THE RESPONSIBILITY OF AN EXAMPLE

October 22, 2000 PM

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Sermon Outline

Phil 4:9

INTRO: The process fo learning involves - at one time or another - all of the senses. Formal education might be described as telling, showing and doing, and most of the human senses come into play at one of these stages. It has long been known that lessons which can be visualized in some way are lessons with a better chance of being learned and retained. How many times in math classes do I remember saying to our teacher, Show us an example. All of the fine theory and telling he could do was virtually lost on us until he showed us with an example how to solve problems. For each of us in Christ ...

I. THERE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EXAMPLE

A. There is certainly telling to be done

1. Phil 4:9 note words learned, received, heard

2. 1 Pet 3:15 here is necessity of speaking forth, of telling, of teaching

3. and we must know subject ... there is study to be done

B. But there is also as certainly showing to be done

1. Robert L. Stevenson: I cannot hear what you say for listening to what you are

2. here is the responsibility of an example

3. Phil 4:9 also says, ... and seen in me ...

II. EXAMPLE AS A RESPONSIBILITY, AN OBLIGATION

A. There is the Lords example

1. 1 Pet 2:21 - Jno 13:15He was an example

2. yes, Jesus sat and taught Gods word - not enough, though

3. He then showed us how to do what He taught how to behave in each circumstance of life (expand) ... all of His teaching would have been useless without example (1 Jno 2:6)

B. There is the apostles example

1. 1 Cor 11:1 what a great responsibility was there!

2. to introduce this new faith into a very confused and calloused world

3. how vital to be consistent with their teaching and to show how Christianity was to be lived from day to day

C. The example of others ( than the apostles)

1. Phil 3:17-19 Paul refers to self ... and others

2. and what he is saying is that because there is so much confusion even among those calling selves Christians it is imperative that we be true, good examples upon whom others can look for a how to!

3. being an example goes with our choice to be disciples

D. Some special thoughts ...

1. 1 Tim 4:12 the young as examples

2. Titus 2:1,7,8 young preacher, teach and shew!

3. the fact cannot be avoided that New Testament plainly teaches every Christian an example of what a Christian ought to be

III. CONSIDER THE EFFECTS OF AN EXAMPLE

A. There are good effects

1. 1 Pet 3:1,2 wives might win husband to the Lord

2. Ps 101:2 wherever we may go or be, we must behave wisely ... because of the good our example can accomplish

3. and we may never know when our example has truly had an impact on others ... but it will

B. And there are harmful effects

1. these would come from a bad example

2. Prov 22:24,25 lest thou learn his ways ...

3. 2 Ki 23:32 the harmful effect of a bad example

4. because our example does have such power, we have a great responsibility to make it a good example!

CLOSE: A little boy asked his father, Dad, what is a Christian? And the father explained ... The Son replied, Dad, have I ever seen one? Friends, there is a lesson of the responsibility of an example.

Cecil A. Hutson

22 October 2000