Sermon

Whose Example Are You Following? (Part 1)

May 15, 2021 Pickens First Baptist Church

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I want to say before she gets out, good job, Sophie.
I called her by her sister's name in the first service.
And what's so bad before I got up,
I thought, that is Sophie singing.
I'm not going to get it confused.
And I didn't think I did until Lisa told me after the service
that I called you by the wrong name.
I am sorry.
What kind of example are you?
Now, everybody is an example.
Some good, some bad.
But what I really want us to think about this morning
is what kind of Christian example are you?
What kind of example are you for other Christians?
How are you influencing people in this church
by your presence, by your involvement,
by just the way they see you live your life
outside the church, in your home?
How are you influencing people in your home?
Or the people you go to school with?
People you work with every day?
What kind of impact are you having on them?
Are they looking to you as an example?
For some, you just don't know.
There may be some people at school, at work,
and you never really understood it, don't know it even,
but they're looking at you.
They're watching you.
They know you're a member of this church.
They know that you are a professing Christian.
What kind of example are you setting for them?
And you know, sometimes people don't really look at us.
They're not really thinking about following our example,
but sometimes our example rubs off on people, doesn't it?
You know that there's people in your life you've been around a lot,
and you never really tried to be like them.
You didn't think about it,
but you've seen how some of the things they do,
they say mannerisms,
have rubbed off on you.
I want you to turn to Philippians chapter 3, verse 17,

Philippians 3:17
and see how Paul emphasizes the importance
of providing the right kind of example
for other Christians to follow.
It is important that we
understand the kind of example we should follow
and not follow,
and at the same time,
the kind of example we need to set.
So as we go through this passage,
I want you to examine yourself.
Are you helping people,
examine yourself,
just think,
are you helping people become
more like Jesus
in terms of developing Christ-like character?
Or,
are you helping people
to become more like the world
that ignores Him
or that even opposes Him?
Which direction are you pointing people?
Let's read it.
Philippians chapter 3,

Philippians 3 chapter mention
beginning in verse 17.
Brothers,
join in imitating me
and keep your eyes on those who walk
according to the example you have in us.
We're not going to get into that this morning,
but I want to call your attention
to the fact that
most everything he has been talking about
in this letter,
he has been giving himself
as an example
for Christians to follow.
But he's not an egomaniac.
Paul has made it very clear,
I don't think I've arrived.
I am not by any means
what I should be,
but I'm working on it.
I'm seeking to be faithful,
to grow
and become more like
my Lord and Savior.
So,
as you think about,
well,
what is that example?
Well,
if you've been here for these studies
or you just read back
through what he said
in chapters 1, 2, and 3,
he's given us a lot of
illustrations or examples
of how he lives,
how he relates to the Lord,
what his desires are.
verse 18.
For many,
of whom I have often told you
and now tell you even with tears,
walk as enemies
of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction,
their God is their belly,
and they glory in their shame
with minds set on earthly things.
But our citizenship
is in heaven,
and from it we await
a Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
who will transform
our lowly body
to be like his glorious body
by the power
that enables him
even to subject
all things
to himself.
Paul is contrasting
two basic examples
of behavior
that are found
among
professing Christians.
His intent
is obvious.
We need to make
an intentional effort
to follow
the right examples
and not
to follow
the wrong examples.
Reject them outright.
Let's look at this.
First,
don't follow
the example
of fake Christians.
Don't follow
the example
of people
in the church
who profess
to be a Christian
or pretend
to be a Christian.
I'm calling them
fake Christians.
Paul gives us
a detailed description
of who these people are.
We can spot them
by looking
at what he says
in verses 18 and 19.
Look,
for many
of whom I have
often told you
and now tell you
even with tears
walk or live
as enemies
of the cross of Christ.
Their end
is destruction.
We need to be
on guard
against fake Christians
in the church.
Paul's writing
to Christians,
the church at Philippi.
And he says,
I've done this
in the past.
I've done it
over and over again.
Called attention
to these type people.
But he doesn't
identify who they are.
He doesn't say,
here's who they are
or give you
a kind of
detailed description.
But we can figure out.
He's talking about
professing Christians
but they were
not true believers.
That's why I'm calling
them fake Christians.
Note,
here's why we can know this.
First,
Paul wrote this warning
with tears
because he knows
these people.
He wouldn't be writing
and making this warning
with tears
about people
he didn't know
had no involvement
with like
just the average
pagan
on the street
of Philippi.
He's writing
to people
that he knows
who've made
professions of faith
who have been
or are even
still a part
of the church.
And it breaks
his heart
to think about
how they have
departed
from the faith
or they have
revealed that
they've never been
true to begin with.
It tears him up.
So he's writing
with tears
a heavy heart.
He takes no pleasure
in pointing out
these fake Christians.
He also describes
them as enemies
of the cross of Christ.
That may mean
that they were
professing Christians
who opposed
the gospel
of salvation
by the grace
of God
through faith
in Jesus
plus nothing else.
He may be referring
to those Judaizers
the ones we looked
at a few weeks ago
that he recalled
dogs,
beware the dogs.
These were professing
Jewish Christians
who said yes
you've got to believe
in Jesus
but you've also
got to become
an Old Testament Jew.
You've got to keep
the law.
You've got to practice
all these
things that the
Old Testament law
required.
You've got to keep
the Sabbath.
Practice circumcision.
All this kind of stuff.
So it could be
that they're enemies
of the cross
of Christ.
They reject
that Jesus'
death on the cross
is sufficient
to pay the penalty
for our sins.
Or
he may be
describing people
as enemies
of the cross
of Christ
as people
who were
professing Christians
in the church
but they rejected
what Jesus taught
about if anyone's
going to follow me
you've got to take
up your cross
daily
in order to follow me.
Jesus was talking
about
you've got to be
willing to
suffer for my sake.
You've got to be
willing to die
if necessary.
The Christian life
is a life
of sacrifice
at times.
A time
for suffering
for your faith.
Suffering because
you're attached
to me.
And it may be
that
there's people
in the church
who say no.
They're more
into the health
and wealth gospel.
They're more
into the positive
thinking
and they just
reject the true
gospel.
They reject
what it means
to be a Christian.
That's the kind
of person
he's talking
about here.
Well Paul
makes it clear
that these
bad examples
are not
Christians
because he
describes how
their life
is going to
end.
He says
their end
is destruction.
They're going
to be eternally
condemned
on the day
of judgment.
They not only
don't follow
Christ
they're not
truly Christians
he's talking
about people
who are going
to spend
eternity
in hell.
So
Paul
is telling
us
as we
apply this
to us
he's telling
those people
be on guard
for fake
Christians
people who
profess to be
maybe even
still a part
of the church
but they're
not real
they're not
truly followers
of Jesus
they're enemies
of his cross
their end
is destruction.
So as we
begin this
we
we need
to be on
guard
against
the bad
examples
of professing
Christians
if they're
in this
church
or any
other
church
and the
way we'll
know it
is because
their lifestyle
their lifestyle
will betray
their profession.
Their lifestyle
will reveal
they're not
true followers
of Jesus.
Let's look
on.
We know
who some
of the
fake
Christians
are
because
they show
signs
or no
signs
of spiritual
life.
Paul is
identifying
fake
Christians
in the
midst.
We know
who some
of them
are because
of the way
they live.
They show
no signs
of any
kind of
spiritual
life.
Look at
verse 19.
Their God
is their
belly
and they
glory
in their
shame
with minds
set on
earthly
things.
Let's think
about what
he's talking
about.
Fake
Christians
focus on
satisfying
their physical
appetites.
That's what
he means
their God
is their
belly.
They live
for sensual
or physical
pleasure.
He's talking
about people
who just
do what
feels good
at the
moment.
That could
include
anything
from sexual
immorality
to gluttony
to laziness.
Whatever
would fit
in this
sensual
or physical
pleasure.
Sensual
pleasures,
physical
excesses.
Paul's
describing
somebody
whose goal
is simply
just be
happy.
Just
do whatever
it takes
to be
happy at
the moment.
You've heard
people say
that haven't
you?
You've heard
people say
I just want
to be
happy.
And maybe
you've joined
in with
them.
I heard
this not
too long
ago.
Somebody
who was
making a
comment about
somebody close
to them
and they
were not
living a
faithful Christian
life at
all and
made the
comment well
I just
want them
to be
happy.
Don't
want the
people that
you love
who are
living in
a sinful
or rebellious
way of
life don't
want them
to be
happy in
that.
As we'll
see in a
little while
a true
Christian can't
be happy in
that for
long because
the Spirit
of God
within them
will convict
them that
it's wrong
and make
them miserable.
You know
there's a
major problem
with us
if it
applies but
there's a
major problem
with anybody
who they
just want to
be happy.
That's the
defining goal
of their
life.
You know
God calls
us to be
holy not
happy.
That's
something that
is easy to
remember.
I've talked
about it
before but
something we
never need
to lose
sight of.
Almighty
God is
concerned that
you and
me if we're
calling ourselves
His children
He wants us
to be holy
more than
anything.
His goal is
not to make
us happy.
I want you to
understand that.
Now if you
will seek
happiness in
being holy
well that's
good.
You will
seek to
find happiness
in being
holy.
Now that
word holy
turns some
people off
they think
you're talking
about somebody
who's just
perfect just
like Jesus.
No.
To be holy
means to be
set apart
for God
for God's
purposes.
To be holy
is to be
different because
you are a
follower of
Jesus.
God calls
us to be
holy.
To live like
we belong to
Him.
To live like
we have
committed our
lives and
set ourselves
apart to
follow Jesus
and not be
like everybody
else.
Ideally we
as Christians
need to seek
to find
happiness in
being holy
and pleasing
God.
God, don't
you with
your family,
with your
spouse, with
your children,
with close
friends, don't
you find
happiness and
joy in
pleasing them?
When you do
something for
somebody that
you love, that
you really care
about, you
do something for
them and they
smile, they
enjoy it.
they let you
know they
enjoy it.
Doesn't it
please you,
brings you
pleasure,
happiness, that
you have
pleased somebody?
Well, our
relationship with
God should be
such that we
find joy and
happiness and
pleasure when we
know we
please Him.
And He tells
us in His
Word how we
can live our
lives to
please Him.
always remember
what I'm
talking about
is not some
kind of far
fetched idea.
Holiness is
not an option
for a
Christian.
Look at this
verse from
Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 12 chapter mention
12.
Make every
effort to live
in peace with
everyone and
to be holy
without holiness
no one will
see the Lord.
God.
If you want to
live like a
pagan and just
blend in with
everybody else and
you can feel good
about that, you
are not a
Christian.
You will never
see God except
in judgment when
your life comes to
an end.
So we need to
take this seriously
this morning.
Fake Christians
focus on satisfying
their physical or
sensual appetites.
Their God is
their belly.
Look at this.
Fake Christians
are proud of what
they should be
ashamed of.
They glory in
their shame.
Now this would
certainly apply to
all kinds of
immorality.
That's sort of a
given, isn't it?
But it also
includes anyone who
adopts and
celebrates the
world's values that
are contrary to
the truth of
God's word.
This is what a
lot of liberal
Christians or
professing Christians
do today.
What I'm about to
get into, we're
not talking about
politics.
We're not talking
about the White
House.
We're not talking
about liberals in
Washington.
What we're about to
look at next, I'm
talking about liberals
in churches, professing
Christians who are
proud of what they
should be ashamed
of.
They're proud of
their opposition to
the clear teaching of
God's word by being
pro-abortion.
Now they'll talk about
being pro-choice.
I don't remember the
denomination, but
there's plenty of
liberal denominations.
Presbyterian Church,
USA.
The Episcopal Church
and others, they are
openly, they'll call
it pro-choice.
They are pro-abortion.
They are pro-killing
the life of a baby in
the mother's womb and
thinking that's some
kind of great thing to
do for a woman to have
that kind of choice.
There are liberals in
churches right now that
are proud of their
personal and their
churches and their
denominations pro-abortion
views, position.
There are churches
filled with people right
now.
They've adopted the
world's anti-authority
attitude.
They're especially
anti-police, which is
sort of the liberal wave
all across the country
this morning.
Liberals are fools.
They truly are.
To think you can live in
this country and abolish
police, governmental
authority.
If you have a problem with
that, you read Romans

Romans 13 chapter mention
chapter 13.
God has given government
the power, the authority
to enforce laws even to
the point of using the
sword as he talks about.
There are liberals
claiming to be Christians
this morning.
They celebrate giving a
woman the freedom to kill
her unborn child just
because she don't want
that child.
They celebrate these
riots and lootings and
killings that take place
across our country in the
name of being anti-authority
and anti-police.
A lot of liberal
Christians or professing
Christians this morning
support every form of
sexual expression that is
contrary to God's design
like same-sex marriage,
transgenderism.
Now this may come as a
surprise to you but there
are Christians,
professing Christians,
pastors in upstate
South Carolina who strongly
support homosexuality,
transgenderism, same-sex
marriage and they'll perform
weddings for couples of the
same sex.
Christians.
What I want you to see,
these are fake Christians
who are proud of what they
should be ashamed of.
They are proud to oppose the
clear teaching of God's
word.
And what Paul is trying to
help us understand is don't
follow their example.
Don't listen to them.
Don't let them influence you.
true Christians indwell by the
spirit of God cannot glory in
the clear things that are
taught in God's word that are
sinful, that are shameful.
It is an impossibility for the
spirit of God who inspired the
writers to put what they put in
scripture.
It is impossible for the Holy
Spirit who inspired those
biblical writers to affirm us as
he dwells in us to reject that
which he inspired the biblical
writers to write.
You see what I'm talking about?
The logic of that?
We need to ignore, reject,
oppose fake Christians who are
proud of what scripture says
Christians should be ashamed of.
And then fake Christians have a
worldly view of life with minds
set on earthly things, he says.
That's the phrase for that.
New Testament commentator Frank
Thielman has a helpful description
of what Paul is talking about
here.
He says earthly things are not the
practical affairs of everyday life,
but things that characterize
worldly life in opposition to God.
I appreciate that definition,
that point.
It's not wrong to take care of the
practical affairs of everyday life.
I mean God calls us to be good
stewards of everything he entrusts to
our care.
God expects you as a man to be the
leader of your home and take care of
your family.
It is your God-given responsibility.
You better give attention to the
affairs of your home and take care of
your spouse, your children, whoever else
God has placed under your roof and
under your authority.
It is not worldly in a sinful way for
you to take care of your financial
affairs.
That's why I tell these young people
graduate, major in something you can
make a living at because sooner or
later you've got to make a living.
Get a job and something will pay the
bills, Josh.
And that applies to everybody here.
You don't go to college just to have a
good time or at least I just don't know
people who are that wealthy to send their
children to college and just let them blow
thousands of dollars for no good purpose.
We should be responsible people, good stewards of
everything that God gives us.
We've got to work and earn and save and
invest to take care of ourselves now and if
Lord lets us live in the future.
You've got to provide a home.
There's just certain things about living in
this world we need to take care of.
In order to take care of it, we need to be
concerned about it.
It is not wrong to give attention to the
things in this world that will enable you to
faithfully serve God and to fulfill the
responsibilities that God has given you.
Let's take care of yourself and your family.
It is actually wrong, sinfully wrong for
Christians to be irresponsible or lazy.
when it comes to taking care of the people and
things God has given us to care for.
If you've got a house, you need to take care of it.
You need to maintain it.
You need to care.
It's part of your responsibility as a steward.
Laziness today, irresponsibility today is rampant.
And what we in the church need to make sure is that we
don't in any way overlook it or fail to condemn it.
Be a responsible human being.
Be a responsible person created in God's image.
Be a responsible caretaker of the creation he has given to
us and especially what he has entrusted to your care.
Now, the fact is many people go too far and live as if this
world is all that matters.
That's the problem.
That's what we've got to guard against with mindset on
earthly things.
He's talking about people who are just consumed with the here
and now with no thought of anything else.
In fact, this phrase, with mindset on earthly things, Paul is
summarizing the attitude of fake Christians when he describes
them of in this way.
I want you to understand.
He may not be talking about any kind of wicked living at all.
He's talking about people who are just basically caught up in this
world's values and concerns.
He's talking about people who rarely, if ever, think about life,
think about the affairs of this world from an eternal perspective,
which we'll get into more next week.
Paul's description of fake Christians is alarming.
Look at it.
Think about it.
They could be members of our church or any church.
These fake Christians, we need to evaluate ourselves to make sure we
don't fit in that category.
So let's take a moment and think.
What are you most concerned about right now?
I'm talking about the big picture.
I'm not talking about what time it is.
In the big picture of life, what are you most concerned about right now?
Is it your checkbook or however you take care of your affairs today?
Look at your checkbook.
Look at your calendar.
That'll help you know what you're most concerned about, really.
A faithful, committed Christian.
If you look at their, pull out their phone, look at their financial apps.
Look at their calendar.
A faithful Christian will demonstrate they are investing their life, their time, and their money
in the kingdom of God.
The church of Jesus Christ.
Things that will pay eternal dividends.
Fake Christians.
Fake Christians are the kind of people, it's all about me.
I'm going to spend my money and my time on me, mine, mine as the mood strikes.
That's a fact.
So what does your time and money say about you?
Think about this.
Are you more concerned with growing in Christ's likeness, developing Christian character,
or just growing in wealth and power and influence and popularity or material things?
Here's a good one.
What are you most concerned about for your children and your grandchildren?
I mean, what are you most concerned about?
We're concerned about a lot of things for our children and grandchildren.
That's a fact.
But are you more concerned with their spiritual well-being,
or with their grades or popularity or athletic or musical abilities or their careers?
What are you most concerned about?
That they get a job?
They get a big house?
They have a nice salary if they live comfortably?
Or that they have a close relationship with the Lord that just grows and continues throughout their life,
regardless of what kind of house they live in?
What Paul is describing is serious because these fake Christians end up in hell.
Their end is destruction.
They're not true Christians.
Now, don't misunderstand the point here.
We all struggle and have a problem at times with maintaining a proper focus and proper priorities.
We all do.
And we all battle temptations to do sinful things,
to just be selfish.
What should concern you is if you never have these kind of struggles or battles.
What should concern you is that you don't struggle or battle because you don't care about pleasing God.
If that's true about you, you cannot be a Christian.
You are an enemy of the cross of Christ.
If you just don't care about knowing and pleasing God.
Your only hope this morning is to admit that.
Admit that's who you are.
And cry out to Jesus to save you, to change you.
Do that now.
One more thing about fake Christians.
Leave them alone.
Don't let them influence you.
Bibles fill with warnings about following the wrong example.
I want you to look at two.
Proverbs 13.
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise.
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
And then look at this.
1 Corinthians 15.
Do not be misled.
Bad company corrupts good character.
Bad company corrupts the good character.
I want to encourage you to avoid following the example of anyone whose life ignores or dishonors the Lord.
Don't let them rub off on you.
Leave them alone.
That applies to all of us in here, but especially young people.
Be careful who you allow to influence you.
And parents, do all you can to prevent your children from being led astray by bad company.
Because sooner or later, bad company corrupts good character.
Now, very quickly.
By God's grace, everybody around us is not a bad example.
There are many good examples that we can follow as Christians in this church and in many other churches.
Paul emphasizes this in the next section.
That's what we're really going to look at next week.
But let's look.
One thing.
The right example.
Note one thing.
We need to identify faithful Christians in our church and learn from them.
He says,
Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
There are many things about the Christian life.
You know this.
It's better caught than taught.
That's why Paul tells these people, look around for good models.
He's not an egomaniac.
He's taught about his shortcomings.
But he's trying to provide a positive example.
We need to make sure that we are following the right example.
Final thought here now.
We need to make sure that we are providing the right example for other Christians to follow us.
We're all influencers for good or bad.
Which are you?
Are you by your example leading people to Christ and eventually heaven?
Or are you pushing people away from Christ, which will ultimately be held by your bad example?
Let's pray.
Let's pray.
Thank you.