back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service 8/22/2021
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there is a welcome table outside in the back of the courtyard 00:20:34.000 |
And there are many things that you can learn about our church 00:20:37.000 |
just from just interacting with our welcome team. 00:20:44.000 |
there's going to be a lunch for you at the cafe at 1 o'clock. 00:20:49.000 |
I was asked to ask you to come on time for that 00:20:53.000 |
because the meeting's not going to last long. 00:20:55.000 |
So if you're a home group lead, please do show up promptly at 1. 00:21:00.000 |
A couple other announcements that we have is next Saturday at 10.30 here, 00:21:05.000 |
the FAM 245, the more recently married couples, 00:21:10.000 |
we're going to be having a little workshop seminar 00:21:12.000 |
on just kingdom-minded economics, wealth, stewardship, and poverty. 00:21:20.000 |
but you didn't get any kind of an email or invitation, 00:21:23.000 |
go ahead and email me with any questions there. 00:21:31.000 |
well, it's not a PTA. It's a parents' meeting. 00:21:34.000 |
So if you do drop off a child or a big child on Sunday 00:21:39.000 |
to any of our education ministry departments, 00:21:41.000 |
this is going to be the only meeting for the year. 00:21:45.000 |
We're going to introduce you to the new teachers 00:21:54.000 |
Also, the BBA is starting back up after about a-- 00:21:58.000 |
like a two-year hiatus because of a global pandemic. 00:22:01.000 |
We're going to do--the sign-ups are going to be taking place outside 00:22:05.000 |
between here and the cafe for you guys who are interested. 00:22:08.000 |
You have to be a member or in the process of becoming a member 00:22:13.000 |
And from what I understand, they're in the works 00:22:22.000 |
So if you are a woman baller and you want to participate, 00:22:26.000 |
go make some noise, and then maybe something can get started. 00:22:35.000 |
You guys know that we've been having 2 p.m. classes for our church, 00:22:39.000 |
like an equipping time through, like, the Bible--like a study lab 00:22:48.000 |
But this coming fall, we're going to start running-- 00:22:53.000 |
So the first one is going to be a theology class, 00:22:59.000 |
and the other one is going to be on spiritual growth 00:23:07.000 |
but we're going to try to have these running throughout the course 00:23:11.000 |
So if you miss one this time around, you can for sure take it again 00:23:16.000 |
So please do sign up online for these things, 00:23:19.000 |
and if you have any questions, just contact Elder James or Pastor Mark. 00:23:24.000 |
We're going to take a time of offering, and physical offerings are-- 00:23:28.000 |
you can drop it off in the back, or you can Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal 00:23:35.000 |
And after our time of praise, we're going to have our sister Tiffany 00:23:42.000 |
and then you will all be here just to participate in her baptism. 00:23:46.000 |
And so let me pray for the offering, and then we'll get-- 00:23:53.000 |
Father, we thank you for just your daily provision, 00:23:57.000 |
and we are here this morning just as a collective body 00:24:01.000 |
wanting to say thank you for your kindness, for your faithfulness. 00:24:05.000 |
You are our audience this morning, and we pray that you would just engage 00:24:10.000 |
our hearts and remind us afresh of who it is that we worship, 00:24:16.000 |
Lord, help us to do so just with joy-filled hearts 00:24:20.000 |
as we are just returning to you the many blessings 00:24:27.000 |
We love you, Lord, and we pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:26:29.600 |
♪ The world thinks of what this thing can be ♪ 00:29:25.500 |
♪ Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring ♪ 00:29:34.220 |
♪ Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe ♪ 00:30:01.740 |
♪ Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe ♪ 00:30:27.460 |
♪ Show me who you are and fill me with your heart ♪ 00:30:32.460 |
♪ And lead me in your love to those around me ♪ 00:30:56.540 |
♪ Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring ♪ 00:31:01.540 |
♪ Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe ♪ 00:31:28.900 |
♪ Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe ♪ 00:31:56.620 |
♪ Show me who you are and fill me with your heart ♪ 00:32:01.660 |
♪ And lead me in your love to those around me ♪ 00:33:46.380 |
♪ Show me who you are and fill me with your heart ♪ 00:33:51.380 |
♪ And lead me in your love to those around me ♪ 00:35:09.540 |
♪ Show me who you are and fill me with your heart ♪ 00:35:14.780 |
♪ And lead me in your love to those around me ♪ 00:35:40.360 |
and today I'll be sharing my testimony with you guys. 00:35:44.120 |
I grew up in an American Christian international school 00:35:56.260 |
were routinely embedded into my weekly schedule. 00:35:59.380 |
I prayed to receive Christ as my Lord and Savior 00:36:05.000 |
after accidentally catching a glimpse of the movie "Jaws" 00:36:11.920 |
one summer afternoon and told me the power Jesus has 00:36:15.340 |
to quiet the seas and triumph over any evil spirit and demon. 00:36:21.000 |
and I prayed to receive Christ that day in my life at home. 00:36:29.760 |
I was always a minority who wanted to fit in. 00:36:32.400 |
As a result, I frequently worked to draw attention to myself. 00:36:35.600 |
I lied to my peers and exaggerated my circumstances 00:36:41.420 |
I have come to realize how foolish and futile 00:36:43.740 |
my efforts were, because salvation is truly the work of God 00:36:47.320 |
from beginning to end, separate from my works. 00:36:50.560 |
I loved Christ, yet he was not my greatest love. 00:36:53.280 |
I liked the idea of a Savior from my hellbound destiny, 00:36:56.480 |
but there wasn't much surrender to him as my Lord. 00:37:11.940 |
I wrestled to understand why God would place such trials 00:37:16.160 |
My heart went out to them, and I desired to be a light, 00:37:26.160 |
And I felt guilty when I saw that I couldn't. 00:37:29.060 |
My bitterness also surfaced in having a bad attitude 00:37:31.920 |
towards my parents, and in the midst of it all, 00:37:34.720 |
I found myself face to face with my repeated sins 00:37:37.360 |
of lying and working to gain the pity and approval of man. 00:37:42.920 |
I highlighted instances that were self-glorifying. 00:37:46.100 |
In my mind, I said that Christ is enough for me, 00:37:50.840 |
Christ humbled me, reminding me he is the way, 00:37:54.140 |
the truth, and the life, as he tells us in John 14, six. 00:37:58.280 |
Placing myself on a pedestal and giving myself the glory 00:38:01.260 |
was only drawing my friends further away from Christ, 00:38:04.000 |
as I unintentionally encouraged them to find refuge 00:38:10.740 |
I got baptized by sprinkling on Easter in 2017 00:38:18.800 |
A mentor convinced me to sign up for a discipleship course 00:38:22.080 |
the summer after I graduated from high school. 00:38:29.540 |
that never truly tackle the heart of the issue, sin. 00:38:33.360 |
I began to understand how no earthly person or thing 00:38:43.420 |
how I thought God viewed me and where I would go 00:38:47.200 |
I knew the answer, but I surely did not feel it. 00:38:52.360 |
coupled with the deceit I told both others and myself 00:38:57.220 |
Through the mentor and his pastor's demonstration 00:39:04.200 |
why I felt the need to chase after the approval of mankind. 00:39:07.900 |
I came to a deeper understanding that salvation 00:39:12.660 |
God is working even when my heart may seem cold 00:39:17.000 |
In my first year of college, I joined a small group. 00:39:19.600 |
I started doing daily devotions and reading scripture 00:39:24.200 |
Rather than reading the Bible and memorizing verses 00:39:26.720 |
for an A on an exam, his truth started transferring 00:39:34.640 |
by seeking the simultaneous approval of both God and man. 00:39:39.080 |
Matthew 16, 35 says, "For whoever would save his life 00:39:42.680 |
"will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake 00:39:46.400 |
I am called to deny myself and take up my cross daily 00:39:50.960 |
I have come to recognize there is no greater joy in life 00:39:57.680 |
and thus placing any hope in the fleeting gratifications 00:40:02.520 |
He pursues me relentlessly even when I push him away 00:40:05.640 |
thinking that I know better and assuring myself 00:40:10.840 |
I am so undeserving of his grace, yet his love 00:40:13.320 |
that surpasses all understanding is a mystery 00:40:17.520 |
I'm getting baptized through immersion to complete 00:40:19.720 |
the picture of baptism the way Christ commanded. 00:40:22.600 |
As a follower of Christ, I want to mirror what he has 00:40:27.200 |
While salvation does not promise me a life free 00:40:29.420 |
from troubles, I know Christ is truly enough for me 00:41:29.500 |
- All right, thank you, Tiffany, for your testimony. 00:41:51.660 |
and midweek Bible studies resume in about a week. 00:41:56.100 |
From September to December, our entire church, 00:42:02.620 |
an inductive Bible study through Paul's epistle to Titus. 00:42:07.440 |
So in the book of Titus, we're gonna find instructions 00:42:09.940 |
on how to do church, what to expect of church leadership, 00:42:14.160 |
how to combat false teachers and false teachings. 00:42:17.580 |
We will learn God's blueprint for building strong churches 00:42:28.780 |
So Titus has a lot to say about how we're gonna engage 00:42:32.780 |
the world around us and I know that many of you 00:42:40.480 |
as an introduction to the series and to the book. 00:42:43.660 |
And hopefully it whets your appetite for more. 00:42:46.980 |
I'm gonna start by reading the first five verses 00:42:48.780 |
of Titus for you and then we're gonna ask the Lord 00:42:57.420 |
Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, 00:43:09.260 |
In the hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie 00:43:12.740 |
promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, 00:43:17.020 |
even his word, in the proclamation with which 00:43:20.100 |
I was entrusted according to the commandment of God, 00:43:38.020 |
and appoint elders in every city as I directed you. 00:43:47.800 |
Lord, we are very thankful just that you give us 00:44:03.000 |
to have our souls fed, that we would be filled with joy, 00:44:19.400 |
Would you hide your servant behind this pulpit 00:44:22.880 |
and would you speak and minister to your sheep? 00:44:28.180 |
We ask for your blessing and we pray these things 00:44:37.380 |
of our church members were still in their early 20s, 00:44:42.860 |
And it was a big deal, not just for the couple, 00:45:03.240 |
into the church schedule, into the church calendar. 00:45:06.680 |
And if you were a Berean, you didn't need an invite. 00:45:13.520 |
And it was also assumed that you would stick around 00:45:19.920 |
And obviously those days are long gone and far behind us 00:45:23.860 |
and we are no longer at that stage in our church. 00:45:27.520 |
Now we have lots of weddings going on throughout the year. 00:45:30.800 |
All four of the pastors were at a wedding just yesterday. 00:45:33.680 |
In the five-week stretch from October 16th to November 13th, 00:45:39.480 |
in those five weeks, we have six Berean weddings 00:45:45.880 |
at least one of our pastors will be officiating 00:45:48.320 |
a wedding somewhere, six weddings in five weeks. 00:45:51.720 |
So at present, we have a bunch of engaged couples 00:45:54.720 |
and lots of pre-marital counseling sessions going on. 00:46:11.940 |
but they still need to function as two separate individuals. 00:46:15.940 |
The couple is growing in knowledge of each other 00:46:27.840 |
there is still much need to do things separately. 00:46:31.840 |
So the engagement period is not easy, but it is important. 00:46:36.760 |
And there are things to be planned and prepared 00:46:38.560 |
during the engagement and there's work to be done. 00:46:46.860 |
no one's gonna come to your party, your wedding, 00:46:50.520 |
if you're even going to have a wedding at all. 00:46:53.420 |
And there's one thing that all engaged couples 00:47:15.160 |
And the Christian life on this side of eternity 00:47:22.360 |
but it has not yet been actualized or consummated. 00:47:33.860 |
and we're called to grow in the knowledge of him, 00:47:37.240 |
but for now this knowledge is in part and not yet in full. 00:47:41.180 |
So just as there is an already but not yet tension 00:47:51.320 |
and chewing on the book of Titus for the last few months. 00:48:07.100 |
I see many guiding principles in the book of Titus 00:48:21.480 |
And the church faithfully stewards this engagement period 00:48:44.020 |
But I just ended up with the more conservative life 00:48:47.700 |
so you guys wouldn't be shocked or freaked out or confused. 00:48:59.180 |
So I read the first five verses of Titus a few moments ago, 00:49:02.100 |
and the sermon today will be a preview to the study. 00:49:08.820 |
First, I'm gonna start with the premise of the letter, 00:49:14.140 |
Okay, chapter one, verse two and three, it's the premise. 00:49:34.260 |
And now I'm guessing that the order of this outline 00:49:36.180 |
is already rubbing some of you the wrong way. 00:49:43.140 |
the order of the points is gonna be different. 00:49:50.700 |
But because I'll be spending the bulk of my time 00:50:06.580 |
and then we're gonna be talking about the purpose. 00:50:14.380 |
So in order to avoid further aggravating you, 00:50:16.480 |
I'm gonna just read from verse one, all right. 00:50:18.380 |
So let me read the three opening verses again for you. 00:50:21.340 |
Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, 00:50:32.900 |
which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 00:50:37.120 |
but at the proper time manifested even his word 00:50:40.140 |
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted 00:50:42.900 |
according to the commandment of God our Savior. 00:50:50.620 |
the apostle Paul says that he has been preaching 00:50:55.980 |
He's been commanded to preach because of this future hope. 00:50:59.580 |
The bridegroom will return and that those chosen of God 00:51:17.740 |
I wrote a song and I proposed to her in the song 00:51:20.820 |
and I'm gonna read a very, very cheesy line for you 00:51:31.900 |
I'll cook, clean, do the dishes, and diapers too. 00:51:44.300 |
and do their little speech before their proposal, 00:51:51.900 |
of lofty promises and we are doing our best to be sincere, 00:51:56.860 |
but some of the stuff we say doesn't quite work out. 00:52:25.140 |
he is all powerful, and he cannot and does not lie. 00:52:35.620 |
So Ephesians 1, 13 to 14 says that we were sealed in him 00:52:39.660 |
and he is a pledge, a guarantee of our inheritance. 00:52:52.200 |
The Bible defines it as an eternity spent growing 00:53:08.300 |
Eternal life is focused on a growing intimate knowledge 00:53:32.920 |
We got married in 2007, so we became husband and wife 00:53:36.600 |
in 2007, but our relationship began long before that. 00:53:41.600 |
Eternal life does not begin when your heart stops beating 00:53:52.460 |
changes his heart of stone into a heart of flesh, 00:53:54.740 |
and the person puts his faith in the saving work of Christ, 00:54:10.420 |
and this knowledge of God begins on this side 00:54:15.300 |
So eternal life for you and me has already begun. 00:54:20.300 |
And for fuller context, I'm gonna read verses 17, 00:54:34.080 |
Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you. 00:54:37.160 |
Even as you gave him authority over all flesh, 00:54:45.780 |
This is eternal life, that they may know you, 00:54:47.620 |
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 00:54:54.580 |
having accomplished the work which you have given me to do. 00:55:02.000 |
Jesus prays before his trial and eventual crucifixion. 00:55:32.380 |
and the bride of Christ now waits with eager expectation 00:55:45.100 |
but the wedding for the bride of Christ is still future. 00:55:50.580 |
So what are the contents of Titus founded upon? 00:56:04.700 |
There's gonna be a wedding, y'all, is what he's saying, 00:56:16.100 |
And if you want a description of this wedding feast, 00:56:22.000 |
But for now, at present, the church is in this already, 00:56:25.420 |
but not yet engagement, tension, and struggle. 00:56:58.320 |
So here is the expected practice of the letter. 00:57:07.000 |
What were his expectations of the churches in Crete? 00:57:13.400 |
Okay, I'm gonna read verses four and five again for you. 00:57:20.320 |
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus, 00:57:23.760 |
our Savior, for this reason I left you in Crete, 00:57:31.600 |
and appoint elders in every city as I directed you. 00:57:34.320 |
So for this reason, okay, Paul left Titus in Crete. 00:57:47.520 |
that we just looked at in verses two and three. 00:57:52.440 |
and continues throughout the rest of the letter 00:57:54.760 |
with very specific instructions for the church, 00:58:00.600 |
So the all-important engagement period has been initiated. 00:58:08.480 |
Proper wedding garments have been supplied already 00:58:32.200 |
So Titus was to do his best to build the church 00:58:38.320 |
And the specifics we'll see in the rest of the letter, 00:58:46.680 |
leaders leading the way God would have them lead, 00:58:49.880 |
older men in the church conducting themselves 00:58:55.460 |
younger men and women behaving properly in God's church, 00:59:19.420 |
It's the primary vehicle through which the invitations 00:59:25.880 |
It's the means through which disciples of Jesus 00:59:30.200 |
And the building of God's church was the priority 00:59:37.680 |
So if you guys think through how did the early apostles, 00:59:40.840 |
how did the apostles, what did they engage in? 00:59:47.920 |
in some kind of like multi-level pyramid strategy? 00:59:51.220 |
No, they all folked, they went all in on the church. 00:59:57.100 |
They built churches, they poured all their energies 01:00:15.260 |
So the church of the living God is the pillar 01:00:32.080 |
So the church is the pillar and foundation of the truth, 01:00:35.800 |
it's the platform through which the truth of God 01:00:47.820 |
what she puts on display needs to be reflective 01:00:55.700 |
And the two things that are put on display are one, 01:01:10.060 |
that he was to watch his doctrine and his life closely. 01:01:20.060 |
Paul starts with instructions for church leaders, 01:01:23.820 |
for elders, and that's how you get those little sections 01:01:28.360 |
The elders of the church are to be at the very front, 01:01:32.100 |
modeling correct teaching and correct behavior 01:01:40.820 |
that the leaders of the church need to hold fast 01:01:43.820 |
the faithful word, which is in accordance with the teaching. 01:01:55.240 |
And as an aside, and that's why our church stresses 01:02:18.060 |
The scriptures dictate what we preach and teach, 01:02:24.660 |
when we preach accurately from the scriptures, 01:02:27.460 |
the spirit of God will go forth from this pulpit 01:02:30.860 |
and instruct and feed and guide his people into all truth, 01:02:39.300 |
So teaching is the first important practice for the church 01:02:48.040 |
And through that teaching, the invitations come. 01:02:50.540 |
The second practice involves the church's deeds, 01:03:16.080 |
The doctrine of God in and of itself is beautiful, 01:03:26.080 |
We get the word cosmetic from this word cosmeo, to adorn. 01:03:57.040 |
in and of themselves, but how much more radiant 01:04:12.920 |
Because the church is on display for all the world to see. 01:04:16.900 |
The church's faith must lead to visible good works. 01:04:20.880 |
Good deeds or good works, if you're using the ESV, 01:04:24.260 |
are repeated again and again and again and again in Titus, 01:04:57.560 |
Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds. 01:05:11.920 |
Blaspheming and ridiculing mouths are silenced. 01:05:25.640 |
In all things, show yourself to be an example of good deeds, 01:06:05.040 |
We know that the practice or application of this premise 01:06:08.540 |
is to focus, go all in on the building up of his church. 01:06:23.860 |
Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, 01:06:35.600 |
Now here's something that I hope you will see 01:06:41.280 |
Building the church God's way is not humanly possible. 01:06:48.000 |
Building the church God's way is not humanly possible. 01:06:57.060 |
okay, I need to focus on building the church, 01:07:02.000 |
So you and I in our own strength cannot build his church. 01:07:12.360 |
cannot beautify or cosmeo ourselves through human effort. 01:07:30.000 |
Human strategy, human ability, human ingenuity, 01:07:46.060 |
And this is touched upon from the very opening 01:07:50.060 |
First, God is the one who is doing the choosing. 01:07:54.160 |
Okay, so you see that, the faith of those chosen of God. 01:08:16.920 |
it can mean all kinds of different things, okay? 01:09:27.480 |
Does a knowledge of the truth lead to godliness, 01:09:37.620 |
Does godliness lead to greater understanding of truth? 01:09:48.720 |
does that mean the truth is highlighted in my life? 01:09:51.500 |
That's an important question you're gonna wrestle with 01:10:01.280 |
If you start with it and verse one is really difficult, 01:10:05.000 |
it gets better, so just don't quit, all right? 01:10:07.360 |
But here's the point throughout the flow of the whole letter. 01:10:11.420 |
Right belief and right behavior are inseparable. 01:10:17.800 |
Right belief and right behavior are inseparable. 01:10:20.580 |
My understanding of the opening of this passage 01:10:24.120 |
is that truly right belief leads to right behavior. 01:10:29.120 |
Right behavior is evidence of your right belief. 01:10:37.520 |
but your life is not consistent with your knowledge, 01:10:40.460 |
you prove that you actually don't have knowledge, 01:10:46.200 |
and that you are in denial and rebellion toward God. 01:10:52.440 |
They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny him, 01:11:00.300 |
So right belief and right behavior are inseparable. 01:11:05.600 |
And in Titus, you find people of the circumcision, 01:11:20.240 |
but they have no idea what it is that they're professing. 01:11:23.200 |
They're professing to be wise, but they are fools. 01:11:51.320 |
If godly deeds are expected from me, from the church, 01:11:56.320 |
and there's a relationship between godly deeds 01:11:59.000 |
and knowledge of the truth, I need some more of that. 01:12:11.520 |
that are mistaken for the knowledge of the truth, okay? 01:12:21.320 |
Having correct or extensive theological proficiency. 01:12:29.320 |
and still not know God and still not know the truth. 01:12:34.160 |
You can be a biblical scholar and still not know the truth. 01:12:49.720 |
Being at church for three decades, four decades, 01:12:51.960 |
five decades out of my life, we do church every Sunday. 01:12:57.840 |
As an aside, one of the problems of my generation 01:13:17.680 |
and the 10% is Jonah, David, Samson, Goliath, 01:13:35.200 |
is having a strong moral compass or a tender conscience. 01:13:47.200 |
He's moved to compassion, he's moved to give. 01:14:11.880 |
That's also sometimes mistaken as knowledge of the truth. 01:14:19.120 |
is often mistaken for knowledge of the truth. 01:14:23.040 |
Don't drink, don't cuss, don't gamble, don't cheat, 01:14:26.200 |
don't watch inappropriate things, don't do, don't do. 01:14:53.680 |
Knowledge of the truth will always lead to these things. 01:14:57.440 |
Having better theology, having a tender, compassionate heart, 01:15:01.520 |
being active in church, having strong Christian principles 01:15:06.080 |
and values, knowledge of the truth always leads 01:15:12.920 |
of these things and have no knowledge of the truth. 01:15:16.400 |
Knowing a lot about God is not the same as knowing God. 01:15:31.480 |
Knowing a lot about God is not the same as knowing God. 01:15:56.920 |
There's a belief, a discerning of the shepherd's voice, 01:16:00.600 |
You do not believe because you are not of my sheep. 01:16:08.760 |
and they follow me, and I give eternal life to them, 01:16:12.520 |
and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them 01:16:19.120 |
Knowledge of the truth is also what sanctifies 01:16:41.320 |
This is my definition, an intimate and growing understanding 01:16:47.680 |
of the heart of God through feeding from the word of God. 01:16:51.440 |
An intimate and growing understanding of the heart of God 01:17:02.840 |
And knowledge of the truth always leads to the godliness 01:17:08.600 |
So here are two questions that I wanna throw at you. 01:17:47.640 |
And the older I get, the more I grow in pastoral ministry, 01:18:00.920 |
the more hypocritical, and the dirtier I feel. 01:18:21.640 |
You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. 01:18:31.040 |
And then I hit my 30s, and I matured a little. 01:18:57.200 |
Don't be stupid and get disqualified from ministry. 01:19:05.120 |
I'm becoming more increasingly aware of who I'm not. 01:19:09.520 |
There is nothing good in me outside of Christ, 01:19:14.760 |
and I'm becoming more and more aware of my hopelessness 01:19:18.320 |
without the grace of God sustaining me day to day. 01:19:21.440 |
There is so much in my heart that desires comfort, 01:19:45.240 |
When I work hard for something spiritual and it goes well, 01:20:22.800 |
the more I taint, the more I just make things 01:20:41.400 |
No amount of hard work has made me any godlier 01:20:52.920 |
And I've realized something through the years. 01:20:59.400 |
There's actually only one thing I can control, 01:21:21.480 |
The more hypocritical I sound in my head as I preach. 01:21:26.680 |
The more I study God's word, the more the blemishes 01:21:31.880 |
and the blotches and the dirty things that I see. 01:21:38.280 |
I'm reminded that not only do I not measure up, 01:21:46.440 |
in outright rebellion toward the God of the universe. 01:21:51.440 |
So the only thing that I can pursue and control really 01:22:17.760 |
but I can stay exposing my heart before the word of God, 01:22:24.880 |
and he sanctifies and purifies and washes me. 01:22:44.080 |
just acknowledge, don't compare, and just repent. 01:23:01.600 |
I find myself to be a more zealous worshiper. 01:23:28.260 |
so when I see a little speck in someone else, 01:23:41.860 |
leads me to have a greater appreciation of my savior. 01:23:51.860 |
true biblical knowledge never leads to legalism. 01:24:00.660 |
True biblical knowledge never leads to legalism. 01:24:11.900 |
True biblical literacy, where you know the truth of God, 01:24:18.740 |
will always bring forth terror, humility, and compassion. 01:24:24.860 |
That always happens, because the knowledge of the truth 01:24:33.920 |
Godliness does not come from effort or hard work. 01:24:37.420 |
It's the bridegroom who washes and sanctifies. 01:24:44.780 |
Sponges, a lot of times, you look at it from the surface, 01:24:49.860 |
But when you squeeze the thing, what happens? 01:24:54.220 |
Sometimes when I am squose, I'm shocked by what comes out. 01:25:16.900 |
Dunk, squeeze, dunk, squeeze, dunk, squeeze, dunk, squeeze, 01:25:21.900 |
until all that is left after every squeeze is clean water. 01:25:45.620 |
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 01:25:51.220 |
that he might present to himself the church in all her glory, 01:26:06.140 |
So godliness does not come through effort or hard work. 01:26:16.740 |
It comes from being daily sanctified by the word of God. 01:26:49.100 |
and as he purifies, he makes beautiful and godly, 01:27:10.100 |
So the premise of the letter to Titus is God made a promise, 01:27:25.340 |
There's a wedding feast that's waiting ahead, 01:27:32.420 |
but the purpose of the letter to Titus is to emphasize 01:27:45.020 |
and the beautification of the bride of Christ 01:27:55.580 |
and because of this premise, we build a church. 01:27:58.980 |
But the point of all of this is that we can only truly 01:28:13.820 |
is not because of the efforts of the seven men 01:28:18.900 |
His word, when it's honored, it grows the church. 01:28:26.700 |
I'm gonna leave you with my only application. 01:28:28.940 |
Expose your heart to the word of God as often as you can. 01:28:35.020 |
Expose your heart to the word of God as often as you can, 01:28:57.380 |
But it's gonna break you, and the only real response 01:29:03.460 |
But as you're repenting, your thankfulness grows. 01:29:22.100 |
and finally see people through the eyes of Christ, 01:29:28.300 |
So expose your heart to his word as often as you can. 01:29:31.900 |
Don't resist, repent, and as he purifies you, 01:30:04.620 |
And I'm gonna leave you a nice little summary 01:30:07.420 |
of everything we studied together this morning. 01:30:22.140 |
instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, 01:30:35.540 |
and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, 01:30:39.500 |
Christ Jesus, we are looking forward to the wedding feast. 01:30:57.340 |
and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, 01:31:45.940 |
So I'm hoping you guys are excited about the book of Titus 01:31:55.380 |
just delight in his word more and more as a church. 01:32:21.220 |
And pray, and then the praise team's gonna lead us 01:38:55.620 |
that you would sanctify us through your truth. 01:39:14.620 |
And help us not to enjoy this engagement period so much 01:39:21.620 |
that we forget that there is a wedding that awaits. 01:39:30.620 |
Help us to long for our knowledge, not to just be in part. 01:39:49.620 |
Our collective heartbeat and our cry is Maranatha, Lord come. 01:39:54.620 |
For in that is not only our purpose, but our great joy. 01:40:20.620 |
to the great bridegroom who purifies his bride.