A Community FlameJames 3:1-12

New Testament Fellowship on Fire!1 Thessalonians 1:8-9 And now the word of the Lord

is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it…how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God…

Philippians 1:9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding…

Hebrews 13:1 Let love of the brethren continue!

James: a Fellowship with a Future?James 2:3-4 If you give

special attention and a good seat to the rich person…doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

James 2:15-16 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well!” …What good does that do?

Come, enter our fellowship!

A Small Spark… (James 3:1-5)Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my

brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

We 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.

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. 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.

Likewise 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.

The Power of Words!v.6 The 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!

The Tongu

e

Build

Destroy

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20

Fellowship Starts with Words (3:7-12)All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and

creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue.

It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and

Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.

Barroom Brawl Christian Fellowship

Fellowship Starts with Words (3:7-12)Can both fresh water and salt

water flow from the same spring? No…

My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?No…

Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

The Poison

The Fruit

Opposing Pressures

Our Salty Ways Don’t Refresh!

Fellowship Starts with Words (3:7-12)Not an issue of cusswords!

But this can take a foul turn…A competition to trash…Not a Ned Flanders thing…

To destroy, hurt, insult, disgrace, slander someone.The language of hate & anger.A cheap & easy emotional

“high”.People get inflamed – for a

reason!Creates a World of Cold

HeartsComplain, sour, defensive,

tough…

The Poison

The Fruit

Opposing Pressures

Fellowship Starts with Words (3:7-12)Not an issue of cusswords!

But this can take a foul turn…A competition to trash…Not a Ned Flanders thing…

To destroy, hurt, insult, disgrace, slander someone.The language of hate & anger.A cheap & easy emotional

“high”.People get inflamed – for a

reason!Creates a World of Cold

HeartsComplain, sour, defensive,

tough…

Salty

Fresh

Your Legacy?

Fellowship Starts with Words (3:7-12)Prov. 10:20 The

words of the godly are like sterling

silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.

21 The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed

by their lack of common sense .

Prov. 15:23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the

right time

Prov. 16:24 Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the

body.

Fellowship Starts with Words (3:7-12)

Prov 15:2 The tongue of the wise makes

knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness

Prov. 15:4 Gentle words are a tree of

life; a deceitful tongue crushes the

spirit

Prov. 18:21 The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk

will reap the consequences

Prov. 31:26 When she speaks, her words are

wise, and she gives instructions with

kindness

Fellowship Starts with Words (3:7-12)Proverbs 26:18-19 Like a

madman who throws fireballs, arrows, and

death, Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, "I was only joking!"

Proverbs 26:20-21 (NLT) 20 Fire goes

out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh

word stirs up anger.

Words Are Significant!

“Sticks & stones may break my

bones, but words will

never hurt me” is a lie…

Hard words bruise the heart of a child. H.W.

Longfellow

“Words have no power to

impress the mind without the exquisite

horror of their reality.” – Poe

The greater the lie, the more

readily it will be believed – Hitler

Words Are Significant!Don’t use *[putrid] or abusive language. Let

everything you say be *[generous] and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 (NLT) Sapros

• Putrid, foul, “rotten, like fruit or fish.”• Leaves the hearer feeling sour, “sick.”

Agathos• Generous, kind, good: God’s character.• Leaves the hearer feeling upbeat, glad.

Words Are Significant!Don’t use *[putrid] or abusive language. Let

everything you say be *[generous] and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)

Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thess 5:11

Words Are Significant!Don’t use *[putrid] or abusive language. Let

everything you say be *[generous] and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)

Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thess 5:11

1 Thess 5:14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.

And we urge you, brethren, gossip about the unruly, “dis” the fainthearted, kick the weak, be critical of all men.

Words Are Significant!Word Gifts•Wisdom •Knowledge•Evangelism•Prophecy•Apostle •Teaching •Exhorting

Service•Administration •Helps Service •Giving $•Leadership •Mercy

Prayer•Works of Power•Faith•Healings•Discerning of Spirits •Tongues •Interpreting tongues 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my

brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly

Words Are Significant!2 Cor. 5:19 God was in Christ reconciling

the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Words Are Significant!2 Cor. 5:19 God was in Christ reconciling the

world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Col. 4:5,6 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.

How To “Set a Great Forest on Fire”Prayer!

Think Ahead!

“Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God” 1 Pt. 4:11

“For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” Mat. 10:20

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” 2 Tim. 3:16

And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14 (NASB)

How To “Set a Great Forest on Fire”Prayer!

Think Ahead!

Hebrews 10:24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

Matthew 15:18 (NLT) 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.

How To “Set a Great Forest on Fire”With Prayer!

Think Ahead!

Grades of Words: “no one can tame…”•Build-up the hearer.•Insightful, wise, penetrating, kind, powerful

Christ Words

•Degrade the hearer / speaker / everyone•Dumb, moronic, sick, callousedCrass Talk•Ned Flanders ‘Drool’: “Protects” the Speaker•Trite, pretentious, sickly-sweet, thin-skinnedDrivel