Sunday, March 15 2020

If you would open your Bibles turn to Titus 3 Titus 3.

We're going to be looking at verses 1 through 7 this morning.

I go ahead and read.

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 avoid quarreling to be gentle is your perfect courtesy toward all people for we ourselves were once foolish disobedient LED astray slaves to various passions and Pleasures passing or day in Malice and envy hated by others and hating one another but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour 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 the being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Would you pray with me? Father we ask right now that your word. with speak to us or that you would give I ask that you would give me. The words that I should say the properly reflect what you are saying here. We need constantly for your work in our lives to your word the super naturally change us and give us renewed sight of you and your goodness and your love. So what I pray that that would happen to that's a supernatural thing that I cannot do so I ask that you would do that. Brother that you would strengthen us for the good work that you have for us that by Your Word this morning as we look at it that you would make us ready for every good work that you have for us to do and Lord may all that we do and the way that we live in front of other people. Made that all reflect your goodness and your loving kindness made all point back to you God and not to us. That's a supernatural working itself God that we wouldn't live for ourselves and our own Glory, but that we would live For Your Glory so Lord. I pray that you would do this in the hearts of your people do this in my life Lord. Help us change us. Give us again a renewal by your Holy Spirit to your word. Ask all these things in Christ name. Amen. So we've been looking inside us. We're nearing the end and that we've been talking about this whole idea. It's been here all along right that Doctrine and devotion how our lives match up with what we say, we believe so it's no different in this verse today and I get it and maybe for some of you it seems like I'm repeating myself, but you know, I'm only repeating the Paul saying so really it's not me it's ball repeating himself. And this is Paul's point. He desires for Christians to live lives that reflect and show the truth that they say they believe and it's like over and over again every week we get to this place where we see every week the main point of all saying is that our lives by the way that we live we show what we believe and over and over again. He keeps bringing the gospel truth into this. So we did this last week and then he does it again this week. I know you probably heard it as I read these verses so it's just look at the text. I kind of point out the divisions that I see within this text and then where it will will will walk through the text to see how it lands on us is God's people in the moment that were in The first VS1 and vs2 really are just clear instruction on how they should live right how they should live and really these verses are I think mostly about the way that Christians live in the public sphere of our lives. So, how do we live in public for others to see? How are we living? And then he moves to gospel truth. And that's really 3 through 7. The verse 3 is all about who we were before Christ and then versus four through verse 7 are who we are now, but more importantly the focus is not necessarily on our work but it's actually the focus is on God's work what God is doing what God has done and what God is continuing to do in our lives. Just what we see. How are we supposed to live who we were before Christ and what God's work is now in US life and Gospel Life and gospel So what is it about calling us to Pawling calling Believers to hear it on the island of Crete was I said in in past sermons on the island of Crete it was the island was known for a kind of you know, Reckless hedonistic do what I want kind of life. You're most of the men on creep had been mercenaries or were mercenaries. They were known for that. And so they were rough and they were you get what I want fight for what I want. I do what I want and no one can tell me different kind of way of life and there was a looseness around family structures and sexuality and all these things and then they celebrated, you know, the god of Zeus and and other gods like him who were deceivers and who who deceived to get workout get what they wanted or used Force to get what they wanted. So this whole culture is all messed up and all wrapped around boss views of who God really is or the kind of God you worship they were And how it affected and change their lives to where they what was good is bad and what's bad is good and they were living for themselves and it didn't matter what kind of effect I had on other people and all along here in pause instruction. He's showing that the true God truth about who God really is not false gods that we believe in actually shaped the way that we live so that even these kinds of people can be transformed by the gospel and that's what has been showing and he's been saying Titus fight fight for the truth because truth matters because as we seen truth shapes Our Lives what we believe what we truly believe shapes the way that we live our Doctrine shapes our devotion. Gospel leads to Godliness. That's what Paul has been getting at and it's no different here. So what is he instructing Titus to the kinds of things that he's instructing him to teach. We says remind them remind these Believers remind them what to be submissive to rulers and authorities to be obedient.

I'm just glad but that's not our struggle at all in America today where it always submissive to rulers and authorities know we struggle with this too and various ways and in various kinds. By the way that we talk about those in authority over us and government to the way that we feel when we get pulled over because we were speeding and we're going to get a ticket. To the way that we don't like people telling us how to live even if those people know better than us. We don't like to be submissive to Authority is goes to the again back to the route. And the Heart of our sin is that it's a it's a rebellion Against The Gods good authority over us. So be mindful of this even in this time. We're we're receiving different instructions from different agencies in people who have given a level of authority over us to say. Hey, you might want to think about doing these things. I imagine that some of you even and I hope this this whole storm is not meant to be coronavirus sermon, but I just can't help but say this like some of the measures we've even taken and put in place I get it, you know asking you wash your hands sanitizer hands doing food differently those kind of things a different. It's a little strange we're not used to it and even the limit your physical contact all of that. It may be seen as an overreaction and well that may be true. But what I've been praying about and trying to do even though the last couple days is what's the best counsel out there by people who have been given good information and authority and how do we live underneath that Authority? So that's what I'm trying to do. That's why we're doing this but this this doesn't just go to this situation, but all situations in our lives. Search Your Heart believer and see where you have resisted or not been submissive to the authority structures that have been placed above you we all do this and just takes a change of heart to be submissive that can only come from knowing God's true Authority and seeing God for who he truly is we're going to get there in a second be submissive to rulers and authorities be obedient. All of us have authority over us and all of us must be submissive and obedient talking to believers who not only are they living in a corrupt Society on an island, but they're also living under corrupt a corrupt Empire. This is coming towards the end of Paul's life. When he not very long after this probably within the next five years is going to be executed by this government that he's telling these Christians to be submissive to You go to jump over to Peter 1st Peter and he's saying the same thing in in his letter to these Christians who are suffering underneath persecution and they're going to begin begin you to continue to suffer under persecution under human institutions. And Paul says are Peter says in his letter to them be subject for the Lord's sake to every Human Institution, whether it be the emperor is supreme or two Governors has sent by him to punish those who do evil and the praise those who do good for this is the will of God notices that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people live as people who are free not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living a Servants of God honor everyone love the Brotherhood fear God and honor the emperor this kind of life this this submission to rulers and authorities over us now. We're not called as Christians to violate our conscience or to be obedient to governments who were calling us to do things that go Scott's work right? We're not called that. That's why Paul gets beheaded by an emperor because he continues to preach the gospel when he's been commanded not to.

So he's not saying here when he says be submissive to rulers and authorities to be obedient this we know what this means right? We use Godly judgment. We use we use discretion and discernment when we are being commanded things by there was over us. But as we submit even under rulers who are imperfect then who make bad decisions. This in some way is a way to show God's goodness in the the truth of the gospel because if you went back up to where he talks to bond servants there at the end of chapter 2 inverse tan where he talked about the way they should live as submissive to their masters Paul's not saying slavery is good and slavery's ride. And this is this is a good thing for you. But he's saying is that end in through your your submission to them as you seek to submit and be well pleasing and to work hard that you can actually first 10 Adorn the doctrine of God Our Savior, by the way that we live in our submission to rightful Authority. They can be a clear picture of the Gospel to people it can Adorn the gospel.

I hope that we aren't as Christians. We're not known for Rebellion. But we're known for our humble submission.

And that we even face. Persecution are believers right now who are facing persecution under? ungodly rulers And their humbly walking to their death. For the sake of Christ and for the spread of the Gospel. There's a way to be submissive and yet not and be obedient yet not be obedient at the same time in those situations and notice. He says be ready for every good work. This is the point here is that we want to live lives that commend the gospel and we want to be ready we're going to do all that we can to be ready for every good work. You remember in 1st Timothy when Paul cause the Christians to pray for the government and the pray for the leaders that they could live lives of the Believers can live lives of P. So that the gospel can spread. This is what we're seeking by your submission is that we can live lives of Peace we can do good work for others around us. We can live lives ready to do good for those around us so that they would hear and believe the gospel and talk continues in this is Moose from kind of this public a government type established authority to just the way that we relate to each other. And relate to all people. He says in verse to speak evil of no one. I'm guilty of this is last week. I did it once that I can remember probably more that I can't. And it hit me after I've been studying this text and then I did it and I think it was even a day later. Just hit me as I was thinking about this text. I just did this. I just did this. I spoke evil of someone they weren't around which is normally when it happens, right? So be careful watch the way that you talk about people. especially this is kind of coming right after this context of rulers and authorities.

How do we talk about those in authority over us who are placed in levels of leadership? Do we speak to people of them? How do we speak about people who are not around us that we know even people we've committed to love and yet?

It feels good to talk about people behind their back. It feels good to be someone who can say all I think what they're doing is wrong in this and that. this goes against our natural inclination the Paul saying we should speak no evil speak evil of no one. He says to avoid quarreling.

It probably happens more online now, doesn't it on Facebook posts and everything else and happens in person as well avoid quarreling. Don't argue with people for the sake of arguing be gentle. And then this one umbrella stay by show perfect courtesy towards all people. This is all about being ready for every good work. See this is public the way that we live our public lives. How do we talk about people? How do we submit to authority over us? How do we live in love? For others around us? What do we do when we interact with those around us? Even those who we don't feel like showing courtesy towards

Paul grounds this kind of public life of love And humility, what is he grounded again? Verse 3 starts with that word for which I've said is a very important word in your new testament because it shows you connections between wipe all his reasoning this way. Why does Paul command Christians to live this way lives that publicly commanded the gospel. Why is he doing this what he's doing it because the gospel is true, right? That's what he says for we ourselves were once foolish disobedient LED astray slaves the various passions and Pleasures passing our days in mallison NV hated by others and hating one another. This is who we are or who we were before Christ believer. You should let the truth of the gospel and what it says about you and your need for a savior humble you so that you no longer look at others who are far from Jesus and just talked about how evil and horrible and foolish they are but that you're you're moved to compassion and love for them that you wouldn't speak evil about them, but you would pray for them because you were once just like them. Just another place where like right now. We see people being foolish with what's going on people overreacting people panicking when they shouldn't panic and they're just simple things you could to.

And we're tempted to look at those people mock those people. Think look at me and I've got all my common sense and look at all these crazy people out there.

You and I are no better. your level of common sense or knowledge or Apart from Christ you were just as foolish Tuesday. apart from Christ you are we're just as deserving of God's Wrath is they were We're no different except for Jesus in the work is done in our lives. And that's where Paul gets to write. It isn't just focus on who we were but what God has done now and notice it like I've already said these versus verse 4 through verse 7. I'm going to read them again. The focus is on God. We were foolish. We were disobedient. We were LED astray. We were slaves to various patch passions and Pleasures Pleasures we were sinful but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our savior appeared he saved us not because of Works done by us and righteousness but because but according to his own Mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the holy spirit, this is God's work in as any good in you. Any humidity in you any love and you that's genuine that comes from a heart that loves people and wants to see their best, even if they're stupid or they've wronged you. Any change in you to live right? Good Godly lives to stay away from foolishness and send any of that is what God has done in you his work inside of you because of his goodness and his loving-kindness process. God didn't save you because you were good. He saved you because you were bad because you needed saving Even if we did righteousness, we aren't saved by our righteousness is Paul says elsewhere. It's filthy rags compared to God.

But he is good. This word good. And actually it actually means kind we got his kind like at the heart of who got is his kindness. He's been kind to us music good God his loving-kindness. This is his commitment to love us. This is the way God is oriented to that word loving-kindness. It actually did actually means a love for mankind philanthropy is who is is the word that it comes or where we get our word from this Greek word here. Love for mankind. See this is the way God we see God through the gospel. He is good. He is kind he is bent towards doing us good. He doesn't love us. And now he's showed us who he is, right the goodness and loving kindness of God our savior appeared. How did it. Jesus Jesus is the physical manifestation of who God truly is Look at his life. Look at the way he loved others. Look at the way when he received false accusations, he kept his mouth shut.

Look at the way when he was wronged by others.

And he suffered by the hands of sinful people who still pray father forgive them. Look at the way he reached out to those.

The weather's wouldn't touch cuz they were contagious. Cuz they were unclean. And look at the way Jesus reaches right into the mess. This is God. God is this way and we're tempted to believe God has not got his up their hands crossed frown on his face disappointed and it's always perpetually wanting us to do better. That's not who God is Yes, God righteously and justly punishes sin. His wrath is just there will come a day when all sin and evil and Rebellion against him will be punished. But even even in this judgement God is good and right for doing this. In our struggle with God's judgment and reconciling it with God's love is his eyes are own Frailty in our own failure in our own finite nice in our own mind is not due to his lack of goodness or is contradicting himself. We see who got truly is through his goodness and loving-kindness that has appeared through Jesus. He saved us in Jesus not because of us but because of his Mercy He did this to the work of the spirit that powerfully regenerating and renewing us right now. If you believe in Christ, you are the presence of the Holy Spirit we talked about this in Sunday school. It's a power at work within us so much so that even our our bodies Our physical bodies that will die one day because of the power of the spirit renewing us from our Spirits outward from our Inner Man outward that one day our bodies will burst out of the Grave because of this power this person have got it working us this Holy Spirit. As he's regenerating Us in renewing us that we can live good. Holy right lives today believe her you are not in bondage to your sin. You your situation is not hopeless. They all just the way God made me. I'm just a proud person. I've always struggled with it was just the way God made me. I'm always going to be tempted by this and there I'm always going to fall into this.

You you have the power of God Spirit at work within you to kill sin and to live righteous lives you and I can overcome even sell self-preservation a run into the fire and give our lives for the good of others. And that's done by the holy spirit's work in us so that we we have brothers and sisters today who are living in the middle of outbreaks like this and even persecution and they're giving their lives for the good of others around them. They are ready for every good work. We should do the same. We should seek the live the same way because it's God at work in us about us trying to earn some kind of righteousness. And that's really the whole point of this is I was just trying to wrap my head around what's going on in this passage. And how was Paul actually arguing for this in this or something unique here that he's really saying about this dynamic between what we believe and the way that we live You talk about God's work and salvation not based on us and it's the Holy Spirit at work in us and we poured out on us-46. Richly through Jesus Christ Our Lord. And this is the purpose what polish saying here. This is what this so that number 7 means this is this is why Paul's reasoning this way we live these kinds of lies cuz God is at work in us so that being justified by his grace. We didn't earn it. We didn't earn our Salvation. God has freely given it to us. It's by his grace being justified by his grace. We might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. You can begin to see this is working out of what we talked about last week this waiting in the hope that we have and how that shapes Our Lives.

So there's like really to two options here for people who call themselves Christians, right? One is self righteousness. Look at me kind of life. Look at how good I am.

or it's we standing this justified by his grace. So that now it's about him so that that's where errors. of This Promise of the hope of eternal life It's all about him. The goodness we live in our lives today points back to him not to us.

This is the difference that this gospel shaping Our Lives makes for us that we no longer become people that say look at me look at my goodness, but all the good that we seek to do all the Readiness for the good work in our lives all of our seeking to love others and be gentle and kind and not speak evil against them to show courtesy and be submissive to rulers. It's all about Desiring for our lives to point to him because he has given us a good gift of Salvation. It's all about him.

This hope of eternal life. It's a hope wrapped up in his goodness. Not our goodness his love our love. His righteousness, not our righteousness.

gracious recipients I've got to love who now live extending God's love to those around us so that our lives point to him and Lead others to trust him and know him. So that is the appearing of God's goodness and loving-kindness came through the Savior now, it's extending through the people of God.

God's goodness and loving kindness is now extending through Jesus in us to the world. That's supposed talking about here. That's the main point that we can be used. By the way that we live out in public by the way, we interact online, by the way that we submit to our rulers by the way that we're ready for every good work. And then we do it by the way that week we close our lips when we want to say something behind someone's back or speak evil against someone. We hold back from quarreling even. On Facebook, we are gentle and loving with people we show perfect courtesy to all knowing who we once were before Christ and knowing who we now are in him. We pray that our lives would lead others to see Jesus Through us so they don't even see us. They see him.

That's the point. so we don't know what's going to happen in the next couple weeks. Where the things are going to be as bad as some people think they are or whether it's not going to be as bad as people think they are but if things do get bad. If if it spreads and there's significant sickness around us and people who are at risk could become sick around us. What do we do? We live out of the Gospel seeking to love reaching in ready for every good work because we wants others to see God. That's who we're going to be. That's who we're going to be no matter what?

I think it's a lot easier maybe to be this when things are really bad. What if things go well

Then we don't live for iComfort. We don't live for he's we live for others. We're ready like process for every good work because God has been good to us. This Is My Hope and prayer that we continue just grow in this is a church I need to do this as well And we've got some stuff going on even within our body. is that

that difficult situations situations that people have walkthrough with losses the situations that people are going through right now.

Stuff that just doesn't make sense.

And is a body by the way that we love one another by the way that we care for one another by the way that we love those who need our help. We can reflect the goodness of God in our world today. That's why it matters what we believe because what we believe should drive what we do and we believe in a good and kind loving gracious got so we then live good and kind and loving and gracious lives so that it would point to him and not to us. We pray for us.

Father I asked Lord that you would help us to be this kind of people that we would be driven by your gracious love and your kind hand towards us in Jesus. By the way, you've shown and revealed yourself to us in Jesus Lord. We pray that you would help us to be transformed by this good news. That our devotion to you the way that we live our lives would match up with the doctrine the truth that we say, we believe Lord help us help us to be people whose lives point to you and not to us. We ask all this in Jesus name. Amen.