The Power Of Influence 1

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Power Of Influence 1</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id425.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What Not To Wear"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id433.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Power of Influence (Part 2)"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Power of Influence (Part 1), </B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+5:1-5" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Ephesians 5:1-5</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, January 18, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div>      George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, said, "I've always tried to be aware of what I say in my films because all of us who make motion pictures are teachers, teachers with very loud voices."</div> <div>      When the latest Bond film `Die Another Day,' came out, "The Sunday Times of London report[ed] that James Bond, Ian Fleming's brainchild, smokes cigars in the movie. In the previous Bond film, `The World is Not Enough,' he had a `No Smoking' sign in his car. In this one he appears savoring fat Havana cigars, and in one scene, discusses their quality with a Cuban gangster. The decision to feature cigars has drawn outrage from the anti-smoking lobby and will embarrass the British Lung Foundation, which is promoting the film in a fundraising effort" (World, 11-30-02).</div> <div>      This article was in Binghamton's <I>Press and Sun Bulletin</I> in 1996: "Soap Sex Influences Viewers" - "When, after weeks of smoldering glances, the male lead of a daytime soap opera finally ends up in bed with his brother's second ex-wife, the couple is unlikely to discuss birth control, according to a new study.  Why does this matter, you ask?  Because soap sex and its consequences draw 40 million viewers likely to emulate those daytime dreamboats, says Dr. Katherine Heintz-Knowles, a communications professor at the University of Washington.  She said, `We know that behavior performed by characters who are attractive, powerful and popular are much more likely to be imitated by viewers.'" This research was presented to network executives and writers by an organization which is trying to encourage family planning and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Why? Because television stories are influential in the way people think and in the decisions they make.</div> <div>      People in our society understand the power of influence. You don't have to be a Christian to figure that out. The amount of money spent on advertising proves this. In fact, companies place products within TV shows (count the number of Ford vehicles in Fox's <I>24</I>), because they know the power of their influence.</div> <div>      If you want to experience spiritual growth and personal change that reflects who you are in Christ, you have to build your life around positive, supportive influences. The positive influences have to be the most dominant influences.  You cannot keep pouring unhealthy influences into your life and expect to grow in Christ. Lasting spiritual growth demands living under the right influences. Living under wrong or inappropriate influences will wreck your spiritual growth. </div> <div>      Where do we find the right influences? We begin with God himself. God himself provides the model for our behavior (vss. 1-5). Notice that Ephesians 5 is concerned with our "walk" (vss. 2, 8, 15). It is translated "live" in the NIV and it relates to how we live, how we conduct our lives. God's influence is supposed to extend to our everyday values and behavior. </div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Be like God in your moral character (Ephesians 5:1). </B></div> <div>      You are a part of his family. Just as many families tend to share the same characteristics, so we are to share the character of God our Father. God is the model and judge of what is appropriate. 1 Peter 1:15-16 says,  "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: `Be holy, because I am holy.'"</div> <div>      The basis of morality is not in ourselves or in our society. The refrain of the book of Judges was "that everyone did what was right in his own eyes." Isn't it interesting that if a women who is obviously pregnant lights up a cigarette, she will face "moral" pressure from people around her. How could she do that to her <I>baby</I>? But the same people would affirm her right to choose to abort her baby. After all, it is her <I>body</I>, right? Isn't it "just her body" when she is smoking while pregnant? Left to ourselves, we create a confused system of morality. God sets the standard for morality, not us. Look to his word to discover his character and his standards for human behavior.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Follow the example of Christ's love by living in love (Ephesians 5:2).</B></div> <div>      To love God and love others, this sums up the expectations of God (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Matt+22:35-40" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Matt 22:35-40</U></A>). Christians are to love one another like we are loved by Jesus. We don't love others as long it is convenient and pleasant for us. To love like Jesus is not self-focused, it is self-giving.</div> <bR> <div> <B>III. Three examples - how </B><I><B>not</B></I><B> to live (Ephesians 5:3-5).</B></div> <div>      Three things are listed that are deemed out of place and inappropriate for followers of Christ (see <A HREF="id425.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What Not To Wear"><U>last week's talk</U></A> on "what not to `wear'" spiritually).</div> <div> A. Sexual immorality and impurity. </div> <div>      It should not even be suspected. There should not be cause among God's people for suspicion in inappropriate sexual matters.</div> <div> B. Greediness. </div> <div>      The antidote for greed is giving. The place to start giving is back to God. He requires that his people give the first portion of their income and resources back to him. Specifically, the standard is 10%. This shows that we understand that all of it belongs to him, and that we are managers of what remains . Giving back to him and being generous with others helps us to the avoid greedy tendencies which plague our society. God considers greed to be the worship of an idol.</div> <div> C. Unclean words. </div> <div>      Such words include unkind and inappropriate words, as well as inappropriate off-color jokes (or emails). Instead, speak words of thanksgiving. (Try <I>that</I> for a whole day!)</div> <div> <U>Three tests</U> before you speak: </div> <div> 1) Does this comment pass the thanksgiving test? (Eph 5:4.)</div> <div> 2) Does it pass the test of helpfulness? Does it benefit others? (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+4:29" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Eph 4:29</U></A>.)</div> <div> 3) Does it pass the test of kindness? (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+4:31" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Eph 4:31</U></A>.) </div> <div>      This demands that you <I>pause</I> and <I>think</I> before you speak. Proverbs 10:19 says, "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."</div> <bR> <div>      Notice verse 5. These behaviors are not characteristic of those who are in God's family. If they are characteristic of you, maybe you are not a part of God's family. If you are a believer in Jesus and are struggling in these areas, go right now to God for help. Confess your sin to him, and call out to him for a new lifestyle. This is what spiritual growth is all about. Then get into the Word to find the process for growing as a follower of Christ. You cannot be a follower of Christ and maintain the same sinful lifestyle you lived before you met Christ. </div> <div>      A person preparing to run a marathon will order their activities and priorities around getting ready to run 26 miles. If you want to experience lasting change, order the influences in your life around this desire. Be more influenced by God and his word and his people than you are influenced by TV, movies and music. Get rid of harmful, unhelpful influences and replaces them with beneficial influences (the Bible, prayer, church, community with other Christians). Change your influences and watch God change your life.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2004, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>