PEFA FINANCE CHURCH

BECOMING AN EXAMPLE FOR THE BELIEVERS

May 3, 2026

TEXT: 1 Timothy 4:12

NIV

“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.”

NKJV

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

INTRODUCTION

One of the difficult questions which I always ask myself is:

What do people learn from me?
Is there anyone in this life who desires to be like me?
Can anyone copy anything from me?

People always seek for someone to follow, to learn from.

The Bible is not silent about the same and God in His own wisdom has raised men and women to serve as examples to others.

References

Titus 2:7-8
1 Peter 5:2-3
2 Corinthians 3:2

WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE?

Example serves as educator.
Example serves as a guide.
Examples give direction.
An example is a person or his behavior that is worthy of being copied.
An example is a piece of behavior that can be copied by other people.

Becoming an example for the believers therefore is the process of setting a standard or a pattern for other believers to follow.

An example serves as a point of reference.
People learn more from what they see than from what they hear.
An example serves as a role model.

Reference

John 13:12-15

AREAS OF EXAMPLES

I. Speech

II. Conduct

III. Love

IV. Faith

V. Purity

SETTING EXAMPLE IN SPEECH

Importance of Setting Example in Speech

I. Speech Reveals One’s Identity

Luke 6:45

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

II. Speech Shapes One’s World

Proverbs 18:20-21

“From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

1 Peter 3:9-10

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

“For whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.”

Psalm 34:12-13

“Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.”

Romans 10:9-10

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Hebrews 1:14 (NIV)

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

Hebrews 1:14 (NLT)

“But angels are only servants. They are spirits sent from God to care for those who will receive salvation.”

III. Speech Reveals One’s Level of Maturity

1 Corinthians 13:11

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”