Timothy: A Call to be a Worthy Example.
Study Text: I Timothy 4: 12 - 16.
Introduction:
- Every Christian is a marked person because he or she has claimed to be a child of God. People will be watching you to find out what a child of God is like.
- How does he behaves, speaks, what association he keeps, how does he react under pressure?
- Everywhere at work, at school, in your neighborhood, people are watching you. They are watching you, because they have expectations for who you ought to be and what you should do.
- As a Christian, they want to see if your character and conduct matches with your claims as a Child of God.
- Whether you are conscious of it or not, you are an example of a believer to those people around you. They assume that you are what a believer should be. People are watching you to find out what a Christian looks like, what he acts like, and what he is.
- Many people will never read a Bible, but they are going to read your life like a book. Be thou an example, not just to the believers, but of the believers.
- By the way you are living, people are determining whether or not they want to believe in Jesus Christ. Is your life drawing people to Him, or making them to walk away from Him?
- We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Pattern of Being a Christian Example
2. The Power for Being a Christian Example
3. The Profit of Being a Christian Example
1. The Pattern of Being a Christian Example
- To be an example is to provide leadership for others, to produce an influence in others, or to raise a standard for others.
- This can be done in two major ways:
a. By Teaching or Instructing.
- We can be an example to others by knowing what is right for ourselves, and by teaching and instructing others on those things that are right and how to do them.
b. By Living Out
- We can be an example by demonstrating or by living out the godly virtues we desired to see in others, for them to see it in our lives and to emulate us.
- Every Christian in whatever position he occupies or authority he possesses, is called to be a godly example of a believer and to the believers.
- The parents to their children and other children, the ministers of God to their members and everyone, the teachers to their students, the employers to their employees and so on.
- The following are some of the areas we are expected to be an example:
1. Example in Godly Words and Communication.
- You must be an example in speaking only godly words. Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34).
- Your words reveal what you are, what you are thinking, what is down inside of you. It is not only what you say but, so many times, how you say it. Ephesians 4:29-31
2. Example in Godly Conduct and Conversation.
- You must be an example in godly conduct and conversation. People will look out for your behaviour, your attitude and your reaction to issues of life. They want to see how you react in adversity.
- You shouldn't be one thing at church and another thing at home or at work. You should conduct yourself as a Christian everywhere and in all that you do.
- Be totally diligent in all that you do, as unto the Lord. People are watching and judging Christianity by the way you act and react.
3. Example in Showing Godly Love to Others.
- God is love, and every child of God must demonstrate the love of God to others. The kind of love that keeps on loving without a condition and doesn't ask for anything in return. 1 John 4: 7-8
- Let God's love begin to flow through your life. The world today needs real examples of self-sacrificing love, willing to give without asking for a return.
4. Example in Godly Relationship and Disposition.
- As a Christian, you need to guide against a spirit of heaviness, fear, suspicion, bitterness, murmuring, grumbling and complaining. Be thou an example of the spirit of Joy and Gratitude.
- The world is not looking for sorrow, they have enough sorrow and trouble already. The world is looking for answers, joy, peace, and confidence.
- As a believer in Jesus Christ and trusting in the Lord, you should have great confidence that the Lord will work out every situation for your good. Romans 8:28
5. Example in Godly Faith in God and His Words.
- As a Christian, you need to be steadfast in unwavering faith in God and in His words, even at difficult situations.
- How long does it take to wear out your faith? How much does it take to destroy your confidence in God? How much does it take until you are thinking that God has forgotten you and doesn't care anymore, and you go back into the slough of despondency and despair?
- Have confidence in God. Know that God is going to work it out. Even though it's so black that there's no way out as far as you can see, absolutely hopeless as far as you can determine, have faith in God.
6. Example in Purity and Godly Lifestyle.
- Every Christian must pursue a lifestyle of godliness and stay away from all forms of uncleanness and sexual impurities.
- We are living in a polluted world, and people of all ages are engaging in ungodly lifestyles and sexual immoralities. The Christian is being pressured because the majority of our society are polluted. Yet you are to be an example of the believer in purity. Romans 12:1-2
- Our youths today are experimenting with premarital sex, or whatever, but be thou an example of the believer in purity. That's what God desires of you.
- The Bible says, "Keep thyself pure" (I Timothy 5:22). Keep your life pure, keep your body pure, keep your mind pure for God. The flesh is so weak. The opportunities are great and the temptations are multitude. But you must be an example in purity.
2. The Power to be a Christian Example.
- The power of being an example is to pay attention to and be diligent in the reading of the Word. Through the reading of the Scriptures you become strong, and not by any other way. Colossians 2: 16
- One of our problems in Christianity today is looking for strength in areas outside the Word of God. You can never be strong apart from the Word of God.
- Experiences cannot make you strong in the Lord. Experiences don't help your spiritual maturity and growth.
- Experience is no criterion for spiritual strength. You don't grow strong by experiences. You are made strong through the Word of God.
I John 2:14
- Your life is strengthened through the Word of God. You won't find strength apart from the Word of God, for it is the food that feeds the spiritual man. Spiritual weakness can always be traced back to the lack of knowledge and study of God's Word.
- When Joshua attained the position of leadership, he was informed of the secret of strength and success in life and in ministry. Joshua 1:8
- The Word of God provides the solid, substantial growth that you need. Get your foundation. Get rooted and grounded in the Word of God. Become strong in the Word of God. Psalms 1:2
- These are the benefits you will gain from the Scriptures:
i. Exhortation and Doctrines.
- This is what the Word of God actually is. Doctrine is correct belief. It will tell you what is the true and correct way, and it encourages you to walk in the truth and in the way.
- As you meditate on God's Word, God's truth, the greatness of God, and the work of God's Spirit within your life, God begins to work within you. You are then enabled to be the example of the believer that He would have you to be.
ii. Spiritual Guidance
- The Holy Spirit guides the believer and keeps him from error through the instrument of the word of God.
- He will bring the right word to him in times of temptations and give him strength to overcome the Devil.
iii. Spiritual Weapon
- The word of God is the sword of the Spirit for the believer to offence and defense any strange sword from the kingdom of darkness.
3. The Profit of being a Christian Example.
- Paul describes the profit of being an example of the believer: in saving others you will also be saving yourself. This is the truth of God.
- You cannot minister to other people without God ministering to you also. You cannot give without God giving to you. Matthew 7:2.
- You cannot help others without God helping you. You cannot seek the blessing of others without God blessing you.
- If you sow sparingly, you'll reap sparingly. If you sow bountifully, you'll reap bountifully. You're going to reap what you sow. That is God's law of nature. Galatians 6:7
- You want a huge harvest? Plant a huge crop of seeds. You want a few ears of corn? Drop a few grains of corn into the dirt. It's a law of life.
- In saving others we ourselves are saved, in ministering to others we ourselves receive. As you are an example of the believers and as you give heed to these things, you will find that God, in turn, will minister back to you all that is necessary to be what He has called you to be.
Conclusion:
- If all the Christians were just like you - if they served the Lord as diligently as you serve the Lord, if they loved the Lord as deeply as you love the Lord, if they were as faithful to God as you are faithful to God, if they would follow your example - what kind of Church would exist today?
- How many prayer meetings would be canceled for lack of attendance? How many Bible studies would be set aside? How many missionaries would be called home for lack of support? What kind of Church would it be if you set the example for all the believers of how they should love, how they should serve, how they should give?
