Be an Example in SPIRIT

Be an example in spirit. First Timothy chapter four verse 12. First Timothy four twelve. And we will finish up the series that we started just a few weeks ago. All their rights to Timothy says, let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to be here to worship you. We pray that you'd be with those who could not come today out of illness or traveling. We pray that you would restore their health and keep them safe and we thank you Lord that we can come and be here and worship you together and praise the name of Jesus Christ, our savior, for all that you have given us, all that you have done for us.

For the salvation that we have, that we could have had no other way, not for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord. And for your wonderful invitation and work in each and every one of our hearts. Lord, we pray if there be one here that is yet to receive the Lord Jesus as savior of their life. We pray this day would be their day of salvation. In Jesus precious name, we do pray, amen.

So, What is Paul's message here? First Timothy four twelve, do not give others a reason to despise your youth but rather be a sterling example of what a believer ought to be before them. That was Paul's advice to Timothy, his instruction. Don't be deterred by the fact that some may think you a little bit green because you're younger. No, you show them what a believer ought to be like.

You don't give them a reason to despise your youth. You give them a reason to respect you. And that should be the case of every child of God and certainly every minister, preacher, and teacher of the word. Be a pattern or model for them to observe, respect, and follow. What Paul requires of Timothy is a minister is the same is the same as what God expects of his children in general.

To be like who? Be like Jesus. To be conformed to the image of his son. Be like Christ in our love, our faith, our conduct, our words, our spirit, and impurity of life. Part of Timothy's responsibility as a child of God and particularly as a minister other to others was to be a good example of Christ.

In each one of these areas that Paul addresses and today in his spirit. We we kind of jumped ahead a couple weeks ago and we talked about faith and we talked about purity. So, we had to come back and get spirit here this morning. Because it is important that Christians be an example in their spirit. Now, question being, what is spirit mean here?

The word spirit is used in different ways throughout the the scripture. Right? It be used in general to speak of something that God is not God is a spirit and that may that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Meaning, he doesn't have a body like we have that he is confined to. You can't can't see him like you see us because he's a what?

He's a a spirit. It could be used to specifically refer to the holy spirit, okay? The third person of the trinity. Or it could be referred to the human spirit. The human spirit.

Jesus said to Peter, when he fell asleep, the spirit is what? Willing but the flesh is weak. You want to do the right thing but the flesh is not your friend. The flesh is tired. The flesh doesn't care.

So, you nodded off and went to sleep when you should have been praying, okay? The spirit is willing. Now, order to avoid some confusion, you will notice that the word spirit here is not capitalized. Not capitalized because it's not referring to the holy spirit specifically but more to the human spirit. But in the child of God, a spirit that is affected and influenced by the the holy spirit as well.

Spirit in this list refers to one zeal or attitude or passion regarding the things of who? Regarding regarding the things of the Lord, of Jesus Christ. Like like serving the Lord or or telling others about him or or one's prayer life and personal relationship with Christ. Your your passion, your spirit, your zeal, your determination. Does God care about that?

Should that demonstrate something of your relationship with God, your spirit, your attitude? Sure, it should. Indeed, it should. We we've in Sunday nights, we've been studying David. I read this for another reason a week or two ago.

I'm going to read it again this morning. I want you to hear the spirit of David speak. This day, will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand? Who is he talking to? Goliath and the the Philistines.

This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand and I will smite thee and take thine head from thee. I will give the carcasses, the host, the Philistines this day into the fowls of the year, to the wild beast of the earth that all the earth may know that there is a god in Israel. He goes on to say and all this assembly shall know that the Lord save it not with sword and spear for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hands. Now, that is the the words of a young man strong in spirit. In passion for who?

In passion for God, for the reputation, and the honor of God that had been attacked by Goliath and the Philistines and he just couldn't stand around and do nothing because he was a young man of passion and desire and commitment to the Lord and you can hear his spirit in his words that he said that day. In Psalm thirty seven four, David wrote, delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Delight in who? The Lord. That should be your spirit as a child of God.

You should be delighting in the things of God. In Psalm one, he writes, blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful but his delight, his passion is in the law of the what? The law of the Lord and in his law does he meditate day and night and he shall be like a tree rooted in the rivers of water, bring it forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither. That word does delight again speaks of the passion that every child of God should have for the Lord and for the things of the Lord, for his word, and for the mission that he has given to us. It shouldn't just be a ho I believe this.

It should be passionate, should mean something. It should be a driving force in our life. Sad to say, it would seem that for many Christians today, genuine or not, they have a a great deal of zeal and passion for the things that are passing away. Temporal, material things but not so much for their calling or ministry for Christ or even for the lost souls around them. Paul when writing the church at Colossi, praise one of them who served with him by the name of Epaphras.

Let me read it here. He writes, Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers that he may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God for I bear him record that he hath a great zeal for you and them that are in Laodicea and them that are in Hierapolis. Now, we don't know much about Epaphras. We don't know of his level of education. We don't know of how old he was when he was saved.

We don't know of his position in the church. But we do know of his zeal. We do know of his passion for the Lord and for the things of God. That's what we know about Epaphras. He was real.

He was genuine and he was passionate and zealous and Paul noted that and Paul praised that because he wanted others to see that and to emulate it as well. What was Paul's praise for praise but for his zeal, his passion for the Lord, and prayer and his people. Epaphras was genuine in his faith but also in his mission and ministry and Paul could see it and desire that others would see it too. Our spirit, the condition of our spirit, our passion for the Lord We use terms like being on fire for God. Are you on fire for God?

I mean, are you passionate about the things of Lord? Is is it something that is on your mind and heart constantly? Is he someone that you love so much? That you are willing to sacrifice and go on above and beyond? For this one who went above and beyond for you.

The Lord needs passionate souls today also. Sold out for the Lord. Zealous of the things that really matter. Could that be you? Should that be you?

Paul was concerned here that Timothy be that person in Ephesus and make it a point to number one, examine his spirit, his passion for the Lord and number two, put it on display for others to see. It could not be said about Paul that he lacked passion. May have lacked in some other areas but Paul didn't lack for passion. Coming up this week is the July 4. And I hope you know this to be the anniversary of our nation's declaration of independence from Great Britain.

That is what we we celebrate. I hope you know that. I'm sure maybe most or all of you do. Sad to say, you know, when they take the mic out on the street and they ask just general passersby, some of them can't answer that question. United States Of America, isn't that sad?

To some, this is a holiday to anticipate because they are passionate about fireworks. Are you passionate about fireworks? Do you love, do you look forward to going and watching fireworks? Some people, they're they're excited anticipation, anticipating fourth of July so they can go to that fireworks show and watch those things, you know, up there in the sky and all those beautiful colors. It's it's exciting.

There are others who anticipate this holiday because they're passionate about cookouts and family Because when they have the day off and they get together and they can spend it with family and cookouts and that sort of thing. And then they look forward to getting together. I look forward to that at Thanksgiving because every Thanksgiving, my my family and I, we we go north. We go to Virginia. We go to Ohio.

We get to spend time with our family. We really look forward to Thanksgiving because of the time we get to spend with our family and to thank God for all of that. There are those that are truly passionate about their country and the freedoms which generations have enjoyed and for which many have died to ensure for us. We call these people patriots because they're proud of their country and their countrymen and their freedoms. They have a passion.

For that. They dress up in red, white, and blue. I've noticed a few of you like that this morning. I I just have a tie but they they fly flags, American flag in their in their front yard, not just on fourth of July, but all the time. They still place their hand over their heart when the national anthem is played or sung.

They often speak of their freedoms and are willing to put some energy and time behind promoting them. Some of them will sign up to serve in the military not solely because of financial promises, but because they want to serve their country. Many did this after nine eleven when the armed forces swelled in number as patriots displayed their passion by choosing to place themselves in harm's way, by putting their life on hold, to fight for their country. They're people of great spirit and passion when it comes to this nation that have given them this freedom as they should be. And I would like to think myself a bit of a patriot though not nearly as much as some.

But I would more so hope to be recognized. As a passionate servant of who? Of Jesus Christ. A patriot of my heavenly home. Like Epaphras and Paul and David.

A passionate, a zealous believer in the Lord and in his word. A passionate preacher of the gospel and student of the scriptures. One who truly cares for souls of those around me. One who would if need be placed myself in harm's way for the cause of the one who chose to die in my place. I would rather be recognized as being great in spirit and passion for the Lord most of all.

There are times I fear that this may not have been what came across to others or that my zeal for the Lord and passion for Christ was not quite what it should have been. Due to distractions, spiritual shortcomings. Furthermore, I fear that it is a huge problem in Christianity today. Among many believers and some preachers as well. We have lost our zeal for Christ and his word.

Yes, we may show up for an hour on Sunday. Yes, we may pick up our Bible every now and then. But there just is no passion and there's just no zeal. Other things have taken priority in God's place in our heart and that should not be. We have not nurtured our zeal for the Lord by the prioritization of our time and energy.

We have poured more passion into our zeal for politics. Or fishing or football than our relationship and service to Christ and it shows. More willing to show our spirit at a football game than we are when talking with our neighbor about our Lord and savior Jesus Christ or or singing song and praise of him at church. First, we must examine our heart. If others cannot see our passion for Christ, maybe is because you don't have a whole lot.

And that's a what? That's a heart problem. That's not a sight problem on their part. It's a heart problem on whose part? Our part that they don't see that.

Because maybe it's not there like it ought to be. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus because he first loved me. And how many times have Christians sung that song but their life doesn't seem to indicate that they really love Jesus all that much?

We love baseball. Do you love Jesus? Baseball. I mean, I'm not a real big baseball fan. So but more of a football fan.

But right at this very moment, I I I couldn't tell you who won the Super Bowl two years ago or three. Does it matter? Does it matter? No. Does Christ matter?

Does his word matter? Do the souls of lost people who need him matter? Now that matters. That matters. And yet sometimes, our passion is misplaced like a a business tycoon who spends little time with his family and seems to care less for them than his business.

We choose to spend little time in communion with Christ or prayer or bible study in church and it shows. If you are passionate about your health, you priority prioritize. Imma have a hard time saying that word. Prioritize those things which make you healthier. If your health matters.

You're passionate about. It shows. If you are passionate about your hobby, you research it. You you follow others that that share what they're doing. You practice it whether it be fishing or chess or golf or needlepoint or whatever it may be.

And other people know that that that it's important to you. You're passionate about it. If you're passionate about athletics or music, you you discipline yourself, you, your time, and your effort, you practice because you're what? You're you're passionate about it. It matters to you.

You want to hit those notes and you want to you want to, you know, finish that race. And people around you know it. If you are passionate about your family and children, you make time for them. And they know it Likewise, if you are passionate about Christ, you make time for him. For prayer for his word.

You gravitate towards others who share your what? Your spirit, your your passion for Christ. And your passion grows. And it grows. And it grows.

You are an example in what? In spirit. And it is so direly needed in our world today that Christians are an example in spirit. And we're excited about the Lord. We're excited about what he's doing.

That he puts a smile on our face and a love for others in our heart. Then, then, we look forward to going to church. And serving the Lord but if you begin to spend less time with the Lord, less time in church, less time in service, then your passion will begin to what? It'll begin to wane. Diminish.

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And as you treasure other things more than you treasure Christ, your your passion and your spirit begins to diminish for Christ and the things of Christ, this happened to the church at Ephesus. Turn if you would to Revelation chapter two. Revelation chapter two. This happened to the church at Ephesus.

The very same church where Timothy was now ministering as Paul writes him the letter that we're reading from in first Timothy. That's where Timothy is. He is in the church at Ephesus. And Paul tells Timothy, you be an example in spirit. But later on, the apostle John would write another letter to seven churches in Asia Minor which is the Western Side of Turkey.

One of them being the church of guess what? Ephesus. And what did John have to say about the church at Ephesus? Revelation two verse one. Unto the angel of the church at Ephesus write.

These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Those are references to Jesus Christ who is the head of the church. Verse one, I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and has found them liars and has born and has patience and for my name's sake has labored and has not fainted. Well, that all sounds really good, doesn't it? Boy, the church at Epps, boy, they got it together.

They're diligent. They they are standing on the doctrine of the word of God and and they've got it together. But it doesn't end there. Verse four, nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come into thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.

In other words, God said, you you need to fix this issue with your church and with yourselves. Yes, you're going to lose your testimony. You're going to lose your church, your ministry. What was their issue? They had left their what?

They had left their first love. Their passion and love for Christ was waning. Even though they were genuine in their faith, discerning believers, and industrious people, their passion for Christ was diminishing. They were becoming a bit more complacent, distracted. They thought, hey, we got all these programs and all these things going on and so, they spent less time in their personal devotion with God and less time in prayer and less time in genuine ministry.

And it began to show in their their excitement for the Lord In time, their spirit and attitude towards the Lord would suffer more and then begin to affect other areas of their testimony. They weren't excited about God and so then, that things kind of spiral downwards. Because other things begin to take priority. So, God through John warned them sharply to repent of their lack of zeal for Christ, their first love, and return to it to a time when their passion for Christ was greater before they began to get complacent and distracted. From their relationship and their time with him.

Maybe like the members of the church of Ephesus, we need to examine our hearts and life to see what might be hindering our zeal and our passion for the Lord and repent also. That is acknowledge the lack that is there and turn in faith to the Lord and confess that our passion is not what it ought to be. I dare say that this is a need for many Christians today who have left their first love and it is showing. It shows in their home. It shows in their workplace.

It shows in their churches. Shows in their ministry. It shows in their testimony and their witness to others. Because who's going to get excited about God if we don't get excited about God? Secondly, we must not be afraid to display our passion for Christ to those around us.

It begins with an examination of our heart to see why it is we're not so passionate but number two, we must be willing to express it. There's a lot of people who spend a lot of time in God's word, a lot of time on their knees, a lot of time in church, a lot of time in service, and their relationship with God is real and genuine and maybe even growing but you don't really see it. And it's also important that they what? That they see it. That other Christians see it.

That the lost see it. That we're an example in our spirit. You know, you go to a football game and you look at the stands and right away, you can see it. How? Well, you know, they're they're jumping up and down and screaming holler when their team wins a they they've got the the jersey on for the team that they support and some of them go really far out with, you know, and paint themselves all up and but really, you know, they're Now, neither God or I are suggesting the church ought to look like that because this isn't a football game and there's there's more on the line here than scoring a touchdown and but it also doesn't need to look like it often does too.

Not only in church but at work and in our neighborhood that people don't even know that we are what? Christians. That if somebody walked into our church service, they thought, oh, they don't care about being here. They're just waiting for this to get over with. We don't want to send that message, do we?

I hope not. Some of us out of fear for what others may think are afraid to show our zeal. Now, I honestly, by nature, some people are more, you know, hyper and excitable and and than others. That's true. And you may not show your zeal quite the same way someone else does.

But I'm afraid a lot of times we don't show our zeal because we're just afraid the person behind us or or beside us is going to think a strange if we say amen in the service. I I was excited. Had, like, two or three people here last week, and I got, like that like to say amen, and I got, like, half a dozen of those during the service. And that was exciting to me because that often isn't the case. Amen.

Thank you. Alright. It's okay to open your mouth and say amen or praise the Lord every now and then. You know, don't It it it it's encouraging to others and to your pastor but it's also good for you. Get out of your comfort zone a little bit and let it known that what you agree with and that you're excited about it.

Standing up and singing full voice and praise to God, not worried about the person in front of you thinking, oh, man, I wish they would quit singing. The Bible says, make a what? A joyful noise unto the Lord. God says that. So, do it.

Whether it be at the workplace, out of fear that someone sees us reading our Bible or praying before we eat, that they might think it's strange. Let them think it's strange. Because they don't need somebody else hiding what they believe or their passion for who they are. They need to see somebody different. Let them think it's strange.

Christ deserves us putting ourselves out there and putting him out there and a lot of times it's just as simple as bowing our head and praying before we eat in a public area where people see it. You don't have to put your hands up in the air and jump up and down and scream and holler. Just let your head down and pray and don't care if other people see it. Or reading your Bible. Or talking about the Lord.

How many times, why'd you do this weekend? Well, I did this and this and that and this and you went to church. Did you mention it? Oh, you went fishing on Saturday. That's great.

Caught a big fish. That's great. But tell em you went to church. Tell em you sang praises to the Lord. Tell em you ministered to some children.

Tell em what God is doing in your life. Be an example in spirit. All said, I am not ashamed of the gospel for it's the power of God and the salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek. I'm not ashamed for the gospel of Christ. Are we?

Maybe we are. What's the problem? Well, the problem is maybe we're just not so passionate about Christ because we're more passionate about other things. Maybe the problem is, we've allowed the fear of man to be a snare. And so we're afraid to act up a little bit.

Let others know that we're different. Whether it be in our witness or with our neighbor or talking We talk about everything under the sun with our neighbor except who? Except Christ. What does that say? The the world desperately needs to see believers sold out and unafraid to be numbered with Christ, who are willing to let down the facade and show them how much we love our savior, his word, and their souls.

We must let it show. Timothy needed to let it show. You and I need to let it show. To cry a little over sin and souls. To sing a little bit about the joys of heaven.

To speak a little bit about what's right and what's wrong. To shout a little bit about his glorious salvation. To pray a little for the souls of those in bondage to sin, who hurt, who are hurting or angry or lost. The Bible says the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. What's the word fervent mean?

You ever heard the phrase fervent in spirit? We are to be fervent in spirit. That we mean what we pray for and we keep praying until God answers and if we are fervent in spirit and fervent in prayer, you will see prayers answered but often times, we don't. Why? Well, because which is kind of a ho We're going through the going through the motions and we're not really passionate.

And that's sad. Because our savior deserves so much more and so do the lost around us and so do we. Get out from under that rock. Get excited. Be willing for others to see it.

And if they mock, they mock. But you know, it might just plant a seed in their heart. Well, they're they're willing to be mocked. They're not afraid. There's something real about that person.

Be an example. Be an example. What is your passion? What has happened to it? Why?

Maybe you need to have a talk with the Lord about it. Maybe we need to have a talk with the Lord about it. He was zealous for us. Can we not be more zealous for him? Maybe you need to meet him.

Maybe you don't know him. You know, it's hard to be zealous for somebody you don't know. But you can. Don't worry. He is there.

He will accept you. He will save you. He will fill your heart with his love. And a passion for things that truly matter. He will change your life and your desires.

If you'll come to him, come on to me cries from the cross, a cross of passion and zeal for the souls of men for whom he died. For you, if you will accept his offer. For he became sin for us who knew no sin. That we might be made the righteousness of God in him. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be what?

He came not into the world to judge but the world but that the world through him might be what? Saved. That's you. He wants to save your soul. He wants to change your life.

But Christian, are are we indicating to others out there that he's changed our life? If somebody was asked about how they would describe you, would their description somewhere in there say a passionate Christian or even a Christian at all? We need to be an example in spirit. We need to be more willing to put ourselves out there and not be afraid of what people have to say because Christ is worth it. And we need to spend more time on our knees and more time in his word.

Me included. That our passion might grow. Because it comes from him and it comes from within. From the power of his holy spirit as we spend more time with him. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day and thank you Lord for your passion for us that you demonstrated on the cross as you've suffered all of the pain, the mockery for us, and you died there for us. Lord, may we be willing to open up our hearts and lives more to you and willing to take a stand before the lost and Lord, may you give us a passion. We need a passion for you and for your word and for the lost around us. Lord, a passion that only comes from you. Lord, we pray for that today and that we would be willing to confess anything that might be hindering it.

Other things that might have taken priority. We've lost our first love. Lord, forgive us. Lord, help us to repent and and to seek the first works, to go back to those days when we first came to know you and and everything was new and exciting. Lord, may it be new and exciting again, new every morning for your mercy certainly is.

Lord, may it show on our face. May it sound forth in our words. And in our actions. And our time with you In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.