Access Church Pastor Jason Burns

The Tongue
We would use God’s wisdom to govern the words spoken from the tongue.
BIBLE
FORD
KISS
THE

Luke 6:45  //  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Proverbs 4:23  //  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Matthew 15:11 (NLT)  //  “It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”


4 Powers of the Tongue
The Power to Condemn

James 3:1-2  //  Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, and able to keep their whole body in check.
Matthew 12:36-37  //  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”


The tongue has condemning power
The solution: consider it an honor to teach doing it with reverence and respect.
The Power to Control

James 3:2-5  //  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.




The tongue has controlling power.
The solution: learn to shut our mouths.



Proverbs 13:3 (NLT)  //  Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.


“even a fish wouldn't get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut.”
The Power to Corrupt

James 3:5-8  //  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 tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.


The tongue has corrupting power
The solution: Let the Lord guard your mouth

Psalm 141:3  //  Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.


The Power to Contradict

James 3:9-12  //  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.


The tongue has contradicting power
The solution: Use my words to praise, encourage, lift, inspire, advise, guide, love, comfort, bless, and affirm.
Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?
“Heavenly Father, today, allow me to say some worthwhile stuff. But I ask that you nudge me when I’ve said enough. Amen."

“I’m kind of a genius.”

James 1:19-22  //  My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.


Most Christians are hypocrites.
“84% of non-Christians say they know a Christian personally, yet only 15% say the lifestyles of those believers are noticeably different in a good way.” - David Kinnaman
900
Which one is best?
The one you obey.
Teleios - Mature, Perfected, Complete

James 2:14-17  //  What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.


The Bible knows nothing of a fruitless faith.
Faith & Works
FAITH: Belief in action

Abel brought an offering
Noah built an ark
Abraham left his home and offered up Isaac
Sarah trusted God
Jacob blessed his grandsons
Joseph instructed about his burial
Moses chose to be mistreated
Rahab welcomed the spies


WORKS: Literally deeds
3 TYPES OF FAITH:

1. Dead Faith



James 2:15-17  //  Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.




2. Demon Faith




James 2:18-19  //  But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.



3. Dynamic Faith



James 2:20-26  //  You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Grow the church.
Grow you.
Who is the author?

James
Camel Knees


Who is the audience?

Jewish Christians


What is the purpose?

Encouragement


What is the central message?

Faith in Action


Truths of Trouble
Trouble comes to everyone
Trouble can be unpredictable
Trouble hurts
Rejoice in Trouble

James 1:1-2  //  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…


Trials are problems with a purpose
Joy is the key to facing the trials of this life.
Outlook determines outcome
Respond to the Testing

James 1:3-4  //  …because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.


Faith is tested through trials, not produced.
Hupomone - active endurance
Our response to the testing is critical to the outcome of the testing.
Request Truth from God

James 1:5  //  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.


“Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing whether to say it or not.”
“Knowledge is the ability to take something apart. Wisdom is the ability to put it back together.”
If we request God’s help, He will come through.
Receive and Do What God Says

James 1:22  //  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Philippians 2:15-16  //  …Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.


Joy is the gigantic secret of the Christian. G.K. Chesterton
Joy vs Happiness
Joy makes a follower of Jesus uncommon.
How do I Live With Uncommon Joy?
Joy’s Importance

Psalm 51:12-13  //  “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.”
John 15:11  //  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.


Joy is important to us because Jesus proclaimed and possessed it. It points to my salvation
It’s evidence of God’s spirit
It’ll get me through some stuff
Joy’s Improvement
My work is different

Hebrews 12:2b  //  …For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


My worship is different

Psalm 100:1-5 //  Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.


My witness is different
“I would believe in their salvation if they looked a little more like people who have been saved.”
My well-being is different

Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)  //  A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 15:13 (NLT)  //  A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.


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3-5
Joy’s Invitation
The presence of God

Psalm 16:11  //  You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand, there are pleasures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:27  //  Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy are in His place.


The Word of God

Nehemiah 8:10  //  Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Uncommon Worship
What do I do with my worry?

2 Chronicles 1:1-4, 15  //  After that, the Moabites, Ammonites and some Meunites went to war against Jehoshaphat. 2 Some people came and told him, “A huge army is coming from Edom to fight against you. They have come across the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazezon Tamar.” Hazezon Tamar is also called En Gedi. 3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed. So he decided to ask the Lord for advice. He told all the people of Judah to go without eating. 4 The people came together to ask the Lord for help. In fact, they came from every town in Judah to pray to him.
15 Jahaziel said, “King Jehoshaphat, listen! All you who live in Judah and Jerusalem, listen! The Lord says to you, ‘Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope because of this huge army. The battle is not yours. It is God’s.”

When you turn your worry into worship, God will turn your battles into blessings.
We all worship something.
Worship is our response to what we value most.
Weird
Theology
Practical
Worship
Lucifer - Worship
Michael - Prayer
Gabriel - Word
Percussion
Strings
Wind
We were made to worship.

Luke 19:37-40  //  When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”


We have a way to worship that we think God likes, but the Bible didn’t describe it like that, traditions did.
Halel – to rave, boast, celebrate.

Psalm 35:18 (NLT)  //  I will thank you in front of the great assembly. I will praise you before all the people.


Yadah – to acknowledge in public.

Psalm 138:1  //  I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart.


Barak – to bless by kneeling or bowing.

Psalm 103:1  //  Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.


 Zamar – making music to God with strings.

Psalm 92:1  //  It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High.


Shabach – to address in a loud tone, to shout.

Psalm 63:3-4  //  Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.


Towdah – to lift hands in adoration.

Psalm 50:23  //  He who offers praise glorifies me: and to him that orders his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.


Tehilah – exuberant singing.

Psalm 34:1  //  I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
Psalm 108:1, 3 // O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise (zamar), even with my glory... I will praise (yadah) Thee, O Lord among the people. And I will sing praises (tehillah) unto Thee among the nations.
Mark 12:30 // Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.


All your heart and soul”
Expressing my affection to God. What do I love most?
“All your mind”
Focus my attention on God. What do I think about most?
“All your strength”
Use my abilities for God. What do I do most?

Philippians 2:15, 16 (NIV)  //  So that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky  as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
John 13:35 (NIV)  //  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.


You before me.

1 John 4:7,8  //  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.


If we don’t LOVE, we don’t know God.
Three Characteristics of Uncommon Love

Uncommon Love is Selfless



Luke 6:27, 28 (NIV)  //  But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.


Uncommon love is serving others daily

John 3:17 (NIV)  //  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.


Uncommon love doesn’t seek recognition, it seeks to bless others.

Uncommon Love is String-Free



John 15:13 (NIV)  //  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.


agapē

Uncommon Love is Sacrificial



John 3:16 (NIV)  //  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.


Worldly love wants to be SATISFIED, God’s love asks us to SACRIFICE.