As the Bible teaches, Jesus Christ, is the exclusive, inerrant, immutable, unchanging and spoken Word of Almighty God the Father! Furthermore, He represents the physical image of the Godhead: "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9). More specifically, the Godhead is defined as being one in essence and three in person: God the Father, God the Son (the Word of God) and God the Holy Ghost. Though the Son is submissive to the Father, He is not subordinate to the Father. Let's be clear on the fact that even though one is subordinate, that surely does not render one inferior.
The opening scene (above) is paramount and foundational in bringing this message to you today. Thus, divine order is fully manifested and biblically sound in the above narrative. The Word of God puts it like this: "This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (1 John 5:6-7).
As the title of this sermon leaves nothing to the imagination, the focus of today's message might leave you wondering what the relationship would be between Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and the "The Wayward Tongue". Well, let's begin by defining the term "WAYWARD". Then, gradually and systematically we'll dismiss the mystery. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as: unruly, ungovernable, rebellious, defiant, uncontrollable, rude and disorderly at the very least. How could such a tiny member wield that much power; and thereby, ignite such chaos! The Bible helps us both practically and spiritually.
In addition to those things that typify the tongue, and which I have listed above, I began to recall my own experiences and interactions with others concerning the warlike [hostile] tongue. Thus, and with the Lord's direction, I was able to supplement that list with the following:
Prideful
Antagonistic
Offensive
Toxic (poisonous)
Impatient
Before moving forward; therefore, exhibiting some degree of patience. I would surmise that most of us can relate to that often practiced and regularly observed behavior known as being "Impatient". Once it has been tried to the limits of one's tolerance, It is typical of the tongue to take over. Would you not agree? The epistle of James brings the following passages to the table: "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?" (James 3:5-12).
Let us make no mistake, dearly beloved, the SCRIPTURES reign supreme in terms of equipping us with the tools, teaching and techniques required to combat the havoc the tongue wreaks if not bridled. And Proverbs, the proverbial (or commonly known) Book of Wisdom, is no exception. Moreover, the Book of Psalms simply could not be ignored because of its invaluable contribution: "He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. 14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. 15 For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. 16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." (Proverbs 17:27-28; 24:1-2, Psalm 38:14-16; 39:1). For those of you who are not familiar with it, or who have not read Psalm 38:14-16 lately, this refers to none other than our King, and the reason for the season, the Lord Jesus Christ!!!
In terms of wisdom, or more specifically Godly wisdom, our great God and Savior Jesus Christ has no equal nor rival and reigns supreme. His name is synonymous with wisdom, and He gives us spiritual insight into the subject of controlling the toxic tongue, and the value of a pure heart in realizing this truth: "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matthew 12:34-37).
Christ was economical with His words and the following passages speaks volumes about His character and conduct: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30).
With a wealth of information, knowledge, truths, examples or otherwise in our rearview mirror, we now travel to the book of beginnings. In the 11th chapter of Genesis, and contained in only nine (9) passages, is the history of why we now live in a world where there are over 7,000 languages and dialects. This information is officially recorded in the Ethnologue, which is an official catalogue of languages of the world. And all this was a product of none other than the tumultuous tongue.
Hence, the Word of God:
"4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." (Genesis 11:4-9).
First of all, what we have here is the original "Sin City". This self-serving society was the pinnacle of pride. They promoted an attitude of conquer or be conquered, they were morally bankrupt, and their ambition was to erect a monument to themselves. The celebration of self was in high gear, but self-deception fueled a passion that would deflate such utter nonsense. Of course, and as the above scripture tells us, the Holy trinity confused their language or "lip". The tongue was inflated to the degree that, had it been a balloon, it would have exploded: "Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech" (Genesis 11:7). The word "Babel" itself is a Hebrew word that means CONFUSION.
And the moral of this story serves as a lesson to us all, though none of us have literally constructed a monument on the scale of what took place at The tower of Babel. However, monuments come in many forms. For the purpose of this discussion, a monument is anything that supersedes God, and is nothing less than faithlessness: money, a mansion, expensive clothes, people or anything of this temporal world. In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses speaks on this order: "They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith." (Deuteronomy 32:16-20).
LET US ALL BEWARE...
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