Influencer Week 1

New Series

This week we are going to start a new series here at the Landing. It’s called Influencer.

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Whether it's Instagram, YouTube, TV, or movies, we are constantly surrounded by "influencers." Who's your favorite "influencer"? Do you have a least favorite — an influencer you love to hate? Some of these people gained influence through a viral video, great photography, or a breakthrough role, but there are also "influencers" who make us wonder, "How did this person get famous in the first place?" People like Kim Kardashian come to mind.

Whether it’s Instagram,

The world is full of people who want their voices to be heard. I would venture to say that just about every person wants their voice to be heard in some way, shape, or form. Sometimes, people choose to use their voices to sell products, but some people use their voices to do something much bigger.

of the people we mentioned use their voices to do something much bigger.

First though, let’s define influence. What is it? Simply put, it's a way of impacting the way other people think, believe, and behave. Being influenced by someone else isn't necessarily a bad thing! For example, whether you want it to be or not, your small group leaders influence you every time that you are here in small groups at the Landing. Everyone is being constantly influenced, for good or for bad. And if you don’t think you’ve been influenced, well I can tell you that you’re wrong.

For example, everyone stand up. I’ve got five statements. If you answer “yes” to any of these, then sit down.

Have you ever found out that you liked a new food because someone suggested you try it?

Have you ever watched a tv show because someone suggested it?

Did you meet your best friend because someone introduced you two?

Did anyone ever teach you how to tie your shoe?

If you’re still standing, then congratulations! You have officially never been influenced.

Let me give you a real-life example of someone who had the chance to influence others and the world for the better. Ignaz Semmelweis was a doctor in Hungary in the 1840s who noticed something really tragic. People would come to the hospital sick, injured, or to have a baby, only to catch an unrelated disease, which would sometimes result in their death. After a lot of study and research, he decided that there must have been tiny particles of disease traveling from one sick (or dead!) patient to another, causing them to get sick. He was right, of course – those particles were we know now to be germs. Dr. Semmelweis implemented a strict rule about hand-washing in between patients and, as a result of this simple but revolutionary idea, the death rate at his hospital started to drop! This idea was literally saving lives. Now it may seem like a stupid simple concept nowadays but back then, this was just not the regular practice.

Here’s the deal though. Ignaz was smart, but he was not a very effective influencer. He was known to get really angry with anyone who didn’t follow his hand-washing procedures. He was convinced his way was the only way to stop the spread of sickness. He spoke down to the other doctors and yelled at them regularly, as if it was their fault people were getting sick and dying. Instead of winning awards and saving countless lives, Ignaz lost his job at the hospital, doctors stopped following the hand-washing protocol, and the death rate went back up.

Ignaz had an important message to share, but he lost his audience. So here's a question for you: Would you rather have a message with no audience, or an audience with no message? It's not an easy question to answer, is it? If you have to choose between having a message or an audience, things get complicated. Some influencers have the attention of millions, but struggle to identify the message that matters most to them. Then we have people like Dr. Ignaz. His message was clear and important, but he lost his chance to influence people. The great influencers throughout history were great influencers for two reasons . . . Their message was meaningful. Their motivation was about more than just themselves. Some "influencers" use their voices to sell merch or diet shakes, but the world needs more "influencers" who know how to use their voices to selflessly spread a message that matters.

If you know Jesus, you already have a message that matters — the message of what He did for us on the cross! But sometimes, even when we have a message that matters, the message we’re trying to share with our words is outshined and overshadowed by the message we're sharing with our actions. It’s hard to take someone seriously who talks about helping others but doesn’t actually do it. It’s hard to believe someone who doesn’t have proof. It’s hard to trust someone’s intentions are good when they don’t treat others well.In the Bible, the book of James says it this way . . .

James 2:14–17 ESV

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Read together.

If you say you follow Jesus, but your life doesn’t match up with your message, your faith isn’t everything that it could be. If you follow Jesus, we should strive to have our life and action match the message that we share. Now we have to know that we will never be perfect. We are sinful, but that doesn’t mean that we give up!

Whether your message is about washing your hands, solving a problem, bringing hope, or sharing the good news of Jesus, your ability to influence others will depend on your character. Throughout Scripture, much of what God has to say about influence and power involves is also about humility. Here's are some of the things James says about it . . .

James 3:13 LEB

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good behavior his works, with the humility of wisdom.

James 4:6 LEB

But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:10 LEB

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read and 4:6, 10 together.

James quoted an ancient Proverb in that last passage (), and so did another New Testament writer. Let's see what Peter adds to this conversation about humility.

1 Peter 5:5–7 LEB

In the same way, younger men, be subject to the elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the right time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares for you.

Notice the phrase “one another.” “One another” is two words in English, but it’s only one word in Greek, the language in which this passage was originally written: allélón (ah-LAY-loan). It’s used 100 times in 94 New Testament verses. 47 of those verses give instructions about how we are to treat one another. About 15% of those verses are about humility. Moral of the story: Humility is a pretty big deal to God, so it should be important to us too.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read together.Notice the phrase “one another.” “One another” is two words in English, but it’s only one word in Greek, the language in which this passage was originally written: allélón (ah-LAY-loan).It’s used 100 times in 94 New Testament verses.47 of those verses give instructions about how we are to treat one another.About 15% of those verses are about humility.Humility is a pretty big deal to God, so it should be important to us too.

From kings, to religious leaders, to Jesus' own disciples, the Bible is full of stories of people who tried to be important, make themselves look good, or come in first place. In Scripture and today, people fight to have a voice, a microphone, or a stage that would make them feel or look important. But just because you have a microphone doesn't mean you have something meaningful to say. A microphone increases the number of people who hear your voice, but it doesn't give you a meaningful message. Don't love the microphone so much that you're willing to do anything in order to get it. If your primary concern is all about winning or being seen, when you finally get your microphone, you won't have anything meaningful to say.

Peter was a great influencer. He understood the concept of humility well, but he didn't come up with this idea on his own. Peter learned about humility from his teacher, Jesus. INSTRUCTIONS: Read together.Imagine you're at a dinner party with some important, famous, popular, or rich and powerful people, and think about this . . . Where would you want to sit? What risk might you be taking by trying to draw attention or honor to yourself?What risk might you be taking by striving to be humble?Who would you rather hang out with — a humble person or a person who is always trying to be seen?

In Scripture and today, people fight to have a voice, a microphone, or a stage that would make them feel or look important.But just because you have a microphone doesn't mean you have something meaningful to say. (No offense to our Rock, Paper, Scissors champion.) A microphone increases the number of people who hear your voice, but it doesn't give you a meaningful message.Don't love the microphone so much that you're willing to do anything in order to get it. If your primary concern is all about winning or being seen, when you finally get your microphone, you won't have anything meaningful to say.

C.S. Lewis (a really influential writer) once said that true humility is “not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less.” When we think "humility" means thinking less of ourselves, we ironically only end up thinking about ourselves a lot more. Being humble isn't about putting yourself down or hiding the things you're good at. Being humble is about seeing yourself as God sees you! All the things about you that God created. All the not-yet-perfected things. And everything in-between. True humility is about seeing yourself as God sees you. It's about having confidence in who you are now and who you are becoming. When you are able to rest in your own God-given identity, you won’t need to worry about putting yourself forward or putting yourself down. When you're at peace with who you are, you won't need to focus so much on yourself. Instead, you'll be able to focus on the message you have to share with the world. Some influencers use their microphone to draw attention to themselves, instead of a meaningful message. But you don't have to be that kind of influencer. To be an influencer, be humble – not arrogant.

Whether you believe it or not, you’re already an influencer of the people around you. Over the next few weeks, we're going to dive deep into a conversation about what it means to use your influence for something bigger than you — a message that matters. You might not be a YouTube celebrity, or a sports star, or have millions of followers, but every day of your life you are saying your message with your words and actions. The way you live, the words you speak, and the actions you take are all communicating a message. So what's your message? We'll discover that together in the next few weeks, but it all starts here. To be an influencer, be humble – not arrogant.

God has placed you right here, right now because there is some one in your life in this community that is just waiting to be influenced by you. Someone that may not know it, but that needs to hear and see the light of Christ shining through you.