Social Media

Tyson Banks

Broadus Youth Ministry

Me, Myself, & iPhone • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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Over the past couple weeks we have been in a series called ME MYSELF AND IPHONE. We’ve talked about the bajillion different screens in our lives, and how we can look to God’s word for wisdom to help us best manage them!

Well as we jump into today's message I want to talk about the social media networks we might have in our lives.

What do you think is the most used social media app in the world?

Facebook - the land of your parents (who actually has one?), 2.6 billion users

I was freshman in HS when my parents let me get one…My yrs of FB are a reminder of some things I should have never posted...I get those daily messages that say 8yrs ago you posted this (throwback PICTURE)

Let’s talk about some of the other social media apps you are familiar with:

Instagram

Snapchat - (record for the longest snapchat streak 2414)

Tiktok

Youtube - (PICTURE throwback screenshot of my youtube channel)

Text app

And there is one last social media app that is monumental, the social network that truly started it all. Any guesses out there?

Myspace

Established in the Year 2003

It was the first social network that had a global reach

And, parents freaked out!!! Why, because our world had never experienced something quite like this before. (PICTURE of example profile)

You could post a profile picture, share your hobbies, music interests (this was wayyyy too much to know about your life!)

And here’s what the most important thing was: your top 8 friends list (rank your best friends for everyone to publicly see)... it was ruthless and brutal if you found out you didn't make Parker or Henry’s top friends, it was devastating …Or even worse, you were on that friend list and suddenly you were removed (heartbreaking!)

Now I want you to know, I don’t think that social media is all bad. Today, instagram is my favorite app!! I love sharing pictures of adventures of my life, and I love knowing what’s going on in the lives of my friends. It’s an incredible way to stay connected.

But though social media might have these benefits to it, I will admit… I think my parents, maybe your parents too, were right in saying that it can have DANGERS to it.

Today we are going to talk about how it’s important to have wisdom and discernment in how we go about using social media. Though social media is never mentioned in the Bible, I believe God gives us the guidance we need to be good stewards of it.

Point 1: Think before you type … our words are permanent (I KNOW, SCARY!!)

James 1:19–20 CSB

19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

James gives us some solid wisdom!! When we can be too quick to share what’s on our mind we might regret what we had to say later on, because we didn’t think through the repercussions of it.

Have you ever text something and right away you went oh no oh no oh no… I can’t believe I just said that or I totally sent that to the wrong person. This is scary news because once it's sent, there is no going back. (Example PICTURE) THINK BEFORE YOU SEND

But what about this: you may have heard how people can be more willing to say things online than they would in a face to face conversation? There’s actually tons of research done on this, finding that many people are willing to open up more (be vulnerable) and/or be meaner online than in person. (maybe you’ve seen this before?)

Reasons why we might do this (HIDE BEHIND SCREENS):

It’s easy to just post something without thinking about the consequences.

You’re “invisible” and won’t see someone’s facial reaction to your response, so you think you can just say what's on your mind

But truth is there can be some GREAT repercussions to what we say

Think about how quickly influencers could lose their entire careers based on one thing they chose to say.

*Now we have to be mindful to not judge the entirety of someone's being based on the word they said, but it just shows how impactful our words can be.

I also want to note that there are times you may feel the need to share something after thinking it through

For example, Being a christian is not always a popular opinion, but our faith is absolutely something worth talking about. I love what James says because it leans on the fact that we need to MAKE OUR WORDS COUNT ...if you are going to say something think it through

So then how do we know what to say and not to say?

Point 2: Be picky with the words you choose to post.

Ephesians 4:29–32 CSB

29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

God’s word is clear that if our words are for anything other than building someone up, then DON'T SAY IT! Gives grace to those who hear (UNDERLINE) - Paul the writer encourages us to instead show grace to those we might want to say mean things too …I KNOW, SO CHALLENGING!! But Paul knows that those words will not only help the other person, but it will benefit us too

And here’s the deal!! Sometimes we need to have honest conversations with people in truth and love to express hurt or frustration. But how we do this matters.

I love what Matthew 18:15 says, “If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother.” (Matthew 18:15, CSB)

Have you ever seen someone get blasted online? Rows and rows of hate comments towards them.

Maybe this makes you think about a time when you’ve been hurt by what someone has said to you online

The wisdom from scripture is that we don’t need to confront someone in front of a crowd of people (all the online world is that crowd too). If you have a conflict, take your conversation offline if you need to. The wisdom would be to invite that person into a face to face convo where you can really talk things out.

As you are picky about the words you choose to share, think about what kind of message you want to send. Are the words there to lift others up or tear them apart?

Point 3: Our choice of words tells our followers how it is we want to be known

Luke 6:43–45 CSB

43 “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

Our actions, our words are a product of our heart. And I realize my POST can be too as they show what I value (what’s in my heart)

My big question to all of us is, do our posts honor the values/beliefs we have, does it honor God?

Psalm 19:14 - Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

I know that some of you follow me, as well as people who don’t believe in what I believe. I want to be mindful of who’s watching and the messages I put out there. Because I am a follower of Jesus FIRST, I want everything that I do to be honoring God.

And guess what, you guys have followers too! What you say, what you post…people are watching!

Hope that these are good tips and pieces of wisdom through God’s word that will help guide you as you engage social media and your convos online

Last thought: Your words can have a powerful influence!

We have the opportunity to shine who Jesus is through whatever it is that we do and whatever it is we say

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