Worship – July 2, 2017 – 4th Sunday after Pentecost

²⁰ A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

²² He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.

²³ The poor man uses entreaties,
But the rich answers roughly.

²⁴ A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

James 3:1-14  (New King James Version)

The Untamable Tongue

3 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. ² For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. ³ Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 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. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

Holy Communion:
Holy Communion is celebrated the first Sunday of every month.

Coffee & Discussion:
9:00 – 9:45 AM – in the Parish Hall Upper Level.  Our current topic is a study of Paul

Sunday School:
10:00 – 11:00 AM – in the Parish Hall Lower Level.  A Children’s Church program is available weekly on Sunday mornings.

Nursery Ministry:
10:00 – 11:00 AM – in the Parish Hall Lower Level.  Available every Sunday morning during the worship service.

Sunday Morning Worship:
10:00 AM – in the Sanctuary.  Join us today for Pastor Joe Vasarhelyi’s sermon “Power of the Tongue.”