AWBC SERMONS OCT-DEC 2025

168 Colonial Drive, Jackson, MS 39204

Alta Woods Baptist Church

Updated October 29,2025

LIFE'S CHOICES: sPEECH - bAD OR gOOD? JAMES 3- BRO sTEVE Ja

10/26/25 TAMING THE TONGUE: James 3:1-12

An old man spread rumors about his younger neighbor stealing equipment. The young man was arrested for theft but was later released and cleared. After his release, the young man sued the older neighbor for slander and wrongful accusation. During the ensuing hearing, the old man said... they were just words; they didn’t hurt anybody. Before passing sentence, the judge said to the older man: before you leave this courtroom today, I want you to write down everything you said about this man on this piece of paper. After you write them, leave the courtroom and walk to the park across the street. Use these scissors to cut the paper into a dozen pieces and throw them up in the air. Then leave, go home, and come back tomorrow and hear my decision. Thinking this was some way to do “penance” in the judges’ eyes, the old man agreed. The next day, he came back into the courtroom ready to confirm that he had followed the judge's orders and, having learned his lesson, he would be exonerated. To his surprise, the judge said: before I pass sentence, I want you to go across the street to the park and pick up every piece of paper you threw away.... The old man said, your honor I can’t; the wind has blown them in a hundred different ways. The judge said, Sir, you are right: and so it is with your hurtful words: they have blown through the community for all to hear. They have injured this young man’s reputation and character, even though they were not true. And, once spoken, you cannot take them back. If you cannot say something good, do not say anything at all.

The tongue is powerful. It can lift up and it can tear down. It is difficult to tame. In fact, James says if anyone can control the tongue, then he is a PERFECT (fully mature) completed man. In James 3, James uses 6 dramatic, vivid word pictures to describe the power of the tongue and taming of the tongue.

Do you suffer from a case of athlete’s tongue? (it comes from sticking your foot in your mouth) Have you ever said something you wish you could have taken back? Has your tongue ever gotten you in trouble?

As we examine what James says about the tongue, I’m going to borrow a 3 point outline of Dr. Warren Wiersbe from this passage that discusses the POWER OF THE TONGUE

*POWER TO DIRECT (1-5a)

*POWER TO DESTROY (5b-8)

*POWER TO DELIGHT (9-12)

THE TONGUE HAS THE POWER TO DIRECT (1-5a)

In Verses 1-2 James is talking about teachers: this was a prestigious position: some speaking more than they know: sinning with words, not only condemning themselves, but leading others astray as well. But we all sin with words (what we speak); not just teachers: we all stumble REPEATEDLY; in fact, if you can handle the tongue (the hardest thing), you can handle the entire body; if you can control what you speak, you are perfect (fully mature), the FINISHED product.

Verse 3: ILLUSTRATION 1: A bit in a horse’s mouth: the typical roman war horse weighed 900 pounds, and a bit weighed less than a pound, yet the smaller directed the larger.

Verse 4: ILLUSTRATION 2: A rudder on a ship: even the largest ship that ever sailed,The Seawise Giant was 564,763 tons (a cargo ship); it’s rudder was 230 tons, or .04 of the weight (1/2 percent. The smaller directed the larger.

Verse 5a: in the same way, the tongue directs the body; it can move you toward success or failure; reveal you to be bitter or boastful or holy or humble. By the way, also the first hint of how to control the tongue: the bit is put in by someone apart from the horse; the rudder is directed by someone not a part of the boat.

IT COMES FROM HANDS THAT ARE WITHOUT WHAT IS MOVING.

THE TONGUE HAS THE POWER TO DESTROY (5B-8)

After establishing the tongue has the power to direct, James introduces 2 more word pictures that demonstrate how the tongue has the power to DESTROY.

Verse 5b: ILLUSTRATION 3: An out of control fire: it starts little and grows, destroying much: The Great Fire of 1910 burned 3 million acres, including parts of 10 national parks: 87 died (mostly Firefighters). One of the causes: embers/sparks from a passing locomotive in the region: small to large; OUR SPEECH CAN BE A FIRE THAT DESTROYS (Proverbs 16:27) A worthless man’s speech is like a scorching fire.

Words can burn you, hurt you.

Verse 6: Don’t miss this verse full of spiritual truth about the tongue. Evil words contribute to an evil world; one reason we have so much trouble in this world is because we have so much trouble with our tongues. Words can define and direct the entire course of our lives (yes/no/I do/I will not). The unredeemed/unrepentant tongue has a direct connection to hell itself: Gehenna: 11 by Jesus and here by James: the picture...... the point: uncontrolled speech comes from the influence of Satan himself:

WHAT DOES YOUR SPEECH SAY ABOUT WHO IS LEADING YOU AT THAT MOMENT?

Verse 7: ILLUSTRATION 4: we can tame animals: teach lions to jump through hoops,

Bears can learn to ride on bikes: America’s Got Talent winner, the dog Hurricane did unbelievable tricks.

Verse 8: here’s another hint: WE CAN’T DO IT BY OURSELVES: we cannot tame the tongue: again, that control must be outside of one’s self.

THE TONGUE HAS THE POWER TO DELIGHT (9-12)

Verse 9-10: We BLESS (eulogy: speak well) of God and curse those made in image of God. THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE.

Verse 11: ILLUSTRATION #5: A BUBBLING FOUNTAIN. A flowing spring will not have both a sweet and a bitter taste, it can’t be both fresh and salt water. This is not natural: something is very wrong.

Verse 12: ILLUSTRATION 6: A FIG CANNOT GROW ON AN OLIVE VINE. That is not natural; that is, against THEIR NATURE. It is a call to consistency: reflect your nature, because the tongue reflects the heart: “what’s in the well will come up in the bucket”.

So, what do we do?

Start with 2 hints already covered

1. It must come from without (like the bit or the rudder)

2. We cannot do it ourselves (no man can tame his tongue alone.)

DO YOU WANT TO TAME YOUR TONGUE?

FIRST CONVINCE YOURSELF THAT YOU NEED HELP

Here are some biblical descriptors of the tongue:

wicked-deceitful-filthy-blasphemous-contentious

TAKE THIS TEST: have any of these come from your mouth?

GOSSIP: Proverbs 16:28: A contrary man spreads

conflict, and a gossip separates friends.

COMPLAINING: James 5:9: Brothers, do not complain

about one another, so that you will not be judged.

DISHONESTY: Colossians 3:9: Do not lie to one another,

since you have put off the old man with his practices.

CONFESS YOUR NEED FOR HELP TO GOD AND ASK

*Psalm 141:3: LORD, SET A GUARD FOR MY MOUTH,

KEEP WATCH AT THE DOOR OF MY LIPS.

PRAY BEFORE YOU SPEAK

CONCENTRATE ON HIS WAY AND HIS WORDS

A. HIS WAY

*Philippians 4:8: Finally brothers, whatever is true,

whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever

is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,

if there is any moral excellence, and if there is any

praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS

T.H.I.N.K before you speak: ARE YOUR WORDS:

True Helpful Inspiring Necessary Kind

So, let us close with Ephesians 4:29 and commit our speaking

this week to God..... No rotten talk should come from your

mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone

in need in order to GIVE GRACE TO THOSE WHO HEAR

MAY THOSE WHO HEAR MY WORDS THIS WEEK RECEIVE GRACE

Life's choices: whicH comes first - faith or works? james 2-

10/19/25 - JAMES: BLUE JEANS THEOLOGY: #2

James 2:14-26: 3 Types of Faith

Faith is an essential element in the Christian life. Hebrews 11:6 Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Ephesians 2:8: we are saved by grace THROUGH FAITH. 2 Cor. 5:7: we are to walk by faith, not by sight (live Christian life). Romans 14:23: whatever is done APART FROM FAITH is sin. SO, YES, IT IS IMPORTANT; YES, IT IS ESSENTIAL

We TALK about faith. Keep the faith/take a leap of faith/act in good faith/faith healing/got to have a little faith.

We SING about faith - have faith in God/faith of our fathers/my faith looks up to thee

What is faith? The Oxford Dictionary describes it as complete trust and confidence in someone or something. Hebrews 11:1 says “now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” A CONFIDENT EXPECTATION.

F.A.I.T.H.: forsaking all, I trust Him

The best definition I can give concerning faith is to find the answer to this question: IS FAITH A NOUN OR A VERB? we will answer that question this morning, and, it does make an eternity of difference.

There are different kinds of faith. In today’s Scripture, James mentions 3 kinds of faith....

*DEAD FAITH 14-17

*DEMONIC FAITH 18-19

*DYNAMIC FAITH 20-26

3 KINDS OF FAITH: but ONLY 1 is what we would call SAVING FAITH, F AITH THAT SAVES OUR SOULS FROM SIN AND AN ETERNITY IN HELL (that’s how important it is to know if faith is a noun or a verb).

DEAD FAITH (14-17)

A faith that substitutes words for deeds. People with this type of faith know the right vocabulary; they can say the right words: they can give the proper “church” answers; they can even quote the right Bible verses. To them faith is a noun. They know stuff (even good stuff); you might say they know WHAT, but not WHO: they know about Jesus, but they don’t know Jesus. This is INTELLECTUAL FAITH. The problem is -this type of faith cannot save: 3 times, in verse 17, 20 and 26: James calls this a DEAD faith; WHY? because their WORKS do not equal to their WORDS. Your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks more than your talk talks.

The verdict of James: any declaration of faith that does not result in a changed life is a false, counterfeit declaration. DO WE HAVE THIS TYPE OF FAITH? Do our works match our words? Does our walk equal our talk? If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Beware the dead, intellectual faith (noun only); Warren Wiersbe said “No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same any more than he could come into contact with a 220 volt of electricity and remain the same”: HAVE YOU BEEN CHANGED? 2 Cor. 5:17

DEMONIC FAITH 18-19

Yes, even demons have a kind of faith. They believe that God exists: there are no atheists/agnostics among demons. They believe in the deity of Christ: Mark 3:11-12. They believe in the existence of a place of condemnation: Luke 8:31. They believe Jesus will be the Judge: Luke 8:28-29 but their faith is only one step further than a dead faith: it is intellectual plus emotional: a noun with an exclamation point: They still only believe things about God, about Jesus. This type of faith also CANNOT SAVE: a person can be enlightened in the mind and stirred in the heart and still be lost. You must go beyond intellect and emotion; faith is more than knowing the right stuff and feeling the right things and it is more: faith is also making the right decision: a decision that leads to a CHANGED LIFE:

-a faith that receives Jesus as Savior and reveals Jesus as Lord in the way we act

-a faith that involves the intellect, the emotions, & the WILL

-a faith that combines right thinking and right feeling with right DOING

-a faith that is a NOUN, an exclamation point, and a VERB...

and that is precisely what James describes in our final section for today.

DYNAMIC FAITH 20-26

Faith that is perfected (completed) by works: dynamic faith leads to a necessary end: what saves you? what kind of faith saves you?

2 illustrations that, on first glance, are people with nothing in common

-Abraham: faithful father of the nation

-Rahab: Gentile harlot living in a doomed city

what holds them together? FAITH THAT PRODUCED WORKS

Abraham: in his obedience in coming to point of sacrificing Issac

Rahab: in her obedience in protecting the spies and sending them out

by another way.

Picture a child in a burning house, He escapes to the top floor: he’s leaning out window with a death grip on the sill: a strong man below sees him and cries “drop, I will catch you”. That young man can agree to strength, he can cry tears of joy that someone is there, but until he decides to drop, he will not be saved.

SO WITH FAITH…INTELLECT...EMOTION....WILL: a noun, with an exclamation point, also a verb: drop into the arms of our Father.

So let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise, they won’t worry me

For I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God

He walks with me, and nought on earth can harm me

For I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God

October 12, 2025 Life's choices: suffering - apart from god'

Discover Alta Woods Baptist

10/12/25 - THE BLUE JEANS THEOLOGY OF JAMES

Chasing the Dream: James 1:1-12

We hear slogans all the time: products, people, and plans that make grand promises, but do not always deliver. If I try this, wear this, apply this, if I agree to this, then I will be a winner, more popular, richer; life will be better.

James grew up as the half brother of Jesus. During Jesus’ ministry, he and his siblings thought Jesus’ teachings were nonsense and even accused Him of being out of his mind, a madman.

But, after the crucifixion and resurrection, his attitude toward Jesus had changed; you might say his half brother had become his whole Lord.

James continued to grow in the faith, and one day, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he took a pen to paper and sent words of wisdom to believers (12 tribes) who were scattered throughout the region.

It was not an easy time to be a believer, and James wanted them to know what it should look like to follow Jesus in everyday life. He began by talking to them about the goal of life, the dream that they should chase after in life......

It’s one thing to follow a product slogan and make a purchase of that product because it promised happiness, health, fulfillment; it’s quite another to follow a life slogan, and base our life on that idea, to follow that dream because it promised health, happiness or fulfillment.... HOW TRAGIC IT WOULD BE to get to the end of life, and realize TOO LATE that the dream you were following was just a slogan that did not deliver what it

promised .

What dream are you chasing?

Are you convinced your dream will deliver what you desire?

Let’s learn from James.....

CHASING AFTER THE DREAM OF COMFORT (1-4)

What a way to start your book: my brother is God and suffering should make you smile.... WE DO NOT AGREE: we Americans are obsessed with comfort, not suffering, with the absence of pain, not the presence of trials: we want to avoid trials. WORLD’S SLOGAN: “WHERE COMFORT IS KING”: so we fill our lives with stuff that brings us comfort: from adjustable beds to heated auto seats to on demand TV: life is all about my comfort, and we chase after it.

Trying (TESTING) of your faith produces endurance

TESTING: The job of a silversmith: refining, purifying a piece of silver: bringing impurities to the top and scrape them off: that process eventually produces the beauty of silver. THIS IS WHAT GOD IS DOING WITH US - THROUGH THESE TRIALS: bringing something good from something bad “he made something beautiful of my life”

If you chase after comfort, it atrophies the muscle of maturity: you never learn the spiritual quality of ENDURANCE; we say: PAIN IS POINTLESS, and we get mad at God/Jesus when we hurt: James says PAIN HAS A PURPOSE: like working in a gym, PAIN PRODUCES: like childbirth: pain brings new life (better and stronger in quality). THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS UNPRODUCTIVE PAIN, not for the pain itself, but for the God who is in the pain with us: God’s desire is to purify you by using trials to scrape away the impurities. DON’T FOLLOW THE LIFE SLOGAN: COMFORT IS KING; IT WILL NOT DELIVER.

CHASING AFTER THE DREAM OF DESTINATION (5-8)

We lack wisdom, we don’t know to use knowledge: the art of decision making: how do I

get to where I want to go. WORLD’S SLOGAN #2: THE MOST MAGICAL PLACE ON EARTH:

where you want to be: doing what you want to do so, God, give me wisdom on how to get there. So what’s the problem? We are critical, doubting, wavering, indecisive: We have asked and God has given: BUT WHAT GOD ANSWERED IS NOT WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR: because listen: GOD WILL NOT GIVE GOOD DIRECTIONS TO BAD LOCATIONS.

My doctor tells me I need to lower my A1C: follow a low carb diet: He did not say go to State Fair and eat 5 cinnamon rolls.

The problem here is: this hypothetical man James discusses and has asked God, how do I get to the place I want (others say I need to be) instead of, God, how do I get to the place YOU want me to be? WE NEED TO TRUST GOD FOR THE RIGHT DESTINATION, and for that, He will give us wisdom and direction. DON’T FOLLOW THE LIFE SLOGAN: THE MOST MAGICAL PLACE ON EARTH; IT WILL NOT DELIVER.

CHASING AFTER THE DREAM OF STATUS (9-11)

Here James describes a rich person who withers away, a proud person who is not humble: some base their whole existence on the gathering of money and popularity, and... YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU. CHASING THE DREAM OF STATUS: world slogan #3: IMAGE IS EVERYTHING: it will not deliver, because status, material wealth, popularity has a heavenly exchange rate of 0; they may define you here, but they will not define you in eternity. Remember the warning: you cannot effectively serve God & material things. DON’T FOLLOW THE LIFE SLOGAN: IMAGE IS EVERYTHING; IT WILL NOT DELIVER.

WHAT, THEN, SHOULD WE CHASE AFTER?

WHAT IS THE DREAM THAT SHOULD DELIVER?

I’m glad you asked.....

You see: comfort is not king: Christ is King. Don’t search for a magical place on earth, but for a majestic place beyond earth. Image is not everything; belief is everything: belief not in a slogan, a fad, or an idea, but in a PERSON: the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus”...... HE IS THE DREAM THAT DELIVERS!

october 5, 2025 dr rex yancy

October 5, 2025

Dr. Rex Yancy

I hope you brought your imagination today. We are visiting II Samuel Chapter 21, the first 10 verses.

We’re taking a trip. We’re going to the airport and flying to Atlanta (even to go to heaven in the south, you must go through Atlanta). We fly across the pond to Paris, then fly to Tel Aviv in Israel. The bus is waiting to take us to the Hill of Gideon. Picture an amphitheater. We see a host of characters before us. King David – we know it’s him, he’s good looking, dressed in purple, no doubt a king known for his wisdom and wealth, without rival, unmatched in popularity. We ask why he is here. He tells us I am here because of a famine. God is responsible and he told he the reason, because Saul broke his covenant to the Gibeonites. The greatest need today is restitution, making a wrong right. This is a characteristic of a child of God, he wants us to repent. David was a great sinner but was also a great repenter. David prayed for forgiveness (Psalm 51). Because of his sin, he felt dirty though he could afford the finest baths, linens and perfumes.

A girl wrote a letter to Walmart “I stole gum from your store. I have been saved and I am sorry. Enclosed is the money for the gum.“

The greatest need in the church is for forgiveness. This past week I celebrated 60 years in the ministry. I have seen discord in many churches, people with hate in their heart that needs to be eradicated. Bitterness is a terrible sin. The longer bitterness is in your life, the longer it takes to get rid of it. We need to forgive each other. By being bitter, you have done more to Jesus than anyone can do to you.

At a revival, a number of people were saved, even in the parking lot. Two men, both deacons, once friends, had been on the outs with one another for years. They met at the front during that revival and got right with each other and eventually fished together again. We need to be able to work things out. It affects our family, our life and our prayers. Do you need to forgive someone? Leave your gift at the altar go and make amends.

Back to the amphitheater, seven men impaled on sticks, dead. We ask “what did they do to deserve such a punishment? The answer “they are not there because of something they did but something their grandfather did.

At one time Saul got too big for his britches, became proud. A man at that same revival in Atlanta came forth and said I just received my doctorate and got too proud. I ask God to forgive me. We are hindered by pride. Kids today are on drugs, alcohol, involved in casual sex. They learn from their parents. Most families today are dysfunctional, divided. Your testimony goes on after you die. Children follow patterns. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Daddy had a little boy.

His soul was white as snow;

He never went to Sunday school

‘Cause Daddy wouldn’t go.

He never heard the word of God,

That thrills the childish mind.

While other children went to class

This child was left behind.

As he grew from babe to youth,

Dad saw to his dismay,

A soul that once was snowy white,

Became a dingy gray.

Realizing the son was lost,

Dad tried to win him back.

But now the soul that once was white,

Had turned an ugly black.

Dad even started back to church,

And Bible study too.

He begged the preacher,

Isn’t there a thing that you can do?

The preacher tried, but failed and said,

We’re just too far behind.

I tried to tell you years ago,

But you would pay no mind.

And so another soul is lost,

That once was white as snow,

And Sunday school would have helped

But Daddy wouldn’t go.

At the amphitheater is a little old lady. You’re out of place. You shouldn’t be here. She said, that boy there, and that one – they are mine. I will not leave this place until the winds rattle their bones. I will ward off the birds and the beasts. She stayed there for three months. She loved those boys. Not far away, on the hill of Calvary, Jesus could have called angels to deliver him but he committed to taste death for every man. What love!

So we fly back from Tel Aviv to Frankfurt, then to Atlanta and finally Jackson, back to this sanctuary. If someone, a thousand years from now, asked us to relive this service, would you say you were there for restitution? Is there someone you need to forgive? Someone I wanted to be an example for because I love the Lord.