12

A TRUMPET WITH GOSPEL SOUL- WEEK#1
•James contends for Faith that is action oriented
•Theology and Praxis are characteristic of Christian Maturity
•Both Abraham’s and Rahab’s knowledge of YHWH was visible in their deeds
•If the our Christian being is a trumpet (metaphorically) what is blowing into it and what is being heard out of it?

AN EXHORTATION TO GODLY ORDER

•James is addressing a plausible disorderliness in the assembly of believers
•To be a teacher amongst the saints of God is to be a person who understands that “speech uttered is speech judged”
•Further, he acknowledges that our speech often betrays our being, as children of God, which is imperfection- Word & Deed

 

THE POWER TO DIRECT

•James uses the metaphor of a Horse, to speak of how it is harnessed to obedience and made of use
•Shadowed in the background is the tongue in comparison to the body
•He furthers it with the rudder of a ship
•Both these “pieces” constantly fight the contrasting forces of direction from within of what they control

 

THE POWER TO DESTROY

•James shows through the image of how a spark of fire can burn through an entire forest
•He describes the tongue as world that can be animated to destruction, it can actually cause the impact of a virtual hell
•He furthers it by speaking of the wildness in the animal kingdom…the human tongue more dangerous than the venom of the world’s most poisonous snake!

PURGE THAT TONGUE

•James presents an few irony of a believers speech, with illustrations of daily living, where nature is contrasted to follow certain mannerisms
•There is only one person whose tongue never betrayed him…Jesus
•Christian Faith commands us to bring the tongue come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ
•The Spirit of Christ that dwells in a believer, brings forth the speech that honors Him….However, only when submitted to him.
 

TAKE AWAY

LET NOT YOUR SPEECH MERELY PAY ‘LIP SERVICE’, BUT SERVE AS CHRIST WOULD HAVE YOU SERVE