11.3.24 Sermon @ Tulip CC - Chose Your Influences Wisely

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Sermon Planning & Notes

An elderly couple, Ray and Ethel, were together in their final days. Ethel sat by Ray’s side as he lay in their bed. Ray said, “Ethel, you’ve always been by my side. When we were poor newlyweds, you were there. When I broke my leg, you were there . When our house burned down in ‘72, you were there. Do you remember when I lost my job? You were there. No matter what difficulty came our way, you were always there.”

Ray looked up at his wife with tears in his eyes. “You know something, Ethel? You’re bad luck!”

Choose your influences wisely…who you surround yourself with, what you consume, where you go, what you do…being around certain influences is bad for you.

People/Relationships - inside the church, and outside the church

Consumables - TV, YouTube, Music, Social Media, Books, Articles, Pictures

Behaviors - what we say, how we think, where we go, what we do

Two Kinds of Relationships: Balcony People & Basement People

Balcony People - lift us up, cheer us on, call out our best

Basement People - drag us down, infect us with a negative attitude, discourage us, lead us down the dangerous path

Avoiding Dangerous Examples & Influences - 2 Timothy 3:1-5

2 Timothy 3:1–5 NASB 95

1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

When we put self first and God last, our neighbor in the middle is bound to suffer.

Who do you think of when you hear and read this list? Can I challenge us this morning; Important evaluations

First, evaluate yourself…do I fit any of these descriptions? If others around me were honest with me, would they describe me in any of these ways?

Second, evaluate your close relationships…not those people in the world you dislike. Your friends, your family, you church…do you see these behaviors?

Third, can I challenge us today to consider what influences us…TV, movies, music, social media, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, news, talk shows…

Balcony people or Basement people?

Let’s talk role models for a moment…do you know you are becoming who you surround yourself with?

Parents, do you pay attention to the kids your kids hang around with? Do you know who their friends are?

Do you think about your own friends? Who do you hang around with? How do the people you work with influence your behavior?

Young friends…do you give thought to who you surround yourself with? Ever find yourself following a leader who isn’t on the right path? Hard to get off the path, might cost a friendship, might get made fun of, might even find yourself alone.

Who are your role modes? Six Questions to help us….

Do they focus more on themselves or others?

Are they preoccupied with money or things?

Do they treat others with kindness or rudeness and sarcasm?

How would you describe their attitude…entitled or grateful?

Do they have a quick temper or act without thinking?

Does their life show that they truly love God?

The Power of Poor Examples

Note 2 Timothy 3:5 - these men had a godly appearance…said a lot of the right things, existed in the church, were leaders…but they were hypocrites…one of the most damaging characteristics of the church and Christians…to say one thing and do another.

2 Timothy 3:5 NASB 95

5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

Lance’s story…mentoring a young man…

What brings us here today? Information or transformation? We can read and know, but if we fail to do and live…we are false teachers ourselves.

Not only do we have to be careful of who we follow…we have to be careful with those who are following us. Billy Martin and Mickey Mantle

Wise Examples - Choose them and Be them

2 Timothy 3:10 NASB 95

10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance,

“You Know” is parakolouthein…meaning to follow physically, mentally and spiritually.

William Barclay, “Parakolouthein is indeed the word for disciple, for it includes the unwavering loyalty of the true friend, the understanding of the true student, and the obedience of the dedicated servant.”

Timothy knew Paul’s purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance…and Paul expected and called Timothy to follow him in these ways.

Two questions to leave us with today, two questions I pray we will truly give some thought to.

Do we have someone in our life we can look up to? Are we following in their footsteps?

Not just someone who dresses the part or knows the Bible…someone who lives the life of a faithful follower of Jesus…not a textbook person, a text-person.

Careful, don’t put them on a pedestal…and beware if they want to be on a pedestal…but if they are truly following Christ, then follow their lead

Am I someone other people can look to and follow? Do others want to follow in my footsteps?

Where am I leading them? To Jesus or to destruction.

If I am honest and they are too…can they “Drive as I drive, spend money as I spend money, watch TV as I watch TV, love their spouse as I love my spouse, behave in class and on the court as I behave, serve as I serve, speak as I speak, think as I think, walk as I walk?”

My prayer is that we will choose wise examples and strive to be good examples. By the grace of God and with His power, I pray we won’t one day be like Ray and Ethel…but instead, those around us will be able to say…”it was good for me to be around you.”

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