1. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

4. On a Shrek iron-on transfer:

5. It requires common example. It requires blueprint. What is that blueprint? And what will happen if we don’t follow it?

6.  Paul calls Christians to be “co-imitators”  Greek is SUMMIMETAI  Paul’s teaching and lifestyle were to be imitated by other Christians.

7.  Paul charges us to observe faithful examples  Greek is SKOPEO – to take aim at, take heed to, observe  He charges each Christian to follow the walk, character, lifestyle or example of other faithful Christians.

8.  The value of TUPOS:  It is a pattern to be followed  It is a model which can be duplicated  It is the stamp of a die – an exact replication  Pattern can be followed only if pattern can be discovered. Can we discover Bible pattern?

9. Paul sees these enemies of the cross as a matter for weeping. Who are these enemies? Outsiders and pagans? Insiders who are leaving the pattern of sound doctrine? Paul indicates that the problem is in their walk.

10. Destined for destruction! They are flirting with disaster.

12. Things they should be ashamed of – they are actually proud of. Paul doesn’t give particulars and neither will we. Yet – if they had stayed with the “pattern” – followed the “example” – they would not have departed the path.

13.  Their intentions are “earthy”  They are concerned with temporal things rather than eternal things.  They are interested in what they want, rather than what God wants.

14.  Colossians 3:2 -- Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Romans 6:17 -- But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.  We have to have examples to follow examples. How do the examples learn to walk?