INTRODUCTION: This is one of the lines from a little children's song that we often teach our kids and sometimes sing it during Vacation Bible School. We think of it as a "kids' song" but it is far more than that! We should be very careful what our tongue speaks! The uncontrolled tongue is especially harmful and dangerous to the body of Christ.

BODY

I. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT CONTROLLING THE TONGUE?

A. The Old Testament warns us about avoiding gossip and evil speaking.

1. Leviticus 19:16- "'You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD."

2. Psalm 50:16-20

3. Proverbs 20:19- "He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips."

B. The New Testament tells us to put away the wicked use of the tongue.

1. Ephesians 4:31- "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."

2. Titus 3:1-2 "Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2- to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men."

A. Because words rashly spoken can have serious consequences.

1. Jephthah made a rash vow with an uncontrolled tongue which caused him great grief.

a. Judges 11:30-40

2. It was because of rash speaking that King Herod ended up having John the Baptist beheaded, even though Herod did not want it done.

a. Mark 6:22-28

B. Because it will affect the lives of individuals for a lifetime.

1. James 3:6- "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell."

2. It hurts the person you are talking about, his/her family, friends, neighbors, etc. It can affect them for a lifetime.

3. Proverbs 26:20- "Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases."

C. A man who has an uncontrolled tongue brings pain and hurt upon himself.

1. Proverbs 21:23- "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles."

2. 1 Peter 3:10- "For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit."

D. It makes our religion useless in the sight of God.

1. James 1:26- "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless."

A. The Scriptures speak of the kind of person that will gossip and speak evil among God's people.

1. Titus 1:9-11 "holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. 10- for there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11- whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain."

B. Murmuring against the church and it's work is destructive to the body and earns the displeasure of Jehovah God..

1. God showed his displeasure at His people murmuring in the Old Testament.

a. Exodus 15:24- "And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?""

b. Exodus 16:2- "Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness."

c. Numbers 11:1- "Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp."

d. Numbers 14:27- ""How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me."

2. 1 Corinthians 10:10-11 "nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11- Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come."

3. Philippians 2:14-15 "Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15- that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world," 

4. Jude 1:14-16 "Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15- to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. 16- "These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage."