Something Worth Spreading
Anyone here ever heard some news that they just couldn’t wait to share with someone. Maybe the fact that someone in your family was going to have a baby, you got a new position or job, or maybe your child did great at their game. We love to share with others what is occurring in our lives.
On the flip side of this I’m certain we all have heard news of others that we should not have shared. However, there was an insatiable desire to tell someone. Maybe someone had fallen on hard times, a brother or sister in the Lord had stumbled in their faith, or maybe you’ve been privy to a “this is between you and me” conversation. If we are honest with ourselves we all are guilty at least sometimes of gossiping. Call it what you like and many of us even try to justify it, but it is still gossip and according to God’s word it is wrong.
James 3: 8-9, reads “But the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God's likeness!”
The psalmist said in Psalm 39:1, “I will take heed and guard my ways, that I may sin not with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth as with a bridle while the wicked are before me.
Four preachers met for a friendly gathering. During the conversation one preacher said, "Our people come to us and pour out their hearts, confess certain sins and needs. Let's do the same. Confession is good for the soul." In due time all agreed. One confessed he liked to go to movies and would sneak off when away from his church. The second confessed to liking to smoke cigars and the third one confessed to liking to play cards. When it came to the fourth one, he wouldn't confess. The others pressed him saying, "Come now, we confessed ours. What is your secret or vice?" Finally he answered, "It is gossiping and I can hardly wait to get out of here."
I want to speak to you tonight about how we can use our tongue in a positive way. Although all of us are guilty of using our tongue at times as a weapon of sin, I want to talk to you about how we can use our tongue as a weapon of warfare against satan. How we can spread something worth spreading!
2 Timothy 2: 1-2 (NKJV)
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
There are three points I feel we can take from this passage that will enable us in spreading something worth spreading.
Have a Mentor:
• Spiritual
Holy Spirit (most important mentor to have)
Jesus said in John 14:15- 19 “15 If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
Jesus was telling the disciples that He would soon be no longer with them, but He would not leave them alone. He would send an advocate. He would send another comforter, a defender of the cause, a counselor, patron, mediator. This comforter is promised to be with us forever. As Christ acted with his disciples while he sojourned with them, so the Holy Ghost acts with those who believe in his name. Those who are influenced only by the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life are not guided by the Holy Spirit. Now these cannot receive the Spirit of the truth, because they see him not, have no spiritual discernment, attend to nothing but the dictates of their corrupt passions and affections, and will admit of no influence but what can be an object of their senses.
In the last portion of this scripture, Jesus uses the word orphans. An orphan (one deprived of father and mother) is little esteemed, neglected, and is obliged to wander about in obscurity and darkness. Such a child is destitute of comfort, direction, and support, and is a prey to misery and disease, to sin and to death.
Now that Christ is about to be removed from them by death, he assures them that they shall not be left fatherless, or without a teacher; for in a little time he should come again, (rise from the dead), and, after his ascension, they should be made partakers of that Spirit which would be their comforter, advocate, teacher, and guide for ever.
• Earthly
If we look at all the greats of the Bible a consistent pattern is followed in that most individuals the Lord used had a mentor. There was someone to guide these individuals. There was someone to sow wisdom and knowledge into their lives. Although the Bible doesn’t use the words mentor, mentee, or mentoring, it frequently refers to what we believe are successful mentoring relationships: Jesus and His disciples, Moses and Joshua, Barnabas and Paul, Naomi and Ruth, Elijah and Elisha, Moses and Joshua, Deborah and Barak, Elizabeth and Mary.
All are powerful examples of pairs and the God-inspired actions they took to help each other develop. In this scriptural passage we see Paul served as Timothy’s mentor. Paul said, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
We as Christians need that brother or sister in the Lord that is seasoned in their walk with the Lord. Please understand that the pastor is NOT the only qualified mentor. See we all need someone who has been through trials and has experiences we can learn and gain wisdom from. We need that individual we can confide in and ask advice of. Most importantly we need a mentor who we can trust to pray for us. We need prayer daily that we walk upright before the Lord and that we are accomplishing His mission: spreading something worth spreading!
One of my mentors – Derald Jones
• College freshmen – He was amid thirties
• Involved in my life
• Modeled the Christian walk
• Encouraged me
• One of the reasons I’m here tonight
• Find Mentees:
Although our world clearly exhibits a “take-take” attitude this is not God’s design or plan. He instructs us to be giving. We clearly need a mentor, but we also must be willing to serve as a mentor. Just as we need a mentor, we need mentees. We need those in our lives that we are giving to. People all around us are just waiting for someone to reach out. This could be someone at work, school, or in your family. The world needs us! As the Bible says “the harvest fields are ripe.”
"Christianity is not a voice in the wilderness but a life in the world. It is not an idea in the air but feet on the ground, going God's way. It is not an exotic to be kept under glass, but a hardy plant to bear twelve months of fruits in all kinds of weather. We may cry out about the beauty of eating bread with Him in His Kingdom, but it is wasted breath and a rootless hope, unless we plow and plant in His Kingdom here and now.
• Something Worth Spreading:
As I alluded to earlier we all are guilty of spreading news from time to time. However, would we be charged as guilty of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ? One day we will stand before God and give an account of our work here on Earth. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. We pass people daily that are hurting and need Jesus. We neglect the needs of others so often. Most importantly if we aren’t careful we become very much like the world. We begin to look like, talk like, and act like the world. When this occurs we are no longer spreading anything. We in a sense are just blending in!
The late Helen Rice once wrote: "Show me the way, not to fortune or fame, not to win laurels or praise for my name...But show me the way to spread the great story that Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory."
Suppose this plan was implemented. I helped win two people a year and mentored them during the year. In turn, these two mentees adopted this process the following year, and I continued with two new mentees. After a ten year period, of this process being repeated, I and my mentees would have helped in winning 110 people to Christ. We are commissioned to spread the gospel once we join God’s army. We need to spread the good news, Christ – our Savior. We as Christians have something worth spreading. It’s far better than any story heard at the coffee shop or the hair dresser. It is greater and has more power than anything we know. The good news of Jesus Christ and His saving grace is what we need to be spreading.
Closing:
