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Bro. Bill Nichols
This morning we're going to, are we ready? This morning we're going to be in James chapter three, and we're going to look at verses one through 12. I'm going to read those first, and then we'll begin.
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If a man offend not in the word, the same is a perfect man and is able to bridle the whole body.
Behold, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn about their bodies. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
Even so, the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. The tongue is a fire, a whirl of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell.
For every kind of beast, and of birds, and of serpents, and things of the earth, is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind. But the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith, bless we God, even the Father, and therewith we curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
And out of the same mouth receiveth blessings and cursings. Brethren, these things ought not be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can a vine tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, either a vine, figs?
So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Let us pray. Most gracious heavenly Father, as we meet together again by the virtue of the internet, able to reach out and touch people, even though we are not at the same place in time.
We are in space, but we are in the same place in time. We are in the same place with God. And we thank you, God, for giving us the technology and the ability to do those things. But most of all, we thank you for your son, that you sent to deliver us from our sins.
And for the holy spirit that you sent to indwell us, to help us as we study your holy word. And also we thank you for the word itself. Bless us and keep us and go through all of the services today. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
So we're now at the sixth test, the test of the unruly, the test of the unruly tongue. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. Now the word that's translated in this case as masters, actually refers to teachers, or it can refer to preachers in their role as teachers.
Of course, we know that preachers have many more roles than teaching, but teaching is one of the roles of a preacher. And if a preacher is referred to in his role as a teacher, then he is the same word that's translated here as master, is transferred, I'm sorry, is translated as preacher.
So it can be translated as masters. It actually refers to teachers or preachers in the role of teachers. Now, both Nicodemus and Jesus uses this word in the Gospel of John. In fact, I looked it up and there are 58 times that this word is used in the New Testament.
Sometimes in most of the Gospels, it's almost always refers to as a master, translated as master. In one case, it's teacher, but in most of the rest of the New Testament, it's translated as teacher. 58 times in the New Testament, according to the blue letter Bible reference that I did.
Okay, so we're gonna look at Nicodemus and at Jesus, and we're gonna go to John chapter three, maybe the most famous chapter in the book. And we're gonna start at verse one. And we're gonna get James using, not James, but Nicodemus using this word.
Now, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God. That word that was translated is didacolos.
That's the word that is translated here as a teacher. We know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him. Now, if you'll go down a few verses in John chapter three to verse nine, we'll get Nicodemus responding to something that Jesus said and then Jesus answering him.
Nicodemus answered and said it to him. How can these things be? He has been asked to be born again, and he doesn't quite understand that. How can these things be? Jesus answered and said it unto him, thou art a master of Israel and knoweth not these things.
That was the same word, didacolos, the same as was translated teacher earlier in John two. In John two, the word is translated as teacher. In John 10, the exact same word is translated as master. So what we're doing is we're talking about teachers.
Now, with the privilege of teaching or preaching, comes the responsibility of knowing what the scripture says about what is being taught. James 3 .1 is not intended to discourage teaching, but to ensure correct teaching.
The problem arises when a teacher purposely leaves the scripture and attempts to teach a message of his own making. Now, Jesus' half-brother, Jude, speaks of that peril in the small book that he wrote, Jude.
So small that it is not even, doesn't have chapters, it just has verses. So if you'll go to Jude 3, we'll pick it up and I will start reading that to you, keeping in mind what he is dealing with. Teachers purposely leaving what the scripture says and attempting a message of their own.
Jude 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
For there were certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men. What's Jude speaking of here? He's speaking of false teachers, turning the grace of our God into the seriousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Then going down a little bit further in Jude to Jude 8. Likewise, all these filthy dreamers, he's still talking about the false teachers, defile the flesh, despise dominion and speak evil of dignities.
Picking up at Jude 10, but these speak evil. Who are these? These are the false teachers. These speak evil of things which they know not, but what they know naturally as brute beast. In those things, they corrupt themselves.
Woe unto them. Woe unto whom? Woe unto the false teachers. For they have gone the way of Cain and ran greedily after the heir of Balaam for reward. They're doing what they are doing for profit and perished in the gang saying of Thor.
These are spots in your feast of charity when they feast with you. Feeding themselves without fear, clouds they are without water, carried about of winds. Trees whose fruits withereth without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame, wandering stars.
To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever? And then further on down in Jude, Jude 16, still the false teachers. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lust and their mouths speak of great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
But beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken of before the apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ. How that they told you that there should be walkers in the last times who should walk after their own ungodly lust.
These be they who separate themselves sensually having not the spirit. Well, that is daunting enough, but it should not be enough to frighten away a truly called teacher. It should be enough to frighten away false teachers, but apparently it's not.
In fact, what were we told? There would be walkers in the last day who will separate themselves, not having the spirit. So Jude goes on to encourage the truly called teacher. Jude 20, it's gonna be a change of pace now.
It's no longer going to be reserved, a place for them reserved in the darkness of hell forever. But an encouragement to the truly called teacher, Jude 20, but ye beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Keep yourself in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude doesn't say that here, but that eternal life is eternal life spent with Jesus in heaven. And that is a wonderful thing to be looking forward to.
So what's the true called teacher to do? Of some, some of the ones you're teaching have compassion, making a difference. Of others, save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Now to him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power.
Both now and forever, amen. And that concludes the little small book of Jude, dealing with primarily false teachers, but with this little addendum on the end that says, but ye beloved, you're not false teachers.
You are true teachers. Do what the Lord calls you to do. Well, there's also a warning not to shirk your calling. And I went to two places for this, both of them in Ezekiel. So if you'll take a second to turn to Ezekiel three, we'll pick it up at verse 17.
Ezekiel three, verse 17. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel. Now, Ezekiel is the son of man he's talking about. And I is God. God's saying to Ezekiel, I have made thee a watchman.
Therefore, hear the word at my mouth. I made you a watchman, you listen to what I say and then do what I tell you to do. I'll start again. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel.
Therefore, hear the voice at my mouth and give them warning from me. Ezekiel didn't choose to be the watchman. God chose him to be the watchman. Now, is this God speaking to Ezekiel? When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life.
That same wicked man shall die in his iniquity. But his blood I will require at thine hand. So, Ezekiel is given a warning. I'm gonna tell you something and you're gonna tell it to the people. And if I tell them I'm gonna do something bad, you tell them that, don't fail in your duty.
You're not responsible for what they do. You're only responsible to tell them. Yet if thou warned the wicked and he turned not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, just the same as before.
But thou hast delivered thy soul. So, if God gives them a warning and you transfer that warning, translate that warning to them, and they fail to obey it, they will bear the price of their iniquity, but you will have delivered your own soul.
You won't bear responsibility. And then in Hebrews, I went to Hebrews because this is a verse that has haunted me for a long time. And it has to do with those that have watch over our souls. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 17.
Hebrews chapter 13, verse 17. Obey them that have rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls as they must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you.
Now, the question has always haunted me about this particular scripture in Hebrews. To whom must we submit ourselves? It became more clear to me when we went through Hebrews a couple of months ago that this is not just talking about anybody that claims to be our ruler.
Are we being told to submit to all that claim to have rule over us? Well, the answer to that question is no. Not to all who claim to be our leaders, but to whom? To those who, to whom, to those who watch for our souls.
I'm gonna read that again. Not to everybody that claims to be our ruler, but only to those who watch for our souls. So, does that mean that everybody that claims to be an authority over you is an authority over you?
And is that who you're to submit to? Well, the answer is you submit to those teachers and pastors in the church that have authority over you, have to have been appointed watchman for you, that have to answer for your being delivered the message.
And your job is to submit to those people, not to submit to everybody that claims to be your ruler. Okay, to sum up the thought, when one is considering being a teacher or a preacher, he should take into account all of the consequences as well as all of the rewards.
Well, that does it for verse one of James. And if we do the rest of James with the same pace that we did that part, we'll not get through until next week, but we won't. I'm gonna reread the first verse again just to put us back in James, back in context.
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in the word, the same is a perfect man and is able to bridle the whole body.
I thought I'd go to John MacArthur and get his take on that. A perfect means, actually perfect may refer to true perfection. And if that's the case, what James is saying is that hypothetically, if a human being were able to perfectly control his time, he would be a perfect man.
Well, that's a simple enough task, isn't it? Don't ever make a mistake in what you say. Always say what you mean to say. Always say it with humility and kindness. Always say it hoping to build up and never to tear down.
No, none of us is able to do that. MacArthur continues. But of course, no one is actually immune to sinning with his time. More likely, perfect is describing those who are spiritually mature and thus able to control their tongues.
And he didn't say that, but I'm gonna add to this statement. The only way even the spiritually mature Christian can control his time is to rely on the power of God to help him do it. Because if you stray for an instant, you are in the territory where you very well can and will sin with your time.
Okay, on to verse three. Behold, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Now, I guess everybody here knows what a bit is. This is Texas, after all, and we all have horses.
And we know that if you wanna ride your horse, you just don't hop on his back and start riding. You put the bridle and the bit in his mouth, and then you have a way of controlling him. We don't control just the bit.
We don't just control the reins. We control the whole body, the bit. Something very small and seemingly insignificant has the ability to control the behavior of the entire horse. Now, some of you know that if you've got a particular ornery horse, it can take the bit in its mouth, clamp down on it, and no longer respond as you wish.
And then what you have is a bucking bronco, which I've had one of those too. But normally the bit, something very small and seemingly insignificant has the ability to control the behavior of the horse.
Verse four, behold also the ships, though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small helm, for this soever the governor listeth. He's talking about the ships of his day, and the ships of his day were smaller, but the helms were smaller too.
Now we're talking about things as big as aircraft carriers. And even a ship that big is controlled by the helm. The helm is very small compared to the size of the boat, even smaller with comparison to the boat than the bit is with comparison to the horse.
And yet the helm controls the entire ship. So now James is gonna go on and relate, connect the tongue to the two things he just mentioned, the helm and the bit. Even so, the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things.
Behold, how great a matter a little flame kindleth. James tells us that the tongue, even though small has the power to control one's whole person and influence everything in his life, just like a tiny match has within itself the capacity to destroy an entire forest.
So like the match, choose well how you use your tongue. The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of hell.
I went back to MacArthur to get his take on this. And here's what he said. Like fire, the tongue's sinful word can spread destruction rapidly or as it's accompanied smoke, these words can permeate and ruin everything around it to defile everything.
That means to pollute or contaminate. But what really pollutes and contaminates a man? Not what comes out of his mouth, but what goes into his heart. Mark chapter seven, verse 20, Jesus says this. That which cometh out of the man defileth the man.
For within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts, adulterers, fornications, murderers, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile man and come out of man via the tongue, by his mouth, by what he says and does.
Now, the course of nature, MacArthur said, would be better translated the circle of life. This underscores that the tongue's evil can extend beyond the individual to affect everything in his sphere of influence.
And there's one other wording in this that I don't think needs to be explained, but MacArthur explains it anyhow. Hell is a translation of the Greek word Gehenna, or the Valley of Hinnom. In Christ's time, this valley lay at the southwest exterior of Jerusalem walls and served as the city dump and was known for its constantly burning fire.
Jesus used this place to symbolize the eternal place of punishment and torment. Now, this part is why I put this in. To James, hell conjures up not just the place, but also the satanic horde that will sometimes inherit it.
Why? Because they used the tongue as a tool for evil. How would he use our tongue? Our tongue is to be used as a tool for good. But the demonics, the satanic hosts, the false teachers, all use the tongue as a tool for evil.
Let's go on. Verse seven. For every kind of beast, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea is tamed and has been tamed of mankind. Okay, all that's saying is man can tame many things. But one thing he can't tame, verse eight.
But the tongue no man can tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. So men can tame many things, but no man can tame his own tongue. Only God, by his power, can tame that and do that. Only he, by his power, can help you to tame your tongue.
Or at least bring it into submission. At least to control it. Verse nine. Therewith we bless God, even the father. And therewith we curse men, which are made after the similitude of God. What's he saying?
The same tongue that we use to bless God, even God the father, is the same tongue that we curse men, which are made in the similitude of God. So as a result, the same mouth that blesses God curses men.
And these men are men that are created in the image of God. Verse 10. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessings and curses. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain yield both salt water and fresh. Then I went to Matthew Henry and looked at his take on this passage.
And here's what he said. We're taught to think of the use that we make of our tongues in religion and in the service of God, and by such a consideration, to keep it from cursing, censuring, and in everything that is evil on other occasions.
So the scripture teaches us how to make use of our tongue in religion and service of God, keep from cursing, censuring, and every other thing that's evil. He took that from verse nine, which I just read.
Therefore, bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessings and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not be.
He then goes on to say, Henry does, how absurd is it that those who use their tongues in prayer and praise should ever use them in cursing, slandering, and the like. If we bless God as our Father, it should teach us to speak well of and kindly to all who bear his image.
That tongue which addresses with reverence the divine being cannot, without greatest inconsistency, turn upon fellow creatures with reviling, brawling language. It is said of the seraphim that praise God, they dare not bring relling accusations.
And for men to reproach those who not only have the image of God in their natural facilities, but are renewed after the image of God by the grace of the gospel, this is a most shameful contradiction to all their pretenses of honoring the great original.
He said, these things ought not be. And if such considerations were always at hand, surely they would not be. Piety is disgraced in all the shows of it if there is not charity. That tongue confutes itself which one while pretends to adore the perfection of God and refers all things to him.
And another while will condemn even good men if they do not just come up to the same words or expressions used by it. I'm gonna do that a little bit more in my language. The tongue contradicts itself if on the one hand, it pretends to adore and praise the perfections of God and refer all things to him.
And at the same time, that same tongue is used to condemn even good men if they do not come up to exactly the same words and expressions used by the first time. Further, to fix this thought, the apostle shows that contrary effects from the same causes are monstrous and not to be found in nature and therefore cannot be consistent with the grace.
When did you say that? Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, either a vine figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
True religion will not admit of contradictions and a truly religious man can never allow them either in his words or his actions. How many sins would this prevent and recover men from to put them upon always being consistent with themselves?
And that was Matthew Henry's take on this passage. And I gave you my take and a little bit of Dr. MacArthur's take. That's all I have for this morning. We'll do the next part of chapter 13 of James, chapter three of James later from verse 13 on.
But for now, are there any questions or comments?
Not that I see just yet, Brother Bill. We can give everyone a couple of minutes if they do have something they'd like to throw in there. Let's see here. Let me just double check one quick thing. Let's see here.
I don't appear to see any questions. I will say this, Brother Bill, it's kind of neat because I've been enjoying, obviously, you going through James, but what's neat about it, or what I've been thinking about lately is the very first time I ever went, or at least took part in like a verse-by-verse study through James, I was around, I wanna say 12 or 13, can't remember, but it was at school at Park Meadows when Clarence was doing it as part of his morning devotion.
And Brother Nichols, he very often referenced James in a lot of his devos throughout the time he was there for my schooling and things like that. But I specifically remember an in-depth verse-by-verse study for kind of the middle school through high school groups.
And yeah, I always remember that. And so it's been neat going back verse-by-verse through it with you now, kind of remembering that first time. I still even have notes from some of our devos going back to like the fifth grade at Park Meadows, of course, between Clarence, Diane, and Ms. Thurston.
And for those of you who don't know, Clarence is Bill's brother. And for the majority of time that I was going to our church school, Park Meadows, he was the one running it. And so he and Diane, and again, Mrs. Thurston, and even Brother Bill, he came back on the picture toward the end of my schooling quite a bit.
But even in the early years, he would come by from time to time. And I don't know, those are awesome memories. So I'm enjoying it for sure, Brother Bill, and appreciate you putting in obviously the study and everything that you do for the Sunday school lessons you bring us.
And I guess really this message was more for me and probably for Brother Dave, and for everyone, even for you too, because every one of us at some point in time is a teacher to someone. And we will either teach them good things or we'll teach them bad things.
And it is so much that we need to always keep in mind what we are teaching. And that's one of the reasons why we do champions. Keeping in mind all the things that we really want to do, we need to do. I love it.
And it's been fantastic, Brother Bill. Really appreciate it. I don't see any other questions. Of course, we have several people saying thank you and showing their appreciation for your studies as well.
So yeah, Brother Bill, I think we're good to go for Sunday school. Feel free to close us out and then I'll stop the recording and we'll take a little break before the main service.
Okay, thank you. Most gracious heavenly Father, thank you for the stay and thank you for all our many blessings. Thank you for giving us the entire scripture to read. And we know that everything that is written in the scripture is written for our benefit because we might learn things from it.
And the book of James is no exception. Bless us and keep us and go through all the services today. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.