杨厝港福音堂Youth Blog

Lessons from Vids: Be an Example

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Hey Guys,
I'm running out of good videos to talk about! If you have any videos that are good, please suggest them using the comments section below!

Um... We do not encourage the act of using vulgar signs and words. Nor do we encourage violence. In fact we strongly against it. The purpose of this video is to show the effects of one's actions on others, especially towards young and innocent children.

For this post we shall be looking at a verse from Mark that is very familiar to all of us.

Matthew Chapter 5 [13] You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. [14] You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

I'm pretty sure all of us know what being salt and light of the world means. But just as to serve as a reminder, I'll try to reiterate. Salt serves as a seasoning. But more importantly, in past times and still so in the present, a salt solution serves as a way of preserving food. The meaning behind us being salt is to add flavour (purpose, gospel) and preserve (morals, laws) the world. The metaphor of light means that we are to lead others from the darkness (sin) into the light (God).

However, in verse 13 it also says that salt that has lost its taste is no longer of use and is thrown out and trampled under people's feet. When we are not good examples, we lose our authority or more accurately credibility as preachers of the gospel. If you are a hypocrite, who's going to listen to you? In verse 14, "A city set on a hill cannot be hidden". When we set a negative example, it is impossible for others not to see it. Just like in the video, children, people of the world, believers, non-believers, they are watching. When christians set a bad example, it's like setting a benchmark for the rest of the world. If religious people do things like lie, people might think like this: "It's ok to lie. I mean, even CHRISTIANS lie too right? Yea it's ok." What we do on a daily basis affects people's views on chrstians as a whole, and also their views on sin.

Now, it is important to note that being an example is not something that is optional. It is not something that is "good, but not compulsory". The Bible clearly states that we all should learn from how Jesus lived. That's why you have the WWJD (What would Jesus Do?) stuff and all that.

I Corinthians 11:1. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

First you need to see yourself as an example to others. It has its perks. Firstly it pulls us closer to God's standard of behaviour. Secondly it pulls us closer to God. Why? No one can be a good example by themselves. It creates a need to rely on Him. The more we rely on God, the more we grow in faith. Of course, being an imitator of Jesus is a living testimony to the gospel. People will look at you and ask "Why are you so different? So upright?" That's when you can spread the gospel and all that stuff that you heard so many times already. Commiting to be salt and light of the world makes us better citizens in His kingdom.

So stop jaywalking and be an example!

Labels: video

Isaaaca

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2 Comments:

isaaca i read everything except the last line! =)

By Jasper, at September 15, 2011 at 11:00 PM

aiyo the thumbnail of the video! but Isaac. As I was reading your post I was totally imagining you and your insistence against jaywalking, and then it appeared in the last line, hahaha.okay I shall do my best to resist the temptation of jaywalking from now........

By yapning, at September 15, 2011 at 11:18 PM