Opening
*Enter with the “Survivor Torch” and “Survivor” theme music playing.
Say: Every week on the Survivor reality series, you can see the tribe members carrying a torch similar to this one. They carry it with them to the “Tribal Council,” where that must vote one person out of their tribe … they must eliminate one person from the game. Their torch is a symbol. As long as a person’s torch is burning, it shows that the person is still alive in the game. It shows that they still have a chance to finish and make it all the way to the prize at the end of the game.
Look at this brief clip and see what happened this week to a person who talked too much, hurt their credibility by saying one thing to some of her tribemates and telling another story to the others … a person who caused much strife and division in the community in which she lived.
*Show Video Clip from SURVIVOR: Thailand (Thursday October 10, 2002).
That woman was eliminated from the contest. Her torch was extinguished. Now she will never reach the goal that she started for … all because of her actions, her words, and her attitude.
Transition Illustration
You know, sometimes we Christians suffer from some of the same ailments that this woman suffered from. Our attitudes, our actions, and our mouths get us into all sorts of trouble. They do damage to our testimony and to our witness.
There was once a rather pompous, self-righteous Sunday School teacher who was trying to make the point that good Christians don’t keep their faith a secret. So, with her head held high and her chest thrust out, the teacher strutted impressively back and forth across the room. She asked, “Now, class, why do you think people call me a Christian?”
The room was silent for a moment. Then one of the boys slowly raised his hand and said, “Probably because they don’t know you.”
From Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks 4, Wayne Rice, Zondervan (2001), p. 107.
Now that’s pretty funny. But what’s not so funny is that’s the way people out in the world look at way too many Christians. They know us all too well. They know how so often the words that we say and our weekly attendance at church just don’t mesh with our attitudes, our words, and our actions.
Scripture Background
Paul addressed this issue of credibility in his letter to the church at Ephesus. We call it the book of Ephesians. Paul started the church in Ephesus in A.D. 53 on his way home during his second missionary journey. He went back there on his third missionary journey and stayed there preaching and teaching for three years. He wrote this letter around A.D. 60 during his imprisonment in Rome. He didn’t write the letter to address any specific issues or problems … he simply wrote it as a letter of encouragement to the church.
But the credibility of believers is an important issue that he does address. And it makes sense that he would deal with this issue. After all, what good is one’s testimony … what good is a Christian’s witness … if that Christian does not have credibility? How can a Christian hold high the torch of Jesus Christ when his or her actions, attitudes, and words have snuffed out the flames of effectiveness?
Scripture Reading
*Read Ephesians 5:3-14
Friends, just like these believers in Ephesus, we have to understand that our verbal witness and our Christian testimony are completely dependant upon our lifestyles and actions? And when we do things which bring dishonor to Christ, the fire of our witness is quenched … the flame is extinguished … and nobody will listen.
We must take every step and every precaution to preserve our testimony and our credibility so that we can effectively share the light of Jesus Christ with the people in our lives. Just like those people on the Survivor television show … we must protect our torch of faith.
Bible Truths
So, what are the steps that you can take to protect your torch and keep your testimony and Christian influence alive and effective?
1. Avoid shameful sins that have no place in the life of a believer. (3-5)
Now, this is pretty much a “no-brainer,” isn’t it? After all … there is nothing that will destroy a person’s testimony faster than a reputation of sin. We all know that.
But what I find interesting are the specific types of sin that Paul points out in this letter. Now, obviously, he’s not trying to set up some type of hierarchy of sin. I doubt that he is even addressing any specific news that he has heard about the people of that church. But he does emphasize three specific types of sin that destroy a Christian’s testimony, credibility, and influence among unchurched people. There are simply actions which are “improper for God’s holy people.”
* Sexual sin (3a)
Scripture: “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality …”
Well, why not start at the top? There can be no doubt that sexual sin is the great destroyer of Christian testimonies. It is the sin that makes the news. Just think about all of the churches and ministries that we have seen destroyed because of the sexual sin of ministers and leaders. Just think of the bad reputations that infect churches when sexual sin is loosed in a congregation.
I once knew of a church that had the reputation for sexual impropriety in the community. Everyone said, “If you want to have an affair, go to that church!”
Friends, sexual sin makes the world sit up and take notice. It gives the world the justification to point fingers and say, “See, I told you so! They are no different from us!”
So, if you want to protect your torch and keep your credibility alive, avoid any hint of sexual immorality.
* Greed (3b)
Scripture: “… or of greed…”
I suppose that greed is the great sin monster on the Survivor TV show. The people on that program act out of greed. After all, the grand prize is one million dollars. They will lie, cheat, cause disunity … they will stab one another in the back all for the cause of greed … all for the want of money and fame.
But, folks, greed has no place in the life of a believer. As I have said to you time and again, the very essence of the Christian faith must be selflessness. We must do all things, love all people, serve one another out of the selfless nature of Jesus Christ who is within us. Greed and selfishness go against the grain of everything that Jesus died for and now stands for.
Do you want to keep your torch of credibility and witness burning bright? Then avoid the sin of greed at all costs.
* Sins of the tongue (4)
Scripture: “Nor should there be any obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
Oh, my! Now God is getting into our business! You mean, we have to watch what we say?! Yes, believers and friends … we must guard our words very carefully. You see, the words of our mouth are a natural outpouring of the things that are within our hearts and minds. So, when Christians have a foul mouth, or talk foolishly, or share filthy jokes, the message of Christ is diminished. That person’s torch of faith burns much lower than before.
In fact, Paul gives us a great reason not to talk with vulgarity … the mouths of believers are meant for thanksgiving. We need to be about God’s work and giving him praises for what he has done.
So, friends, protect your torch … watch what you say.
Transition Illustrations
My mama was always so critical of my friends. She constantly told me how important it was to be around the right people. I had a couple of friends that she just didn’t like. She said, “He just won’t look me in the eye,” or “I just don’t like the looks of him … I can see it in his eyes that he’s up to no good.” I used to stay frustrated with her about that. But, it’s pretty amazing as I look back that she was right about 95% of the time. She usually had my friends pegged for what they really were. And usually the ones she didn’t like very much rubbed off on me in the wrong sorts of ways.
One writer said that his mother had an interesting way of describing the importance of being around the right people. She said, “You don’t work in the garden with white gloves. He gloves will be come dirty, the dirt will not become glovey.”
[From 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking, Michael Hodgin, (Zondervan, 1994), p. 157.]
Those are very wise words, and they point us to Paul’s second strategy for protecting our torch and our credibility …
2. Be careful of the company you keep. (6-7)
Scripture: Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (6-7)
This sounds a lot like what we talked about last week, doesn’t it? So, we don’t need to spend a lot of time on this one. Our personal alliances and friendships are so very important.
But, understand what Paul is teaching here. He isn’t saying that we must abandon all contact with nonbelievers. We must have contact and friendships in order to lead them to Christ. However, he is saying that we need to be really careful of the people that we associate closely with.
These verses refer back to the ones we just looked at … the verses warning against sexual sin, the sin of greed, and the sins of the mouth. What Paul is saying is that you really are judged by the company you keep! If you associate closely with people who have sinful lifestyles, the people watching you in life will automatically assume that you do the same things they do.
I used to deal with this constantly in Youth Ministry. Students just didn’t understand why they couldn’t go to the big party as long as they didn’t drink and do the drugs. They simply could not understand that their very presence at something like that showed that they approved of those actions. They couldn’t understand that everyone would assume that they were involved because of the company that they kept.
So, Christians, understand that the next important step in protecting the torch of your faith is found in watching the company that you keep. Protect your torch! Examine your personal alliances and friendships.
Transition Illustration
I love a night when there is a full moon. Not just for romance sake … although that is one advantage of a full moon. But I love the bright blue light that bathes the earth during a full moon. I love the way that you can see things so clearly, even when it is dark. Moonlight very effectively brightens the dark of night.
But think about it … does the moon make light? Is the moon a source of light? Where does the moon get its light? Right! From the sun! The light that we see emanating from the moon is simply light from our sun that is reflected off of the surface of the moon. So, when we can see at night by the light of the full moon, we are actually seeing by reflected light from our sun … which is facing the other side of the earth below us.
This concept of light and reflection is important to us who follow Christ. As you consider protecting our torch and the flame of our testimony, you need to …
3. Remember that you are the light of the world. (8a)
Scripture: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord …”
Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.” Then, over in Matthew 5:14-16 , Jesus told us in Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
You see, friends, as we talk about protecting our torch … our testimony … our witness … it’s not our own light that we are concerned about. It is the light of Jesus Christ. He alone is truly the light of the world. We are simply reflections of His light … He is the sun, brilliant and bright, and we are his moons, sometimes bright, but sometimes dark and invisible.
So, friends, it’s not just ourselves that we are worried about. As we talk about avoiding sin and being careful of the company we keep, it’s not for our own sake. It’s for the cause of Christ. We must always remember that our actions, attitudes, and words reflect upon the reputation of Jesus Christ as well as our own reputation. People will base their decision to follow Jesus Christ upon the light that they see reflected from him in our lives. Therefore, we must consider what type of reflection that we are putting out. Is it brilliant and bright, or is it dark and ineffective?
So as we work to protect our torch of faith, it’s not our own light that we are trying to preserve … it is the light or Christ in our lives, the light of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Light of the world.
Transition Illustration
How many of you saw the movie Titanic? Do you remember what the crew of the boat was shooting up into the air once they realized that they were going to sink? Flares! They were shooting huge flares way up into the sky with the hope that a passing ship might see them. But what I want you to see is that they shot them up into the sky. The higher they went, the better the chances that someone would see the flares.
That concept of elevation is important to us Christians as we seek to shine the light of Christ through our lives. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you need to …
4. Lift your light up high so that everyone can see it. (8b-10)
Scripture: but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. (8b-10)
Friends, we must live as children of the light! We must exhibit these characteristics of goodness, righteousness, and truth. We must focus our energies and prayers upon seeking out what pleases the Lord and then doing it in our lives. That is the essence of shining the light of Christ. That is lifting our torch up high so that it can be seen.
Do you see the logic here? When we are busy doing the work of the Lord, seeking His way in our lives, living out our faith, and sharing Him with others … when we are busy lifting our torch up high so that everyone can see it … we have no room for darkness in our lives. We disrupt the pattern of sin that Satan tries to sneak into our lives. We overcome the bad influence of friends who are less than godly.
It’s kind of like the experiences that I have had when I have been camping and tending a campfire. The more wood I put on it and the more attention I pay to it, the higher the fire burns and the brighter it gets. But the less attention I pay to the fire, the more quickly it will burn low and allow the darkness to creep in.
So, listen to this strategy from Paul. If you want to protect your torch, pour the fuel to it and lift it up high so that everyone can see it.
And then, finally …
5. Let the light do its work. (11-14)
Scripture: Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. (11-14a)
What does light do? It exposes darkness. It makes things that are hidden become visible. The tiniest bit of light overcomes darkness.
(Object Lesson – Have all lights turned out in the room … all but the torch)
Friends, we don’t just need to protect the torch of our faith. We need to fuel it and set it loose to do its work. Darkness cannot overcome light. But, as you can see, the light of this simple torch can reveal almost everything in the darkness of this room.
People, you are the light of the world. You have the light of Jesus Christ in your lives. Stop letting the darkness creep in and overpower the light of Christ in your life. Instead, fuel your passion for Jesus and set Him loose to light the darkness that is in your life and in the lives around you.
Challenge and Prayer of Commitment
Life Application
Your personal testimony is your most effective tool in sharing your faith with others. It is your torch. Protect it so that you can faithfully shine the light of Christ on the people around you.
