Bible Text: James 3:1-12 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri | Series: Sunday Morning Worship | Intro: You and I have seen the unfortunate results of gossip, lies, and innuendos. Many good people have had their live impacted or ruined by the evil use of the tongue. Reputations are damaged, families can be destroyed, and the course of a life can be changed for good.

You may have hear the saying, “Loose lips sink ships”.

Loose lips sink ships is an American English idiom meaning “beware of unguarded talk”. The phrase originated on propaganda posters during World War II.[3] The phrase was created by the War Advertising Council[4] and used on posters by the United States Office of War Information.[3]

This type of poster was part of a general campaign of American propaganda during World War II to advise servicemen and other citizens to avoid careless talk that might undermine the war effort. There were many similar such slogans, but “Loose lips sink ships” remained in the American idiom for the remainder of the century and into the next, usually as an admonition to avoid careless talk in general.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loose_lips_sink_ships#cite_note-pp-3

Words are powerful. They can be use to destroy or they can be used to build up. You and I need our tongues to say words. The tongue is one of the smallest members of the human body. It can be the most powerful.

James warns us in this passage that no one can tame our tongues except by the power of God.

1. Teachers, Beware of an Untamed Tongue v. 1
1. Teach the full counsel of God
2. Be edifying
3. Be encouraging
4. Don’t engage or encourage gossip
5. A teacher’s life should match what he/she teaches
6. A teacher ought to be a life long learner
1. Illust: “The secret of a governable tongue is not self-control, but Christ-control.” G.S.
2. Congregation, Beware of an Untamed Tongue v. 3-12
1. Power to give direction v. 3-4
1. Direct towards the holiness and grace of the gospel
2. Direct towards 1 Timothy 3:18
2. Power to destroy  v. 5-8
1. Illust: “There is only one thing as difficult as unscrambling an egg, and that’s unspreading a rumor.” G.S.
1. Destroy a person’s reputation
2. Destroy a family
3. Destroy a Bible study
4. Destroy the church
3. Only God can tame our tongues v. 9-12
1. Being informed by the Word
2. Being empowered by the Holy Spirit
3. Being motivated by the love of Jesus Christ
4. Only Christ can control our tongues

Closing: Applications: gossip, bitterness. anger, revenge, jealously, etc.
Gossip
Rumor
Innuendo
Slander
Intentional lies
All motivated by power, pride, inferiority complex, spiritual and emotional immaturity, jealously, envy, your agenda being blocked…