Godliness

Texts:

Romans 8:28-30

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

I Timothy 4:6-10

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Intro:

Following suit

Plenty of suits are out there.

Christians need to follow the King

What is godliness?

The word ‘god’ isn’t in the word!

Proper response to a higher authority

Compound word:

Seb= Original: “Fall back before”

Fright (you make my skin crawl). Lit. ‘Shrink back’

Eu= Good

Good kind of fright

Good falling back, good shrinking.

Falling back out of respect… Show what it means.

Always in response used to someone with more authority.

Meet the Queen Elizabeth:

“What’s up, Queeny! Want a pop tart?

Give a bow! Prepare your best dinner.

More than just an event, it’s character trait to grow in all the time:

It’s living your life in response to Almighty God!

Ungodly prayer:

Lord, give me...

Lord, you are great, and powerful. You know better than me because you are all knowing.

Constant posture of humility:

In prayer life, but also just in life itself.

Mystery of Godliness is Revealed in Jesus:

I Timothy 3:16

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,

vindicated by the Spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

believed on in the world,

taken up in glory.

Godliness is defined for us by Jesus and his Story

Jesus took on flesh, which was a demotion for him! Godliness is defined by humility, because your following a leader who is always greater.

I Timothy 6:3-7:

3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.

Christians must have sound teaching, but that teaching accords with godliness!

Knowledge + humility= godliness

Godliness produces Healthy and Effective Ministry:

Look at all the Jesus Action

Participating in ministry from a humble perspective.

An ungodly person: He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

When I look back on the past couple of weeks, I wonder who are acting godly in this situation?

Has the Christian witness been marked with godliness?

I Timothy 2:2-4

[Paul urges Timothy to pray] 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Are we praying for our leaders?

Pray for our leaders locally.

Pray for our governor

Pray for the president

Peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified...

Challenging words for today!

Scan of Facebook:

Be as neutral as possible, and people will still swarm like flies...

Christians can be loud! Disruptive, Disrespectful.

Challenge of godliness:

Peaceful:

Peaceful protecting. Peaceful responses.

If you caught yourself reacting here, there and everywhere,

‘Quiet: Tranquille

White silence=violence!

How do I answer this? How do I respond to this? Am I contributing to violence, similar to the violence we’ve seen in riots all week, by keeping silent?

Godliness is a life in response to God-Grace and Goodness, but so much of us live a life in response to anything but!

Time of Training

Commitment to Work Hard

Train yourself for godliness:

Train= gymnastics

No easy sport

Toil and strive:

Prayer

Hold your tongue

Pour over scripture

Take a page out the Mennonite handbook.

Why is godliness worth it?

Hope!

Promise in the present life:

When people experience the Church is THE institution of peace, made up of people of peace

You are a person of peace! If you are a godly person, you bring peace wherever you go.

When you walk into a room, you bring peace! When you do speak out against injustice, racism, prejudice thoughts- you bring peace!

Have you thoughts, your conversations, your conclusions to the problem, your communications- are they steered by peace and tranquility?

Godly people bring hope to the present:

They aren’t the center of the ruckus and riots.

Tranquille

Godly people lower the alarms and give hope to hopeless situations!

It provides hope for people.

Listen to how godliness naturally leads to hope...

Verse 8: godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

So somehow godliness, affirms, confirms, God’s promises to us here and now and also for the age to come...

Verse 10 says something similar: For to this end we toil and strive, because we have out hope set on the living God.

Godly people recognize the hope we have because God is always in the front of the minds. God is central to their life-style. Godly people are caught up in frenzy, fear, or failure, but they are a focused people!

Focused on who God is, and how who God is brings us hope for the present.

Why? Because godly people worship an all-powerful, all-loving, all caring, justice consuming God.

Godly people are focused on who God is as the Great King.

It’s like, if God is for us, who can be against us? Who our God is should give us tremendous hope for the present and the future.

Godly people are peaceful and tranquil because they know the Triune God is present.

It’s like Aladdin walking around with an all-powerful gene in the bottle.

For those of you who have watched Netflix’s Lost in Space, the best friend of a boy name Will Robinson is this super powerful robot. He has nothing to fear when that robot is around.

It’s the protection Jane Foster has with Thor as a boyfriend.

It’s Mary Jane knowing Spiderman has her protected.

The list can go on and on. These cultural icons pale in comparison to the God we worship!

So take a breath.

Take your anxiety, anger, fear, frustration, and hold it up to Almighty God.

See them disappear in his holiness and glory!