Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction: The topic we are going to address tonight is leadership, and when we take a look at leadership in the Bible the best method of leadership we see is influence.

Influence is the ability to effect change in the character of another person.

The reason we are going to take a look at this topic is because this is a need that our youth group faces and it is a need that the church faces and everyone in this room is a part of both of those things.

Example of hard work: building muscle in the gym

Sometimes we approach leadership in the same way.

We would love to have a godly youth group and we would love to be one of those people who effect change as others turn towards Christ because of our testimony and walk before the Lord, but more often than not we would really rather not put in the work that those things require.

In , Paul is writing to Timothy who is a pastor and leader in the church, and Timothy was living in a culture where he was surrounded by false doctrine and foolish ideas.

Timothy was living in a culture where right was being called wrong and wrong was being called right and if he dared to take a Biblical stand there were those who would have accused him of a hate crime.

Can you relate to that?

And it was as Timothy was facing this culture that Paul writes this:

1 Timothy

Paul is saying to Timothy that if he wants to be a godly leader and influence people towards godliness he is going to have to dedicate himself towards training and, like physical training, it is going to take hard work but training and dedicating yourself to godly living will not fade away but instead it holds the promise of life.

Not just life now but life that is still to come.

Paul says to Timothy that this promise of life is the entire purpose of their labor and the entire purpose they are willing to suffer reproach.

Paul and Timothy trusted in the living God who is the Savior of all men, and so Paul is calling Timothy to dedicate himself to be an example (influence) to the believers.

Paul is calling Timothy to lead through godly character in the midst of a messed up culture.

Can you relate to that?

Now, I think it is safe to assume that we all want to be godly and we all want to influence others towards godliness.

So, the question for us tonight is this: how do I do that?

Well, as we continue is the passage that is exactly what Paul explains to Timothy.

1 Timothy 4:

In Word

First, someone who is going to influence by example is going to be blameless in their speech.

If you are gong to influence others towards godliness you are not going to do so with vile speech.

In Conduct

Second, someone who is going to influence others towards godliness is going to be blameless in their lifestyle.

Someone who is a godly leader is going to commit himself to righteous living.

James says:

In Love

Third, someone who is going to influence others towards godliness is going to be an example of love.

What is spoken of here is not necessarily the kind of love that makes you feel warm and fuzzy.

This is sacrificial love.

That is ministry in the body of Christ.

That is the epitome of leadership.

You just lay down your life for your friends, and you do not count it to be a sacrifice because you understand that the investment is eternal.

One of you asked me once about moving away from family and the culture I grew up in and how that felt.

It is not always easy but our hope and dream for this youth group is that your hearts wold turn towards Christ, and to see that happen Jaynie and I have given you our lives for the past two years.

And this is not a congratulatory thing - it is normal life.

There is nothing else to this life but to give it away for the sake of Christ and others.

God so loved that he . . .

what? That’s right.

He gave.

Anything less than pouring out your life isn’t love.

There are givers and takers in this world: which are you?

In Faith

Fourth, someone who is going to influence others towards godliness is going to be faithful.

The word faith here refers to someone who is unmoving, unswerving.

They are consistent and trustworthy.

This is the real differentiator here.

Someone who is going to be influential is going to be consistent.

There are those who put on shows to get others to follow them and there are those who make it all about entertainment and fun but they don’t last.

You can’t count on them.

It is required that a leader be faithful and constant.

In Purity

Lastly, someone who is going to influence others towards godliness is going to be pure.

This refers to sexual purity and the idea is that this is a purity that reaches all the way down to the heart and transforms your behavior.

Sexual impurity will just devastate your ability to have influence.

A leader influences from a position of purity.

Conclusion: In conclusion, I want to first encourage those who are making the effort to be leaders here.

You put forth the effort to welcome visitors, you are involved with games and other things going on, you do not draw attention to yourself when it ought to be on God’s word.

You are an example in word, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

I want to encourage you that you are making a difference and it can be seen and I pray that that kind of behavior continues.

I also want to discourage those whose goal is to be influential without godliness.

That is possible.

Remember Absolom.

He was an influential leader, but he led many to their deaths including himself.

It is meaningless to have people follow you if you are leading them in the wrong direction.

If you have influenced others to dishonor their parents, you have done it to their harm.

If you have influenced others to neglect the accountability they need you have done so to their harm and I pray that you would be humble enough to repent and look to influence others towards Christ and not towards yourself.