Tongue and Fingers James 3:1-12 Rev. Mark Bartsch Kobe Union Church 2 February 2025
Today, I will focus on two topics found in our scripture reading. The first is a challenge primarily directed at me as a preacher and, next week, at Tony as he gives the message. These expectations are something we should all understand: What are the responsibilities God places on those willing to open His Word and share it with His people?
Opening up God’s word is a joy but it is absolutely humbling.
I’m no stranger to presenting ideas (As a teacher I do it a lot). Most of my students enjoy my classes, and I teach four to six classes on a normal workday, feeling completely relaxed at the end of the day. But the 20 to 30 minutes of preaching God’s Word carry a unique weight and on Sunday afternoon I often feel rung out and exposed by the light of God. It is why the church is called to pray for preachers. While I often share personal stories in my sermons to connect our lives to the biblical story, I firmly believe that a preacher’s ultimate job is to step aside and allow the Holy Spirit to speak.
When a preacher is truly preaching well, they are merely a mouthpiece for the Lord a mouthpiece that is totally unworthy to speak his words. This is why, when Isaiah was called, he cried out: "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)
James is not the only one who warns against false teachers. These warnings run throughout the whole of scripture. Some people preach and, in doing so, pronounce judgment on their own heads because they stop being mouthpieces for the Lord and start doing their own TED Talks. And more and more thematic preaching that start with an idea instead of the word slowly turn into TED Talks. It is not what I want the word of God to say to his people but what God wants to say (humbly) through people like me to his people.
The Preachers
James emphasizes the immense responsibility that comes with handling God’s holy Word. Preaching is not about delivering messages that tickle ears or make people think, “Wow, Mark—or next week, Tony—is great.” It’s about proclaiming that God is great. All the time God is Great. That is why the most awkward compliment you can give a preacher is that was a good sermon. If it was good, Thank God. If it stunk tell the pastor to stop blocking the Holy Spirit.
Preaching must be free from personal agendas. It’s about stepping aside so that the Holy Spirit can speak to His people. I have heard God tell me on many occasions, “The people of the church is not your people, Mark. They are mine. They are the sheep of His pasture and so are you”. And to care for his people the preacher needs to stepping aside and listen to God. Now that is the hard work of pastoring.
I’ve sat through over a thousand sermons in my life, and I’ve preached more than 400. Some sermons landed—All glory to God. Others missed because I got in the way. I’ve had to take long Sunday afternoon walks where the Lord has chastised me for wasting His people’s time. Yes, I have wasted your time from time to time.
Every preacher has had duds (bad sermons). God taught me the most through one of my worst sermons. I had prepared and prayed as usual, but when I got up to speak, I broke out in a sweat. I stammered and said, “Uh, and” hundreds of times. When I finally sat down, I felt like I had run a marathon.
To my surprise, as I stood in the receiving line, a man who had never once told me, “Good job,” said that God had convicted him through my message and that it was the best message he had ever heard in his life. I was shocked.
On Monday, I listened to my message again, and it was as bad as I remembered. But through that experience, God taught me an important lesson: if we are faithful—and that is all God calls His servants to be—He will take care of the rest.
I’ve only walked out of two sermons in my life. Both were well-crafted, eloquent, and persuasive. But they weren’t biblically centered. Worse, they were anti-Jesus. And I will not sit for an anti-Jesus message in His house.
Over the winter, Stephanie went to church in Nagano while I stayed home for self-study. When I picked her up and asked about the sermon, she said it was dull and unengaging. The preacher—an intellectual—spoke to a congregation of farmers about a Spanish mystic when all they wanted was to hear about Jesus and His love.
Did Stephanie walk out? No. She prayed for the preacher.
When was the last time you prayed for the preacher at KUC—not that they would “wrap it up,” but that they would be open to the Holy Spirit while preaching?
Jesus speaks extensively about judgment against the teachers of the Law in Matthew 23. He calls them “blind” and, worse, “hypocrites.” Hypocrisy is especially egregious because it means they knew the truth and yet did not teach it. This isn’t about the occasional mistakes every preacher makes—it’s about a conscious pattern of putting something other than God on the throne.
The Apostle Paul gives a stern reminder in 1 Corinthians 4:6: "Do not go beyond what is written."
Preachers are called to stay within the boundaries of God’s Word. Our job is to explain, interpret, and extol the way of the Lord.
Being called by God to preach His good news is humbling. That’s why I take off my shoes to preach—not for you, but as a way to humble myself before the Lord.
When judgment comes and we stand before the throne of the Lord, I will be judged more strictly than you because of what I have been called to. This reminds me of the old country song: Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys. Or, Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be preachers.
I often pray for John Barrow and Koki Hayashi, both who grew up in this church and now preach the gospel in different settings. We’ve witnessed their journey and how God is using them. We need to be in prayer for them as they will face a sterner judgement like I will as we all are called to pick up our cross and follow Jesus.
I will not preach these but here are a few references to expectations of people that share God’s word for your home reading. 2 Timothy 2:15 Handle the Word Correctly. Matthew 7:15-20 – Beware of False Prophets. 2 Timothy 4:2-5 – Preach in All Seasons. Ezekiel 33:7-9 – Accountability as a Watchman. Galatians 1:8-9 – Do Not Preach a False Gospel. Matthew 23:1-3 – Do Not Be Hypocritical. 1 Peter 5:2-3 – Shepherd the Flock Humbly. Jeremiah 23:16-17 – Do Not Preach False Peace. To name a few.
A Word from the Lord
Let’s transition. Have you ever had a “word” or “word from the Lord” for someone? I have. Maybe God gave you a word and you swallowed it and did not give it because you were unsure of yourself. I have done that too. But if you believe you have such a word, you must be exceedingly careful to ensure it is truly from the Lord and not from yourself. I have people that have given me a “word” from the Lord that was NOT FROM our heavenly father. And while I am not a jerk most days I do not receive it.
I once attended a church that was tearing itself apart because people claimed to have “words from the Lord.” Some even set themselves up as prophets in the church. It might have started with good intentions, but it ended in chaos. As Scripture reminds us, you will know people by their fruit. So, be cautious and discerning when dealing with people that have a word from Lord for you. Especially if that word always seems to prop that person up.
As we look at the tongue, we’ve become more aware in the last 20 years of the power of words. James was telling us this 2,000 years ago. We used to say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, words do hurt. I have never had a student take their life because of verbal abuse, but a friend of mine has had it happen at his school. Online bullying is something girls are often adept at, though boys do it too—just usually not as well. Words hurt, especially when they hit close to the mark of what you’re already thinking about yourself. They don’t leave a visible mark, like a slap or a bloody nose, but they bruise the heart and impact our self-image. Those bruises don’t heal as quickly.
When words are hurting you, you need to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–18). Read it and visualize the Holy Spirit covering you with God’s armor because we cannot stand against evil or the harmful words of others on our own. We need the help of our Lord. And forgive us when we’re the ones saying hurtful words. Really.
Paul, in his letter to the Colossians (3:19, 21), speaks specifically to men about the potential for our words to hurt those we love:“Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
Words. I think this applies to wives and mothers too, but Paul singles out men here. When we fail, we need to go to our loved ones and ask for forgiveness.
James continues by talking about the tongue. He tells us that if anyone can control their tongue, they would be perfect. Of course, we know there was only ever one perfect man—Jesus. James emphasizes that if someone could perfectly control the words that come out of their mouth, they would have complete self-control in every other area. He reminds us that while the tongue is a small part of the body, it has incredible influence on the direction of our lives. You can ruin your career by what comes out of your mouth. You can ruin your marriage, reputation, or friendships with your words—or even with a careless text message.
My father had a strict rule: no disrespecting our mother. On three occasions, I said something disrespectful, and my dad took me to my room and disciplined me. I remember one time during my mom’s “lentil phase”—she put lentils in every meal, and we hated them, including my dad. After one particularly bad lentil meal, my dad said, “Thank you for the meal, dear,” and then told my brother and me (the two who didn’t complain about the food) to get in the car. We drove to Wendy’s for hamburgers. My dad didn’t say much, but he made sure to say, “Thank you for controlling your tongue.” That lesson stuck with me.
For the tongue can praise God, share His love, and express the joy of being in relationship with Jesus. But it can also destroy and become a weapon of evil. James compares the tongue to a rudder on a ship—small, yet able to steer the entire vessel—or a bit in a horse’s mouth, which can control the direction of the horse. A small thing directs the big thing.
In Japan, forest fires aren’t common because it’s such a wet country, but in Western Canada two years ago (like in LA now), a massive forest fire started with what some think was just a discarded cigarette—a small spark. The wrong spark from your tongue can ruin your evening, your week, or even your relationships. A single offhand comment can hurt someone deeply. Questions like, “How do you like my haircut?” or “Does this dress make me look fat?” remind me of Aretha Franklin’s words:“You better think! Think about what you’re trying to say to me!”James reminds us in chapter 1: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak.” Or, in today’s context, slow to text. And lets be honest people text things that they would never say to another person’s face. It is wrong.
James also warns that the tongue can be set on fire by hell. In Luke 16:24, we see the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, in torment, cried out to Abraham, asking him to send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool his tongue. Even in torment, the rich man’s tongue was a source of anguish.
James continues by saying that animals can be tamed, but the tongue cannot. It’s a restless evil. He’s including himself in this—our tongues cannot be tamed by human effort. My first dog, Frisky, was a runner. We tried to keep him in the yard, but no matter what, he would find a way out. Our tongues are a bit like Frisky—no matter how hard we try to control them, they escape.
We can only control our tongues by asking for help—help from the Holy Spirit. Think of a car’s engine light. When it comes on, the car might seem fine, but ignoring it leads to problems. I wish I had an engine light for my mind. Actually, I do—it’s called experience. I’ve learned that when I’m tired, hungry, or overwhelmed, my tongue—my inner Frisky—is more likely to escape and do damage. Even when I’m well-rested, some people bring out the Frisky quickly.
As much as I try to control my tongue, it escapes. Experience—or my engine light—reminds me to pray. Pray for the help of the Holy Spirit because I cannot control it on my own.
We need to confess that our hurtful words are our responsibility. We must confess to the Holy Spirit, the Confessor, that we cannot change ourselves. Only God can change us.
Since James is often called the Proverbs of the New Testament, let’s consider a few verses from Proverbs about the tongue:
Proverbs 15:4: A deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 10:19: When words are many, transgression is not lacking.
I’ll leave you with a sobering reminder—not from James, but from Jesus:“On the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”
How do we control our tongues?
Think and pray before speaking.
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your words.
Consider whether your words align with the Golden Rule.
Be mindful of the maturity of the person you’re speaking to and the relationship you share.
Recognize that not every thought needs to be spoken out loud.
The tongue is small but powerful. It can bring life through encouragement, kindness, and truth—or bring destruction through carelessness, anger, and deceit. James warns us of its danger but reminds us that we are not without hope. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and reliance on God, we can grow in wisdom and self-control.
As followers of Christ, we are called to reflect His love in our words. Let us commit to speaking life, building others up, and choosing our words with care and intention. May we pray daily for God’s help to guard our tongues and use them for His glory.
In the end, our words reveal our hearts. Let our hearts be filled with God’s love so that what overflows from our mouths brings light to those around us.
Let’s pray.
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