 to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance for to this end, we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God, who is the savior of all men, especially of those who believe. These things command and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them. For in doing so, this will save both yourself and those who hear you. Amen. Thank you, brother. Let's pray together. Father in heaven, thank you for your word. God, thank you for your spirit that applies the word of God to our hearts, that transforms us, that what conforms us to the image of Christ from glory to glory. We praise you and thank you for this instruction in your word. And I pray, God, that you would by your spirit apply these truths to our heart today. And, flameless Lord, to serve you more fervently, to be faithful to you in these things. These are not light matters. They are very weighty, very profound matters. And Lord, we want to be faithful to you in this. And I pray, God, if there's anyone here that this is just foreign to, or they just, they're living in the same current of the world they've always lived in. They have the same stony heart they've always had. I pray, God, that you would pierce their heart of stone, God, and save them for your glory. And Lord, I pray that you would empower the saints to faithfully be the example that you've called us to be for your namesake as a testimony, Lord, of who you are, a testimony to this lost world, a testimony to other believers of the power of Christ through faith to change a life and grateful to you, God, for that. Thank you for my brothers and sisters here. Just thank you for this opportunity to study your word together. When I pray that you'd be honored in our study and our time here today. In Jesus' name, amen. Maybe seated. Our sermon title is Building an Effective Personal Ministry. And this is part two of a sermon series that we're doing here in 1 Timothy chapter 4 in this paragraph from verses 12 through 16, Building an Effective Personal Ministry. And here we've got instruction from Paul to Timothy where he says, Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Until I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to you all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them for in doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you. So in this passage, now Paul gives instruction to Timothy with respect to building an effective personal ministry in Ephesus. However, the instruction here is valuable as it is for that man who desires the position of a bishop. It is also tremendously valuable for anyone desiring the work of the ministry that God has given to every single Christian. These are here in this paragraph, the basics of building an effective personal ministry for the Lord. Now, if you're a Christian, that's in line, in accord, in harmony with the desire of your heart. You want to be effective for the Lord. You want to be used of the Lord. You want to see people saved. You want to see the gospel bear fruit in your own life. And you want to see the gospel bear fruit in the lives of those who love those around you. Now, that is the heart of every Christian. Having been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, you were saved into a community. You were saved into a community of faith, the body of Christ. You were saved into a lost and dying world as a sojourner, as a pilgrim, an alien and a stranger. You were saved into a lost world that needs Christ. Therefore, in that, you have been saved and you've been given a ministry, a ministry of reconciliation to the lost and a ministry of edification or building up to the saints. In Ephesians chapter four, it is those that God has gifted to teach and preach that are given to the church for the equipping of the saints to do the work of the ministry. Many today that think that, well, the ministry or the work of the ministry is that thing we hired that guy up there at the church to do, right? That's not what the word of God teaches. The saints are the ones that do the work of the ministry. It is those that God has gifted. We've got many gifted teachers in this church, many gifted leaders in this church there by the gift of God for the purpose of equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry, that we are all in ministry and it's the desire of the Christian's heart to have an effective ministry for the Lord. Let that mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus that we came not to be served, but to serve. Witness to many people. I'm sure you have too. You're standing at the door. You're talking to someone and they're just sort of comfortable where they're at because that's just where I'm fed, right? Or in some cases, that's just where I'm most entertained. I just like the way that guy talks or I like the programs they have there for the kids or I like the fact they've got a country western service and a head banger service and I mean, that's sort of the environment that we're in today. Listen, we're here not to be served in that sense, but to serve. The Lord has saved you into a body of Christ and has given you gifts that you are to employ for the purpose of having an effective personal ministry for the Lord. Now, the components for doing this are basic. They're here outlined in verses 12 to 16, but they are profound. The battle is one or lost as we've said on the basics and we want to be useful to the Lord. We're going to prioritize the basics and do those things in order to have an effective ministry and we want to please him, right? Who enlisted us as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, 2 Timothy 2, right? So, taking heed to yourself and to your doctrine such that you have an effective personal ministry as we've talked about begins with in verse 12 with having an exemplary life, a life of holiness, living with a clear conscience before the Lord. And it's amazing today what so many professing Christians will settle for or compromise with that isn't exemplary in their life. We are to live as testimonies to Christ an exemplary life, a life that can be replicated, a life that can be exemplified in others, a life that should be followed as an example. And secondly, you must devote yourself to the word of God. We'll study that later on. Third, you must cultivate your God-given gifts. And four, you must pursue your ministry with uncompromising devotion. So, we began in verse 12 in chapter 4 here with maintaining an exemplary life. And Paul says to Timothy, let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. So, a first issue here, a first importance is maintaining an exemplary life. In other words, a life that is worth exemplifying, a life that is worth imitating, be an example. That life, that exemplary life is the only life that is in keeping with the label of a Christian. It is an exemplary life. It is a life by which, as Paul says, you may adorn the doctrine of God our savior in all things. We're to adorn the word of God. We're to adorn this Christian life with our example. We're to adorn the doctrine of God. Otherwise, if you're not doing that, you're a hypocrite. If you're not living in accord with the word of God and you call yourself a Christian and you're a hypocrite, a 16th century preacher. His name is Thomas Playfair. He tells the story of a play that was put on in Latin in a theater in Smyrna. And this is his account of the play. He said, there was a ridiculous actor in the city of Smyrna who pronouncing O Heaven in Latin pointed with his finger toward the ground. Okay? Now, Palermo, he says the chiefest man in the place. When he saw this, he could abide to stay no longer. But he went from the company in a great chafe saying, this fool has made a solicism. It's a grammatical mistake. He made a solicism with his hand. He has spoken false Latin with his finger. And as such, are they who teach well and do ill? You get the analogy? That however they have heaven at their tongue's end, yet the earth at their fingers end, such as do not only speak false Latin with their tongue, but false divinity with their hands. Such are those as live not according to their preaching. But he that sits in the heaven will laugh them to scorn and hiss them off the stage if they do not mend their action. It's those, I might add, that tear down, tear down the foundation on which they tear down with their own hands, the foundation on which they would build an effective personal ministry, the life. It begins with an exemplary life. Now, Paul begins in verse 12 with let no one despise your youth, but be an example. Timothy was a young man, young man in his mid-thirties. In that sense, he was an atetas, I agree. He was a youth. And he is being commanded here by Paul to establish biblical authority. Paul says, don't let them look down on you. Don't let them disrespect you. Okay. Don't let them despise you. How is Timothy to do this? By throwing his weight around. No. Throwing Paul's weight around. No. By confrontation. No. Timothy is going to do this by example. It must be by example. You're going to build an effective personal ministry, first and foremost, through your example, the example of your life. How do you build an effective personal ministry? You do so by first maintaining an exemplary, holy, devoted, faithful life. You lead by example. Now, this exemplary life is characterized here in your New King James by six areas, in six areas. In word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. First, you're to be an example to believers in word. That's in your speech, in your conversation. The overflow of your heart that comes out of your mouth. Building an effective personal ministry begins with an exemplary life seen first in your speech. Pay Ephesians four, verse 29 says this. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. But what is good for necessary edification that may impart grace to the hearers? That is a command from our Lord. How many of you would say that you know someone who claims to be a Christian and yet lets unwholesome words come out of their mouth? Lying words, deceitful words, sure. But profanity. You can't call yourself a Christian and destroy the testimony of Christ in your life by spouting unholy words. It is sin you need to turn from that repent of it. Get control of your tongue in that sense. If that proceeds out of your mouth, if out of the mouth of you flows uncorrupt things, out of you flows a bitter spring. It's coming from a bitter heart. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. But what is good, it is to impart grace to the hearers. What comes out of your mouth is to impart grace. If you are truly rooted and grounded in God's word, then God's word is going to impact your speech. It's going to impact what you talk about and how you talk about it. And you must give it adequate time to do that. And the right heart attitude. You spend time in the word of God. It's going to flow out from you in your words. You must study. You must read deeply. Some people approach the word of God like it's magical. You know I'm spending five minutes a day and it's not working. Like they're reciting some Buddhist mantra, right? Wicked ritual. The word of God is to be meditated on. The word of God is to be pondered. Is to be thought deeply amount. Is to be prayed over. You're to look to the word of God to see the glory of God. You're to look to the word of God to know of Christ and him crucified. You're to look to the word of God to see the glory of God in your salvation. You're to look to the word of God to be transformed by it. To be conformed into the image of Christ. And in that you're to meditate. You're to ponder. You're to worship over the word of God. You're to praise the Lord over the word of God. You're to pray. You're to fear the Lord. You're to rejoice. You're to confess sin. You're to repent of sin. You're to love the Lord through the word of God. And in approaching the word of God that way, it takes time, right? The word of God will transform you. The spirit of God in you through the word of God will transform your life. Conforming you into the image of Christ. Listen, one hour a day in the word of God with the right heart attitude, the right spirit is better than all day every day without it. Worship the Lord in your Bible study in your prayer. The latter will only serve to increase your judgment. Treasure up for you wrath in the day of wrath. Jesus says, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Your speech will reflect a sanctified heart, a sanctified mind, or it won't. And if your speech, what you talk about and how you talk about it and the way in which you speak does not reflect a sanctified heart, a sanctified mind, allow that litmus test to prove to you that you don't have a sanctified heart, a sanctified mind and turn to Christ and be saved. It's going to be reflected in your speech. But next here in verse 12, Paul says to Timothy that he is to be an example to the believers in conduct, not only in speech but in conduct. As Richard Baxter says, lest you unsay with your lives that which you say with your tongues. Right? The old saying, your life speaks so loud I can't hear what you're saying. Ecclesiastes chapter 10 verse 1. Listen to this. Dead flies putrify the performer's ointment, perfumer's ointment and cause it to give off a foul odor. So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor. Your folly will destroy your testimony of Christ. Your folly will destroy your witness. Your folly will destroy your example. It is a foul odor. What's that foul odor you smell? Hypocrisy. Hypocrisy. It is a stench. The word of God will transform your conduct by the spirit of God. Your conduct is to be an example. Conduct here is a compound word in Greek. It came to be known as to be turned around. Anastrepho is the word. It's a life that is turned around. It is later to be known as a way of conduct here. And we see this word in the same sense. Many places in scripture and several places with Peter. Listen to this from 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 15. He says, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, in your way of life, in your turned aroundness. Right? Same word. In 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 11. Beloved, I beg you, he says, as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct, having your way of life, honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Do you know that the life of a Christian, the example of a genuine Christian, is a walking rebuke to this wicked world. You can. How many of you have walked into a room and had just changed the tone of the room by the fact that a Christian just came through the door? Right? The disgusting conversation that happens at work around the water cooler and all of a sudden goes silent when you come into the break room. Right? It's just the life of a Christian is a living rebuke to the wickedness of this world. You're to live a sanctified holy life. Your conduct is to be holy. How many of you would say that at some point in your past before the Lord had saved you that you came across someone that just godly, you know, that godly grandmother that prayed and prayed and prayed that witnessed you and witnessed you and shared the gospel? You know, that person that when you cursed in front of them, you know, they didn't laugh, they just or that dirty joke that everyone else including you was laughing at and that person over there that professes the name of Christ didn't laugh at and that was convicting to you. That person that you came across, that genuine Christian that every time you around them you just felt conviction. How many of you would say that maybe the influence of that example was part of the means that the Lord used to save you? Here it is that good example. It says by your good works which they observe, listen, they may hate you at that time, but if they get genuinely saved they will be glorifying God for your example for all eternity in heaven. They may by your good works glorify God on the day of visitation. Be a good example. In 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 16, Peter says having a good conscience that when they defame you as evil doers those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed and it is blame and shame over our sin that leads to conviction, leads to repentance. We pray godly sorrow. You know, it's interesting that in speaking of conduct that in Luke's account to Theophilus it's the acts of the apostles, right? It's interesting it's not the sermons. Are there good sermons in the book of Acts? Yeah, there's some great sermons in the book of Acts, but it's the acts of the apostles is what they did. It's how they lived. When you say that the lives of the apostles what we see written on the pages of scripture are living sermons, amen? They're like living testimonies of the power of God in their life and we see their example and we're to follow that example. What they actually did, how they lived, how they served, how they obeyed the Lord and we are to see their example and do that ourselves. We're to live according to their example such that we are an example to others. Paul says in Philippians chapter 4, the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me these think about. No, the things which you heard and saw in me these ponder these meditate on, these pray about, these desire to do, these think about doing when I get around to it. No, it says these do. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me these do and the God of all peace will be with you. We are to follow Paul's example, imitate him as he imitates Christ and we were reminded again of this in Paul's command here in verses 6 to 11 to strive, to labor, to toil, to exercise ourselves toward godliness. Beholding the glory of God in the life of a Christian, beholding the glory of God in the pages of Scripture, we are to be transformed into that same image as it says in 2 Corinthians 3 from glory to glory just as by the Spirit of the Lord. We're to be transformed in our conduct such that we become an example. It is tragic and reprehensible today that by and large so-called Christians fill their mind with knowledge and they don't live it out. They just become academic, scholarly, theological eggheads and they don't serve the Lord. You may have learned something. When's the last time you witnessed a someone? You may have learned something. When's the last time you discipled someone, poured your life into them to see them grow in maturity and faith in Christ. You may have your pet theology that you rub and you cultivate, but when's the last time you shed tears praying for a brother or a sister? They don't live for Christ. Seminaries are cranking these guys out left and right all the time. I say these guys, but I just read recently that nearly half of some mainline denominational seminaries are graduating women into the ministry. They're cranking them out all the time. They don't serve the Lord. They don't live for the Lord. They go to seminary and they fill up on academics. The cycle, it's a damning cycle. Grow up in church and they believe themselves to be saved without serving fervently their brother, without serving fervently the Lord. They believe themselves to be Christians and so they go off to seminary and now they're in an environment where they learn, learn, learn and they don't serve the Lord. They don't evangelize. They don't disciple. They're not fervently serving the body of Christ. They're not fervently serving God and then they go into a pulpit where they just teach to do the same. We're gonna learn, learn, learn, learn, learn. We're gonna hoard all that to ourselves and we're not gonna get out there and serve the Lord and evangelize the lost. It's just not living. If anyone gets saved in that church, it's not their fault, right? And the cycle continues. Christ calls and Christ says, come and what? Follow me. Paul says in First Corinthians chapter four, therefore I urge you be followers of me. In other words, do what I have done. He says again in Philippians three, follow my example. Not just think as I think. Not just walk as I walk. Do as I do. Live out your theology. The kingdom of God, Paul says, is not in word, but in what? In power. Not just in talk, but in the power of God to change your life. It's in power. It's not in the impressiveness of words, of the eloquence of speech, or the external morality of your life. It is in the power of the gospel to transform you. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, right, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who what? Who who does? The will of my father in heaven. There's a there's a great propensity here, isn't there? For sins of omission. Sins of commission, those things you do what you shouldn't do, but here a propensity for sins of omission. Those things which you should do that the Lord has commanded you to do that you don't do. What about studying and meditating on the word of God? What about devoting yourself to scripture in that way? What about evangelism? Are you sharing the gospel or the lost? What about discipleship? Pouring yourself into, if you're a good example, pouring yourself into another brother, another sister to see them come to maturity, actively loving the brothers, stirring one another up, edifying the body. You can, can't you make a practice out of sins of omission, right? Now think about that in terms of first John chapter three. He who makes a practice of sin is of the devil. You can make a practice of omission sins. We need to be serving the Lord doing what the Lord has commanded us to do. So now that is an example in conduct. Considering your conduct, think about those silos in your life for a moment and think about your example in those areas. What would become of the Lord's church if the rest of the church conducted themselves in those areas as you do? As father, as a husband, as a mother, as a wife, as an employee or an employer, as a student, as a volunteer, as a disciple maker, as a slave of Christ. What if the Lord's church followed your example? What would become of his church? What do you spend your money on? What do you spend all your time doing? Redeem the time. The days are evil, right? We're to be an example in all our conduct. Robert Murray machine said this, it is not great talents. God blesses so much as likeness to Jesus. We need to make it our aim to be like him, right? But he says we're to be an example to believers in conduct. He goes on in verse 12 to say we're to be an example to believers in love. This love here is both vertical and horizontal. Vertical love to God, for Christ, affection for Christ, but also horizontal to your brother, to your neighbor, to your enemy. Love here isn't just an emotion. It's not just sentimental or sappy. Love in scripture is work. We keep coming back to that theme. Love in scripture. Even love in scripture is work. You love by staying in there, hanging in there, and working on behalf of the body, striving and laboring on behalf of your brothers and sisters, serving the body. Listen to this expression of love from Ephesians 5, okay? This is expressing the love that a husband has for his wife as Christ had for the church, also as a wife expressing her love for her husband, but apply this standard to our understanding of love in the body of Christ. Listen to this. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her. That is a powerful statement and a extremely high standard. It is high. That, he says in verse 26, he might sanctify and cleanse her with a washing of water by the word that he might present her to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So just as husbands, you ought to love your own wife as your own body. He who loves his wife loves himself for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it just as the Lord does the church for we are members of his body and flesh and of his flesh and of his bones. It's a picture of how we're to love. It is self-sacrifice. It is putting the needs of others before your own. It is seeing that brother, that sister, your wife, your husband, seeing them sanctified without blemish growing in the Lord. Listen to this same expression for Romans chapter 12, beginning in verse 9. Here Paul says, let love be without hypocrisy. Here's what love looks like, abhor what is evil, cling to what is good, be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love in honor giving preference to one another. Now heard it said many times and praise the Lord, it's God is to be glorified in this that when someone comes here talk about what a beautiful fellowship we have or what a friendly church is to you know the first time I came I got to invite you to lunch five times you know that kind of thing. That's a blessing from God that this church fellowships in that way but listen that has to be done in order to love in the way that we're to love. I went to church as my whole life where you could go to church there for years and never talk to that guy over there. Where the people aren't friendly where there is no fellowship it's just to show up on Sunday and go home. We cannot allow that to happen here. We need to cultivate this fellowship this hospitality in our church because it is the way in the means by which we show brotherly love giving preference to one another being kindly affectionate to one another. That's godly that's honoring to God that kind of love. He goes on to say in verse 11 not lagging in diligence listen to this definition of love. Love doesn't lack in diligence that means that love is diligent it says fervent in spirit serving the Lord rejoicing in hope patient in tribulation continuing steadfastly in prayer. Do you love your brother? When's the last time you prayed for him? Do you love the church? Do you pray regularly for our church? Do you love the Lord? Do you pray to the Lord? Distributing he says to the needs of the saints given to hospitality bless those who persecute you bless and do not curse rejoice with those who rejoice weep with those who weep be of the same mind toward one another do not set your mind on high things but associate with the humble and do not be wise in your own opinion. It's just a picture of biblical love and what that love looks like is sacrifice sacrificing your interests for the interests of another not esteeming yourself more highly than you ought being patient toward one another brotherly love kindly affectionate toward one another be willing to instruct but then be willing to correct sometimes rebuke if necessary certainly be willing to encourage to comfort to bear one another's burdens be willing to hold it accountable accountability is an act of love we are our brother's keeper and we're to encourage one another to stir one another up to love and good works let me give you another picture of love flip back just a couple of letters to first Thessalonians first Thessalonians and let's look together at chapter two first Thessalonians chapter two and just another example several examples of biblical love we tend to think of love like the world does in some sentimental way in some sappy I just feel right it's not all about the feeling you act and the Lord commands you it's interesting right the world thinks you know I just I fell out of love the Lord commands you to love so you love as a response to the Lord's command and obedience to his command that means you do something it's not that sappy sentimentalized worldly love here and look at how Paul loved first Thessalonians too look at his example let's begin in verse four here Paul says but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel even so we speak not as pleasing men but God who tests our hearts if you are a man pleaser then you fear man instead of fearing God you love the commendation or praise of men more than you fear the condemnation of God but certainly more than you love the approval or acceptance of God in these things we don't do this as pleasing men but we please God who tests our hearts look at verse five for neither at any time did we use flattering words as you know nor a cloak for covetousness God as witness nor did we seek glory from men either from you or from others when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ but listen to how they behave but we were gentle among you just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children in one sense we're loving that way as a nursing mother as with children as with your own children do you have to give your own children encouragement yes comfort yes reinforcement yes sometimes rebuke yes he who spares the rod hates his son the lord chastens those whom he loves if you're not being chastened by the lord it means you're illegitimate and not sons right here this is the affection the love that a nursing mother would give to her own children look at verse eight so affectionately longing for you if you don't affectionately long for your brothers and sisters then you care less about coming here on a sunday morning to see him and you'll be out of here just as easily as you came in here how many of those you know that that just out of a church just pick up and leave i think i'm gonna go down the road go to another church or this time time is up here i'm gonna go so that is not affectionate longing for your brothers and sisters that's not love that's hate right it's it's weird to be affectionately longing for each other and on the part of paul here that's for their spiritual growth for their edification we it says in verse eight we're well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of god which is very loving but also our own lives they poured their lives into them because you had become dear to us for you remember brethren our labor and toil for laboring night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you we preach to you the gospel of god your witnesses and god also how and this is loving how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe your faithful good example is a loving act to the brothers and sisters in the church it's encouraging to your brothers and sisters to be around faithful godly brothers godly sisters is a great encouragement your example is loving if you have a good example you have a bad example your bad example is an undue influence toward unrighteousness that's not loving you see part of this loving act of paul towards this church was that they behaved themselves devoutly and justly and blamelessly look at verse 11 as you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father does his own children we saw the analogy of the nursing mother and now the analogy of the father who exhorted and comforted and charged that you would walk worthy of god who calls you into his own kingdom in glory simply an act of love were to be an example to the believers in love were also to be an example to the believers in spirit now this word here in spirit if you're reading your new king james the manuscripts that the new king james used to translate the bible had this word in spirit there in the the greek okay this would be similar to walking in faith it's walking according to the spirit if we're going to be an example to the believers in spirit then we're to come under the control of the spirit we're to bear evident fruits of the spirit and that's what it means to be an example in spirit now if you're reading your esv or your nasb it doesn't include spirit there those words simply because the manuscripts used to translate to the english that word wasn't there right you're in the new king james you get another 10 percent for your for your study okay so now we're to be an example to the believers in spirit we're also to be an example he says in verse 12 to the believers in faith in faith here back in 1st emethy in faith means a personal trust a personal trust in christ that results in a personal trustworthiness a personal faithfulness there were those in Ephesus who had made shipwreck of their faith we saw that as we were going through chapter two there there's those in Ephesus that suffered shipwreck of their faith in that apostasy there is a lack of faith in the lord that leads to or bears the fruit of a lack of faithfulness we're to be an example in faith that requires our personal faith and also our faithfulness to the lord the body needs strong examples of faith and obviously for a believer to be an example in faith your knowledge of christ through faith must be real it must be experiential how many of you would say say amen this is you that at some point in your christian walk you had to trust the lord and you prayed trusting the lord and the lord answered your prayer in faith how many say amen amen lord answers prayer it's that building and developing and growing and cultivating our our faith in the lord that becomes an example to other believers we're to be examples to the believers in faith but our experience of that faith must be real and genuine in first john chapter one verse three john says it is that which we have seen and heard that we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son jesus christ to them it was that which we have seen and heard we've handled with our hands we know christ and it is that christ which we proclaim to you but now two thousand years christian later you can say that christ i have heard through his word i have experienced the life transforming power of his gospel in my life he has answered prayer he has provided for me he has cared for me he has gotten me through trial and difficulty and it is that christ which i have seen and heard that i declare to you right that's that faith that is to be an example to believers and that faith is a necessary example i don't know maybe you've done this before i have been at the door witnessing before and often right your own personal testimony comes into the picture that you draw from your own personal testimony in witnessing someone and remember it said once that oftentimes that's as difficult as trying to express color or explain color to a blind man there's no point of reference to a lost person trying to explain faith and i i've said it before many times like listen i know that you and i don't know each other and that you have no basis on which to trust me but i can tell you listen the lord jesus christ in saving a wretched wicked sinner like me made me a different human being he changed me from the inside out i am no longer praise god by the grace of god i am no longer the same man that i once was it's just the the testimony of the life changing power of christ in the gospel to save a sinner and to change them we need that example of faith in the body of christ in the church for those that are just coming to faith for those that are lost that example of faith must be strong does a young believer need to learn to face trials by faith yes gotta learn that those trials are difficult let them learn by your example remember the example of paul and barnabas in ax 14 did paul and barnabas face great trial yeah great persecution right even at the risk of their own lives paul was stoned and went right back into the city to encourage the saints they faced great tribulation but they went around exhorting and strengthening the disciples in that region in ax 14 how by exhorting them to continue in the faith saying that we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of god did paul have an example of faithfulness through difficulty absolutely he did absolutely he did and do you think that that example of faithfulness despite great trial great difficulty was a source of strength to those young new believers that needed something to grasp onto as an example to follow yes it was a tremendous example to them does a young believer need to learn to overcome temptation through faith in christ yes they've got to learn that they've got to learn that first john chapter five verse four for whatever is born of god overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith who is he who overcomes the world but he who believes that jesus is the son of god and it's that difficulty that struggle and that's striving against sin that teaches that young believer to fight the good fight of faith and to overcome sin through faith in christ they need to learn that and you can be an example to the believers in faith overcoming sin and temptation does a young believer need to learn to persevere by faith in christ yes he does let them learn in part through your faithful example knowing as james says that it is the testing of your faith that produces perseverance let them learn by your example so examine yourself what kind of example of faith are you you're no example at all if you're not faithful you're not faithful you're no example of faith you are a hypocrite how do you respond in tribulation how do you respond when things don't go your way do you complain do you grumble do you wring your hands and say whoa is me what's going to happen is that how you respond or do you respond in faith consider your example in the way that you respond to trial consider your example in the way that you trust the lord on the job trust the lord with your finances trust the lord in your family trust the lord in your service to him just consider your example do you pray it's interesting to see the the lord in the lord's prayer it's interesting that he says when you pray just assumes christians pray right thomas brooks adds this he says as if god had said i know you can as well hear without ears and live without food and fight without hands and walk without feet as you are able to live without prayer the christian prays uh one aspect of faith is prayer prayer is faith expressed are you an example in your prayer life there's so much that could be said here but if you're a christian you should always be seeking to be an example in these things developing that life of holiness that is well pleasing to the lord but if you're here you not only need to be an example let me exhort you that you need to find good examples that you need to look to examples the lord has given examples in the church as gifts to the church and where to follow their faith the psalm chapter 101 verse 6 the psalm says my eyes shall be on the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me he who walks in a perfect way he shall serve me what he's talking about there is that that example serves him in the sense that it provides an example for him to follow he that lives in a perfect way shall serve me lastly in back in first Timothy chapter 4 verse 12 we are to be an example to the believers in purity in purity it's the word agnea it means we're to be an example in mind and body and act and in thought that word agnea was originally meant to convey purity in sexual sin in sexual purity but certainly here pertains to moral purity in every sense it's that integrity of heart that pours out into integrity of life and this is so important isn't it you can unsay in a moment with your conduct what you have preached with your lips for 40 years right do you want to be pure you want to be free from the defiling filth of your sin the lord says come now let us reason together though your sins are like scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they are red as crimson they shall be as wool the lord can purify you and will feel turned to him where to be examples of the believers in purity this list is pretty comprehensive right you look at those six items there's six words there covering essentially all of the christian life there's not much left over here it's a pretty comprehensive list inwardly you've got purity and faith outwardly you have your speech or conduct your love toward others your faithfulness notice this though there are those things in the list which are personal they are you you are responsible for that you have to cultivate think about that your speech your conduct your faith and your purity those are all you that which is others directed is the love is love right take heed to yourself and to the doctrine such that outwardly you can express love toward god and toward your brother in a way that is pleasing to him in a way that we should you have to take care of yourself it is so important get yourself in check take yourself in hand make yourself self-disciplined in these basics of the christian life such that you can be a good example but such that when you love you love in the way that god intends you love your neighbor as yourself again being an example here is being commanded but let me exhort you that you need to find and follow good examples the world is producing wicked examples in factory order right there's one right just turning them out and let me exhort you don't let your kids and only the rest of your family be unduly influenced by that wicked example that the world is producing i've talked to people before they say you know especially with respect to like parenting for example i'm afraid that my kids might resent christianity or might resent the do's and don'ts or might you know resent all the rules you raise your children in faithfulness of the lord you let the lord worry about that you raise your children in faithfulness of the lord don't allow them to be under that wicked influence of the world whether it be through music or movies or whatever it is monitor the influence that the world is having on your kids keep them pure under your roof my house we're gonna serve the lord keep them pure from the filth of this world and pray that the lord will save them but there is such a wicked influence on the part of this world and growing more and more wicked day by day and growing more and more influential day by day we have to guard ourselves from that influence guard your kids from that influence however it is tragic and reprehensible that oftentimes we find bad influence in the church you must be discerning about this sometimes a poor example in the church might be as a result of ignorance or just not enough time in the faith just a um a young new christian but now i know you know this to be true because we've seen it many times you can have some new christian fresh out of the box man they've been out of the oven for five minutes and they are a great example right fervent fable wanting to serve the lord ready to charge hell with a squirt gun and they're a good example and they can't teach theology yet but they're a good example oftentimes in the church it's unfortunate there are can be bad examples be discerning you christian need to find yourself good healthy spiritual vigorous christians to follow follow their faith if you don't you may find yourself on the rocks with the others who have made shipwreck of theirs okay so and listen if this describes you don't think too highly of yourself and you ought but two don't diminish the grace of god in you if the lord has grown you in the faith then be an example and disciple but if you make an honest assessment of yourself maybe even seek the input of others your brothers around you and you think not being an example in faithfulness here i'm not being a good example then you need to be very guarded about your influence on others you notice that in your lack of faithfulness you've got other younger newer christians hanging around you and they're imitating your lack of faithfulness listen you're causing them to stumble it would be better for you if a millstone was hung around your neck be careful about your influence being a good example your influence your example of the church should be driving others in christ to be righteous you should be driving them towards righteousness driving them toward faithfulness the scripture says that as christians we are to abound in all these things there's a passage second peter chapter one see if you hear our five or six qualities here in this passage begins in verse five with but also for this very reason giving all diligence giving all diligence right add to your faith virtue to virtue add knowledge to knowledge self control to self control perseverance to perseverance godliness to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love for if these things are yours and abound there to be abounding in you you will neither be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord jesus christ that is a that's a mouthful there and is that going to happen sort of by default while you twill your thumbs and eat bonbons on the couch watching tv no that hence the giving all diligence part of that sentence gotta this is something we've gotta as christians strive for labor for toile for it's going to take effort the christian life is a life of effort you must strive for these things is any of this done in your own strength no it's not done in your own strength i love this hymn it's one of my favorites a mighty fortress is our god it says here did we in our own strength confide our striving would be losing we're not the right man on our side the man of god's own choosing dust ask who that may be christ jesus it is he lord sabbath his name from age to age the same and he must win the battle it's christ that will win the battle this is all for the glory of god it is all for the exaltation of christ jeremy taylor a 17th century preacher says this he says you must be a man of god not after the common manner of men but after god's own heart and men will strive to be like you if you be like god but when you only stand at the door of virtue for nothing but to keep sin out you will draw into the folds of christ none but such as fear drives in what he's saying there is is profound if you're godly living if your word your conduct your faith your love your purity if all of that is simply to clean your act up so that you look better before other people it is for the the pleasing of other men or the applause of men you're not doing that to glorify god and exalt the name of christ to exalt the testimony of christ to a change life the power of the gospel to transform a life then you're just exhibiting an example to people that is to them a get out of hell free card i'm just gonna in other words you only draw into the folds of christ none but such as fear drives in it's not for christ it's because i just fear judgment i want the blessing that has nothing to do with christ you've got to be an example and your example is to the glory of god to the praise and exaltation of christ he goes on to say to do what will most glorify god that is the line you must walk by for to do no more than all men's needs must is servility not so much as the affections of sons you have affection for christ is there any affection in you for the lord such that you strive to live a life that is pleasing to him do you have the affections of sons you have no affection for christ you have your father the devil you're to have the affections of sons he says much less can you be fathers to the people when you go not so far as the sons of god for a dark lantern though there be a weak brightness on one side will scarce enlighten anyone much less will it conduct a multitude or allure many followers by the brightness of its flame you see it's not just for a moral life this is not just for platitudes for living a good life this is the god glorifying christ exalting spirit empowered holy life that is to be the example of every christian now how's this possible how's it possible to do that you were born a sinner you must be reborn a saint the lord has said that those living in their sin will go away into everlasting punishments but the righteous to eternal life and it's not because of your works not because of living this way otherwise you'd have a reason to boast and there is no boasting it is all of grace you can't possibly live your way into heaven when you are too busy living your way on the way to hell christ it is all of grace it is the free gift of god according to his good pleasure whereby he and he alone radically intervenes in your plummet toward hell to shed his love abroad in your heart to grant grace to you such that he draws you to himself effectually calls you makes you alive from being dead in christ are doing dead in your sins makes you alive in christ jesus and those who are made alive in christ jesus are no longer slaves of sin christ didn't live a sinless life so that you could be saved to lead a sinful one christ lived sinless and died a sacrifice to free you from the power of sin so that you could have his perfect righteousness and then live righteously yourself so that you could be forgiven so you could be right with god so that you could escape his wrath ultimately salvation is salvation from god god is the one who fans the flames of torment god is the one who will judge you in that day god is the one who will cast your body and soul into hell be saved from his wrath he is the just and holy god who will judge sin and this is to testify all this this life this example is to testify to the life-changing power of god in the gospel of jesus christ do you have any knowledge of that life changing power in your own life do you own it yourself is god at work in you through you both to do into will according to his good pleasure if all that has been producing you is a weak or no morality with no affection for the sun then you are certainly not saved you cannot be saved apart from these things turn to christ repent of your sin and be saved if you are genuinely saved you cannot part with them it is the driving force of your life christ calls out repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world think about his thorn crowned brow and the blood coming down his face think about his nail scarred hands the sacrifice that was made for sin look to the lamb who is slain look to him and be saved others have gone to christ before you there are others who come who come come and be saved and it's that which we have seen and heard that we declare to you listen this is not just a religious exercise it's not just a religious ploy to live a good life or to be moral it's not just a philosophy if it were philosophy or just an empty religious ploy then you could say with all the rest that this is just one truth among many just one truth buddhas have their truth and catholics have their truth and hindus have their truth and i'll just take some of this truth and add it to my life and make my life a little better but jesus christ was raised from the dead and it is the resurrection which gives proof to this truth as the only truth god who made the world and everything in it commands all men everywhere to repent because he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has appointed and he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead you must contend with that christ who was raised in power from the dead and it is that christ which will execute judgment in that day this is no empty philosophy this is not feeling or sentimentality this is fact and you must contend with that fact turn to christ and live trust in him listen cry out with a puritan in prayer he says come spirit of god work repentance in my soul represent sin to me in its odious colors that i may hate it melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of god show me my ruined self and the help there is in him teach me to behold my creator his ability to save his arms outstretched his big heart for me may i confide in his power and love commit my soul to him without reserve bear his image observe his laws pursue his service and be through time and eternity a monument to the efficacy of his grace a trophy of his victory make me willing to be saved in this way perceiving nothing in myself but all in christ jesus help me not only to receive him but to walk in him depend upon him commune with him be conformed to him follow him imperfect but still pressing forward not complaining of labor but valuing rest and not murmuring under trials but thankful for my state give me that faith which is the means of salvation and the principle and medium of all godliness may i be saved by grace through faith live by faith feel the joy of faith do the work of faith perceiving nothing in myself may i find in christ wisdom righteousness sanctification redemption amen let's pray father in heaven lord god thank you for this glorious salvation that we have in christ jesus god thank you for making provision for our sin thank you lord that if we'll come to the fountain that pours from immanuel's veins that we can be washed cleansed forgiven that we can be set apart to you a child of the kingdom transferred out of the filth of our sin transferred away from that wicked liar of a father the devil when transferred lord to righteousness the power to live a life that is pleasing to you and the glorious blessed privilege of worshiping the lamb for all eternity and thank you for christ thank you lord for the power we have in your spirit to live a holy life to be an example i pray that you to tend these words by your spirit to apply them in the hearts of your people god and me to live to be a faithful example to the lost also to the saints that we might do the work of the ministry that you've given us to do we want to bear fruit for your glory we want to make your name famous and we love you lord thank you for this time thank you for my brothers and sisters and thank you for your word thank you for christ in jesus name amen