"SPIRITUAL
GROWTH"
The Value Of Role Models
II. THE VALUE OF ROLE
MODELS
A. GOOD ROLE MODELS CAN
HELP...
how "uneducated and untrained men"
can boldly proclaim
the gospel of Christ
“Now when they saw the
boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant
men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with
Jesus.”
By example, they teach us how to reach the
same goals
a. E.g., to enjoy a
wonderful relationship with God
“Those things, which ye
have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of
peace shall be with you.”
b. E.g., to remain
steadfast despite trials
“For which cause we
faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet with inward man is renewed
day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are
seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
B. BAD ROLE MODELS CAN
HINDER...
1. By example, they fail
to show us what is possible
a. Perhaps preventing us
from learning of our potential
b. Certainly not
encouraging us to strive for excellence
2. By example, we can
pick up their bad habits and dispositions
a. As indicated earlier,
we are naturally imitators
b. It is not long before
our conduct is similar to our role
models
[If we desire to grow
spiritually, we need to have good role models.
Where are they? We are blessed with many...]
III. ROLE MODELS
WORTHY OF EMULATION
A. WE HAVE DEITY...
1. As Christ encouraged
us to do, in showing kindness to our
enemies
“Ye have heard that it
hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say
unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That
ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun
to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even
the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more
than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as
your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
2. As Paul instructed
the Ephesians to walk in love
“Be ye therefore
followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved
us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour.”
3. What better example
do we have, than that of God and Jesus
Christ?
4. Indeed, some of the
very titles we wear imply such imitation:
a. Children of God
b. Disciples of Jesus
Christ
-- Do we seek to learn
as much about God and Jesus as we do other
role models?
Yet we should be careful, for not all who
profess to be
Christians behave as
they should - cf. Php 3:18-19
It is important, therefore, that we know the
Scriptures well
enough to know when
someone is worthy of our emulation
-- Yet there are many
Christians who can teach and encourage us by
their own example, if we
will but let them!
CONCLUSION
1. If you seek to grow
spiritually, take advantage of role models...
a. Let them show you
what is possible!
b. Let them teach you
how to obtain the goals you are striving for!
c. Let them encourage
you to persevere, knowing that others have
traveled the same path
before you!
2. Since we are natural
born imitators, let us make the choice to
imitate the good
“Beloved, follow not
that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but
he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
a. Only then do we have
the hope of being "of God"
b. The only alternative
is to imitate the evil, which prevents us
from ever "seeing
God"
We conclude this lesson
with the following words of Scripture:
“And we desire that
every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto
the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and
patience inherit the promises.”
Are we imitating those
who through faith and patience inherit the
promises?
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