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Set an example...in Speech (1 Tim 4:12)
Series Intro:
PLAY CLIP - Tony Hawk lands a 900 (+/-2mins)
 Tony Hawk is a name synonymous with the word Sk8boarding
 Inspired a generation of sk8ers, incl. myself
(I remember hitting the streets w/my board after watching this live on TV)
For the next few weeks we’re going to be looking at the mandate/call of ‘setting
an example’ as Christians.
The Apostle Paul was never shy to invite other to follow him:

“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.” (1 Thess. 3:7)

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1)

“Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” (1 Cor. 4:16)
I wonder if any of us have enough confidence to say the same of our own lives?
Yet, this ought to be one of our aims as Christ-followers; to set an example
worthy of imitation: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider
the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” (Heb. 13:7)
To show that the Gospel not only begins, but empowers the Christian life.
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Context:
As this series unfolds we will be looking at 5 ways in which Paul suggest we can
set an example. But before we look at the 1st one, let’s spend a few brief
moments considering the context into which this verse is to be understood.
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the
believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” (2 Tim 4:12)
Observation #1
The idea that God could use our lives as an example, a challenge, and an
inspiration can be met with x2 threats (as implied in verse 12):
#1 – YOURSELF – “Do not let”
 Thinking: “I don’t have what it takes”
#2 – OTHERS – “anyone”
 Believing: “You don’t have what it takes”
This is a tactic of the enemy, to convince you that:
 God can’t use you
 You’re not significant/good enough/worthy
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And Paul commands Timothy: “Don’t”
“he must keep his nerve, and trust that God will be at work through him.” (Tom Wright)
Consider Jeremiah:
 Jeremiah: “Ah, Sovereign Lord...I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”
 God: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ ”
God is in the business of doing extrodinary things through ordinary believers so
that he can show his glory.
Observation #2
Setting an example applies to BOTH young and old.
(a)
A challenge to Young People
 Adult’s expectations of you can be too low!
 Be careful to think like Jeremiah – that you’re only good enough to play
video games.
 Take steps to ‘win them over’
 DOESN’T mean you must do what they want.
 DOES mean, find out what God wants – and do that!
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X2 RECENT EXAMPLES
1. Megan Clarke (8 years old)
 Saw a clip on kids in China - awakened a desire to help kids with less
 Idea: fill a Christmas cracker with a verse & a chocolate
 Spoke to Ruth, then Sunday School kids – whole church now involved
2. Barry Doyle (21 years old)
 Initiated a mission week in the holidays
 Got 10 ppl planting a community garden & ministry @ orphanage
(b)
A challenge to Adults
 To set a high example.
 To pass on the faith to the next generation
“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to
the next generation, your might to all who are to come.” (Ps. 71:18)
 Not to underestimate the faith of young people. They can:
 Be born again
“For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.” (Ps 71:5)
 Achieve remarkable maturity
“(May) our sons in their youth...be like well-nurtured plants” (Ps. 144:12)
“The proverbs of Solomon...for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to
the young” (Prov. 1:1, 4)
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In Speech:
One of the things the Gospel changes is our hearts, and as a result: our mouths.
“For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34)
(1)
A Biblical Example
As I considered an example on this subject from Scripture my mind settled on
Stephen in Acts:
(a) “look (ed) down on”
“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous
signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from member of the Synagogue of
the Freedmen (as it was called) – Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces
of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen...Then they secretly
persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy
against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the whole people and the elders and
the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.”
(6:8-9, 11-13)
 He was held in low regard – even despised! Opposition arose.
(b) “do not let anyone”
“but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” (6:10)
 (Gk) wisdom = inspired
 Source: Scripture
 Evidence: His speech/defence (see 7:2-56)
 Point: He knew the truth of Scripture and understood its implications.
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(c) “but set an example for believers in speech”
“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all
except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria....Those who had
been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” (8:1, 4)
 Result was x3 fold:
1. Persecution – ‘scattered’
2. Missions – ‘preached wherever they went’
3. Repentance – ‘And the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood their
giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him’
(Acts 22:20)
(clearly Paul’s opinion of Stephen had changed, referring to him as
a Martyr = a witness)
Stephen has been described this way:
“...man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (6:5)
“...a man full of God’s grace and power, did wonders and miraculous signs” (6:8)
“...could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke” (6:10)
Lesson:
Isn’t - Stephen was ‘super-human’.
Is that any follower of Christ can be like Stephen.
Anyone Christian can:
 Be convinced of the truth
 Be empowered by the Spirit
 Read, Know, and Understand God’s Word
...and imitate Stephens example
POINT – It is possible for us to live this way.
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(2)
Understanding what Words do
We talk a lot! (verbally & non-verbally)
“It is said that the average women speaks around 5000 words per day whereas the average
male speaks around 2000.” (Mark Driscoll)
The scary part is not how much we talk.
The scary part is realising that our tongues are the most dangerous part of our
body.
(a)
They have POWER
“It has the ability to leave wounds that never heal and scars that a person can carry for a
lifetime. It [our tongues] can rip apart marriages, ravage friendships and split churches.” (‘The
Problem of the Tongue’, relevantmagazine.com)
“The tongue has the power of life and death...” (Prov. 18:21)
“The tongue that brings healing is the tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
(Prov. 15:4)
It James who uses various descriptions to explain how although the tongue is
small, it has a powerful influence.
 They has a capacity to do good – to be a source of blessing
 They have a capacity to do evil – to be a source of harm.
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(b)
They give INDICATION
“Everytime we open our mouths, we give ourselves away.” (Sinclair Ferguson)
They expose/reveal the condition of our hearts:
“For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34)
James talks about it this way:
“If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in
check.” (3:2)
 ‘perfect’ = mature (Gk)
And if that’s the case, I’m in serious trouble!
EXAMPLE #1 - At Family gathering (13 years back)
 I ‘eves-dropped’ to hear a family member say this about me, “he says he’s a
Christian – but the things that come out of his mouth make me wonder” !!
EXAMPLE #2 - Ministry Gap Year
 Etienne, with hesitancy, confronting me with Eph 4:29 & 5:4: “Do not let any
unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building other
up” and “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of
place, but rather thanksgiving.”
EXAMPLE #3 – Fetching Andy from School
 Teacher expressing concern that he kept saying a particular (bad) word – I
plead ignorance ;)
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And I realise that nothing I say behind a pulpit carries any weight if I can’t live it
out away from the pulpit.
So there’s a real dilemma and crises:
Q. What can be done about the hypocrisy revealed and damage caused
by our speech?
And it’s obviously much more than just: don’t swear.
Consider the ‘scope of ability’ when it comes to speech:
Accusing, perversity, lying, rage, worship, prayer, teaching, counsel, nitpicking,
moaning, nagging, whining, kindness, blessing, comforting, encouraging...etc
Application
We need to fix the SOURCE:
“The transformed heart begins to produce a transformed tongue.” (Sinclair)
I leave only x3 suggestions:
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#1 – Take Inventory
 Some of us need to take the proverbial soap and ‘wash our mouths out’. It’s
not pleasant, but sometimes we need it.
 Q. What words have you spoken over the last day or two?
(criticism, judgement, blessing, encouragement, life, death)
 Ask God not just to help in this, but to reveal any hurt your speech may
have caused.
#2 – Try think before you speak
 Does your speech uplift or tear down?
 Is your speech valuable or just noise?
 Do you always have to have the last word?
 Are you speaking with the appropriate tone?
#3 – Consider what content you are absorbing
 Often what we spend our time reading, watching, listening influences the
kind of speech that comes out our mouths.
 My youth pastor always said, “Garbage in, garbage out.”
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To Sum Up
Consider the people in your life you are most drawn to verse the people in your
life you avoid the most.
Q. Is it possible that one of the principle reasons and difference
between being drawn to/avoiding someone is because of their words?
The purpose of setting an example: to live a life worthy of imitation.
Q. Are people drawn to you because your words (speech) is a source of
life and blessing?
Final Example – Jesus
 Jesus talks with a Samaritan women (John 4)
 Interesting that even though he said hard things to her (E.g. verse 18 “The
fact is, you have no husband, and the man you now have is not your husband”) she
was still drawn!
 Worth observing: “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of
the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans
came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because
of his words many more became believers.” (vs. 39-41)
The reason isn’t because Jesus said ‘nice’ things. The reason, I think, is because
Jesus “[spoke] the truth in love.” (Eph. 4:15)