1 00:00:04,900 --> 00:00:08,800 Good morning, how are you? Good, glad that you were doing. 2 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,000 Well, it's good to be back from what felt like the Land of the 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:16,800 Dead last week, so most of you may know I had stomach bugs, 4 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:21,600 that wasn't fun, but I Want To Praise James Jones for coming to 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:26,300 bat in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded and two outs 6 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,000 needing a hit and James came through beautifully. 7 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,800 So thank you, brother James for your faithfulness and your 8 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,500 willingness, to For each when you recall that 6 p.m. on 9 00:00:36,500 --> 00:00:39,600 Saturday so love you brother. Thank you. 10 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:45,400 We are continuing in Titus Chapter 2, James began with 11 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,700 11:00 and 12:00 last week. What is a portion that does go 12 00:00:49,700 --> 00:00:52,200 together? But there's two giant truths 13 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:57,000 that needed at least by my estimation, a sermon each, but 14 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:01,500 you could spend weeks unpacking. What is in these four verses 15 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:06,100 here and so what? What's happened is Paul has just 16 00:01:06,100 --> 00:01:09,900 gone through in Chapter 2. If you remember some practical 17 00:01:09,900 --> 00:01:14,000 instruction for Godly living, he has his laid out what it looks 18 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,200 like to Adorn the gospel with godliness. 19 00:01:17,500 --> 00:01:20,900 He Paul starts by telling Titus teach what Accords with sound 20 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:23,200 doctrine. That is teach how to live as 21 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,100 those who have received sound Doctrine. 22 00:01:26,100 --> 00:01:29,400 There's a way of life now that follows this, and so the sound 23 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,200 Doctrine. Absolutely comes first, and 24 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,100 that's what James hit on last week. 25 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,100 Well, was that? Here's the sound Doctrine. 26 00:01:36,100 --> 00:01:39,100 Here's where you've been saved and that Grace that appear 27 00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:43,000 teaches us to renounce worldliness ungodliness and to 28 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,900 live a certain way. Self-controlled upright Godly 29 00:01:46,900 --> 00:01:51,600 lives in this prison age and so we've seen some of those things 30 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,400 but in the second part of this there's a second appearing that 31 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,100 shows up there's the the appearing of. 32 00:01:58,100 --> 00:02:03,000 So we have in in verse 11 it says that God's that the grace 33 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:08,100 of God has He appeared and then in verse 13, it says waiting for 34 00:02:08,100 --> 00:02:12,500 our blessed hope the appearing. So let me just read 11 through 35 00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:15,300 14 and kind of catch the flow of what's going on here. 36 00:02:15,900 --> 00:02:19,200 And then we'll dive in a little bit more for the grace of God 37 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:25,300 has appeared bringing salvation. For all people training us to 38 00:02:25,300 --> 00:02:29,900 renounce, ungodliness and worldly, passions and to live. 39 00:02:29,900 --> 00:02:35,900 Self-controlled upright and godly lives in The present age 40 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,300 verse 13, waiting for our blessed. 41 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:46,200 Hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, 42 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:52,800 Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all 43 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:57,900 lawlessness. And to purify for himself a 44 00:02:57,900 --> 00:03:02,400 people for his own possession who are zealous for. 45 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,500 Good works. So the first appearance of Grace 46 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,900 is the grace that saves. It's the grace that transforms 47 00:03:10,900 --> 00:03:12,800 your life. It's the grace that takes you 48 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,200 from spiritually dead to spiritually alive. 49 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,900 It is the grace that is bringing salvation for all people, 50 00:03:19,900 --> 00:03:23,200 training them to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions 51 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:27,100 to live self-controlled Upright Godly lives in the present age. 52 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:33,100 It is transforming Grace and if that Grace has appeared in your 53 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:37,500 life, it has transformed you. That is what Paul is saying here 54 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:41,600 to Titus, is that it is Grace, that transforms and it has 55 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,300 appeared because Christ has appeared. 56 00:03:44,300 --> 00:03:48,400 It's the kind of Grace that regenerates, your heart. 57 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,900 Is the kind of Grace that gives you a new heart. 58 00:03:51,900 --> 00:03:54,500 Ezekiel 36 we read there from the prophet Ezekiel. 59 00:03:54,500 --> 00:03:58,500 God speaking to the people, he says, I will give you a new 60 00:03:58,500 --> 00:04:01,500 heart and I will put my spirit in. 61 00:04:01,500 --> 00:04:04,900 You, there's a regeneration that takes place. 62 00:04:05,100 --> 00:04:08,500 This is the kind of Grace, that justifies your soul. 63 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,500 You were once condemned in your trespasses and sins against God. 64 00:04:12,500 --> 00:04:17,899 But because Grace has appeared, you have been Justified freely 65 00:04:17,899 --> 00:04:21,399 by his grace Paul, It's elsewhere, you've been Justified 66 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:24,800 freely by the grace of God. You are so now, stands 67 00:04:24,900 --> 00:04:28,000 unconditioned before, God your know, your soul. 68 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:34,200 Now stands free before God because of the work of Christ if 69 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,300 you have indeed believed in Christ, Jesus as your savior and 70 00:04:38,300 --> 00:04:40,700 it's the kind of Grace that sanctifies your life. 71 00:04:40,700 --> 00:04:44,900 So it's kind of Grace that regenerates it justifies and it 72 00:04:44,900 --> 00:04:48,100 sanctifies your life, meaning it cleanses you from all 73 00:04:48,100 --> 00:04:51,100 unrighteousness. It Teaches you to renounce 74 00:04:51,100 --> 00:04:55,500 worldly, passions it, teaches you to renounce on godliness and 75 00:04:55,500 --> 00:04:59,300 to live a certain way. This was again, what James 76 00:04:59,300 --> 00:05:03,300 touched on, so beautifully last week, and that is what Jesus 77 00:05:03,300 --> 00:05:07,600 Christ has provided to you through this first appearing 78 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:12,300 that he has appeared and he provides this through his life 79 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,900 and through his death and through his resurrection for all 80 00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:19,600 who call upon his name, Amen. Amen. 81 00:05:19,900 --> 00:05:22,600 So the second appearance though, that we see here is the 82 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:27,500 appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus 83 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,900 Christ. This is a different kind of 84 00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:34,000 appearance. It is when Christ returns one 85 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:39,100 day, future tense together, those people whom he has saved 86 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:43,400 together together, all his people, those who were saved by 87 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,700 his grace through faith in his name. 88 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:51,300 And that's We see in verse 13. We have the present age in view, 89 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,900 but but here in the end of the present, here we have the end of 90 00:05:54,900 --> 00:05:59,400 the present age in view that at the end of this present age at 91 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:02,200 the end of this is when Christ returns. 92 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:05,600 And at the end of that when he does return, that is when he 93 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,400 gathers together, his people and the new Heaven and the new Earth 94 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,500 that all things are made new and I'll touch on that a little bit 95 00:06:12,500 --> 00:06:16,700 more as we go today. This is when Christ comes. 96 00:06:16,900 --> 00:06:21,000 And what is an unveiled Glory, previously? 97 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:25,200 He's come and a veiled Glory. We were able to see his glory to 98 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:29,600 an extent, but now, he will come and an uninvolved glory. 99 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,100 And when he does, he will righteously judge the living and 100 00:06:33,100 --> 00:06:36,400 the dead. When he comes to make all things 101 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,800 new, he will declare those who are in Christ. 102 00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:45,800 As righteous and he will declare those who have denied Christ. 103 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:50,800 As unrighteous one will go into eternal life in heaven, to dwell 104 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,100 with Jesus forever. Amen. 105 00:06:54,100 --> 00:06:58,100 And the other will go into R Eternal condemnation and hell to 106 00:06:58,100 --> 00:07:02,700 dwell apart from the presence of Christ forever. 107 00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:05,400 They'll be under God's Wrath for eternity. 108 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:13,100 And Paul tells Titus. But this is the Blessed Hope Of 109 00:07:13,100 --> 00:07:17,700 Our Lives. That Christ will appear again. 110 00:07:19,100 --> 00:07:24,400 This is a blessed hope so live. Then in such a way, as to show 111 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,700 that you are waiting for the Blessed hope of Christ. 112 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,100 And so the thing, the truth, kind of the overarching truth. 113 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:34,100 I want to put before you today is this, and if you're taking 114 00:07:34,100 --> 00:07:36,200 notes, I ask that you write it down. 115 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:42,800 It's the Blessed hope of Christ's return, is the fuel to 116 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:47,100 your Christian Life. The Blessed hope of Christ's 117 00:07:47,100 --> 00:07:51,400 return is the fuel for your Christian Life. 118 00:07:52,700 --> 00:07:54,600 Let me pray for you as you're pinning. 119 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,500 That Heavenly Father, we praise you for your word. 120 00:07:57,500 --> 00:08:00,700 We praise you. For the first appearance of 121 00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:04,000 Christ that we've seen, we praise you father that we have 122 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:08,600 the hope of a second appearance and God it is evident throughout 123 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:13,200 scripture throughout church history throughout the ages 124 00:08:13,300 --> 00:08:18,200 father that this second appearance of Christ is the 125 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,200 Believers, great. Hope that it is the thing that 126 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:25,600 gets us through All things. It's the thing that powers us 127 00:08:25,700 --> 00:08:28,800 for Mission. It's the thing that empowers us 128 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:33,299 through Despair and helps us to know that know all of these 129 00:08:33,299 --> 00:08:37,600 things are worth it. Paul writes in 2nd Corinthians 130 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:42,400 4. Lord that That these things. 131 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,400 That are happening to us, these worldly persecutions and trials 132 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,800 and tribulations. But these things are building 133 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:57,100 for us an eternal weight of Glory beyond all comparison. 134 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:02,100 And so he says, I fix my eyes not on the things that are seen, 135 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,700 but on the things that are unseen because the things that 136 00:09:05,700 --> 00:09:08,900 are seen are transient, they're changing, but that that is 137 00:09:08,900 --> 00:09:14,200 unseen, that Eternal hope. Is sure. 138 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:23,100 And it will not be defiled. Father, help us to capture that 139 00:09:23,100 --> 00:09:26,900 today. As this is the fuel for a 140 00:09:26,900 --> 00:09:30,600 faithful fruitful Christian Life, I believe it with all my 141 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,700 heart. Lord, I pray that you would help 142 00:09:33,700 --> 00:09:36,900 us all in here today to see these truths. 143 00:09:37,300 --> 00:09:42,500 Amen. Childbirth. 144 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,600 I don't know much about childbirth. 145 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,600 Firsthand all my information comes second hand, right? 146 00:09:51,300 --> 00:09:54,800 Childbirth is one of those things that is miraculous. 147 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,900 It is a it is a walking miracle for sure. 148 00:09:58,900 --> 00:10:01,800 I mean it's a it's a present every day kind of miracle that 149 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:05,300 takes place. The moment of conception all the 150 00:10:05,300 --> 00:10:11,200 way to the moment of childbirth is just a, it's a changing 151 00:10:11,300 --> 00:10:14,500 phenomenon in each day. And I can't do this Justice. 152 00:10:14,500 --> 00:10:17,300 I really should have somebody like Patricia telling you what 153 00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:20,200 it's like but but what I've observed is this is that each 154 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:28,900 moment is something new, right? There's new emotions there. 155 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,900 There's no hormones that there's new impact on the body. 156 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,800 There's growth, there's new experiences with pushing of feet 157 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:44,800 and hands. There is growth that I mentioned 158 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:50,100 that ladies there. there's pains that come with it, there's 159 00:10:50,100 --> 00:10:54,500 sickness, there's joys in the moment of it as you're hearing a 160 00:10:54,500 --> 00:10:59,200 heartbeat for the very first time or seeing an image of your 161 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:03,200 child on a little screen, mean there's so many moments to 162 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,500 childbirth and then there's the moment of delivery which is just 163 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,900 insane. It's Madness, it's chaos. 164 00:11:12,300 --> 00:11:15,900 And yet, it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen firsthand. 165 00:11:16,700 --> 00:11:22,900 Is the birth of a child and what's really amazing is that a 166 00:11:22,908 --> 00:11:27,100 woman can go through all of that, the birthing well, over 167 00:11:27,100 --> 00:11:29,900 the growth, and the hormones, and all of those exciting. 168 00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:35,400 And and sometimes not exciting moments And for them, it's 169 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:40,400 building its building up anticipation from the beginning 170 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,300 to the end. And so when the day finally 171 00:11:43,300 --> 00:11:48,200 comes for birth, to take place, and now you're in labor, which 172 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:52,700 is Only increased pain from anything you have experienced 173 00:11:52,700 --> 00:11:56,100 previously. It's the worst pain from what I 174 00:11:56,108 --> 00:12:01,000 can tell. And then when that's over, you 175 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:02,600 get to hold a child in your arms. 176 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,600 And the holding of the child is one of those things that are 177 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:11,600 that a woman does and within moments she can declare it was 178 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,600 all worth it. I'll do it again and I'm 179 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:20,800 thinking Lord no. Yeah I would if it's been up to 180 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,000 me Wells would be our only child so I'd have been done. 181 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,900 I'm not sure I would have done that so just based on the 182 00:12:27,500 --> 00:12:32,000 birthing process alone. But but childbirth can help us 183 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:36,900 understand what it means to wait for our blessed hope. 184 00:12:38,300 --> 00:12:40,600 What does it mean to wait for our blessed? 185 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:45,300 Hope the appearing of the glory of our great. 186 00:12:45,300 --> 00:12:50,900 God and Savior, Jesus Christ. But the word waiting for here 187 00:12:50,900 --> 00:12:53,800 means that you are looking forward to. 188 00:12:53,800 --> 00:13:00,300 You are anticipating something. This is not like I don't know. 189 00:13:00,300 --> 00:13:01,200 I was trying to think of something. 190 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,200 You wait for that. You just kind of casually 191 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,400 waiting for, right? It's not a casual waiting. 192 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,900 This is like waiting for someone who's coming for a visit for the 193 00:13:09,900 --> 00:13:12,100 holidays and you're kind of, you're getting the house, ready? 194 00:13:12,100 --> 00:13:14,400 You're preparing things. You're excited to see, maybe 195 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:16,000 it's an old friend or a family member. 196 00:13:16,100 --> 00:13:19,600 You're excited to embrace them to enjoy conversation with them 197 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,000 to brew some coffee with them. Something right? 198 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,800 Like you're looking forward to that meeting. 199 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,800 That's the kind of waiting that's in both here. 200 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:32,200 And I think childbirth captures, That better than waiting on a 201 00:13:32,208 --> 00:13:34,800 friend, because it captures the ups and the Downs of the 202 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,700 waiting, it waiting comes with times of frustration. 203 00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:42,100 There are moments where I don't like waiting. 204 00:13:42,100 --> 00:13:45,800 There's moments where I think man I'm I'm through waiting 205 00:13:45,900 --> 00:13:52,100 father, can this just end right? Ladies are like, first trimester 206 00:13:52,100 --> 00:13:54,700 when I'm sickest right? Let this just end. 207 00:13:58,900 --> 00:14:04,200 Waiting comes with fears. It comes with fears. 208 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:11,100 Like am I waiting for no reason? Am I waiting for something 209 00:14:11,100 --> 00:14:17,400 that's not going to happen. I look foolish in my waiting 210 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,500 because I'm, I'm waiting for something that I believe is 211 00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:23,600 coming and everyone around me. Seems oblivious to it and think 212 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,500 so there's no way. And SO waiting can be lonely. 213 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:38,000 Laying waiting can be can bring about sadness. again, kind of in 214 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:42,400 the same vein of fears, But as time goes on, you You might 215 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,200 become sad. Like, I don't know if this 216 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:48,500 waiting is going to pay off. Those things might be described 217 00:14:48,500 --> 00:14:53,100 as setbacks. Waiting also comes with times of 218 00:14:53,100 --> 00:14:57,900 contentment. We're waiting informs my ability 219 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,800 to go through circumstances with contentment. 220 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:10,100 That waiting lets me know these moments of waiting are worth it, 221 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,000 even though they may be difficult, even though they may 222 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,800 be hard, even though they may be bringing about Despair and 223 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:22,100 depression. Waiting can bring contentment. 224 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:27,900 Waiting can bring courage. It's a waiting can produce fear 225 00:15:27,900 --> 00:15:30,400 but Whiting can produce courage to because if I'm waiting for 226 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:35,100 something that I'm sure of I can have courage in a moment where I 227 00:15:35,108 --> 00:15:38,900 might normally have fear. I can look at the circumstances 228 00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:43,200 around me and see that things, at least in present tense are 229 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:48,600 imploding. But I can say this is not the 230 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,400 end, this is not what it looks like at the end of all things. 231 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,100 And so I can be courageous in my waiting. 232 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:00,000 Waiting can also produce excitement, right? 233 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,700 I love that waiting builds. Anticipation waiting for 234 00:16:02,700 --> 00:16:06,700 something like Christmas or your birthday, or something, you're 235 00:16:06,700 --> 00:16:08,800 looking forward to. It builds an excitement like as 236 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:13,300 the day draws near, I get more and more excited about it. 237 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,100 There ought to be an excitement that's attached to waiting. 238 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:25,300 Waiting can also bring progress. Waiting reveals progress, there 239 00:16:25,300 --> 00:16:28,100 are things that happen in moments of waiting, from 240 00:16:28,100 --> 00:16:32,400 beginning to end that show growth, right? 241 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:34,400 I use the illustration of childbirth, a moment ago, that 242 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:38,600 the belly begins to grow it. Expands you can see progress, 243 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:42,100 you can feel kicks and foot feet kicking against. 244 00:16:42,100 --> 00:16:47,100 You can feel hands pushing against you Rolling around like 245 00:16:47,100 --> 00:16:52,900 waiting reveals progress. But knowing there's a great joy 246 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:58,100 to be gained on the other end of her pregnancy, a mother presses 247 00:16:58,300 --> 00:17:01,100 onward. She's eagerly anticipating her 248 00:17:01,100 --> 00:17:07,599 baby's arrival, and it is what fuels, it's what fuels her on 249 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:15,599 the good days and the bad days. her waiting the hope of Brothers 250 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:18,800 and sisters, listen to me. The Blessed hope. 251 00:17:20,300 --> 00:17:24,700 Of Christ's return is the fuel for your Christian Life. 252 00:17:27,599 --> 00:17:32,600 It ought to be what fuels you if you can get deep down in you in 253 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:38,800 Eternal view of life, that this life, my 70 80 years. 254 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:47,000 By reason, Moses says in Psalm 90 If I can get in view that 255 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:52,600 that is, but a blip on the radar of Eternity, barely a blip. 256 00:17:54,700 --> 00:17:58,100 Then I can understand that the fraction of my life. 257 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,000 Is meant to be spent for something else. 258 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:09,000 Then building my own kingdom. What good is a kingdom erected 259 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:15,100 in 70, or 80 years? when it comes to Eternity, how 260 00:18:15,100 --> 00:18:18,400 many literal kingdoms not just little sand castles like what 261 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,200 I'm talking about, how many literal kingdoms have fallen 262 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,100 just in the six thousand or so years at the world's been around 263 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:29,600 many Many of which men and that day would have said it will 264 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:35,300 never fall. So the point is that there is 265 00:18:35,300 --> 00:18:38,400 something Eternal and we need to capture as Christians and 266 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:42,700 eternal mindset, that we are not bound to this world. 267 00:18:42,700 --> 00:18:46,300 We're not living for our own lives and our own stuff in this 268 00:18:46,300 --> 00:18:49,600 world. We are waiting eagerly 269 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,500 anticipating the return of Christ. 270 00:18:54,700 --> 00:18:57,200 And that should inform the way we wait. 271 00:18:58,300 --> 00:19:01,100 It should inform the way we work. 272 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,300 Let's talk a little further about eagerly awaiting Christ's 273 00:19:06,300 --> 00:19:09,000 return in glory. I want to read to you. 274 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:13,400 These are versus again, so they're back before us waiting 275 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,300 for our blessed. Hope the appearing of the glory 276 00:19:16,300 --> 00:19:19,600 of our great, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 277 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:26,200 Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness. 278 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,600 And to purify for himself a people for his own possession. 279 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:41,200 So idea of eagerly anticipating. Our happy. 280 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:46,900 Hope that this literally what this idea is waiting is out of 281 00:19:46,900 --> 00:19:50,200 eagerly anticipating. Blessed. 282 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:57,300 Hope is Happy hope. Or hope which brings great joy. 283 00:19:57,700 --> 00:20:01,700 It's hope which blesses you that that's what's in view here is 284 00:20:01,700 --> 00:20:04,300 the kind of hope that is a blessing to you and you were 285 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:09,500 eagerly waiting for this hope that is Kept For You in Heaven. 286 00:20:12,700 --> 00:20:15,500 John Stott comments. He says, he who appeared briefly 287 00:20:15,500 --> 00:20:19,900 on the stage of history and disappeared will one day 288 00:20:19,900 --> 00:20:23,200 reappear. He appeared in Grace. 289 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:28,400 He will reappear in glory. In fact, the future appearance 290 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:33,000 of Glory is the Supreme object of our Christian hope waiting 291 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:40,800 for our blessed hope. it was great, a miracle and thus, 292 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:44,900 greater blessing as childbirth, is as miraculous as that thing 293 00:20:44,900 --> 00:20:52,800 is, as, as amazing as it is, The hope of the Christian Life is 294 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,100 greater. It's more impactful. 295 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,500 It's more worthy of Praise. It's more worthy of focus is 296 00:20:59,500 --> 00:21:03,500 more worthy of Celebration. And that is the appearance of 297 00:21:03,500 --> 00:21:06,500 our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. 298 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:12,900 Now, this phrase, our great God and savior deserves, at least a 299 00:21:12,908 --> 00:21:15,400 common, it deserves a whole sermon, but what it's going to 300 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:19,700 get at least a comment that this is one of the most unambiguous. 301 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,400 Announcements of the deity of Christ that we have in our new 302 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,700 testament. It is one of the most clear 303 00:21:25,700 --> 00:21:28,500 statements, we have in the New Testament about the deity of 304 00:21:28,500 --> 00:21:33,700 Christ Jesus that he is. God, he is not God. 305 00:21:33,700 --> 00:21:39,200 The father is God the son. He's the second member of our 306 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:40,600 Triune God. Amen. 307 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:46,000 And we see that here that he is our great, God and Savior Jesus 308 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:50,400 Christ. And one of the things about the 309 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,300 appearing of his glory that I thought was interesting, as I 310 00:21:53,308 --> 00:21:55,200 was reading through this, I'm sinking now. 311 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,200 It could be said, Paul that we've already seen his glory. 312 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:02,100 That is glories already appeared. 313 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:06,100 He calls it Grace. He says that his grace appeared. 314 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,000 But it could be said because other Riders have said it that 315 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,500 we have seen his glory, listen to John 1:14, and the word 316 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:18,200 became flesh which is Christ and dwelt among us. 317 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:24,900 And we have seen his glory. Glory, as of the only son from 318 00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:29,500 the father full of grace and truth, Amen. 319 00:22:30,900 --> 00:22:35,600 The writer of Hebrews in 1:3. He says, talking of Christ 320 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,400 again. He says he is the radiance of 321 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:44,300 the glory of God that he's the exact imprint of his nature and 322 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:48,700 he upholds, the universe by the word of his power. 323 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,200 And after making purification for sins, he sat down at the 324 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,200 right hand of the Majesty on high. 325 00:22:56,900 --> 00:22:59,600 That's Glory, right? He says he's there. 326 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,200 He's the radiance of the glory of God. 327 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:06,400 He's the exact imprint of God's nature. 328 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:11,700 We have seen in Jesus Christ. God's glory clearly. 329 00:23:13,100 --> 00:23:16,000 It's evident it's not only evident in the signs and wonders 330 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,800 that he did which revealed things that only God could do. 331 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:23,900 It's evident in the things that he said about himself. 332 00:23:26,300 --> 00:23:30,500 And the Gospel of John he is all about making it known that he is 333 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:33,700 from the father and that he and the father are one and in saying 334 00:23:33,700 --> 00:23:37,500 that the Jews were mad at him because he was making himself 335 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:46,100 equal with God. And so we have seen his glory. 336 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,300 To an extent. To an extent. 337 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,800 However, when Christ comes again, we will see his glory in 338 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,300 full. Now, this will be more Vivid 339 00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:04,900 than going from like a 13 inch black and white tube Style TV. 340 00:24:04,900 --> 00:24:06,600 There's several of you in here, like, I don't know what that 341 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:11,100 means, right? You grew up on LCD screens, plus 342 00:24:11,100 --> 00:24:13,100 your heart, right? You don't know what roughing it 343 00:24:13,100 --> 00:24:16,800 is? So It's like going from one of 344 00:24:16,808 --> 00:24:23,100 those itty bitty things to a 60 inch, 4K ultra high definition 345 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:27,300 TV, right? It's Vivid the pictures better. 346 00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:31,600 The colors are more Vivid their life like even it's almost like 347 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,900 you're sitting in the show that you're watching. 348 00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:36,200 You're on the football field with the players. 349 00:24:37,500 --> 00:24:41,100 And Christ's return will be more Vivid. 350 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,800 Than when he came the first time, his glory will be seen 351 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:49,500 more clearly. Previously, his glory was 352 00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:54,100 veiled, how do we know because so many didn't see it, right? 353 00:24:54,100 --> 00:24:57,300 We live under the impression. Now, at least I have, I'll use 354 00:24:57,300 --> 00:24:59,300 an i statement. Sorry, I live under the 355 00:24:59,300 --> 00:25:02,500 impression at times, it meant like Christ, if you would just, 356 00:25:02,500 --> 00:25:07,100 like, if you just come again, or do some miracle, something that 357 00:25:07,100 --> 00:25:10,400 somebody could look on and they would believe in you. 358 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:16,000 I know they would And cross this like you idiots, have you not 359 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:19,900 read? Right throughout the gospels 360 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:25,100 where he's performing sign and wonder, and wonder, and sign and 361 00:25:25,100 --> 00:25:28,300 the people are looking at them. And they're saying, give me 362 00:25:28,300 --> 00:25:36,700 another sign. They saw him face-to-face. 363 00:25:37,500 --> 00:25:39,700 He was the very word of God revealed to them. 364 00:25:39,700 --> 00:25:42,900 He's interacting with men who knew the word of God better than 365 00:25:42,900 --> 00:25:49,100 anyone in their day and they can't see Their Eyes Were 366 00:25:49,100 --> 00:25:54,900 veiled. But when Christ comes again, one 367 00:25:54,900 --> 00:25:58,900 day, when Christ Returns, the veil will be lifted and His 368 00:25:58,900 --> 00:26:03,900 glory will appear and we will see him as he truly is the 369 00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:08,400 radiance of the glory of God in full definition. 370 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:12,700 Amen. Our hearts will soar. 371 00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:17,800 Our souls will sing Paul reminds us here of he's reminding Titus 372 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:21,400 here at the Salvation that Jesus manifested, right? 373 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,900 He says, he gave himself for us to redeem us from all sinfulness 374 00:26:25,900 --> 00:26:29,300 to purify a people for his own possession. 375 00:26:30,100 --> 00:26:33,400 And what he is saying now, is that when Christ returns, when 376 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:40,900 he comes, he will perfect the Salvation in US But the language 377 00:26:40,900 --> 00:26:46,300 that Paul uses is is vivid if you're Jewish. 378 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:52,100 If you were an Old Testament student, it would be more Vivid 379 00:26:52,100 --> 00:26:54,600 to you than maybe it is for us today. 380 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,100 Jesus Christ, is this is what Paul is saying that Jesus Christ 381 00:26:59,100 --> 00:27:01,300 is the Fulfillment of Old Testament. 382 00:27:01,300 --> 00:27:06,000 Foreshadowings of Salvation that he's the answer to what it is 383 00:27:06,700 --> 00:27:11,400 Jews were committed to knowing then still they can't see it 384 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:15,000 still, they're disrupting whole families with false teaching. 385 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:16,900 Right? That's what we saw in chapter 386 00:27:16,900 --> 00:27:19,500 one. And there's soap, Allah 387 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:22,800 describes vividly again. Here it is. 388 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:28,000 He saying that salvation is Christ that Christ is the only 389 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:32,800 way to be saved and this was a way to show Titus and titus's 390 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:37,400 Jewish opponents, that Christ is the only way to Salvation when 391 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:45,000 Paul says that he gave himself for us, The idea here is that he 392 00:27:45,100 --> 00:27:48,400 the word there means that he sacrificed himself. 393 00:27:49,900 --> 00:27:53,800 It means that he gave up himself for us. 394 00:27:55,000 --> 00:28:00,600 He became the sacrificial lamb, he became the one who atoned for 395 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,200 sins. He became the one who bore our 396 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:08,800 sin on his own back, just as the priest Would have been doing as 397 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:11,400 they took animals into the temple. 398 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:17,200 To offer them to God for the sins of the nation, for the sins 399 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:21,400 of individuals, for their own sin over and over again. 400 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:26,400 Christ, does it once and for all he is the Passover sacrifice. 401 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:34,400 and Paul says that he gave himself up to redeem us, the 402 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:38,500 idea of redemption is seen vividly and The Exodus of the 403 00:28:38,500 --> 00:28:42,100 Israelites from Egyptian slavery. 404 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,100 The Egyptians are held by pharaoh and slavery. 405 00:28:45,100 --> 00:28:49,100 They're being they're being tormented by being abused or 406 00:28:49,100 --> 00:28:53,100 being overworked. They're in captivity the cries 407 00:28:53,100 --> 00:28:56,800 of God's people come up to him and he raises up Moses to 408 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,000 deliver them out of Egypt, right? 409 00:29:01,900 --> 00:29:04,400 And so we have the Exodus in the book of Exodus. 410 00:29:04,700 --> 00:29:07,900 The exit is is the Redemption from Egyptian bondage. 411 00:29:07,900 --> 00:29:11,100 The Exodus of Christ is the Redemption from bondage to 412 00:29:11,100 --> 00:29:19,500 slavery, slavery of sin, specifically, He says it redeem 413 00:29:19,500 --> 00:29:22,200 us a people for his very own possession. 414 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:26,600 The Covenant of Mount Sinai there with Moses. 415 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:31,000 He he calls Israel, his treasured possession. 416 00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:35,800 The word that Paul is using here to say a people for his very own 417 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,200 possession, only appears here in Titus. 418 00:29:40,900 --> 00:29:44,800 There are versions of this idea. In other words that appear 419 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:47,100 elsewhere in the New Testament, but this is the one place that 420 00:29:47,100 --> 00:29:48,600 uses it. And the reason is because he's 421 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:52,900 tying it to Sinai. He's tying it to a people who 422 00:29:52,900 --> 00:29:58,200 were treasured by God, what he's saying to the Jews is, hey, look 423 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:02,700 here, right? He's saying this is Christ 424 00:30:02,700 --> 00:30:04,900 Christ. Has redeemed. 425 00:30:04,900 --> 00:30:06,600 A people for his very own possession. 426 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:10,000 We are as Christians. His treasured people. 427 00:30:12,500 --> 00:30:16,600 Were the Bounty of redemption or the reward of his Redemption? 428 00:30:17,700 --> 00:30:21,300 We're his treasure people. So what this means is brothers 429 00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:23,800 and sisters that you enjoy the same. 430 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:28,000 God that the Old Testament people enjoyed except you get to 431 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:32,400 see more vividly because you're on the backside of the coming of 432 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:36,000 Christ. You get to see more vividly what 433 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:39,200 they were waiting for. You get to see what they hoped 434 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:41,400 for. You've seen. 435 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:47,800 Jesus Christ for we are his redeemed people and because His 436 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:49,800 redeemed people. He is our Passover. 437 00:30:49,900 --> 00:30:53,100 He is our Exodus and he is our sauna, amen. 438 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:59,900 However, because we live in between times, we live in the 439 00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:03,400 balance of things, we live in a present age, that is not the 440 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:08,000 final age. We live between appearances. 441 00:31:09,100 --> 00:31:13,000 And because we do, we are to remember our Salvation were to 442 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:15,700 remember the work of Christ on the cross. 443 00:31:16,100 --> 00:31:19,000 We're not to forget it. This is why we take the Lord's 444 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,400 supper at least monthly around here. 445 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,500 It reminds us of the Cross of Christ. 446 00:31:23,500 --> 00:31:25,400 It reminds us that we are his people. 447 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:27,500 It reminds us that he's coming again. 448 00:31:30,500 --> 00:31:32,700 And so, we look ahead as we look back. 449 00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:38,900 We also look ahead These are the ideas of the already something 450 00:31:38,900 --> 00:31:42,000 that's been realized in the not yet something that has yet to be 451 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,800 realized. We are already saved by grace. 452 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:49,900 We are already joint heirs with Christ, but we are not yet. 453 00:31:51,300 --> 00:31:55,400 Presence in heaven with him. We are not yet perfected. 454 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:00,700 This will come when Christ returns and until that day, he 455 00:32:00,700 --> 00:32:06,600 is working on us. Romans 5 1 through 5. 456 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:10,000 Therefore since we have been justified by faith we have peace 457 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,500 with God through our Lord. Jesus Christ through him. 458 00:32:13,500 --> 00:32:15,300 We stand up. Sorry through him. 459 00:32:15,300 --> 00:32:20,900 We have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which 460 00:32:20,900 --> 00:32:25,800 we stand and we rejoice in Hope of the glory of God. 461 00:32:26,500 --> 00:32:34,200 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, That's a 462 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:36,500 sentence. No one wants to write. 463 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,800 That's a sentence that you can only ride if you have an eternal 464 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:44,600 perspective. Listen to How it builds, not 465 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:47,700 only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that 466 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,800 suffering, produces endurance, and endurance, produces 467 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:54,600 character and character produces hope. 468 00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:02,600 Hope. And hope does not put us to 469 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:07,200 shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts 470 00:33:07,300 --> 00:33:10,500 through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 471 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:14,800 How do we know that? We have hope because God's love 472 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:17,700 is in here. It's been poured into our hearts 473 00:33:17,700 --> 00:33:21,600 through the Holy Spirit. how do we know that we have hope 474 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:27,800 because, as we're suffering, We're rejoicing, we're rejoicing 475 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:30,000 because the suffering produces endurance. 476 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:33,200 We're rejoicing because the endurance produces character 477 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:38,800 we're rejoicing, because the character produces hope and hope 478 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:44,000 will not put you to shame. Because God has poured Into Your 479 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,400 Heart by his spirits, his own love. 480 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:52,400 It's self a testing is what I'm trying to tell you. 481 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:54,900 It's something that, you know, by experience. 482 00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:58,900 It's something that you know, by testing it as you go. 483 00:34:00,500 --> 00:34:07,200 Can I believe Romans 5? Is there hope? 484 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:13,800 Rejoice in your sufferings and find out. 485 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:24,500 Much easier said than done, listen to Romans 8 again, very 486 00:34:24,500 --> 00:34:27,900 similar thought here for. I consider that the sufferings 487 00:34:27,900 --> 00:34:31,699 of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory, 488 00:34:31,699 --> 00:34:35,000 that is to be revealed to us. So what's he talking about? 489 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,600 He's talking about a future Glory which is to be revealed. 490 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:41,100 There's a hope there and he's saying I've I consider that the 491 00:34:41,100 --> 00:34:43,900 sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to that. 492 00:34:44,199 --> 00:34:46,500 Another words they fell in comparison. 493 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:52,000 Write this Glory, that's coming out, shines it out, last it 494 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:57,900 outweighs my suffering today. For the creation Waits with 495 00:34:57,900 --> 00:35:01,800 eager longing, for the revealing of the sons of God, for the 496 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:06,400 creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but 497 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:11,700 because of him who subjected it in hope, that the creation 498 00:35:11,700 --> 00:35:17,200 itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain 499 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:20,400 the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 500 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,600 For, we know that the whole creation has been groaning 501 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:28,600 together in the Pains of Childbirth until now Paul 502 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:32,800 writes. Verse 23 there in Romans 8, and 503 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:37,000 not only the creation, but we ourselves who have the first 504 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,200 fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we. 505 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:43,800 Wait. Eagerly for adoption as Sons. 506 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:49,400 The Redemption of our bodies for in this hope we were saved. 507 00:35:50,700 --> 00:35:54,200 Now hope that is seen is not hope. 508 00:35:55,800 --> 00:36:00,600 For who hopes for what he sees. But if we hope for what we do, 509 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:04,800 not see we wait for it with patience. 510 00:36:05,900 --> 00:36:10,900 Eagerly waiting with patience. The hope that is kept in heaven, 511 00:36:11,100 --> 00:36:14,700 for you is the fuel to your Christian Life. 512 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:19,700 Over. And again the message is clear 513 00:36:19,700 --> 00:36:22,300 throughout the New Testament, especially in these verses to 514 00:36:22,300 --> 00:36:26,000 look back at your salvation to look back on your salvation in 515 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,600 Christ. Jesus, as you look forward to as 516 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:32,200 you anticipate his coming again in full Glory. 517 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:38,200 It's to remember your salvation. As you look forward, it's to 518 00:36:38,300 --> 00:36:44,800 from your salvation, have a holy hope about you a joyous hope 519 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:47,900 about you. The Blessed hope of Christ's 520 00:36:47,900 --> 00:36:51,800 return, is the fuel to your Christian Life. 521 00:36:55,800 --> 00:37:02,700 Amen. In Titus, 2:14 he concludes with 522 00:37:02,700 --> 00:37:08,400 this phrase. Well, let me read this. 523 00:37:09,900 --> 00:37:12,500 He says, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all 524 00:37:12,500 --> 00:37:16,200 lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own 525 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:20,300 possession. Who are zealous for? 526 00:37:20,300 --> 00:37:26,400 Good works. Hope is the fuel for zealous. 527 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:34,600 Good works. Hope fuel Zeal and Zeal fuels 528 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:43,800 works. If you take a look around the 529 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:48,000 world today, you examine your own life, you examine the news, 530 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:51,100 examine Facebook, examine, whatever, wherever you kind of, 531 00:37:51,100 --> 00:37:54,600 get your your information about what's taking place in the 532 00:37:54,607 --> 00:37:57,700 world. Some of us have probably chosen 533 00:37:57,700 --> 00:38:00,400 to live and like just a real small microcosm, right? 534 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:04,400 Like it's just it's me and my people and I don't have time for 535 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,800 the insanity out there because there's enough Insanity right 536 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:07,600 here. Right. 537 00:38:07,700 --> 00:38:10,600 And then there's some who are like, yeah, but also want to 538 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:14,000 know about the other insanity. And so you've made yourself 539 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:17,900 privy to those through various ways and more and more. 540 00:38:17,900 --> 00:38:21,300 And so you might choose different areas of insanity than 541 00:38:21,300 --> 00:38:23,700 others. But ultimately, we're all 542 00:38:23,700 --> 00:38:27,200 genuinely, are generally. Police are aware of. 543 00:38:28,500 --> 00:38:33,400 What's going on out in the world outside of Christianity? 544 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:37,500 Its effects on Christianity. Its effects on our own heart, 545 00:38:37,500 --> 00:38:40,200 those kinds of things, we're aware of those things. 546 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:50,900 When I look into those things. I don't have Zeal promoted in 547 00:38:50,900 --> 00:38:54,500 me. Zeile gets somewhat demoted in 548 00:38:54,500 --> 00:38:57,900 me. Like, if my view is only on the 549 00:38:57,900 --> 00:39:00,800 things, right? If my view is only on the mess, 550 00:39:01,300 --> 00:39:06,700 that's out there, the problems, the issues zil, my Zeal tank, 551 00:39:06,700 --> 00:39:09,700 kind of begins to run low, right? 552 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:14,600 Like I might enter into it with the zealousness to be a light in 553 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:20,800 the dark spot, but if my eyes are only fixed on that, Zeal 554 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:26,300 runs short runs low. And so what we've got to figure 555 00:39:26,300 --> 00:39:32,000 out is how to look. Frontwards and backwards at the 556 00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:35,900 same time physically impossible, but spiritually possible. 557 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:42,100 The world would have. You lose your zeal? 558 00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:45,200 The world doesn't want zealous for. 559 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:49,800 Good work Christians. The world might want the good 560 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:52,000 worst. They don't want Christian good 561 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:55,300 works. That the world would have you 562 00:39:55,300 --> 00:39:59,500 lived without Zilla life, without Zoo, the world would 563 00:39:59,500 --> 00:40:02,800 have you say it's okay to just kind of have your Christianity 564 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:06,900 over there, but don't feel the need to kind of insert it into 565 00:40:06,900 --> 00:40:12,100 everything around us. We don't want that. but it's 566 00:40:12,100 --> 00:40:15,900 Zeal that says no, the world needs the light and so I'm 567 00:40:15,900 --> 00:40:23,000 taking the light How do we know the world doesn't want zealous, 568 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:25,100 Christians? Well, because they ridicule the 569 00:40:25,100 --> 00:40:30,400 zealous. They Crucified the most zealous. 570 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:36,200 Throughout Church ages. They have martyred, the zealous. 571 00:40:41,300 --> 00:40:45,600 You Christians, they say are so hopelessly impractical. 572 00:40:48,100 --> 00:40:51,400 You believe in make believe you believe a fairy tale. 573 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,200 You are so preoccupied with the first century and things that 574 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:59,200 we're going on, then that you live in the past. 575 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:06,700 Things aren't that way anymore. And not only that, but you're, 576 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:11,300 you're so preoccupied with some far-fetched story about what's 577 00:41:11,300 --> 00:41:15,500 to come. That that no one even 578 00:41:15,500 --> 00:41:21,800 understands you. A man come again from heaven. 579 00:41:25,700 --> 00:41:29,100 These are the kind of ridicules and markings of the world. 580 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:35,600 And so much of evangelicalism has gone the way of softening 581 00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:39,900 biblical truths and realities in an effort to make the message 582 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:47,000 more attractive to the world. Let's soften some of the truth. 583 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:50,000 Let's soften The Edge on the sword a bit. 584 00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:56,800 So that no longer cuts. But we swing a blunt Edge. 585 00:42:00,100 --> 00:42:07,800 We swing a sword with no power. and so, therefore there's Not 586 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:11,000 only a lack of fruitfulness but a producing of bad fruit. 587 00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:15,500 But Paul is encouraging tightest. 588 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:21,500 Let's not forget where Titus is, Titus is not in some Christian 589 00:42:21,700 --> 00:42:26,100 country. We're Titus exist as less 590 00:42:26,100 --> 00:42:28,400 Christian than what America thinks she is. 591 00:42:32,200 --> 00:42:35,400 Titus exists in the midst of the very same, kind of world. 592 00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:39,300 As we do, it's one full of evil beasts and lazy gluttons and 593 00:42:39,300 --> 00:42:43,000 habitual Liars. And false teachers. 594 00:42:44,900 --> 00:42:47,600 It's the same world everything that Paul is saying to tide us 595 00:42:47,900 --> 00:42:51,400 in 1st Century. Here is applicable to you and me 596 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:55,200 today. It's not a different world. 597 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:00,700 And so he says, in the midst of this world, and in the midst of 598 00:43:00,700 --> 00:43:05,300 the evil beast, in the midst of the lazy gluttons, the always 599 00:43:05,300 --> 00:43:09,000 Liars, the false, teachers in the midst of them, teach sound 600 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:13,800 Doctrine and guard sound Doctrine, refute those false 601 00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:17,400 teachers that they might be sound in the faith. 602 00:43:18,500 --> 00:43:23,200 And encourage the Saints in Courage, the Saints to Adorn, 603 00:43:23,300 --> 00:43:27,100 the gospel that they have received with godliness. 604 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:34,100 To live Godly lives. And that is exactly what is 605 00:43:34,100 --> 00:43:36,900 needed. In a sin-stained world, 606 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:40,400 Darkness, doesn't need less light, it needs more light, it 607 00:43:40,408 --> 00:43:42,600 doesn't need a dollar lot of smaller light. 608 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:49,100 It needs a brighter light. The contrast of Christianity in 609 00:43:49,100 --> 00:43:52,100 the world is meant to be discernible. 610 00:43:52,100 --> 00:43:55,900 It's meant to be noticed. It's meant to be seen. 611 00:43:55,900 --> 00:44:03,000 It's not meant to be hidden. The days of looking upon a 612 00:44:03,008 --> 00:44:06,500 worldly man and a Christian man and not being able to tell the 613 00:44:06,500 --> 00:44:10,100 difference between the two, should be far gone. 614 00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:15,900 But unfortunately, they look the same just with a different 615 00:44:15,900 --> 00:44:23,400 Sunday morning schedule, often. Older men, Paul says her to be 616 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:26,700 dignified to be respected, to be mature. 617 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:32,100 Older women are to be reverence and to teach young women 618 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:38,100 younger, women are to be hard workers zealous Christian women 619 00:44:38,500 --> 00:44:40,200 and they have a husband there to love him. 620 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:44,300 If they have children there to love them, younger men are to be 621 00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:51,100 self-controlled. Titus your to be a good teacher, 622 00:44:51,100 --> 00:44:56,100 you to be a model slaves, you are to be well pleasing and 623 00:44:56,100 --> 00:45:01,600 honest with your masters. All of us are to renounce evil 624 00:45:01,600 --> 00:45:05,600 and live Godly righteous and discipline lives in the present 625 00:45:05,700 --> 00:45:09,600 age. The list of what Paul is running 626 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:14,600 through in Titus 2. He's saying Christians are to be 627 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:17,900 the kind of people. So transformed by God's grace 628 00:45:17,900 --> 00:45:21,200 that they can look back on their salvation with gladness and 629 00:45:21,200 --> 00:45:28,100 press forward and hope their hope is the return of their 630 00:45:28,100 --> 00:45:29,700 great. God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 631 00:45:29,700 --> 00:45:34,600 that he is not leaving me here. He's coming again. 632 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:40,000 Christian's learned to do spiritually again. 633 00:45:40,000 --> 00:45:43,600 What does impossible physically looking backwards and forward? 634 00:45:43,600 --> 00:45:47,100 We look back and we remember the appearance we look forward and 635 00:45:47,100 --> 00:45:49,700 anticipate the second coming of Christ. 636 00:45:52,300 --> 00:45:55,800 This should become a part of our daily discipline that we look 637 00:45:55,800 --> 00:45:58,700 unto Christ. The author of our salvation and 638 00:45:58,700 --> 00:46:02,000 that we look unto Christ, the Perfecter of our salvation, 639 00:46:03,000 --> 00:46:06,700 Christ has died. Christ is risen and Christ will 640 00:46:06,700 --> 00:46:11,700 come again. And then we will know when we 641 00:46:11,700 --> 00:46:14,400 begin to do things like that. When we begin to look backwards 642 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:19,200 and forward, you will begin to know a holy Zeal about your life 643 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:25,600 that your present work takes on meaning whether you're employed 644 00:46:25,600 --> 00:46:28,700 somewhere or not, whether you're a friend or not, whether you 645 00:46:28,700 --> 00:46:32,700 have need to make some reconciliation with someone or 646 00:46:32,700 --> 00:46:36,400 not, whether you're a mother or father, a husband or a wife, 647 00:46:36,400 --> 00:46:41,700 whether whatever you are. is meaning, when you look to 648 00:46:41,800 --> 00:46:47,900 Eternity, when you say not my kingdom but your kingdom, not my 649 00:46:47,900 --> 00:46:56,600 will, but your will Takes on meaning, our work has purpose. 650 00:47:01,100 --> 00:47:05,000 Guy by the name of Cannon. Hey Aitken who suggested that, 651 00:47:05,000 --> 00:47:09,500 the two comings of Christ are like two windows in the school 652 00:47:09,500 --> 00:47:12,200 of Grace. Imagine you have a little school 653 00:47:12,200 --> 00:47:16,600 house, there's two windows, large windows on each side, one 654 00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:21,300 on the west, one, on the east. The Western Window shines, the 655 00:47:21,300 --> 00:47:25,800 solemn lights from Mount Calvary, what Christ did on the 656 00:47:25,808 --> 00:47:28,900 cross. And through the Eastern window, 657 00:47:28,900 --> 00:47:33,200 shines the light of sun rising The Herald of a brighter day. 658 00:47:34,700 --> 00:47:40,400 and thus, he says, the school of Grace is well-lit But we cannot, 659 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:42,800 he goes on to say, afford to do without the light from either 660 00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:46,000 the west or the East, we need both. 661 00:47:47,200 --> 00:47:50,400 The Blessed hope of Christ's return, is the fuel to your 662 00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:54,900 Christian Life. In Revelation 21, we read this. 663 00:47:54,900 --> 00:47:58,400 Then I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven. 664 00:47:58,400 --> 00:48:00,300 And the first Earth had passed away. 665 00:48:00,400 --> 00:48:04,000 And the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New 666 00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:07,300 Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven, from God prepared as a 667 00:48:07,308 --> 00:48:11,100 bride adorned for her husband, and I heard a loud voice from 668 00:48:11,100 --> 00:48:14,900 the throne saying, Behold The Dwelling Place of God is with, 669 00:48:14,900 --> 00:48:19,700 man, he will dwell with them and they will be his people and God 670 00:48:19,700 --> 00:48:22,100 himself will be with them as there. 671 00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:26,000 God. He will wipe away every tear 672 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:29,800 from their eyes and Death Shall be no more neither shall there. 673 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:34,300 Be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things 674 00:48:34,300 --> 00:48:38,400 have passed away and in verse 5 he says and he who was Seated on 675 00:48:38,400 --> 00:48:47,100 the throne said, behold I am making all things new And also 676 00:48:47,100 --> 00:48:52,100 he said, write this down for these words are trustworthy and 677 00:48:52,100 --> 00:48:53,700 true. I sure. 678 00:48:53,700 --> 00:48:57,300 Blessed hope A new Heaven and a new Earth. 679 00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:03,200 Christ is making all things new. Even today Christ is building 680 00:49:03,200 --> 00:49:07,400 his kingdom even today, he's preparing for that day, even 681 00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:10,000 today, he's saving people from their sins. 682 00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:14,100 Making a people from All Nations tribes and tongues of people who 683 00:49:14,100 --> 00:49:18,000 will come together and worship at the Throne of Christ forever. 684 00:49:18,000 --> 00:49:27,900 More He makes all things new and he calls you brothers and 685 00:49:27,900 --> 00:49:31,400 sisters, whether you're young or old, if you're a believer, in 686 00:49:31,408 --> 00:49:35,800 Jesus Christ, you were called by Christ himself to join him in 687 00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:41,800 his work. To be a part of it to be zealous 688 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:45,600 for good works. You are a people. 689 00:49:47,200 --> 00:49:53,600 Purified by the blood of Christ. You are a people created for his 690 00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:57,100 own possession who are to be zealous for good works. 691 00:49:59,700 --> 00:50:08,100 Amen. We're about to sing a song that 692 00:50:08,100 --> 00:50:11,800 captures these two realities, which fuel your life. 693 00:50:11,800 --> 00:50:14,300 I just want to read to you verse 1 and verse 4. 694 00:50:15,500 --> 00:50:17,400 From the song that we're about to sing. 695 00:50:20,300 --> 00:50:22,300 Worship team. You guys can come if you want 696 00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:24,400 verse 1. He says My Hope. 697 00:50:25,900 --> 00:50:33,300 Is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, I 698 00:50:33,300 --> 00:50:38,700 dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus 699 00:50:38,700 --> 00:50:41,500 name. The course goes on Christ, the 700 00:50:41,500 --> 00:50:46,100 solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand. 701 00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:50,300 Verse 4. He says when he shall come with 702 00:50:50,300 --> 00:50:52,400 trumpet sound. Oh may. 703 00:50:52,400 --> 00:50:59,600 I then in him be found in him. My righteousness alone faultless 704 00:50:59,600 --> 00:51:05,600 to stand Before the Throne on Christ, the solid rock I stand 705 00:51:05,900 --> 00:51:10,100 all other ground is sinking sand would you stand to your feet 706 00:51:10,100 --> 00:51:17,400 this morning? As we prepare to sing, I want 707 00:51:17,400 --> 00:51:20,400 you to think about how you're going to respond to the Lord 708 00:51:21,200 --> 00:51:27,400 today. if you're a believer, You've made Christ, your your 709 00:51:27,400 --> 00:51:30,400 Lord. You're pursuing him following 710 00:51:30,400 --> 00:51:34,400 him. There's fruit from it but its 711 00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:37,600 ups and downs. It's like, it's like growing a 712 00:51:37,600 --> 00:51:42,300 child. I want you to look back on your 713 00:51:42,300 --> 00:51:46,500 salvation today, I want you to praise God today for the work 714 00:51:46,500 --> 00:51:52,100 that he's done in your life. Especially as you sing those 715 00:51:52,100 --> 00:51:56,700 words? Also want you to look forward to 716 00:51:57,500 --> 00:52:01,300 Christ coming again. Think about how the return of 717 00:52:01,300 --> 00:52:05,500 Christ might affect the way you parents. 718 00:52:07,600 --> 00:52:11,200 How it might affect the way you live with your spouse. 719 00:52:13,400 --> 00:52:16,100 How it might affect the way you evangelize your neighbor. 720 00:52:16,100 --> 00:52:18,500 Tell them the good news of Jesus Christ. 721 00:52:22,400 --> 00:52:26,400 How it might affect your sanctification, putting away 722 00:52:27,100 --> 00:52:30,500 unholiness, putting away, worldly, passions growing in the 723 00:52:30,500 --> 00:52:37,900 image, and likeness of Christ, spend a few moments reflecting 724 00:52:37,900 --> 00:52:40,800 on your heart. Your life. 725 00:52:41,900 --> 00:52:44,700 And be honest in your evaluation of yourself before the Lord 726 00:52:44,700 --> 00:52:52,000 asked for his help today. Christ is ready to help you his 727 00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:58,100 grace is sufficient for your time of need. if you're in here 728 00:52:58,100 --> 00:53:02,400 today and you're not a believer, you don't know the Lord. 729 00:53:03,100 --> 00:53:06,300 You've never placed your faith in him or maybe you did, but 730 00:53:06,300 --> 00:53:07,800 you've never seen any fruit from it. 731 00:53:07,800 --> 00:53:10,600 You've never had any desires from the for the Lord at all. 732 00:53:11,900 --> 00:53:14,300 And so, your life has been contrary to anything. 733 00:53:14,300 --> 00:53:20,200 You've heard today. I want you to know that Christ 734 00:53:20,200 --> 00:53:25,900 gave himself up on a cross. Sacrificed himself for you to 735 00:53:25,900 --> 00:53:31,500 redeem you from all sinful - and to purify you with his own 736 00:53:31,500 --> 00:53:36,100 righteousness to give you what was his and to take on himself. 737 00:53:36,100 --> 00:53:40,700 What was yours? He did that so that you might be 738 00:53:40,700 --> 00:53:46,000 in fellowship with God again. She might know God and love God. 739 00:53:47,500 --> 00:53:50,200 And to be known by God and to be loved by God. 740 00:53:53,300 --> 00:53:57,600 If you today will repent of your sins, if you place your faith in 741 00:53:57,600 --> 00:54:00,600 Jesus Christ confess and repent of your sins, place, your faith 742 00:54:00,800 --> 00:54:04,200 in Jesus Christ. Then you will be saved. 743 00:54:05,700 --> 00:54:12,100 And I encourage you to do that. I'm going to pray for you and 744 00:54:12,107 --> 00:54:14,500 then I'm going to go to the back and if any of you wants prayer 745 00:54:14,500 --> 00:54:18,200 or wants to talk, I'm happy to visit with you back there but 746 00:54:18,200 --> 00:54:20,900 the rest of us will sing on Christ the solid rock this 747 00:54:20,900 --> 00:54:22,800 morning. Let me pray, Heavenly Father, we 748 00:54:22,800 --> 00:54:25,200 thank you for your word. Praise you! 749 00:54:25,200 --> 00:54:28,000 Lord for your kindness toward us, be with us. 750 00:54:28,000 --> 00:54:33,100 Now, as we respond. Holy Spirit convict our hearts. 751 00:54:33,500 --> 00:54:35,600 Give us wisdom, grant us Direction. 752 00:54:35,600 --> 00:54:40,100 Now, help us to know to whom we go for the words of eternal 753 00:54:40,100 --> 00:54:45,300 life, as Peter declared. Father, help us to know you and 754 00:54:45,300 --> 00:54:50,100 to love you Above All Else. And father for anyone in here 755 00:54:50,100 --> 00:54:53,100 who doesn't know you, I pray that you would grant them 756 00:54:53,100 --> 00:54:56,300 salvation. Now, she would grant them the 757 00:54:56,300 --> 00:55:00,400 ability to come to you, the ability to see their sinfulness, 758 00:55:00,400 --> 00:55:04,300 to see their need for Christ, a perfect Savior, and the place 759 00:55:04,300 --> 00:55:09,000 their faith in him, we love you. And we praise you today for your 760 00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:12,500 word, your kindness. We ask that you give us an 761 00:55:12,500 --> 00:55:17,600 eternal perspective and let it fuel our Christian Life. 762 00:55:18,700 --> 00:55:19,200 Amen.