Scripture referenced 11 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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Titus 2:11-14 Read as the run-up passage before the main text, covering grace bringing salvation, training in godliness, and Christ redeeming a people zealous for good works
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age;
13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ;
14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.
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Keep this verse
Titus 2:15
Paul's command to Titus to declare, exhort, and rebuke with all authority and let no one disregard him
15 Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise you.
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Titus 3:1
Remind believers to be submissive to rulers and authorities and ready for every good work
1 Remind them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
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Titus 3:2
To speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy toward all people
2 to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men.
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Titus 3:3
We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to passions, passing days in malice and envy, hated and hating
3 For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
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Titus 3:4-7
Main text: when the goodness and loving kindness of God appeared He saved us by mercy, washing, regeneration, and renewal of the Holy Spirit, justified by grace as heirs of eternal life
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared,
5 not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior;
7 that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
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Titus 3:8
This saying is trustworthy; insist on these things so believers devote themselves to good works profitable for all people
8 This saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you affirm confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men;
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Titus 3:9-11
Avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law; warn a divisive person once then twice then have nothing more to do with him
9 but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
10 Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning,
11 knowing that such a one is perverted and sins, being self-condemned.
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Ephesians 2:10
We are His workmanship created in Christ to walk in the good works He prepared
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
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Luke 23:34
Jesus on the cross: Father forgive them for they know not what they do
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
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Luke 23:42-43
The thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him, and Jesus said today you will be with me in paradise, illustrating instant repentance and salvation
42 He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
On August 5, 2018, the pastor walked First B Jackson through Titus 2:11 through 3:11, arriving at communion. The message centered on the mercy and grace of God as the only ground for salvation, and on what that reality is supposed to produce in the people who have received it.
What was said
Paul's letter to Titus has a logic that the chapter break can obscure. The command to "declare these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority" flows directly into the instructions that follow in chapter three. Titus is not being handed a list of random rules. He is being told to keep pressing the same gospel on the same people, consistently and without backing down.
The practical instructions that open chapter three, being submissive to rulers, speaking evil of no one, avoiding quarrels, showing perfect courtesy toward all people, are not arbitrary moral advice. The pastor pointed out that Paul immediately answers the question of why those things matter: "for we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another." The instruction grows out of honest memory. You treat the person in front of you with courtesy because you know what you were.
The turn comes with "but." When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us. That work belongs entirely to God. It was not because of works done in righteousness but according to his own mercy. The pastor drew the distinction between grace, getting something good we do not deserve, and mercy, not receiving the punishment we do deserve. Both are in play here, and neither leaves any room for self-congratulation.
The agent of that change is the Holy Spirit, poured out richly through Jesus Christ. The pastor used the thief on the cross to press the point: regeneration does not require a process, a class, or a rite. It can happen in a moment. Sanctification takes a lifetime, but the moment of turning can be instant. That washing and renewal is entirely God's doing, not ours.
The result is that those who have believed are to be careful to devote themselves to good works, and those works are for all people, not only for other believers. But the pastor was careful to keep the order right: the good works flow from belief in the gospel, not the other way around. Apart from that, even the best a person can produce is, as he put it, filthy rags.
The closing warning about avoiding foolish controversies and genealogies and quarrels about the law is not a footnote. The pastor said it speaks directly to the tendency in churches to become one-issue fighters, people who will hold a single point of theology over everything else and divide over it. After one warning and then a second, Paul tells Titus to have nothing more to do with that person. The pastor admitted that is a hard instruction for someone inclined toward mercy, but the goal is to keep the center of the gospel as the center, with charity extended in everything else.
The service moved from that passage into communion. The pastor framed the table the same way Paul framed the text: we do not come to it because we are right or have earned our place. We come because Christ was right, and offered his life for us. The bread and cup are the new covenant in his blood, the thing to which all the old covenant sacrifices pointed.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- The pastor read from Titus 2 that Jesus gave himself to 'purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.' What is the difference between doing good works because you feel you have to earn something and doing them from that kind of belonging?
- Paul lists things he says 'we ourselves were once': foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions, passing our days in malice and envy. Which of those is hardest for you to admit was true of you, and why does Paul bring it up in this particular passage?
and 3 more questions in the guide
Read the full transcript 7,780 words
0:00
This thing on. Hey, good morning, everybody. How are you? We have we have a lot of good songs. Actually, this morning, it's almost like a greatest hits package.
0:08
Let's go ahead and get on into it. Would you stand up and we'll sing, start with, there's power in the blood. Would you be free from your burden of sin? There's power in the blood.
0:23
Would you be free from your burden of sin there's power in the blood power in the blood would you or evil a victory win there's wonderful power in the blood there is power power wonder working power in the blood of the lamb there is power power wonder working power in the precious blood of the lamb would you be free from your passion and pride there's power in the blood power in the blood come for a cleansing to Calvary's time there's wonderful power in the blood there is power power wonder working power in the blood of the lamb there is power under working power in the precious blood of the lamb would you be whiter much whiter than snow there's power in the blood power in the blood since stains are lost in its life giving flow there's wonderful power in the blood There is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the lamb. There is power, power, wonder working power in the precious flood of the lamb would you do service for Jesus your king there's power in the blood power in the blood would you live daily his praises to sing there's wonderful power in the blood there is power wonder working power in the blood of the lamb there is power under working power in the precious blood of the lamb Amen.
2:49
Let's keep on going on. Victory in Jesus. Hymn number three fifty three. If you want to look for your part.
3:04
I heard an old old story how savior came from glory how he gave his life on Calvary to save a wretch like me I heard about his groaning of his precious bloods atoning then I repented of my sins and won the victory oh victory in Jesus my savior forever he sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood he loved me heir I knew him and all my love is due him he plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing blood I heard about his healing of his cleansing power revealing how he made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see and then I cried dear Jesus come and heal my broken spirit and somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory oh victory in Jesus my savior forever he sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood he loved me heir I knew him and all my love is due to him he plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood I heard about a mansion he has built for me in glory and I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea about the angels singing and the old redemption story and some sweet day I'll sing up there the song of victory oh victory in Jesus my savior forever he sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood he loved me heir I knew him and all my love is to him he plunged me to victory beneath
6:21
the cleansing blood Amen. Y'all sound good this morning. Would you have a seat and we'll go through a few announcements? First of all, Monday nights at First B. Monday nights happen on Monday nights.
6:35
Normally, at First B. Last week, they went to the park but we're back on. Home sweet home, fellowship hall, 06:00 tomorrow night. Carl's preaching from the book of Luke chapter 21. Jesus is talking about the things that are to come and so, it's going be a good message.
6:50
Meal, music, and a message tomorrow night at 06:00. We are looking for Bible study or small group leaders. We used to call these life groups but life groups made it sound like a sentence, doesn't it? Like you're you're doing this for life. We're looking for small group leaders that will do this for a time.
7:08
It may be a six week or an eight week or ten week study. It may be a time to just get together, but we're looking for Bible study leaders. And I think it would be nice to have different regions represented so that we could not have to travel too terribly far from home to get together with people who live around us to study the Bible together. So, if you would like to do that, feel the motivation, the spirit moving for you to do that, would you call and speak to Nick Staren who is our assistant in the office or you can email him at assistantfirstbjackson dot org. And John and Brenda, hi C, are some of those people who have done just that.
7:43
You talked to Nick and we're going through how this is going to look with John and Brenda, but it's about married couples, right? Hopefully, it's hope for married couples. I don't know exactly what it'll be but it's this is what I'm talking about. It's a phase that we're trying to go through and just motivate people to study scripture together And it needs to be organic and real, but we're trying to fertilize that so it'll grow. Okay?
8:08
So we're working on it. And if you are one of those people that you feel like God is saying, you to you ought to try to get this group together, then let us know and we'd love to know about that. Look in your bulletin and see more information. I think actually the one that John and Brenda are talking about maybe even in the bulletin this week. We are sending a group of youth down the lagoon on August tenth and eleventh.
8:29
They are leaving the church here at six: 4five am on Friday. So 06:45 in the morning, youth are loading up in the van and going down to Lagoon together, and that ought to be a fun trip. The tenth, and they'll spend the night camping out at Lagoon's little camp out place there nearby, and then go and do more the next day and come on home. So family camping trip. So they're doing Lagoon on Friday and coming home on Saturday.
8:56
This is a completely different thing. This is a different camping trip. First B family camping trip, August sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth. So it's not far away, but up in the park at Coulter Bay, group Sites Number 6 And 7. Brian McCooey is in charge of this.
9:12
If you want to go, let him know. There will be space for you. I I thought this morning I said, so what? Group six is for 50 people and seven is for 50 people. I said, how many people can go, Brian?
9:22
He said, a thousand. So a thousand people will fit in this campus space. Anyway, just let him know and we'll make space as needed. Yes, ma'am? Either or mostly tents is what I've been told.
9:37
Yep. That's the way that I was told anyway. So tent camping mainly, but if there are a couple people who have trailers that have kitchen availability that they're helping with, from my understanding. But call Brian for more information. That's his number right there.
9:53
Yeah, put it in your phone. Call him anytime you want to. Okay? So there's also Cowboy Church. This is happening on the nineteenth also, 05:30.
10:03
It might seem a little unusual, but Grant Gollaher up at the Diamond Cross Ranch in Moran is gonna do a demonstration. I think, it is what I think it is, he is gonna be taking an unbroken horse and he's gonna speak through the process and have a demonstration on transformation. And he's gonna be breaking this green horse, but talking people through it. It's a horse whispering demonstration, and there'll be some live music before and after. But that's happened 05:30 in the evening, August 19.
10:33
And this is in conjunction with several other churches in town. We're hoping to get a big group to go up. RightNow Media, if you don't know what that is, you probably not signed up for it, right? It's kinda like the Christian version of Netflix and as a church, we have the we have an account with them and anybody, absolutely anybody, whether you're a visitor or a regular attender or a member, you can just let us know. Hey, I'd like to be on Right Now Media and we will sign you up through your Email so that you can be joined up and there are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are available.
11:08
Lots of Christian movies and other content on Right Now Media. If you want to be signed up, let me know or let Diane know in the office or Nick and we will get you signed up with that. It's really good and if you're thinking, hey, I'd like to be a Bible study leader but I don't really know what I want to do. You can look on right now media and see if there's anything that God leads you to. Anything else, there should be more announcements and definitely there will be prayer request in your bulletin, the paper bulletins you were handed on the way in.
11:36
If you didn't grab one, you can get one on the way out. Did I miss anything? Got it. Alright. Would you stand up and greet one another then?
11:45
And we'll bring you back together with a song. I'm going invite Scott Humphrey up to the front to help me out.
12:04
Thank you, sir. It
12:08
was it was relaxing. Yeah. Jerry.
13:35
Great is the Lord he is holy and just by his power we trust in his love great is the Lord he is faithful and true by his mercy he proved he is love great is the Lord and worthy of glory great is the Lord and worthy of praise great is the Lord now lift up your voice now lift up your voice is the the Lord is holy and just by his power we trust in his love great is the Lord he is grateful and true by his mercy he proves his love
14:52
great are you lord
15:09
Amen. That's a good thing.
15:10
That's a good one.
15:10
Thank you.
15:11
Let's do that some more. Can I
15:12
hit it again?
15:13
Just kidding. Worthy of worship.
15:16
How about that?
15:16
We serve a god who's worthy of worship. Thank you, Scott. Y'all can have a seat. I'm going to invite the frontline team though to stand and come forward and would you pray with me? God almighty, you are the maker of heaven and earth.
18:01
Father, creator, savior, sustainer, All things hold together by the word of your power. God, we're all awed by that and humbled by that but lord, you choose to include us in your plan. You say that you will build your church. You say you'll do it by the obedience of your people and so God, as the people, of grace, the people of the gospel who have taken it and believed it, lord. I pray that we would share it freely, freely as the song says, as we have received should so should we also give and so lord, I pray that you would take these offerings, tithes that we're about to offer right now.
18:44
Put in these plates. Lord, I pray that you'd multiply them and that you would use them to do your kingdom's work. May it be lord on this Earth. In Jackson, Teton County, Wyoming, this nation, and to the uttermost parts of the world. May it be heaven as it is on Earth with a lot of people.
19:02
Lord, willingly giving, willingly, loving, willingly laying down their rights. In Jesus name, Lord, I pray that we would be servants of your good gospel. Amen.
19:22
Through music. Amen? Amen. I'm gonna sing a song. It's called one day at a time.
19:27
Oh, what a good, good, good song. I used to sing this one in Romania almost every month, but there was a sister in the church, and she would ask me at least twice a month. It's that good. It's a good song.
19:40
So please allow me
19:41
to sing one verse in the chorus in the Romanian language.
21:01
I'm only human. I'm just a man. Help me believe in what I could be in all that I am. Show me the stairway. I have to climb, Lord, for my sake.
21:29
Teach me to take one day at a time. One day at a time, sweet Jesus. That's all I'm asking from you. Just give me the strength to do everything what I have to do. Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus, And tomorrow may never be mine.
22:05
Lord, help me today. Show me the way one day at a time.
22:22
Do you
22:23
remember when you walked among men? Well, Jesus, you know, if you're looking below, it's worse now than there. They're pushing and shoving and crowding my mind. So for my sake, teach me to take one day at a time. One day at a time, sweet Jesus.
23:00
That's all I'm asking from you. Just give me the strength to do everything what I have to do. You said he's gone, sweet Jesus. And tomorrow may never be mine. Lord, help me today.
23:27
Show me the way one day at a time. Please allow me to sing the first
23:33
verse one more time.
23:34
It's so good. I'm only human. I'm just a man. Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am. Show me the stairway.
23:58
I have to climb, Lord, for my sake. Teach me to take one day at a time. One day at a time. Sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking from you. Just give me the strength to do everything what I have to do.
24:29
Yes, sir, it is gone, sweet Jesus. And tomorrow may never be mine. Lord, help me today. Show me the way one day at a time. Lord, help me today.
24:51
Show me the way. One day, I'd die.
25:00
Amen. Amen.
25:08
Now, to me, that was country music. I just didn't know which country. That's pretty good. Thank you. Nice.
25:17
A little Freddy Fender kind of flair to that too. We are up to, in our
25:22
chronological study of the New Testament, we're up
25:25
to Titus three. So we are, if you're keeping up like chronological time wise, we're at about sixty four AD, somewhere right around '64, '63, sixty four AD, right in there and we've been going forward. You know, we
25:37
studied the life of Jesus in the book of
25:40
John, life of the early church in the book of Acts and we've just been rolling forward as best we can tell in the order that the epistles were all written. We're up to Titus. This is Paul, the apostle writing. I'm going over this because we had church at the fair last week and we went to Acts and so when we did that, we get off course for a couple weeks. I want to give you a little refresher where we are.
25:59
Titus is the man that Paul has left. He's a young guy, younger guy and he has left him kind of in charge in Crete of making sure that the gospel remains the gospel. That they don't start adding to it, that they don't take away from it, that the churches are established with order, with good leaders, good leadership to make the things go well for the advance of the gospel. So, Titus three one through 11 is what we're up to but I want to ramp up to it since we did miss last week. We're in Acts 17 last week.
26:33
I want to ramp up by reading, just reading straight up the verses that precede this because you know the chapter divisions like chapter headings and the chapter numbers and letters, they're just added. We added those somewhere so we can find them quickly. It's a filing system, but they're not always exactly, I think, where the flow of thought goes. So we're gonna ramp up to this by going from Titus two eleven and we'll go forward from there. For the grace of God, grace, God's unmerited favor, undeserved goodness.
27:05
The grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people. Does it say to all people? Will all people be saved? They will not. It's available for them to be saved.
27:17
There's a very real invitation for all people. Unfortunately, not all will receive that invitation and accept it. For the grace of God, that's God's goodness given undeservedly has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, waiting for our blessed hope. I'll explain hope a little later but hope in a biblical sense is always something that is absolutely certain. It expresses certainty.
27:58
So, waiting for our blessed hope, the certainty of the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us, to pay for our sins. We're going to go into a time of communion after we wrap up in Titus today but we're pointing everything's pointing towards this. He gave himself to redeem us, to pay the penalty for our sins, to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify for himself a people, for his own possession, who are zealous for good works when Florine was singing a few minutes ago, one day at a time and he said, show me the staircase that I have to climb. He's not talking about a stairway to heaven where we get there by our works. He's saying, I am yours, lord.
28:43
Show me what it is. You prepared good works for me to walk in them. Show me what it is and I will do it Because you have saved me, to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. And then Paul says to Titus and to me, declare these things. Say them out loud.
29:02
When my people gather, say em to them. Declare these things. Exhort. Encourage them towards the good and rebuke, discourage strongly. Dissuade evil and badness and do so with all authority.
29:16
Declare these things. Exhort and rebuke with all authority and let no one disregard you. Remind them, okay? So, the chapter division right there, if you just stop reading, you lose the sense of what's going on. It says, declare these things, exhort, encourage goodness, rebuke, point out where they're going astray, and do so with all authority.
29:35
Let no one disregard you. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities. This was on the island of Crete. They were known as being a little wild, little bit crazy, a little bit indulgent, liars, the text says. Remind these people that are from Crete.
29:56
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities. You know how the Roman government, the Patrimana, the Roman peace, it was an imposed peace and they did so with a very very strong military and they would quash rebellion and so, outright and open rebellion against all government institutions is not a good way for the church to grow because they would quash that immediately. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities. The Christian people there on Crete need to be model citizens. To be obedient, that is to be obedient to what God would direct but to be obedient, not treasonous, not walking against but to be obedient and to be ready for every good work.
30:46
Sitting on ready, waiting to say yes to what you see God put in your path, to be ready for every good work. Does that sound like anything else we just read? It does. Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession and are zealous for good works. Ready for every good work.
31:06
To speak evil of no one. Wait a second. He just is starting to say, ready for every good work and he defines that by saying, to speak evil of no one. Okay. Many of y'all have heard someone speak evil of someone else this week?
31:21
It happens on a regular basis. Yeah. I probably ought not tell all the stories of what I or evils that I have heard this week But people will call me aside. It's not just my job. Y'all hear people speak evil of other people, right?
31:35
Yeah. And it seems to be almost sport. Does it make you feel better about yourself when you put someone else down? Not that it should but if you can think of them as lower than you, it does elevate self. Paul is saying specifically to Titus, share this with him.
31:52
Speak evil of no one. You don't win people over by speaking ill of them. Speak evil of no one. To avoid quarreling. Quarreling.
32:07
There's a lot of quarreling going on, and our human nature is to pick a side and fight to the death for whatever side you picked. Right? Y'all agree? Avoid that. He says, avoid quarreling.
32:23
You don't have to do it. You don't have to show up for every fight you're invited to, okay? To be gentle. What turns away wrath and anger? A soft answer.
32:35
Be gentle. I love how this is so plain spoken. Speak evil of no one. Not hard to understand. Hard to do.
32:43
To avoid quarreling. There will be times when you want to fuss and fight, and he's saying avoid it. Step away from that argument. Put down the bat, okay? You don't have to hit people over the head with your opinion.
32:58
Be gentle and show perfect courtesy toward all people. It's not just Christians. It's not just Baptist. It's not just people that agree with you on every single point that you're supposed to show perfect courtesy towards. You're supposed to show perfect courtesy toward all people.
33:17
Alright. Why? When I say why, when I put a big why on the screen up there, it's because Paul answers the why, alright? I try not to share just opinion. I want to tell you what he says.
33:27
He says, for because we ourselves were once foolish. Can you, can I get a witness? Were you once foolish? Yeah. Yeah.
33:38
For we ourselves, Paul says to Titus and he means himself and Titus and everybody else Titus is talking to. I think he'd extend it even to me. Although, I think he'd be appalled that he was the one that was writing scripture because I think that there's a humility in Paul that we often overlook. This is it. For we ourselves were once foolish.
33:59
Disobedient. Led astray. There are all kinds of people sharing all kinds of opinions and anything except for the gospel is a temptation to go after and people are led astray all the time. False teachers, he's speaking against false teachers through the whole book of Titus and Timothy also. It's easy to be led astray and he says, we once were led astray in his pharisaical background knowing all that he knew of the Old Testament.
34:30
God was going to use that in the future but at one time, he was foolish with the information that he had. He was disobedient and he was led astray. Slaves to various passions and pleasures. We were once ourselves, slaves to various passions and pleasures. Can I get a witness again?
34:52
Can you say, was that true? Did you go after the things that you wanted to go after whether they were the things of the world or just things that you thought, this is me. This is mine. I'm grown and I can do whatever I want to. We have various passions and pleasures and they're not always the same and when we start looking around at other people, it's easy to put other people down for running after their passions and pleasures when ours might be just be pride.
35:14
That we build ourselves up to put them down or we put them down to build ourselves up. We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures. We were passing our days in malice and envy. Passing our days like each day. Passing our days in malice.
35:36
Malice is when you wish ill on someone. When you actually hold in your heart anger or ranker against someone else and you want bad things to happen to them. It is the opposite of love. It's when you love, you're wishing the best for the other. Even sacrificially taking punishment they deserve or sacrificially taking on yourself something so that they will not have to.
35:59
It's the opposite of malice and envy. Envy, jealousy, that is the cause of a lot of malice, right? If you're looking around and going, I've been working so hard for my whole life and I don't have anything to show for it and that guy is just a doofus and he's got all of these things. He's got so much or he's got such a great family. Mine's terrible and theirs is great.
36:21
I hate that guy. That's malice. I hope that guy falls off of something. It's just terrible. I hate that guy.
36:30
He doesn't deserve what he has. Malice and envy. We ourselves were once in that place. Can't. Is that true?
36:38
Can you feel it? Can you hear Paul saying that? We were hated by others and we were hating one another. So, right here, I remember church softball when I was a little kid. My dad played and we we played church softball.
36:54
It was a little church. We played against other little churches And I remember thinking West End Baptist Church was our rival, Macedonia too, but West End Baptist was a real big one, you know? And I thought, there's no way that they're preaching the gospel in that church. Look at the way those people act. This is a very serious thought.
37:11
I'm I'm serious about it. You laugh. I mean, I I I felt it and then I went to West End Baptist Church and they were presenting the same Jesus that we were present presented at Shiloh Baptist and I thought, oh my goodness. I went to the Methodist Church. They're presenting the same Jesus.
37:30
Why is it that we hate others and and or hated by others? I think this passage gets after the way that we split apart from one another. If you look at it, we were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasure. Passing our days in malice and envy. Oh, if Westby and won, there was a protest for sure.
37:49
We're going to protest that game. Somebody didn't tag something. We're hated by others and hating one another but I love it when he does that but there's a change coming, adversity of conjunction but very strong. When the goodness and the loving kindness of God, our savior appeared, he saved us. It's on him.
38:09
It's not on us. It's not because of how we did what we did. We were foolish and disobedient and slaves but when the goodness of and loving kindness of God our savior appeared, he saved us. That work is on him. Salvation is of God.
38:24
It is given by grace. Unmerited favor. What is grace? Grace is when you get something good that you do not deserve. Heaven for sure but an abundant life now.
38:36
By God's grace, his gift that we don't deserve. We'll get to mercy in a minute. Not because of works done by us in righteousness. Mike, Demetrius, our youth guy this week, he said, ain't it funny how from time to time, we'll just say, God, look what I did. Look what I did for you.
38:57
Look at it. Look what I did for you. Kinda unrelated to the spirits leading. Look, I did this great thing and oh, filthy rags. Thanks.
39:09
Anything that we produce of our own, just thinking, is going to be filthy rags. Now, this passage does say that he's producing a people who are zealous for good works and Ephesians tells us, we are his workmanship created in Christ to walk in the steps he's provided. Yes, we can do good works but it has to be motivated by his spirit. This is what this goes into. Not because of works done by us in righteousness but because but according to his own mercy.
39:36
Now, mercy is the opposite side of grace. Mercy is when we don't receive something bad that we do deserve. Not receiving death, hell, grave, eternal punishment for walking away being disobedient, foolish, slaves to various passions and pleasures. When we don't receive that which we do deserve, we, that's mercy. That's God's mercy.
40:02
So, according to his own mercy, by the washing and regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. Amen. So, religiosity and religion, a lot of times people when I'm talking to them, they find out I'm a preacher. I'm like, religion. I don't really.
40:19
Can't see. I'm like, me neither.
40:23
Yuck.
40:24
But regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Yeah. Sign me up. I'm for that. Continually renewing my mind.
40:33
Transforming me by submitting my will to the Holy Spirit. My, by the washing and regeneration of renewal of the Holy Spirit. Think about the thief on the cross. When the thief on the cross, when we say the thief on the cross, there were two thieves, right? And in one place the gospels, it says, and they were reviling him.
40:50
So, both of the thieves, two of em were reviling Jesus as he and they were being fastened to the cross. Jesus, as he's being nailed to the cross, father, forgive them for they know not what they do and in his little time in between those two thieves, one of those thieves came to see the goodness and the grace and the mercy that was displayed through this Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews, right right there, over his head and so he turns to him and he says, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Today, you'll be with me in paradise. How long does it take to repent? Do you have to go through a class?
41:30
Do you have to be baptized? Do you have to be baptized by immersion? Do you have to be no. Today, you'll be with me in paradise. Amen.
41:41
How long does it take to repent? Just like that. By the washing and regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. Now, sanctification is going to take the rest of your life but you can be saved by just calling out to the God who saves. When the loving kindness and goodness of God, our savior appeared, he saved us.
42:03
So, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly, God poured out his spirit on us richly. How? Through Jesus Christ, our savior. The godhead is together. God pours out his Holy Spirit through Jesus and through the sacrificial work that he did that we're going to celebrate right here in just a few minutes.
42:25
He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ, our savior, so that. I love a good so that. So that being justified by his grace, his unmerited favor. That's what justifies us because he said so. Being justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to hope of eternal life.
42:44
Now, I mentioned hope earlier. It's Elpis. Elpis in Greek is from Elpo, the verb, to anticipate or welcome. Properly, it's the expectation of that which is sure or certain. So, the hope that we're talking about here is a certainty, absolute fact, will come to happen in the future.
43:05
Hope is looking forward to or with anticipation of welcome. What is sure? That which is certain and in this case, it is looking forward. Those who have been justified by his grace. So that we might become heirs according to the hope, the absolute certainty of eternal life to come.
43:22
I ask about that repentance feature. How long does it take? Because you can have heard this whole mess, this message your whole life and still rejected it out of hand just completely or you might never have been exposed to it at all. But when exposed to it and you process through and you exercise the little faith that you have been given and said, I don't know the answer to every question but I do know that is for me. That's the difference.
43:49
The might that's right there, that might is contingent upon how you respond to the gospel. The gospel being the message of Jesus Christ that he came and lived a perfect life, owed no sin debt, but sacrificially and voluntarily gave his perfect record to whoever, whomever would accept it. How you answer that brings you into or separates you from the family of God. Becoming heirs according to the hope of eternal life and this saying is trustworthy, Paul says, we've heard that a few times in Timothy. Now, we get it to Titus.
44:26
This saying is trustworthy and I want you to insist on these things. So, Titus, insist on this. It is about the gospel, about God's goodness, about his grace, about his mercy, not about what these people have done. If they start thinking it's about them, they're wrong. Exhort them to the gospel, rebuke them when it is a self centered man centered thing.
44:51
This saying is trustworthy and I want you to insist on these things. Titus has been a lot about teaching. Chapter two says, but as for you, teach sound doctrine. Teach. Be a model.
45:02
In your teaching, show integrity, dignity, sound speech. Declare these things. That's a form of teaching. Say in them out loud. Exhort, urge toward goodness.
45:13
Rebuke, sharply disapprove of sin or simple attitude. And do so with all authority and don't let anybody disregard you. Remind them of these things. This saying is trustworthy and I want you to insist on these things so that those who have believed God, Christians, those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works and those good works are for all people. It's not just for the family of God.
45:38
It's for all people. So, that those who have believed. Now, the reason he points it out right there that so those who have believed is because all the good works that you can muster on your own apart from belief in the gospel are filthy rags before God. They're not impressive and they don't get anybody anywhere, right? And those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.
46:06
These things are excellent and these things are profitable for people and I I say declaring these things is profitable for all people because if Christians get it and start to live their lives in accordance with what this says, it makes a difference in the lives of people around them and more people are added to the family of God. Not because they deserve it but because of the grace and mercy of God. These things are excellent and profitable for all people. So, that's a really positive thing, I think. To me, it's a really, really positive thing because it takes the onus off of us and it puts it on God who is mighty to say.
46:42
So, there's a little negative coming though. The very next part, it testifies to our humanity. But avoid foolish controversies. Once we were foolish, once we were disobedient, once we did quarrel and go after dissensions but avoid those foolish controversies. Avoid em.
47:02
Walk around em. Don't go after em. Genealogies. That was a big thing at this time. Might not be a big thing right now, right here for a lot of y'all, but avoid foolish controversies, especially over genealogies.
47:17
That was a big thing at Paul's time in several different places. Avoid dissensions. Dissent is when you disagree and you split. Avoid splits and dissensions, avoid quarrels about the law. You're fighting over God's law?
47:37
Really? He's given it to you for your good as a tutor and you're going to argue over whether you're right or your other buddy over there is right or your other enemy over there is right. Quarrels about the law for they're unprofitable and they're worthless. What does it do? Does that build up the body of Christ?
47:56
No, it doesn't. Stick to the gospel being the gospel. There are essentials that matter and the essentials, unity, in the non essentials, liberty, and in all things charity. Have love. Don't argue And dissent.
48:15
Quarrel about the law. It's unprofitable and it's worthless. As far as for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him. I'm a, this is a hard one for me. This verse is a really hard one for me because I tend to be a mercy guy and I want to just keep on trying, plotting, and just taking the offense when people are ugly about stuff but there are one issue voters.
48:38
You know what I'm talking about in church? There are some folks that are one issue voters and they got one little point of theology that they're going to hold on to all the way down. And insist that you get on this with me. I'm right. I want you to preach it this way.
48:54
It's really hard for me to just warn once and twice but I want to win that brother. I want to win him. I want him to let it let go. I want for myself. I want for me to let go of some of the things that I just like.
49:07
I'm right. I'm right. Insist on the things that are gospel and then the other things, have charity. When people take their liberty. As for a person who stirs up division after warning once or twice, have nothing more to do with him.
49:25
Knowing that such a person is warped and sinful and he's self condemned. There is no other way to be condemned except self condemned. You know that. Everyone of us has condemned ourselves by nature, by choice. We stand condemned until we believe the gospel.
49:46
Until we accept the grace that's offered. Until we accept the mercy that's offered. And if you just see this guy and you know, once I was so certain of my own way, I was foolish just like he's being foolish now. I quarrel just like he wants to quarrel now. God, help me serve that guy in a way that he'll see.
50:09
The center of the gospel and devote his life to that. No one such person is warped and sinful. So, that's kind of a downer but if possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. It might not be possible to live peaceably with someone but let it be on them and not on you. Does that make sense?
50:27
Let it go. Forgive just as God in Christ has forgiven you and let it be on them if they want to hold on to anger, bitterness, resentment. So, there's the plus and minus at the end of this one. I have one more that I I want to actually lead into communion with this verse. It's the meat of this passage, I think.
50:47
For the believer, this is the meat of that passage. He saved us, Christian. He saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness but according to his own mercy. So, as we approach this table, we don't do so from a place of being I'm right. I've got all my theologist just so I know exactly how this is supposed to go.
51:10
We come because Christ was right and voluntarily gave his life for us. So, according to his own mercy by the washing and the regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our savior so that being justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Now, I told you, repentance can happen and repentance can happen instantly. So, we're going to approach the table this way. Imma have folks come forward and frontline team.
51:42
Y'all can come on forward right now. We're gonna distribute this little piece of bread, a little cracker. And as we do that, we'll wait for everybody to have it and then I'll I'll say something from the upper room discourse. Paul warns us not to do this unworthily. If you think you deserve it, that's unworthily.
52:05
Does that make sense? If you recognize it's by God's grace that it's offered and you may take it, it's a symbol. I think it's a meaningful symbol but it's a symbol. So, whether you grew up Baptist and you're used to Welch's grape juice in a plastic cup and oyster crackers or you grew up Catholic or you grew up anything else. If you put your faith in Jesus Christ, we practice an open tape, okay?
52:28
And that is, I I don't care if your background's Catholic Lutheran. I don't care. If you put your faith in Jesus, please partake. If you don't and you know that you don't, let it pass. Just let it pass right on by.
52:41
We'll pray for you. Pray a blessing on you and hopefully, somebody in this room will serve you in such a way that you come to know Jesus. So, God almighty, maker of heaven and earth, you're interested in the affairs of men. I pray lord that you would bless each one who partakes today and recognizes the sufficiency, all sufficient sacrifice that Christ made. I pray that you'd bless them.
53:10
With showing them those steps so that they can walk in em. I thank you lord for saving us out of your goodness and your loving kindness not because of what we have done but in Jesus name lord I ask you to bless this little cracker that we're distributing right now and each one that we partake and for those lord who let the plates pass. I pray lord that we would serve them and serve them well. I pray that you'd draw them to yourself and they'd receive peace that passes understanding even amidst some of the most difficult circumstances. Why?
53:43
In Jesus name,
53:44
would you bless? To my how that Jesus alone for my sin did atone and Calvary covers it all my past with its sin and stained my guilt and despair Jesus took on him there and Calvary covers it all the stripes that he bore and the thorns that he wore told his mercy and love evermore and my heart bowed in shame as I called on his name and Calvary recovers it all my past with it sin and stained my guilt and despair Jesus took on him there and Calvary covers it all. Much less the grace when I looked on the face of this Jesus my crucified lord my redemption complete I then found at his feet and Calvary recovers it all my past with it sin and stain my guilt and despair Jesus took on him there and Calvary covers it all.
1:00:48
In the same manner that he had taken bread, he took the cup after supper and he explained to his disciples that he said to them, this is the new covenant in my blood. A lot of what we've been saying today is not by works of righteousness, not by what we have done. That was an old covenant way of thinking, making sacrifices continually and doing things and rights, religion. They all pointed toward the all sufficient sacrifice of Christ and the new covenant that was coming in his blood and Jesus said to his disciples, this is the new covenant of my blood. Take this and drink and do it as often as you will in remembrance of it.
1:01:36
Now, would you stand with us and we're going to sing I Surrender All, okay? If I said a little while ago, repentance can happen in an instant. You might have be 80 years old and have repented seventy four years ago. I don't know or you might have heard that message and that's the first time Paul's words rung true to you that you needed a savior. Either way, I'd say this song is great.
1:02:00
I surrender all. Scott, would you come on up? And number five ninety six. So, I've got as a benediction, one more. It's the next verse after the yellow slide that I showed you.
1:03:39
Blake, can you pull it up there? This saying is trustworthy. It is trustworthy. This is truth for the ages. And I want you to insist on these things.
1:03:49
So that those and he's he's talking primarily to the presenter there, Titus or to me in this case. I'm insisting on this. So that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works for all people. How do you think Jesus builds his church? It's through people who are saved and recognize it, recognizes his grace, recognizes his mercy, and then offer that same kind of grace and mercy to the round, the world round about them by the way they live their lives.
1:04:18
God almighty, would you bless in such a way as this, that we would shine your light, that we would carry your message, that we would be gracious and merciful to all we encounter. Amen.
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