Anxious For Good Works part 1
Notes
Transcript
Text:
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Our key scripture this morning is verse 8 of this 3rd chapter of Titus where it reads:
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
“Careful to maintain good works”
Topic: Anxious for Good Works.
I said on New Years Eve that there were many that were anxious going into this New Year because we do not know what to expect. The word anxious is synonymous with the word careful. Matter of fact I wouldn’t be surprised that some of us came into this church service this morning with a concern. I said on Thursday Night that if we are going to worry about anything this year.....if we are going to be concerned about anything.....our top priority, the top thing we should be concerned about is maintaining good works.
In the previous chapter:
Paul emphasizes to Titus (a well known Bishop in the church of Christ) to speak sound doctrine. Sound doctrine is good teaching that produces right living (Chapter 2:1). He then begins to instruct Titus as to what he needed to teach to the different social groups within the church. Aged men, aged women, young women, mothers, young men, servants were all exhorted to be so faithful to their natural obligations (occupations) that those who were critics of their faith could be silenced.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
The whole objective here is that if we lay down a pattern of good works.....even with critics they will second think their critique and realize “there must be something to what they believe in” or “there must be more to it than them going to church”.....and let me assure you…there is.
Again, Paul’s desire is that when Titus teaches sound doctrine it would produce righteous living within the body of Christ. His reason for this is found in verse 11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men”.
Jesus Christ is the grace of God. Jesus Christ came to this world and appeared for the deliverance from sin and for the eternal salvation of mankind.
The next verse:
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in the present world;”
Because this grace has come to deliver us from sin and to save our souls, we NOW MUST deny ungodliness, we must not only deny but we must reject and renounce it. Not pacify it, not make excuses for it, not agree with it....we must reject and deny ungodliness. Anything that Jesus wouldn’t do we have to reject and deny, anything God wouldn’t be pleased with we have to reject and deny.
We have to deny, reject, and denounce worldly lust (passion), the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.
To live soberly, means not to be carried away with day to day living and live God out of the equation. To live soberly means to be aware of the times in which we live in. To live soberly means to live a life of temperance and self-control.
Live righteously means moral living according to God’s word. Godly entails by the children of God, being ambassadors of Christ, representing the Kingdom of God. Being devout or devoted to God. Being spiritually whole.
Then Paul says “In this present world”. This present world is a messed up world, it is full of evil, full of wickedness, the scriptures predicted that in the last days the world would be like it was in the days of Noah. Remember that God sent his judgement because of the violence that filled the earth, because of their sins and wickedness, they had strayed so far from God that they were only concerned with their own world passions, riotous living, and day to day hustle.
What Paul is submitting to Titus and to us today is that even though we are in this world, do not allow the world ways and the way they live to penetrate and influence the way you live. We have to reject, renounce, and deny the way that those who don’t know Christ live. Just because your friends do it, doesn’t mean that you do it. Just because they do it on your job doesn’t mean that you are suppose to link up with them and do it too.
Why do we have to do this? Because in verse 13 he says “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works”. Jesus died and rose again to deliver you, He gave his life because He loves you it ought to motivate you to good works because Jesus did a good work for you! And Jesus is going to come back again, whether it be today, tomorrow, or 3,000 years from now and that too ought to motivate you to good works.
I know we are living in 2021 and nothing has happened yet.....but don’t forget that the LORD could come any day now! He’s going to come as a thief in the night, He’s going to come when you least expect it. Jesus himself told the disciples “Not even the angels in heaven know the day or hour”. See when you living wrong.....you’re not looking for Jesus to appear. But when you are living right for the LORD, when you realize that God has something better in store for you, when you know that Jesus is going to come back for the Church and if you are a part of his “Holy Church” then you know that The LORD is coming back for a church without spot or blemish and when the LORD comes back for the church He’s going to take the church with Him and where Christ is going......there is no more sin, there is no more pain, there is no more anguish, there is no more disappointment! When you look at what this world and you look at what Christ has in store for the saints of God you can say what John wrote in Revelation 22:20 “Even so come Lord Jesus”! We are looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the great God and our Saviour.....Jesus is coming to save us, He’s coming to deliver us! But salvation doesn’t start when he comes to rapture the church.
Salvation starts the moment that you believed in the grace of God (Jesus Christ), salvation starts the moment that you believe and accept the fact that Jesus Christ came to deliver you from your sins. This is why Paul says in verse 14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity” Jesus Christ came to save you, he came to redeem you.....redeem means to pay a ransom. In order for a ransom to be paid that means that someone has to have you captive. We were held captive by the devil and He used sin to chain and bind us up. But Jesus came and paid the ransom.....he didn’t use silver, he didn’t use gold, he didn’t use the dollar, euro, Visa nor Master-card. Jesus used his blood!
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Salvation is a process! This is why Paul says:
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
The good work begun when you heard that Jesus Christ died and rose again the third day. The good work begun when you believed that Jesus Christ shedded his blood (died and rose again) to redeem you back to God. The good work started when you believed that the death, burial, and resurrection has the power to deliver you from sin, the power to change your life, the power to heal your body, the power to raise you from the dead.
The good work continued when you made up your mind to turn away from your sins. The good work continued when you were planted together in the likeness of his death (baptism in Jesus’ name) knowing we shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. The good work continued when you truly believed in God and He filled you with the Holy Ghost! The good work continues on through sanctification and growing in the knowledge of God. Even if we should die......the good work continues on in us until God comes back to rapture his Church and when that happens:
The corruptible (sinful dying flesh) shall be changed to incorruptible (glorified sinless body like Jesus’)
GOD LET THE GOOD WORK CONTINUE IN ME! DON’T LET ME BACK SLIDE, DON’T LET ME GIVE UP, DON’T LET ME FALL INTO SIN, LET THE GOOD WORK CONTINUE IN ME!
Paul tells Titus “These things”.....there are many in the church they are speaking about a whole lot of other things....but Paul encourages Titus.....”these things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee”.
End:
Part 2
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
VERSE 1:
“Put them in mind” or “Remind believers to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates”