Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
July 7, 1991
Proverbs 1:10-18
THERMOMETERS OR THERMOSTATS?
I. Fear of parents: who their kids hang around with.
A. Visit with girl - her parents finally like a boyfriend she chose.
First one without spiked green hair.
B. Companions can make a big difference. Proverbs 1:10-18
1) Terrible consequences with wrong crowd.
"Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not
associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his
ways and get yourself ensnared." Proverbs 22:24-25
a) Nicky Cruz and "Cross and Switchblade."
Pressure from his gang led him to commit horrible crimes.
2) Good consequences with right crowd.
"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a
friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24
II. Most people are like thermometers. (Rev. Charles Adams, #1534)
A. They reflect their surroundings.
1) At some time, or in some situation, most of us are like this.
B. Young people are especially eager to be molded by others.
1) Everyone wants to be liked. "entice" Proverbs 1:10
2) Examples of "accepting" behavior: Drugs, drinking, sex.
C. Choose what will mold you.
1) Choose friends carefully.
"A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of
the wicked leads them astray." Proverbs 12:26
a) Cling to good people.
2) Choose spouse carefully.
a) Don't be unequally yoked. 2 Corinthians 6:14,17
You may end up spending a lifetime trying to change
someone who doesn't want to be changed.
III. Other people are like thermostats.
A. They change the temperature of their surroundings.
1) Takes much moral strength to change others for good.
2) Christians should have this ability.
B. Jesus set the temperature for others.
1) Jesus associated with "riff-raff."
a) Prostitutes.
b) Tax collectors.
c) Low-lifes.
2) But Jesus brought them up to his level, not other way around.
a) Zacchaeus and repentance. Luke 19:7-9
C. Jesus' church should be able to set the temperature of others.
1) The "sinners" out there are looking for love and acceptance.
Charles Swindoll:
The neighborhood bar is possibly the best counterfeit there
is to the fellowship Christ wants to give His church.
It's an imitation, dispensing liquor instead of grace,
escape rather than reality.
But it is a permissive, accepting, and inclusive fellowship.
It is unshockable. It is democratic.
You can tell people secrets and they usually don't tell
others or even want to.
The bar flourishes not because most people are alcoholics,
but because God has put into the human heart the desire
to know and be known, to love and be loved.
And so many seek a counterfeit at the price of a few beers.
#1525
2) They should be able to find this in the church.
3) If not, strong Christians should seek them out in the world.
IV. Christians can be a strong influence on others.
A. [Mark Noyes] - Burly co-worker asks,
"I hear you are a Christian. Is it true?"
B. We should be a friend for others.
Tony Campolo as jock in high school befriended a nerd.
Billy Graham would have said,
"This nerd became a multi-millionaire!"
Campolo met nerd years later, and he was still a nerd.
But God wants us to do this anyway; it is our ministry. #454
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I. Influence of environment.
A. More powerful than most give credit.
B. Bible warns of influence of evil ones.
1) "Don't be unequally yoked." 2 Cor
a) Business.
b) Marriage.
c) Friendship.
2) "Stay away from sinners, etc." Proverbs
C. Examples of good people who have been pulled away.
II. Challenging your environment.
A. Jesus defied usual wisdom.
1) Ate with prostitutes, tax collectors, "sinners."
a) Criticized for it, too.
2) His response: the sick need a doctor.
B. Jesus calls Christians to be a light in their world.
1) Influence must go one way.
2) ??Radical liberalism and "secular city"?
III. Solution to dilemma.
A. Know yourself.
1) Don't try to influence others if you know you are too weak.
a) Strengthen yourself first.
2) Judge your motives.
3) Assess other person.
a) Many women have a "salvation approach" - the guy's a loser
and beats me, but I'm the only one who can save him.
(They usually can't)
B. Take risks to reach others.
LUK 5:30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to
their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with
tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
LUK 5:31 Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor,
but the sick.
LUK 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance."
LUK 7:34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a
glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."'
Thompson: #276 ff
