Post by Char on Oct 26, 2008 13:45:45 GMT -6
42 THE POWER OF THE TONGUE
JAMES 3:5-6
I. WORDS ARE THE EXPRESSION OF THOUGHTS
Says Max Muller, with concise truth, ‘The word is the thought incarnate"
The Greek word translated "brotherly love" was unknown until Christianity coined it to declare a new relation revealed to man.
It depended upon the Christina church to exemplify the virtue expressed in the word "humility."
Every word we speak has its history, and in its appointed time each has been added to the library of the world’s thought "words are things," said Maraba, and he was right.
II. WORDS, AS INCARNATE THOUGHTS, ARE REVELATIONS OF CHARACTER.
The morality both of nations and men is stamped in their words. "The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gently, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
The speech of every Peter betrays the man, just as the despatches of Napoleon were of "glory," while those of the Iron Duke centered in "duty", so may their respective characters be known, He whose thoughts are on noble things will never grovel in speech.
The "incarnate word" was compelled to teach men through their own vernacular, yet the purity of His teaching is as matchless as his own Divine nature.
Humanly speaking, the voice of Jacob will always be Jacob’s though he dissemble Esau.
Conversation touching impurity photographs for the world as impure heart.
Repeated quotations of others opinions are proof of having no substantial opinions of our own.
Willingness to speak freely about others business is proof positive that we are not tending to our own affairs.
III. THIS POWER OF LANGUAGE DECLARES THE SOLEMNITY OF ITS USE.
The spoke word, like an arrow from the quiver, has its mark.
Said Hawthorne, "nothing is more unaccountable than the spell that often lurks in a spoken word"
A kind word has given courage to more than one despondent heart; and, struck by a cruel word, more than one gentle spirit has sobbed itself into the grave.
Each word has a meaning, and the word is that meaning sent home to another–a word alive with fear, or joy, or love, or hate.
It matters not as to their derivation, the words we speak mean ourselves back of them.
IV. THIS POWER OF SPEECH EMPHASIS THE NECESSITY OF SELF-CONTROL
Man is at the same time a king to rule his tongue and a slave to suffer from its abuse.
The school of life deals with a double danger—the arrogant assumption of self and the oppositions experienced from without.
The first is illustrated in the control of the nervous horse held in with bit and bridle; the other means the steadfastness of the ship that no tempest can turn from its course.
The helmsman’s duty on the tongue is no easy calling.
It requires strength to hold the bits.
The small rudder firmly held given the promise of safety to the ship.
V. OUR WORDS SHALL CONFRONT US AT THE JUDGMENT.
We often unwittingly send them on before us, as though they were sand to be blown into the eyes of others, forgetting that they shall blind or bless ourselves.
It is serious business to write a book like the "pilgrim’s Progress," or its opposite, "the age of reason."
It is serious business to declare in speech event the Gospel of Christ.
It is no meaningless service to expound the Bible in the Sabbath school.
It is no less serious when every word of father and mother makes its impression upon the children’s lives, to see that such words are rightly spoken.
JAMES 3:5-6
I. WORDS ARE THE EXPRESSION OF THOUGHTS
Says Max Muller, with concise truth, ‘The word is the thought incarnate"
The Greek word translated "brotherly love" was unknown until Christianity coined it to declare a new relation revealed to man.
It depended upon the Christina church to exemplify the virtue expressed in the word "humility."
Every word we speak has its history, and in its appointed time each has been added to the library of the world’s thought "words are things," said Maraba, and he was right.
II. WORDS, AS INCARNATE THOUGHTS, ARE REVELATIONS OF CHARACTER.
The morality both of nations and men is stamped in their words. "The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gently, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
The speech of every Peter betrays the man, just as the despatches of Napoleon were of "glory," while those of the Iron Duke centered in "duty", so may their respective characters be known, He whose thoughts are on noble things will never grovel in speech.
The "incarnate word" was compelled to teach men through their own vernacular, yet the purity of His teaching is as matchless as his own Divine nature.
Humanly speaking, the voice of Jacob will always be Jacob’s though he dissemble Esau.
Conversation touching impurity photographs for the world as impure heart.
Repeated quotations of others opinions are proof of having no substantial opinions of our own.
Willingness to speak freely about others business is proof positive that we are not tending to our own affairs.
III. THIS POWER OF LANGUAGE DECLARES THE SOLEMNITY OF ITS USE.
The spoke word, like an arrow from the quiver, has its mark.
Said Hawthorne, "nothing is more unaccountable than the spell that often lurks in a spoken word"
A kind word has given courage to more than one despondent heart; and, struck by a cruel word, more than one gentle spirit has sobbed itself into the grave.
Each word has a meaning, and the word is that meaning sent home to another–a word alive with fear, or joy, or love, or hate.
It matters not as to their derivation, the words we speak mean ourselves back of them.
IV. THIS POWER OF SPEECH EMPHASIS THE NECESSITY OF SELF-CONTROL
Man is at the same time a king to rule his tongue and a slave to suffer from its abuse.
The school of life deals with a double danger—the arrogant assumption of self and the oppositions experienced from without.
The first is illustrated in the control of the nervous horse held in with bit and bridle; the other means the steadfastness of the ship that no tempest can turn from its course.
The helmsman’s duty on the tongue is no easy calling.
It requires strength to hold the bits.
The small rudder firmly held given the promise of safety to the ship.
V. OUR WORDS SHALL CONFRONT US AT THE JUDGMENT.
We often unwittingly send them on before us, as though they were sand to be blown into the eyes of others, forgetting that they shall blind or bless ourselves.
It is serious business to write a book like the "pilgrim’s Progress," or its opposite, "the age of reason."
It is serious business to declare in speech event the Gospel of Christ.
It is no meaningless service to expound the Bible in the Sabbath school.
It is no less serious when every word of father and mother makes its impression upon the children’s lives, to see that such words are rightly spoken.
