Word of Salvation – Vol. 36 No. 31 – August 1991

Your Tongue: The Master Switch

Sermon by Rev. John de Boer on James 3:2-12

Reading: James 3:1-12

Singing: BoW 165, 119a, 155, 440, 436

Beloved congregation,

Have you ever thought of your tongue as a master switch?  That's a helpful way to remember what James is saying in this part of chapter 3.  We know that on a switchboard there are various switches.  We only have to think about the meter box at home.  There is one switch for the hot-water system, another for the lights.  But there is one switch that controls the whole power supply.  And when you have control of that, you have control over all the electrical appliances in the house.

James tells us here that our tongue is like that master switch.  When we have control of that, we have control of everything else as well.  Here we have an important aspect of biblical psychology.  Psychology in the right sense; from a biblical perspective.  Let us consider the tongue as the master switch of our life.  Firstly we consider its importance; secondly, the reasons for its importance; thirdly, some practical application.

1.  The Tongue: Its importance.

We all know that none of us are perfect.  But James makes the point that if we had total control of our tongue, we would be perfect.  If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check (vs.2).  In other words, if we could control our tongues we would have everything else under control too.  There would be no sin in our bodies, nor any in our minds.  We would be totally like Christ.

This is an amazing claim.  If we had to choose one thing that would do all of this, would any of us choose the tongue?  We might consider the mind; we know how powerful and influential that can be.  Any doctor will tell you that there are patients who are not actually physically sick.  But they believe they are.  This shows us the power of mind over matter.  We know how strong the sexual desire can be.  We might think that this is what we ought to keep in check.  But that is not what James says here.  Here the tongue is placed above both of these.

That is why the Bible consistently emphasises the importance of the tongue.  On the negative side, it warns against such things as lying, slander, swearing, foolish talk and dirty jokes.  On the positive side, it calls us to speak in such a way that we show we are Christ's.  We see that in such passages as: Eph.4:29 ‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.’  Try to keep this in mind next time you're hot under the collar, or frustrated with another person.  Col.4:6 ‘Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.’

Let us not underestimate the importance of our tongue.  Remember what James says: 'If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.'  Think of your tongue as the master switch in your life.  If you control the master switch, you are lord of the switchboard and you have control of your whole life.  That is what James is saying here.  So let us never forget how important the tongue is in our spiritual life.

2.  The reasons for its importance.

James gives us a good insight into why the tongue is so important in vss.3-12.  There are four main reasons: it is incredibly powerful; destructive; untameable; two-faced.

a.  Incredibly powerful.

In vss.3,4 James makes the comparison between the tongue, and the bit in a horse's mouth, and the rudder of a ship.  In both cases, the point of the comparison is the contrast between the size of the thing mentioned, and the effect it has.  The bit in a horse's mouth, and the rudder of a ship, are only small.  But it is that small thing which makes the horse, or the ship, change direction.

So too with the tongue.  It is a small part of the body, but it is incredibly powerful.  I'm sure we are familiar with that.  We know how we can hurt and wound people by the things we say.  We can put them down with our words; destroying their seIf-confidence and self-respect.  We can be sarcastic and cutting in the way we speak.  The sad thing is, we often do this to the ones we love most.  And while the words may be forgiven, they often leave their mark and that can still hurt later.  Like scarred tissue over a wound, which can easily break open if it is stretched too far.

b.  Destructive.

The tongue is not just powerful, it is also destructive.  James speaks of it by comparing our tongue to a fire (vs.6).  Again, it begins with something small: just a spark, but it grows and becomes a ravaging forest fire.  And fire, unlike flood, destroys everything in its path.  You may have had that bitter experience.

I just mentioned how we can so easily hurt others by the things we say.  We could also think of those times when harsh words and arguments have destroyed relationship within the church.  Not to mention the church's witness to the world.  At these times we can speak, as James does here, of the tongue being 'set on fire by hell'.  It has become the instrument of Satan, to destroy the Lord's work.

And let us not just think of arguments.  It can even happen without us being aware of it.  We have the example of Peter who took Christ aside, after He had told His disciples that He would suffer and be killed and after three days rise again.  Peter told Christ that this would never happen.  And Christ said, 'Get behind me Satan, you are not serving God's interests but man's.'

c. Untameable.

James says, 'No man can tame the tongue' (vs.8).  We can tame animals, and break in wild horses, but we cannot discipline our tongue.  We do not have the power within us to do it.

Here again we see how different we are to Christ.  He was always in control of His tongue.  Regardless of whether He spoke gently to the people; or taught them with authority; or rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy.  He never sinned.  But we do.  When we're frustrated, or tired, or worried, or upset, we so easily lose control of our tongue.  How terribly right James is here!

d.  Two-faced.

The fourth reason the tongue is so important in our Christian lives, is that it is often two-faced.  We read in vss.9,10 ‘With it we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praising and cursing.’

We know that does not happen in nature.  You can't get salt water from a fresh spring, or oranges from an apple tree.

And yet it happens with us.  We noted the example of Peter just a few moments ago.  We ought to put our names alongside his.  We can be in church, singing our hymns with gusto, and praising God for His greatness and the wonder of His love.  And we can go outside, or go to work the next day, and think nothing of gossiping, or bad language.  Congregation, James is right!  This ought not to be so!

3.  Its personal application.

Well then, where does all of this leave us?  Firstly, realise that this passage in James applies to you.  You do not need to point the finger at others.  Let God's Word search your heart.  Consider the way you use your tongue.  Be honest with yourself.  Admit that the way you use your tongue is not always to honour God and to build up your neighbour.  Admit that you sometimes use your tongue in a destructive way.  Let us not make light of the pain and scars we can cause and have caused by a loveless use of this powerful little tongue of ours.  Let us repent.  And let us believe.  Let us not despair.  There is forgiveness with God.  God's mercy and grace reach out to the guilty who confess their guilt.  God cleanses those who come to him with their polluted mouths.  God raises those who are bowed down.

And if you are one that has been hurt, whose life is scarred by the cruelty and insensitivity of others, let me say to you that with the Lord there is healing.  From Him come healing and peace.  Remember why Christ came and died?  It was for sinners.  He came to restore those who have been destroyed by sin.  He died that we might live.  He died that we might be forgiven and be accepted as the children of God.  Behind the death of Jesus lies the incredible love of God.  The apostle John speaks about that love in his first letter: 'By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent his Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.'  In the death of Jesus we see the love God has for us.  Then John goes on: 'Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another'.  That means we have to care for one another.  You have to care even for the person who has hurt you.  Pray for that person.  Use your tongue in love for that person (rather than in spite or vengeance).  Forgive that person.  Ask God to have mercy on them.  Be Christlike.  Pray for those people about whom you can now only think with bitterness and pain.  Bless them, rather than curse them.

Yes, that's difficult.  That's impossible, really.  But we believe in the power of God, don't we?  We believe that the Spirit can bring forth fruit to God's liking.  Confess your own inability to love and forgive.  Ask God to give you that love through faith in Jesus.  Remember, you are loved!  By grace we are children of God, branches of Christ the vine.  Jesus said: 'If you abide in me you will bear much fruit.' You will even be able to discipline your tongue, for the Lord's sake.

You see, what we do with our tongue is really an expression of what is in our heart.  The remedy for a godless and destructive use of our tongue, is the love of God.  I mean God's love to us, and then our love to God.  Our tongues are often nasty because we are afraid.  Afraid of not being loved, not being accepted.  We are sometimes a step ahead of ourselves.  We assume that people don't like us, so we tell them that we don't like them either, before they have said a word.  To avoid disappointment we make sure that people will reject us.  We say stupid things to put them off, but deep down our heart yearns for love.

God is willing and keen to satisfy that yearning.  He is the only one who can.  God is able to free us from our self-centredness and set us free to care for our neighbour.  He does that by assuring us of His love.  And when our hearts are filled with that love, when we recognise Jesus as the gift of God to needy people, we shall join the people who, in the power of the Spirit, have begun to use their tongues in the service of God and their neighbours.

Yes, when we know that we are the children of God in Christ, we shall gladly use our tongues in the praise of our heavenly Father.

AMEN