WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.800 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:31.120 Morning, Second Service. 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:33.039 A few words of encouragement. 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:41.280 I uh went uh finished up early with the first service, but I will not make that second, that mistake a second time. 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:42.640 So take heart. 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:52.960 Um there are only 75 days till Christmas and 81 till the new year, so lots of encouragement here this morning. 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:58.000 Please open open to Titus chapter 2 is where we're going to be. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:59.600 My name is Jeremy. 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:03.280 I'm the student and family pastor here at Faith. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:11.680 I work with a wonderful group of uh both staff and volunteers to minister to the children here at this church. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:19.840 Um, and then I also uh am involved in the um shepherding of families here, and what a privilege that is. 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:22.640 Um I love our church. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:38.239 This is this is something I was reflecting on with my wife last night, and actually find myself reflecting on more and more that God has doing great things at this church, and I am growing more and more appreciative of his people here at faith. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.480 And so it's a joy to be able to open up the word with you this morning. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:56.560 And as you're finding your place in Titus, I want to pose the question that I hope will shape our thinking, give us some clarity for the direction of where we're going this morning, and that question is who do you think you are? 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:00.959 I I don't mean that in like a condescending way. 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:16.159 It's not the kind of question like when your child says they would prefer pizza because they don't like your cooking, or when you have a car full of side seat and back seat drivers who are critiquing your driving skills and ability. 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:19.599 I mean, it's not that kind of who do you think you are. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:23.680 This is a question of identity. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:29.680 I want you to reflect on who you believe yourself to be. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:42.080 Because who you believe yourself to be shapes and forms not just how you think, not just what you want, but also what you do. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:49.680 Who you believe yourself to be forms the actions that live itself out in your life. 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:52.080 Our actions flow out of identity. 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:56.719 Some of us might identify ourselves as parents. 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:09.360 And so our identity is wrapped up perhaps in our children, our duties as parents, our thinking and tasks, and everything that we we form our lives around has to do with you being a parent. 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:18.000 Maybe your identity is in your vocation, and everything you do uh involves your job, your thinking, your actions, your focus. 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:21.360 It all is wrapped up in your vocation. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:25.520 Maybe you identify yourself as even a victim. 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:34.319 And all of your thinking and all your doing flows out of that painful moment in your life. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:37.919 And everything in your life is organized around that. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:44.319 I want to challenge our identities here this morning because usually it's not as cut and dry as that. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:49.840 It's not as cut and dry as, well, I just identify as this one thing and nothing else. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:53.759 Usually we identify with many things. 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:55.680 I'm an American. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:57.520 I am a parent. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:03:59.759 I am a husband. 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:01.439 I am a Christian. 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:20.800 And so we take all of these things and we use all these things to form our identity, but I want to challenge us here this morning to put all of it aside so that we can pursue the one true identity of every single person who is a follower of Christ, and that is the identity of a Christian. 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:30.800 There's nothing else that should come into the picture in terms of forming our thinking and our actions aside from our identity in Christ. 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:37.519 There are many contexts in which we find ourselves in, such as in our families, jobs, workplaces, whatever. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.959 But those do not make us who we are. 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.279 Christ makes us who we are. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:49.839 He informs our desires, informs what we do, and that's what we are going to be tackling here this morning. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:51.279 We're in Titus. 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:57.279 The book of Titus was written from the Apostle Paul to a young man named Titus. 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:00.480 Titus was a church planter of sorts. 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:06.480 Uh Paul left Titus on the island of Crete, which was in the middle of the Mediterranean. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:17.120 And if you know anything about Cretan culture back then, it's where they uh exiled all the YouTube commenters and trolls from Twitter. 00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:20.879 That's to summarize the culture there. 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:23.360 It was a very harsh culture. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:27.439 Um, it was not a culture that was welcoming of the gospel. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:36.879 And that's where Paul leaves Titus to plant all these churches and raise up elders to teach sound doctrine so that people could devote themselves to good works. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:45.040 And not just that, but he wants older men and older women to teach younger men and younger women to do what is good. 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:50.800 But it's not sufficient for Paul to just say, do all these things, Titus. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:52.160 Here's my list. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:54.240 Go make sure it gets done. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:06:07.040 No, Paul wants to draw a direct line from what we as God's people are to do with who we as God's people are. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:17.120 And so that brings us to my first point here this morning, and that is that the gospel shapes our desires. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:52.800 If you'll join me in verse 11, the Apostle Paul writes, For the grace of God 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 the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. 00:06:53.199 --> 00:07:00.959 The gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, the grace of God, as Paul puts here, that appears, shapes our desires. 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:03.120 It shapes what we want. 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:08.079 And it shapes us first by appearing. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:15.839 That's what Paul begins this in, in trying to form and shape how Titus is to think and God's people are to think. 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:19.360 He wants to remind us that the grace of God has appeared. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:24.480 It's not hypothetical, it's not philosophical, it is a reality. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:30.480 God's grace appeared, and we know this because it came in the person of Jesus Christ. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:34.879 Jesus Christ appeared, fully man, fully God. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:36.879 He lived among us. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:40.639 He died publicly for the sins of the world. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:41.839 He was buried. 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:46.639 He rose again three days later and appeared to more than 500 people. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:55.759 It's a proven fact that Jesus Christ is the grace of God and has been made known to us. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:57.680 And it has appeared. 00:07:58.079 --> 00:07:59.839 And it does a number of things for us. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:02.480 First, it brings salvation. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:06.480 Jesus Christ, the grace of God that has appeared, brings salvation. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:09.920 It redeems us from lawlessness, is what verse 14 says. 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:13.519 And I want to ask you have you ever thought of your sin as lawlessness? 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:17.199 That's usually not a word that we associate with our sins. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:22.240 But that's the very nature of what sin is: lawlessness. 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:25.040 It is lawless living. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:36.639 The God who made you and gave you life is the only one in your life with the authority to tell you how to live. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:44.000 It's contrary to our culture's message, which encourages you to live how you want. 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:54.399 No, God tells you what he wants, and it's up to us to align ourselves under the authority of God and follow his guidance in how he wants us to live. 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:56.480 But how often do we do that? 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:04.879 Every sinful thought, every careless word, every sinful action is living in lawlessness. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:07.840 It's rebellion against God. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:16.080 And God's grace appeared, bringing salvation and redemption, verse 14, from that lawlessness. 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:20.080 Paul puts it this way in Romans 5, verse 8 through 9. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:34.480 But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, lawless, rebellious, disobedient sinners, Christ died for us. 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:44.240 Since therefore we have been now justified by his blood, that word justified means to be made right before God. 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:48.799 Much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 00:09:49.759 --> 00:10:00.080 Your rebellion, your lawlessness, your sin is fully deserving the wrath of God, and God's grace appeared to save you from it. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:04.240 We give a hearty amen to that, and that's usually where we stop. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:08.559 But God's grace doesn't just save us, it does far more than that. 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:12.879 It's just not just a get out of hell free card. 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:17.039 It takes an additional step and it trains us. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:18.720 Look at verse 12. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.720 God's grace appears bringing salvation, but then trains us. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:29.360 Trains us in a threefold training regimen. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:35.840 First, God's grace trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:44.799 To renounce something means to disavow, disassociate, remove a relationship with. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:22.480 Look at this person taking this picture with the leader of Antifa or some other group. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:38.720 Your natural response would be disgust because you probably don't align with that, and then you would seek to disown, renounce, disavow yourself with that person and any association with anything they stand for. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:42.320 And that's what God's grace does for us. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:51.039 Because we have been saved from our sins, we are now trained to renounce the very things that God has saved us from. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:54.799 What is your relationship with your sin? 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:58.159 We don't think of renouncing our sin. 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:00.879 We usually make peace with it. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:04.480 We learn to live with it, we make excuses for it. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:10.639 But God's grace, if we truly understand it and lean into it, does not cause us to make peace with it. 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:14.720 Causes us to say, I want nothing more to do with it. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:25.519 I renounce it, I disavow and disassociate myself with those things, with these worldly passions that cause me to live for myself. 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:35.200 Trains us to renounce worldly passions and ungodliness, but also trains us in self-control. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:42.960 Renouncing worldly passions and being trained in self-control are two sides of the same coin. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:50.879 If you could think of it this way, when you go to the doctor's office, you ask the doctor, what must I do to live a healthy life? 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:57.840 The doctor will likely tell you, well, if you eat a proper diet and exercise, you'll probably be okay. 00:12:58.080 --> 00:12:58.399 Okay? 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:03.840 And I'm not sure if like lifting a heavy subway sandwich counts. 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:25.679 Maybe if it's whole grain and it's got lots of vegetables, but eating a healthy diet and exercise, renouncing worldly passions is adjusting our diet, our appetite, what we want most in life. 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:34.639 Self-control exercises the muscles of what we are now craving, and that is godliness. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:39.600 Godly living in the present age, Paul writes. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:44.960 Trains us in renouncing our sins and trains us in self-control. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:54.159 And I just want to say we have no hope for self-control if we refuse to renounce our sins. 00:13:54.720 --> 00:14:00.639 If we refuse to renounce the worldly passions that are making war with you right now. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:08.320 The worldly passions that cause you to live for yourself ultimately and not for God. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:10.559 The two go hand in hand. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:20.159 You can try self-control, but it will not come until you renounce the passions of this world and their desire for you. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:32.480 Grace of God has appeared, it brings salvation, trains us to renounce worldly passions, trains us in self-control, but also trains us in patience. 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:35.200 Trains us in patience. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:45.679 As our desires are being shaped, as we are being trained in being self-controlled, we are also learning patience. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:48.639 We are learning to wait. 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:51.120 And what are we waiting for? 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:59.200 We are waiting, verse 13, for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:02.080 Jesus is coming back someday. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:03.440 I don't know when. 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:04.960 Sometime in the future. 00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:07.039 That's as accurate as I'm getting. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:08.879 He's coming back. 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:28.320 And our only hope for this world and everything that plagues it is for Christ to return and set up his eternal kingdom, to rid the world of evil and sin, to punish the evildoers and reward those who find faith in Christ. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:30.559 That is our ultimate hope. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:42.399 But as we learn to adjust our appetites and desires for the things that God wants, and as we exercise the muscles of self-control, we learn that we can patiently wait for that day. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:16:00.080 If you're finding yourself anxious more and more at the turmoil happening around this country and around the world, I want to encourage you that God's grace teaches us and instructs us in how to wait. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:03.279 Jesus is coming back, I hope it's soon. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:10.240 But in the meantime, I'm going to learn to renounce my worldly passions. 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:18.159 I'm going to learn to be self-controlled and by God's grace, learn to be patient while I wait. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:22.799 The grace of God saves us. 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:31.919 It trains us in that three-fold training regimen of renouncing worldly passions, self-control, and patience. 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:34.159 But lastly, it purifies us. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:35.360 Verse 14. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:41.279 Who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:55.279 He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works, eager to do good works. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:17:02.559 I want to focus in on that word, purify, to cleanse, to make spotless. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:12.079 Another way to think of it would be in, in a sense, sanctification, God purging the sin out of our lives to make us more and more like Christ. 00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:16.480 Now notice the context in which that purification happens here. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:23.200 It doesn't happen in isolation, it doesn't happen as individuals, it happens as a people. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:25.759 Look to your left and your right right now. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:28.160 I'm not going to make you say anything to each other, okay? 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:30.559 But look to your left and to your right right now. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:40.319 The people around you are the people that God has brought together for the purpose of purifying us. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:43.920 That's his intention. 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:59.599 Yes, God is going to sanctify you and purify you as an individual, but let us not kid ourselves that being together with the body of Christ is a means of God doing that in our lives. 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:05.440 That means all the messy people around you, including myself, we are part of that with you. 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:08.079 God is using his people. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:14.960 And as he works through his people, he is purifying for himself something that he wants. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:19.599 It doesn't happen in isolation, it happens as the body of Christ. 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:30.400 As a pastor I once knew would say, that if you are not connected to the body of Christ, you are a severed finger. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:39.200 You maybe once belonged to the body, but being disconnected, there is no life flowing through you. 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:42.240 There is nothing happening. 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:54.640 You cannot hope to be eager for good works in the way that God intends if you are not connecting yourself with God's people. 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:01.680 Those who I find most connected to the body of Christ are usually those who are most eager to do good. 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:07.839 They're the ones who come up with the initiatives of how do we show the love of Christ to the world as a body? 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:09.920 How do we reach those around us? 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:13.839 How do we utilize our resources for the glory of God? 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:24.079 Not trying to build the kingdom of faith, but certainly more than just trying to build my own personal kingdom in where I'm at. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:26.079 God brings us together as a people. 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:30.880 He wants to use us as a people, and he wants to purify us as a people. 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:35.279 And that's how God shapes our desires. 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:40.640 God's grace saves us from our sin, trains us in godly living. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:52.079 And as we are trained and purified by Christ as a people, our desires are shaped, and then that shapes what we do, the things that we do, the tangible things. 00:19:52.240 --> 00:20:00.160 So so often we hear about all the stuff like we should know, but we want to get to the point of tell me what I must do, and I'm to that point in the sermon. 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:04.480 So let me tell you what we must do as God's people now. 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:07.039 Look at verses one and two. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:23.759 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:32.160 Verse one speaks specifically to how we relate to authority. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:36.960 There's some uncomfortability going to be brewing here. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:49.519 Because the the context in which Paul writes this, the government at this time is not friendly towards Christians to say it, to put it nicely. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:55.680 And they are have been actively persecuted at times up to this point. 00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:07.279 Now, before I go any further, I want you to know that earthly authority, regardless of who it is, whether it be the government or a pastor or an elder, it never exceeds the authority of God. 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:09.440 And I'm going to give you an example of this. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:11.599 Acts chapter 5. 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:24.079 The Apostle Peter and the boys, the rest of the apostles, they can't seem to shut up about Jesus. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:25.680 They're preaching everywhere. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:28.079 People are coming to Christ. 00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:34.799 And it makes the religious authority really, really angry. 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:38.960 They are so upset that they put them in prison. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:44.960 They charge them not to speak of Jesus, and they say if you do this, we're going to beat you. 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:47.839 And we're going to keep doing this until you finally shut up. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:49.359 Don't speak in the name of Jesus. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.559 Don't preach in his name. 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:52.160 Just be quiet. 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:57.839 So they're brought again before the religious authority. 00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.839 Chapter 5, verse 29. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:04.240 This is the response of Peter and the Apostles. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:09.920 We must obey God rather than men. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:20.720 So when the authority is giving you an ungodly order, you are under no obligation to submit to that, to obey that. 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:23.359 We have that example here with the apostles. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:28.480 And in fact, they got called back in and charged not to speak of Jesus. 00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:30.319 They did the very thing they said they were going to do. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:32.000 It says, don't speak of Jesus. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:34.240 They beat them, and then look what happens to them. 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:39.920 They left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:48.400 They were willing to be disobedient to the point of being brutally hurt for the sake of Christ. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:52.000 Earthly authority never exceeds the authority of God. 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:56.880 So now that we have that out of the way, let's get into some uncomfortable territory here. 00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:06.880 You see, there is no biblical provision for the American Constitution and how we relate to authority. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:18.000 There's no biblical provision that says whether your government is a certain way you should submit and obey. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:35.519 In fact, the vast majority of the testimony of the Christian faith, both historically and around the world at this moment, is not of Christians being insurrectionists and disobedient to the government. 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:40.880 In fact, Christians are obedient to the government, to where they're being put in jail. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:44.160 Their things are being burned up. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:50.960 And yet, none of them seems to want to start a rebellion. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:24:03.279 This is uncomfortable because we have things like the Second Amendment, which is supposed to be a promise and protection against tyrannical governments. 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:05.119 Let me ask you this. 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:12.960 What would your posture be towards your government should they outlaw your faith? 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:15.359 Maybe they don't outlaw it. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:18.720 Maybe they say, you can talk of Jesus in your church and in your home. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:20.640 Don't bring it anywhere else. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:27.039 What if they forced your children to go to certain schools? 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:33.119 What if we could keep going down the line? 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:38.400 There's no promise that America is going to be the way it is or how it has been. 00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:41.359 Plenty of empires have come and gone. 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:44.960 How do we relate to authority? 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:47.359 How do we relate to the government? 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:51.599 My friend Peter offers us some insight here. 00:24:51.839 --> 00:25:01.359 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 13, expands on this idea of submission and obedience to authorities. 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:05.200 He says, be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution. 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:13.839 Whether it be to the emperor as supreme, this same emperor was one who actively persecuted Christians. 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:17.920 And Peter says, be subject to him. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:26.640 Whether to the emperor as supreme or the governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:38.640 So government certainly has a purpose, and that purpose is designed by God, but whether or not government is fulfilling that purpose, you and I have an obligation to submit ourselves to it and obey. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:43.680 The reason this makes us uncomfortable is because we are trained as Americans. 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:44.799 That's part of our identity. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:49.200 We are trained as Americans, and our very founding was based on rebellion. 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:55.119 We don't like the idea of submission to tyrannical governments. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:26:09.039 But I gotta tell you, Christians in Sudan, Christians from Russia 30, 40 years ago, would have a much different outlook on life than you and I do. 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:19.759 We are to submit to them, not worrying about the outcome of situations, but rather look at verse 15 in 1 Peter 2. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:33.519 This is the will of God that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people, whether they be in government or whether they be your neighbors. 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:44.480 The Christian relates to authority in submission and obedience, not in rebellion at any point. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:53.200 So that by doing good, we could silence those who seek to silence us. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:27:01.920 We are to live as people who are free, not using our freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 00:27:02.079 --> 00:27:06.400 Let me ask you, what is your attitude towards authority? 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:13.519 Is it only acceptable to submit and obey authority when you are in agreement with that authority? 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:19.119 Or are you willing to submit and obey authority despite your disagreements with them? 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:29.039 Despite who's in the White House, who's in Congress, who's in the House of Representatives, who despite however many justices we have or who sits on the Supreme Court. 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:35.440 Are you ready and willing to submit to them? 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:45.200 I want to expand this a bit because I don't believe this is simply limited to human governments, although that is an expression of submission and obedience. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:49.200 Submission is the posture of the heart, the willingness to obey. 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:52.160 Obedience is the action of submission. 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:53.759 So the two go hand in hand. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:28:00.000 You can obey, but you might not be submissive because you're rolling your eyes and talking about how you don't want to do it. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.440 Parents can't get an amen from that, right? 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:07.599 They might be obedient but not submissive. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:14.079 Paul tells us to be obedient and submissive to authorities. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:26.640 We live, all of us, under an authority, whether it be in our homes, our church, our government, your workplace. 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:31.440 What is your relationship with the authority in your life? 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:39.680 And what does your attitude, your posture towards that authority reflect of you? 00:28:41.359 --> 00:29:00.799 If you're inclined towards rebelliousness, towards authority in the home, church, government, it reveals a contradiction to the sound doctrine that Paul is trying to have Titus teach in these churches, and it denies God with our actions. 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:08.400 God wants us to relate to authority in submission and obedience. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:18.720 And those who are truly shaped by God are willing to lay down their pride and humbly submit to the authorities in their lives, whether they agree with them or not. 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:31.599 The grace of God, the gospel shapes us and how we relate to authority, but not just that, it shapes in how we relate to others. 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:36.559 God's people are kind and gentle to all people. 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:41.680 God's people are kind and gentle to all people. 00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:42.880 I'm going to say that again. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:46.799 God's people are kind and gentle to all people. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:30:03.680 This goes hand in hand with the last one, regardless of your agreement or disagreement with them, whether or not they affiliate with your party, whether or not they affiliate with your denomination, whether or not they're that weird uncle who shows up on Thanksgiving, maybe you are that weird uncle, I'm sorry. 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:06.319 It doesn't matter. 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:12.240 I've often thought this question, I'm just spending some personal reflection here with you. 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:21.759 I've often wondered what would someone, such as a homosexual walking through those doors, how would they feel in this church? 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:30.640 If we were living this out, would they feel as if they are being, we are being gentle towards them and kind? 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:35.440 And there's a number of examples that we can fill in with that. 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:38.880 There's no exception to this. 00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:41.839 This is the Christian witness lived out. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:45.440 This is the gospel shaping what we do. 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:54.559 Whether you're in person or sitting behind a computer screen, we are to be kind and gentle to all people. 00:30:54.640 --> 00:31:02.160 And the manner in which that's shown that Paul says here, he says, to speak evil of no one and to avoid fights, avoid quarreling. 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:06.160 That word not speaking evil is literally to blaspheme. 00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:10.319 And blasphemy in ancient times was a serious offense. 00:31:10.400 --> 00:31:15.200 It was taking God's word and or God's name and using it in an inappropriate way. 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:19.759 It was a serious offense worthy of the death penalty in the Old Testament. 00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:31.599 Paul uses that word as it relates to others, blaspheming people, slandering them, dragging their names through the mud. 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:40.880 We don't do that as God's people, because we are to be kind and gentle to all people. 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:44.720 The gospel shapes what we do. 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:55.279 Our conduct towards authorities and towards a watching world is a direct reflection of God's conduct towards you and I. 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:59.759 And that brings me to my next point. 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:03.759 The gospel shapes who we are. 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:06.559 This is our identity, friends. 00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:14.559 We've talked about the gospel shaping our desires and our actions, but now we're getting to the core of who we are. 00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:16.960 The gospel shapes who we are. 00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:18.960 Look with me in verse 3. 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:35.200 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. 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:50.720 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God, I'm gonna pause right there and I want to rewind. 00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:52.799 This is who you were, everybody. 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:55.519 I don't care where you came from, this is who you were. 00:32:55.920 --> 00:33:04.240 Rebellious, disobedient, slandering others, led astray, you were slaves to your passions and pleasures. 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:10.559 You passed your days in malice, and you might say, Well, I'm not naturally an angry person, but you probably get angry towards people who disagree with you. 00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:12.720 This is who we were. 00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:21.200 But God, when when his loving kindness and goodness appeared, he saved us. 00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:24.319 He saved us. 00:33:24.640 --> 00:33:25.680 He saved you. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:26.960 You didn't save yourself. 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:29.440 That's clarified by what he says next. 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:33.920 Not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy. 00:33:34.160 --> 00:33:45.039 My friends, if you are here today and you are not a Christian and you don't understand the difference between Christianity and all the world's religions and all the world's philosophies, this is it. 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:51.839 Christianity is not a religion of do, it is a religion of done. 00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:54.319 It's been done for you. 00:33:54.880 --> 00:34:02.720 In fact, nothing, absolutely nothing you do contributes one ounce to God saving you. 00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:07.119 He didn't look down the corridor of your life and say, Well, this person's gonna be awesome. 00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:08.400 I might use him. 00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:12.559 Well, she's got godly conduct, she's gonna straighten her husband out. 00:34:12.639 --> 00:34:13.840 I'm gonna save her. 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:16.719 God doesn't do that. 00:34:17.360 --> 00:34:19.199 God did not do that. 00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:26.960 He saves you because he is loving and kind. 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:33.760 He saves you according to his own mercy. 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:39.039 He pours out his spirit on you. 00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:50.480 He washes your heart, he regenerates it so that your desires are now shaped by the goodness of God and your actions flow out of that. 00:34:50.880 --> 00:34:53.920 He regenerates you, he renews you. 00:34:55.360 --> 00:35:03.679 And being justified by his grace, we become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:06.800 This is who you are. 00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:09.679 For those of you who are in Christ. 00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:11.440 This is you. 00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:18.480 You are not foolish because you've been given the wisdom of God. 00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:24.239 You are not disobedient because God has regenerated your heart to obedience. 00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:28.800 You are not led astray because God has found you. 00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:35.119 You are not a slave to your passions and pleasures because you are now a slave to righteousness and God. 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:40.880 You are not passing your days in malice and envy. 00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:47.920 Instead, you are passing your days now in committing your life to the good works that God has called us to. 00:35:48.880 --> 00:35:50.480 This is who we are. 00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:58.960 Don't ever think that the things you do come from anywhere else if you are in Christ. 00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:04.239 They don't come from you being an American, they don't come from you being a parent, they don't come from your job. 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:10.800 They don't come from anything that's happened to you in the past, it won't come from anything that you hope to happen to you in the future. 00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:20.800 This is your identity, and out of this identity flows the things that we do as God's people. 00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:26.639 Verse 8, Paul says, the saying is trustworthy. 00:36:26.800 --> 00:36:28.960 I want you to insist on these things. 00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:30.719 I want you to insist on these things. 00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:31.440 Why? 00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:42.719 So that those who have believed in God, those who find their identity in the gospel, may be careful to devote themselves to good works. 00:36:44.639 --> 00:36:46.559 Who do you think you are? 00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:50.719 Who do you believe yourself to be? 00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:56.480 That shapes everything we do. 00:36:57.840 --> 00:36:59.519 I would love to stop there. 00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:01.679 Unfortunately, that's not where Paul stops. 00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:12.079 We have to discuss a brief problem here because Paul seems to end the train of thought, not there in verse 8, but rather in verse 11. 00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:14.400 So we have a few more verses to go. 00:37:14.880 --> 00:37:16.239 Why does Paul continue on? 00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:30.079 Well, that's because anytime God's people are reminded of who they are and called to live godly lives and called to good works, there are going to be lies creeping closely. 00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:37.280 The enemy is going to try and keep God's people from fulfilling God's purposes. 00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:53.119 And that's why Paul says, be, I'm sorry, but avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 00:37:53.360 --> 00:37:59.360 And the people who perpetuate these lies and stir up division, they should be warned once and then twice. 00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:07.679 And if they still don't listen, they should have, we should have nothing more to do with them, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful, he is self-condemned. 00:38:07.840 --> 00:38:10.320 Those are powerful words. 00:38:11.199 --> 00:38:18.079 But these are lies that Paul is referring to that are meant to distract God's people from who they are and what they are to do. 00:38:18.239 --> 00:38:20.639 I pray we don't take them lightly. 00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:24.239 This is a call to discernment, my friends. 00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:30.400 And not just discernment, but also submission and obedience to authorities. 00:38:30.639 --> 00:38:34.639 You might wonder why I'm saying that, why I'm calling back to that previous point. 00:38:34.800 --> 00:38:46.159 That's because God has placed in this church elders and pastors who love you dearly, who care for you very much. 00:38:47.360 --> 00:38:49.360 It grieves us. 00:38:50.079 --> 00:38:56.480 We pray and pour out our heart to God when we see people being deceived by these things. 00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:09.199 And sometimes when we try and warn people, we're often given the cold shoulder or told, you know, well, you know, I believe this part of God's Bible, you must believe another part of God's Bible. 00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:12.639 And that's exactly the way these people operated. 00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:14.320 The false teachers. 00:39:15.599 --> 00:39:28.239 They would find things in God's word and build entire doctrinal systems on those things and use that doctrinal system to pull God's people away because it sounded nice. 00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:31.679 You could point to a book, chapter, and verse about it. 00:39:33.039 --> 00:39:42.559 My friends, if you don't believe what I'm saying, this is exactly why Paul told Titus to appoint elders in every town. 00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:44.639 Read chapter one. 00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:49.679 He lays out the qualifications for elders and then says what they are to do. 00:39:49.840 --> 00:39:56.880 They are to combat false doctrine, not because of themselves, but for the people they are leading. 00:39:58.880 --> 00:40:00.639 My friends, I pray. 00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:07.920 I pray that the gospel would shape our desires and deeds because it has radically shaped who we are. 00:40:08.639 --> 00:40:12.960 I pray that we would find our motivation and who we are in Christ. 00:40:14.400 --> 00:40:27.199 And I pray that we would not be distracted by anything that's going to pull us away from our identity in Christ and what we are to do. 00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:28.960 Let's pray. 00:40:32.320 --> 00:40:33.599 God in heaven. 00:40:38.079 --> 00:40:45.039 It is a it is a heavy thing to reflect on who we are. 00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:51.920 I can't get away, Lord, from verses three and four. 00:40:52.400 --> 00:40:56.639 We were living in rebelliousness, lawlessness against you. 00:40:58.239 --> 00:40:59.760 And you came. 00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:03.360 You came to us. 00:41:05.280 --> 00:41:09.599 You took our sins upon your broad shoulders. 00:41:09.760 --> 00:41:12.719 You suffered the wrath of God in our place. 00:41:14.960 --> 00:41:20.480 So that we would have a new transformed identity. 00:41:21.679 --> 00:41:27.039 To where we can now do good works, not for ourselves, but for you, Lord. 00:41:27.599 --> 00:41:34.880 And we know that in our doing good for you, we know that's where eternal lasting change happens. 00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:39.679 Lord, I pray this week we would lean into who we are. 00:41:40.880 --> 00:41:43.280 We would lean into our identity. 00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:51.199 We would let the gospel shape our thinking, our desires, and our actions. 00:41:52.559 --> 00:42:05.679 I pray, Lord, that you would protect us, giving us discernment from the many distractions of the false gospels that are prevalent everywhere. 00:42:06.559 --> 00:42:18.800 Coming in the forms of books and Bible studies and YouTube channels, Lord, protect us from that so that we may not lose sight of who we are and what we are to do for you. 00:42:18.960 --> 00:42:21.119 We pray this in Christ's name. 00:42:21.679 --> 00:42:22.320