WEBVTT 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:05.519 Well good morning, church. 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:11.199 We are once again privileged to come together and sit under the preached word of God. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:17.760 Brian has chosen for his text today the third chapter of Titus. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:23.760 If you would please stand with me if you're able, and I will read it for you. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:28.079 Titus chapter 3. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:42.719 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:58.399 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice, envy, hateful, hating one another. 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:07.200 But when the kindness of God, our Savior, and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:27.200 Not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace, we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:29.760 This is a trustworthy statement. 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:34.560 And concerning these things, I want to speak to you confidently. 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:42.400 Excuse me, I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:45.120 These things are good and profitable for men. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:55.359 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, and strife and disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:00.959 Reject a factitious man after a first and second warning. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:07.439 Knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:16.000 When I send Artemis or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the wither there. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:21.520 Diligently help Zenus the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:30.719 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds, to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:33.599 All who are with me greet you. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.159 Greet those who love us in the faith. 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:38.159 Grace be with you all. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:41.039 This is the word of God. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:42.240 You may be seated. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:44.000 Brian, please come. 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:11.599 Father, you are most gracious. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:14.000 You are all glorious. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:15.680 You are all powerful. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:18.080 You are wonderful beyond belief. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:21.199 You are holy, holy, holy. 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:31.520 And we come before you recognizing this, realizing who we are in light of this, clinging to you and your grace. 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:48.080 So, Father, this is so true as we come to worship in the Word, and we just ask you that your name would be exalted, that we would be changed as we see Christ, as we see ourselves, and as we marvel at your goodness. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:52.240 Father, lead and guide our hearts to worship now. 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:53.680 We pray in Christ. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:54.639 Amen. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:03.919 And well, if you are in Christ, if you are a Christian, I want you to remember where you've come from. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:06.080 I want you to remember your testimony. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:10.479 I want you to remember where you've come from as we dive into this third chapter of the book of Titus. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:14.240 Remember what the Lord has done in your life? 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:25.120 For those of you here this morning that have repented and confessed Christ as Lord and Savior, I want you to think back right now in this moment. 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:29.120 When was it that you became a follower of Jesus Christ? 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:32.639 When were you adopted by the Father and made co-heir? 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:38.480 When was it that you turned to Him for the forgiveness of sins? 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:39.120 Think about that. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:42.160 Maybe it was a day, maybe it was a season. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:43.680 Think about that. 00:04:44.639 --> 00:05:00.240 For any who are here and listening that have not done this, if you have not been changed and transformed by the saving grace of God, if you do not see Jesus as your Lord, your Savior, then listen to the word of God this morning and reflect on what you hear today. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:06.720 But for those of you who have turned to Christ, who are in Christ, I want you to think back. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:07.759 Remember who you were. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:12.879 Remember what the Lord has done in your heart and through your life as you live for his glory. 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:15.199 Think fondly of that time. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.000 Think fondly of that season. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:24.560 Consider it an absolute immense privilege that you have that time, that season to recall. 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:32.720 Reflect affectionately on the grace of your God in your life as we go through this message. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:34.800 So have that on your minds. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:45.120 In the first two verses of our text for today, we see really what it is is a continuation of what Paul has been getting at all along in this letter. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:48.879 I know we're diving into the third chapter, and next week we'll be in Galatians. 00:05:48.959 --> 00:06:02.399 So I just real quick, in chapter one, Paul speaks of the need of the leaders of the church to be godly men who lead with passionate and fierce loyalty to the word alone and to the people. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:07.360 Chapter 2 begins to speak of what discipleship looks like in the body of Christ. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:15.839 I would say there's probably not another passage of scripture that details out what day-to-day discipleship looks like more than this little book does. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:16.560 It's awesome. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:21.120 There's a reason why we call it one of the pastoral epistles or letters. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:31.360 And so, dovetailing nicely here, in the beginning of this third chapter that was just read, we see Paul just continuing to instruct them on how to live. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:35.519 He says in verse 1 that we are to remember to be good citizens. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:40.160 The Christian should be the citizen that everybody wants to live next to. 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:43.199 Unfortunately, sometimes we find it's the opposite. 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:56.879 Because if it doesn't defy the word of God nor the conscience of the believer in light of the word of God, the Christian is to be the citizen with the utmost integrity in doing what is asked of them by the laws of the land. 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:08.319 Because we're preaching on, or I'm preaching on Titus 3 and pointing to Christmas and Christ, I'm not going to talk about COVID, okay, in regards to being a good citizen. 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:15.279 But again, it's if it doesn't defy the word of God or the conscience of the believer in light of the word of God, we are called to be excellent citizens. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:16.720 That's how he starts. 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:29.040 The Christian, therefore, is to be submissive to the authorities that God has placed in their lives in the same way as they live ready day by day for every good deed to live that out. 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:48.959 And so in verse 2, he then reminds them to make sure that we're not living as the world does, that we're not maligning anyone, he says, or that we're not violent, we're not those aggressively angry people, having complete uh countenances of discontentment and complaining and begrudging. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:52.000 And then in verse 3. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:53.920 Here is verse 3. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:57.759 Did you catch verse 3 as Brother Joel read through it? 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:01.279 It's a tough verse. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:05.680 We're gonna spend most of our time today in verses 3 through 8. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:14.319 And we're gonna hopefully end with just being overwhelmed at the kindness of God to us as we think of Christmas. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:17.199 So let me read verse 3 again. 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:28.720 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:30.079 Yikes. 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:32.399 That's tough to hear, isn't it? 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:41.919 Here's the thing you and I can never be moved to overwhelming joy at the thought of our conversion. 00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:43.360 Remember what I started with? 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:46.720 Until we realize who we were prior to Christ. 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:54.480 This is something that we're gonna study for all of eternity as we reflect on the gospel, even in the presence of Christ in heaven. 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.320 And so we can never move past the gospel. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:04.159 We can never move past the fact that we've been sinners, that we're sinners. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:07.279 That we've fallen short of the glory of God. 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:15.279 We need to remember this day in and day out because it sets the course for the day as we seek to honor the King with our new lives. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:27.840 And so please don't hear the charges and accusations against them, against us this morning, as something that's just defeating and demoralizing, and then you just are sad and depressed. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:32.480 Please don't hear them and just say, oh, not again. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:35.039 I've heard this before. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:48.240 Unless you do not have the saving grace of Christ in you, please hear this and once again be overwhelmed at the grace of God to you, the sinner. 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:50.639 Praise God for his mercy. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:52.559 As we look at verse 3. 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:55.039 I'm going to spend a little bit of time in verse 3. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:10:02.240 It starts by saying that before we were saved by Christ, we were foolish. 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:04.000 Foolish. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:09.600 Do you understand the biblical definition of foolishness is to be without knowledge and understanding? 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:18.559 Make no mistake, this is not saying that acquiring more knowledge and more wisdom will all of a sudden make you wise in the Lord's sight and therefore unfoolish. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:25.759 If that were the case, then our university professors who loudly proclaim there is no God would be wise in the Lord's sight. 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:26.960 That's not the case. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:35.519 And so becoming wise and no longer foolish in the biblical sense is having a knowledge and an understanding of who God is and what he's done. 00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:41.440 It is to fear God, according to the smartest man who's ever lived in Proverbs 1.7. 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:47.600 This is what relieves us and frees us from being foolish. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:56.399 Remember, God says in Psalm 14 that the fool says in his heart that there is no God. 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:58.480 That's the fool. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:05.679 Being foolish in this passage is saying that to deny God and his existence is therefore to be foolish. 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:10.879 It is to have a desire to live wickedly instead of living in the knowledge of God and who he is. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:18.559 And Paul would say all throughout all of his writings, even here, that's what we've all done. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:21.840 Listen to this. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:23.039 Listen, this is interesting. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:30.960 Listen to what prominent atheist writer Adolphus Huxley says in his book, Ends and Means, not a recommended reading. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:36.240 In his ardent denial of God and any sort of eternal meeting, listen to his foolishness. 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:39.039 And I chopped it up a bit, but this is what he says. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:43.039 I had motives for not wanting the world to have a meaning. 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:50.879 And consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:58.080 For myself, as no doubt for most of my friends, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essential. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:04.320 And it was an essential element or instrument of liberation from a certain system of morality. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.440 You hear what he's saying? 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:06.399 He's freeing himself. 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:13.360 And he goes on to say, we would deny, they just decided to deny that the world had any meaning whatsoever. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:22.000 Wow, what a great way to live! You and I can try to ignore God. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:27.840 Put our head in the sand like an ostrich, if you will, live as we please. 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:31.840 But this means that we're foolish, according to the Bible. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:36.399 And therefore separated from God and all that is good. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:40.159 1 Corinthians says a lot about the foolishness of man. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:44.320 It teaches us that the cross becomes foolishness to those who are perishing. 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:46.960 And yet it still manifests the wisdom of God. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:49.120 You see the difference, the dichotomy there. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:57.120 It teaches us that the Jews are foolish in seeking for signs, and the Greeks or Gentiles were foolish in clinging to their own or man's wisdom. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.759 We all have our version, don't we? 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:02.720 This is so true today. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:10.000 So many people, maybe we say today, like the Jews said, if you would just do this miracle, you ever heard somebody say that? 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:13.360 If you just do this one thing, then I'll believe. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:16.159 That's foolishness. 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:21.840 A lot of people in the church even think of that in a different form, maybe, with a different package. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:29.120 We live from mountaintop experience to mountaintop experience, and that's where I find God, we say. 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:33.200 And we think that the Lord isn't with us in the suffering. 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:36.480 Or that he's not sovereign over that. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.480 And we think he's not with us in the mundane, the day-to-day. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:45.679 And therefore we end up living as Adolphus Huxley, functional atheists. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:51.360 While we wait for something amazing to happen where God's actually there. 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:53.840 You ever heard that kind of talk? 00:13:55.600 --> 00:14:05.360 In Paul's day, the philosophers were running rampant with these paganistic atheistic ideas that denied God and elevated humanism, and we all tend to fall into those things. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:12.480 And so it's just as true today as we cling to the science and not the inventor of science, for example. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:13.440 That's one way. 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:16.559 Have you ever heard just follow the science? 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:21.039 I actually agree with that statement. 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:22.559 And here's why. 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:34.639 If you're going to be an intellectually honest atheist or scientist, science will end up leading you to the throne of God and therefore falling at his feet in worship. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:43.440 So if you follow the science and you're honest about it, you come humbly before God, the inventor of science. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:46.240 You see, the wise man fears the Lord. 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:59.279 Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1 27 that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise and weak things of the world, to shame those who are strong in their own might. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:04.720 And it goes on to tell us the reason, so that man may boast or may never boast before God. 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:11.200 Psalm 2 speaks of the ridiculousness of the wisdom of the nations coming up against the wisdom of God. 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:13.039 He laughs at them, it says. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:26.480 And then it says that he's going to shatter them like earthenware and break them with a rod of iron. 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:33.039 And then listen to what Job says, or what God says in Job 38. 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:36.080 Where were you? 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:38.000 God says. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:40.799 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:43.759 Tell me, if you have understanding. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:46.399 Who sets its measurements? 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:52.320 Since you know, or who stretched the line on it, on what were its bases sunk? 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:58.159 Or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:02.879 Or who enclosed the sea with doors when bursting forth it went out of the womb? 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:15.919 When I made a cloud its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and I placed boundaries on it and set a bolt and doors, and I said, Thus far you shall come, but no further, and hear your proud waves stop. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:23.440 Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, God says, and caused the dawn to know its place? 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:27.200 Oh, the danger. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:32.879 The danger we have of pretending to have knowledge before this holy and awesome God. 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:37.679 If we do that, we live out, verses two and three. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:44.480 We were also once foolish, brothers and sisters. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:49.120 Thinking we didn't need God in our own self-perceived wisdom. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:59.759 And when we sin today, it's us falling right back into that same old trap, that snare, that same line of thinking, thinking, I'm wise enough to know what's best. 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:00.879 I got this. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:04.480 Foolishness. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:06.079 Listen to what else Paul says. 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:12.400 I'm going to go briefly through these about who we are in our rebellion and foolishness before Christ. 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:20.880 He says next in verse 3, we're disobedient, disobedient, like children who rebel against their parents' instruction to clean their room, stay out of the street. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:28.480 We disobey the standards, the laws that God hands down to us, therefore making us foolish. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:33.920 We see the law of God as something that can be neglected or set aside, or for those people back then, but not today. 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:34.640 No, no, no. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.000 We've evolved. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:37.759 We've grown. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:39.599 We've moved past that. 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:46.720 But here's the thing: there's not one piece of the moral law of God that has ceased to be relevant for today. 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:55.680 Not one jot or tittle of the moral law of God contained within his commandments that we can just set aside and say it was for them. 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.200 It's just as vital as it was back then. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:05.519 Next, Paul says that we were all deceived, just like Adam and Eve in the garden. 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:10.160 We were deceived into thinking we could be just like God as we told ourselves we didn't need him. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.440 You ever said that to yourself? 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:12.720 I'm just like God. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:16.400 Hopefully not. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:23.039 But it is what we do when we live our own path and sin. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:26.880 It's what we're saying to him without words. 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:30.319 We say there is no God. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:37.279 Because we all then close our eyes and hope that God and his word were no longer true. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:40.880 Because I want to do this thing that's in opposition to it and I know it. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:46.720 We think as humans, if we just tell ourselves enough times, we see this in the world, don't we? 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:57.680 That this beautiful world, the mountains, the trees, everything, it if we tell ourselves it came into existence through an explosion with no direction from a divine creator, it's just so. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:01.920 And if we repeat it enough times, it's good to go. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:08.400 Or maybe if we repeat enough that King Kong is our long-lost relative, that's it's so. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:12.240 Foolishness in our rebellion. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:14.880 Deceived by our own sin. 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:18.960 Eyes that were clouded over by willful disobedience. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:26.079 Deceived in the thinking we could save ourselves or that we could be good enough for heaven if we if we lived well enough. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:27.920 That's foolishness. 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:30.400 That's the devil's deception. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:33.920 Next, he says, we're enslaved to our passions and lust. 00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:35.680 That's a great word, isn't it? 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:39.119 We're enslaved, Paul says. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:42.000 How are you doing with this charge so far? 00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:44.079 You ready for verse 4? 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:47.279 Are you in agreement? 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:49.920 I hope so. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:58.799 We have been, and maybe still are deceived into thinking that our pleasures, based upon our senses alone, are the things that'll bring us joy. 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:04.640 But in reality, we all know they only bring misery and ruin when isolated from God and his word. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:18.559 Because our senses were meant to be used for glorifying God in so many ways: marriage, parenting, enjoying God's creation, whatever it is, the senses were put there by God to aid us in our reverent glorification of Christ. 00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:24.000 Not to supply us with just fleeting pleasures that we're just going to regret one day. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:31.839 Our senses are put there by God to honor Him and glorify the name of His Son, which in turn will bring us everlasting joy. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:33.519 Who doesn't want that? 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:41.440 They were not put there to be enslaved, to be forcing us to be enslaved to our own desires. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:43.440 Think about what a slave is. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:44.640 Beholden? 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:48.559 In chains, bondage, doing the will of the master. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:55.039 And here's the thing: every human ever born is and has been and always will be enslaved. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:08.720 Before Christ, we were enslaved with what he's talking about here, something we couldn't break free from, the sin that so easily entangles us, the author of Hebrews writes, not only is it where we were, but it's what we wanted. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:17.039 And so again, we're all slaves, though, because either you're a slave of that and the evil one, or the righteous one. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:19.920 You're slaves to sin or slaves to Christ. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:21.359 You'll always be a slave. 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:31.039 It's either going to be what you were before you walked with Christ, with yourself, or evil, or you'll be a slave to Christ as a heavenly master. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:36.079 Think about your conversion. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:38.319 Think about what he's done for you. 00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:44.640 Next, Paul says we spend our lives in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:48.480 At this accusation, we say, wait, wait, hang on a second. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.079 I didn't hate people. 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:51.680 That's not me. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:54.799 I didn't hate people outs when I wasn't a Christian. 00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:59.759 Well, if you think back for a moment at what was most important to you prior to Christ. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:08.799 And all of your thoughts and all of your language, I think we would agree with Paul that that was our countenance before the Lord gave us new hearts to actually love him and his people. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:13.359 Because now we can actually truly love, as we've been talking about in Sunday school. 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:20.160 To love self above God is to hate all others, including God. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:26.160 Not that we walk around every day, every passerby, hate you, hate you, hate you. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:32.400 He's not saying that, but that deep down, that's who we were, because we're all about us. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:38.480 We would do anything to preserve self and therefore even destroy others if I needed to. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:40.880 That's hatred. 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:47.440 Because the Bible teaches us that the opposite is loving others, putting them first, like Christ did to us. 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:54.799 So to hate one another is to lie, cheat, steal, love like the world, not be willing to correct wrongheaded thinking or worship. 00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:58.160 And so hatred of others is worship of self. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:02.480 And the only way to cease worshiping self is to worship the one true God. 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:08.000 Okay, I'm done with verse three. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:10.000 So that was us. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:11.519 Complete wrecks. 00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:15.839 Rebellious, sinful, transgressors against the law and his word and standard. 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:22.559 So with that encouragement for Christmas time, I'm just going to invite the musicians back up and we'll get started on singing. 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:23.599 I'm just kidding. 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:25.599 I'm kidding, I'm kidding. 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:28.880 No, let's look fondly at what comes next. 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:40.000 Let us look at the next couple of verses and just be overwhelmed with worship-filled hearts at the marvelous grace of God in light of who we've been. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:45.119 What we find next in Paul's writing here is one of the greatest words in all of Scripture. 00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:46.720 Look at verse 4 with me. 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:48.720 You've heard this before, right? 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:53.519 But that word, isn't it awesome? 00:23:53.839 --> 00:24:00.240 It says, but when the kindness of God, our Savior, and his love for mankind appeared, but God. 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:02.880 But God in his kindness. 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:06.480 He sees us, he looks at us. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:12.240 What's the kindness of God in this passage? 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:16.960 What does Paul mean that the kindness and love of God appeared? 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:21.359 It means Jesus came. 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:25.519 It means Christmas is true and real. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:30.000 Jesus took on flesh. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:32.720 He became man. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:41.279 Jesus came down to the earth in a lowly and humble way. 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:45.920 Think of this passage in light of Christmas, brothers and sisters. 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:50.640 I know that some of those things I just mentioned are hard to hear, hard to swallow for us. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:52.640 But there's verse 4. 00:24:52.880 --> 00:25:02.079 There's this gem, this jewel, this gold nugget of the scriptures that speaks of the answer to our previous condition and the love of God to us. 00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:12.079 But when the kindness of God and our Savior appeared, when He was manifested, that's the incarnation. 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:16.960 That's why there's trees and these banners and everything we do at Christmas. 00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:18.079 It's this. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:38.400 Do you know this? 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:40.880 Do you know Him? 00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:53.680 The author of our salvation, God the Father, revealed His kindness to us by sending His only Son, and He sent Him into the world to take on flesh to eventually die. 00:25:54.559 --> 00:26:00.880 And become the atoning sacrifice for that which we were, verses 2 and 3. 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:10.480 You see, God in His righteous justice couldn't just ignore our rebellion, turn to blind eye, and say, Well, you've been better than most. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:11.920 So I guess you're alright. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:12.880 Come in. 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:15.599 At least you're not Hitler. 00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:20.720 No, your sin and mine had to be paid for. 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:26.240 It's just as much condemn-worthy as Hitler's and Stalin's. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:28.880 Maybe not to the degree. 00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:32.559 But either way, it deserves punishment. 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:35.839 And so it had to be atoned for. 00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:38.559 It had to be a sacrifice. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:44.000 And that was all accomplished on the cross of Christ. 00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:48.880 And so we can look at that and say, yeah, now that's what we call kindness. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:50.400 That's love. 00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:54.480 So how did this all work out? 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:57.440 Still remembering the way you were saved? 00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:02.640 Are you still reflecting on your conversion that God made happen in your life? 00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:04.160 I hope so. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:06.559 Because you can't ever forget that. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:12.720 Don't ever forget, as well, that you didn't do anything. 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:16.160 You brought sin to the table. 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:18.160 So did I. 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:19.039 That's it. 00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:22.559 Because I'm not standing up here today because I had any part in my salvation. 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:23.599 I can tell you that. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:25.440 And the Bible affirms. 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:28.240 I am not here today because I've been a good person. 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:33.759 I'm not standing here today because I pulled my bootstraps up, as we Americans love to say, things like that. 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:36.400 I am not standing here today because I walked an aisle. 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:39.519 I am not standing here today because I grew up in a Christian home. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:52.799 I am standing here today before you because God looked upon this absolute wretch and wreck of a man, and in his great and sovereign mercy, he decided to send his son to atone for it. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:57.680 In myself, I would have eternally continued to hate God. 00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:03.680 In my flesh, I was always ready and willing to worship self. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:06.640 Even all the way to hell. 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:14.319 In myself, I would have always rejected God and walked in foolish godward defiance. 00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:16.480 But then Christ came. 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:25.200 Christ came to this earth, and Jesus the Christ came to my own heart, my own eyes, by the very power of the Spirit through his word. 00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:36.640 He revealed to me my desperate need, and he has shown me immense grace, unfathomable mercy, eternal kindness. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:43.839 He took the dark scales of sinful indulgence from my depraved eyes. 00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:47.519 And he showed me the grandeur and splendor of Christ. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:52.000 He took my sin and replaced it with joy in Christ. 00:28:53.599 --> 00:29:00.160 And so, as those scales of fleshly lust were removed, the light of Christ's grace came into my very soul. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:10.480 And now the kindness of God Himself shines so brightly that I say today, you could put a gun to my head right now, and I would not recant my faith in Christ. 00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:14.880 I would not recant who he is by the same grace that saved me. 00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:18.240 And I would just say, I'm in Christ. 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:20.160 I can worship no other. 00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:22.000 I will not forsake my God. 00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:23.039 I've been redeemed. 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:24.240 I've been ransomed. 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:25.440 I'm with him. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:27.279 That's it. 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:29.680 There's nothing else. 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:36.960 Christmas tells me that I have eternal life in this gift that appeared. 00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:39.279 What can you do to me? 00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:40.799 What do you have to give me? 00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:42.640 What do you have to take from me? 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:43.920 Nothing. 00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:46.799 Same goes for you and I. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:48.640 Same goes for all of you. 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:50.400 If you're in Christ. 00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:53.440 Again, look at verse 4. 00:29:54.880 --> 00:30:02.480 But when the kindness and love of God appeared, what part did we play in that? 00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:11.359 You and I have just merely responded to that in repentance and faith as the Holy Spirit came and caused our hearts to respond. 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:12.480 Praise God. 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:20.079 Jesus Christ is the kindness and love of God who came in the flesh, and it's all because of verse 3. 00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:22.079 That's why we had to spend time there. 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:28.240 If verse 3 isn't true about all of us, then verse 4 is unnecessary. 00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:34.400 It's one of those, there is no good news if there wasn't bad news to begin with, kind of things. 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:41.839 And really, Christmas makes no sense without knowing who we were and what we've done. 00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:45.359 Toss out the the fat guy in the red suit thing, okay? 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:46.319 Toss all that out. 00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:48.400 Christmas is about Christ. 00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:51.599 And it makes no sense without the cross. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:54.559 It makes no sense without my sin and yours. 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:00.640 In verse 5, Paul goes on to say that he saved us. 00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:04.480 What did he save us from? 00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:07.039 Verse 3. 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:11.759 Saved us from ourselves, but ultimately he saves us from the pit of hell. 00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:13.200 How? 00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:14.799 How does he do this? 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:18.799 We know it happened because of his love and his kindness, but how? 00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:22.079 Verse 5. 00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:28.720 It happened by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. 00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:35.839 The triune God is through and through in our salvation in this passage. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.519 1 Peter 1, same thing. 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:43.119 All three members of our triune God work together to save us. 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:45.119 Again, I've said this before. 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:48.240 God speaks the world into existence. 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:52.160 But look at what it took to get us saved. 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:57.839 We know that Jesus came to the earth and lived that sinless life. 00:31:57.920 --> 00:32:02.640 We know that he went willingly to the cross to absorb the just wrath meant for us. 00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:12.880 We know that death could not keep him, and he was resurrected three days later to eventually ascend back to the right hand of the Father, once again providing a way for us to be saved. 00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:14.400 But how does that play out? 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:16.319 By the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:18.799 That's why he had to send the Comforter. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:35.440 Because Christ came and was our atoning substitute, we now have the opportunity for salvation by the Holy Spirit coming to us, drawing us to Christ, giving us a new heart, giving us a new life, giving us a new worship. 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:43.039 And he did this by washing away our degenerate lives and regenerating our souls. 00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:53.119 And as the beginning of verse 5 says, this is not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but by mercy alone. 00:32:55.440 --> 00:33:06.079 Our salvation is by Christ's deeds and enacted or begun or sparked in the life of the redeemed by the Holy Spirit Himself. 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:07.920 Isn't that cool? 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:19.200 This is where we read a passage like this, and we remember that Scripture teaches us, Romans 5.20, for example, where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more. 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:20.319 Amen. 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:22.880 Are you still reflecting on your salvation? 00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:27.359 Are you still remembering what he's done for you? 00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:30.480 Well, Paul's not done yet. 00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:43.839 After speaking of the richness of this salvation that has come through Jesus and this washing, this purifying of the Holy Spirit, Paul then reveals to us one of, if not the most important doctrines in all of Scripture. 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:47.839 And that is our standing before God through Christ. 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:50.079 And that's called the doctrine of justification. 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:51.279 You heard that? 00:33:52.720 --> 00:33:59.200 Paul spends five chapters in the book of Romans going over the immense riches of this blessed doctrine. 00:33:59.599 --> 00:34:03.599 Let me describe for you what the doctrine of justification is briefly. 00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:20.559 The doctrine of justification is the gracious act of God, where he declares to all the universe that all of those who are found in Christ, washed and renewed by his Spirit, believing in the Lordship of Christ, are his righteous saints. 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:31.519 And so God imputes what that means, he credits to our account the righteousness of his son, which means that we are condemned no more. 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:39.199 When we look back at verse 3 or a previous state, we can say, Huh, it's no longer me. 00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:42.880 I may fall into that, but I'm no longer foolish. 00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:47.679