Josh's sermon on Facebook and the way a Christan should use it.

1. In February 2004, a website was launched
that changed the world…
● Today it has over 900 million active users
● Over 450 million of these access it using a
mobile device
● According to one study in April 2010, an
estimated 41.6% of the U.S. population
had an account on this website
● As of May 2012, this website is worth
$104 billion, the largest valuation to date
for a newly listed public company

2. To which website
am I referring?

3. Mark Zuckerberg

5. What does Facebook
have to do
with Christians?

6. ● How many of the 900 million active
users today do you think are
Christians?
● Westside Church of Christ currently
has 85 past and present members in
its Facebook group
● 28 male, 57 female

7. QUESTION:
How often do you use Facebook?
Monthly? Weekly? Daily? Hourly?

8. THE BOTTOM LINE:
More and more Christians are using
Facebook and other social
networking services each day. If
used responsibly, Facebook can be a
great tool for performing good works

9. ● Edification/encouragement

10. Proverbs 12:25
“Anxiety in the heart of man causes
depression, But a good word makes it
glad.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Therefore comfort each other and edify
one another, just as you also are doing.”

11. ● Edification/encouragement
● Prayer requests

12. James 5:16
“Confess [your] trespasses to one
another, and pray for one another, that
you may be healed. The effective, fervent
prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

13. ● Edification/encouragement
● Prayer requests
● Discussion of spiritual issues/
Preaching of the gospel

14. 2 Timothy 2:15
“Be diligent to present yourself approved
to God, a worker who does not need to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.”
2 Timothy 4:2
“Preach the word! Be ready in season
[and] out of season. Convince, rebuke,
exhort, with all longsuffering and
teaching.”

15. ● Edification/encouragement
● Prayer requests
● Discussion of spiritual issues/
Preaching of the gospel
● Opportunities to get to know each
other better and faster than we
normally would

16. Philippians 2:2
“[F]ulfill my joy by being like-minded,
having the same love, [being] of one
accord, of one mind.”

17. ● Edification/encouragement
● Prayer requests
● Discussion of spiritual issues/
Preaching of the gospel
● Opportunities to get to know each
other better and faster than we
normally would

18. THE BOTTOM LINE:
More and more Christians are using
Facebook and other social
networking services each day. If
used responsibly, Facebook can be a
great tool for performing good works

19. WARNING:
However, if used irresponsibly, the
use of Facebook and other social
networking sites can lead to all kinds
of trouble. We need to guard
ourselves against these dangers.

20. DANGER #1:
The risk of representing
ourselves as Christians poorly to
the world and to our brethren—
becoming a hindrance and a
discouragement

21. Romans 12:2
“And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what [is]
that good and acceptable and perfect will
of God.”
1 Timothy 4:12
“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.”

22. Question:
When someone logs into your
Facebook account and views your
posts, photos, videos, likes, and
more, do they see content that
represents the way Christians should
be?

23. DANGER #2:
Forgetting our priorities—
spending too much time on
Facebook to the point that
other more important
responsibilities are neglected

24. “Critics, such as Facebook Detox, state
that Facebook has turned into a national
obsession that results in vast amounts of
time lost and innately encourages
narcissism”

25. Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord
and not for men”
2 Thess 3:10
“For even when we were with you, we would
give you this command: If anyone is not willing
to work, let him not eat. ”
Prov 14:23
“In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends
only to poverty. ”

26. 1 Timothy 5:11-14
“11 But refuse [the] younger widows; for when
they have begun to grow wanton against Christ,
they desire to marry, 12 having condemnation
because they have cast off their first faith. 13 And
besides they learn [to be] idle, wandering about
from house to house, and not only idle but also
gossips and busybodies, saying things which they
ought not. 14 Therefore I desire that [the] younger
[widows] marry, bear children, manage the house,
give no opportunity to the adversary to speak
reproachfully.”

27. DANGER #3:
The risk of becoming guilty
of gossip and publicly
destroying the reputation of
those who offend us

28. 1 Timothy 5:11-14
“11 But refuse [the] younger widows; for when
they have begun to grow wanton against Christ,
they desire to marry, 12 having condemnation
because they have cast off their first faith. 13 And
besides they learn [to be] idle, wandering about
from house to house, and not only idle but also
gossips and busybodies, saying things which they
ought not. 14 Therefore I desire that [the] younger
[widows] marry, bear children, manage the house,
give no opportunity to the adversary to speak
reproachfully.”

29. QUESTION:
What is gossip exactly?

30. ● When people, especially when
they are Christians, offend us, we
need to follow the steps of Matthew
18. Keeping the reputations of all
who are involved intact must be of
utmost importance.

31. Matt 18:15-17
15 "Moreover if your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him
alone. If he hears you, you have gained your
brother. 16 "But if he will not hear, take with
you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of
two or three witnesses every word may be
established.' 17 "And if he refuses to hear
them, tell [it] to the church. But if he refuses
even to hear the church, let him be to you like
a heathen and a tax collector.”

32. Proverbs 25:9-10
“9 Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;
10 Lest he who hears [it] expose your
shame, And your reputation be ruined.”
Proverbs 11:13
“A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is
of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.”
Proverbs 16:28
“A perverse man sows strife, And a
whisperer separates the best of friends.”

33. Proverbs 22:1
“A good name is to be chosen rather than
great riches, Loving favor rather than
silver and gold.”
Ecclesiastes 7:1
“A good name [is] better than precious
ointment”
Proverbs 29:11
“A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise
[man] holds them back.”

35. Ephesians 4:26
"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the
sun go down on your wrath”

36. NOTE: Think about how many friends
you have on Facebook and how many
friends your friends have and so on.
Think about how quickly and how
widely information can leak out!
300 friends X 300 of their friends= 90,000!
90,000 X 300= 27 million!

37. Facebook is like Pandora’s Box. Once you
post it, you can’t change things back to
the way they were.

38. Proverbs 6:16, 19
“16 These six [things] the LORD hates,
Yes, seven [are] an abomination to Him:
19 A false witness [who] speaks lies, And
one who sows discord among brethren.”

39. ● Vague status updates that imply
something negative about someone
who has offended you are often
worse than if you had been specific.

41. Examples of ‘vaguebooking’:
Fred: “She is so infuriating. Is this really worth
it?”
George: “I really can’t stand some people I am
friends with. How can they say things like
that?”
Dorothy: “Isn’t worshipping with our brethren
supposed to be uplifting?”
Leila: “He is never pleased with anything I do.”

43. ● Publicly pouring out the details of
issues that should be kept private
because it is just our way of coping,
hoping all our friends will take our
side and feel sorry for us, shows a
lack of faith in God

44. Hebrews 13:5
“For He Himself has said, "I will never
leave you nor forsake you."
Matthew 10:29-31
29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper
coin? And not one of them falls to the
ground apart from your Father's will. 30
"But the very hairs of your head are all
numbered. 31 "Do not fear therefore; you
are of more value than many sparrows.

45. Proverbs 18:2
“A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his own heart.”
Proverbs 29:11
“A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise
[man] holds them back.”

46. One of the biggest
problems seen today when
it comes to Christians using
Facebook is the way that
husbands and wives
sometimes talk about each
other.

47. ● Lets remember that it is not our
place to try and punish people who
have offended us by making what
they have done public

48. Romans 12:19
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves,
but [rather] give place to wrath; for it
is written, "Vengeance [is] Mine, I will
repay," says the Lord.

49. ● What should we do if things are
not resolved as quickly as we would
like? Can we make it public then?

50. Ephesians 4:26
"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the
sun go down on your wrath”
Ephesians 4:1-3
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,
beseech you to walk worthy of the calling
with which you were called, 2 with all
lowliness and gentleness, with
longsuffering, bearing with one another
in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

51. I Cor 7:10-11
“To the married I give this charge (not I,
but the Lord): the wife should not separate
from her husband (but if she does, she
should remain unmarried or else be
reconciled to her husband), and the
husband should not divorce his wife.”

52. I Corinthians 7:3-5
3 Let the husband render to his wife the
affection due her, and likewise also the wife to
her husband. 4 The wife does not have
authority over her own body, but the husband
[does.] And likewise the husband does not
have authority over his own body, but the wife
[does.] 5 Do not deprive one another except
with consent for a time, that you may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come
together again so that Satan does not tempt
you because of your lack of self-control.

53. One of the biggest
problems seen today when
it comes to Christians using
Facebook is the way that
husbands and wives
sometimes talk about each
other.

54. ● When we observe others talking
publicly about people who have
offended them when they should
keep things private, let’s be careful
how we respond—make sure you are
not becoming an ‘enabler’

55. Proverbs 26:17
“He who passes by [and] meddles in a
quarrel not his own [Is like] one who takes
a dog by the ears.”
Proverbs 27:6
“Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend, But
the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful.”
Proverbs 28:23
“He who rebukes a man will find more
favor afterward Than he who flatters with
the tongue.”

56. Romans 1:24-32
"28 And even as they did not like to retain God in
[their] knowledge, God gave them over to a debased
mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being
filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy,
murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; [they are]
whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient
to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving,
unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the
righteous judgment of God, that those who practice
such things are deserving of death, not only do the
same but also approve of those who practice them."

57. ● If you get involved, make sure
everyone has the right motives, that
you keep things as private as
possible, and that you figure out
both sides of the story

58. Proverbs 18:13
“He who answers a matter before he
hears [it,] It [is] folly and shame to him.”
Ephesians 5:15-16
“See then that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming
the time, because the days are evil.”

59. CONCLUSION:
More and more Christians are using
Facebook and other social
networking services each day. If
used responsibly, Facebook can be a
great tool for performing good works

60. WARNING:
However, if used irresponsibly, the
use of Facebook and other social
networking sites can lead to all kinds
of trouble. We need to guard
ourselves against these dangers.