Dangers of the Tongue & Riches 

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:2

Memory Verse: "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8).

Introduction: An elderly gentleman recently related that when he was a young man he was, on one occasion , out camping with a party. They were mostly young fellows, but one or two were middle-aged men.
  One evening as they sat around the fire, a story that one of the older men told suggested to my friend a vulgar comment, to which he gave utterance before he thought twice. He could have bitten his tongue off the next instant. The older man simply looked straight at him for a moment across the fire, and he knew that he was judged by that remark.
  After a year or two had passed the young man's name was mentioned for a position which was very desirable and which he seemed likely to secure, but the man who had been disgusted at his vulgar comment was one of the three to decide it, and at his suggestion the young man was defeated.
  He afterward found other work and made a fair success of life, but he regretted as long as he lived giving utterance to that one vulgar, impure comment.
  The story is a striking illustration of Christ's word, "I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereofin the day of judgment" (Matt. 12:36).
*Note. (Taken from "Stories for Preachers and Teachers" Pulpit Helps Illustration Collection I. Copyright 1995, 1998, 1999 by AMG INTERNATIONAL, INC.)

Lesson Questions:

1. What counsel does the preacher give about speaking and listening? Eccl. 5:1-3; Prov. 29:20; Acts 19:36; Job 11:1-9; Prov. 15:1,2,7; Ps. 46:10.

2. What counsel does he give concerning the making of vows? Eccl. 5:4,5; Num. 30:2; Ps. 76:11; Matt. 5:33.
   Does the tongue have power to lead us into sin? Eccl. 5:6; Prov. 10:19; 12:13; 15:4.

3. What is the only thing we can do to keep the tongue in restraint? Eccl. 5:7; Deut. 10:12; Ps. 119:120; Prov. 1:7; 14:16; Isa. 8:13; 1 Pet. 1:17.

4. Discuss the injustice and oppression of human governments to feed off the efforts of the poor. Eccl. 5:8,9; Ps. 10:2-3, 8-10; Ps. 109:14-16; Prov. 30:14-17.

5. In the love of riches, is enough ever enough? Eccl. 5:10; Luke 12:16-21, 32-34.

6. What usually happens when the diligent man prospers? Eccl. 5:11.

7. What great sorrows does the preacher observe in those who are wealthy? Eccl. 5:12-17; Job 29:13-23.

8. For both the hard-working person and those who inherit riches, what simplicity of life should they strive to enjoy? Eccl. 5:18-20; 9:7; Neh. 8-12.

9. What further warning does the preacher give about the fragile nature of riches? Eccl. 6:1,2; Job 31:8; Prov. 5:7-10.