A Facebook Christian

INTRODUCTION:
1)       I was encouraged to do this particular sermon by a couple of members of the congregation.  I know there are some here who will not know what I’m talking about in the sermon, at least the topic itself.  I do, however, believe that the points that I will make will be applicable to everyone here, but the context in which I am putting these points will be foreign to some.  I’m talking about Facebook this morning.

2)       Do you know how many people use Facebook? My research confirms that there are 400 million people in the world who are Facebook users.  For those who do not know, Facebook is a social networking site on the internet.

a) The idea is that you get your own page, and you put personal information on this page (how old you are, where you live, your marital status and family makeup, your education, photos, your religious and political beliefs, etc.). Then people can become your Facebook friend and they can read about your life, and you can read about their life. Theoretically, only your Facebook friends are permitted into your personal space and have access to your information.

b) The average Facebook user has 130 friends (though almost everyone I know has far more than that), and you update your status with what you are doing or thinking at a particular time – there are 200 million status updates every day.

c)  The average Facebook user spends 55 minutes each day on Facebook.

d) These facts are the reason I think we should talk about Facebook this morning – this is an incredibly big thing in our world today.

3)       I want to start by saying that this is actually a wonderful thing in a few different ways.

a) Because of my Facebook page I have been able to be in contact with friends that I have not seen in more than 25 years.

b) It is also good because it allows families to stay in closer contact with each other.

c)  It is also good because it allows Christians the opportunity to reach out to others with the Gospel message, and anything that allows the Gospel to be spread is good.

4)       But, the Bible teaches that being a Christian involves everything that you do in life (Romans 12:1-2).

5)       In this sermon I am going to ask four questions that I hope will help us be the people we should be when we use Facebook, and if you don’t use Facebook, just make application to your particular situation in life.

DISCUSSION:
I. Question #1: What Would You Do If Jesus Sent You A Facebook Friend Request?

A. That’s the way this works – you get a friend request on Facebook, and then you choose whether or not to accept that person as a friend and therefore allow them access to your personal page.

1.      Would you have to clean up your page before letting Jesus become a friend?  Would there be pictures on there that you need to delete before He could see them? Maybe pictures of you on the beach in immodest clothing, or in the bar, or dancing and drunk at a party – you wouldn’t want Jesus to see those, so you might have to delete them before He becomes your Facebook friend.

2.      Or maybe you would recall those posts where someone made you really mad and you responded in a harsh and non-Christian manner – you might need to delete those before Jesus is allowed access.

B. I’ve got news for you: Jesus is already there (Matthew 6:6; Proverbs 15:3; John 2:24-25).

II. Question #2: Am I Being Careful Enough About My Influence On Facebook?

A. This is a great evangelistic tool if you use it right.  I think this is one of the more exciting and inexpensive evangelistic tools to come around in a long time.

1.      And every day of the week I can assure you that there are Christians on Facebook who are communicating with others all over the world and encouraging them to live lives that are pleasing to God – it is a great evangelistic and edification tool.

2.      But it is also very personal.  I mean by that, you put things on your page that your friends see that summarize what you are all about.

3.      Are there things on your Facebook page that are inconsistent with what you are professing as a Christian?

B. Now I don’t want you to get me wrong. It might sound to you like I’m saying that if you want to live in sin that you need to be a little more discreet about it.  That is not what I’m saying at all.

1.      Ephesians 6:5-7 - In other words, as Christians we are to behave around others as we would behave if the Lord was right there with us – because He is.

2.      I’m not saying we should clean the sin off our Facebook pages and do a better job of hiding it, I’m saying we should clean it out of our lives, because God is with us everywhere.

III. Question #3: What Should I do If I See Something Inappropriate On A Christian’s Page?

A. I would say this first, Jesus taught to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matt 10:16).

1.      But we still have responsibility, such as we read in Hebrews 10:24.

2.      I admit to you that I am eternally thankful to those in my life who have stirred me up to do bigger and better things for my Lord in my life, and to help me overcome my own struggles.

3.      We need each other.  What a blessing it really is to have a Christian who loves you enough to come to you and help when you are struggling or out of line – and that’s applicable to Facebook as well.

B. Galatians 6:1.

1.      Now I’m not saying you should post a rebuke on someone’s wall for everyone to see.  But maybe you should write him or her a private message and let them know that you are concerned about them and want to help.

2.      Don’t be harsh, be a peacemaker, but do something.

IV. Question #4: How Much Time Am I Spending On Facebook?

A. I said earlier that the official statistics for Facebook say that the average user is on Facebook for 55 minutes each day.

1.      I have to tell you, when you consider working, sleeping and eating, 55 minutes a day on Facebook is a lot of time.

2.      I say again that I’m not opposed to Facebook – I have a page, the church has a page.  I probably am closer to that average time of usage than I care to admit.

3.      But I’m making this point because I think you know that Facebook, just like anything else, can become habitual and consume our time and energy.

4.      Here’s the point, it would be kind of hypocritical for me to be a person who says “I don’t have time to study my Bible,” when at the same time I’m spending an hour every day on Facebook – don’t you think?

B. Jesus said in Matt 6:33:  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

1.      It is hard to imagine me seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness first if I spend one hour a week with Him, and 7 hours a week on Facebook, isn’t it?

2.      Now let me add this, if you are using Facebook for evangelism or edification, you need to use more time and bring the average up.

3.      But if you are using Facebook recreationally to the neglect of true time for the spiritual, then you need to rearrange your priorities.

4.      I get very frustrated when I get home from worship services and find a Christian was goofing off on Facebook instead of being at worship, or making posts about what they did recreationally while their brethren were at worship.

5.      That isn’t seeking God and His kingdom first.

CONCLUSION:
1)       We need to stop now.  Some probably think I should have stopped before I started, but I believe everything I have said today is completely Biblical.

2)       So let me conclude with this:  What would happen if I asked Jesus to be my friend?

a) Our natural thought is that Jesus would accept anyone as a friend, and there is a sense in which this is true.

b) But then there is also John 15:14 where Jesus said:  “You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.”

c)  No matter what we claim, if we are not living our lives according to His will, He will not call us His friend.

3)       The strange thing about this is that there are a lot of people who think Jesus is their friend, when in fact the lives that they are living, whether on Facebook or otherwise, prevent Him from actually being their friend.

4)       In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus said:  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

5)       Do you want to be a friend to Jesus?  Now I’m not talking about Facebook, I’m talking about life, both here and in eternity.

6)       Am I a friend to Jesus?

Borrowed – I have failed to note the source. If yours please let me know and I will give you credit.

Thanks