9/20/26 James 3:1-12 “Where Are Your Feet?”

08 Sep 9/20/26 James 3:1-12 “Where Are Your Feet?”

9/20/26   James 3:1-12        “Where Are Your Feet?”

It was always good to see so many people back after a long hot summer.  I would always  tell them that they missed some of the best sermons ever.  Anyway, there I go being a little flippant again.  But most of you know that I do that once in a while but it still doesn’t always make it right.  In this case you know I’m just joking.  However, sometimes I do say things quite by accident that I don’t mean.  Sometimes I have offended people while not intending to hurt them at all.  I would guess that we have all been there.  And if I’ve ever offended anyone here today, I’m sorry.  I never mean to hurt people.  Today, we are going to talk about what gets us into trouble like this as we try to control our tongues.

At 29minutes:45seconds past 5 AM on July 16, 1945, something spectacular happened as reported by Jim Drake.  In northern New Mexico, the early morning became bright as day in one blinding flash as the Atomic Age began.  The fireball shot into the air at 350 feet per second.  The cloud was orange, then bright red, then dark red and finally black and rolling.  The mushroom cloud formed at 30,000 feet.  All that was left at the bomb site was radioactive green glass that was formed in the incredible heat of the explosion.  It was a power that was unbelievable.  3 weeks later this horror was brought upon our enemies in Japan as we dropped one of these on Hiroshima.  Robert Lewis, who was the co-pilot of the plane used to drop this bomb, looked down and said, “What have we done?”  What have we done?  6 years later in Arco, Idaho the dark night was lit up by another light although it wasn’t nearly as bright as 6 years before.  The night was lightened by light bulbs powered by the first electricity produced from nuclear energy.  Today, something like 1/5 of our electricity comes from nuclear power.  This power is used in homes, hospitals and churches everywhere.  The uranium that is used in the nuclear reactor that produces our electricity is the same uranium that is used in the atomic bomb. The exact same science is used in the reactor and the bomb. The exact same atoms and electrons and reactions and physics are used in each. So what’s the difference?  The difference is in how they are used.  One is used to do tremendous good and the other is for some of the most terrible destruction we have ever seen.  However, as damaging as this can be, there is something else that is equally if not more destructive and that is our tongue.

Before we begin I would like to say something about the first couple of verses.  James tells us that not many of us should aspire to be teachers.  The reason for this is that teachers will be judged more strictly before God.  Personally, I don’t have any trouble with that.  No, I’m not perfect but I feel that I’m trying to preach or teach the Bible the best I can.  I feel bad for those who have been twisting the word of God to fit society or their world.  Far too many people think that there will be no real consequence for their actions and this is so far from the truth.  There are consequences especially for those who don’t know Christ.  But don’t let this warning scare you away from teaching.  We need teachers.  We need people who are able to present the Word in a way that people understand.  We need people who will ignore what our society is trying to tell us to teach and go back to the basics.  Teach and preach the Bible.  That’s what I’m trying to do today as I’m still on the first verse.  If God is calling you to teach, then teach with His power and authority.

Now, I would imagine that I’m not going to come close to saying all that I want to say because there is so much to say and it affects all of us.  We all have a tongue and we all know what it’s like to say things wrong.  The first thing that happens when we let the tongue run wild is that it condemns others.   The letter of James isn’t addressed to any specific group but rather to Christians in general.  I’m only guessing at this but I think they were having a problem with their tongues like we do today.

It almost seems universal that when people get together, we have to run down those who are not in the group.  Last week we talked a little about little about lying.  This goes hand in hand with an out of control tongue.  How often is it that we get in a group and we bash those who are not there and we are not telling the truth?  It happens all the time.  These people are gossips.  Gossips hurt everyone they talk to but most of all they hurt themselves.  It gets to the point where no one believes a word they say.

There was an interesting interview with Phil Hanson, a former NFL player who played for the NDSU Bison.  He said that it used to be fun to play the UND/NDSU rivalry game.  But somewhere along the line the two sides began to hate each other.  Of course this led to many things of which were mostly bad.  Everyone accepts trash talking today.  I mean people, how much more demeaning can we be?  This is only a game.  These games become role models for youngsters who are just developing.  They in turn take trash talking and take cheap shots to another level.  Bad behavior perpetuates bad behavior.  It’s high time that we stop such things.  There is no reason to condemn anyone around you because if you take a close look at yourself, you will find that you also need condemning.  These types of things are what we are definitely not to do.

So our tongues are condemning and they are also controlling.  James makes the comparison to a rudder on a ship or the bit in a horse’s mouth.  Today I would compare this to one of those huge 4-wheel drive tractors that you steer with just a finger.  Just think about the control you have over all that tonnage with just a finger.

Just like in the ancient world, today we need to be in control of certain things.  If you are the owner of a company, you have to be in control of all aspects including your employees.  The employees in turn have lives in which they need to be in control.  For instance, they need to be in control of their children, especially when they are young and need help and guidance.  Then of course these children have to be in control of their baby dolls and toy tractors.  If you listen to how children treat their dolls and toys, you will hear how you treat them.

The question is how you treat others if your tongue is under control?  Now you no longer need to control situations in a negative way.  We have all seen different types of bosses or parents or spouses.  The ones that are most successful are the ones who control what they say.  A phrase said in anger or disgust can harm a child or an employee for a long time.  It seems a little strange when you think about it that we can handle all the praise and good things that get said but we are devastated by one little bad remark.

I think the bottom line to control comes from those who are nice about it.  It is about those who treat their neighbors as themselves.  That sounds familiar doesn’t it?  At the Post Office it seemed like and this wasn’t always true, if you made it to being a supervisor, you had to have all niceness taken out of you first.  There are many other places like this and maybe most places.  However, the companies that get the most out of their employees are just the opposite.  So remember that it always pays to be nice and there are no exceptions.  It is just like it is always the right thing to do to tell the truth.

The next thing James tells us about our tongues is that they are all consuming.  Most of us are pretty practical people.  We know our way around our surroundings pretty well.  James talks about a fire.  How do we start a fire?  In church we use one of our igniters which spark and produce a flame.  Then we light the candles and they burn for the hour.  This is the same with any fire.  There has to be a spark some place to start the fire.  The spark by itself is nothing.  Often times a spark won’t cause a fire because the conditions aren’t right.  It might be too wet or it might not be in a place where there is no fuel.  So far there is no problem.

Now we also know what happens when a fire spreads.  In a ripe grain field, it will be a wild fire in a matter of minutes.  The forest fires we are having out west and in Canada are a great example.  Those fires will not go out until they run out of fuel.  When everything is burnt up, the fires die.  It is the same way when we start to gossip or tell lies or in any way start a fire with our tongues.  There will be no stopping it until the person or company or church is ruined.  It’s only then that the fire goes out.  It is finally out of fuel.

Moving on, the worst part of an uncontrolled tongue is that it is also corrupting.  I mean why else would people do things like they do.  They are corrupting themselves.  We were at a football game once and a player was hurt and lying on the field.  One of the opposing fans was being obnoxious about the call as this poor kid lay on the field.  What is wrong with people?

Another thing, have you ever been around people who swear a lot?  They have done this for so long that they think, well I don’t really know what they think.  Personally, I think it’s rather disgusting.  I have known many people who find out I’m a pastor and swear even more.  On the golf course one time and I had a guy I’ve known for several years tell me the worst, foulest joke.  I think this is a very immature habit but like most habits, it’s hard to break.   These people have been corrupted.  And the worst part of this is that young people see this and copy it.  So it corrupts others as well as the person who has a corrupting tongue.

This kind of corruption has led me to say at times to someone, “Do you eat with that mouth too?”  For we are not only doing all these other things, condemning, corrupting, consuming, we are also compromising.  Adam tried to compromise with God by telling Him that Eve was at fault.  We are always trying to look the best even when we are the worst.  This is what political correctness has evolved into.  Heaven forbid if we should ever look bad about something.

This sermon, this passage of Scripture is very depressing because we all fit into it.  The last part of this is so important and so overlooked because it might make us look bad.  James asks us “how in the world can we come here on Sunday morning and sing praises to God and turn around and use the same mouth to curse Him a few hours later?”

Please understand that I don’t like preaching this stuff anymore than you like to hear it.  James is telling us that you cannot have it both ways.  You cannot live your life as being a Christian in some ways and doing the works of the devil in other ways.  There is no middle ground.  There is no political correctness when it comes to God.  You are either for him or against Him and here is James telling us this again.  You cannot have it both ways.  You can’t have one foot in God’s world and one in Satan’s.

Jesus Christ loves us so much that He set up these parameters for heaven.  There will be no one there who lies, cheats or swears.  There will be no one there who doesn’t have control of his/her tongue.  God has set this up as the perfect place and He will not let you in unless you have invited Him into your heart through confession and repentance.  This doesn’t mean we have to be perfect in this world.  We only need to be in the process of perfection which will be completed the moment we enter heaven.  That is a promise from Jesus just as He has promised to keep all evil out.

James points out many of our faults but please don’t worry.  Jesus has helped you in the past and if you have any of these problems, Jesus will help you in the future.  Jesus has a future for you where you won’t have to worry about a tongue that is always getting you into trouble.  Learn patience which also happens to be one of the fruits of the Spirit.  As a matter of fact, here’s your assignment for this week.  I want you to pray for patience every day.  Some of you may want to pray for this twice a day, including myself.  See what happens

Ken Kersten tells a story of a kindergarten teacher that might help us a little.  One day she was helping one of her students put on his cowboy boots.  He had asked for help and she could see why.  Even with all her pulling and tugging, the little boots didn’t want to go on.  By the time she got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat.  She wanted to cry when the little boy told her that they were on the wrong feet, but she didn’t and taking them off again was just as hard as putting them on.  She kept her cool as she got them back on the right feet.  Then the boy announced that they weren’t his boots.  She held her tongue again and didn’t say, “Why didn’t you say so?”  She finally got the boots back off again when the boy said, “They’re my brother’s boots.  My mom made me wear them today.”  Again she stifled a scream and mustered up all the grace and courage she had left and got the ill-fitting boots on again.  Then she helped the boy get his coat on and asked, “Now, where are your mittens?”  The boy replied, “I stuffed them in the toes of my boots.”  The story ends where they are still waiting for the teacher’s trial to begin. Of course, this is fiction but it has a message.

Anyway, except for the last little bit, this teacher was the perfect example of holding her tongue.  Children need extra grace.  The only thing a loose tongues leads to is regret.  Jesus built us to be happy in Him.  Let’s study patience and learn to keep both feet anchored in Jesus Christ.  You will have a much better, happier and more productive life.  That has been proven by science.  Thank you, Jesus, for first loving us.  Let’s pray.