back to indexBerean Community Church Bible Study 10/27/2021
Chapters
0:0
1:33 Word of Prayer
2:38 How Should We Behave as Christians
3:46 The Evangelistic Impact of a Spiritually Healthy Congregation
5:21 Urge the Young Men To Be Sensible
6:39 Mark 5 15 this Is the Demoniac
20:43 Are You Caring about the Souls That Are at Your Job
21:19 The Great Commission
22:28 Are You Making Progress in Silencing every Anti-Christian Critic
22:57 Showing Yourself To Be Trustworthy in Everything
23:34 Willing To Make Sacrifices To Be a More Effective Missionary
28:0 Chapter 12 of Romans
00:01:32.000 |
I'm going to go ahead and open us up in a word of prayer. 00:01:42.000 |
help us not to forget the why behind all these applications 00:01:54.000 |
for adorning the doctrine of our God, our Savior, 00:02:00.000 |
and help us, Lord God, to leave here after the teaching, 00:02:06.000 |
just longing to just be better representatives of your truth. 00:02:12.000 |
So would you minister to us in this time of short feeding 00:02:26.000 |
So the first couple slides is a review of last week, 00:02:29.000 |
but I felt like it's important because the context 00:02:36.000 |
So the whole thrust is how should we behave as Christians? 00:02:43.000 |
And if you guys noticed the repetition of good deeds 00:02:47.000 |
and show yourself, that showed up twice today. 00:03:07.000 |
is what we're looking at in chapters 2, verses 1 through 10. 00:03:11.000 |
And as we looked at the why should we behave as Christians 00:03:17.000 |
So one, it's to be a good example to the next generation 00:03:20.000 |
of Christians, to be faithful stewards of the word of God, 00:03:23.000 |
nonbelievers and scoffers, that they may be silenced, 00:03:26.000 |
and that we as Christians can make the doctrine of God 00:03:34.000 |
even if you're an older man, some of the things 00:03:40.000 |
we should strive to excel at those things too, right, 00:03:47.000 |
the evangelistic impact of a spiritually healthy congregation. 00:03:52.000 |
It's not for our well-being, it really is for God's glory, 00:03:57.000 |
And like I shared with you last week, when I break it down, 00:04:02.000 |
I look at all the--like, I'm just doing this in English, 00:04:06.000 |
and I look at this, and I have all the commands on the side. 00:04:10.000 |
And I discovered today that in chapter 2, verse 9, 00:04:23.000 |
But all of these are commands given to Titus. 00:04:29.000 |
And today we looked at young men, Titus himself, 00:04:38.000 |
And that's the reason why we are called to do these things. 00:04:47.000 |
it's also important not to get lost in the nitty-gritty details 00:04:54.000 |
You want to look at it in the context of the whole. 00:05:01.000 |
is similar to elements for the elders in chapter 1 00:05:06.000 |
I'm going to do something a little bit different today. 00:05:15.000 |
hopefully it's going to be a little bit shorter. 00:05:19.000 |
It says, "Sensible, likewise urge the young men 00:05:27.000 |
It's going to show up again next week in an adverb form. 00:05:43.000 |
because it can take the shape of many different meanings. 00:05:47.000 |
So the way I read the word "sensible," "sophron," 00:06:05.000 |
and emotional composure," not being distracted, 00:06:11.000 |
and this was a requirement for pastors, elders. 00:06:15.000 |
It's a requirement for older men, for younger women, 00:06:24.000 |
And this is how elsewhere in the New Testament 00:06:33.000 |
of this word "sensible," to kind of give you a mean-- 00:06:36.000 |
like a better feel for the meaning of the word "sensible." 00:07:28.000 |
So here is an objective humility as well, right? 00:07:32.000 |
Humility is not insecurity or like inferiority complex. 00:07:50.000 |
all that we've been given is from the grace of God, 00:08:08.000 |
"For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. 00:08:16.000 |
having concluded this, that one died for all, 00:08:30.000 |
"The end of all things is near, therefore be sophron." 00:08:38.000 |
And in Ephesians 5, 18, like we looked at last week, 00:08:55.000 |
is another way I would describe sophron, sensible. 00:09:00.000 |
The word sophron doesn't show up in the fruit of the spirit, 00:09:02.000 |
but its adjectives, or its, what do you call it, 00:09:18.000 |
but all of it really is having the mind of Christ, okay? 00:09:39.000 |
"Urge bond slaves to be subject to their own masters 00:09:46.000 |
"so that they will adorn the doctrine of God, 00:09:51.000 |
I'm just gonna be looking at the word masters. 00:09:59.000 |
So it denotes a person with absolute power and authority. 00:10:03.000 |
Now the slavery, or the master-slave relationship 00:10:09.000 |
it is different from that of biblical times, okay? 00:10:14.000 |
So there is more of an employee-employer feel, 00:10:19.000 |
just minus any kind of union protection, all right? 00:10:25.000 |
But it's not like the slavery that we're thinking of 00:10:28.000 |
when we're looking at, like, Civil War, okay? 00:10:34.000 |
One question that I asked as I was preparing this was like, 00:10:41.000 |
How come in Titus there's nothing about masters? 00:10:46.000 |
Were there no Cretan Christian masters at this time? 00:10:58.000 |
So there's stuff that these masters have power over 00:11:07.000 |
And here's just something that, like, on his commentary on Titus 00:11:09.000 |
that John MacArthur wrote that I just wanted to share. 00:11:12.000 |
If bond slaves are obligated to submit to their absolute 00:11:17.000 |
how much more are free believers obligated to submit 00:11:20.000 |
to an employer, even one who is mean, unreasonable, 00:11:24.000 |
And we're going to--I'm going to talk about this toward the end. 00:11:27.000 |
But in your workplaces, there is a master figure, right? 00:11:38.000 |
So I want to see how verses 9 through 10 apply to us, okay? 00:11:43.000 |
So verse 9, it talks about, "In everything to be well-pleasing." 00:11:51.000 |
Then that causes you, if you're a very good Bible student, 00:11:55.000 |
to start asking all kinds of inductive questions. 00:12:00.000 |
If they tell us to go kill somebody, do we do that? 00:12:07.000 |
or submit a faulty report, is that what we do? 00:12:12.000 |
And you guys inevitably may come to situations 00:12:15.000 |
where you're actually asked to do stuff like-- 00:12:21.000 |
So one thing that's tricky about making absolutes-- 00:12:28.000 |
where it says, "Remind them to be obedient to the authorities." 00:12:35.000 |
So when the Scripture commands us to do something like this, 00:12:41.000 |
and then we also know in Scriptures, like Acts 5:28-29, 00:12:53.000 |
Acts 25, 28-29, saying, "We gave you strict orders 00:13:00.000 |
and yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching 00:13:02.000 |
and intend to bring this man's blood upon us." 00:13:26.000 |
As far as it doesn't cause you to have to sin 00:13:35.000 |
Here it says, "Be subject to your masters in everything." 00:13:45.000 |
"Be subject to your own masters in everything 00:13:51.000 |
it doesn't cause you to have to sin or compromise truth." 00:14:07.000 |
on how bond slaves are to be toward their masters. 00:14:11.000 |
1 Peter 2, "Servants, be submissive to your masters 00:14:16.000 |
with all respect, not only to those who are good 00:14:20.000 |
and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 00:14:25.000 |
For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience 00:14:49.000 |
"Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, 00:14:54.000 |
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 00:15:07.000 |
So that's the premise of the beginning of Colossians, 00:15:21.000 |
not with external service as those who merely please men, 00:15:26.000 |
but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 00:15:49.000 |
Now, obviously, there are going to be some differences 00:15:52.000 |
between the situation of the bond slaves in Crete 00:16:05.000 |
but just draw the appropriate parallels, okay? 00:16:10.000 |
If you are an employee, and you have an employer, okay? 00:16:26.000 |
Yeah. Raise your hand if you have an employer. 00:16:33.000 |
If you're a boss, there's nothing in here about bosses, 00:16:35.000 |
so we're going to leave you alone for tonight, all right? 00:16:42.000 |
So when you're trying to figure out how to honor the Lord 00:16:50.000 |
Colossians appropriately, there are going to be times 00:16:53.000 |
where it's very uncomfortable trying to figure out 00:17:26.000 |
But in Colossians, at the end, it actually says 00:17:46.000 |
If you've never asked this question, shame on you, 00:17:52.000 |
because you've, like, you've--what do you call that? 00:17:57.000 |
Like, just divided your spheres of life, right? 00:18:02.000 |
I'm all in it for me and my future and my career 00:18:09.000 |
At home, kind of like a combination of the two. 00:18:16.000 |
But one thing that I wanted to emphasize tonight 00:18:37.000 |
You are a representative of Christ in that place. 00:18:48.000 |
Unless you've never shared with anybody about your faith, 00:18:50.000 |
about church, okay, then that's a different problem 00:18:55.000 |
But in this area where there is a human master 00:18:59.000 |
under whom you're supposed to be subject at work 00:19:13.000 |
it is the Lord Christ whom you are serving in that arena, 00:19:25.000 |
because we don't need to go into all the, like, 00:19:27.000 |
what does this word mean, what does that word mean, 00:19:29.000 |
because this section has kept it, for the most part, 00:19:37.000 |
But the things that I wanted to challenge you with, 00:19:41.000 |
let's really get to the nitty-gritty of where the rubber 00:20:03.000 |
In your mission field, are you gearing up really 00:20:16.000 |
Are you there to make money or to glorify the Lord? 00:20:29.000 |
or in your mission field, do you have a concern 00:20:36.000 |
And if you're going to, we're going to look at verse 11, 00:20:38.000 |
and you're going to see why I'm making this jump. 00:20:43.000 |
Are you caring about the souls that are at your job? 00:20:49.000 |
So for me, sometimes I wonder, people who prefer 00:20:57.000 |
You're so selfish, and I don't know who you are, 00:21:20.000 |
is the Great Commission, making disciples of all nations 00:21:24.000 |
by going, baptizing, and teaching them to do everything 00:21:29.000 |
If the obsession of your life is to glorify God 00:21:33.000 |
and to build his church and to save the lost, 00:21:42.000 |
are you handling the place where you are spending 00:21:55.000 |
I'm just throwing out as a blanket statement, 00:21:58.000 |
because how are you going to reach those people 00:22:01.000 |
if you don't get face-to-face time with them? 00:22:09.000 |
if you don't want to have anything to do with them? 00:22:15.000 |
and your convenience, be able to work on your pajamas, 00:22:33.000 |
Or are you the one that, like, you're a Christian 00:22:38.000 |
but people don't think you're that great a worker? 00:22:51.000 |
Okay, those are things that you need to consider. 00:23:01.000 |
when the boss is not looking at your workplace? 00:23:12.000 |
Are you being a good witness to other fellow bond slaves 00:23:25.000 |
making the gospel attractive to other bond slaves? 00:23:57.000 |
like, they're not always down to support you, 00:23:59.000 |
and that financial support, it's going to dry up. 00:24:05.000 |
one of the best things to do is to be a tent maker, 00:24:33.000 |
only if he calls us abroad to be a missionary, 00:24:47.000 |
"even if that job can offer me better, like, package. 00:24:52.000 |
"I will stay here because there are souls to be won here." 00:25:01.000 |
Are you actively looking for opportunities to share? 00:25:17.000 |
being something that exists for our happiness 00:25:42.000 |
"instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, 00:25:45.000 |
"but to live sensibly, righteously, godly in the present age." 00:25:51.000 |
This is like a--just--we're transitioning into that. 00:26:06.000 |
Nod your heads if you understand what I'm trying to get at. 00:26:21.000 |
Think of that next time you look at the packages 00:26:28.000 |
Hey, but because if someone goes to China as a missionary, 00:26:31.000 |
someone decides to go to India as a missionary, 00:26:33.000 |
you're not expecting them to take the best financial package. 00:26:51.000 |
than anything else in our culture where we live. 00:27:15.000 |
you as a missionary in whatever mission field you're in, 00:27:19.000 |
you're supposed to make this doctrine of God our Savior 00:27:30.000 |
To cosmeo the doctrine of God in every respect. 00:27:40.000 |
And so I want to close with this Romans 12, 1 to 3. 00:27:44.000 |
Romans is the book we all go to for just pure gospel, 00:27:54.000 |
1 through 11 is a lot of theology and doctrine. 00:28:07.000 |
"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, 00:28:11.000 |
"to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice 00:28:23.000 |
"but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, 00:28:26.000 |
"henna, so that you may prove what the will of God is, 00:28:31.000 |
"that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 00:28:39.000 |
"not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, 00:28:45.000 |
"as God has allotted to each measure of faith." 00:28:51.000 |
You're not the first Christian on this planet. 00:29:06.000 |
You're created by God and for God to love God and to serve God. 00:29:37.000 |
does not call us to receive Christ as an addition to our life, 00:30:03.000 |
"The will of man without the grace of God is not free at all, 00:30:06.000 |
"but is the permanent prisoner and bondslave of evil, 00:30:43.000 |
as you are called to be a bondslave who is a missionary 00:30:56.000 |
Are you adorning the gospel in every respect? 00:31:13.000 |
Some of you guys, I mean, sometimes you come in for counseling 00:31:15.000 |
and say, "Oh yeah, I'm having trouble with my non-Christian mom 00:31:20.000 |
And maybe you consider maybe it's your fault. 00:31:28.000 |
Or maybe they see you as more religious and kind of insane 00:31:37.000 |
So today, that verse 9 and 10 of this bondslave mentality 00:31:43.000 |
will bleed into the doctrine-heavy section next week. 00:31:48.000 |
And I want to just give us a little bit of a head start, okay? 00:31:52.000 |
Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything 00:31:56.000 |
to be well-pleasing and not argumentative, not pilfering, 00:32:01.000 |
so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior 00:32:07.000 |
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 00:32:13.000 |
instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires 00:32:16.000 |
and to live so fraught, sensibly, righteously, godly in the present age. 00:32:42.000 |
but to transform me, to make me a new creation. 00:32:52.000 |
So whether I eat or drink, I do it all for the glory of God. 00:32:56.000 |
Whether I'm filling out a spreadsheet or doing a presentation, 00:33:02.000 |
whether I'm fixing up something that's completely meaningless, 00:33:06.000 |
if there's a coffee spill, I don't wait for someone else to do it, 00:33:14.000 |
Your non-Christian workers will have nothing bad to say. 00:33:20.000 |
"Dang, what does that person have that I don't?" 00:33:26.000 |
but one of the most encouraging things I heard 00:33:31.000 |
was there was a person whose co-worker came to church 00:33:40.000 |
And the reason, like, the person said that they came to visit the church was, 00:33:47.000 |
this individual, this person is such a beautiful person. 00:33:53.000 |
I had to come to the church to check out what makes him/her tick. 00:34:00.000 |
And I was like, "Dang, that's a good witness." 00:34:07.000 |
That person, before I even ask, takes care of stuff? 00:34:11.000 |
And again, I'm hearing this through other channels. 00:34:15.000 |
But I remember 17, 18 years ago hearing that, I'm like, 00:34:24.000 |
Can you be that kind of a witness at your job? 00:34:32.000 |
that there's something magnetic about the way you do your work. 00:34:36.000 |
When people see you, there's an aroma of Christ. 00:34:39.000 |
And they can't quite put a finger on what it is, but you're weird, you're different. 00:34:48.000 |
you're either a good missionary or a horrible one. 00:34:57.000 |
And why is all of our behavior and action important? 00:35:07.000 |
And for some mysterious reason, God chooses to use man 00:35:11.000 |
to bring other men to the place where their eyes are open 00:35:18.000 |
So what I want you guys to do in your groups, 00:35:20.000 |
a lot of this is not heavy, it's just like a little slap to be like, 00:35:30.000 |
To think through, what is--like, I need to fix this. 00:35:37.000 |
One, in what ways is our workplace a mission field? 00:35:43.000 |
Two, how are you in your speech, in your doctrine? 00:35:46.000 |
In what areas do you need prayer coverage to help you to be sensible? 00:35:50.000 |
One thing is, I don't like sharing prayer requests. 00:35:56.000 |
But sometimes when I hear your prayer requests, 00:36:04.000 |
What a prayer request is, is I'm in spiritual warfare, 00:36:11.000 |
like, my struggle is not against flesh and blood, 00:36:23.000 |
I struggle with just resentment toward my boss. 00:36:30.000 |
Okay, so those are what I call prayer coverage, 00:36:59.000 |
Father, help us to represent you well to this dark and dying world. 00:37:05.000 |
Lord, not for our benefit, but ultimately for your joy 00:37:11.000 |
And I pray, Father God, that you would help us in this endeavor, 00:37:14.000 |
for it's easy for us to get distracted, to drift, and forget. 00:37:18.000 |
Lord, we love you and help our lives to really match 00:37:30.000 |
And by your grace, Lord, would you save souls through just our prayers