1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,000 Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, good morning to the 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,100 young, ladies and gentlemen, that are in training currently, 3 00:00:11,100 --> 00:00:13,300 welcome to today's service. My name is Kyle. 4 00:00:13,300 --> 00:00:15,900 If you're visiting with us, when introduced myself, I serve as 5 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,700 lead Pastor here and want to welcome you here. 6 00:00:19,700 --> 00:00:22,000 We're glad that you've chosen to worship with us today. 7 00:00:22,100 --> 00:00:24,800 If you have your Bible, you can turn to our. 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,600 I would ask that you would turn to Titus Chapter 1, Titus 9 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,600 Chapter 1, that's found in your New Testaments, just after 10 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:34,200 first, and second Timothy before the book. 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:36,000 Philemon. It's a short book. 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,500 So you might could pass it depend on the way of the 13 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:42,800 arrangement of your Bibles, but it's a 3 chapter book. 14 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,600 And we are beginning a new series today in this book. 15 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,800 The reason for that is that tie? This gives us one of the best, 16 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,300 looks at the relationship between the gospel. 17 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,400 Truth, the truth that we receive from God about Christ Jesus 18 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,800 about our sin about our need for a savior about how we can be 19 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,800 born again and live for the Lord. 20 00:01:04,099 --> 00:01:07,700 This Gives us the relationship between those gospel truths, and 21 00:01:07,700 --> 00:01:11,900 the godliness that they require the life lived in response to 22 00:01:11,900 --> 00:01:15,400 these. So, in this book, we see clearly 23 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,800 how the gospel affects how it causes, how it creates 24 00:01:21,100 --> 00:01:23,700 godliness. And we also see in this book how 25 00:01:23,700 --> 00:01:29,300 godliness then affects right effects shapes, how it adorns 26 00:01:29,500 --> 00:01:33,400 the gospel in your life, these two things work together. 27 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,900 So our Passage For today, that will be looking at is Titus 1, 28 00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:41,400 1, through 4, Titus 1134. I'm going to read that now. 29 00:01:41,500 --> 00:01:46,700 And then we'll pray. Paul a servant of God and an 30 00:01:46,700 --> 00:01:51,800 apostle of Christ Jesus, but the sake of faith of God's elect and 31 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,300 their knowledge of the truth, which Accords with godliness and 32 00:01:55,300 --> 00:01:59,200 hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies promise before 33 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:03,800 the before the ages began, and at the proper time, manifested 34 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,800 in his word through the preaching with, which I have 35 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:12,500 been entrusted by the command of God, our savior to Titus. 36 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:17,000 I trucho In a common Faith, Grace and peace from God, the 37 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:21,500 father and Christ Jesus. Our savior, we pray for us, 38 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,000 Heavenly Father, we thank you for this word, which we have 39 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,800 just read. This is your word father, these 40 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,800 are words that you have spoken to us through the Apostle Paul 41 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,700 and we ask Lord, that you would open our hearts to receive them. 42 00:02:34,700 --> 00:02:38,900 Now what open our minds to hear them to understand them to 43 00:02:38,900 --> 00:02:43,200 comprehend them, to know them? Well, Lord but not just to know 44 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,300 them in our Mind, help them to seep deep into our hearts. 45 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,700 We might become men and women, boys, and girls, who take 46 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:53,600 seriously the word of God. We take seriously the godliness 47 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,100 that it requires, who commit ourselves to Christ Jesus. 48 00:02:57,100 --> 00:03:01,800 As we find life in Him, Father, we thank you for this word. 49 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,300 We thank you for this time. We have now together as a church 50 00:03:04,300 --> 00:03:07,100 family in it. We ask that you bless this 51 00:03:07,100 --> 00:03:09,700 moment Christ's name, I pray. Amen. 52 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:17,300 So Titus is one of Paul's Pastoral Epistles on a letter 53 00:03:17,300 --> 00:03:21,100 written to pastors of a church. Paul writes to this, dear 54 00:03:21,100 --> 00:03:25,800 companion, as partner in Ministry, whom is Titus and we 55 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,900 know quite a bit about Paul most of, you know, who the Apostle 56 00:03:28,900 --> 00:03:32,500 Paul is Paul was the one time persecutor who went by the name 57 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:37,000 of Saul? And he persecuted the church 58 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,600 heavily, he oversaw, an axe chapter 6, The stoning of 59 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,000 Stephen. One of the first Martyrs that we 60 00:03:43,008 --> 00:03:46,300 have on record. He is dramatically converted in 61 00:03:46,300 --> 00:03:50,100 Acts chapter 9, as he was on his way to persecute more 62 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:52,400 Christians, in a place called Damascus. 63 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,900 Now, I'll on his way, Christ himself appears to Paul or Saul 64 00:03:56,900 --> 00:03:59,600 in that moment. And says, Saul Saul. 65 00:03:59,700 --> 00:04:04,500 Why are you persecuting me? Which Saul responds, who are 66 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:07,800 you? Lord, that was the moment that 67 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:12,100 Saul's life changed forever. Most much of the rest of Acts 68 00:04:12,100 --> 00:04:16,100 over 2/3. Even of Acts tells us the story 69 00:04:16,300 --> 00:04:20,500 of Paul's missionary journeys of, where he went of his 70 00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:23,400 preaching of the Gospel, his founding of churches, his 71 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,400 training of leaders and pastors and various areas. 72 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:29,600 And maybe one of the most important things that we read 73 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,100 about therefore our own faith is weak. 74 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:36,100 Read about Paul's sufferings, if he suffered great harm for the 75 00:04:36,100 --> 00:04:40,800 sake of the name of Jesus Christ, it was costly to him. 76 00:04:41,500 --> 00:04:44,700 Titus is not well, known in scripture unless you were 77 00:04:44,700 --> 00:04:48,400 familiar with the book of Titus, you might recall his name at 78 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,200 other times, it's believed by many that he is one of Paul's 79 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,800 early converts during his ministry at Antioch. 80 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,900 So after Paul's conversion, he spent time with a man named 81 00:04:58,900 --> 00:05:02,100 Barnabas, ministering and Antioch preaching the gospel 82 00:05:02,300 --> 00:05:03,900 They're evangelizing. The lost. 83 00:05:04,300 --> 00:05:07,900 It's thought to be the tightest became a Christian under Paul's 84 00:05:07,900 --> 00:05:11,500 Ministry there. This this idea at least support 85 00:05:11,500 --> 00:05:14,300 or this idea is supported by this passage at least in this 86 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:19,000 that Paul addresses Titus as my true child and a common Faith. 87 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:22,000 He has no doubt a convert of Paul's. 88 00:05:22,300 --> 00:05:25,800 He is one whom Paul has led to the Lord, and they now share 89 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:27,800 Faith. Paul is not speaking in 90 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,000 biological terms, he's not saying you are my son Birth by 91 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,400 Birth. He's saying you're my son by 92 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,400 spiritual birth through my Ministry. 93 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:43,000 The Lord made you knew, Titus is a gentile Greek, he's converted 94 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,000 by the preaching of the Gospel. He's born under Paul's Ministry. 95 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,200 He became a fellow minister with him. 96 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:51,500 Much like we read about Timothy doing. 97 00:05:51,500 --> 00:05:54,600 This is why there is a pastoral epistle addressed to both of 98 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,200 these men. Paul is not saying that the 99 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:01,100 faith that they share is, is common that it's normal or that 100 00:06:01,100 --> 00:06:05,100 it's why Spread. Even, he's not saying that it 101 00:06:05,100 --> 00:06:07,500 holds little value. What he's saying is that this 102 00:06:07,500 --> 00:06:12,300 Faith by this faith, we are united together in Christ. 103 00:06:12,300 --> 00:06:16,500 That, that Paul as a Jew, who formally persecuted Christians, 104 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:19,600 in the name of upholding, the way, the Jews viewed. 105 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:24,700 God is drastically different than this young gentle, man. 106 00:06:26,300 --> 00:06:31,000 He's saying we are we share now a union in Christ wrought in Us 107 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,000 by the spirit of God, through the preached words of the 108 00:06:34,008 --> 00:06:36,100 Gospel. It's also clear in this letter 109 00:06:36,100 --> 00:06:40,200 that he is a well trusted partner in Ministry. 110 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:44,300 He's referred to thoroughly in second Corinthians as Paul 111 00:06:44,300 --> 00:06:48,000 writes there about a letter. We don't have to the Corinthians 112 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,200 that apparently was even more scathing than the first pulse 113 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,600 sense. He writes there about Titus in 114 00:06:53,608 --> 00:06:58,100 the way that they received him. He calls him a Rather a partner, 115 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:03,600 a fellow worker in the ministry, will look more at titus's 116 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,900 assignment next week. As that really begins to be 117 00:07:06,900 --> 00:07:10,000 spelled out for us. But in the name of context, I 118 00:07:10,008 --> 00:07:13,200 want us to have some ideas of what is Titus doing. 119 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,800 What's the purpose of the letter to Titus? 120 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,800 Titus has been left on the island of Crete? 121 00:07:20,500 --> 00:07:24,800 He's there to put what remained in to order to appoint elders 122 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,400 and every town, I think we have a map of this that would show 123 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,300 you. Yeah, so you see Crete here, 124 00:07:30,300 --> 00:07:33,800 it's off the mainland of Greece and it's an island. 125 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:39,700 It measures roughly 160 miles long by 35 miles wide. 126 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,900 It had on fairly large population. 127 00:07:42,900 --> 00:07:46,800 It was in a port area. If you will, by way of travel, 128 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:51,000 from Jerusalem on up to Rome, you would have stopped near the 129 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:55,200 island of Crete or on the island of Crete for resupply. 130 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:00,100 Restocking the Thing about create that kind of was fun. 131 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,600 Fun for me to see. One of the things was this is 132 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,600 that it's a mountainous area, there's a mountain range that 133 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:10,600 spans the length of the island and the tallest mountain on this 134 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,400 island is roughly 8,000 feet tall. 135 00:08:13,500 --> 00:08:17,600 So it's a rough terrain, but maybe rougher than the terrain, 136 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:22,100 are the people of Creed's that the men and women who hold 137 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:27,000 residents on the island of Crete screed host, multiple cities. 138 00:08:27,100 --> 00:08:30,200 It how Most both Jews and Gentiles. 139 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:33,400 There are Jews who we will read about, who are stirring up 140 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,900 division. In on the island are storing up 141 00:08:37,900 --> 00:08:41,500 division in the churches who are committing themselves to 142 00:08:41,500 --> 00:08:44,700 maintain? Uphold Jewish Customs that 143 00:08:44,700 --> 00:08:50,900 Christians are not called to uphold It also hosts, many 144 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,300 Gentiles people who are filled with worldliness. 145 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:58,100 They have no idea of who God is or a purpose or reason for even 146 00:08:58,100 --> 00:09:02,700 following the Lord, and there's more even than that. 147 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,600 Goddesses assignment is not an easy one, it's a difficult 148 00:09:06,700 --> 00:09:12,000 assignments, he's told, and again, in verse 5 to put what 149 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,000 remained into order and to appoint Elders in every town. 150 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,400 So he's to go throughout the island, not just one part of 151 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:19,000 them, but go to their out the island. 152 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,300 And ensure that the churches are healthy. 153 00:09:23,700 --> 00:09:25,100 There's a lot of difficult work to do. 154 00:09:25,100 --> 00:09:27,400 And so, Paul begins is letter with a reminder about the 155 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,200 purpose of the work. Here's why. 156 00:09:30,300 --> 00:09:34,500 We're here, Titus. Here's what this is, here's why 157 00:09:34,500 --> 00:09:36,600 we exist. Here's what we're for, here's 158 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,600 what we're about. The purpose for the work and 159 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,800 it's an encouragement to stand strong in god. 160 00:09:44,700 --> 00:09:49,600 Let's go back to verse 1 and begin our study here. 161 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,600 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. 162 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,600 A servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. 163 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:05,000 Paul is giving us two, massive statements about his own 164 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:10,900 identity about who he is. Servant of God, the word servant 165 00:10:10,900 --> 00:10:15,400 is the word doulos in the Greek. It means slave. 166 00:10:15,700 --> 00:10:20,100 It's often translated servant Bond servant slave. 167 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:23,100 But the word is the same. Anytime you see that? 168 00:10:23,100 --> 00:10:26,800 It's the word slave. Paul is saying I'm a slave. 169 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,100 Of God. I'm a slave of God, Paul's 170 00:10:30,100 --> 00:10:33,700 identity is first and foremost who he is. 171 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,700 Because Paul's identity first and foremost is who he is 172 00:10:37,700 --> 00:10:40,300 because of what God has done in his life. 173 00:10:40,300 --> 00:10:44,400 He's saying I'm a slave of God. God Has Changed who I am. 174 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:49,200 He is made me new God, intervened in Paul's life. 175 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:53,700 God saved Paul from his sins. I want to remind you that when 176 00:10:53,700 --> 00:10:57,200 we read the word God we ought not immediately think father. 177 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,300 We ought to think Our son and spirit. 178 00:11:00,300 --> 00:11:04,100 Paul has the Triune God in mind here is he's thinking about what 179 00:11:04,100 --> 00:11:08,500 God is and how he is a slave to God about who God is he saying? 180 00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:13,500 I'm a slave to the father to the son and to the spirit Calls 181 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:16,600 received a new identity because of the work of Christ Jesus on 182 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:21,800 the cross but because of the for Dane to work of God from 183 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,500 eternity past as well as we'll see in a moment. 184 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:29,800 What I once was Paul is saying, I am no longer what I am now 185 00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:35,000 belongs to God. I am his he is mine Galatians 186 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,700 2:20. Paul really sums up this 187 00:11:37,700 --> 00:11:38,900 thought? He says this in. 188 00:11:38,900 --> 00:11:42,300 Galatians 2:20 says I have been crucified with Christ. 189 00:11:42,300 --> 00:11:45,600 It is no longer. I who live but Christ, who lives 190 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,200 in me and the life. I now live in the flesh, I live 191 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:55,000 by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for 192 00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:59,000 me. He's saying I'm a slave to God. 193 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:03,000 My life is not my own. My life belongs to him. 194 00:12:03,900 --> 00:12:07,700 This is the way slaves, talk. This is the way servants talk, 195 00:12:07,700 --> 00:12:10,600 brothers and sisters. This is the way we are to speak 196 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,500 about our relation to God. God is Not Not as he is often 197 00:12:14,500 --> 00:12:18,500 treated a slave for us to do our bidding and are beckoning to 198 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:22,600 come at our call. God is God, and we are his 199 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,200 people. We are to submit ourselves to 200 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,600 him. He is in control, he has made us 201 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:31,400 new. He gives us our identity then. 202 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,500 He said I'm a slave to God. He bought me with the blood of 203 00:12:36,508 --> 00:12:44,300 his own son, he owns me. My entire life is determined by 204 00:12:44,300 --> 00:12:47,500 him. You'll see throughout the letter 205 00:12:47,500 --> 00:12:51,400 of Titus, that this idea of being a slave to God is not an 206 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,100 all am at all. A miserable thought. 207 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,700 If you're familiar at all, with the writings of Paul, you'll 208 00:12:57,700 --> 00:13:01,200 understand that this is by no means a miserable thought that 209 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:06,300 you're relegated to some. Some type of servitude that is 210 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:10,100 done with a Hardness of Heart That is done with without your 211 00:13:10,100 --> 00:13:12,900 personality. There is done without life. 212 00:13:14,900 --> 00:13:17,300 That's not what Paul has in view here. 213 00:13:17,900 --> 00:13:21,600 But Paul has in view is I was once dead in my sins and now 214 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,000 have been made alive in Christ Jesus. 215 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:27,900 What Paul has a view here is Thanksgiving to God for saving 216 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:30,700 him out of his sin, out of his persecution of the church. 217 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:35,400 Revealing the true nature of God to him, revealing Christ to him. 218 00:13:35,500 --> 00:13:39,200 That he might be a new creation created in Christ Jesus. 219 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,000 Where old things have passed away, all have become new and 220 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,800 now he's dead. Dedicating his life committing 221 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:50,000 his life to the service of God. Paul is excited in this service. 222 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,600 This is not a dutiful thing. This is not him saying I'm a, 223 00:13:53,900 --> 00:14:00,300 I'm a slave to God Titus. Paul is saying, I am held 224 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:05,400 captive Titus by the goodness and kindness of God toward me 225 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,600 and salvation. That I can do nothing more, and 226 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:13,800 nothing less than surrender, that the totality of my life to 227 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:19,200 God, I'm his slave, he is my master, he is my Lord. 228 00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:22,400 Amen. Hopefully you grasp the 229 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,400 difference between slave and slave. 230 00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:31,500 It's excited about what God has done for him. 231 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,800 We should also note that he mentions this first. 232 00:14:38,900 --> 00:14:42,400 It's a statement of humility before he makes a statement 233 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,300 about the authority which God has given him. 234 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:50,300 Paul has been given great Authority by the Son of God. 235 00:14:50,300 --> 00:14:55,200 Jesus Christ, appears to him and calls him to apostleship who 236 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,600 ministry? That's given to to certain men 237 00:14:59,300 --> 00:15:02,900 specific men. Men whom we know the names of 238 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:10,600 now, He says, I'm a slave to God and Apostle of Jesus, Christ. 239 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:15,700 That is title of apostle. Again, belongs only to those who 240 00:15:15,700 --> 00:15:20,100 witnessed the resurrection of Christ or witnessed him 241 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,900 personally. After his resurrection, it 242 00:15:22,900 --> 00:15:27,100 belongs only to those who have received a call to apostleship 243 00:15:27,100 --> 00:15:34,600 personally from God. There is no, there are no true 244 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:38,500 apostles today, not in the sense of what we see in the Bible 245 00:15:38,500 --> 00:15:41,300 here. This office is finished. 246 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,400 It was a special Ministry given by Christ for the establishment 247 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,500 of the church. So I'm going to say the church, 248 00:15:47,500 --> 00:15:50,200 I'm not talking about a local church and talk about global 249 00:15:50,300 --> 00:15:54,700 Church Universal Church. What these men were given what 250 00:15:54,708 --> 00:15:58,200 these men were able to do is not been seen again. 251 00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:03,200 He's been were special because Christ did something special in 252 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:05,900 them and scriptures. We read that they were the that 253 00:16:05,900 --> 00:16:08,800 Christ was the Cornerstone of the church, but that the 254 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,000 apostles were the foundation of the truth. 255 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,800 That we, now know, meaning, they're the ones who pinned it. 256 00:16:15,500 --> 00:16:17,600 They're the ones who wrote it out there, the ones who taught 257 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:19,300 it. They're the ones who receive the 258 00:16:19,300 --> 00:16:20,800 instruction from the holy spirit. 259 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,600 That we might know God's breathed word. 260 00:16:25,900 --> 00:16:28,900 Apostles were to be deputies of Christ Jesus. 261 00:16:28,900 --> 00:16:33,800 They were not to go anywhere, say anything or do anything that 262 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,600 opposed. What Christ told them to do, 263 00:16:37,300 --> 00:16:43,800 they were to follow him. Holy Jesus, commissioned them. 264 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,400 They are either commissioned by him himself, or by other 265 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,400 apostles, who use those two, qualifying things to call an 266 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,800 apostle. To apostleship we see that in 267 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:59,200 Acts chapter 1 with the calling of Matthias, But Paul 268 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:03,700 establishes his humility first. He makes a statement about 269 00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:08,000 humility makes a statement about who I am and how this informs 270 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:12,500 what he does. He says, I'm a slave of God and 271 00:17:12,500 --> 00:17:15,700 then he talks about his Christ given authority and authority. 272 00:17:15,700 --> 00:17:19,000 That that meant Titus should follow what he says that Titus 273 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:20,500 should listen to him and Authority. 274 00:17:20,500 --> 00:17:23,000 That meant that the elders who taught us would go in and struck 275 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,599 should listen to Paul and Authority that meant that the 276 00:17:25,608 --> 00:17:28,600 men and women who would be under the instruction of tight And 277 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:32,300 those Elders should listen to what Paul is saying is Christ. 278 00:17:32,300 --> 00:17:35,700 The Apostle. It's a Heavenly Authority. 279 00:17:35,700 --> 00:17:38,200 It was meant to be understood in that way. 280 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,100 And they would have understood it in that way. 281 00:17:40,100 --> 00:17:44,300 As this was read aloud before them, as Titus read this, he 282 00:17:44,300 --> 00:17:47,700 would have known exactly what was being said, by the Apostle 283 00:17:47,700 --> 00:17:52,100 Paul here about his apostleship As noted though, in Galatians, 284 00:17:52,100 --> 00:17:56,500 2:20, whatever Paul is he is first a new creation in Christ. 285 00:17:56,500 --> 00:17:59,400 Jesus. Whatever he might become, 286 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,000 whatever God calls him to do. He is first God's child. 287 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:09,500 God lives in him. And so now he gives his life by 288 00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:13,900 faith in the Son of God, who loved him and gave himself for 289 00:18:13,900 --> 00:18:17,400 Paul. Paul was one of 13 Apostles. 290 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:21,500 Paul has a lot of reason to boast in himself to be arrogant 291 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:25,000 even although we could argue that would make him probably not 292 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:29,600 worthy of being an apostle. All begin with But he knows that 293 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:32,200 he is, he knows what he's been called to, he knows the grace of 294 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:37,700 God that he's received. And God has made him a new 295 00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:39,300 creation. God has called him to 296 00:18:39,300 --> 00:18:42,400 apostleship God blesses his ministry to the Gentiles. 297 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:46,000 Paul was wildly fruitful for the lord. 298 00:18:47,700 --> 00:18:53,300 It's not it's not hyperbole to say that. 299 00:18:53,300 --> 00:18:56,900 We are Christians today because of the ministry of Paul. 300 00:18:59,100 --> 00:19:03,400 We owe Paul a lot, the Paul would say no you. 301 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:10,100 Oh God, all of that. God blesses his ministry. 302 00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:13,800 God is the source of all. That is good and Paul's life. 303 00:19:15,100 --> 00:19:17,900 Brothers and sisters. We ought to take something from 304 00:19:17,900 --> 00:19:24,300 Paul here, whatever you are. But whatever your identity, 305 00:19:24,500 --> 00:19:26,900 might be whatever you think of first. 306 00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:30,100 When someone says, well who are you or one of the first things 307 00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:32,700 were prone to ask, especially as men is, what do you do for a 308 00:19:32,708 --> 00:19:37,000 living that kind of sets, the trajectory of our identity but 309 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,800 whatever you are, whether you're a recent convert, whether you're 310 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,400 a mature Christian, whether you're a son or whether you're a 311 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,800 daughter, whether you're a mom or a dad, a husband or a wife 312 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:51,400 and employee or an employer, whether you're a friend. 313 00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:57,800 Your brother or sister. Whatever you may be, if you are 314 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:03,100 a Christian, you are God's child first, that's where you get your 315 00:20:03,100 --> 00:20:06,100 identity. This is where you align 316 00:20:06,100 --> 00:20:09,900 yourself. Is you say, I am, this may be. 317 00:20:09,900 --> 00:20:13,100 But first and foremost, I'm settling myself on my identity 318 00:20:13,100 --> 00:20:16,900 in Christ Jesus. Something that God has given to 319 00:20:16,900 --> 00:20:26,100 us. If you are a believer in Christ, 320 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,600 it's because God saved you, by his gracious intervention. 321 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,100 It's because God regenerated you by the power of the Holy Spirit, 322 00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:36,800 to become his child, through the work of Christ on the cross, 323 00:20:37,300 --> 00:20:40,100 which you no doubt heard about through some proclamation of the 324 00:20:40,108 --> 00:20:44,300 word, either, by reading it for yourself, or by hearing, it's 325 00:20:44,300 --> 00:20:47,500 hot or proclaimed by a friend, or a pastor. 326 00:20:47,500 --> 00:20:52,700 Or someone God has made, you knew you owe your life. 327 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,100 The god. We live in a world that 328 00:20:56,100 --> 00:20:59,500 encourages us to have whatever identity you want to have. 329 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:04,900 And if you want to change that identity tomorrow changes, if 330 00:21:04,900 --> 00:21:08,300 you want to change it, the day after that changes become 331 00:21:08,300 --> 00:21:13,400 whatever you want. But Christians. 332 00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:18,800 Christians are not to buy that wretched lie. 333 00:21:20,700 --> 00:21:23,700 That's a lie of this world. That's a lie from the mouths of 334 00:21:23,700 --> 00:21:27,100 Satan himself. Christians are however to stand 335 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:30,500 on the truth of God's word, Christians are to understand 336 00:21:30,500 --> 00:21:33,100 that. Whatever I am by God's grace, I 337 00:21:33,100 --> 00:21:38,200 am first God's child and that informs now my behavior that 338 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:42,500 informs now my identity as a husband or a father or male or 339 00:21:42,500 --> 00:21:48,700 female Two genders. I am first his child. 340 00:21:48,700 --> 00:21:54,800 He is first my God, he gives me my marching orders and I commit 341 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:58,900 myself to do whatever the Lord commands of me because I'm a 342 00:21:58,908 --> 00:22:02,200 slave to God. He saved me out of the pit of 343 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,700 Hell. He saved me out of my sins and 344 00:22:04,700 --> 00:22:10,900 gave me new life. I'm his brothers and sisters. 345 00:22:10,900 --> 00:22:14,800 If you are in Christ, you are serving Servant of God. 346 00:22:15,900 --> 00:22:22,400 Your servant of God. Next we see in verses in the 347 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:26,400 following verses up through verse 3, we see the revealing of 348 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,100 his purpose. He talks about his identity that 349 00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:33,500 I'm a servant of God. I'm a I'm an apostle of Christ. 350 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:38,000 And then he gets into his purpose for life. 351 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,700 Paul a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the 352 00:22:43,700 --> 00:22:46,600 sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the 353 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,100 truth, which Accords with godliness and hope of eternal 354 00:22:50,100 --> 00:22:55,100 life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began, 355 00:22:55,500 --> 00:22:58,100 and at the proper time, manifested in his word, through 356 00:22:58,100 --> 00:23:01,500 the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of 357 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:06,900 God, our savior I want to summarize what we see here with 358 00:23:06,900 --> 00:23:07,700 this. What? 359 00:23:07,700 --> 00:23:09,700 This statement you can write this down if you're taking 360 00:23:09,700 --> 00:23:14,700 notes. But the gospel received by Faith 361 00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:20,100 and Hope of eternal life. Forms godliness in your life. 362 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:29,000 The gospel received by faith. In Hope of eternal life forms 363 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:34,100 godliness in you. It's what creates godliness in 364 00:23:34,100 --> 00:23:37,400 you. And if we ever hope to be Godly 365 00:23:37,500 --> 00:23:41,700 men or women, boys or girls, we must first understand, the 366 00:23:41,700 --> 00:23:45,600 truths of God's word. We must first come to faith in 367 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,200 Christ. We must first be transformed by 368 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:50,800 those things. So, let's examine the two 369 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:54,800 purposes that Paul's lays out one is for the sake of the faith 370 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:58,100 of God's elect. The word elect is seen 371 00:23:58,100 --> 00:24:00,300 throughout the Old and New Testament. 372 00:24:00,700 --> 00:24:03,600 The word elect just simply refers to those who were chosen 373 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:07,300 by God unto salvation. You see the word elect? 374 00:24:07,300 --> 00:24:10,100 As you think about Israel, and what God does there you see the 375 00:24:10,100 --> 00:24:14,300 word elect in the New Testament? None of the riders in the New 376 00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:17,600 Testament are shy about using this word elect to describe the 377 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,200 people of God and their identity as New Testament. 378 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:24,600 Believers, which unites them with the same saving work of God 379 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:29,700 in the Old Testament. It creates a one people of God 380 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,000 at New Testament, Believers like Old Testament. 381 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,700 Believers are such because they have been chosen by God, to be 382 00:24:35,700 --> 00:24:40,300 his people. God miraculously works on their 383 00:24:40,300 --> 00:24:43,500 behalf. God miraculously makes them 384 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:48,800 children of God. The Apostle John, who was the 385 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:53,700 Beloved disciple when riding his gospel, just 12 verses in gets 386 00:24:53,700 --> 00:24:57,300 into this this truth he says, but to all who did receive him, 387 00:24:57,300 --> 00:24:59,800 talk about Christ came to the Jews first and they didn't 388 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:02,700 receive him. He says, but to all who did 389 00:25:02,700 --> 00:25:07,200 receive him, who believed in Jesus name, he gave the right to 390 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:11,800 become children of God. Verse 13, who were born? 391 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:16,400 Not of blood painting. It wasn't their birth rights and 392 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:18,900 weren't born because they were Jews and were born of God, out 393 00:25:18,900 --> 00:25:22,000 of their out of the Jewish heritage. 394 00:25:24,700 --> 00:25:28,500 We're born of the will of the flesh, meaning they didn't will 395 00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:32,300 up the, they didn't muster up the strength to save themselves. 396 00:25:35,700 --> 00:25:40,200 He says, nor of the will of, man, meaning, I can't cause 397 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:45,800 salvation for someone else. As much as I want all to be 398 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:48,800 saved, I can't make it to where all men and women believe in 399 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,100 Christ. Jesus, they're responsible for 400 00:25:51,100 --> 00:25:55,200 their belief or unbelief. Lisa's. 401 00:25:55,200 --> 00:26:02,200 But of God, who were born but of God, who were born of God, See 402 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:07,500 Paul's Ministry was about the faith of God's elect by the 403 00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:09,800 preaching of God's word. The gospel is we see? 404 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:13,200 In verse 3, he says, manifested through the preaching of his 405 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:17,400 word. However, it would have also 406 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,000 served to strengthen the faith of God's elect. 407 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,100 So, not only does, it does the preaching bring about the faith, 408 00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:28,400 but it strengthens the faith in those two themes, what we see is 409 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:32,700 initial belief and ongoing belief, the initial coming to 410 00:26:32,700 --> 00:26:37,500 the Lord for salvation, and the ongoing to the Lord, for 411 00:26:37,500 --> 00:26:40,500 salvation reminding ourselves that we are. 412 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,300 His children that I'm a slave to God. 413 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,900 And we see how Paul's Ministry was. 414 00:26:46,100 --> 00:26:49,700 Then for the sake of God's elect, for the sake of the faith 415 00:26:49,700 --> 00:26:54,100 of God's elect Paul's Ministry serves Us in this way today. 416 00:26:56,700 --> 00:27:03,300 I'm It's fuzzy in my mind, but I've always attributed my 417 00:27:03,300 --> 00:27:06,900 salvation to memorizing scripture and Awana. 418 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:10,300 And, of course, having parents who were raising me to love the 419 00:27:10,300 --> 00:27:14,000 Lord to know the Lord had me in that program to begin with, for 420 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,300 helping me learn those verses but Ephesians 2:8 and 9 was the 421 00:27:17,300 --> 00:27:21,400 verse that really stands out. As I think back in my life, this 422 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,200 is for by Grace. You have been saved through 423 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:25,200 faith and that faith, not of yourselves. 424 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:30,200 It is the gift of God. Is anyone should boast and it's 425 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,100 God's gift to us. It's not a work of our own 426 00:27:34,100 --> 00:27:36,600 doing, and I just remember laying in my bed as a child 427 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,300 thinking. I need salvation and I need the 428 00:27:40,300 --> 00:27:47,400 Lord to save me. But it happens through the 429 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,500 faithful. Proclamation of God's word, it's 430 00:27:50,500 --> 00:27:54,600 God's word that pricks a heart. It's God, it's what God's uses 431 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:59,000 to transform a life. He uses his word and Paul 432 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:01,800 Faithfully pinned those words in Ephesians 2:8 and 9. 433 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:05,800 Which now now believed wholeheartedly by the grace of 434 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:09,900 God. It's the things that have been 435 00:28:09,900 --> 00:28:15,300 preached for Millennia. It's What's led to Millions and 436 00:28:15,300 --> 00:28:18,400 more. Conversions for Christ's 437 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:22,800 disciples for the Lord. It's been producing salvation 438 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:27,400 for Sinners and growth in God's people for ever. 439 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:32,900 God's word has. Paul says, this is the purpose 440 00:28:32,900 --> 00:28:36,000 of my Ministries for the sake of the faith of God's elect. 441 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,000 He also says it's for the sake of their knowledge of the truth. 442 00:28:39,300 --> 00:28:42,800 The truth and view here is all of God's word, but verse 3 makes 443 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:46,600 it crystal clear that the gospel is certainly in view. 444 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,400 When you read the words manifested in his word, through 445 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:52,000 preaching that preaching there, that's in view. 446 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:56,400 As the idea of heralding, something it's to take something 447 00:28:56,400 --> 00:29:00,100 out in the public and to shout it to where everyone can then 448 00:29:00,100 --> 00:29:04,400 here It. The stand in an assembly and 449 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:08,100 say, Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. 450 00:29:09,700 --> 00:29:14,400 Jesus Christ is the only way to a reconciled relationship with a 451 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:20,000 holy God. Paul's Ministry was about 452 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,100 helping others gain knowledge about the Gospel of Jesus Christ 453 00:29:23,100 --> 00:29:29,200 came through his preaching. This knowledge, most of us under 454 00:29:29,300 --> 00:29:32,300 have a working definition at least of of knowledge but here 455 00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:34,800 it means something. It means coming to understand 456 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,200 something clearly and distinctly or to understand something 457 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:43,400 that's true or valid. It's knowing something and 458 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:47,100 ongoing knowledge of something growing in your knowledge of 459 00:29:47,100 --> 00:29:49,400 something. The word is often associated 460 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:54,800 with the personal exposure to truth, as it's used here, and 461 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,500 exposure to truth that necessitates a reaction. 462 00:29:57,500 --> 00:30:02,300 Either, a positive reaction belief or negative reaction 463 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:05,400 unbelief. In other words, Paul Ministry, 464 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:09,200 consists of presenting the truths of the Gospel, that there 465 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:13,500 is a God God. We know his name, who created 466 00:30:13,500 --> 00:30:17,100 the heavens and the Earth and he rules over all of his creation 467 00:30:17,100 --> 00:30:20,500 that this God is Holy and just and perfect. 468 00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:26,700 And man rebelled against him and fell into sin in Genesis chapter 469 00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:31,700 3, immediately after creation. As a result, man, is kicked out 470 00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:34,000 of the garden. He separated from God, due to 471 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,900 sin. He now knows death, the world is 472 00:30:37,900 --> 00:30:41,700 fractured, his relationship with God is broken. 473 00:30:43,100 --> 00:30:46,200 Put God intervenes by Grace at first throughout Old Testament 474 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,000 history. But then finally he intervenes 475 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:53,300 once and for all by, sending his own son, Jesus Christ, born in 476 00:30:53,308 --> 00:30:57,400 the image and likeness of man to dwell on Earth, but not just to 477 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,700 live here. Jesus Christ lived, a perfect 478 00:30:59,700 --> 00:31:04,600 life, Jesus Christ died. On a cross as a sacrifice for 479 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,000 the sins of all who will believe in him. 480 00:31:08,100 --> 00:31:10,600 Meaning that anyone who calls on the name of Jesus Christ, for 481 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:18,200 salvation will be saved. But message requires a response. 482 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,600 Doesn't it will you? Or will you not call on the 483 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:23,600 Lord, for your salvation from sin? 484 00:31:24,500 --> 00:31:27,400 Will you? Or will you not align yourself 485 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,500 with God? Will you or will you not pledged 486 00:31:30,500 --> 00:31:34,600 her allegiance to Jesus Christ? Will you, or will you not live 487 00:31:34,700 --> 00:31:38,100 Faithfully for the Lord as people who say, you believe in 488 00:31:38,100 --> 00:31:41,500 him? It requires a response you must 489 00:31:41,500 --> 00:31:44,500 do something with it and whatever you do or whatever you 490 00:31:44,500 --> 00:31:47,800 think about Jesus Christ. Will be the most important 491 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:51,600 decision or thought you have in life. 492 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:56,900 Determines your eternity and by your answer, you either become a 493 00:31:56,900 --> 00:32:00,300 slave to God or you remain a slave to sin. 494 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,000 The knowledge of the truth isn't dead knowledge. 495 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:12,800 However it's not mental assent. I started Seminary this past 496 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,100 week and pray for me. Good Heavens. 497 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:19,800 Pray for me. It's going to be great and I'm 498 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:22,800 so grateful for the men that I'm getting to study under and 499 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,300 round, because they're committed. 500 00:32:25,300 --> 00:32:27,500 It seems at least on the front end, they're committed to 501 00:32:27,500 --> 00:32:29,700 knowledge, that doesn't just pop up, right? 502 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,300 But knowledge that builds up in love. 503 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:36,800 They made a statement this week that gave me great 504 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:40,600 encouragement. That we will not evaluate this 505 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:44,100 Seminary and her success by how many people graduate with an 506 00:32:44,100 --> 00:32:51,200 m.div will evaluate it by By the Ministries that the men who go 507 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,200 out of the Seminary has, what does it, what are their 508 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:56,700 Ministries look like, what kind of men are they? 509 00:32:57,300 --> 00:32:59,400 I was the Lord using them and their churches. 510 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,200 I like that because I think that's, that's the kind of 511 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,100 knowledge that the Bible talks about. 512 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,400 That's the kind of wisdom that God has in view. 513 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:11,200 It's a wisdom that's beneficial to those around you. 514 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:14,000 It's a knowledge that's good for your life and good for the lives 515 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:18,100 of people around me, it's Godly. Knowledge. 516 00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:22,900 And so Paul doesn't have in mind, here's some sort of other 517 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,900 knowledge, he has knowledge that Accords with godliness. 518 00:33:25,900 --> 00:33:28,600 He says it's a knowledge of the truth which Accords with 519 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:31,400 godliness and to Godliness. Here is the idea of piety. 520 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:36,700 It's a devout practice for God or it's right beliefs about God. 521 00:33:37,100 --> 00:33:40,800 It's understanding God in such a way that you now live in light 522 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,500 of him. But you want to honor him with 523 00:33:43,500 --> 00:33:47,700 your life. Romans 12 1 through 2. 524 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,800 Talks about the knowledge of the truth that transforms the life 525 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:55,900 of a believer about how you goes from being uninterested, in the 526 00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:58,500 things of God, to fully committed, to God's truth and 527 00:33:58,500 --> 00:34:02,200 God's ways that he is transformed by this truth. 528 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,200 Paul writes in Romans 12, he says, I appeal to you, therefore 529 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,600 Brothers by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a 530 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:12,900 Living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your 531 00:34:12,900 --> 00:34:15,900 spiritual worship, what is your spiritual worship its to give 532 00:34:15,900 --> 00:34:19,400 all of your life? To God. 533 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:24,400 What is your spiritual worship? It's to become a slave to God. 534 00:34:25,500 --> 00:34:29,100 To make him your master. And in verse 2, he says do not 535 00:34:29,699 --> 00:34:34,400 be conformed. It's a command with authority, 536 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,500 do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the 537 00:34:37,500 --> 00:34:40,000 renewal of your mind that by testing. 538 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:43,900 You may discern. What is the will of God, what is 539 00:34:43,900 --> 00:34:52,100 good and acceptable and perfect. First, you present your life to 540 00:34:52,100 --> 00:34:56,300 God as a Living Sacrifice. I'm not having to kill myself 541 00:34:56,300 --> 00:35:00,200 because Christ died for me when I go under that water in baptism 542 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,800 and I come back out. I'm signifying myself with the 543 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:04,500 death and the resurrection of Christ. 544 00:35:04,500 --> 00:35:06,800 I went in one way and I came out a new man. 545 00:35:08,100 --> 00:35:13,500 When I take, hold of the cup and the bread that will as will do 546 00:35:13,500 --> 00:35:16,800 in a little bit. What I'm saying is that I 547 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:20,700 believe that Christ died for my sins, what I'm saying is I 548 00:35:20,707 --> 00:35:22,500 believe that Christ was raised again. 549 00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:25,500 The his body was broken so that mine doesn't have to be so that 550 00:35:25,500 --> 00:35:28,900 I can receive a New Covenant of Grace, a covenant which God 551 00:35:28,900 --> 00:35:32,500 initiates with me and now I'm surrendering my life to him. 552 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:38,500 Paul says there do this. Do this until the Lord comes 553 00:35:38,500 --> 00:35:40,600 again. What are we doing? 554 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:43,800 We're reminding ourselves that our Allegiance is to Jesus 555 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:46,800 Christ above all, that we are slaves to God. 556 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,100 There's no such thing as a Christian who doesn't seek God's 557 00:35:50,100 --> 00:35:55,200 truth and strive to obey God's word, the Bible knows of No Such 558 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:58,800 Christians except that they are false Christians. 559 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:03,900 When you see Christians in the Bible, who claimed to know 560 00:36:03,900 --> 00:36:08,100 truth, but do not practice the godliness that goes with, they 561 00:36:08,100 --> 00:36:15,700 are immediately called false. They're not real. now, that's an 562 00:36:15,700 --> 00:36:22,100 alarming statement because there are many people Our ourselves 563 00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:24,300 included. Let us not look outside of 564 00:36:24,308 --> 00:36:26,600 ourselves when we read a statement like that, let us not 565 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:29,400 immediately think of all those people over there. 566 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:33,000 That guy a few rows in front of me. 567 00:36:34,500 --> 00:36:37,800 Let's not go there and our mind let us first go Lord. 568 00:36:39,500 --> 00:36:47,000 May this verse not apply to my heart. 1st John 3:9, no one. 569 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:54,400 How many no one? Born of God makes a practice of 570 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:59,500 sinning for God's seed, abides in him and he cannot keep on 571 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:02,600 sinning because he has been born of God. 572 00:37:04,700 --> 00:37:09,900 Romans 8, 8 4 9, those who are in the flesh, cannot please God 573 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:13,700 you however, writing to Christians, you are not in the 574 00:37:13,700 --> 00:37:15,600 flesh. But in the spirit if in fact the 575 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:18,900 spirit of God dwells in you, anyone who does not have the 576 00:37:18,900 --> 00:37:24,300 spirit of God. He one who does not have the 577 00:37:24,300 --> 00:37:28,400 spirit of God. Does not belong to God. 578 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,200 So you cannot say with your mouth on Sunday morning that you 579 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:37,400 love the Lord and then say by your actions and your life. 580 00:37:38,900 --> 00:37:42,400 Monday through Saturday whatever you want. 581 00:37:43,900 --> 00:37:46,500 If you're a slave to God, he rules every area of your life, 582 00:37:46,500 --> 00:37:50,800 not just Sunday morning. That's will see, throughout 583 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:54,700 Titus godliness is evidence of saving belief in the gospel. 584 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:58,100 It cannot be separated. It's, it's what gives the 585 00:37:58,100 --> 00:38:00,500 believer salt. As Jesus says, that you are the 586 00:38:00,500 --> 00:38:03,200 salt of the earth. You are the light of the world 587 00:38:03,500 --> 00:38:06,900 godliness is what gives you salt godliness is, what gives you 588 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:12,400 lights and a spiritually tasteless, and dark world must 589 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:15,300 Adorn. The gospel with godliness. 590 00:38:18,500 --> 00:38:23,200 Why what's what's the purpose of living? 591 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:26,000 Such a life? Paul says, in verse 2 and hope 592 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:28,900 of eternal life which God, who never lies promised before the 593 00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:32,100 ages began, and at the proper time, he manifested in his words 594 00:38:32,100 --> 00:38:34,500 with the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the 595 00:38:34,508 --> 00:38:39,600 command of God, our savior. So sometimes we equate falsely 596 00:38:39,700 --> 00:38:42,200 biblical. Hope with a fantasy like wishing 597 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:44,700 like. I hope I get a better job. 598 00:38:46,100 --> 00:38:48,600 I hope my parents get me this toy for Christmas. 599 00:38:50,100 --> 00:38:54,700 I hope I marry a Godly person. I hope I can pay off this debt. 600 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:58,400 That's more wishing than biblical. 601 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:05,200 Hope biblical hope is someone or something on which expectations 602 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:09,500 are centered. It's a foundation. 603 00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:14,300 For life. Hope is really all that you 604 00:39:14,300 --> 00:39:18,800 have. In Christ, we sang Two wonderful 605 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:22,600 songs this morning, that remind us of the hope that we have in 606 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:27,100 Christ. Paul's Ministry for the sake of 607 00:39:27,107 --> 00:39:29,400 the faith of the elect and their knowledge of the truth, which 608 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:33,500 Accords with godliness was founded on hope he says, in Hope 609 00:39:33,500 --> 00:39:36,700 of eternal life, for the sake of the faith of the elect. 610 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:43,700 For the sake of the truth. Their knowledge of the truth in 611 00:39:43,700 --> 00:39:52,700 Hope of eternal life. So, How do we know that we have 612 00:39:52,700 --> 00:39:54,100 hope? How do we know that we have an 613 00:39:54,100 --> 00:39:57,300 expectant belief of eternal life? 614 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:01,800 But like, how can we know that we can even have such a hope is 615 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:05,800 what I'm asking. well, the answers us he says because God 616 00:40:05,900 --> 00:40:09,900 promised But because God promised it. 617 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:14,400 God, who never lies promise to give eternal life to those. 618 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:17,600 Who believe in his son, John 3:16 for God. 619 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:21,100 So loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever leaked 620 00:40:21,100 --> 00:40:24,700 whoever believes in him, should not perish but have eternal 621 00:40:24,700 --> 00:40:28,300 life. So he promised this and it says 622 00:40:28,300 --> 00:40:30,800 that he promised it before the world began. 623 00:40:31,300 --> 00:40:34,600 The phrase is the same word for Eternal in the Greek. 624 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:37,600 The word Eternal there in eternal life and the phrase for 625 00:40:37,900 --> 00:40:42,900 Um, before the world began is the same word and it means 626 00:40:42,900 --> 00:40:46,400 eternity or Eternal. So the statement is literally 627 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:50,500 more like this in Hope of eternal life in the future which 628 00:40:50,500 --> 00:40:54,700 God who never lies promise from eternity in the past. 629 00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:59,900 But that from eternity past, we turn Atif future God is in 630 00:40:59,900 --> 00:41:03,700 control of your salvation. From eternity past, we turn it 631 00:41:03,707 --> 00:41:07,200 in future. Your hope of Salvation is sure 632 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:11,800 because God is the only place person who exists in eternity, 633 00:41:12,700 --> 00:41:16,300 God determines. It, God has established it from 634 00:41:16,300 --> 00:41:18,700 eternity past so that you might enjoy it. 635 00:41:18,700 --> 00:41:21,000 And Eternity future. Amen? 636 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:25,800 When Satan attempts to afflict you then remember that God 637 00:41:25,900 --> 00:41:30,000 promised it that, and that, because God promised it, it's my 638 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:32,800 greatest hope. It's my ex Tation. 639 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:38,200 I base my life on this. Hope I become slave of a slave 640 00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:42,700 to God, because he will, I would dwell eternity with him in 641 00:41:42,700 --> 00:41:45,400 heaven. And so, when Satan afflicts you, 642 00:41:46,100 --> 00:41:49,100 when Satan comes to you to make, you doubt, the goodness of God, 643 00:41:49,100 --> 00:41:53,400 when Satan comes to you with anxiety or fear or tempt you to 644 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:59,500 sin, remind him that he is the father of nothing but lies. 645 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:04,400 And that your father. Resides in heaven. 646 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:09,700 That your father is eternal that your father has given you, real 647 00:42:09,700 --> 00:42:13,300 hope has made real life available for you. 648 00:42:15,500 --> 00:42:17,400 That your father is unable to lie. 649 00:42:18,600 --> 00:42:23,000 That your father has made a promise and all who believe in 650 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:25,900 it have hope all who believe in that house. 651 00:42:25,900 --> 00:42:29,900 Hope that is sure, Paul says elsewhere that this hope is sure 652 00:42:29,900 --> 00:42:33,200 that it's undefiled that it's kept in heaven, for you. 653 00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:35,700 It's secure brothers and sisters. 654 00:42:36,600 --> 00:42:40,200 You have no reason to be buffeted in this life because 655 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:45,200 you have hope in Christ, you have no reason to. 656 00:42:46,500 --> 00:42:52,000 To fall on your face in Failure because you have hope in Christ. 657 00:42:53,900 --> 00:42:57,300 This doesn't mean that we don't have despair. 658 00:42:57,600 --> 00:42:59,800 This doesn't mean that we don't have depressive thoughts. 659 00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:02,100 That doesn't mean that we're not Afflicted at times. 660 00:43:02,100 --> 00:43:04,600 It's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that in your 661 00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:09,200 Affliction, you go to Christ. And your Affliction, you don't 662 00:43:09,200 --> 00:43:12,800 believe the lies of Satan but you proclaim the truths of God. 663 00:43:14,300 --> 00:43:19,600 There's Hope in eternity past. It was manifested in eternity 664 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:23,600 past, it's kept in eternity future for you. 665 00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:29,800 God has promised it and so he trust him. 666 00:43:31,500 --> 00:43:36,000 And says that he then at the proper time knowing this, he, he 667 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:39,900 began it from eternity past but at the proper time, that means 668 00:43:39,900 --> 00:43:44,800 in his own most advantageous time, he manifested, it means he 669 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:47,700 clearly reveals it. How does he reveal it says in 670 00:43:47,700 --> 00:43:51,400 his word? God's word is the communication 671 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:56,500 by God, but, typically, even so the gospel is in view here and 672 00:43:56,500 --> 00:44:00,200 that he says, it's manifested by his word through the preaching, 673 00:44:01,100 --> 00:44:04,000 which is the problem Proclamation by Harold. 674 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:07,700 As I mentioned earlier, it's especially a message of God, 675 00:44:07,700 --> 00:44:14,300 concerning salvation. Romans 10:13 through 15 reminds 676 00:44:14,300 --> 00:44:15,600 us of. This says, for everyone who 677 00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:18,500 calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 678 00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:24,400 Amen, that's hope that's, that's hope. 679 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:27,400 That's gospel. Hope that everyone who calls on 680 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:29,600 the name of the Lord will be saved. 681 00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:34,200 How then will they call on him? Paul says, in verse 14 and whom 682 00:44:34,200 --> 00:44:37,000 they have not believed and how are they to believe in him of 683 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:39,600 whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without 684 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:43,900 someone preaching? Someone Holding and how are they 685 00:44:43,900 --> 00:44:46,700 to preach? Unless they are sent as it is 686 00:44:46,700 --> 00:44:49,100 written? How beautiful are the feet of 687 00:44:49,100 --> 00:44:50,400 those? Who preach? 688 00:44:50,500 --> 00:44:55,500 The good news all says. This is what Paul was called to 689 00:44:55,600 --> 00:44:58,100 by God. So this is the ministry given to 690 00:44:58,100 --> 00:45:01,000 me for the sake, of the faith of God's elect for their knowledge 691 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:05,400 of the truth, which Accords with godliness in Hope of eternal 692 00:45:05,500 --> 00:45:07,900 life. That's the proclamation of the 693 00:45:07,900 --> 00:45:12,800 good news. He was to proclaim the good news 694 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:15,900 of Salvation in Christ Jesus so that all who call on the name of 695 00:45:15,900 --> 00:45:19,200 Jesus, May obtain the hope of eternal life. 696 00:45:20,100 --> 00:45:26,200 He says I've been entrusted that word entrusted That's the phrase 697 00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:29,400 of a slave. That's the phrase of a deputy. 698 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:36,300 All right, I've got, I've got a message from the King. 699 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:39,400 I've got a message from my master. 700 00:45:39,500 --> 00:45:41,700 I've got a message from the sheriff. 701 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:46,600 Good news. Paul says, I've been entrusted 702 00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:48,300 with it. I'm a slave to God here. 703 00:45:48,300 --> 00:45:51,500 I stand. I can do no other as Luther said 704 00:45:51,500 --> 00:45:57,700 in the Reformation. The gospel received by Faith and 705 00:45:57,700 --> 00:46:02,300 Hope of eternal life forms godliness in your life. 706 00:46:02,500 --> 00:46:05,300 Remember there's no such thing as a Christian who claims to 707 00:46:05,300 --> 00:46:07,900 believe God but will not follow him. 708 00:46:09,200 --> 00:46:12,000 Martin Luther said this, he says it is just as impossible to 709 00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:16,400 separate faith and works as it is to separate light and heat 710 00:46:16,500 --> 00:46:21,100 from fire. You see, we mustn't try to live 711 00:46:21,100 --> 00:46:26,000 a life in faith separate from godliness that's foolishness. 712 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:32,000 We are deceiving ourselves. We'll be like the people we read 713 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:35,700 about in Titus in the coming weeks at the appearance of 714 00:46:35,700 --> 00:46:39,600 godliness. But denying its power Belief in 715 00:46:39,600 --> 00:46:42,200 the gospel, is a belief that requires death. 716 00:46:43,500 --> 00:46:47,000 Jesus says, if any of you wants to follow me, he must deny 717 00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:49,300 yourself. Take up your cross and follow 718 00:46:49,300 --> 00:46:52,200 me. He says, if you'll try to save 719 00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:56,000 your own life, you'll lose it, but anyone who loses his life, 720 00:46:56,000 --> 00:47:02,100 for my sake will find life. It's God's economy is different 721 00:47:02,100 --> 00:47:07,700 than our economy. Selfishness is promoted in our 722 00:47:07,700 --> 00:47:10,600 economy. But selflessness is where 723 00:47:10,700 --> 00:47:14,000 godliness? Rest in the economy of God, it's 724 00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:19,000 where you find life. Christ says Belief in the 725 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:22,800 gospel. Is a belief that requires death 726 00:47:23,700 --> 00:47:26,700 because belief in the gospel requires belief, in the death of 727 00:47:26,700 --> 00:47:29,300 Christ and the resurrection of Christ. 728 00:47:29,300 --> 00:47:32,300 Somebody already died on your behalf. 729 00:47:34,900 --> 00:47:37,200 The belief in the gospel then is a call to come and die. 730 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:39,700 It's a call to receive new life in Christ. 731 00:47:39,700 --> 00:47:42,700 The Gospel is a guarantee of eternal life. 732 00:47:42,700 --> 00:47:47,000 It's the hope of our Salvation, it's where our faith rest is In 733 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:51,100 Christ Alone. The brothers and sisters, boys, 734 00:47:51,100 --> 00:47:53,900 and girls. I urge you, then believe in 735 00:47:53,900 --> 00:47:59,300 Jesus. Believe in God, the Father. 736 00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:06,700 Believe in God, the Holy Spirit find life through Christ Jesus. 737 00:48:06,700 --> 00:48:09,700 Today. Believe in such a way that your 738 00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:13,300 affections are transformed believe in such a way that your 739 00:48:13,400 --> 00:48:16,200 desires are made new. Believe in such a way that your 740 00:48:16,200 --> 00:48:21,800 sinful desires die. And your desires for Holiness. 741 00:48:22,100 --> 00:48:27,000 Rise. Turn to God in your sin. 742 00:48:27,000 --> 00:48:30,000 None of this means, none of this talk about a holy God means that 743 00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:32,600 you were to turn away from God in your sin. 744 00:48:34,500 --> 00:48:37,800 It means that you have already turned away from God and your 745 00:48:37,800 --> 00:48:41,400 sin and that the only way to find life now is to turn to God 746 00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:44,900 in your sin to repent of those sins to own those sins, to 747 00:48:44,900 --> 00:48:46,500 confess our sins, to repent of them. 748 00:48:46,600 --> 00:48:50,500 And to believe in Jesus Christ, that is where you will find 749 00:48:50,500 --> 00:48:54,000 Salvation. Go to him, do not hide from him, 750 00:48:54,100 --> 00:48:57,500 run to him. I think it was the the Puritan 751 00:48:57,500 --> 00:49:02,100 Thomas Watson who said be is quick to repent as you would be 752 00:49:02,100 --> 00:49:07,200 to receive Grace from God. He's quick to repent, as you 753 00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:13,400 would have God, be quick to show you Grace and don't hide from 754 00:49:13,400 --> 00:49:16,300 him. The gospel is a guarantee of 755 00:49:16,300 --> 00:49:19,500 eternal life. He's the only one who can make 756 00:49:19,500 --> 00:49:22,000 you whole. He's the only one who can grant 757 00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:27,700 you true life, urge, you today to live your Christian Life as a 758 00:49:27,700 --> 00:49:32,700 slave to God. Live your Christian Life as one 759 00:49:32,700 --> 00:49:37,000 who has received a new life by grace through faith in Jesus, 760 00:49:37,500 --> 00:49:42,000 live your Christian Life as one who is growing in God's truth, 761 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:44,600 your understanding of it, your knowledge of it, you're you're 762 00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:48,200 working of at your ability to speak it. 763 00:49:51,200 --> 00:49:56,200 Live your life as a Christian as one who has the hope of eternal 764 00:49:56,200 --> 00:50:00,500 life because you've settled yourself on the promise of God 765 00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:08,100 and the gospel received by Faith and Hope of eternal life forms 766 00:50:08,200 --> 00:50:12,900 godliness in your life. Then would you pray with me now? 767 00:50:13,600 --> 00:50:14,800 Heavenly Father. We love you. 768 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:19,800 We thank you for your word. Thank you, Lord. 769 00:50:19,800 --> 00:50:22,600 That you've been with us now and pray. 770 00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:24,400 Lord, that you would transform our hearts. 771 00:50:25,400 --> 00:50:29,700 Help us now to believe your words to follow your commands. 772 00:50:31,000 --> 00:50:33,900 Help us to be quick to repent. Swear we have not followed your 773 00:50:33,900 --> 00:50:37,700 commands when we have gone our own way, we become our own. 774 00:50:37,700 --> 00:50:41,400 God deciding what's right? Or what's wrong for us? 775 00:50:42,400 --> 00:50:44,700 Help us Lord to live in light of your truth. 776 00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:53,100 Help us Lord to have lives built on faith in Christ lives. 777 00:50:53,100 --> 00:50:57,300 That have hope of eternal life. As our foundation, helped us 778 00:50:57,300 --> 00:51:00,900 have lives which were growing and Truth, which Accords with 779 00:51:00,900 --> 00:51:04,100 godliness. Supposed to be Godly men and 780 00:51:04,100 --> 00:51:08,000 women, Godly boys and girls were growing in our understanding of 781 00:51:08,000 --> 00:51:11,100 Jesus growing in our faith in him. 782 00:51:12,400 --> 00:51:17,700 Who are growing in our godliness, ability, desire, or 783 00:51:17,700 --> 00:51:20,800 drive to live, as God has commanded us to live. 784 00:51:23,000 --> 00:51:26,000 Lord, we love you, praise you for your word today, Christ's 785 00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:26,700 name. I pray. 786 00:51:27,600 --> 00:51:24,300 Amen. Lord, we love you, praise you 787 00:51:24,308 --> 00:51:26,200 for your word today, Christ's name. 788 00:51:26,200 --> 00:51:28,000 I pray. Amen.