Study 8: James: Jan 12

This sermon study focuses on studying James 1:26-27, emphasizing the distinction between worthless and pure religion. Worthless religion, marked by an uncontrolled tongue and self-deception, produces no real transformation or power in life. In contrast, pure religion, as described in Scripture, involves selfless actions like caring for orphans and widows—those who cannot repay kindness—and living unpolluted by the world. The study highlights the importance of authentic worship grounded in the truth of God’s Word, guiding listeners to align their lives with Scripture and pursue a faith that is actionable, holy, and pleasing to God.

Sermon Outline

1. Introduction: The Weight of Our Words (00:02 - 05:38)

• Key Scripture: James 3:1 – "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."

• The study opens with a reflection on responsibility in speech, especially for those who teach.

• James connects the desire to teach with the condition of the heart, cautioning against pride and ambition.

• Key Point: Teaching carries weight, not for glorification but for accountability before God (Ephesians 4:11-12).

  
  

2. The Connection Between Heart and Speech (06:34 - 09:31)

• Key Scripture: James 3:2 – "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."

• James introduces the idea that controlling our words is linked to maturity in faith.

• Key Point: The real issue is not just the tongue, but the mastery of the heart, which influences speech.

  
  

3. The Tongue as a Small but Powerful Force (09:45 - 12:19)

• Key Scripture: James 3:3-4 – "When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example..."

• The analogy of a bit in a horse’s mouth and a rudder on a ship shows how small things guide great things.

• Illustration: Who is piloting your life? If the tongue directs life’s course, is it led by Jesus or by self?

• Application: If Jesus is Lord, our words should reflect His leadership.

  
  

4. The Tongue as a Destructive Fire (12:19 - 16:10)

• Key Scripture: James 3:5-6 – "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."

• Words, like fire, can bring warmth or destruction, depending on how they are used.

• Illustration: A personal story about an uncontrolled fire spreading due to a small spark (29:14 - 32:44).

• Application: Words spoken carelessly can have long-lasting, irreversible damage.

  
  

5. The Untamable Nature of the Tongue (19:25 - 24:32)

• Key Scripture: James 3:7-8 – "All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed... but no human being can tame the tongue."

• The tongue is beyond human control without divine intervention.

• Illustration: The wildness of speech reflects the wildness of the heart.

• Application: True change comes not from self-discipline alone, but through surrender to God.

  
  

6. The Hypocrisy of Blessing and Cursing (24:32 - 27:41)

• Key Scripture: James 3:9-10 – "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness."

• Illustration: The inconsistency of blessing God while speaking negatively about others reveals divided loyalty in the heart.

• Application: Our words should consistently reflect the goodness of God in every situation.

  
  

7. Speech as the Overflow of the Heart (35:32 - 37:57)

• Key Scripture: Luke 6:45 – "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart… For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."

• The mouth reveals what fills the heart—be it faith, anger, fear, or love.

• Illustration: If our hearts are filled with Christ, our words will naturally reflect His nature.

• Application: The goal is not merely controlling speech but allowing God to transform the heart.

  
  

8. The Leaky Vessel: Daily Dependence on God (42:45 - 46:48)

• Key Illustration: The story of Jack, who repeatedly cried out for God to "fill" him, only to leak out what was given.

• Key Point: Spiritual filling must be continual—believers cannot rely on occasional moments of faith but must seek daily renewal.

• Application: Asking God to “fill us faster than we leak” ensures that our words remain uplifting and true.

  
  

9. The Psalmist’s Prayer for Speech (38:39 - 39:49)

• Key Scripture: Psalm 141:3 – "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."

• Key Point: The psalmist acknowledges that only God can truly control the tongue.

• Application: Instead of striving for self-control, believers should pray for God to guard their hearts and words.

  
  

10. The Call to Overflow with God’s Presence (48:19 - End)

• Key Scripture: Matthew 12:34 – "For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."

• The study concludes with a challenge: what fills the heart will determine what comes out of the mouth.

• Final Call to Action:

  • Daily seek to be filled with God’s Spirit.

  • Be mindful that speech is a direct indicator of spiritual condition.

  • Let words bring life, not destruction, in every interaction.

Scripture References

1. James 3:1 – "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."

📌 Timestamp: 11:56

📖 Context: James warns that teaching carries a weight of responsibility. The speaker explains that many in the early church were eager to become teachers for status, but James reminds them that teaching brings greater judgment.

2. Ephesians 4:11-12 – "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

📌 Timestamp: 13:10

📖 Context: This verse is used to clarify that teaching is not about personal glorification but about equipping the church.

3. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 – "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power."

📌 Timestamp: 17:00

📖 Context: This verse supports James’ point that the authority of a teacher is not in their words but in the power of God.

4. 2 Timothy 2:15 – "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."

📌 Timestamp: 17:43

📖 Context: Used to reinforce the responsibility of teachers to rightly handle God’s word.

5. 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."

📌 Timestamp: 18:17

📖 Context: Jesus warns that every spoken word will be judged, amplifying James’ teaching on the power of speech.

6. James 3:2 – "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."

📌 Timestamp: 19:25

📖 Context: James acknowledges human imperfection and how controlling speech is a sign of spiritual maturity.

7. James 3:3-5 – "When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal… Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts."

📌 Timestamp: 24:16

📖 Context: Used to illustrate how something small, like the tongue, has great influence over life’s direction.

8. James 3:5-6 – "Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body."

📌 Timestamp: 26:59

📖 Context: The speaker compares careless words to a fire that spreads uncontrollably, using a personal story about an out-of-control fire.

9. James 3:7-8 – "All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed... but no human being can tame the tongue."

📌 Timestamp: 27:00

📖 Context: Emphasizes that without God, the tongue cannot be controlled.

10. James 3:9-10 – "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness."

📌 Timestamp: 40:01

📖 Context: James condemns the hypocrisy of using the tongue for both worship and destruction.

11. Luke 6:45 – "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart… For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."

📌 Timestamp: 35:32

📖 Context: Jesus confirms that speech reflects the heart, reinforcing James' point that transformation begins internally.

12. Psalm 141:3 – "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."

📌 Timestamp: 39:04

📖 Context: The psalmist prays for God’s help in controlling speech, showing that true mastery of the tongue requires divine intervention.

13. Matthew 5:16 – "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

📌 Timestamp: 48:19

📖 Context: The conclusion of the study ties this verse into the call for speech to reflect God’s presence.

14. Matthew 12:34 – "For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."

📌 Timestamp: 52:55

📖 Context: Jesus reaffirms the main theme—what fills the heart will be revealed in speech.

Word Study

1. Πταίω (Ptaio) – "To Stumble, Fall, or Sin"

📖 James 3:2 – "We all stumble (πταίω – ptaio) in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check."

📌 Timestamp: 19:25

Definition & Context:

• Ptaio (πταίω) means "to stumble, trip, or fall," both literally and metaphorically.

• In James 3:2, it refers to spiritual or moral failure, particularly in speech.

• Application: No one is perfect in their words, and our frequent stumbling in speech is a sign of our need for God's control over our hearts.

  
  

2. Γλώσσα (Glossa) – "Tongue, Language, Speech"

📖 James 3:5-6 – "So also the tongue (γλώσσα – glossa) is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. Consider how a small fire sets a great forest ablaze!"

📌 Timestamp: 25:46

Definition & Context:

• Glossa (γλώσσα) literally means "tongue" but is often used metaphorically for speech or language.

• James describes the tongue as small yet powerful, capable of causing great destruction when not controlled.

• Illustration from the Study: A small spark setting a forest on fire represents how a careless word can cause widespread damage.

• Application: Our speech has great influence, either for good or harm, and must be surrendered to God.

3. Παρασος (Parasos) – "Overflow, Abundance"

📖 Luke 6:45 – "For out of the abundance (παρασος – parasos) of the heart, the mouth speaks."

📌 Timestamp: 35:57

Definition & Context:

• Parasos (παρασος) means "surplus, overflow, abundance."

• Jesus teaches that what fills the heart will naturally flow into speech.

• Illustration from the Study: If fear, anger, or pride fills the heart, speech will reflect those emotions.

• Application: Instead of just controlling words, believers should focus on filling their hearts with God’s presence, ensuring that what overflows is life-giving.

1. Hupsos (ὕψος) – "High Position"

Scripture Reference: James 1:9 – “Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.”

• Definition: Hupsos refers to elevation, height, or exaltation. In this context, it symbolizes a spiritual elevation that comes from being in Christ, regardless of earthly circumstances.

• Sermon Context: The sermon contrasts the "high position" of believers with their humble circumstances, emphasizing that their identity and value are rooted in their relationship with Christ, not in worldly wealth or status.

• Application: Believers are called to rejoice in their spiritual status in Christ, which is unshaken by external trials or material losses.

2. Tapinosis (ταπείνωσις) – "Humiliation" or "Low Condition"

Scripture Reference: James 1:10 – “But the rich should take pride in their humiliation…”

• Definition: Tapinosis refers to being brought low, humility, or a state of abasement. In the sermon, it is tied to the temporary and fleeting nature of worldly riches.

• Sermon Context: The rich are reminded to find humility in the reality that material wealth fades, and only a relationship with Christ offers eternal significance.

• Application: This word underscores the importance of spiritual humility, urging believers to shift their focus from temporary wealth to eternal treasures in Christ.

3. Peirasmos (πειρασμός) – "Trial" or "Temptation"

Scripture Reference: James 1:2-3, 1:13 – “Consider it pure joy... when you face trials...” / “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’”

• Definition: Peirasmos can mean either a trial (testing of faith) or a temptation (enticement to sin), depending on the context.

• Sermon Context: The sermon differentiates between trials, which God allows to refine and strengthen faith, and temptations, which arise from personal desires and lead to sin.

• Application: Believers are encouraged to endure trials with joy and to resist temptation by seeking wisdom and strength from God.