WEBVTT 00:00:00.020 --> 00:00:03.549 and grab a Bible there from the pew in front of you. 00:00:03.549 --> 00:00:06.405 Titus, chapter 3. 00:00:06.405 --> 00:00:18.986 We're going to be going through this book tonight and we're doing a series where we are surveying each book of the Bible, so we're in Titus. 00:00:18.986 --> 00:00:23.780 I'm going to read just a portion for us as we start here Titus, chapter 3, verses 4 to 8. 00:00:23.780 --> 00:00:26.224 Portion for us as we start here Titus, chapter 3, verses 4 to 8. 00:00:27.164 --> 00:00:43.606 But when the kindness of God, our Savior, and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us, not by works of righteousness that we had done, but, according to his mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 00:00:43.606 --> 00:00:56.170 He poured out his spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 00:00:56.170 --> 00:01:07.503 This saying is trustworthy and I want you to insist on these things so that those who have believed in God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. 00:01:07.503 --> 00:01:11.170 These are good and profitable for everyone. 00:01:11.170 --> 00:01:13.733 Let's pray, lord. 00:01:13.733 --> 00:01:15.182 We thank you for your words. 00:01:15.182 --> 00:01:25.748 We feel such in our own hearts at times, the light that you want us to shine before men, the light we actually do shine. 00:01:25.748 --> 00:01:27.522 There's a such a gap there. 00:01:27.522 --> 00:01:37.191 But we pray that you'd make us people who are zealous for good works, make us people who are eager for all the teaching that accords with these good works. 00:01:37.191 --> 00:01:55.980 And would your word strengthen our resolve, but, more than that, strengthen our dependence on Christ, strengthen our realization of our need of Jesus Christ and the glory of our Savior, who has accomplished so much for us and is even at work in us. 00:01:55.980 --> 00:01:57.623 Be at work in us through this word. 00:01:57.623 --> 00:01:57.923 Tonight. 00:01:57.923 --> 00:02:00.745 We ask in Jesus' name, amen, amen, amen, amen. 00:02:03.287 --> 00:02:25.418 The book of Titus is a letter that Paul wrote to Titus and their traveling companions, and, according to chapter one, verse five of Titus, paul has left Titus behind on the island of Crete, there in the Mediterranean ocean, and he's got a specific role in mind for Titus. 00:02:25.418 --> 00:02:28.746 Titus wasn't in trouble, he wasn't getting relegated. 00:02:28.746 --> 00:02:29.949 He did something wrong. 00:02:29.949 --> 00:02:43.533 But apparently there were Christians on Crete that had heard the good news, been evangelized, were converted, were starting to meet together, and yet these churches weren't as wellered as they could be. 00:02:43.533 --> 00:02:55.564 And so Paul leaves Titus behind on Crete to help these churches become more well-ordered churches, and he writes this letter as an encouragement to Titus. 00:02:55.564 --> 00:03:06.450 And one of the key ideas that Paul's going to reiterate in this letter is that Titus, be sure to tell Christians to maintain good works. 00:03:06.450 --> 00:03:08.520 Let me show you that emphasis. 00:03:08.640 --> 00:03:10.304 Chapter 2, verse 7. 00:03:10.304 --> 00:03:20.481 In everything, make yourself an example of good works, with integrity and dignity in your teaching. 00:03:20.481 --> 00:03:23.968 Then look down chapter 2, verse 14. 00:03:23.968 --> 00:03:33.228 He, that is, Christ, gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse us for himself. 00:03:33.228 --> 00:03:37.783 A people, for his own possession, eager to do good works. 00:03:38.685 --> 00:03:39.947 Chapter 3, verse 1,. 00:03:39.947 --> 00:03:46.617 Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities to obey, to be ready for every good work. 00:03:46.617 --> 00:03:48.823 Chapter three, verse eight. 00:03:48.823 --> 00:03:49.925 This saying is trustworthy. 00:03:49.925 --> 00:03:51.849 I read this already, but listen again. 00:03:51.849 --> 00:04:00.323 I want you to insist on these things so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. 00:04:00.323 --> 00:04:02.807 These are good and profitable for everyone. 00:04:02.807 --> 00:04:05.832 So you can see the importance of good works. 00:04:05.832 --> 00:04:06.615 It's repeated. 00:04:06.615 --> 00:04:10.811 You can even see it in the way that Paul speaks of the false teachers. 00:04:10.811 --> 00:04:16.872 If you go back to chapter 1, verse 16, there were some that were disturbing some of these churches with wrong teaching. 00:04:16.872 --> 00:04:19.829 And look what Paul says about them in chapter 1, verse 16. 00:04:19.829 --> 00:04:25.810 They claim to know God, but they deny him by their works. 00:04:25.810 --> 00:04:33.908 They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for any good work. 00:04:33.908 --> 00:04:41.103 So there's a key idea in this letter Christians must maintain good works. 00:04:41.103 --> 00:04:48.134 But Paul doesn't just leave that theme kind of dangling in the air on its own. 00:04:48.134 --> 00:04:56.555 He builds a foundation for those good works in the sound doctrine Timothy's called to give to these people. 00:04:56.555 --> 00:05:05.154 And that sound doctrine, that good teaching, is that foundation from which those good works can grow and flourish. 00:05:08.081 --> 00:05:16.021 If you want to get a main idea for the book of Titus, I'm going to suggest this as one main idea. 00:05:16.021 --> 00:05:17.946 We're going to focus on this for tonight. 00:05:17.946 --> 00:05:21.653 Good doctrine should produce good works. 00:05:21.653 --> 00:05:31.562 Should produce good works. 00:05:31.562 --> 00:05:33.206 Good doctrine should produce good works. 00:05:33.206 --> 00:05:36.076 I'll start with the good doctrine, then we'll move on to the good works. 00:05:36.076 --> 00:05:43.331 So first doctrine, and I mean by that teaching truths, important truths about who God is, who we are, who Christ is. 00:05:43.331 --> 00:05:48.586 So if you're thinking you have to have an encyclopedia, that's not necessarily what I mean by that. 00:05:48.586 --> 00:05:57.853 But if you think teaching good, biblical, faithful teaching of key core truths, look at how the book begins, in chapter 1, verse 1. 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:12.067 Paul, a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness. 00:06:12.067 --> 00:06:15.091 What leads to godliness? 00:06:15.091 --> 00:06:21.002 Knowledge of the truth, what builds up your faith? 00:06:21.002 --> 00:06:26.132 When you grasp that you were chosen by God for salvation through Jesus Christ. 00:06:26.132 --> 00:06:27.040 That's good doctrine. 00:06:27.682 --> 00:06:29.927 Turn over to chapter two to see some more of this. 00:06:29.927 --> 00:06:40.930 Verse number 12 of chapter two says that we should live in a godly way in the present age. 00:06:40.930 --> 00:06:47.062 But what enables us to do that present age? 00:06:47.062 --> 00:06:48.889 But what enables us to do that? 00:06:48.889 --> 00:06:50.899 Well, look back in verse number 11. 00:06:50.899 --> 00:06:57.442 The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. 00:06:57.442 --> 00:06:58.805 It's that saving grace that instructs us and that changes us. 00:06:58.805 --> 00:07:00.208 Look down to verse 14. 00:07:01.170 --> 00:07:09.466 He gave himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness, to cleanse for himself the people, for his own possession, eager to do good works. 00:07:09.466 --> 00:07:15.221 Because Jesus Christ redeemed us for that, he cleansed us. 00:07:15.221 --> 00:07:18.324 He bought us out of the marketplace of sin. 00:07:18.324 --> 00:07:22.930 Why would we want to go back and dirty ourselves with bad works? 00:07:22.930 --> 00:07:25.112 He saved us. 00:07:25.112 --> 00:07:25.994 Remember that. 00:07:25.994 --> 00:07:27.995 Note how he saved us. 00:07:27.995 --> 00:07:36.146 If you set out to do good works merely in your own strength, you're going to fail. 00:07:36.146 --> 00:07:45.591 You might do some good things from a public vantage point, but you're not going to have the kind of good works that God calls us to. 00:07:46.492 --> 00:07:48.194 Turn to chapter 3, verse 8. 00:07:48.194 --> 00:07:55.211 That's where he says again that people should devote themselves to good works. 00:07:55.211 --> 00:08:01.187 But he's just talked about a trustworthy saying and you've got to go back and look at what he's already said. 00:08:01.187 --> 00:08:13.553 All the way back up in verse number five he saved us not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy. 00:08:13.553 --> 00:08:22.228 We're not saved by good works, we're saved for good works. 00:08:23.290 --> 00:08:26.735 That's a key doctrine that we have to grasp. 00:08:26.735 --> 00:08:29.408 We're not saved by our good works. 00:08:29.408 --> 00:08:32.328 Paul says right there it's purely God's mercy. 00:08:32.328 --> 00:08:37.052 It's the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit that gave us new birth. 00:08:37.052 --> 00:08:57.806 It's the declaration of God that we've been justified, declared righteous in his sight, not because of our works but because of the work of Jesus Christ, credited to our account, and even were justified because our sins were credited or laid on Jesus Christ's account. 00:08:57.806 --> 00:08:59.769 That's the doctrinal foundation. 00:08:59.769 --> 00:09:01.474 We have to understand that. 00:09:01.474 --> 00:09:09.481 Do you want to grow in godliness, you have to know who the Redeemer is and what he's accomplished. 00:09:09.481 --> 00:09:19.047 You have to bask in the light of the glory of good doctrine, seen in the person of Jesus Christ, and then you'll shine. 00:09:19.047 --> 00:09:21.793 You should shine all the more in those good works. 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:30.073 Sometimes you'll hear people say you know, doctrine really isn't that important, it's what counts as a life well-lived. 00:09:30.073 --> 00:09:33.586 That's wrong, that's unbiblical. 00:09:33.586 --> 00:09:36.351 Don't say it, don't believe it, don't affirm it. 00:09:36.351 --> 00:09:40.307 That's exactly opposite of what Paul says right here in Titus. 00:09:40.307 --> 00:09:42.873 He says just the opposite. 00:09:42.873 --> 00:09:48.404 No, when you understand justification and regeneration and election, think about these things. 00:09:48.404 --> 00:09:50.551 That's what will help stir you up to good works. 00:09:54.542 --> 00:10:04.910 Okay, but I hear someone say and this is a common objection, certainly from unbelievers, sometimes also from Christians People will say, okay, I hear what you're saying, I see that in Titus. 00:10:04.910 --> 00:10:19.677 But I know some people and they're so excited about doctrine but it doesn't seem like their lives really are showcasing that much of a change, like there seems to be a big disconnect. 00:10:19.677 --> 00:10:21.904 So, like, I don't get that. 00:10:21.904 --> 00:10:24.091 That's an objection people will have right. 00:10:24.091 --> 00:10:26.183 Here's a few responses to that. 00:10:26.183 --> 00:10:26.557 The first one I think you already know what I don't get that. 00:10:26.557 --> 00:10:26.999 That's an objection people will have right. 00:10:26.999 --> 00:10:27.191 Here's a few responses to that. 00:10:27.191 --> 00:10:29.869 The first one I think you already know what I'm going to say. 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:35.611 If we believe that the Bible is God's inspired word, it's perfectly true and sufficient. 00:10:35.611 --> 00:10:38.708 We never put our own experience ahead of the Bible. 00:10:38.708 --> 00:10:44.869 We never should say well, I see what it says in scripture and the reasoning Paul uses and inspired by God. 00:10:44.869 --> 00:10:47.673 But I met this person and that didn't seem like it was the case. 00:10:47.673 --> 00:10:52.687 So maybe no, we inform our experience from the Bible, not vice versa. 00:10:52.687 --> 00:11:01.164 Second, yes, there is a certain kind of doctrinal zeal that's not helpful, and Titus talks about that. 00:11:01.164 --> 00:11:05.649 Look at chapter 3, verse 9. 00:11:07.993 --> 00:11:19.833 But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. 00:11:19.833 --> 00:11:28.806 Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning, for you know that such a person is has gone astray and is sitting. 00:11:28.806 --> 00:11:30.270 He's self-condemned. 00:11:30.270 --> 00:11:39.741 There are people that they have a certain kind of zeal and they'd like to talk about doctrine on some level. 00:11:39.741 --> 00:11:42.488 But they just like to argue. 00:11:42.488 --> 00:11:47.443 They like to show off their so-called knowledge, their ornery. 00:11:47.443 --> 00:11:49.168 They don't have the aroma of Christ. 00:11:49.168 --> 00:11:56.688 They major on minors, say well, okay, well, how do we know what's major and what's minor? 00:11:56.688 --> 00:11:58.552 That's not an easy question. 00:11:58.552 --> 00:11:59.841 It's a difficult question. 00:12:00.643 --> 00:12:18.768 But here's one thing that might help us in that the more a doctrine showcases who the Lord Jesus Christ is in his glory and how people are saved, the more important it is for us to emphasize. 00:12:18.768 --> 00:12:26.370 So I'm not saying any doctrine is unimportant it can actually be found in scripture but the more it pertains to Christ and his glory and the salvation of sinners. 00:12:26.370 --> 00:12:29.235 Those things are especially important to emphasize. 00:12:29.235 --> 00:12:39.380 You might say, okay, I hear you, but there are some people who they're not emphasizing you know the wrong things, they're not majoring on minors, but there still seems to be a disconnect in their life. 00:12:39.380 --> 00:12:43.207 Well, that can happen and that's a sad thing. 00:12:43.207 --> 00:12:46.933 That's a them problem, not a Bible problem. 00:12:47.154 --> 00:12:49.566 So just understand where the challenge lies. 00:12:49.566 --> 00:12:53.076 And it's okay to challenge a person. 00:12:53.076 --> 00:12:58.408 Paul actually tells Titus in this letter rebuke, exhort, correct. 00:12:58.408 --> 00:13:01.001 Those words come up throughout the letter of Titus. 00:13:01.001 --> 00:13:05.011 So it's okay to challenge a person, but we don't want to challenge scripture. 00:13:05.011 --> 00:13:09.822 You understand where I'm going with this. 00:13:09.841 --> 00:13:17.081 Or just help us to think and speak clearly about the Bible's relationship between good doctrine, this foundation, and good works, which we're going to come to in a moment. 00:13:17.081 --> 00:13:31.225 So you know, it's okay, after the men's study, to say you know, tom, you so well articulated regeneration, and that was wonderful. 00:13:31.225 --> 00:13:35.067 Has it thoroughly sunk in in your life? 00:13:35.067 --> 00:13:36.392 What do you mean? 00:13:36.392 --> 00:13:43.345 Well, just so often, the way you talk to your wife, it sounds more like the old man in Adam than the new man in Christ. 00:13:43.345 --> 00:13:44.008 That's fine. 00:13:44.008 --> 00:13:52.725 It's okay to challenge a person, but please don't say well, you know, I think for all of us I mean, you know, regeneration, that's a big word. 00:13:52.725 --> 00:13:56.225 We don't really care about big words, but we all can agree we should love our spouses more. 00:13:56.225 --> 00:13:59.091 Yes, we should, absolutely. 00:13:59.091 --> 00:14:07.525 But when you throw out the doctrine you're eroding the foundation that's going to help you do those good works like loving your wife all the more. 00:14:07.525 --> 00:14:16.767 So good doctrine and we could even maybe sharpen that Good doctrine should produce good works. 00:14:16.767 --> 00:14:23.490 We could, if you want, to make it a little tighter gospel doctrine should produce gospel living, just to kind of highlight. 00:14:23.490 --> 00:14:30.966 We're not talking about every single thing, although all scripture is profitable, but especially those things that pertain to Christ and his glory and our salvation. 00:14:30.966 --> 00:14:35.102 So that's first big idea is the good doctrine foundation. 00:14:35.163 --> 00:14:36.831 Now let's press into some of these good works. 00:14:36.831 --> 00:14:45.581 I'm going to talk about good works in three arenas good works in church leadership, good works in relationships and good works in our public lives. 00:14:45.581 --> 00:14:59.923 One overarching comment I think for some of us our idea of a good work is an occasional, isolated act of kindness to a stranger. 00:14:59.923 --> 00:15:09.278 I saw my neighbor struggling to shovel his snow and I helped him last January 14th. 00:15:09.278 --> 00:15:11.369 Good works are important. 00:15:11.369 --> 00:15:16.990 Yep, I gave a thousand dollars to Compassion International so they could help with children that are struggling. 00:15:16.990 --> 00:15:17.831 Those are good works. 00:15:17.831 --> 00:15:20.505 So I'm not saying don't do those things. 00:15:20.505 --> 00:15:28.130 What I am saying is I think when you read through Titus and if you haven't done that, I encourage you to do it you could read it in less than an hour, no problem. 00:15:29.313 --> 00:15:38.038 In the book of Titus good works run broader and deeper than only isolated, occasional acts. 00:15:38.038 --> 00:15:43.091 When I think about good works I'm thinking about the way we live our lives. 00:15:43.091 --> 00:15:45.937 That includes our character towards others. 00:15:45.937 --> 00:15:50.447 We live our lives. 00:15:50.447 --> 00:15:51.730 That includes our character towards others. 00:15:51.730 --> 00:15:53.134 It involves the regular life-on-life relationships that we have. 00:15:53.134 --> 00:15:56.326 So that's harder actually, in a lot of ways to do good works in those spheres. 00:15:56.326 --> 00:16:00.225 But it's part of what God's calling us to and I hope we'll see that as we go through these things. 00:16:01.206 --> 00:16:05.974 So first, good works in church leadership Go back to chapter one. 00:16:05.974 --> 00:16:15.682 And so again, paul's purpose in leaving Titus in Crete was to help some of these churches be more well-ordered. 00:16:15.682 --> 00:16:21.019 So he encourages Titus to help with overseeing having elders established in every place. 00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:26.714 That's the first good work for Titus is help get elders established in every place. 00:16:26.714 --> 00:16:30.106 Look at chapter 1, verse 5. 00:16:30.106 --> 00:16:43.393 The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone, undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town. 00:16:43.393 --> 00:16:47.979 And he's talking about spiritual leaders here. 00:16:47.979 --> 00:16:51.933 We tend to think that every town has 50 churches. 00:16:51.933 --> 00:16:54.081 That wasn't the way it worked in Bible times. 00:16:54.081 --> 00:16:57.599 So he's talking about not so much political leaders but spiritual leaders. 00:16:57.599 --> 00:17:02.649 You can see that from the way they're described, how they compare with the elders in 1 Timothy, chapter 3. 00:17:02.649 --> 00:17:17.377 But you can have a church without any elders, without any pastors those words are interchangeable in the Bible but you can't have a well-ordered church without those things. 00:17:17.377 --> 00:17:23.775 So church, town, place singular elders plural. 00:17:23.775 --> 00:17:25.317 That's part of this good work. 00:17:25.317 --> 00:17:26.138 He's called them to. 00:17:26.138 --> 00:17:29.287 Singular elders plural. 00:17:29.287 --> 00:17:30.411 That's part of this good work he's called them to. 00:17:30.411 --> 00:17:31.815 And, yes, they're supposed to promote the faithful message. 00:17:31.835 --> 00:17:34.505 Look at verse number nine, holding to the faithful message. 00:17:34.505 --> 00:17:40.076 This is describing these men who would be appointed as elders, as taught. 00:17:40.076 --> 00:17:41.705 There's the sound doctrine. 00:17:41.705 --> 00:17:48.980 But if you scan down, much of this description of these men is taken up with their character. 00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:51.093 Just scan down verses 7 to 9. 00:17:51.093 --> 00:18:02.968 And you'll see things like managing their own homes, not being arrogant, not being easily angered, not a bully or a money grubber or drunk, say well, that sounds like. 00:18:02.968 --> 00:18:04.835 Shouldn't this be kind of true of all Christians? 00:18:04.835 --> 00:18:06.929 What's so special about those things? 00:18:06.929 --> 00:18:10.595 Yes, those things should be true of all Christians. 00:18:11.656 --> 00:18:20.758 Elders are not called to live good works in a saintly halo kind of way that no one else can remotely imitate. 00:18:20.758 --> 00:18:29.930 Rather, there's the connection here of the elders that are teaching and promoting the faithful message, the sound doctrine, encouraging people to good works. 00:18:29.930 --> 00:18:43.497 They're living lives, not perfectly, but consistently, modeling what that connection of doctrine and life looks like, so that people can hear and receive and do themselves. 00:18:43.497 --> 00:18:49.576 They also have to correct people that are bringing in bad teaching. 00:18:49.576 --> 00:18:52.770 That's one of the good works they have to do. 00:18:52.770 --> 00:18:55.396 Look at verse 9. 00:18:55.396 --> 00:19:08.035 Hold him to the faithful message so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it. 00:19:08.035 --> 00:19:09.337 And I won't go on. 00:19:09.337 --> 00:19:17.651 But the rest of this chapter speaks of these people who have some influences in the church but they're not teaching a sound doctrine. 00:19:17.651 --> 00:19:23.988 So part of what Titus has to do is help these men learn how to correct. 00:19:23.988 --> 00:19:27.537 So you see how that's personal, that's relational. 00:19:28.444 --> 00:19:29.647 You can imagine a phone call. 00:19:29.647 --> 00:19:39.273 Hey, this is Titus, I'm just checking in First Baptist Church of Fairhaven that's one of the towns in Crete How's it going? 00:19:39.273 --> 00:19:41.818 Oh, it's going well, you know. 00:19:41.818 --> 00:19:43.228 Thank you for checking in. 00:19:43.228 --> 00:19:45.673 We've been trying to serve faithfully as elders. 00:19:46.075 --> 00:19:52.768 There is one thing there's some guys that have been teaching you've got to keep the whole Jewish law and they're people like them. 00:19:52.768 --> 00:19:59.252 They're kind of popular and maybe you could just kind of Titus, come back and do a workshop on the old covenant, the new covenant. 00:19:59.252 --> 00:20:00.435 That would really help us All. 00:20:00.435 --> 00:20:03.652 Right, let me, I'll get back to you and Titus calls Paul. 00:20:03.652 --> 00:20:04.974 Hey, paul. 00:20:04.974 --> 00:20:06.317 Paul says how's it going? 00:20:06.317 --> 00:20:09.386 You and Titus calls Paul. 00:20:09.386 --> 00:20:09.667 Hey, paul. 00:20:09.667 --> 00:20:10.289 Paul says how's it going? 00:20:10.289 --> 00:20:11.515 Titus says yeah, it's going pretty good in Crete. 00:20:11.515 --> 00:20:16.230 Hey, there's a few men in a few churches that got some confusions about the Jewish law and its importance and circumcision. 00:20:16.230 --> 00:20:22.954 I thought maybe you could just come back to Crete and do a little workshop on the old covenant and the new covenant. 00:20:22.954 --> 00:20:23.717 What's Paul going to say? 00:20:23.717 --> 00:20:33.499 Titus, the reason I left you in Crete was so that you could train those other men, so that they could deal with those false teachers. 00:20:33.499 --> 00:20:33.719 Right? 00:20:33.719 --> 00:20:35.431 You see how personal this is. 00:20:35.431 --> 00:20:39.329 Sometimes in America. 00:20:39.369 --> 00:20:43.406 Our idea of a good work is let's throw money at something Now. 00:20:43.406 --> 00:20:49.731 Giving generously is a good work and we have a lot of money to give, so I'm all for that. 00:20:49.731 --> 00:20:54.865 But it's not just for the professionals to do good work or teach about good works. 00:20:54.865 --> 00:21:00.332 That's for all of us to engage in, and particularly here in this first place. 00:21:00.332 --> 00:21:01.596 The elders. 00:21:01.596 --> 00:21:06.750 Second arena good works and relationships Go over to chapter 2. 00:21:06.750 --> 00:21:09.931 Second arena good works and relationships go over to chapter two. 00:21:09.951 --> 00:21:19.127 So here paul highlights categories in the first six verses, categories of older men, older women, younger women, younger men. 00:21:19.127 --> 00:21:26.040 And in verse one he says that titus is to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching. 00:21:26.040 --> 00:21:29.105 There's the sound teaching, sound doctrine. 00:21:29.105 --> 00:21:41.009 Then he goes on to tell Titus about the character and lives of these older men, older women, younger men, younger women. 00:21:41.009 --> 00:21:48.575 And so he's supposed to teach these things, presumably in the context of the church. 00:21:48.575 --> 00:21:58.375 I'm sure Titus went around to homes as well, but he's teaching in the church about how people are to live in their relationships in the church and in their relationships in the home. 00:21:58.375 --> 00:22:00.646 There's a spillover kind of effect here. 00:22:00.646 --> 00:22:16.346 And if you note, there it says that in verse number three, the older women are to teach what is good so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, and it goes on. 00:22:16.346 --> 00:22:32.945 So there's this specific idea of good works being modeled, yes, in word and spoken, but also, indeed, older women to younger women and presumably older men to younger men. 00:22:32.945 --> 00:22:53.465 Good works flourish best from that strong doctrinal foundation and good works in our relationships flourish best in a context of intergenerational discipleship in a church. 00:22:53.465 --> 00:22:55.490 That was a mouthful. 00:22:55.490 --> 00:23:11.071 Let me explain that Intergenerational 80-year-olds, 60-year-olds, 40-year-olds, 20-year-olds, people of different age groups coming together to learn and grow from one another in the context of the church. 00:23:11.071 --> 00:23:13.096 That's what Paul says directly here. 00:23:15.066 --> 00:23:25.554 Sometimes I'll have a conversation with someone who's maybe new to the area and they're looking for a church, and the conversation turns to kind of what they're looking for in a church and often preaching will come up. 00:23:25.554 --> 00:23:29.949 I'm looking for sound, bible-based preaching and teaching that magnifies Christ. 00:23:29.949 --> 00:23:33.717 Absolutely Awesome, let's talk about that. 00:23:33.717 --> 00:23:34.986 That's great, I'm all for that. 00:23:34.986 --> 00:23:54.346 And then, as we get talking sometimes nestled right underneath that or sometimes above that, depending on the phone call or whatever whoever it might be new to the area, the person wants to know this about the church how many people in the church are just like me? 00:23:54.346 --> 00:23:58.133 They don't say it that way, right? 00:23:58.133 --> 00:24:02.799 It's phrased in a more spiritual way and a sincere way. 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:12.917 I don't mean not sincere, but it'd be like this Do you have any discipleship groups for divorced dads in their 30s who like to play ultimate Frisbee? 00:24:16.086 --> 00:24:20.136 Let me take a wild guess Are you a divorced dad in your 30s who likes to play ultimate Frisbee? 00:24:20.136 --> 00:24:21.886 You see what I'm saying. 00:24:21.886 --> 00:24:30.940 Do you have any support groups for mothers who have children who've had their tonsils out in the last six months? 00:24:30.940 --> 00:24:32.288 Because it's just hard. 00:24:32.288 --> 00:24:34.474 Yeah, it is hard. 00:24:34.474 --> 00:24:35.869 Can I take a wild guess? 00:24:35.869 --> 00:24:38.773 One of your kids had their tonsils out in the last six months. 00:24:38.773 --> 00:24:43.491 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. 00:24:43.491 --> 00:24:50.291 I'm sure Paul would have been happy for divorced dads to go out and play ultimate Frisbee and have some prayer, maybe afterwards. 00:24:50.291 --> 00:24:52.577 Wonderful Moms getting together. 00:24:52.577 --> 00:24:55.669 So it's not that that's wrong. 00:24:55.669 --> 00:25:01.398 It's just that's not Paul's program for stirring up good works. 00:25:01.398 --> 00:25:08.986 His program is make sure you get older people together with younger people and that'll stir up good works. 00:25:11.410 --> 00:25:13.093 You that are greeters maybe? 00:25:13.093 --> 00:25:13.693 I don't see. 00:25:13.693 --> 00:25:14.936 I see a few greeters here. 00:25:14.936 --> 00:25:18.534 Don't raise your hand now, but come up to me afterwards. 00:25:18.534 --> 00:25:20.119 I'm like I'm sincerely curious. 00:25:20.119 --> 00:25:23.510 If this has happened, come, tell me how many of you that are greeters? 00:25:23.530 --> 00:25:25.336 You're talking to someone who's a first-time visitor. 00:25:25.336 --> 00:25:28.490 She says, hey, we're here in the area. 00:25:28.490 --> 00:25:30.846 We're looking for a place that really teaches the Bible. 00:25:30.846 --> 00:25:32.108 Great, that's awesome. 00:25:32.108 --> 00:25:34.255 You know, let me introduce you to some people. 00:25:34.255 --> 00:25:36.326 And she says, yeah, you know what else? 00:25:36.326 --> 00:25:50.230 I've only been married three years but I'm just, I'm struggling to submit to my husband and he loves the Lord and I just I need an older woman in my life who can really get in my life so that the word of God won't be blasphemed. 00:25:50.230 --> 00:25:51.834 Can I find that here? 00:25:51.834 --> 00:25:55.308 How many of you have ever had that conversation as a greeter? 00:25:55.308 --> 00:25:57.193 If you have, please come tell me afterwards. 00:25:57.193 --> 00:25:58.596 I'd be curious. 00:25:58.596 --> 00:26:00.087 You know you're a greeter. 00:26:01.191 --> 00:26:02.574 Young guy comes up. 00:26:02.574 --> 00:26:05.299 He says, hey, here, looking for a church. 00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:06.762 That's really sound doctrine. 00:26:06.762 --> 00:26:10.980 Here's what I'm thinking is biblical, and I saw your website and statement of faith and I'm excited about it. 00:26:10.980 --> 00:26:13.872 I got to tell you something else, boy. 00:26:13.872 --> 00:26:21.383 I struggle with self-control, but I'm just, I'm hoping there'll be some older men who just model what a dignified, self-controlled life looks like. 00:26:21.383 --> 00:26:23.528 That I could get to know and like can I find that here? 00:26:23.528 --> 00:26:26.434 You ever had anyone say that? 00:26:26.434 --> 00:26:46.992 Right, it's peculiar, because that's precisely what Paul says that we should be looking for, because Christ changes us and he puts us together with people where he's the center point, not our hobby or our age or our fill in the blank, and it's. 00:26:47.374 --> 00:26:50.640 I don't don't view this as a negative thing. 00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:52.171 It's an amazing opportunity. 00:26:52.171 --> 00:27:01.674 I mean, how awful would it be if I was in a church where 90% of the people were 40 year old singles. 00:27:01.674 --> 00:27:04.010 That'd be terrible, you know I wouldn't want that. 00:27:04.010 --> 00:27:11.607 I get a chance to learn from Bob Hornish and Bob Teets and Doug McMasters. 00:27:11.607 --> 00:27:19.709 Hopefully in some small way I can encourage a Chad Driscoll, a Matthias, a Josiah. 00:27:19.709 --> 00:27:22.815 That's the way God's designed us. 00:27:22.815 --> 00:27:35.132 It's like those stories where people talk about how they learned to cook From a cookbook is a good way, but often they spent time with their grandmother in the kitchen just watching her and it rubbed off. 00:27:35.132 --> 00:27:37.135 That's what life in the church is like. 00:27:37.135 --> 00:27:39.007 That's how good works can be stirred up. 00:27:40.169 --> 00:27:43.775 Last category good works in public life. 00:27:43.775 --> 00:27:46.980 Look at chapter three. 00:27:46.980 --> 00:28:07.579 So right after he says in verse one to be ready for every good work, he goes on to talk about not slandering anyone, avoiding fighting, being kind, showing gentleness to all people. 00:28:07.579 --> 00:28:16.516 Now, that certainly would, I think, include people within the church, but I think it extends more broadly to the community. 00:28:16.516 --> 00:28:31.506 We don't help in our overflow of good works if we're constantly spewing negative things, particularly negative things that might not be true. 00:28:31.506 --> 00:28:35.517 Even if it's a person that's a bad character, we don't need to assume. 00:28:35.517 --> 00:28:40.486 Well, someone else online said this bad thing about them, so I know they're a bad person, so it's probably true. 00:28:40.486 --> 00:28:42.488 I'll just go ahead and retweet it. 00:28:42.488 --> 00:28:47.875 Just take some time, give some consideration. 00:28:48.977 --> 00:28:52.421 Yes, titus is urging people. 00:28:52.421 --> 00:28:58.988 You've got to love the gospel so much that you can't put your preference per person ahead of sound doctrine. 00:28:58.988 --> 00:29:00.554 You've got to hold that up. 00:29:00.554 --> 00:29:11.037 But he puts that together with this instruction right here in verse number two if you have to show gentleness to all people, it's not easy to hold both of those things together. 00:29:11.037 --> 00:29:33.189 But God calls us to in this call to good works, and Christ so amazingly modeled that tenacity for sound doctrine in the gospel and a respectful spirit towards all, and then, right as he said in the same verse, be ready for every good work. 00:29:33.189 --> 00:29:40.351 He gives an example right before that Submit to rulers and authorities. 00:29:41.819 --> 00:29:46.692 Did you ever think about public submission to political leaders as a good work? 00:29:46.692 --> 00:29:52.369 I'll just give the thousand dollars to Compassion International and call it a day. 00:29:52.369 --> 00:29:58.587 Do that, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't. 00:29:58.587 --> 00:30:00.171 Keep the money flowing Again. 00:30:00.171 --> 00:30:03.224 I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not telling you not be generous in that way. 00:30:03.224 --> 00:30:10.046 Well, paul does not know what it's like to live with these state taxes in New York. 00:30:10.046 --> 00:30:22.342 Boy, let me tell you who was ruling when Paul wrote this letter to Titus Nero. 00:30:22.342 --> 00:30:31.411 By way of reminder, if you weren't here last Sunday night for Mark's wonderful sermon, nero reportedly lit Christians on fire to light his garden. 00:30:31.411 --> 00:30:41.189 I think, however bad you might feel, like you have it under Trump or Biden, whoever, I think Christians then had it pretty bad. 00:30:42.592 --> 00:30:49.941 And Paul says you can show how the doctrine of Christ is flourishing in you by the way you submit to that kind of person. 00:30:49.941 --> 00:30:54.605 Well, it's a challenge For most of us. 00:30:54.605 --> 00:31:01.634 One of the spheres, and probably the sphere that we live most in in terms of our public life, of good works, is our place of work. 00:31:01.634 --> 00:31:12.048 So it's good to vote, it's good you ought to go to a town hall meeting, but many of you, hours and hours a week, you're in a workplace where there's unbelievers. 00:31:12.048 --> 00:31:15.365 How do you relate to your employer? 00:31:15.365 --> 00:31:23.534 You know, paul instructs Titus, chapter two, verse nine slaves submit to their masters and everything and be well-pleasing. 00:31:23.534 --> 00:31:25.760 That's an uncomfortable verse for us. 00:31:27.923 --> 00:31:36.276 In Greco-Roman times the institution of slavery was not identical to what we find in 19th century America. 00:31:36.276 --> 00:31:39.789 The Bible expressly says don't kidnap. 00:31:39.789 --> 00:31:55.262 Now I don't mean that to say that in the Bible times it was easy to be a slave, or that they were always treated well, or that they were always treated well. 00:31:55.262 --> 00:32:00.480 But Paul does say for those that find themselves in that position think that you're not just under a human person, you're ultimately serving the Lord, jesus Christ. 00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:06.088 So some of you are sure that your boss is a slave driver. 00:32:06.088 --> 00:32:10.515 Think then, how can I adorn? 00:32:10.515 --> 00:32:18.565 Think then, how can I adorn doctrine with a way that I treat my boss? 00:32:18.565 --> 00:32:20.410 Look at verse 10 of chapter 2. 00:32:20.410 --> 00:32:39.621 Right in the same section Not stealing, demonstrating utter faithfulness so that they may adorn the teaching of God, our Savior, in everything. 00:32:39.661 --> 00:32:40.942 Don't you want to make the gospel beautiful? 00:32:40.942 --> 00:32:41.144 Beautiful? 00:32:41.144 --> 00:32:42.326 It sounds almost heretical. 00:32:42.326 --> 00:32:45.071 We can't add anything to the gospel. 00:32:45.071 --> 00:32:46.559 Christ has done it all. 00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:48.282 We just testify about it. 00:32:48.282 --> 00:32:54.992 But Paul uses a specific language of adorning. 00:32:54.992 --> 00:32:56.234 We can make the message. 00:32:56.234 --> 00:33:06.066 We can't make it effective, but we can make the message sparkle, especially for those who don't have ears to hear and eyes to see. 00:33:06.907 --> 00:33:12.261 This word adorn is used to describe the temple adorned with beautiful stones in Luke 21. 00:33:12.261 --> 00:33:15.644 In Revelation 21, it's used to describe the temple adorned with beautiful stones in Luke 21. 00:33:15.644 --> 00:33:18.788 In Revelation 21, it's used to describe the new Jerusalem coming down prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 00:33:18.788 --> 00:33:25.273 In a very similar passage in 1 Peter, holy women adorned themselves by doing good. 00:33:25.273 --> 00:33:37.906 You want to make people say, wow, you could put on some new cologne, you could get a haircut and put in some diamond earrings. 00:33:37.906 --> 00:33:46.115 But doing good works is the way to make people really sit up and say I want to know more about that Christ that you say you serve. 00:33:46.115 --> 00:33:51.391 And we can say let me tell you about the one who's redeemed me and made me eager to do what is good. 00:33:51.391 --> 00:33:56.479 Let me tell you about the one who's redeemed me and made me eager to do what is good. 00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:10.244 Good doctrine should produce good works, not for our justification, not for our salvation, but as an overflow of what we have received and I'm going to end. 00:34:10.244 --> 00:34:11.628 This is from our own church's statement of faith. 00:34:11.628 --> 00:34:12.108 So this is what we've. 00:34:12.108 --> 00:34:15.398 Those who are members here, we've all covenanted and agreed together that we want to pursue this. 00:34:15.398 --> 00:34:16.561 This is what the Bible says. 00:34:16.561 --> 00:34:20.130 So this is from the section on justification. 00:34:20.130 --> 00:34:44.753 It says we believe the gospel requires of us, out of a true sense of our sin and misery, to turn with grief and hatred from sin and receive and rest on Jesus Christ alone for salvation, that we might receive pardon for our sins and be accepted in God's sight as righteous only for the righteous of Christ and puter to us and received by faith alone. 00:34:44.753 --> 00:35:01.313 There's the doctrine that Titus speaks of, also right here in this letter, and then our statement of faith goes on to say we believe that a zeal for personal and public obedience flows from this free justification. 00:35:01.313 --> 00:35:05.389 We're not trying to make that up, it comes right from the book of Titus. 00:35:05.389 --> 00:35:08.730 So may good doctrine produce good works in our lives. 00:35:08.730 --> 00:35:08.990 Let's pray. 00:35:08.990 --> 00:35:11.498 Good doctrine produce good works in our lives. 00:35:11.498 --> 00:35:14.182 Let's pray. 00:35:14.242 --> 00:35:26.838 Lord, you've created us in Jesus Christ for good works, prepared from the foundation of the world that we might walk in them. 00:35:27.739 --> 00:35:39.750 Oh Lord, help us to walk, to walk in a manner worthy of the calling that we've been called, to walk clothed with gentleness, peaceableness, zeal for you and your gospel. 00:35:40.630 --> 00:35:54.141 Lord, help us to be ready to engage all the relationships in our lives, and some have certain priorities and we honor those, and yet we want to be eager to maintain what is good and right. 00:35:54.141 --> 00:36:05.068 Lord, for any of us here who are struggling to understand those connection points and need to grow in our love of doctrine, would you cause that to happen? 00:36:05.068 --> 00:36:14.793 For those of us here who perhaps aren't living out the Christian life as we could and like to talk and don't always live? 00:36:14.793 --> 00:36:30.411 Oh, forgive us, lord, and cause us to see that justification and regeneration and your character of mercy and our understanding of your role in designing government and work and marriage and family and everything. 00:36:30.411 --> 00:36:33.690 Life and death, it's all ours, but to be lived out before you. 00:36:33.690 --> 00:36:44.143 May we do that with great thanksgiving for your amazing grace at work in us, and may we say it's not us but the grace of God in us, in Jesus' name amen.