Be Ready for Every Good Work
Notes
Transcript
Order of Service
Order of Service
Welcome
Welcome
PrayerTitus
PrayerTitus
Hymn -
Hymn -
Notices
Notices
Prayer Meeting - 7:30pm Wed
Friday 7pm - Online
Sunday Morning 11am & 6pm
Tithes & Offerings - £
Main Prayer
Main Prayer
Hymn -
Hymn -
Reading
Reading
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
Sermon
Sermon
Believers should be obedient to the authorities (v1-8)
1. The Reminder: obey the magistrates and be kind to everyone (verses 1 and 2).
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.
Don’t be so heavenly minded you are of no earthly good [Anonoymous]
Christians need at all times to be good citizens and good neighbours
2 Timothy 2:14 “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.”
Remind them to be in subjection
Being Submissive is not Subservant
Being Submissive it is the inclination or willingness to seek to follow advice/instructions
to be obedient
“Render unto Cesar the things that are Cesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Romans 13:1-7)
to be ready for every good work
2 Timothy 3:17 “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
How do we fulfil this?
speak evil of no one
avoid quarreling
be gentle - merciful or tollerant of slight deviations from moral or legal righteousness
show perfect courtesy toward all people
This is show in practical, emotional and spiritual attitude and actions
2. The Reason: at one time we were like these outsiders, and were it not for the sovereign kindness of God Triune we would be like them today (verses 3–7).
a. What we were at one time: without understanding, etc.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
For we ourselves were once
foolish - lacking in reason
disobedient - not heeding parents or authority
led astray - easily misled
Deluded 2 Tim 3:13
slaves to various passions and pleasures
passing our days in malice and envy - moral depravity and resentful
Example: Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers
envy {desire what is not yours}
not to be confused with jealousy {desire for what is rightfully yours}
hated by others and hating one another
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Against the back drop of hyman depracity and sin:
b. The sovereign {goodness & loving} kindness of God our Saviour {The Father}
Salvation provided not by our works done in righteousness
by implication of Paul’s words he implies that such works do not even exist
But {purely} according to his own mercy
Salvation by Grace Alone
c. The work of the Holy Spirit
Washing of regeneration and renewal
A radical and profound change inwardly and outwardly
Renewal required the conscious and continued surrender of man’s whole being to the Will of God
“Sanctification is that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which he delivers the justified sinner from the pollution of sin, renews his whole nature in the image of God, and enables him to perform good works.” L. Berkhof
d. The grace of Jesus Christ
Poured out richly through Jesus Christ
Justified by Grace
“The Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20)
e. The purpose of all this: life everlasting for us.
become heirs according to the hope of eternal life - Through Faith Alone
3. Th:e Re-affirmation: these matters must be asserted with confidence, for they are excellent and beneficial for (all) people (verse 8).
The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
This is a Trustworthy saying:
those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.
1 Timothy 1:15 “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”
A professing believer who actively rejects God’s sanctification in their own life and thus continues in blatant disobedience to God is both self deluded and a hypocrit
Our love and gratitude towards God for His Saving Grace is through obedience in living Godly lives
devoid of self righteousness, hate, and malice
Foolish questions should be shunned, and factious men who refuse to heed admonition should be rejected (v9-11)
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Paul is mindful to warn against things which divide Christians in unhelpful and pointless ways
Avoid:
controversies
genealogies
dissensions
quarrels about the law
for they are unprofitable and worthless.
As for a person who stirs up division:
(The context places them as a heritic)
after warning him once and then twice (in keeping with Matt 12:25)
have nothing more to do with him
knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned
They are living in sin
They know that they are sinning
Concluding directions with respect to kingdom-travelers (v12-15)
When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
Paul sends w helper to replace Titus so that he can join Paul for further support and training
He also provides an example and opportunity for that Christian Living being put into action
Zenas {scholar of the Hewbrew scriptures} & Apollos {mentioned in Acts 18:24 & 1 Cor 16:22 - eloquent man competant in the scriptures}
Do you best to see that they lack nothing
Those in urgent Need
Do not be unfruitful
“All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.”
Hymn -
Hymn -
Q&A
Q&A
Hymn -
Hymn -
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Doxology
Doxology
