An Example to the Believers in Word, Conduct, and Love I. Introduction. A. Reference to series from 1 Timothy 4:12-14. 1. Last week, Let No One Despise Your Youth. 2. Read the text. - 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. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you. 3. Reference to future lessons. B. Context of passage. 1. Paul is advising Timothy on how to conduct himself specifically toward the church. - Timothy is a young man who is responsible for preaching what is needed for a group of people. - Youth might be an obstacle which would have to be overcome. 2. Addressing common problems that a young person might face in a position of leadership. - the answer is to be a good example in all facets of life. - Older people are going to be a little reluctant to listen to a younger person. 3. The situation can be helped though if the younger person conducts themselves in a certain way. C. This lesson and the next lesson in the series are about being an example. 1. God put each one of us on this earth to influence other people. - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Mt. 5:16 2. We influence a lot of people. - family members. - classmates. - co-workers. - neighbors. - people in the community. 3. But I want you to notice the specific example that Paul is talking about in these verses. - an example to the believers. 4. Paul is focusing on the example that Timothy needs to set in the church. - to other Christians.
5. And that is what we are going to focus on this morning. - the example that I am setting for my brethren. II. An Example to the Believers in Word. A. I believe that there are two things that are involved in what Paul refers to here. 1. That Timothy needed to be a good example in regards to preaching THE WORD, that is the truth of the gospel. 2. But also that Timothy needed to be a good example in his day-to-day speech. 3. We will consider both of these points. B. An example in preaching the Word of God. 1. Being loyal to the truth is a theme of Paul s letters to Timothy. - to not compromise it as others had done. - 2 Timothy 2:15, Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. - 2 Timothy 2:17-18, And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. - 2 Timothy 2:25, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth. 2. If Timothy wanted others to hold firm to the truth, then Timothy had to set the tone. - how Timothy handled the truth. - would influence others and how they handled the truth. 3. The point to us is that we need to make sure we are speaking the truth. - 1 Peter 4:11, If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. - If we want our friends to accept the truth and hold on to it, then we have to set the tone. - learn to speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent. - show them that there is such a thing is TRUTH, and not just somebody s opinion. 4. Application to young people: - it is vital that you learn to speak the Word, and only the Word. - if you will do that, you can be a great example to your friends. 6. But notice also from our text: - you can be a great example to your fellow Christians. - nothing is more encouraging to a Christian than to see a young person standing up for the Bible and for truth.
C. An example in speech. 1. All of us, at one time or another, have been around people who have had problems with controlling their tongue. - profanity, lying, gossip, anger. 2. What did we think of those people? - we probably didn t value them very much. - because their speech turned us off. - we didn t want to have much to do with them. 3. Our speech affects our influence. 4. Good, wholesome speech has great practical value. - Proverbs 15:1, A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. - Proverbs 15:23, A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is! 5. We have a choice to make regarding our speech. - We can either build people up or tear people down. - Ephesians 4:29, Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 6. Do the words that come out of my mouth build up the people around us? - my children? - my spouse? - my friends? - my neighbors? - my brethren? 7. We need to realize the effect that our words can have. - James describes the tongue as: - a fire, a world of iniquity (James 3:6). - an unruly evil, full of deadly poison (James 3:8). 8. Are we an example in our speech? - what if everyone spoke the same way that I do? - are we influencing our brethren? III. An Example to the Believers in Conduct. A. Timothy needed to be an example in how a Christian should conduct themselves. 1. There is a certain code of conduct for a Christian. 2. In any job that you have, there is a certain way that employees are to behave. - At the bank, we recently went through an exercise where we tried to define our culture. - We defined our core values. - We also identified most important behaviors. 3. The same is true regarding Christianity. - There is a certain way that we are supposed to conduct ourselves. - Philippians 1:27, Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.
- 1 Peter 1:15, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. - 1 Peter 1:17, and if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear. B. Our conduct is important. 1. It says something about who we are. 2. But I also want you to think about another aspect of our conduct. - It also casts a reflection upon God. 3. We referenced Mt. 5:16 earlier. - did you notice the purpose of letting our light shine? - so that others might glorify our Father. 4. It works in the opposite way, too. - if we behave in an immoral and wicked way. - we will cast a bad reflection upon our Father. - Romans 2:24, For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. - an indictment on the Jews. 5. An employee s actions influence people s perception of a business. - if we deal with a banker or financial advisor who is dishonest to us. - what do we think of the bank or company he works for? C. Back in 1 Timothy 4, notice the connection of the first two areas in which Paul instructs Timothy to be an example. 1. An example in word. - in speaking the truth and speaking properly. 2. An example in conduct. - in behaving like a Christian should. 3. Paul emphasizes to Timothy that he must be an example in both areas. - in word and deed. 4. Both are equally important. - Colossians 3:17, and whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. 5. You can just say all of the right things, you ve got to do them, too. - James 1:22, but be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 6. This is a temptation to all of us. - it s pretty easy for us to say the right things. - but it s another story to put them into practice. - think about it from the perspective of a preacher. 7. As we sit here this morning, it s pretty easy for all of us to agree on what we ought to do. - but what happens when we go home? - we find out that it is a whole lot harder to put the principles into our day-to-day lives.
D. Young people, work at being a good example in your conduct. 1. Your friends will notice that there are certain things that you won t do. 2. They will notice when you won t neglect doing certain things like attending services even if there is something else going on. 3. But remember our subject: An example to the believers. - You can help all of us by being a good example. IV. An Example to the Believers in Love. A. Finally, Timothy was to be an example to the believers in love. 1. Probably two areas in which Timothy was to be an example. - in showing his love for God. - in showing his love for his brethren. 2. Love is the central characteristic of a Christian. - Just as it is the central characteristic of God. 3. Our whole spiritual life revolves around the concept of love. - John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. - 1 John 3:16, we know love, because He laid down His life for us. - 1 John 3:19, we love Him because He first loved us. - 1 John 3:11, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 4. Two questions that I want to consider in examining our example of love. - How do we show our brethren that we love God? - How do we show our brethren that we love them? B. How do we show our brethren that we love God? 1. Putting God first. - Matthew 6:33, But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. - Through the choices we make on a daily basis, we show our brethren what we love. - God or the things of the world. 2. Submitting to God s authority. - John 14:15, If you love me, keep My commandments. - Not only do we show Jesus that we love Him when we keep His commandments. - But we also show the people around us. 3. Expressions of our love and respect for God. - Through our worship. - John 4:24, God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. - when we worship in the right manner, we re telling our brethren we love God. - when we worship with the right attitude, we re expressing our love and others will see it.
C. How do we show our brethren that we love them? 1. Remembering them. - Hebrews 10:25, And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. - focus on the word consider. - means to consider attentively, fix one's eyes or mind upon. - the idea is to think about each other. - knowing that other people care about me. 2. Encouraging them. - Hebrews 3:13, exhort one another daily. - we need each other. - when we tell each other what we need, we re expressing our love. - an encouraging word. - motivation to keep going. - or it might even be a word of correction. 3. Helping them. - 1 John 3:18, My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. - Not just offering to help. - But being there for each other. D. Young people (and all of us), you need to start now being an example in love. - Love God, so that others will love God. - Love your brethren, so that your brethren will love each other. V. Conclusion: You can make a difference!! - Be the light. - Not just to the world, but to your brethren.