INFLUENCING OUR WORLD FOR CHRIST

TOPIC: INFLUENCING OUR WORLD FOR CHRIST

TEXT: Isa. 43:10,11; Matt. 5:13-16, Acts 8:30-35; Gal. 5:16-23; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 John 1:6-7.

MEMORY VERSE: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven-Matt. 5:16

CENTRAL TRUTH: Every believer has both the privilege and responsibility to influence his world for Christ.

INTRODUCTION
Someone has observed that opportunities are a lot like millstones. The same millstone that can drown a person can also be used to grind corn. The evil influence, temptation, and moral pressure this world tries to exert over us as believers can destroy us if we succumb to them. But sin also reminds us that there is a world full of lost people, and this is where opportunity arises. We have been given the golden opportunity to influence that world for Christ. The presence of darkness simply expose the need for more light. Jesus, the Light of this dark world desperately needs, lives in us. We do not have to allow evil influences to control us; in Christ's power we can exert a powerful, spiritual influence on our world.

1. THE CHRISTIAN'S WALK-Gal. 5:16-23; 1 John 1:6,7
The beauty of a sanctified life quietly but powerfully appeals to the lost in a way words alone cannot. The term used in Galatians 5:16 for this Spirit-filled life has been translated as "walk", "live", or "follow". Its tense denotes continuing action. As we daily follow Christ, our lives take on an inner holiness that expresses itself in our outward actions.
The power of a godly life goes back to the old saying, "what you are speaking so loudly I cannot hear what you say." While our verbal testimony is not to be underestimated, there is tremendous power in the unspoken testimony of godly living. Even those separated from God know that "talk" must be backed up by "walk". When this is the case, they take notice.
Inconsistency in walk is not tolerated in the Bible. John said that talk must match walk, and that anything less is a lie (1 Jn. 1:6). A continuing walk with Jesus has a purifying effect on our lives. As we walk with the Lord, we share "the light" - God's own sphere of being - rather than moral darkness. This translates into purity of character and conduct that sends a powerful, positive message to the world.

2. THE CHRISTIAN'S WITNESS
ES5-Isa. 43:10,11; Acts 8:30-35.
Along with being responsible for his walk, the believer must be concerned with his witness in order to influence the world. The word "witness" appears in Isaiah's prophecies concerning Israel's restoration from captivity (isa. 43:10,11). God told His people that they would not only be restored to their land but also to their purpose including their being a "witness" to the world of the reality of God.
The word is defined as the giving of evidence to support a claim. Our claim as Christians has to do with the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. The evidence of that truth is in our own regenerated lives. The expression of that truth is our "witness", which is given with both our words and our lives.
The truth is that apart from the God of the Bible, there is no means of salvation for mankind. Other
religions, human efforts, and great achievements cannot provide sinful man the redemption he needs. Only Jesus can save (Acts 4:12)

3. THE CHRISTIAN'S INFLUENCE-Matt. 5:13-16; Phil. 2:14-16
As believers we have the privilege of influencing our world for Christ, Jesus described this influence with the use of two symbols: salt and light.
We can be salt in a lost world. Just as salt naturally creates thirst, we are to create thirst in others to know God. Second, salt is a preservative. When rubbed into meat, it can actually be used to arrest the growth of germs, stopping the meat from spoiling. In a morally contaminated world, the influence of Christians can hold back the growth of Sin.
Jesus told us to keep our "light" in a visible and prominent place (Matt. 5:14,15). It must be displayed where it can be seen by those who need it. Just as salt is useless without its saltiness, light is useless if it cannot be readily seen by those in darkness. Jesus applied this truth in verse 16; "Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Our light is needed, everywhere we go. In our homes, schools and jobs, "good works" need to be displayed. Righteous living is not intended to bring us glory; its purpose is to bring praise to God and point the lost to Him.
In Phillipians 2:14-16, Paul continued the thought of Christians being lights in a dark world. He urged believers to refrain from "murmurings and disputings" (verse 14). "Murmurings" refers to grumbling and complaining, a problem of attitude. "Disputings" refers to dissension and friction in relationships, a product of a murmuring attitude.

CONCLUSION: 
Living in today's world involves balance and tension. On the one hand, we need to appreciate the world in which we live, recognizing it as God's creation, a testimony to His power as Creator. At the same time though, we must be aware that this world is the habitation of evil. In one sense, then, we are called to love the world; while in another sense, we are commanded to reject it.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.
1. How does walking in the Spirit affect ourinfluence on this world?
2. What does it mean to "witness"?
3. Why is it important that men and women be confronted with the God of the Bible?
4. What are some of the dark' places where our light needs to be evident.
My name is Ubong Kingsley Nsini. I am a preacher in Bible Christian Evangelical Church Inc. I am called by God to preach His good news and to help other preachers spread the good news all over the world.

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