1 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:06,500 Good morning, my friends. How are we? 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,600 Good, good, I love it. So good to hear from you all 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,300 Titus Chapter 2. If you have your Bibles, please 4 00:00:15,300 --> 00:00:18,900 to turn to Titus, Chapter 2. If you don't have your Bibles 5 00:00:18,900 --> 00:00:22,200 just take the one from your neighbor, they don't need it and 6 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:28,800 you can get a gift. So Titus Chapter 2, there's 7 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:30,800 supposed to be a good Christian people and share, right? 8 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,900 So we'll just call it sharing. So far, what we've been doing in 9 00:00:34,900 --> 00:00:38,000 Titus is just looking at the relationship between the gospel 10 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:43,500 and godliness and in Titus Chapter 2 it's been a zoomed-in. 11 00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:48,200 Look at what godliness is to look like he starts Paul starts 12 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,200 the instructions and Titus Chapter 2 with. 13 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:55,900 But as for you, Titus teach what Accords with sound Doctrine, 14 00:00:55,900 --> 00:00:57,800 teach what Accords with sound Doctrine. 15 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:02,500 And so what follows are, just instructions in God. 16 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:05,200 Godliness to various groups of people. 17 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,200 We saw instruction to older men and older women, younger men, 18 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,400 younger women. And then today, Paul turns his 19 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,100 attention to another group of people. 20 00:01:14,500 --> 00:01:18,700 These people would have been called Bond, servants or slaves, 21 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,700 even in Crete. And so we're going to look at 22 00:01:21,700 --> 00:01:24,500 Paul's instruction to them today. 23 00:01:24,500 --> 00:01:31,000 So let's read Titus 2 verses 9 through 10 and then we'll I will 24 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:36,400 pray and we'll get started Bond. Servants are to be submissive to 25 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,200 their own masters and everything. 26 00:01:39,900 --> 00:01:45,100 They are to be well, pleasing not argumentative, not 27 00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:48,600 pilfering, but showing all good faith. 28 00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:55,600 So that in everything they may Adorn, the doctrine of God, our 29 00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:00,300 savior The truth that I want to lay before you today kind of a 30 00:02:00,700 --> 00:02:02,300 big idea if you will, for the sermon. 31 00:02:02,300 --> 00:02:05,600 Is this that Godly workers Adorn? 32 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,000 The gospel Godly workers, Adorn, the gospel. 33 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,199 If you're taking notes, I encourage you to to write that 34 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:13,000 down, we're going to build on that as we go today, Godly 35 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,900 workers Adorn the gospel. Let me pray for us now. 36 00:02:16,900 --> 00:02:19,900 As we've got God's word to open and we're going to look at it 37 00:02:19,900 --> 00:02:21,400 together. Heavenly father, would you be 38 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:23,400 with us now? I pray. 39 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:28,600 Father, and ask that you would Grant to us the Nation of your 40 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:33,000 spirits that your spirit would help us to understand your word 41 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:38,300 words that are breathed out by you that are pinned here by your 42 00:02:38,300 --> 00:02:40,700 Apostles or those who were near to them. 43 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,900 Father, we ask that you would help us to see it though as it 44 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:48,700 truly is the very word of God and that it would call a slore 45 00:02:48,700 --> 00:02:52,800 to faithful living today. Father, we pray that as we go 46 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:56,500 through this work, as we go through this letter as we go 47 00:02:56,500 --> 00:03:00,200 through even these A couple of verses today that you would 48 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,000 reveal to us anywhere in our lives. 49 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,400 Father, that we are not living in accordance with your word 50 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,300 that you would draw us to repentance Lord. 51 00:03:08,300 --> 00:03:11,600 That you would instruct us today that we might live rightly for 52 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,000 you. And we praise you again for your 53 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,000 word. We thank you that we have it 54 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,400 today. For our guidance, for our 55 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:23,800 instruction, and wisdom, and all salvation and all godliness in 56 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:25,500 Christ's name, I pray. Amen. 57 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,800 Amen. So We've got to start with this 58 00:03:30,100 --> 00:03:34,800 question. What is a bond servant in Crete? 59 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,600 What are these people who are called bondservants? 60 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,300 Well, the Greek word that is used here is the word that we've 61 00:03:41,300 --> 00:03:44,600 actually seen once already in this letters, the Greek word, 62 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:50,200 doulos, everybody say doulos. All right, so do those means 63 00:03:50,500 --> 00:03:55,900 slave due to a limited Greek vocabulary Bible and translators 64 00:03:56,300 --> 00:03:59,300 have done their due diligence. Agents and they seek to 65 00:03:59,300 --> 00:04:03,100 translate the word according to the context of its usage. 66 00:04:03,100 --> 00:04:07,000 How is it used in any given passage determines whether or 67 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,900 not it receives? One of these three translations 68 00:04:10,900 --> 00:04:15,300 either slave bondservant or servant. 69 00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:18,500 It's a bond servant is a good translation for what we see 70 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:21,399 here. And I want to kind of explain 71 00:04:21,700 --> 00:04:23,100 why. And I think that gives us a 72 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:26,700 launching Point into how we might think about this verse 73 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:30,300 today. So New Testament slavery, the 74 00:04:30,300 --> 00:04:34,100 widespread in the Roman world. It's estimated that one out of 75 00:04:34,100 --> 00:04:37,100 every two people would have been a bond. 76 00:04:37,100 --> 00:04:41,200 Servant would have been a slave to someone in the Roman world. 77 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,300 But it was a Far Far Cry from the slavery that we see in the 78 00:04:45,300 --> 00:04:49,500 Old Testament or even that of 19th century slavery, which was 79 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:54,200 in present our own country, what you see are people groups in the 80 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,000 Old Testament consistently many times. 81 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,300 This is real It's are captured and put into harsh slavery. 82 00:05:01,300 --> 00:05:04,700 So you may think about the Israelites existing in harsh 83 00:05:04,700 --> 00:05:10,700 slavery, a kind of captivity under the Egyptians in Exodus. 84 00:05:11,300 --> 00:05:16,400 Now there are Old Testament laws that prevented after this after 85 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,000 they're let out of captivity, they're freed. 86 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:23,300 There were Old Testament laws which were written to against 87 00:05:23,300 --> 00:05:29,100 this kind of brutal slavery. Now largely they exist because 88 00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:35,000 owning right owning a person, violates the Imago Dei, 89 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:37,600 everybody know what the Imago Dei is. 90 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,300 It means that you're it's the doctrine of being created in the 91 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:45,200 image of God, you exist, all people exist in the image of 92 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:46,000 God. Amen. 93 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,600 God created us in his own image male and female, he created us. 94 00:05:50,900 --> 00:05:56,200 And so humans, bear and imprints of their maker humans are made 95 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,600 in the image of God. They are to be highly valued, 96 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,600 they are not to be owned, the add on top of owning. 97 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:08,400 Someone also treating them in a harsh manner, treating them as 98 00:06:08,900 --> 00:06:12,500 really worse than animals, many times in the Old Testament and 99 00:06:12,500 --> 00:06:15,200 then the problem is only compounded, right? 100 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,500 It only becomes worse that person is then not only robbed 101 00:06:18,500 --> 00:06:22,700 of their image bearing, but they're robbed of their freedom, 102 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:27,700 the robbed of what makes them unique. and so, in New Testament 103 00:06:27,700 --> 00:06:33,600 times, Things had come under reform a bit, doulos is best 104 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,600 described as a bond servant. Now, Bond servant is a bit 105 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,700 different than a slave. Yes, you would have a master of 106 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:42,600 the master. Would have been the language. 107 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,300 That would have been used. Is that a master owns this Bond 108 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:48,300 servant? But this someone this Bond 109 00:06:48,300 --> 00:06:52,000 servant is someone who is bound to serve his master for a 110 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,900 lengthy time. But they also might be able to 111 00:06:55,900 --> 00:06:59,900 own property achieve some sort of social advancement. 112 00:07:00,100 --> 00:07:03,000 They might even be released at some point or purchase their own 113 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:07,800 Freedom, either through their labor or other means that is not 114 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,300 to say that slavery. Even in the New Testament was a 115 00:07:10,308 --> 00:07:13,600 good thing. It's just that it was more civil 116 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:18,100 if you will. It had more of a more modesty to 117 00:07:18,100 --> 00:07:22,000 it. Slavery is though as John Stott 118 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,700 observes slavery is a form of Tyranny, even though some new 119 00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:29,000 testament slave owners, he goes on to say may have been kind to 120 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,800 their slaves because they saw them as valuable Investments, 121 00:07:33,700 --> 00:07:37,800 but the institution was still a denial of human personhood. 122 00:07:37,900 --> 00:07:41,000 Start observes and this really is the problem with slavery. 123 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,700 It's a denial of human personhood. 124 00:07:43,700 --> 00:07:46,500 Jesus nor Paul never outright condemned. 125 00:07:46,500 --> 00:07:51,500 However, first century slavery. But what they did do was they 126 00:07:51,500 --> 00:07:54,800 laid out the principles which undermined The institution of 127 00:07:54,800 --> 00:08:00,300 slavery and eventually led to its demise that namely what they 128 00:08:00,300 --> 00:08:04,700 laid out is that the gospel message transforms are ought to 129 00:08:04,700 --> 00:08:07,700 transform the slave master relationship. 130 00:08:07,700 --> 00:08:10,800 The book of Philemon is a wonderful example. 131 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:12,500 If you haven't read that, it's worth reading. 132 00:08:12,500 --> 00:08:15,700 It's one chapter long, it's very short but it's a wonderful 133 00:08:15,700 --> 00:08:20,700 example of how the slave master relationship is transformed by 134 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:27,700 those who are in Christ. In Galatians 3:26 what we read 135 00:08:27,700 --> 00:08:34,400 is that there is neither slave nor free for you are all one in 136 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,100 Christ, Jesus, and he's writing to those who are present in the 137 00:08:37,100 --> 00:08:39,900 church there. So the slave and master have the 138 00:08:39,900 --> 00:08:42,600 same Masters. The point Paul is trying to make 139 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,900 the slave and master, find a common master in Christ Jesus 140 00:08:47,100 --> 00:08:49,300 and they were under his authority. 141 00:08:49,300 --> 00:08:51,200 Amen. And so that informs then Paul 142 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,800 writes in the New Testament that informs in what this 143 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,700 relationship ought to look like. So Paul deals with this in 144 00:08:56,700 --> 00:08:58,900 Galatians, he deals with in Colossians, it's dealt with in 145 00:08:58,908 --> 00:09:01,400 first Timothy. It's dealt with here in Titus. 146 00:09:03,100 --> 00:09:05,500 It's dealt with in many places because it was a very common 147 00:09:05,500 --> 00:09:08,300 thing in first century Christianity. 148 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,100 But even if the slave doesn't have a believing Master, what 149 00:09:13,100 --> 00:09:17,300 the slave enjoys, then is an inner freedom in Christ, which 150 00:09:17,300 --> 00:09:20,600 transforms how he ought to think about his slavery. 151 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,200 And that's what Paul's getting at here in Titus. 152 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:27,700 One either way though, whether he has a believing Master, an 153 00:09:27,700 --> 00:09:31,800 unbelieving Master the gospel. So transforms the slave master 154 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,400 relationship that slaves, and their masters would have been 155 00:09:35,700 --> 00:09:38,200 present together in church services. 156 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,800 Worshiping God together. Now, this would have absolutely 157 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:46,600 turned the cultural ideas of slavery on its head. 158 00:09:47,900 --> 00:09:51,400 Which is what we mean when we say that the gospel is 159 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,100 countercultural. It does this too many social 160 00:09:55,100 --> 00:09:58,000 constructs, it flips them on their on their head. 161 00:09:58,700 --> 00:10:02,300 So praise God, that we no longer have a society to this built 162 00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:05,700 presently on slavery. At least nothing. 163 00:10:05,700 --> 00:10:08,300 Like what we saw, what we see here in the New Testament, which 164 00:10:08,300 --> 00:10:12,000 you see in the Old Testament are even what you saw in the 19th 165 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,600 century. Now I recognize that slavery, 166 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:18,800 still exists, such as labor camps and human Looking as to be 167 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,000 lamented, it's to be fought against. 168 00:10:22,700 --> 00:10:26,200 But our American society, however, is sustained on the 169 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,600 backs of those who labor for wages. 170 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:33,600 Oftentimes, you're laboring for a boss or for a company, right? 171 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:38,000 You're laboring for someone who is employed you we call that 172 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:42,000 Employments. If the gospel should transform a 173 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:47,100 slaves outlook on slavery. Then how much more might it 174 00:10:47,100 --> 00:10:50,100 transform? An employee's outlook on their 175 00:10:50,100 --> 00:10:53,700 employment and that's what I want to get to today. 176 00:10:53,700 --> 00:10:56,600 I want to talk to you about Godly workers, I think Paul 177 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:00,100 teaches here and in fact I think he says very explicitly that 178 00:11:00,100 --> 00:11:03,300 Godly workers or Bond servants Adorn. 179 00:11:03,300 --> 00:11:07,800 The gospel Godly workers Adorn. The gospel. 180 00:11:08,100 --> 00:11:09,600 Let me talk to you about what this means. 181 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:11,700 I want to read to you again, our passage today. 182 00:11:11,700 --> 00:11:16,000 So it's on our minds because I've just given you Bit of a 183 00:11:16,008 --> 00:11:18,300 diatribe on first century slavery. 184 00:11:18,700 --> 00:11:20,200 So let me draw us back to the passage here. 185 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:24,200 Tied US 29 through 10, bondservants are to be 186 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:28,100 submissive to their own masters and everything. 187 00:11:28,700 --> 00:11:33,400 There were to be well, pleasing not argumentative argumentative, 188 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:37,800 not pilfering, but showing all good faith. 189 00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:43,500 So that in everything, they may Adorn, the doctrine of God, our 190 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:49,200 savior So, let's talk about the doctrine of God, our savior, or 191 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:52,200 I'm going to condense that into one word. 192 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,800 The gospel. What does it mean to Adorn? 193 00:11:55,300 --> 00:12:01,200 The gospel? This is the purpose of the 194 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,900 teaching, the teaching is meant to transform a life and then the 195 00:12:04,900 --> 00:12:09,100 life is meant to live. In a complementary, way to the 196 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:14,200 message, which it has received. And so, your life, even in the 197 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,400 workplace, as we've seen earlier that the marriage relationship 198 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:23,300 should be defined by this church relationship should be defined 199 00:12:23,300 --> 00:12:27,000 by the gospel. The way that Elders lead, a 200 00:12:27,008 --> 00:12:28,700 church should be defined by the gospel. 201 00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:33,300 Paul's relationship to Titus was defined by the gospel, the 202 00:12:33,300 --> 00:12:39,600 gospel transforms our lives, and so it Must affect relationships, 203 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:43,600 it must affect the way we live. And so, in that way, it is 204 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,700 adorning. Now, the word adorned means to 205 00:12:46,700 --> 00:12:51,600 make more attractive. It means to beautify something. 206 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,300 Christmas is coming kids. Do you know this two short 207 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:00,100 months? Remind your parents daily. 208 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:05,300 All right, I could strangle whoever does the marketing for 209 00:13:05,300 --> 00:13:08,200 Amazon and Walmart, because we've been receiving the 210 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,200 catalogs and where those people who make our kids check the 211 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:12,100 mail. So guess what? 212 00:13:12,100 --> 00:13:15,500 We couldn't hide them. And so, we've been here now, for 213 00:13:15,700 --> 00:13:18,600 two weeks, you know, the different things that we want 214 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,500 for Christmas anyway. Christmas is coming in two short 215 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:24,700 months. But next month, the Jones family 216 00:13:24,700 --> 00:13:27,000 Lord will and is going to we're going to pull out our Christmas 217 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,100 tree were November Christmas tree people. 218 00:13:29,700 --> 00:13:31,800 We're going to put it together and we're going to fluff it. 219 00:13:32,700 --> 00:13:36,300 Yes I know fake tree where those people don't judge us. 220 00:13:37,900 --> 00:13:40,700 But we're not going to stop at fluffing the tree and putting it 221 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:43,100 together. That same evening. 222 00:13:43,100 --> 00:13:46,700 It's been a tradition since I was a child and so I've carried 223 00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:49,400 it into my own family that we will eat. 224 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,800 Good food. Will either put on a Christmas 225 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:55,700 movie or Christmas music and will decorate the tree with 226 00:13:55,700 --> 00:13:59,900 lights and ornaments, both old and new again, that have been in 227 00:13:59,900 --> 00:14:04,900 the family, since my dad was a child and the tree looks nice 228 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,000 beforehand. You know? 229 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,100 It's a green tree sitting. Aaron. 230 00:14:09,700 --> 00:14:13,200 Okay, to look at. But we think it's beautifully. 231 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:17,200 Adorned once it's fully decorated, once the family 232 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,500 finishes, those touches and I get to climb on a ladder and put 233 00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:22,600 the star on, right? It's beautifully. 234 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:27,500 Adorned in those moments. John Stott and his commentary 235 00:14:27,500 --> 00:14:30,400 points out. This this idea about adorning, 236 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:35,400 he says the verb is used of arranging jewels in order to 237 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:39,500 display their beauty. It's moving Jewels around in 238 00:14:39,508 --> 00:14:42,500 such a way or placing jewels in such a way that you can see 239 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:45,100 their beauty. He goes on to say the gospel is 240 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:49,300 a jewel. Right while a consistent, 241 00:14:49,300 --> 00:14:52,200 Christian life is like the setting in which the gospel 242 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:57,200 jewel is displayed. So similar to the tree that 243 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,700 holds the lights and the ornaments, or a ring band, if 244 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:06,200 you will, that holds the stone that set on to it, your life is 245 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,100 meant to Adorn. The gospel message, it's meant 246 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:11,200 to beautify. It's meant to make it more. 247 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:15,100 Lovely people ought to be able to say by your life and I 248 00:15:15,100 --> 00:15:16,700 believe he really is a Christian. 249 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,500 He says he is she says she is and by their life, it's 250 00:15:20,500 --> 00:15:24,100 noticeable. True belief in the Gospel of 251 00:15:24,100 --> 00:15:26,600 Jesus Christ. Always transforms one's 252 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,800 character believing in the gospel. 253 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,400 Truly does not come without without fruits. 254 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:40,200 It doesn't come without character transformation. is it 255 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,100 comes and you're here this and people's testimonies time and 256 00:15:43,100 --> 00:15:47,200 again, once they came to know Christ as Savior once they Place 257 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,600 their faith in Jesus Christ, once they received Christ as 258 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:55,700 Lord That their appetites and desires begin to change the 259 00:15:55,700 --> 00:15:59,300 words that previously just flowed out of their mouth, there 260 00:15:59,300 --> 00:16:01,600 was a check and their Spirit about those things. 261 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,300 The things that they put into their mind or into their body, 262 00:16:06,300 --> 00:16:09,700 there's a check in there, Spirit about those things, the activity 263 00:16:09,700 --> 00:16:13,700 that they give themselves to. There's a There's a conviction 264 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,200 on those things. Life Changes. 265 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,700 I'm talking about people who haven't read all the commands of 266 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:24,000 God's word yet. Right? 267 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:25,200 Because this is what the spirit does. 268 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:28,800 The spirit Bears witness Paul says in Romans 8 that we are 269 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:32,300 children of God. If indeed we have received the 270 00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:34,800 spirit of God it's going to Bear witness in US. 271 00:16:36,100 --> 00:16:42,300 So, the spirit beautifies. The spirit beautifies within us, 272 00:16:42,300 --> 00:16:44,200 the gospel message that we have received. 273 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,900 And so therefore it is noticeable by action. 274 00:16:49,100 --> 00:16:51,600 And so for that reason, Paul begin this section with those 275 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,000 instructions, teach what Accords with sound Doctrine. 276 00:16:56,900 --> 00:16:59,400 One of the things that Accords with sound Doctrine is 277 00:16:59,500 --> 00:17:03,200 repentance and Faith. Here is Christ Jesus here. 278 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,000 How is how you've rebelled against Christ repent and 279 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,500 believe in Jesus, for the Forgiveness of your sin and the 280 00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:13,000 salvation of your soul. That is sound Doctrine. 281 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,800 But Paul says, teach what Accords with it, that is a life 282 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:21,400 of godliness lived in response to having received the gospel by 283 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,099 faith. So, call them to repentance and 284 00:17:24,099 --> 00:17:27,700 Faith. Yes, But also instruct them how 285 00:17:27,700 --> 00:17:31,400 to live Godly lives. So let's examine the 286 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,300 characteristics that Paul lays out here for Godly workers. 287 00:17:35,100 --> 00:17:38,800 I think there's three things. Paul says here, the first is 288 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:43,500 that Godly workers Adorn. The gospel by submitting to 289 00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:47,200 Authority. Godly workers Adorn, the gospel 290 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:52,400 by submitting to Authority. And taught us to none Bond 291 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:56,400 servants are to be submissive to their own masters. 292 00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:05,400 In everything. A running theme in Titus so far. 293 00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:11,600 And coming up is God ordained Authority and the Christians, 294 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:17,600 right response to it. In chapter one, we have Paul 295 00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:22,000 writing to Titus. His true son in the faith and 296 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,100 he's giving him instruction Tidus. 297 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:28,200 Is to listen to the apostolic authority of Paul. 298 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:33,100 The follow it to submit himself to these words because these are 299 00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:37,800 the very words of God. We have the word of Elders to 300 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,400 the church. The church is to obey these 301 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,100 Elders, these Elders are to obey. 302 00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:47,500 God. We have wives being submissive 303 00:18:47,500 --> 00:18:50,400 to their own husbands. Which again, as we looked at 304 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,100 last week, means that husbands are to submit themselves to 305 00:18:53,100 --> 00:18:56,400 Christ. Bondservants here submit to your 306 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:03,500 masters Next chapter in chapter 3, we receive this command that 307 00:19:03,500 --> 00:19:09,700 the church is to submit to the rulers and authorities to submit 308 00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:13,700 means to be or to become willing. 309 00:19:15,700 --> 00:19:19,800 To submit to orders or wishes of those in authority over you. 310 00:19:20,700 --> 00:19:24,100 It's, the pay attention to what's said and to buy those 311 00:19:24,100 --> 00:19:27,800 over you to recognize, there is authority over us and to submit 312 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,400 ourselves to it. You see, God establishes order 313 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,900 and he expects his people to recognize this order to 314 00:19:34,900 --> 00:19:39,700 understand these orders and to display Godly submission to the 315 00:19:39,700 --> 00:19:44,300 authority over them. The proper authority over them. 316 00:19:46,500 --> 00:19:49,300 This isn't the first time that we've seen doulas, as I 317 00:19:49,300 --> 00:19:53,700 mentioned earlier, we saw it first in Paul's salutation, as 318 00:19:53,700 --> 00:19:56,900 he begins the letter and Titus, 1 verse 1. 319 00:19:57,300 --> 00:20:08,300 Paul a servant, a doulos of God, a slave of God, What Paul is 320 00:20:08,300 --> 00:20:11,400 saying even to these Bond servants, who would have heard 321 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:16,600 verse one not weeks ago, like you have, but, moments ago, as 322 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:22,000 this was being read. What he's saying is that you 323 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:26,400 might be, you are a servant. You have an Earthly Master, but 324 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,900 even above that, you have a master in heaven. 325 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,200 As you're a slave to him, you're his servants. 326 00:20:33,900 --> 00:20:36,400 And so, our ultimate Authority is God. 327 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:42,100 Now I want everyone in here to here, this that That's true 328 00:20:42,100 --> 00:20:44,300 whether or not you are a Believer. 329 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:51,000 Your Authority is God. God will hold you accountable 330 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:56,400 whether or not you are a believer. he is the one that you 331 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,000 will answer to on the day of judgment that you will give an 332 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:06,900 account to He is your master because he is the creator of all 333 00:21:06,900 --> 00:21:11,400 things and everything exists under his authority. 334 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,300 And so, Paul of the beginning of the letters, establishing this 335 00:21:15,300 --> 00:21:18,300 Authority, that I am a slave to God. 336 00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:22,000 And he's informing Christians that you are slaves to God. 337 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:27,600 And now bondservants though you have a Earthly master You are a 338 00:21:27,608 --> 00:21:33,200 slave to God. What we understand as Christians 339 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:38,100 about spiritual slavery, right? The spiritual slavery to God, is 340 00:21:38,100 --> 00:21:44,400 that it is spiritual Freedom. It is not bondage, and in fact, 341 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:48,600 we are spiritually free from the bondage of sin and death. 342 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,000 And so, we are slaves to the most high. 343 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:56,800 God, we are his servants. We were once bound to sin, but 344 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:00,200 by the grace of God, we are now free by the spirit. 345 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,900 And second Corinthians 3:17, we read this that where the spirit 346 00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:08,200 of the Lord is there is freedom. If you have been reborn, if you 347 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:12,900 have been regenerated, that happened by the spirit of God. 348 00:22:12,900 --> 00:22:17,300 Jesus says, in John, chapter 3, and the spirit of God is present 349 00:22:17,300 --> 00:22:20,000 in your life. According to Ephesians chapter 1 350 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:25,200 that he came to you, in belief Ephesians 1 verses 13 and 14. 351 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:29,100 So you have the spirit of God alive in you as a Believer and 352 00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:32,100 so, therefore, you are free. Amen. 353 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:36,800 There ought to be more excitement but I'll take it. 354 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:42,800 You're free from sin and death. Sin. 355 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,600 And death has no, hold over your life. 356 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,400 You can live by the spirit of God. 357 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,000 This is what Paul is encouraging, the Romans with and 358 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,700 Romans six seven and eight that you were free. 359 00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:57,300 You're no longer bound to the sin nature. 360 00:22:57,300 --> 00:23:00,700 Live by the spirit, walk by the spirit over and again, he's 361 00:23:00,700 --> 00:23:05,100 encouraging there. Romans 8:2 it says, for the law 362 00:23:05,100 --> 00:23:10,100 of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus, from 363 00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:14,100 the law of sin and death. So by the sacrifice of Christ, 364 00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:16,200 by the presence of the holy spirit, in your life, you have 365 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,000 been set free from sin and death. 366 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,900 Amen. And this freedom in Christ which 367 00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:25,500 is given to you by the spirit of God it's present in you. 368 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,600 It frees you from the bondage of sin and death and so you are now 369 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,900 free to live entirely for God who has redeemed you by his 370 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:36,800 Spirit. Through the sacrifice of his 371 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,500 son. So such freedom. 372 00:23:39,500 --> 00:23:43,300 However, might have been a Temptation for these early 373 00:23:43,300 --> 00:23:48,000 believers who were slaves to think that they are above in the 374 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:53,500 authority. You may sense similar Temptation 375 00:23:53,500 --> 00:23:55,900 in your own life, that submission to Authority is not 376 00:23:55,900 --> 00:24:01,700 for you any longer. But I tell you today, that the 377 00:24:01,708 --> 00:24:06,000 presence of evil Authority does not mean that all authority is 378 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,900 evil. Just as One Bad Apple doesn't 379 00:24:09,900 --> 00:24:14,300 pollute a whole tree. Amen. 380 00:24:15,700 --> 00:24:19,500 God governs, his people through Authority both Godly and ungodly 381 00:24:19,500 --> 00:24:21,400 Authority. Daniel, The Book of Daniel 382 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:25,500 confirms us that it is God who sets Kings and their places. 383 00:24:27,100 --> 00:24:32,800 Both evil and good and Romans 9, we read that God raised up, 384 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:37,600 pharaoh to display his glory in the nation of Israel. 385 00:24:40,900 --> 00:24:44,200 So God governs people through both ungodly and worldly 386 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,600 versions of authority evil Authority. 387 00:24:47,300 --> 00:24:52,700 Godly workers are to recognize Authority in their workplaces 388 00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:56,900 and to honor it by humble submission, Godly submission. 389 00:24:58,500 --> 00:25:00,900 It likely goes without clarification but just to be 390 00:25:00,900 --> 00:25:04,600 sure if your boss asks you to do something that violates God's 391 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:09,200 commands, then you must obey. God not man. 392 00:25:10,100 --> 00:25:12,200 Amen. Some of you maybe have 393 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,600 experienced this in your workplace has been asked by 394 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:19,300 someone in authority to fudge a number to lie about something. 395 00:25:21,700 --> 00:25:27,300 To hide an injury, leave work. Something. 396 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,100 But we must obey. God not man. 397 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:39,500 You do not submit yourself to ungodly Authority that seeks to 398 00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:44,100 make you ungodly alongside them. Evil. 399 00:25:44,100 --> 00:25:47,300 Even if it's going to cost you your job, you must submit 400 00:25:47,300 --> 00:25:53,000 yourself to the Lord above man and so but when your boss on the 401 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,300 other hand ask you to do something that doesn't violate 402 00:25:56,300 --> 00:25:58,900 your conscience before, God doesn't violate God's word at 403 00:25:58,900 --> 00:26:01,300 all. Then your response is to do it 404 00:26:01,300 --> 00:26:07,200 with glad submission, happy submission but because your work 405 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,100 life is not separated from your Christian life. 406 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,700 You are a Christian Workman, you are a Justin worker, you are a 407 00:26:14,700 --> 00:26:20,400 Godly work. Colossians 3:23-24 says whatever 408 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,800 you do. And this is actually I'll read 409 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,100 this again later, but this is actually in the passage in 410 00:26:25,100 --> 00:26:27,500 Colossians that's geared to bondservants. 411 00:26:27,500 --> 00:26:32,600 So this is in context Colossians 3:23-24 whatever you do. 412 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,400 Work hard to lie as for the Lord and not for men. 413 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:40,700 Knowing that from the Lord, you will receive the inheritance as 414 00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:45,300 your reward, you are serving the lord Christ. 415 00:26:46,300 --> 00:26:50,500 Amen. And so by your Godly submission 416 00:26:50,500 --> 00:26:54,600 in everything, which doesn't violate the commands of God to 417 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:59,800 Authority in the workplace. Working for God, not for men, 418 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:05,200 only you Adorn, the gospel, your adorning, the gospel, you're 419 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:10,600 making it Beautiful by your submissive Behavior attitude at 420 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:12,500 work. Amen. 421 00:27:15,100 --> 00:27:16,900 Not a lot of a men's when you talk about submission. 422 00:27:16,900 --> 00:27:21,400 So let's keep going. Godly workers. 423 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,500 The second thing, I think Paul lays out here is it Godly 424 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:26,000 workers Adorn. The gospel by a well pleasing 425 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:33,400 attitude. Titus 29 Bond servants are to be 426 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:36,700 well, pleasing, not argumentative minutes. 427 00:27:38,500 --> 00:27:43,500 In the next few verses Paul uses positive and negative statements 428 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:46,400 positive and negative commands to make his point. 429 00:27:46,700 --> 00:27:51,200 You are to be well, pleasing and not argumentative, you are not 430 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,500 to pilfer but show all good faith. 431 00:27:55,300 --> 00:27:58,500 It's easier. If you have children, you can't 432 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:00,400 understand this. It's easier to just simply say, 433 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:04,700 don't do that, stop doing that. Why just stop. 434 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:13,000 All right, but it's always best. For godliness for maturity to 435 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:17,900 couple a do not with a. Here's what we do instead with 436 00:28:17,900 --> 00:28:21,200 instruction right. Correction without instruction, 437 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:26,300 only breaks the will of a person we must be instructive. 438 00:28:28,700 --> 00:28:32,500 It's true that we must know what not to do, but we must also know 439 00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:36,200 what to replace those things with less, we walk around in 440 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,200 defeat and not knowing what we are to be doing, only to know 441 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,400 what we shouldn't do. So Godly workers should display 442 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:45,300 a well, pleasing attitude. They're not to be argumentative. 443 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,500 If you are struggling with submissiveness in your 444 00:28:48,500 --> 00:28:54,100 workplace, it is likely that you have ventured into this area of 445 00:28:54,100 --> 00:29:00,000 argumentation. To be argumentative, here means 446 00:29:00,700 --> 00:29:07,200 to resist. Or to be heavily antagonistic to 447 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,500 the point of complete opposition. 448 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:17,200 Paul has a mind Rebellion, almost, and this kind of 449 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:20,100 behavior is not mere disagreements, which is 450 00:29:20,100 --> 00:29:23,000 allowable for Godly workers. Godly workers are allowed to 451 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:28,500 disagree with their employers and even to talk through things, 452 00:29:28,500 --> 00:29:30,700 that's not what Paul is saying. He's not saying you can't have 453 00:29:30,700 --> 00:29:33,900 your own opinions. He's saying You must not be 454 00:29:33,900 --> 00:29:41,600 argumentative. This kind of argumentation is 455 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:45,300 going out of your way to make like life difficult for those. 456 00:29:45,900 --> 00:29:50,300 You work with or for those in authority over you and might be 457 00:29:50,300 --> 00:29:54,500 to their face. It's very likely at least behind 458 00:29:54,500 --> 00:29:59,500 their back. But it Bears repeating there may 459 00:29:59,500 --> 00:30:05,700 be a god-ordained time to stand up for something which might 460 00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:09,400 receive the incorrect label of your being argumentative. 461 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:12,300 But that's not what Paul has in view here. 462 00:30:12,300 --> 00:30:16,000 Paul has in view here. Sinful argumentation. 463 00:30:18,100 --> 00:30:24,500 That you are being rebellious, you're being in your being 464 00:30:24,500 --> 00:30:30,400 spitefully antagonistic. Paul is addressing that kind of 465 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:32,500 miserable work behavior, that is easy to have. 466 00:30:32,500 --> 00:30:35,200 When you work somewhere, you don't necessarily like, or enjoy 467 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,000 you. Go to work with a unhappy 468 00:30:38,100 --> 00:30:43,900 ungrateful, heart each day and it shows in your body language. 469 00:30:43,900 --> 00:30:47,200 It shows in the way that you behave with coworkers, or with 470 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,500 those customers, if you have customers or clients or whatever 471 00:30:50,900 --> 00:30:54,800 it shows Everybody's gone through the fast food line or 472 00:30:54,800 --> 00:31:01,800 the checkout line at Walmart. Ask the worker politely how's 473 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:07,100 your day and been vomited on with how awful the workplace is 474 00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:13,700 how terrible life is. I'm not Not really making an 475 00:31:13,700 --> 00:31:14,800 assessment about some of those people. 476 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:16,100 Some of those people going through, really difficult 477 00:31:16,100 --> 00:31:17,600 situations. And so it's a great opportunity 478 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:19,900 to talk. I'm just saying this is the kind 479 00:31:19,900 --> 00:31:22,700 of stuff that begins to spill out most of you have had 480 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:26,600 co-workers or if you don't have a co-worker who's been this way, 481 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,800 you're probably them, right? And so people are just kind of 482 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,500 avoiding you. It's like that crazy uncle and 483 00:31:33,500 --> 00:31:35,800 every family, if you don't have a crazy, uncle in the family, 484 00:31:35,900 --> 00:31:38,000 you are the crazy. Uncle in the family, right? 485 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:43,500 Or at least. The stats are in our favor that 486 00:31:43,500 --> 00:31:45,200 you are. That's okay. 487 00:31:45,300 --> 00:31:46,800 We welcome. Crazy uncle's here. 488 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:54,500 Also, well, pleasing though, on the other hand means to give 489 00:31:54,500 --> 00:31:59,900 pleasure and satisfaction And what's interesting about the 490 00:31:59,900 --> 00:32:02,600 word in the way it's used here, is that it means to do it at 491 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:06,000 times, even to a greater degree than usual. 492 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,500 So, one person goes out of their way, right? 493 00:32:09,500 --> 00:32:12,900 To be argumentative, they're looking for reasons to argue, 494 00:32:12,900 --> 00:32:15,900 they're looking for reasons to cause problems, this person, 495 00:32:15,900 --> 00:32:19,500 that Paul saying you should be at work is well, pleasing. 496 00:32:19,500 --> 00:32:23,300 That's someone who goes out of their way, looking for ways to 497 00:32:23,300 --> 00:32:25,300 bring pleasure into the workplace. 498 00:32:26,900 --> 00:32:30,900 It's interesting, it's a great contrast that Paul lays out 499 00:32:30,900 --> 00:32:37,700 here. It doesn't take Grand gifts, 500 00:32:37,700 --> 00:32:39,300 right? Showing up on Friday, every 501 00:32:39,300 --> 00:32:40,800 Friday with a box of donuts, though. 502 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:45,900 If you want to do that, do it. But it doesn't take that, it 503 00:32:45,900 --> 00:32:48,600 doesn't even take becoming a workaholic which I think many of 504 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:50,800 us have lied to ourselves. And so, this is what it takes to 505 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:53,800 be a well-pleasing employees. That we must work ourselves to 506 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:56,000 death. This is not. 507 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:59,100 What's this is not what Paul is laying out. 508 00:33:02,700 --> 00:33:05,400 In high school, I worked for a guy who if he caught you 509 00:33:05,500 --> 00:33:09,100 standing around. He would make statements like 510 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,100 when you get done holding the counter down. 511 00:33:11,100 --> 00:33:14,200 How about you go clean? Those glass cases over there? 512 00:33:16,500 --> 00:33:19,400 Or after you're finished resting, I want you to go dust 513 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:23,900 the shelves. It didn't take but like one two, 514 00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:26,700 maybe three because I was a teenage boy who knows, is 515 00:33:26,700 --> 00:33:30,400 probably 15. Then take many in my mind to 516 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:34,100 finally, catch the drift that like, hey, don't stand around. 517 00:33:34,100 --> 00:33:38,400 You idiot, get to work right? Get busy doing something. 518 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,300 I'm talking like day one having no training yet. 519 00:33:42,300 --> 00:33:44,100 That's the kind of stuff you're getting. 520 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,800 And so after a few embarrassing exchanges, I learned to not 521 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,100 stand still. If there was a lull in the 522 00:33:52,100 --> 00:33:54,700 action, you get busy restock shelves, you clean glasses, you 523 00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:58,900 do things. but what was interesting is that would bring 524 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:04,100 compliments rather than criticism whatever the Lord 525 00:34:04,100 --> 00:34:08,199 grants you to do. Do it with your best effort. 526 00:34:08,199 --> 00:34:10,100 Work. Diligently as unto the Lord. 527 00:34:10,100 --> 00:34:14,100 And not toward man only, it's Jesus. 528 00:34:14,900 --> 00:34:18,199 Whom you are serving. If you are a Christian worker, 529 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,199 you were doing your work unto the Lord himself. 530 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:27,800 He has granted you the ability to make wealth to make a living. 531 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,800 You like, oh, I'm not wealthy, I don't mean wealth wealthy. 532 00:34:30,900 --> 00:34:34,699 I just mean to make a living. He's granted you the ability to 533 00:34:34,699 --> 00:34:38,300 do that and so every job we do whether we like it or not. 534 00:34:38,300 --> 00:34:41,800 We need to understand. This is a gift from the Lord and 535 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:47,300 so we enter into it with joy. and we work hard, we want to be 536 00:34:47,300 --> 00:34:50,400 faithful to the Lord in this work children, if you have 537 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:56,900 chores at home, Jones kids ever listen for sure right, I'll see 538 00:34:56,900 --> 00:34:58,500 you Wells. Got you. 539 00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:06,100 If you're given chores at home and mommy and daddy, say, hey 540 00:35:06,100 --> 00:35:09,900 it's time to do our chores today or have you done your chores. 541 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:15,600 The answer is not. We get that at our house, I 542 00:35:15,607 --> 00:35:17,000 don't know. Maybe y'all don't. 543 00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:21,600 All right. This is a work that the Lord has 544 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:26,100 given you through the authority over you which is your parents 545 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:29,600 and your to be submissive your to listen or to obey your mommy 546 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:31,500 and daddy. Amen. 547 00:35:33,900 --> 00:35:36,300 Taking out the trash is not sinful, okay? 548 00:35:36,300 --> 00:35:39,600 It might feel that way. It's not sinful, it's obeying 549 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:42,300 the Lord. And so in every work that we 550 00:35:42,300 --> 00:35:48,000 enter into, we say, I am obeying God above everything else, and 551 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:52,300 I'm going to work my rear end off for his glory. 552 00:35:54,100 --> 00:35:57,300 My men will be faithful to the Lord in your workplace. 553 00:35:57,900 --> 00:36:01,700 You can do that by displaying a well pleasing attitude, and by 554 00:36:01,700 --> 00:36:05,800 doing so, you become a Godly worker and you are adorning, 555 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:11,500 your beautifying, the gospel, which you've received But the 556 00:36:11,500 --> 00:36:14,300 final thing I want to show you is 210 Godly workers Adorn. 557 00:36:14,300 --> 00:36:17,100 The gospel by showing all good faith. 558 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:21,900 Godly workers Adorn. The gospel by showing all good 559 00:36:21,900 --> 00:36:26,100 faith. Not pilfering, but showing all 560 00:36:26,100 --> 00:36:28,900 good faith. So that in everything, you may 561 00:36:28,900 --> 00:36:35,900 Adorn, the doctrine of God, our savior Pilfering means to hold 562 00:36:35,900 --> 00:36:39,800 something back for yourself which is really nice way to say 563 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:46,300 you're a thief. Pilfering means that you are a 564 00:36:46,308 --> 00:36:52,900 thief. It's the idea of embezzlement or 565 00:36:52,900 --> 00:36:57,500 petty theft a great biblical example, where the same Greek 566 00:36:57,500 --> 00:37:02,500 word is used as in Acts chapter 5, there's a couple by the name 567 00:37:02,500 --> 00:37:06,700 of ananias and Sapphira who had sold in those early days. 568 00:37:06,700 --> 00:37:08,600 Many of the Believers, especially the wealthy ones were 569 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:13,600 selling properties. They were selling extra things 570 00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:16,000 giving it to the mission of the church. 571 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:18,800 So that those who were in need wouldn't have need any longer 572 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,800 Ananias and Sapphira, fit the bill, they sell a piece of 573 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:26,400 property. And all they had to do. 574 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:31,400 All they had to do was say here's what we sold it for. 575 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:34,800 Here's what we're giving to the church and everything was fine. 576 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:39,800 There was no instruction in the New Testament. 577 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:44,000 There's no instructions says You must give everything to the 578 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:46,900 church. It's just be generous time and 579 00:37:46,900 --> 00:37:50,400 time again. But do you know what ananias and 580 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:56,000 Sapphira did? They held back. 581 00:37:56,000 --> 00:38:01,600 They pilfered they lied then and said here's what we sold it for 582 00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:05,700 and we're giving you all of that they lied. 583 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:11,200 Peter there is he's a confronting them about it says 584 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:13,600 that you are guilty of lying to the Holy Spirit. 585 00:38:14,700 --> 00:38:17,500 This is one of the reasons, it's one of our proof text for saying 586 00:38:17,500 --> 00:38:20,300 that the holy spirit is one of the three Persons Of God, is 587 00:38:20,300 --> 00:38:26,200 that he can be lied to. And so they pilfered and they 588 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:31,200 lied about it and God struck them down right there in that 589 00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:36,100 place. So pilfering is the idea of 590 00:38:36,300 --> 00:38:43,100 holding something back. It may involve money sure but I 591 00:38:43,107 --> 00:38:46,600 bet most workplace pilfering doesn't involve money at all. 592 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:51,900 What do you bet? At least not in the sense that 593 00:38:51,900 --> 00:38:58,700 I'm taking literal money. Cash Money dollars dollar dollar 594 00:38:58,700 --> 00:39:04,500 bills in my hand, right? You can pill for your company's 595 00:39:04,500 --> 00:39:11,100 resources. whether it be their tools, their accessories, their 596 00:39:11,100 --> 00:39:16,700 supplies, I think the one thing that's likely, pilfered more 597 00:39:16,700 --> 00:39:20,700 than anything else. And a company and buy one take a 598 00:39:20,707 --> 00:39:22,800 stab at it time. Yeah. 599 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:24,400 There you go. You're tracking. 600 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:26,300 This is how we know we're doing a good job, Alan. 601 00:39:26,300 --> 00:39:33,400 Everybody got that right time? You show up late you falsely 602 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:37,100 call in he leave early you take extended breaks. 603 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:42,900 I once worked in a factory where I learned something I did not 604 00:39:42,900 --> 00:39:44,400 know before. I did not know it was humanly 605 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,900 possible for so many men to have irritable bowel syndrome. 606 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:54,800 There were more bathroom breaks, among a handful of guys. 607 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:57,900 Then, as humanly possible, they should have just wilted away 608 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:03,500 long ones too. It's gross, I know, but that's 609 00:40:03,500 --> 00:40:06,200 pilfering. All right, it's pilfering. 610 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:08,400 There were pilfering, the company's time. 611 00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:13,800 So Paul says, do not instruct Bond servants. 612 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:17,400 Not to be pilfers. Do not take something that isn't 613 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:19,300 yours. Do not hold back more. 614 00:40:20,900 --> 00:40:25,000 For yourself, especially if something that's not yours, it 615 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:29,300 belongs to your work place. Belongs to your employer but 616 00:40:29,300 --> 00:40:34,500 instead show, all good. Faith showing all, good faith 617 00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:38,300 means to prove by arguments now, that's interesting. 618 00:40:39,500 --> 00:40:43,100 We're not to be argumentative, but we are to prove by our 619 00:40:43,100 --> 00:40:51,000 Behavior. That we are a certain way you 620 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:55,500 can prove by arguments or action that you are reliable 621 00:40:56,200 --> 00:41:00,600 trustworthy. Good for that specific task. 622 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:02,700 That you have been given in your workplace. 623 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:06,100 That's worth noting here. That faith has a double meaning 624 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:09,000 on one hand. It is trust for it is 625 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:12,500 trustworthy or reliable. On the other hand it has in 626 00:41:12,500 --> 00:41:18,200 view, one's faith in Christ, so it's that you are faithful and 627 00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:24,100 your workplace because you are faithful to Christ. you see what 628 00:41:24,100 --> 00:41:28,400 I mean by go hand-in-hand, it's If we were to sum it up, we 629 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:30,300 might just call it Christian character. 630 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:38,500 Your faith in Jesus makes you value being trustworthy, being 631 00:41:38,500 --> 00:41:42,900 Dependable, reliable in your workplace, whether you have a 632 00:41:42,908 --> 00:41:46,700 role, the role at work that you want or not, you're not letting 633 00:41:46,700 --> 00:41:50,600 that interfere with the fact that your commitments is to 634 00:41:50,600 --> 00:41:53,500 Christ and so you will show all good faith. 635 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:57,600 Your boss will have confidence in you because you work 636 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:02,100 Faithfully. And so you are to be submissive 637 00:42:02,100 --> 00:42:04,900 and everything. You are to be, well, pleasing, 638 00:42:04,900 --> 00:42:09,600 you are to show all good faith. So then so that in everything, 639 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:12,500 you may Adorn, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 640 00:42:13,100 --> 00:42:15,900 Amen. We must approach. 641 00:42:15,900 --> 00:42:18,900 Work is those who are servants to God. 642 00:42:20,300 --> 00:42:24,300 I'm a slave to God and so, therefore, I enter into this 643 00:42:24,300 --> 00:42:26,800 employment, understanding my place. 644 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:32,900 Colossians 3:22 through 24 Bond servants obey and everything 645 00:42:32,900 --> 00:42:36,900 those who are your Earthly Masters not by way of I service. 646 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:41,400 Just doing what is seen doing good when it's seen. 647 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:49,700 Not by way of people pleasing. But with sincerity of heart, 648 00:42:49,700 --> 00:42:53,300 fearing the Lord. This is the key that Paul's 649 00:42:53,300 --> 00:42:56,400 getting at here's teach what Accords with sound Doctrine. 650 00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:58,800 Sound Doctrine, begins with the fear of the Lord. 651 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:04,100 I'm submitting myself to him, I'm reverent re reverently 652 00:43:04,100 --> 00:43:10,000 obeying him and so I'm going to be a good Workman. 653 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:13,200 I'm going to work hard in my job. 654 00:43:15,700 --> 00:43:18,800 Whatever you do verse 23, work heartily, as for the Lord, and 655 00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:21,700 not for man. Knowing that from the Lord, you 656 00:43:21,700 --> 00:43:26,100 will receive the inheritance as your reward, you were serving 657 00:43:26,100 --> 00:43:29,200 the lord Christ. Again that comes from Colossians 658 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:34,100 3, addressing the very same issues are work then for 659 00:43:34,100 --> 00:43:37,100 Earthly, Authority, bears, and eternal weight. 660 00:43:37,100 --> 00:43:39,400 And this is what we need to understand today is Christians. 661 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:45,500 Our work for Earthly Authority Bears. 662 00:43:45,500 --> 00:43:50,300 Eternal wait. Your workplace is a playing 663 00:43:50,300 --> 00:43:53,200 field for Christian character, it's where it is. 664 00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:58,100 To be observed. And so I have some questions 665 00:43:58,100 --> 00:44:00,900 that I just want you to mole over in your heart and your 666 00:44:00,900 --> 00:44:03,200 mind, maybe they're questions that you've been mulling over, 667 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:07,200 as we've gone through this, but let me bring it to bear on your 668 00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:13,000 mind this morning. Do you bear the fruits of a 669 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:15,800 Christ follower in your workplace? 670 00:44:19,800 --> 00:44:24,500 Now, this goes for this, goes for people who work in the home, 671 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:27,500 people who work in a workplace, people who don't have employment 672 00:44:27,500 --> 00:44:29,200 yet at all. But are actively seeking it. 673 00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:33,000 This is for everybody. Do you bear the fruit of a 674 00:44:33,008 --> 00:44:40,300 Christ follower in your work? Follow-up question. 675 00:44:41,900 --> 00:44:46,000 Is that one's not difficult enough to think through with 676 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:50,400 your fellow employees. Are those in authority over you. 677 00:44:51,700 --> 00:44:55,000 Call you a submissive employee. Well, they say that. 678 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:57,500 You do what you're asked to do with a happy heart. 679 00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:04,400 What they say that you are or are not argumentative. 680 00:45:08,300 --> 00:45:10,100 They say that you are well, pleasing. 681 00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:22,700 They say he's not a pilferer, would they accuse you of being 682 00:45:22,700 --> 00:45:24,700 one? Who shows all good, faith. 683 00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:34,600 All the things we need to do is let the spirit of God alive in 684 00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:38,000 us, bring Redemption to our work. 685 00:45:39,200 --> 00:45:41,500 By showing us that in everything. 686 00:45:42,100 --> 00:45:45,000 We may Adorn, the gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 687 00:45:46,100 --> 00:45:50,000 Especially in our workplaces. And so I encourage you, brothers 688 00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:52,500 and sisters, boys and girls, and your chores. 689 00:45:52,600 --> 00:45:58,500 Pray for the spirits help in working diligently, and 690 00:45:58,500 --> 00:46:02,600 everything. As one who works for God and 691 00:46:02,600 --> 00:46:06,100 not, for man, that you may Adorn, the Gospel of Jesus 692 00:46:06,100 --> 00:46:10,500 Christ in your workplace. I said it at the beginning. 693 00:46:10,500 --> 00:46:13,800 I want to remind you of it. Now Godly workers Adorn the 694 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:15,600 gospel. Amen. 695 00:46:20,100 --> 00:46:24,000 It is my hope that New Life Community Church. 696 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:27,600 Would be filled with men and women and boys and girls who 697 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:34,800 approach work in a Godly way. What a testimony to the 698 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:37,300 transforming nature of the gospel of Christ. 699 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:43,400 That that person becomes a light for Christ in their work by 700 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:49,200 working hard the right way. When it be amazing. 701 00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:52,900 If companies in our area started calling our church and saying do 702 00:46:52,900 --> 00:46:59,500 you have any more like so? And so Because we want to hire. 703 00:47:01,900 --> 00:47:09,400 That would be incredible. Want to pray for the spirits 704 00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:11,800 help in this. Amen. 705 00:47:20,700 --> 00:47:24,200 If there is any unbelievers here today, somebody who's not placed 706 00:47:24,200 --> 00:47:29,800 their faith in Christ, Earthly, labor and toil. 707 00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:35,700 Is nothing. Compared to what Christ endured 708 00:47:35,700 --> 00:47:42,800 on the cross for you. Earthly labor and toil comes 709 00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:46,100 with a certain burden. Sure. 710 00:47:47,600 --> 00:47:50,200 But it's not the burden that you might feel over your sin. 711 00:47:52,900 --> 00:47:55,800 And I want to tell you that Christ took on himself, all of 712 00:47:55,800 --> 00:48:00,200 your sin. So that you might come to know 713 00:48:01,000 --> 00:48:04,400 the Salvation that is found in God, your savior. 714 00:48:07,300 --> 00:48:11,500 Jesus Christ, the son of God bore on his own. 715 00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:18,800 Back, if you will. God's Wrath for your 716 00:48:18,800 --> 00:48:23,600 unrighteousness. So that you may bear God's mercy 717 00:48:25,000 --> 00:48:29,700 and his righteousness. If you will turn from your sins 718 00:48:29,700 --> 00:48:36,500 today, And believe. In Christ Jesus as your savior 719 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:42,100 and you will be saved today. I encourage you to seek him. 720 00:48:43,300 --> 00:48:47,500 If you have questions seek me out, I'm happy to answer them. 721 00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:50,400 You stand to your feet this morning. 722 00:48:50,500 --> 00:48:53,900 I want to pray for us. Heavenly Father, we praise you 723 00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:55,800 that your word is good and great. 724 00:48:57,200 --> 00:48:59,800 That your kindness is immeasurable toward us. 725 00:49:01,400 --> 00:49:06,600 Lord, we thank you for work. We thank you that you've granted 726 00:49:06,600 --> 00:49:11,800 to us Employments, the ability to make wealth and to bring 727 00:49:11,800 --> 00:49:16,600 provision to our lives. God, help us. 728 00:49:18,200 --> 00:49:21,500 Help us to Adorn, the gospel in our work. 729 00:49:24,200 --> 00:49:31,400 That's as men and our jobs as women and our jobs. as young men 730 00:49:31,400 --> 00:49:35,700 and young women growing into maybe seeking their careers 731 00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:41,900 working even now, Boys and girls. 732 00:49:41,900 --> 00:49:47,500 Students working on school work. These, these are your work for 733 00:49:47,500 --> 00:49:51,800 us. Help us to do them. 734 00:49:51,800 --> 00:50:00,200 Well, That by our hard work. We may Adorn the gospel of 735 00:50:00,200 --> 00:50:03,800 Christ. And that in an opposite manner 736 00:50:03,800 --> 00:50:09,900 of that, that by our lack of hard work or unwillingness to 737 00:50:09,900 --> 00:50:15,200 work. God, we don't want to be we 738 00:50:15,200 --> 00:50:18,500 don't want to bring shame to your name. 739 00:50:19,600 --> 00:50:22,600 What's this message? And so we thank you that you 740 00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:28,800 saved us from all sin. Even the sin of laziness or lack 741 00:50:28,800 --> 00:50:32,600 of diligence and work. And that you strengthen us to 742 00:50:32,600 --> 00:50:34,800 become the kind of men and women that you've called us to be. 743 00:50:34,800 --> 00:50:38,400 And so we ask Lord that if we failed in these areas, reveal it 744 00:50:38,400 --> 00:50:42,000 to us that we might repent and trust your Holy Spirit for the 745 00:50:42,000 --> 00:50:46,500 strength. To work hardly as unto the Lord 746 00:50:46,500 --> 00:50:52,200 and not, man. Father, may we glorify your name 747 00:50:52,200 --> 00:50:55,500 and all that we say and do. In Christ. 748 00:50:55,500 --> 00:50:58,000 Jesus name, I pray. Amen. 749 00:50:55,100 --> 00:50:56,600 In Christ. Jesus name, I pray. 750 00:50:57,500 --> 00:50:58,000 Amen.