I. Don’t become a teacher of the Word too quickly (3:1-2a)
A.   Teachers depend on proper speech, thus maturity is needed.
B.   Teachers stumble and sin just as much as everyone else.
C.   Thus, greater judgment because greater the influence.
II. The tongue is a powerful, good influence (3:2b-5a)
A.   It is a sign of a mature, complete Christian (3:2b)
B.   It is like a bridle to a horse (3:3)
C.   It is like a rudder to a ship (3:4)
D.   Small object, big results (3:5a)
III. The tongue is a powerful, bad influence (3:5b-8)
A.   It is like a spark setting off a fire (3:5b-6)
B.   It is like an untamed creature (3:7-8)
IV. The simultaneous, good and bad, possibilities for the tongue (3:9-12)
A.   Blessing God and cursing humans is inconsistent with being His image bearers (3:9-10)
B.   This inconsistency does not exist in the rest of creation (3:11-12)