Finding Hope in Faithful Stewardship

Stewardship of the TongueJames 3:1-12

Quick Review:Stewardship = God-given

responsibility with accountability!

Q. What are the 4 Factors in Stewardship? [Matthew 25]

#1: God Owns Everything, and I Own Nothing.

#2: God Entrusts Me with Everything I Have.

#3: I Am Responsible to Increase What God Has Given to Me. I May Increase It or Diminish It.

#4: God Can Call Me into Account at Any Time.

There is an incredible amount of “intrinsic power” in the tongue. Proverbs 18:21 Death and life

are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 28:23 He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue.

Jesus ‘connected’ the tongue to the heart!Matthew 15:18 But the things

that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.

Three principles that will help us to be good stewards of our TONGUE:

#1: Remember that Controlling the Tongue Is a True Test of One’s Spirituality!

James 1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.

Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

A.Pressure doesn’t MAKE you, it REVEALS you so that you can then change and grow!

B.Be careful about following those who do not control their tongues!

C.Let’s ask some questions:

#2: Recognize the Destructive Uses of the Tongue!

James 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

A.Gossip“gossip” = 1)Speaking to someone about an

issue of which they are neither part of the problem nor a part of the solution!

2)Saying things about someone behind their back that you would never say to their face

3)Discussing details about a problem with a person without FIRST going to the person with whom you had the problem

Proverbs 18:8 The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

B.Criticism/Cutting Others DownJames 4:11 Do not speak against

one another, brethren (lit. “do not speak down on one another). He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it.

Quote: There are many sinful reasons why brothers/sisters in Christ talk down one another. Revenge over some slight, real or imagined, may be the motivation of “Christian” slander. Others imagine that their spirituality and sensitivity equips them to pull others from their pedestals and unmask their hypocrisies. Gideon once righteously cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”, and we may do the same, but in our case it is too often a sword of self-righteousness.

C.Complaining (unthankful)Input: What do we have to be

thankful for today? 1 Timothy 6:8 If we have food

and covering, with these we shall be content.

#3: Replace the Destructive Tongue with a Disciplined Tongue

James 3:10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

A.Stewardship of proclaiming the Gospel!

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!”

2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Matthew 9:36 And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd.

B.Stewardship of the power of progressive sanctification

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

1 Timothy 4:7 . . . discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.

C.Stewardship of the ability to comfort

2 Corinthians 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.

D.Stewardship of the ability to worshipHebrews 13:15 Through Him

then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

Conclusion:1. What do you need to ‘put-off’

regarding your tongue, and what do you need to ‘put on’ to be a better steward of your tongue?

2. Here’s what Jesus said about the 4th principle of stewardship and the tongue:Matthew 12:36 "But I tell you

that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”