1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,440 Welcome to the Potter's House Salmon Arm podcast. We are a Bible-Believing Church located 2 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,680 in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. We are proudly part of the Christian Fellowship 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:21,920 Ministries with 3,000 churches around the world. We are a church focused on world evangelism, 4 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:27,300 discipleship and church planting. Here we will share recent sermons from P.H.S.A. Church 5 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:31,600 and other sermons from throughout our fellowship. I am Pastor David Bickford and I will be 6 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,880 your host for this podcast. I thank you for listening today and we hope these messages 7 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:40,760 are a blessing to you and bring you closer to God. 8 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:51,200 Hello and welcome back to the podcast. My name is David Bickford. I'm the pastor here 9 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:58,480 in the Salmon Arm area for the Potter's House Christian Church. Today I have a message entitled 10 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:03,560 The Spirit of Action. The text we will be working from today is going to be Titus 1 11 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:09,760 verses 5 through 8 if you are following along. There is a quote I found from Grant Cardone. 12 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:15,640 He is a business professional guy that I follow. He is big into real estate and different things. 13 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:22,120 But he has a quote that he says, playing small is not a survival strategy. What I want to 14 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:28,920 look at this morning in regards to this is that we as a church, as the Christian body, 15 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:33,640 we are not meant to be playing small. God does not play small. He drives us to have 16 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:40,360 a larger and deeper faith every day. When you look at stories like Abraham, Joseph, 17 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:46,280 Moses and David, we see people who came from the bottom to rise to the top. The key distinguishing 18 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:52,920 trait is that they all lived by a way that was they leaned on their faith in God, but 19 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:59,720 also they moved with determination and purpose towards a godly future. Moses was saved and 20 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:05,640 raised in the house of Pharaoh, but then found himself lost in the desert as a shepherd. 21 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:09,920 This occupation was always associated with the lowest class of people in the Middle East 22 00:02:09,920 --> 00:02:14,040 and God did not reach out to him when he was in the palace, but he only was reached out 23 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:19,500 to by God when he was out in that field. Abraham left everything behind and went into a new 24 00:02:19,500 --> 00:02:28,700 and unknown land as an act of faith. Joseph had amazing dreams, but they were only realized 25 00:02:28,700 --> 00:02:34,120 after he was sold into slavery and then went into prison. Then of course we find King David 26 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:40,120 being forgotten even by his father, but not by God and was called into service straight 27 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:45,800 from the fields. He too was working as a shepherd and so when you look at this, what are these 28 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:51,040 men have in common other than their faith in God? They all believed that through God 29 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:56,720 anything was possible, anything is possible. And more than that though, they were willing 30 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:02,840 to work to see the promises of God come to fruition. Now they may have sometimes overstepped 31 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:09,520 their boundaries, but we could see that they were blessed by God despite their shortcomings. 32 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,800 Why were they blessed? Because they had a spirit of action. They were willing to put 33 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:21,440 their hand to the plow and sweat and toil for the work of God. Joseph was prepared with 34 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:25,480 unique skills, giftings, and anointings to get the job done. And when we look at any 35 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:34,240 of these men, we see similar things that the hardness of their life was for a purpose to 36 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:40,040 move the kingdom of God further forward. Albert Einstein said, there's no greater satisfaction 37 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:44,940 for a just and well-meaning person than the knowledge that he devoted his best energies 38 00:03:44,940 --> 00:03:53,280 to the service of a good cause. So let's look at our text really quick before we go too 39 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,760 much further in Titus 1 verse 5 through 8, it says, this is for the qualification of 40 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,160 the elders. It says, this is why I left you in Crete so that you might put what remained 41 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:08,120 into order and appoint elders in every town as I had directed you. If anyone is above 42 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:12,520 reproach and the husband of one wife and his children are believers and not open to the 43 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:17,640 charge of debauchery or insubordination, for an overseer as God's steward must be above 44 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:22,560 reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick tempered or drunkard or violent or greedy 45 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:30,160 for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 46 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:35,200 So we want to have that as the backdrop for what we're talking about this morning. But 47 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,920 we also want to remember that like in 1 John 4, 8, it says, there is no fear in love, but 48 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:47,040 perfect love casts out fear. So let's look at taking the higher ground by Colonel Jeff 49 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:51,560 O'Leary. Scripture tells us that God did not give us 50 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:55,840 the spirit of fear, that a spirit of fear comes from the enemy of our souls, who rules 51 00:04:55,840 --> 00:05:01,560 his kingdom with an enslaving power that brings fear to those under his rule. 52 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:06,400 I never understood that incredible difference between the two until I was on military business 53 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:11,200 in the Mediterranean. I had been serving as a UN peacekeeper in the Middle East just prior 54 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:15,960 to the Gulf War. Part of my ordinary duties was to cross between various countries that 55 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:21,880 barely coexisted. To enter one particular Middle Eastern country, I had to cross two 56 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:26,400 series of checkpoints, much like the crossing of the old checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, that 57 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:32,200 would be like East Berlin and West Berlin. It was a very tense hour. A lot of questions 58 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,560 were asked of me and my driver. My vehicle was searched. All my bags were pulled out 59 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:42,280 for examination every time I had in my suitcase or every item I had in my suitcase was carefully 60 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:47,240 examined every time. If they found something they considered improper, they could seize 61 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:52,360 it. They could seize me or refuse me entry into their country. Because I had been warned 62 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:58,840 in advance, I carefully packed my bag or my case to avoid a controversial items and ensure 63 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:05,720 safe passage. Once past this initial screening, I was on 64 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:10,880 my way though, but not alone. After traveling several kilometers and turning several times, 65 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:15,040 I noticed we were being followed, which was a standard procedure entering the downtown 66 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:19,960 area of their largest city. I saw a large gray building set on top of a hill and my 67 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:25,740 driver said it was a prison. I noticed it lacked a fence and asked why. Oh, my driver 68 00:06:25,740 --> 00:06:30,480 said matter of factly, when you go into prison in this country, you go to prison. If your 69 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:35,400 sentence is 15 years, that's how long you spend in your cell. You do not come out for 70 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:41,520 meals or exercise or anything else. I was still trying to comprehend this statement 71 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:47,160 when we entered the main square and I was shocked to see two corpses hanging there. 72 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:51,600 My driver explained this reminds the population of the penalties for failing to follow the 73 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:57,360 law. As we near the apartment building where I would stay, I noticed a number of guards 74 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:01,680 on the building, on the buildings carrying automatic weapons. The driver informed me 75 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:06,440 that when there were more than a dozen secret police organizations in the country to keep 76 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,960 order. And when my driver said his goodbye, he added, be careful what you say and do in 77 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:16,760 here. I expect the whole place is bugged. That highlighted for me in a way that I never 78 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:22,520 understood before the difference between God's kingdom and Satan's. God rules with love. 79 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,980 His love is infinite, never lasting. His desire to wrap us in his safe and loving arms well 80 00:07:26,980 --> 00:07:32,240 away from the kingdom of fear and the enemy who rules there. Satan is a liar, a deceiver 81 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:38,540 who destroys, bringing pain and everything evil. While my experience was a wake up call 82 00:07:38,540 --> 00:07:44,680 to the differences between the two, it pales in comparison with the kingdom of with with 83 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:51,200 the true kingdom of fear. When I cross paths with people enslaved to fear and anger, I 84 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:55,480 try to remember that their behavior reflects the ruler of that kingdom. I pray for the 85 00:07:55,480 --> 00:08:00,960 opportunities share within the kingdom I live in. My king's laws love enforced with love 86 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:06,900 and demonstrated in the sacrificial life of Jesus Christ. I can't think of another place 87 00:08:06,900 --> 00:08:13,520 I'd rather live. So as we read that a little story, it's true story from, you know, a colonel 88 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:19,080 in the military. We have to remember that our enemy in the world fights against our 89 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:26,400 actions by way of fear. People don't fight against Christianity because because they 90 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:31,280 oftentimes because they don't understand it. They fight against us because of the fear 91 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:37,560 they have either of their own sin or the fear that they might be wrong. But many things 92 00:08:37,560 --> 00:08:43,160 that they're fighting against is based off of the idea of fear because they do know and 93 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:50,420 I believe that most people do know this inherently that there is a God. And so they have to lash 94 00:08:50,420 --> 00:08:54,160 out against it because they don't want to be judged because our God is righteous and 95 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:59,440 holy. But we're not called to have a spirit of fear, but a spirit of action. It's easy 96 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:04,120 to say those words, but let's get real. It's hard to overcome fear. We all deal with fear 97 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:10,280 in our lives. The world is against the word of God. It strives to paralyze us with fear, 98 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:16,080 fear of judgment, the mob, our failure, our success sometimes, difficulties we might come 99 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:21,600 across. You name it, we'll find a way to fear it. The Bible makes things very simple 100 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:27,380 for us. It shows us the path forward is through the execution of God's will. In our text, 101 00:09:27,380 --> 00:09:33,200 we see Paul lay out for Titus the way to build the church, the qualification for those who 102 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:37,960 will serve, the importance of doctrine and readiness. As we already read before, it says, 103 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:42,920 this is why I left you in Crete so that you might put what remained into order. Appoint 104 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:47,600 elders into every town as I directed you. Or if anyone is above reproach, the husband 105 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:53,400 of one wife, his children or believers not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 106 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:59,040 For an overseer as God's steward must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered, 107 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:05,320 a drunkard, violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, 108 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:13,920 upright, holy and disciplined. So this brings me to my first point, which is qualified. 109 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:20,280 Paul was concerned for the newborn church on Crete and he wrote to Titus to encourage 110 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:25,520 him and instruct him on how he should go about building this church. He tells Titus to look 111 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:31,240 for those who meet the qualifications. Now this isn't people to get saved. I want to 112 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:37,120 emphasize that point. We get saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And so this 113 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:42,360 is not a qualification that's necessary for salvation. That is simply acknowledgement 114 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:46,600 of Jesus Christ as your Savior in repentance of sin and accepting of him as your Lord and 115 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:53,160 Savior in Jesus name. But in the building of a church, we do want to have qualifications. 116 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:59,240 We need to have qualifications for those who serve in leadership. In Titus 1 verses 9 through 117 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:05,280 11, it says, he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught so that he may be able to give 118 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:10,600 instruction and sound doctrine and also rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many 119 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:16,120 who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 120 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:21,440 They must be silenced since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain 121 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:25,240 what they ought not teach. Now, if you're not familiar with the circumcision party, 122 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,240 those are the people who wanted to go back to the Jewish law and they wanted to apply 123 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:37,240 Jewish law onto the Gentile believers, even down to the enforcement of circumcision. So 124 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:41,840 there are two points to look at here. The first is the standards that are important. 125 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:47,680 How you live is an example that you set. The second point is that it would be a test for 126 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:53,040 Titus. It is not easy to silence those who oppose you. And it's even more difficult to 127 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:58,420 hold standards in a world that does not even believe in truth. Today, we deal with this 128 00:11:58,420 --> 00:12:04,360 quite a bit with our world believing in relative truth and truth as I see it and everybody 129 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:11,200 gets to have a different truth unless your truth doesn't align with their truth, then 130 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:17,900 you're supposed to what conform to the world's view of truth as it ever changes every day. 131 00:12:17,900 --> 00:12:22,600 Both of these points show how important it is for us to live with a spirit of action. 132 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:28,320 Our lives must always be pointed towards the end goal, the destination that is heaven. 133 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,280 We're not on a conveyor belt or an escalator to heaven. We are on the base of the mountain 134 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:38,120 and we must endeavor to climb to new heights in our salvation. Something that's really 135 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:46,000 interesting is that, you know, in Jewish tradition, the way that they view work or the salvation 136 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:53,680 is you do all these works to eventually believe and love God. Whereas as Christians, we believe 137 00:12:53,680 --> 00:13:01,080 that as you by faith believe in God, he is going to sanctify you through a process that 138 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:05,960 you're going to be saved immediately. But because you're saved, you're going to have 139 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:15,040 fruit. So it is not faith plus works or that equals salvation, but rather it is faith equals 140 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:21,480 salvation and then works comes with it because you desire to move the kingdom forward. In 141 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:27,640 James 2 26, it says for the body apart from the spirit is dead. So although faith apart 142 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:33,440 from works is dead. So this is the whole point that as you come to Christ, as you are set 143 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:39,800 free from the bondage of sin, as you have received great salvation through grace, there 144 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:45,920 is a natural desire to want to do something for God. The crux of the idea is that your 145 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:53,160 faith will bring you your cell break or will bring you salvation and the desire to serve 146 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:59,000 others in Christ. The fruit that comes from those works will show you as qualified for 147 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:03,760 greater service in the kingdom of God. This is not where we end though that this is only 148 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:08,520 the beginning. We need to now turn to doctrine because this is how you will be able to serve 149 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:18,920 edify and build up the church with the gospel of Jesus Christ. So doctrine, there's a term 150 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:23,360 in the business world and it's used generally in a lot of places now with organizations, 151 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:29,800 but there's a term called mission creep or mission drift in the military. There's a book 152 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:37,120 named mission drift that touches on this quite a bit in a more direct way regarding Christianity 153 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:42,860 and Christian organizations. It's a very great book. I do recommend it. It's a good book. 154 00:14:42,860 --> 00:14:51,640 But this idea is the gradual or incremental expansion or intervention from a project or 155 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:59,960 a mission. Beyond its original scope, focus or goals, the ratcheting effect that spawned 156 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:09,200 by initial success. So as you start a program, you started with a very clearly focused objective, 157 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,720 but as you kind of get rolling, you're like, but hey, now we can do these things and hey, 158 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:17,640 now we can do these things and maybe we should do less of this thing and more of that thing. 159 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:22,940 That would be mission creep. Mission creep is usually considered undesirable due to how 160 00:15:22,940 --> 00:15:28,960 each success breeds more ambitious interventions until a final failure happens, stopping the 161 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:36,040 intervention entirely. So what happens in a lot of situations, a lot of organizations 162 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:43,080 is they overreach beyond their original goal to the point where they've overextended themselves 163 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:49,640 and they fail and now they're unable to even complete the initial mission. The term was 164 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:54,520 originally applied exclusively to military operations, but as I mentioned, it's now been 165 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:59,520 applied to many different fields, which itself is an example of mission creep. The phrase 166 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:04,920 first appeared in 1993 in an article published in the Washington Post and the New York Times 167 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:11,600 concerning the United Nations peacekeeping mission and the Somali Civil War. In regards 168 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:18,360 to the church, like I mentioned, there's a book written about this topic, right? And 169 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:23,840 here's the synopsis of that book. Too often as Christian organizations grow, the gospel 170 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:30,520 often becomes cursory, expendable, or even forgotten. Again and again, leaders have watched 171 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:37,880 their ministries, businesses, nonprofits, professionalized, expand and lose sight of 172 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:43,920 their original goals. Even churches constray from their calling. So we are called to do 173 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:50,480 what as Christians in the church. Let's look at the rest of Titus for chapter one to see. 174 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:58,640 Titus one verses 19 through 14, he must firm hold firm to the trustworthy word is taught 175 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:03,680 so that he may be able to give instruction and sound doctrine. We've read this, but he 176 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:10,960 also to rebuke those who contradict it. So this is that's just first nine. As we look 177 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:17,960 at that, you have to be trustworthy and you have to be willing to hold firm to the to 178 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:23,640 the gospel, the doctrines of the gospel. But why do you have to hold firm? Why do you have 179 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:29,160 to be trustworthy? It's so that you can give instruction. It's so that you can, with a 180 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:37,120 firm grasp and understanding, rebuke those who contradict the word of God. So we as we 181 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:43,040 follow on in verse 10, it says, for there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers 182 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:49,080 and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision part. These are warnings that even in this 183 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:54,720 time there are people who are going to be stubborn or insubordinate on purpose. They're 184 00:17:54,720 --> 00:18:01,640 going to be people who talk emptily, you know, just vapidly talking or even those who specifically 185 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:09,200 try to deceive the body of Christ. So verse 11 say they must be silenced since they are 186 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:14,240 upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not teach. So this is 187 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:19,200 a key point because I'm sure, you know, I've known people where they've said this and I'm 188 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,840 sure you have to people who said, oh, I stopped going to church. It's full of hypocrites. 189 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:30,600 I stopped going to church because there's too judgmental. And we all are at risk of 190 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:36,880 those things. But this is why we need to be wise in the way that we deal with people and 191 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:44,800 why as a leader you have to sometimes you have to silence those that are upsetting families 192 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:51,640 of the church because we have to lead by grace. We have to lead by proper instruction, sound 193 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:57,120 doctrine. So in verse 12, it says, one of the cretins, a prophet of their own said, 194 00:18:57,120 --> 00:19:02,400 cretins are always liars, evil beasts and lazy glutton. This testimony is true. Therefore, 195 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:07,520 rebuked them sharply that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish 196 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:14,980 myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. This highlights the importance 197 00:19:14,980 --> 00:19:21,400 of holding true to the teachings of Christ and emulating him in our life. We must be 198 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:26,920 careful not to add to the scriptures or take away from it. Too often mission drift or creep 199 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:31,720 can take us away from our purpose. Here is the church. We're all called to preach to 200 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:36,760 the lost, to go out to the highways and byways and search for those who are lost. We are 201 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:41,600 called to bring the message of redemption to all, to disciple men who will carry out 202 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:47,380 the word of God farther and farther and replicate according to the pattern laid out in the New 203 00:19:47,380 --> 00:19:53,400 Testament. We can see this message exemplified as we move into chapter two of Titus. Chapter 204 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:59,440 two teach of Titus is about teaching sound doctrine. In verse one, it says, but as for 205 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:05,720 you teach what accords with sound doctrine, older men are to be sober minded, dignified, 206 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:14,320 self-controlled, sound in faith and love and instead fastness. I like that though, right? 207 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:22,640 Sober minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith and love and instead fastness. 208 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:27,260 Verse three says older women likewise are to be revered to behavior, not slanderers 209 00:20:27,260 --> 00:20:31,560 or slaves to too much wine. They are to teach what is good and so train the young women 210 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:36,720 to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind 211 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:41,960 and submissive to their own husbands that the word of God may not be reviled. Now this 212 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:48,800 is an old world thinking in some regards, but it's still very, very true and valid. 213 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,840 And it's almost, this is going to get me in trouble, I'm sure, but it's almost like don't 214 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:58,160 be a Karen, right? We all know that term, you know, and I apologize if your name's Karen, 215 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:05,680 but there's that meme out there online and this is kind of like an instruction, like 216 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:12,320 be pleasant. And this goes for men and women because I've seen enough videos too of men 217 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:19,940 that are very jerky in this way. But we need to be self-controlled, right? We need to do 218 00:21:19,940 --> 00:21:25,360 things with a loving spirit. In verse six, it says, likewise, urge the younger men to 219 00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:30,360 be self-controlled, show yourselves in all respect to be a model of good works and in 220 00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:37,460 your teaching, show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned so that 221 00:21:37,460 --> 00:21:44,120 an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. So there's a part here 222 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:50,580 of this that we need to understand that we're supposed to lead upright lives so that we, 223 00:21:50,580 --> 00:21:55,200 when people come to our churches, when people interact with us, they walk away maybe even 224 00:21:55,200 --> 00:22:00,240 in disagreement still, but they're not going to say that person hates me. They should feel 225 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:06,440 the love of Christ despite the fact that we might, that they might disagree with our belief 226 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:10,920 in Jesus Christ, that they might want to continue to go off and live in a life of sin, but they 227 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:17,480 don't leave the interaction thinking that person wants me to go to hell. Verse nine 228 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:21,560 says, bond service are to be submissive to their own masters in everything and they are 229 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:26,680 well pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that in everything 230 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:32,980 they may be adorned the doctrine of God, our savior. And verse 11, for the grace of God 231 00:22:32,980 --> 00:22:38,640 has appeared, bringing salvation for all, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly 232 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:44,300 passions, to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting 233 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:50,400 for our blessed hope, the appearing of glory of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ, 234 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:56,840 who gave himself for us to be redeemed from the lawlessness and to purify himself of people 235 00:22:56,840 --> 00:23:02,460 for his own possession, who are zealous for good works. Declare these things, exhort and 236 00:23:02,460 --> 00:23:11,520 rebuke with all authority, let no one disregard you. Right? So this is a powerful section 237 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:18,320 of scripture and I believe that you can in a plain reading of this text, you can take 238 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:24,400 away that we're meant to be an example, but we're meant to be a loving example. And I 239 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:29,920 want to emphasize that point. Sound doctrine is clearly where we need to stand, but we 240 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:35,320 need to do it in a way that again, even if there's disagreement, we're not snarky, we're 241 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:40,760 not belligerent. But they see that we're coming from a place of love. They can disagree with 242 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:45,200 us, but they need to know that we love them just as Jesus loves them. So this brings me 243 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:50,440 to my final point, which is be ready. The final chapter of the short epistle is all 244 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:56,920 about being ready. It touches on mission drift as well, avoiding distractions from our purpose. 245 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:01,640 While too often we allow ourselves to get wrapped up into controversy or dare I say 246 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:07,460 politics. But here in the scripture, it tells us to avoid these things and remain ready 247 00:24:07,460 --> 00:24:14,640 for our purpose. If we are not ready for action, then we cannot execute our mission. And Titus 248 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:21,760 three nine through 11, but avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions and quarrels about 249 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:27,760 the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division after 250 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:33,480 warning him once and then twice have nothing more to do with him. Knowing that such a person 251 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:39,700 is warped and sinful and he is self-condemned. So here's an excerpt from a business article 252 00:24:39,700 --> 00:24:46,180 relating to strategy versus execution. It says strategy is choice. Execution is action. 253 00:24:46,180 --> 00:24:52,120 How to take the right execution actions. If strategy is about making the right choices, 254 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:58,800 then execution is about taking the right actions. Strategy focuses on thinking. Execution centers 255 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:05,700 on the doing. And many leaders struggle with identifying the right action their organizations 256 00:25:05,700 --> 00:25:10,800 need to take. This is particularly because they have been taught how to plan and not 257 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:16,920 how to execute. Achieving excellence in execution requires cultivating a bias towards action 258 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:22,640 across the organization. I find the contrast between strategy and execution or action to 259 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:28,640 be of the utmost interest in my life. In fact, I've spent my life academically, professionally 260 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:33,160 and personally trying to gain understanding of the need for execution above the need for 261 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:37,800 a perfect strategy. Here at the Potter's house, we as Christians are very fortunate because 262 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:43,460 we have a clear pattern and strategy laid out for us in the gospel. The book of Titus 263 00:25:43,460 --> 00:25:49,280 as well as others provides with provides us with the strategy. We need to be ready to 264 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:55,080 execute on that strategy. As a part of our statement of faith as a fellowship, we believe 265 00:25:55,080 --> 00:26:00,960 in the pattern. Evangelism gospel take it outside of the four walls is the absolute 266 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:08,120 foundation of our church and obedience to Mark 16 15 when he said go into all the world 267 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:12,860 and preach the gospel to every creature. We emphasize personal evangelism and a large 268 00:26:12,860 --> 00:26:17,940 variety of outreach is to share the gospel. We do this out of love for those that are 269 00:26:17,940 --> 00:26:25,840 lost in the world. And of course, evangelism brings us to the to the idea of conversion. 270 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:31,480 The gospel has the power to save and transform lives in first Peter 123, having been born 271 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:37,360 again not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible through the word of God, which lives and abides 272 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:45,020 forever. And then once once someone is evangelized to and they accept they convert to Jesus Christ, 273 00:26:45,020 --> 00:26:50,760 they come to salvation. We believe in the local church because God has placed everything 274 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:56,360 necessary to accomplish his will in the setting of the local church in Ephesians one 22 through 275 00:26:56,360 --> 00:27:02,480 23 says, and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be headed over by all all 276 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:09,520 things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. God's 277 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:15,680 will is the accomplished in it. And through us, we can we connect and commit ourselves 278 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:22,160 to a local church. What's the purpose of the local church? The purpose of the local church 279 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:28,000 is discipleship. Training and equipping is the setting of the local church. And therefore, 280 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:33,920 the highest call of a pastor and congregation is to obey God's command of discipleship. 281 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:40,200 In Matthew 28, 19 through 20 says, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing 282 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:45,240 them in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things 283 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:51,880 that I've commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. 284 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:57,560 And when the church is strong, when the local body is strong, then what can you do as a 285 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:02,720 believer to continue on with your evangelistic worth? And we believe in the pattern of church 286 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:07,960 planting. The result of disciples being raised up is that they can be released into the harvest 287 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:14,280 field themselves. Matthew 9, 37 to 38. Then he said to his disciples, the harvest truly 288 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:20,440 is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord and of the harvest to send 289 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:26,200 out laborers into his harvest. We send out couples to plant brand new congregations with 290 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:31,640 the aim of seeing people enter into the kingdom of heaven. In Saminar, we're a baby church 291 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:37,940 plant out of the Chilliwack church who comes out of our Prescott church. So there's this 292 00:28:37,940 --> 00:28:43,800 continual belief that you build the church that you send out others to build more churches. 293 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:51,740 It almost is like little beach heads for the kingdom of God. Little beach heads or forward 294 00:28:51,740 --> 00:28:57,680 deployed bases, if you will, of the kingdom of heaven, bringing the whole pattern full 295 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:02,760 circle. Which brings me to the last idea, which is world evangelism. For the earliest 296 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:11,280 Bible record, God's vision is a worldwide testimony and a testimony with impact. The 297 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:16,680 gospel message is relevant to every nation and every culture. Our job as believers in 298 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:22,840 the local church is to pray, train, invest, send and support workers to go into all the 299 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:30,120 world. My mother church in Chilliwack sent out missionaries to Russia years and years 300 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:36,680 ago in the nineties, right after the wall came down and everything. Now we have a robust 301 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:44,180 godly church in Russia that has sent out more works, more works from there. And the stream 302 00:29:44,180 --> 00:29:51,840 of those works now is in Cuba, as even in Egypt and even in Israel, from Russian works 303 00:29:51,840 --> 00:30:00,240 that came from the seed being sent from Chilliwack. These are the miracles that come through the 304 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:06,040 following the pattern and executing on the strategy. With strategy and the pattern set, 305 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:11,880 the only thing left is to decide if you will be ready for action. We're called to be a 306 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:19,480 people of action because there is work to do. The fields are white for harvest. John 307 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:25,720 4.35. So with that, I like to have every head bowed, every eye closed. If you're driving, 308 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:34,520 obviously be safe. But if this message resonates with you and you're not saved, you haven't 309 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:41,280 given your life to Jesus Christ, but this message hits you in some way. And I believe 310 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:45,520 and I hope that there was clarity enough in this message to do so. But you want to signify 311 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:52,760 that with an uplifted hand. I want to just quickly say a prayer that you can repeat. 312 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:56,300 Because every time we preach, we want to have an invitation. That's the whole point of everything 313 00:30:56,300 --> 00:31:01,640 we're doing is to give you an opportunity to have that relationship with Jesus Christ 314 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:07,360 yourself. So if you're in that situation, if you really rose your hand, obviously I 315 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:13,520 can't see it, but God can. And if you meant that you want that, then just pee after me, 316 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:19,600 dear Lord God, I know that I'm a sinner, but I know that you sent your son, Jesus Christ, 317 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:28,160 to die for me. I repent of my sin and I accept Jesus Christ to be my Lord and my Savior in 318 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:34,680 Jesus name. Amen. I believe that if you say that prayer and you mean it, you are saved, 319 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:41,600 that your faith is now been put into action. And the next step, the next step is to now 320 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:46,480 find that gospel believing Bible, you know, the Bible believing church and plant yourself 321 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:52,940 in a church so that you can, you can grow and your love for Jesus Christ. You can grow 322 00:31:52,940 --> 00:31:59,080 with understanding, you can grow through instruction, and then you can also to witness and testify 323 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:02,960 and tell people about all the great and amazing things that are going to happen in your life 324 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:07,880 through Jesus Christ. It doesn't mean life's going to be easy or perfect, but it does mean 325 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:12,400 that it's going to be better. And I truly believe that in Jesus name. So with that, 326 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:17,840 I'm going to close. I want to thank you for joining me again today. And I just want to 327 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:22,720 pray, dear Lord God, I pray that you bless this message that I pray that would go far 328 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:28,940 beyond the small room that I record these in, but it would touch people's hearts around 329 00:32:28,940 --> 00:32:35,980 the world for your purpose and your sake, that you would be able to connect with people 330 00:32:35,980 --> 00:32:42,400 and that they would turn to you in salvation and faith that we receive salvation through 331 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:48,200 grace in Jesus mighty name. I pray I give all the praise and glory to him in Jesus name. 332 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:52,640 Amen. Thank you again. Have a great time. I look forward to you coming back next time. 333 00:32:52,640 --> 00:33:01,640 Thank you for listening to the PHA Potter's House Salmon Arm podcast. Be sure to follow us on 334 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:06,160 Instagram at pottershouse underscore salmon arm to keep up to date on what we are doing, 335 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:23,160 join the conversation and discover how Jesus Christ can revolutionize your life.