TEXT:  James 3:1-10

INTRODUCTION:

A.      FAILURE TO CONTROL TONGUE WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT.

          1.       The lied, swore, gossiped, etc.

          2.       The same mouths praised God.

          3.       Were these people Christians?

B.      OF COURSE:  "THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT SO TO BE."

I.      OTHER INSTANCES WHERE THIS STATEMENT APPLIED.

A.      CORINTH AND ITS DIVISION( 1 Cor. 1:10-17 ).

          1.       The cause:  carnality( 1 Cor. 3:1-4 ).

          2.       How ought things to be( Eph. 4:1-3 ).

          3.       We who have been baptized are one in Jesus( Gal. 3:28 ).

B.      THE FORNICATOR IN CORINTH( 1 Cor. 5:1-2 ).  SOLUTION( vs. 9-13 ).

C.      CORINTH AND THE LORD'S SUPPER( 11:17-22;  vs. 33-34 ).

D.      GALATIA & JUDAISM( Gal. 1:6-7;  3:1;  4:8-11;  5:1-2 )

E.      EPHESUS & FALSE TEACHERS( 2 Tim. 4:3-4 ).

          1.       The effect of false teachers( 1 Tim. 1:19-20;  2 Tim. 2:16-18 ).

          2.       How things ought to be( 2 Tim. 1:13-14;  2:1-2 ).

          3.       What should be done?( 2 Tim. 4:1-3;  Jude 3 ).

F.      LACK OF GROWTH IN THE HEBREWS( Heb. 5:11-14;  6:1-3;  2 Tim. 2:15 ).

II.     TODAY WHERE THINGS AREN'T AS THEY OUGHT TO BE.

A.      MANY WORLDLY MINDED( Col. 3:1-2;  1 John 2:15-17 ).

B.      LITTLE ZEAL( Acts 5:41-42;  Acts 17:11;  Heb. 6:11-12 ).

C.      MANY ARE FACTIOUS( Titus 3:10;  Phil. 2:3-4 ).

D.      TOO MANY SERVE OTHER MASTERS( Matt. 6:24;  6:33 ).

E.      MANY ARE DISRESPECTFUL TO GOD DURING WORSHIP.

          1.       Contrast then and now( Neh. 8 ).

          2.       Not the Jews response( vs. 13-15, 17 ).

          3.       We need the same reverence( Heb. 12:28-29 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      ANYTHING THAT WOULD HINDER SERVICE WE WOULD GIVE UP.

B.      THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS OUR SOUL( Matt. 16:25 ).

C.      WHAT COULD BE WORTH SACRIFICING THAT?