Life and Death Are in the Power of the Tongue
Pastor Tan Thai · Jul 24, 2022
This sermon explores the immense power of words based on Proverbs 18:21 and James 3. The tongue possesses three key powers: to control, to destroy, and to nourish, and every believer bears responsibility before God to use speech wisely.
This sermon was preached at Albuquerque Vietnamese Baptist Church on July 24, 2022, with Proverbs 18:21 as its foundation: "Life and death are in the power of the tongue." The introduction draws on Vietnamese proverbs and world quotations — from Confucius, Pascal, Pythagoras, and Nguyễn Trãi — to highlight the profound impact of words on individuals, families, and society at large, establishing that the tongue's influence is both ancient wisdom and urgent biblical truth.
The message is structured around three powers of the tongue, illustrated through six images drawn from James 3. The first power is control: just as a small bit controls a horse and a small rudder steers a large ship, the tongue — though small — has the capacity to govern the whole person. The second power is destruction: James 3:5–8 compares the tongue to a small spark that can set an entire forest ablaze, declaring that no human being can tame it because it is full of deadly poison. Proverbs 6:16–20 lists a lying tongue and a false witness among the seven things the Lord hates.
The third power is nourishment: James 3:11–12 uses the image of a spring to show that a single mouth cannot produce both fresh and bitter water. Proverbs 10:11 and 18:4 emphasize that the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, and wise words are like medicine that brings healing. Ephesians 4:29 calls believers to speak only what is good and beneficial to those who listen.
The theological foundation of the sermon rests on the connection between the heart and speech. Matthew 12:34–37 teaches that the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart, and that on the day of judgment every person will give account for every careless word spoken. James 1:26 warns that anyone who does not control the tongue deceives himself, and his religion is worthless. Hebrews 11:3 and John 1:1–4 remind listeners that God Himself spoke the universe into existence through the Word, underscoring the sacred power of language.
The sermon closes with a practical call to action: every believer should pray as in Psalm 141:3–4, asking God to guard their mouth and keep watch over the door of their lips. The tongue cannot be tamed by human effort alone; it requires inward sanctification by the Holy Spirit so that speech reflects a renewed heart and brings life rather than death to those around us.