How many of you know what a bear trap is? I looked on youtube and found several videos of bear traps. One actually showed a guy intentionally punch his fist into a set, toothed bear trap and it did what a bear trap will do when the trigger is hit, it clamped shut on his arm. There were some friends standing around cheering him on until he did it. Nice friends.
Here's another video of the same kind of trap snapping shut on a 2x4. (Show video).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5NVL2Wqzao&feature=related
The reason I chose to show you this is to illustrate a very important message that we must learn and practice and not forget.
Imagine that wherever you go, there are traps hidden all around. But, there is a path you can walk that is safe. It is narrow and sometimes hard or even boring. The safe path has many obstacles on it and there are lots of people who seem to be doing just fine who are off the path going their own way. They call to you to leave the path and join them. What will you do?
One time I went to this Christian conference and the speaker illustrated this for us using a bunch of bear traps and a father and son.
The Son was on one side of the stage and the Father was on the other. The traps were all set and live and the son had on a blindfold and was supposed to walk across the stage through the bear trap field to his father. As the son started to take a step the dad yelled out: STOP! The boy stopped and the Dad came to him through the bear traps and led his son safely to the other side of the stage.
The speaker asked, "Who is leading your children through their daily lives?" Then he went on to tell of the dangers our kids face every day, and the places where they are most likely to fall and how many are falling prey to the traps that are all around them because those they are following are untrustworthy leaders. Most of the time, they follow one or more of their own peers into spiritual death.
Today I want to talk with you about the power of examples, role models or mentors in our lives.
When Paul wrote to the Philippian church he names four leaders whose examples they should consider, look to and follow. The first and foremost is Christ Jesus himself. We will look at this on December 25, Lord willing. The second example Paul gives is Timothy. His life and example are noteworthy in the New Testament and his is the example we will get a glimpse at in today's lesson.
Paul met Timothy in Lystra he was while on a mission trip. Timothy was a young man with a strong faith in Christ and a good reputation with the churches in Lystra and Derbe. Acts 16:1 is where we first hear of Timothy. He spent the rest of his life serving Christ with Paul as his mentor, teacher, father figure. He was with Paul when the church was established in Philippi. We even have two letters to Timothy that were written by Paul giving us quite a bit of information to help us get to know him and his relationships - with the Lord, the churches and the apostle Paul. His name occurs 28 times in the New Testament and is found in 12 different books: Acts, Romans, 1&2 Cor., Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thess., 1&2 Timothy, Philemon and the book of Hebrews. That means Timothy's name is mentioned in more books than any other Christian except Paul, but Timothy didn't write any of the New Testament. Therefore, his name occurs far more often than any other non-writer of the New Testament except God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And actually, you would have to credit them with writing the New Testament.
So what is said about this young Christian?
Listen to this bit from 1 Corinthians and note what it says about both Paul and Timothy.
1 Cor. 4: 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
Also, from Philippians 2 again:
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
And finally, in the first letter to Timothy we have: 1 Tim. 4:
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
The picture we get from Philippians is that Paul followed Christ and he taught Timothy to follow Christ by following his own example, then he told Timothy to be an example for others to follow.
Everybody follows somebody! Who is leading you? Who has had the most impact on your life? Who do you look up to in order to learn to live?
Just as importantly, to whom are you being an example?
At Martin Boyd this past Wednesday I asked the class: how many of you have children? All of them raised their hands. Then I asked them, "How many of you would like for your children to be just like you?" None of them raised their hands.
What's wrong with that? The problem is that we know our own faults too well. God wants us to live so we can tell others: Follow me!
Moms and Dads, can you tell your children to follow you and be like you? Are you walking with the Lord? Then you can! I would say, "YOU MUST!!!" They NEED you to do that. Don't bail out on the most important job God has given you! Train up your children to know and follow Jesus Christ.
All of us need examples to follow.
Most of us would have to say that we follow different people for different things.
Every year now for a long time, I have told myself that I need to get into some kind of fitness program. Some kind of exercise regiment to get into shape and stay in shape. I would psych myself up and tell myself that I would start running or working out. When would I start? Later. I just could NOT make myself get started. If I started, it would last a week and then it would rain or something and my fitness training would wash away.
I started praying about it. Then Chris Lewis, who is the most physically fit person I have ever known, invited me to a workout program at his house called cross-fit. I love the name! Cross fit. So far, Chris and Darrell Turner, John Calhoun, Kendall and I are the Cross fit crew. We were meeting at 6 a.m. Tues. and Thurs. at Chris and Laynee's garage, now it's 6:30. And for the past three weeks Chris has kept us at it. And, praise the Lord, it is great! We start and end with prayer and scripture and in the middle Chris makes us work out our salvation with fear and trembling. There's no grumbling or complaining, but I must say there has been a bit of weeping and gnashing of teeth from time to time.
My point is, I couldn't do it on my own. I couldn't make myself workout regularly. I'm just too weak. I needed a mentor, and example, a role model. I also needed a fellowship.
God's word calls us to come together so we can stand. We need to join with others if we are going to make it to glory. You can come here and listen to the gospel, but if you don't go out there and put it to work daily, what good is it? If you don't share the gospel you know with others, and try to bring others to Christ, you will find yourself bored and saying: "I've heard this stuff all my life."
Do you know the safe way through the traps of Satan? Are you leading others to Christ and being an example for them to follow?
We really need to see that this world is filled with traps and snares of Satan. They are all around us! The Bible describes Satan as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is a deceiver and accuser who whispers lies. Jesus called him a murderer and a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the full armor of God so that we can withstand his fiery darts and temptations.
Proverbs 5 warns those who fail to follow godly leadership:
11 At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!
13 I would not obey my teachers
or listen to my instructors.
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin
in the midst of the whole assembly.”
21 For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD,
and he examines all his paths.
22 The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him;
the cords of his sin hold him fast.
23 He will die for lack of discipline,
led astray by his own great folly.
May God bless your life that this will never be true of you. How can you avoid this wretched end?
Three things:
First, follow Jesus Christ yourself and find more mature mentors in the faith to model after.
Second, find fellow followers who are faith peers and walk in Christ together, building one another up in Him.
Third, find someone to lead to Christ and share your faith with them.
It is that simple and that clear in scripture.
But, there are no short-cuts. You and I need all three of these to make it.
Timothy followed Christ and Paul became his mentor.
He stayed in fellowship with the mission team and worked alongside many faithful servants of Christ.
He shared his faith and lead many souls to Christ through his years of living for Jesus.
That's the example we have in scripture. There is no improving on it. We just need to practice it.
