Taming the Terribly Powerful, Tiny, Twopronged, TickerTattling Tongue - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Taming the Terribly Powerful, Tiny, Twopronged, TickerTattling Tongue
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The terribly powerful, tiny, two-pronged tongue that tattles on the ticker needs ... though lacking appropriate ideas, pours out a welter of confused thoughts ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation
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Title: Taming the Terribly Powerful, Tiny, Twopronged, TickerTattling Tongue
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Taming the Terribly Powerful, Tiny, Two-pronged,
Ticker-Tattling Tongue
- James 31-12
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The Big Idea
- The terribly powerful, tiny, two-pronged tongue
that tattles on the ticker needs to be tamed! - The tongue is disproportionately powerful. It has
great potential for good and evil. It
demonstrates the true intentions of the sinful
heart. It needs to be tamed! - If we can tame our tongues, then we, as New Hope
church, will be able to pursue relationships that
change the world!
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Teachers the Tongue
- Not many of you should become teachers, my
brothers, for you know that we who teach will be
judged with greater strictness. (v. 1)
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James 32-12
- 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if
anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a
perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so
that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as
well. 4 look at the ships also though they are
so large and are driven by strong winds, they are
guided by a very small rudder wherever the will
of the pilot directs. 5 so also the tongue is a
small member, yet it boasts of great things. How
great a forest is set ablaze by such a small
fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of
unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our
members, staining the whole body, setting on fire
the entire course of life, and set on fire by
hell.
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James 32-12 Continued
- 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile
and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed
by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the
tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly
poison. 9 with it we bless our Lord and Father,
and with it we curse people who are made in the
likeness of God. 10 from the same mouth come
blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things
ought not to be so. 11 does a spring pour forth
from the same opening both fresh and salt water?
12 can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a
grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond
yield fresh water.
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The terribly powerful, tiny, two-pronged tongue
that tattles on the ticker needs to be tamed
- The tongue is disproportionately powerful. (v.
3-6) - Compared to the bit in a horses mouth
- Compared to the rudder of a ship
- The tongue tattles on our heart. (Matt. 710-22
Js. 116) - The power of the tongue is generally destructive.
(v. 5-6) - How great a forest is set ablaze by a single
spark.
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The terribly powerful, tiny, two-pronged tongue
that tattles on the ticker needs to be tamed
- The tongue is two-pronged. (v. 9-12)
- Compared to a spring
- Compared to a fig tree or a grapevine
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The Tongue is Untamable (v. 7-8)
- Jesus Christ was the perfect man who did tame his
tongue.
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James 119-21
- Know this, my beloved brothers let every person
be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
for the anger of man does not produce the
righteousness that God requires. Therefore put
away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and
receive with meekness the implanted word, which
is able to save your souls.
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We need to be quick to hear.
- When words are many, sin is not absent, but he
who holds his tongue is wise. (Prov. 1019) - There is one whose rash words are like sword
thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings
healing. (Prov. 1218)
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- When the door of the steam bath is continually
left open, the heat inside rapidly escapes
through it likewise the soul, in its desire to
say many things, dissipates its remembrance of
God through the door of speech, even though
everything it says may be good. Thereafter the
intellect, though lacking appropriate ideas,
pours out a welter of confused thoughts to anyone
it meets, as it no longer has the Holy Spirit to
keep its understanding free from fantasy. Ideas
of value always shun verbosity, being foreign to
confusion and fantasy. Timely silence, then, is
precious, for it is nothing less than the mother
of the wisest thoughts. - Diadochus of Photiki from The Way of the Heart
by Henri Nouwen
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Wise words are born out of silence.
- Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness
to the soul and health to the body. (Prov.
1624) - A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a
setting of silver. (Prov. 2511) - Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
but only such as is good for building up, as fits
the occasion, that it may give grace to those who
hear. (Eph. 429)
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- Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful
in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray
also for us, that God may open to us a door for
the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on
account of which I am in prison that I may make
it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Conduct
yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the
best use of the time. Let your speech always be
gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may
know how you ought to answer each person. (Col.
42-6)
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Corporate Silence Reflection
- What words have you spoken this past week that
have been gracious? What words have been
destructive? - Who can you bless today with a kind word? How?
- Who do you need to apologize to for destructive
words? - Do people know that youre friends with Jesus
when you speak? How? - How can New Hope become a place that offers an
attentive ear to others? Whats my part in that? - How will you incorporate silence into your life?
- How will your words help you pursue relationships
that change the world? - Do you need to listen and respond to the words of
the Gospel?
