Setting A Godly Example For Others To Follow

SETTING A GODLY EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW

1 THESS.1:7

1. INTRODUCTION. I STAND TO TESTIFY MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT AS CHRISTIANS, WE ARE ALWAYS UNDER BOTH THE CARNAL AND SPIRITUAL MICROSCOPE, AND WHAT WE SAY AND WHAT WE DO IS CRITICALLY EXAMPLED BY OTHERS. FROM THE TIME THAT WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND LEAVE THE COMFORTS OF OUR HOMES, REST ASSURED THAT THE EYES OF OTHERS ARE FIXATED ON US, TO EXAMINE OUR WALK AND OUR TALK, TO SEE IF WE ARE LIVING UP THE THINGS THAT WE ATTEST TO. PEOPLE ARE QUICK TO UNJUSTLY CRITICIZE OUR EFFORTS IN THE WORLD AND IN THE CHURCH. TO ILLUSTRATE THIS IRREFUTABLE IDEA, PEOPLE WILL SAY; “ THEY DON’T HAVE A MUSICIAN, AND I SAY WE ARE STILL SINGING PRAISES TO GOD.” THEY SAY THEY ARE SMALL IN NUMBER, I SAY BUT WE ARE STILL MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLES LIVES. THEY SAY THE PARKING LOT IS NOT FULL, I SAY BUT WE ARE FULL OF LOVE. YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS WE ARE SCRUTINIZED FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, THAT’S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO SET A GODLY EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

2. THE TEXT. PAUL IS THE FOUNDER OF THE CHURCH AT THESSALONICA AND HE WRITES TO THEM BECAUSE HE IS PROUD OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

a) PAUL REFLECTS ON THE WORKS OF FAITH AND THEIR LABOR OF LOVE, AND THEIR PATIENCE OF HOPE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

b) PAUL RECOUNTS HOW THEY HAVE TURNED FROM IDOLS TO SERVING GOD.

c) PAUL ENUMERATES HOW OTHERS HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THEIR ACTIONS, AND FOLLOWED THEIR EXAMPLE AND BECAME CHRISTIANS.

d) PAUL GIVES A DETAILED PRAISE REPORT OF THEIR ACTIONS.

e) AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, OTHERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRAISE US FOR THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE ARE MAKING IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

3. APPLICATION. ALL OF US ARE ROLE MODELS, WHICH MEAN WE ARE CONSTANTLY BEING WATCHED BY OTHERS.

a) ROLE MODELS SET THE EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

b) A PERSON IS EITHER A GOOD OR BAD ROLE MODEL.

c) SEVERAL YEARS AGO, LEGENDARY BASKETBALL SUPERSTAR CHARLES BARKLEY MADE HEADLINES BY STATING THAT HE WAS NOT A ROLE MODEL.

d) BUT, I COME TO SERVE NOTICE TODAY THAT WHETHER HE WANTED TO BE OR NOT HE WAS A ROLE MODEL.

e) AND WHETHER WE WANT TO BE OR NOT, WE ARE ROLE MODELS AND EXAMPLES TO OTHERS.

f) THE WORD EXAMPLE COMES FROM A GREEK WORD THAT IMPLIES A TYPE OR A MODEL, OR A PATTERN.

g) SO I WANT TO RAISE THE QUESTION, WHAT TYPE OF MODEL ARE WE?

h) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ARE THE PEOPLE AROUND US DESIRING TO BE LIKE US?

i) TO BE A MODEL OF SOMETHING IS TO IMITATE THE ORIGINAL. THAT’S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO SET A GODLY EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW, BECAUSE JESUS IS THE ORIGINAL AND ALL OF US SHOULD WANT TO BE LIKE HIM.

j) WE SHOULD IMITATE HIS LOVE, HIS FORGIVENESS, HIS PEACE, HIS PATIENCE, HIS HOLINESS, HIS SUFFERING, HIS HUMILITY, AND HIS TREATMENT OF OTHERS.

k) THE TRUE TEST OF OUR SETTING THE EXAMPLE IS NOT JUST WALKING RIGHT WHEN THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON US, BUT HOW WE LIVE WHEN NO ONE ELSE IS AROUND.

4. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION. AS I PONDERED THIS MESSAGE, THE APEX OF MY ATTENTION AND INTENTIONAL EXAMINATION OF MYSELF CENTERED ON THESE THREE POINTS:

a) ONE, I WANT TO BE A GOOD MODEL AND EXAMPLE FOR MY CHILDREN, IN ORDER TO SHAPE THEIR CONDUCT AND THEIR CHARACTER.

b) TWO, I ALSO WANT TO BE A MODEL AND EXAMPLE FOR THE PEOPLE I PASTOR, INSTILLING IN YOU SPIRITUAL INTEGRITY; SO THAT THE PEOPLE OF ST. MARK CAN BE PROUD OF THEIR PASTOR, AND FOLLOW ME AS I FOLLOW CHRIST.

c) THREE, I WANT TO BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL AND EXAMPLE FOR THE LOST, SO THAT THEY CAN BE REDEEMED.

d) THESE THREE THINGS CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED AS EVIDENCED BY MY WORK.

e) THE BIBLE TEACHES US IN MATT. 5:16, “TO LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MIGHT SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.”

f) I’M THROUGH NOW. WE MUST SET A GODLY EXAMPLE BY…

• SHOWING OTHERS HOW TO LIVE RIGHT

• SHOWING OTHERS HOW TO LOVE RIGHT

• SHOWING SINNERS HOW TO BE SAVED

• SHOWING FALLEN SAINTS HOW TO BE RECONCILED UNTO GOD

• SHOWING YOUNG BOYS HOW TO MAKE THE TRANSITION INTO MANHOOD

• SHOWING YOUNG GIRLS HOW TO BECOME YOUNG LADIES

• SHOWING THE SUFFERING HOW TO FIND RELIEF

• GOING INTO THE HOSPITALS AND PRISONS

• GOING INTO THE HEDGES AND HIGHWAYS, SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S GOSPEL

• LIVING A LIFE THAT’S PLEASING TO GOD

• WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT US DO THEY SEE THE GOD IN US?

• WE’VE GOT TO LET OUR LIGHT SHINE.