Turn with me tonight in your Bibles to the Epistle of Paul to
Titus. Go to first and second Timothy.
You'll come to Titus. Titus Chapter 1.
We're going to read from verse 1.
We're going to read the whole of the chapter.
Let's hear the word of God. Reading, of course, from the
authorized version those online, the words will come up and
screen. But as I've said before, we
encourage you to get a copy of the Bible and follow the
reading. If you haven't got a copy of the
Bible and would like one, please feel free to contact us and we'd
be happy to supply. Not neat.
Let's hear the word of God together.
Paul a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
according to the fee of God's elect and the acknowledging of
the truth, which is after godliness in Hope of eternal
life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began,
But how often do tames manifested his word through
preaching, which is committed unto me.
According to the Commandment of God, our savior Too tight us,
mine own son, after the common Faith, grace, mercy, and peace.
From God, the father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Our Savior
for this cause left, I Thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in
order, the things that are wanting, and their DNA Elders in
every city, as I had appointed thee.
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful,
Faithful children, not accused of Riot or unruly for a.
Bishop must be blameless. As the steward of God, not
self-willed. Not soon, angry, not given to
Wine, no Striker, not given to Filthy lucre, but her lover of
hospitality, a lover of Good. Men sober, just holy temperate,
holding fast, the faithful word as he had been taught that he
may be able by Sir. Doctrine, both to exhort.
And to convince the gainsayers for there are many unruly and
vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the
circumcision whose mouths Must Be Stopped, who subvert whole
houses teaching things, which they ought not for filthy lucre
seek one of themselves. Even a prophet of their own
said, the cretans are always Liars.
He's evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true.
Wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sold in the
fear, not giving heed to Jewish fables and Commandments of men
that turn from the truth unto the pure, all things are pure,
but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure.
But even their mind, and conscience is defiled.
They profess that they know God but in Works they deny him being
abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate.
The my tax tonight is found and Titus Chapter 1 and verse 2, in
verse 2, we read in Hope of eternal life which God that
cannot lie promised before the world began.
Now this evening, I want to Us to focus on the words in Hope of
eternal life. I believe this is a wonderful
simple statement and yet a very Sublime profound step and so
simple that the children would be able to understand and grasp
and yet social blade you could write a whole theological
doctrinal book. Just in this one free years and
hope of eternal life. See the apostle.
Paul is. Writing a very short letter to a
fellow Minister called Titus. Titus and the Apostle Paul had
visited the island of Crete and a number of New Testament.
Churches, were formed there. A number of Jews and Gentiles
were gloriously born again, out of Crete's Pagan culture and the
Apostle Paul, when he was leaving the island, he left
taters behind to sort out some problems in these infant will
call them struggling Church. Has Paul wanted them to be
strong. He wanted them to get a good
foothold for Christ and the gospel despite the Pagan culture
despite the presence of false teachers and false teachers.
Now you Crete is an island 160 miles long about seven to thirty
five miles wide and places and a situated in the southern tip of
Greece. In the Mediterranean Sea.
I've never been there, but It's a lovely place to go to for a
holiday. However, the Christian people
had acquired a very bad reputation Paul sites.
One of their ports among by the name of are pie Mendes.
Listen to what he says in chapter 1 and verse 12.
One of them sales, even a prophet of their own said, the
cretians are always Liars. Evil beasts, slow, bellies. in
other words, they were lazy gluttons.
And Paul is displaying here, their Chief reputation among
man, and yet into that Pagan culture with us, Chief
reputation. For this lifestyle, the
wonderful Sovereign, Grace of God, the power of the Gospel had
taken root. And I had no tight that the
Christians had been present and Jerusalem and the day of
Pentecost where they heard the disciples speak in the crease
and language, the wonderful works of God.
I've no doubt that there and then some were converted not day
upon hearing Peter preached. The gospel they later went home
to plant the seed of the gospel and here's Paul and the
missionary journey along with Titus, he's leaving the island
and Titus has left behind Soundly certain Jews were making
life difficult for the Christians.
They were promoting false Doctrine and Tate Us by the
grace of God, had a great reputation for dealing with
difficult problems in the church.
So, Paul left in there to help get the church on a solid
footing. So here, H to him, this short
ladder, I want you to think of taters and Crete along with the
people of God. And here's the theme of the
latter. How to Live out the gospel in a
pagan world. And to me, that's the summary of
the whole book, God's people who were genuinely and truly
received must by the grace of God.
Engage in Godly Deeds, evidence fruit of Salvation as a laborer
for Christ under the authority of the local church.
Versus 124 forms. The introduction to the latter.
It's a lengthy introduction. It's full of instruction full of
wonderful. Chris each truth could be
expanded upon as we enter further into the latter, but
tonight were just examining one thing and I've broken it up into
constituent Parts. Not theme is in Hope of eternal
life. I want you to think of a number
of things. I want you to think of the fact
of the hope of eternal life. And hope.
See some people imagine that hope contains the idea of doubt.
It's wishful thinking. I hope to do this and that, so I
could say, well, I hope to visit Crete this week.
Well, I would be not be going to create as be wishful thinking on
my part or I could say well I hope to do this and that and I
wish to go here and go there but never got around to doing this
and that I hope I get this job that have applied for but
there's no realistic expectation that I will.
I could say well I hope I win the lottery.
Well, I won't because that's gambling.
It's in before the Lord. I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow
or who's that? Nope.
Doesn't snow next week. Week.
Well, again, we have no realistic expectation.
That, that desire would come to pass, is he?
It doesn't mean that I know that when we use the word hope,
that's the way we use it. But how man use hoop and how
God, the Holy Ghost uses. Hope is two different things.
You see when God uses the word. Hope there's 133, references to
the word hope and the, the Bible, the word, hope here means
to look to the future with a confident.
Expectation. It points to God's covenant
faithfulness in relation to his presence as promises in this
power. It also means to we it in the
Lord with the humble confidence and trust in him alone, listen
to the word of God and sound 42 verse 5.
Why art thou? He cast down O my soul and we're
disquieted within me. Hope thou in God for, I shall
yet, praise him for the help of his countenance.
What does that? That mean hope.
Thou in God, it means look to the future with a confident
expectation. It points us to God's covenant,
faithfulness of has promised his presence has power.
It means to we it on the Lord with a humble confident.
Trust in him. If we were to turn their to
another Sam Sam. 130. It says, in verse 7, that
Israel. Hoping the Lord means exactly
the same thing for with the Lord, there is Mercy.
And with there was plenty of Redemption for he shall redeem
Israel from his iniquities. And you see The children of
Israel. They were taken up with God's
covenant, faithful promise and they fix their heart and mind in
that promise on its certainty. And on the centrality of all
that God had promised and at the heart of God's promise was
Christ, remember Galatians 4 and 4.
But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth
his son, hi mierda. If a woman me and under the law
for what purpose can redeem them that were under the law that we
might receive. Listen to this, the adoption of
sons and then the New Testament as it begins to unfold.
You've got the unfolding and you've got the full revelation
of all that God promised in relation to Christ and that
promise as I'm telling you from the First Gospel promise Genesis
3:15, And all the way through to Galatians 4 and 4 were centered
and godson. And over there in the book of
Colossians and remember we preached in us as we preach
through Colossians 1 to whom God would make known, what is the
riches of the glory of this mystery?
Among the Gentiles? Which is Christ in you the hope
of glory. You see Christ is our hope and
remember that Paul was able to say for in him, that's in
Christ, all the promises of God are ye and a man, you see?
It's not just, you've got an idea, it's not just, you've got
a concept. It's not that you've got a
feeling and you sense that something good is going to
happen. Isn't there a song about that?
Something good is going to happen II.
Can't The singer that I can't even hum it, but that's not what
this Hoops abide, it's richer, it's deeper, it's greater, it's
better because there's a confident expectation of this
thing happening because it's rooted in God's faithful,
Covenant, promise. That's the fact of this hope to
eternal life. I want you to notice.
Secondly, and quickly, I want you to think of the focus of Our
Hope, because if it's true and I believe it is, it's factual that
Christ is our hope of eternal life.
And remember, we live in a pagan world with a pagan culture, all
around us, the power of sin, the Power of Satan and evil.
We Fierce trials and Temptation. We Fierce temptation to sin.
We we are alive to all the problems and Perfection is of
life. We live with difficulty and
disappointment disaster. We've got disease in the one
hand with death and the other, and yet he can be fierce, all of
that. Here's the answer Christ is our
Our hope you see whenever you have got a sovereign God on the
throne, who tells us that Christ is our hope then you can see a
way through despite the trial and trouble despite the problems
and the pressures of life, you can see a late in the valley.
In fact, the Bible talks about a Door of Hope in the valley of
achor Door of Hope, Christ is adored by looking to him by.
We're heading to him by having a confident.
Expectation, he will fulfill all that he has promised, you see?
if I think of the Christian Life, Some people have this
mindset. That I can't have a certain
expectation of eternal life. Until after I'm dead and
whenever a die, God will give me eternal life.
But it's not. I hope when I died again,
eternal life, it's not. I hope one day to Guillen
eternal life. It's not even.
I hope to be granted by God one day, eternal life.
See, some people have this main said that?
There's a test And if your words lie, if you pass the test, if
you've been approved then you're granted the Fulfillment of this
promise. But but that's not the concept
that that should not be your focus.
Your remember I said of Christ without hope your dad and send
your darkened because of sin your Disease by sin, but in
Christ You've got hope of eternal life and that's promised
my but it's not only promised it's possessed.
Not, I remember John 3 and 16 for gold what?
So loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have what
everlasting life. I remember John says in John
chapter 3 and in the verse 36 he made a tremendous statement he
that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that
believeth not the son shall not see life but the wrath of God.
Abideth on him. If you're in Christ and Christ
in u.s. the hope of glory then the focus of that Hooper's what
has promised us possess nine. You're not waiting until the
Judgment Day to find out. If you're worthy running brought
into heaven and given this gift, you're not waiting at the door
of having to see if Peter would maybe let Yen.
I don't know where this idea of Peter at the door of happened
ever come from. I feel, it's a could a crude
form of Roman Catholicism. Solecism Peter of course they
teach those the the Pope's are. You've got to think of the Pope
at the door of Heaven, admitting were they candidate said well
that's not the picture if you're born again and if you've
experienced remission of sins and there was a day and Taemin
your life on yourseif Christ as Lord and Savior.
Then listen to what the Apostle John says in John chapter 1 and
verse 12, but as many as received him to them gave he
power to become the sons. Sons of God, that word power
means the right or the authority.
Even to them that believe on his knee, which were born not of
blood. See it's not a rat attorney nor
of the will of the flesh. It's not of your own wealth, nor
of the will of Mom, it's not the will of the preacher of the
parent, but of God, And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among
us and we beheld his glory. You see, if you we it till you
die to find out. If you've got eternal life,
it'll be too late. And that day, if you went to
that day, you'll have no hope you'll have no Assurance.
If you have not got Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, then
you do not have this hope of glory Christ.
Just a promised, savior Christ is a pervaded savior, he's a
personal savior, he's a powerful Savior.
And then hen, if you've received him, you've this confident
expectation of all that God has promise will be fulfilled and
listen to me, carefully will be fulfilled to the very latter As
you focus in this hope, think of this, he alone can deliver you.
From the penalty of sin, which is death, he alone breaks, the
power of canceled sin sets, the prisoner free.
He alone takes the love of sinning, on your heart, takes
away the very pleasure of sin. He alone can deliver you from
fear of death, who many people are afraid to die.
And yet Christ, as the great deliverer, listen to what the
Apostle Paul says in Hebrews and in Chapter 2 and verses 14 and
15 for his much. Stay and his children are
particulars of Flesh and Blood. He also himself likewise took
part of the sea Here's the reason, one of them, that's
through death, that's his death on the cross.
He might destroy him. That had the power of death.
That is the devil and deliver them who through fear of death
were all their lifetime subject, to bondage, the very weapon that
Seaton used against mom The fear of death crazed is the great
deliverer, Kevin sees that and used it his death on the cross.
To destroy the Devil. Triumphing over him and has
cross work. You don't have to fear death.
I know that some ask that question, do you know fear
death? Well I shade of Christ you
should because the wages of sin is death but less than the gift
of God that's in Christ. It's what eternal life.
It's promised but glory to goddess possessed night.
Maybe you have a fear of meeting Gordon the judgment.
Well, I've got wonderful news for you.
Do you know whenever the Angels send God shut them up to your
Journal damnation. He never lifted a finger.
He never stirred a thought to see you one of those sinning
angels yet in our fall into their state of sin and misery
and Adam. God promised us savior.
Genesis 3 and 15, the seed of the woman would bruise the head
of the serpent even though the servant would strike at his
heel. Some people ask me.
Well, what did God ever? See in me to see of me?
I want the answer that. He see nothing worthy.
He saw that you were bought dead and send a vile hail deserving
Sinner. And in free Greece, he sought
you ate and free Greece. He bought you with the precious
blood and free Grace, he brought you to the feet of Christ.
I'm right here. Said it was down at the feet of
Jesus or the happy. Happy day that my soul find
peace in believing and my sins were washed away.
This is all part of that confident expectation that in
Christ. God Saves us from sins Palin tea
and sends power and sends pleasure.
He takes away our fear of death, he takes away our fear of
meeting God and the judgment Could I add something else?
Even when you die physically on your corpses, please stand the
casket. What happens to your soul?
Your soul leaves the body. That's what death is.
Its The Giving Up With The Ghost and not justified.
Soul leaves the body. It's already made perfect and
Glory. You're seeing King Jesus Fiesta.
Fears. This is what we call the
intermediate ski it. And even that that's not the end
because there's more And this should be our Focus.
There's a resurrection ski it. That's coming at the last Trump.
When Christ returns in power and Glory, there's going to be the
first resurrection and one day, the body and soul of all who
have died in Christ, will be resurrected called the
resurrection of the body. Romans chapter, 8, 23.
And I'm 24. Peter, preached us Timothy
talked about this here, is he? When we think of the Gospel.
I want you to thank not only if the Incarnation a mystery, the
Virgin birth, the send this life, the atoning death, but you
got to think of Christ bodily, Resurrection.
You've got to think of Christ's intercession have them.
You've got to think of the resurrection of the Redeemed by
Christ at his return. I want to ask the question.
Will you be among the redeemed in that day?
If you die tonight. Have your Justified.
So love baby at perfect and have him.
Someone said that when they get the have and I think it was
Robert Murray make she and they'll be surprised who is
there? And the divorce surprised who's
not there. But they'll be wonderfully
surprised that they're there, but that surprise is rooted in
this confident expectation. They'll be full of gladness and
joy. Well, I could ask you to Nate.
Do you understand your child of God?
You're fully. Mm.
Finally free from sin. You're free from old failure in
the flesh, free from all temptation, to send free from
all, trials and troubles and thus, like free from Fear free,
from worry, free from p and freed.
You, enjoy all that. God has or all that God has for
you. In Christ free to enjoy Christ
of list of Greek. This is the create Focus.
This is the hope of eternal life that we have in Christ.
I want you to think of the feature of this hoop to eternal
life, as I've tried to emphasize that who was here, and I in Hope
of eternal life. It's about the present time.
You see? It's at this moment.
Remember job. He lost all that.
He had the farm as fortunate as family think of his body, wreck
with pee in his mind, he couldn't sleep.
Maybe you're listening to me right now and you're not able to
sleep, but listen to what job was able to say over there in
Job, chapter 19, and in the verse 25, he said this for, I
know that my redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon the Earth and though after my skin worms,
destroy this body and my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see
for myself and mine eyes, Shall Behold and not another though my
reans be consumed with an you see.
He felt his heart and mind with the promise that he possess my.
That's the feature that we should focus on that features
rooted in. What God has promised, God has
purchased and crate, God has pervaded and Christ.
And he was gripped with a confident, expectation of not
fulfillment. Very quickly.
Here's the fourth, thought the foundation of this hope what's
it? Founded on if you go back to
Colossians to Colossians chapter 1, and it says in verse 1 and 2
on the acknowledging of the truth, which is after godliness
and hope of eternal life. You see there's a link here, the
foundation of those hope to eternal life is rooted in the
truth of the Gospel. It rests are not impregnable
Foundation, the Sea of and work of Jesus Christ.
Just, as I've said, Christ was born for us.
Lived, for us, died for us. Rose again for us, ascended, for
us, we're seated and him. He intercedes for us.
We can lay hold of crais as person is purpose, as Pasha and
his power, his pardon Christ is praying for you right now.
You're on his heart, he Bears you up on his shoulders and that
hope is meant to be an anchor to the soul.
You see how many people has the journey through life?
With no hope. Maybe lose their job.
They lose their health and use their money.
Their loved ones are taken away, they lose their reputation to
lose their respect. What does it rest on?
At rest, the nest, no matter what happens on the journey.
Because you've got an anchor to the soul, which is Christ.
And no matter what change takes, please?
You rest and not saving work of Christ.
You rest in the sweet word of Christ eternal life, which God
that cannot lie promised before the world began, you see you
can't promise something to someone unless not someone is
present and to whom did the Lord make the promise, that wasn't a
Titus, it wasn't to the people of God in Crete it wasn't to you
and me and it was certainly wasn't the ultimate wasn't to
the angels of wasn't with any me.
Had moral, man, it was buried with Christ.
The son of God, he's the one to whom God promised in the
Covenant of redemption. Before the world began that he
would give eternal life to all who receive Christ as Lord and
Savior under one. Something one believer in
Christ. Can't feel them to reach heaven
because if he did, it would make God to be a liar and we hear you
have in the scripture. God cannot lie.
There's nothing more certain. There's something at God,
Kennedy, he cannot lie. And if you read Hebrews chapter
6, verses 9 to 18, and 20 called swear by himself.
He could swear by no, greater He invoked his own name.
It's not the foundation. Think of the fear that this Hope
was we finished. It says, according to the faith
of God's elect and the acknowledging of the truth which
is after godliness and hope of eternally, you see who person's
strengths lie and strictly linked to feareth.
Think of the words, the faith of God's elect and over in Romans
chapter 5, we read in verse 5, these words and hope maketh not
ashamed because the love of God, is she'd abroad in our hearts,
which is given to us by the Holy Ghost and The point that was
being made here as by whom also, we have access by faith into
this grace, wherein, we stand and rejoice in Hope of the glory
of God. She fears and Christ.
Fiat has forsaken. All I trust him.
Heart of the Gospel, heart of the person and work of Christ.
That hope that we have. as Richard in on his link to the
very day and the fact that we have laid hold and Christ for
eternal life, Have you a glimpse of Christ?
Tonight is your circumstances body and heart are you
experiencing dark troubles? Are you worried about the evil
that obtains in the country? Will, where's our hope?
Well, there's such a thing as the fee of this hope.
It's linked to fear think, as we finish the fruit of this hope,
it's according to Godliness. You see the fruit of a living
faith leads to the fruit of a lively.
Hope, we're not see of by length of godliness, but of the are
sieved genuinely born. Again, you will live a life of
godliness. Could the life of God has been
planted in your soul. The gospel pervades for the
fruit of a holy life. Not just Soul burning, which
Important and I encourage you to win.
Souls this year for Jesus Christ, someone sent me a little
invitation through WhatsApp and it says, how to get people to
come to church. Well, you know, any nine percent
over 100, this is the chief way, a friend invited me.
An acquaintance asked me to come a family member ask me to come
and that's important that you do that because faith comes by
hearing and hearing by the word of God.
Holiness not not sinless Perfection we grieve and mourn
and he had our sins but there's a spirit of Holiness planted in
us. There's a spirit of giving,
there's the there's the fruit of the spirit a name fool for it.
How many have no friend had many of just an empty / Fashion on,
they have no fruit of this hope of eternal life because it's Not
according to Godliness. I'm one, I final thing.
And I say this, as we finished the forever of this hope, You
see if you have this hope of eternal life, you keep your eye
in the Redeemer, no matter what happens.
You keep your eye in the reward. And the reward is half of it
home, you will endeavor to live a life of loving service.
You'll Endeavor to live a life of cheerful service fees full
service. So I stress this because many of
New Hope because many are playing the food, they're living
with their God and their living without Christ is not true of
you tonight. You're listening.
Perhaps there's some lost soul out there and you're saying, but
I've got no, who Pastor preacher, then we recommend this
to you Christ in you. The hope of glory, you can have
this forever hope that we'll never feel it.
Never be done away with because this hoop It's the hope of God
in the gospel in Hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie.
Promised before the world began, may the Lord, take these few
thoughts and bless them to you tonight as we have sought to
Endeavor to open up this text of scripture.