OceanSide church of Christ

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WHAT I WANT TO BE TO OTHERS

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   As I look back on my life, there have been many people who have made an impact on my life.

1.    My mother selflessly gave all her life.

2.    A football coach name coach Caddy was always an encouragement on the field.

3.    Several instructors at the MSOP made an impact on me:  brother Hearn, brother Renshaw, and brother Curry.

4.    Several preachers made an impact on my life:  Robert Taylor, Jr., Garland Elkins, Joe Gilmore, and Franklin Camp.

 

B.   All of us live in a world inhabited by billions and billions of people.

1.    We interact with them, and they interact with us.

2.    They have an impact on us, and we have an impact on them.

3.    Romans 14:7

 

For none of us liveth unto himself, and no man dieth to himself.

 

C.   Here is something interesting.  I can choose what I want to be to other people.

1.    We can choose to be a force for good.

2.    We can choose to be a force for evil.

 

D.   I have entitled this lesson:  “What I Want to Be to Others.”

 

I.             I WANT TO BE A GOOD TEACHER TO OTHERS

 

A.   Have you ever:

1.    Sat in a class extremely confused?

2.    Sat in a class bored to tears?

3.    Sat in a class that did not seem relevant to your life?

 

B.   What makes a good teacher?

1.    A good teacher stays true to the Bible (II Tim. 1:13).

 

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and in love which is in Christ Jesus.

 

2.    A good teacher enables individuals to understand the text (Neh. 8:8).

 

So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused the people to understand the reading.

 

3.    A good teacher applies the Word of God to individuals’ lives.

a.    Application is where the rubber meets the road.

b.    Application is where we answer the question:  “What does this text mean to me?”

c.    God wants us to be doers of the Word, not hearers only (James 1:22-25).  To do the Word, we must apply the Word to real life situations.

4.    A good teacher will seek to interest his students in the study.

a.    Jesus could capture the attention of the masses.

b.    Mark 12:37b

 

And the common people heard him gladly.

 

c.    Certainty, enthusiasm, urgency, authority, and clarity help to capture the minds of the listeners.

 

II.           I WANT TO BE A BRIGHT LIGHT TO OTHERS

 

A.   In Matthew 5:14, Jesus calls us “the light of the world.”

 

B.   In Matthew 5:16, He says:

 

Let your light so shine before me, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 

C.   How to shine brightly.

1.    Let Jesus live in us (Phil. 1:21).  He is “the light of the world” (John 8:12).  We reflect His glory and holiness.

2.    Let the Word of God abide in us (Prov. 6:23).

 

For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.

 

3.    Cease from the ways of darkness.

a.    All evil practices are like a covering over our light.

b.    Two verses:

1)    Ephesians 5:8

 

For ye were sometime darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord:  walk as children of light.

 

2)    I Thessalonians 5:4-5

 

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  Ye are the children of light, and the children of the day:  we are not of the night, nor of the darkness.

 

D.   I want others to be able to see the strait and narrow path that leads to light because of my light (Matt. 7:13-14).

 

III.         I WANT TO BE A DILIGENT SERVANT TO OTHERS

 

A.   Jesus came to serve.

1.    Mark 10:45

 

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

 

2.    He taught us to follow His example (John 13:14-15).

 

If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

 

3.    Paul echoed the word of Jesus (Gal. 5:13).

 

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

B.   To be a servant to others

1.    Takes time

2.    Takes effort and labor

3.    NOTE:  It does not take

a.    Brilliance

b.    Overwhelming talent

c.    Enjoying the service that one is called to do

 

C.   Mark 10:43b-44

 

…but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:  and whosoever of you will be chiefest, shall be servant of all.

 

IV.         I WANT TO BE A BURDEN-BEARER TO OTHERS

 

A.   Galatians 6:2

 

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

 

B.   There are many ways to bear another’s burdens.

1.    Cut grass

2.    Provide financial assistance

3.    Watch another’s children

4.    Visit others in the hospital, nursing home, or while shut-in

5.    Counsel others in time of need

6.    Be present in sickness

7.    Provide a meal for a family

8.    Go to a funeral

9.    Find assistance that might be needed

10. Encourage one who is struggling with sin

 

C.   The key to burden-bearing is to keep one’s eyes open to another person’s needs.

1.    This is one of the elements of visiting, that is, to inspect and search our needs.

2.    James 1:27

 

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

 

V.           TO BE AN ENCOURAGER TO OTHERS

 

A.   Encourage means

1.    To inspire with courage, spirit, and confidence

2.    To stimulate by assistance, approval

 

B.   Two verses:

1.    Proverbs 27:17

 

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

 

2.    Hebrews 10:24

 

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works.

 

 

C.   Sadly, we live in a mediocre society that is satisfied with the status quo.

1.    This makes being an encourager much more difficult.

2.    The encourager says:

a.    Be better

b.    Do more

c.    Go farther

d.    Work harder

e.    Sin less

f.     Strive for excellence

g.    Get involved

h.   Be successful

3.    These messages are not accepted by the lazy and half-hearted.

a.    They tire of these messages.

b.    They see the messenger as a pest.

 

D.   Paul was an encourager.

1.    Press toward the mark for the prize (Phil. 3:14).

2.    Fight the good fight of faith (I Tim. 6:12).

3.    Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (II Tim. 2:3).

4.    Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (I Cor. 15:58).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We are on this earth whether we like it or not.

 

B.   We are constantly interacting with others whether we like it or not.

 

C.   Let’s resolve to influence, inspire, and motivate others.

 

D.   Let’s use our time, talents, and money to help and assist others.

 

E.   Questions:

1.    Do you think David was glad to have Jonathan in his life?

2.    Do you think Timothy was glad to have Paul in his life?

 

F.   Let’s make others glad that we are in their lives.