Main menu:
[This sermon was preached by Andrew Burkhart during the Youth-Led Worship Service on August 2, 2009]
Peer Pressure
Everyone faces a multitude of choices daily, and for each one we must decide which course of action to take. Many of these choices are made without a second thought on our part. Some choices are trivial - What clothes should I wear? What should I eat for lunch? Which radio station do I want to listen to? - and others are extremely important - What college should I enroll in? Where should I attend church? Who should I marry? Making the right decision is crucial. But what if the choices given aren't so clear? What if a particular option or path is cast in a more favorable light than another? Does that mean that that option is the right one?
A reporter was interviewing a 102-year-old man for the news channel. One question he asked was, "What's the best thing about being 102?" The man replied, "No peer pressure." This man talks of peer pressure lightly. But this pressure can be very serious - even dangerous.
So, what exactly is peer pressure? Dictionary.com Unabridged describes it as "social pressure by members of one's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted." I think accepted is the key word. Everybody wants to be accepted. It's natural for us to desire love, affection, and approval from others such as friends, coworkers, family, teachers, spouses, and other people from our peer group.
Probably the most common form of peer pressure that comes to mind is the high school setting with some friends offering a cigarette or other drug. It is important to note though that not all peer pressure is bad. It can be a good thing - say, if some close friends try to persuade you to join a local gym with them. Or a christian persuades a friend to come to church.
It can also affect us in more subtile ways. For instance,one person I read about said that he was afraid to sing in a talent show because he was afraid of what his schoolmates would think of his singing ability. He finally gathered the courage to sing with a friend about a fellow schoolmate who died that year, and many of his classmates approached him later telling him how much the song touched them. Fashion and clothes are another example of peer pressure. Our peers try to persuade us to wear certain styles to fit in, and may ridicule others for wearing something that isn't in style. Even preaching a sermon from this pulpit is a pressure. I know, as well as all of you, that as long as the message is right and I presented it to the best of my ability, then I did a good job. But I still feel nervous when standing behind the pulpit when I shouldn't be worried at all - there is no other audience I know of that I'm connected with more than this one right here.
The fact is that peer pressure can lead you in the wrong direction. Friends can offer bad advice, and you might be tempted to follow. Youth can be tempted by their peers to do many harmful things, such as violence, gangs, alcohol/drugs, immorality, bad language, dancing, smoking, disrespect for parents, etc. And while young people are affected the most by peer pressure, it also plays a role in the lives of adults. We can all think of someone who went and got themselves the latest car, or phone, or other gadget to keep up with their coworkers, neighbors, or acquaintances. And when it comes to work, many are pressured by fellow coworkers to take the day off, cheat, or find some other way to cut corners on the job. After all, they say, doing your best doesn't necessarily get you any additional benefits - why not just do enough to get by?
Christians can be tempted by peers to go against their Christian doctrines or morals. There are many religious organizations that are actively teaching that it is acceptable to worship God in your own way, instead of how He has instructed us.
The Bible warns Christians against peer pressure to do evil. Several passages instruct us to avoid evil temptation. Exodus 23:2 states, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to [do] evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest [judgment]". Proverbs 1, verses 10-16, says, "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood." And Proverbs 4: 14-15 warns us, saying, "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men]. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." 1st Corinthians tells us the power of such influence: Chapter 15, verses 33-34: "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak [this] to your shame." And the first two verses of Psalms caution us to choose our actions carefully: "Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."
The Bible is very clear about what we should do to combat peer pressure. It also gives several examples of biblical characters who faced these same pressures. Noah stood alone against his fellow men: while God saw only wickedness and evil in man after creation, Noah "found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Even though there was a threat of being stoned, Joshua and Caleb still stood against Israel when they refused to enter Canaan for fear of the inhabitants. These men were successful in combating peer pressure. Some examples of failure include; Aaron who gave in to peer pressure when he built the golden calf at the people's bidding. Peter denied Jesus three times, when passersby at the trials pointed him out as one who was with Jesus. The best example we have was Jesus himself, who was pressured to prove He was the Son of God, by coming down off the cross. How easy would it have been for Him to do that, but he didn't.
It is very easy to stand with a crowd. "Safety in numbers," they say. But it takes courage to stand alone. We should decide ahead of time where we stand and be prepared to defend it. When we are called upon to compromise our morals (dancing, immodesty, immorality), we should feel honored to stand alone. When we are pressed to do drugs, smoke, or drink, we should be honored to stand alone. And when we are being ridiculed for being a Christian, we should count it an honor to stand with Jesus - not alone. "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)
We cannot serve both God and mammon. Which is more important: to be accepted by man or to be right with God? We should not make this decision based on the reaction of others. "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy [are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or [as] a thief, or [as] an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf."
In conclusion, we must be very careful when confronted by a choice, especially when it is offered by our peers. We need to seek approval from God, not man. "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Galations 1:10) Have you failed to obey the gospel because you were afraid of what others might say or think?
Don't be ashamed of Christ: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38) Fear God, not man: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10: 28) Solomon tried everything the world had to offer, and concluded with these very familiar words in Ecclesiastes 12: 13: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man." Or, "the whole of man". It is our duty to fear and obey God, whether or not it is "popular". After all, when our time on earth is over, we will not be judged on our connections to our fellow peers. All that will matter is whether or not we obeyed our Lord and kept his commandments.
[This sermon was written by Jim Murrell and preached by Matthew Burkhart]
This sermon was given to my Dad a few years ago by the man that had written it, Jim Murrell. Jim encouraged Dad to preach it when he had an opportunity. With our meeting just around the corner, he thought now would be a good time, and asked me to use it tonight. Jim titled this lesson…
The Bow Without a String…
Look with me please at
1. Psalms 78:55-57
55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
2. The children of Israel despite of all that God had done for them had turned their backs on God and missed the mark.
3. Literally to sin is to miss the mark.
4. The word used in the original for a deceitful bow can literally mean crooked or loosed or unstrung.
5. As a Christian we must not be found to be crooked or unstrung
6. A bow that will not hit the mark whether it is because of being crooked or unstrung is useless and lacking.
7. Can you imagine owning a bow with a broken string? I believe the lessons we can learn from it can apply to us as Christians or non- Christians.
8. An unstrung bow has:
a. No Power
b. No Purpose
c. No Pleasure
d. And No Prize
I. First off, we want to notice that an unstrung bow has no Power
A. My brothers and I have a bow and love to shoot it. We target practice with it and have a lot of fun. But if I were to cut the string or if it were to break;
1. The power of its 50 lbs draw or its power to send an arrow at 200 feet per second would not matter.
2. Neither would its potential for this power.
B. To leave the bow unfixed would be useless.
C. Our Power and strength comes from God.
1. Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
2. Psalms 62:7
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
3. Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
D. Without God, we have no power.
1. John 15:5
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
2. John 5:30
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
The Lord should be our power as well. Listen to the words we just read to describe him: Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, and Strength. The question is "Do we trust God enough to allow him to be all of these things in our life? Do you?
II. Also, An unstrung bow has no Purpose
A. Wondering through life without God really has no purpose.
B. God gives us purpose in life
1. Acts 11:23
Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
2. Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
3. Ephesians 3:11
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
4. 2 Timothy 3:10
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
C. The church has a great work with great purpose
1) Evangelism-It is the job of the church as well as every Christian "to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10)
2) Benevolence-Men were appointed in the early church to see to the physical needs of those that could not help themselves. We have this same purpose today. There will always be those in need of physical help nor will there be a shortage of people that need to hear the truth.
III. Next, I would like you to notice that an unstrung bow has no Pleasure
A. The enjoyment I could gain from going out in the yard and target practicing with my bow would be lost if it had a broken string.
B. How can one find true pleasure outside of God?
1. Psalms 111:2
The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
As followers of Christ, our greatest pleasure should always come from serving him and doing whatever is his will for us. Many times that will involve serving others and not ourselves, but we also have to give attention to ourselves by studying his word to increase our knowledge and such like. The apostle Paul checked himself often to see that he was what he should be, and we should follow his example and do the same.
C. Solomon was not able to find pleasure outside of God. He tried all of the things that the world had to offer and found no pleasure in them. Near the end of his life he proclaimed that all of these things were simply "vanity". Worldly pleasure is useless to a spiritual man.
D. Paul found contentment only inside of God
1. Philippians 4:11
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
2. 2 Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
3. Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
4. True pleasure will only be found in doing the will of our father.
IV. Finally, An unstrung bow has no Prize
A. To leave home to go into the field for competition or to hunt would be useless with a deceitful bow.
B. Obtaining the prize whether it be an animal for meat or a trophy can't be done without a string.
C. The prize at the end of Life is of course heaven.
1. 1 Corinthians 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
2. Philippians 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Revelation 2:10
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
D. Heaven cannot be obtained unless we have within us all the implements.
E. As a bow with missing parts will not be effective nether will we be effective.
F. Before we can be successful in any contest
we must first have a mind to work and win (Neh. 4:6)
So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
And with a mind we must have the proper equipment (Eph. 6:11)
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Conclusion:
1. Are you living you life as a bow unstrung today?
2. If so do you realize the uselessness of such a thing?
a. No Power
b. No Purpose
c. No Pleasure
d. And No Prize
3. Are you willing to do something about it today? The Lord can fill your life with Power, Purpose, and Pleasure. And if you remain faithful the Prize will be yours when he comes again. This lesson is now yours, please come if you have any need, while we stand and sing.