WEBVTT 00:00:07.629 --> 00:00:10.050 Welcome to the Potter's House Salmon Arm Podcast. 00:00:10.390 --> 00:00:12.810 We are a Bible -believing church located in beautiful 00:00:12.810 --> 00:00:15.390 British Columbia, Canada. We are proudly part 00:00:15.390 --> 00:00:17.489 of the Christian Fellowship Ministries with 3 00:00:17.489 --> 00:00:20.030 ,000 churches around the world. We are a church 00:00:20.030 --> 00:00:22.870 focused on world evangelism, discipleship, and 00:00:22.870 --> 00:00:25.750 church planting. Here we will share recent sermons 00:00:25.750 --> 00:00:28.570 from PHSA Church and other sermons from throughout 00:00:28.570 --> 00:00:31.079 our fellowship. I'm Pastor David Bickford, and 00:00:31.079 --> 00:00:33.439 I will be your host for this podcast. I thank 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:35.579 you for listening today, and we hope these messages 00:00:35.579 --> 00:00:38.020 are a blessing to you and bring you closer to 00:00:38.020 --> 00:00:48.820 God. Well, hello and welcome back to the Potter's 00:00:48.820 --> 00:00:50.820 House Seminar and Podcast. Again, my name is 00:00:50.820 --> 00:00:53.399 David Bickford, and I'm the pastor here in town, 00:00:53.579 --> 00:00:57.159 and I want to apologize for the delay in the 00:00:57.159 --> 00:01:00.560 early the continuity, I guess, in this podcast 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:02.899 series. We've been going through a lot of technological 00:01:02.899 --> 00:01:06.519 changes within the group here. And one of the 00:01:06.519 --> 00:01:08.379 things we've done is we've started live streaming 00:01:08.379 --> 00:01:11.280 on YouTube. So you can take a look at that on 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:13.340 our YouTube page, which the links for that are 00:01:13.340 --> 00:01:16.379 in the podcast notes. And you can follow along 00:01:16.379 --> 00:01:19.480 with us there. As I go through, I've got a few 00:01:19.480 --> 00:01:21.400 messages I want to throw up here just specifically 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:23.340 on the podcast to kind of catch us up to where 00:01:23.340 --> 00:01:26.280 we're at in the live stream. And then eventually 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:29.459 I will just be switching over to... populating 00:01:29.459 --> 00:01:32.120 this podcast with basically taking what is preached 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:34.560 on Sundays and putting it into the podcast format. 00:01:35.260 --> 00:01:37.140 So that's basically what we're doing, and that's 00:01:37.140 --> 00:01:39.939 the reason for the delay. But today I have a 00:01:39.939 --> 00:01:42.439 message entitled, Pack Your Coffin, One -Way 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:45.540 Missionaries, No Turning Back. And the text that 00:01:45.540 --> 00:01:48.579 we'll use as a jumping off point is Acts 4, 17 00:01:48.579 --> 00:01:51.180 through 20. So if you're in your Bibles, you're 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:52.939 following along, you can just go ahead there 00:01:52.939 --> 00:01:55.400 and turn in Acts 4. Again, I want to thank you 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:57.079 for joining me here on the podcast. I hopefully 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:00.260 there will be no further delays as I've gotten 00:02:00.260 --> 00:02:02.420 a little bit better with the technology and with 00:02:02.420 --> 00:02:05.719 using certain AI features to be able to self 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:07.980 -populate this stuff online and make it so that 00:02:07.980 --> 00:02:10.930 it takes a little less work to get it done. It's 00:02:10.930 --> 00:02:12.770 always a learning experience, and it's always 00:02:12.770 --> 00:02:14.969 just a journey to be a little bit more productive 00:02:14.969 --> 00:02:18.110 and to be able to help bring you guys the Word 00:02:18.110 --> 00:02:22.710 of God in a more succinct and regular pattern. 00:02:23.789 --> 00:02:27.050 So again, let's jump in. I have a quick illustration 00:02:27.050 --> 00:02:29.210 here. It pulls from Luke a little bit. So Luke 00:02:29.210 --> 00:02:31.870 9 .33 says, And he said to all of them, If any 00:02:31.870 --> 00:02:33.930 man will come after me, let him deny himself 00:02:33.930 --> 00:02:37.830 and take up his cross daily and follow me. A 00:02:37.830 --> 00:02:40.449 century ago, a band of brave souls became known 00:02:40.449 --> 00:02:42.490 as the one -way missionaries. They purchased 00:02:42.490 --> 00:02:44.689 a single ticket to the mission field without 00:02:44.689 --> 00:02:47.610 a return half. And instead of suitcases, they 00:02:47.610 --> 00:02:50.810 packed coffins. As they sailed out of port, they 00:02:50.810 --> 00:02:53.370 waved goodbye to everyone they loved and everything 00:02:53.370 --> 00:02:57.419 they knew. They knew they'd never return. A .W. 00:02:57.479 --> 00:02:59.280 Milne was one of those missionaries, and he set 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:02.199 sail for the New Hebrides in the South Pacific, 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:04.960 knowing full and well that the headhunters who 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:07.159 lived there had martyred every missionary before 00:03:07.159 --> 00:03:10.020 him. Milne did not fear for his life because 00:03:10.020 --> 00:03:12.319 he had already died to himself. His coffin was 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:15.500 packed. For 35 years, he lived among the tribe 00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:18.120 and loved them. And when he died, tribe members 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:19.919 buried him in the middle of their village and 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:23.500 inscribed this epitaph on his tombstone. When 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:26.199 he came, there was no light. When he left, there 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:30.860 was no darkness. So when did we start believing 00:03:30.860 --> 00:03:34.199 that God wants to send us to safe place to do 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:37.419 easy things? That faithfulness is holding the 00:03:37.419 --> 00:03:42.259 fort. That playing it safe is safe. That there 00:03:42.259 --> 00:03:46.000 is any greater sacrifice than true sacrifice. 00:03:46.419 --> 00:03:52.770 The radical is anything but the normal. Jesus 00:03:52.770 --> 00:03:56.990 didn't die to keep us safe. He died to make us 00:03:56.990 --> 00:04:00.250 dangerous. Faithfulness is not holding the fort. 00:04:00.330 --> 00:04:02.250 It's storming the gates of hell. The will of 00:04:02.250 --> 00:04:05.270 God is not an insurance plan. It is a daring 00:04:05.270 --> 00:04:09.830 plan. The will of God is meant for that in our 00:04:09.830 --> 00:04:12.650 lives. The complete surrender of your life to 00:04:12.650 --> 00:04:15.770 the cause of Christ isn't radical. It is normal. 00:04:16.490 --> 00:04:19.800 It's time to quit living. As if the purpose of 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:24.319 life is to arrive safely at death. Let's look 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:27.720 at our text, Acts 4, 17 through 20. But in order 00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:29.899 that it may spread no further among the people, 00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:32.600 let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:36.120 his name. So they called them and charged them 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:39.139 not to speak or to teach at all in the name of 00:04:39.139 --> 00:04:42.579 Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, whether 00:04:42.579 --> 00:04:44.839 it is right in the sight of God to listen to 00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:48.269 you rather than to God, you must judge. For we 00:04:48.269 --> 00:04:51.550 cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. 00:04:51.689 --> 00:04:54.490 Amen. Let's pray. Dear Lord, I just pray that 00:04:54.490 --> 00:04:57.750 this message will infect people's hearts, that 00:04:57.750 --> 00:05:00.569 the spirit of conviction will overcome people's 00:05:00.569 --> 00:05:03.009 fear, and that they will give their lives wholly 00:05:03.009 --> 00:05:05.350 over to you, picking up their cross and taking 00:05:05.350 --> 00:05:08.569 the gospel out to the streets, taking the gospel 00:05:08.569 --> 00:05:12.449 to the dangerous places, so that they might share 00:05:12.449 --> 00:05:15.750 the gospel with the lost and bring light to the 00:05:15.750 --> 00:05:20.540 darkness. Say amen. So I've decided to follow 00:05:20.540 --> 00:05:23.560 Jesus as a Christian hymn originating from India, 00:05:23.639 --> 00:05:26.259 and the lyrics are based on the last words of 00:05:26.259 --> 00:05:30.839 a man in Garo, Assam. I have decided to follow 00:05:30.839 --> 00:05:33.500 Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus, it reads. 00:05:34.060 --> 00:05:37.040 I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:40.019 no turning back. Now, I apologize. I'm not the 00:05:40.019 --> 00:05:42.600 best of singers, so I'm reading you the lyrics, 00:05:42.660 --> 00:05:45.920 not singing them. It continues on, the world 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:48.860 behind me, the cross before me, the world behind 00:05:48.860 --> 00:05:51.939 me, the cross before me. What's powerful about 00:05:51.939 --> 00:05:54.639 lyrics like this is that it continually hits 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:57.199 home, much to the way that Jesus asked Peter 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:01.220 to feed his sheep. And he asked him three times, 00:06:01.259 --> 00:06:04.079 and it says a third time here, the world behind 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:06.920 me, the cross before me. Because we are supposed 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:09.600 to think of ourselves as looking back behind 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:12.259 ourselves about the world and looking towards 00:06:12.259 --> 00:06:15.199 the cross that Christ has picked up or told us 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:19.339 to pick up. There is no turning back. No, there 00:06:19.339 --> 00:06:23.040 is no turning back. It continues on, though none 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:25.779 go with me, still I will follow three times in 00:06:25.779 --> 00:06:28.899 repetition. No turning back, no turning back. 00:06:31.939 --> 00:06:36.379 My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus. My cross 00:06:36.379 --> 00:06:40.759 I'll carry till I see Jesus. My cross I'll carry 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:46.259 till I see Jesus. No turning back. No turning 00:06:46.259 --> 00:06:49.920 back. The song concludes with, will you decide 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:54.879 now to follow Jesus three times again? And that 00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:57.660 final call of no turning back, no turning back. 00:06:58.220 --> 00:07:01.720 So today we're going to look at being called. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:06.819 We're also going to look at Being qualified. 00:07:06.819 --> 00:07:12.000 And finally, we're going to finish with the idea 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:25.579 of being full of regret or being ready to enter 00:07:25.579 --> 00:07:30.100 into salvation or into eternity, rather. So being 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:33.060 called in Deuteronomy 31, 23, it says, and the 00:07:33.060 --> 00:07:35.120 Lord commissioned Joshua, the son of Nun and 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:38.560 said, be strong and courageous. For you shall 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:40.740 bring the people of Israel into the land that 00:07:40.740 --> 00:07:42.959 I swore to give them. And I will be with you. 00:07:43.019 --> 00:07:45.720 About 150 years ago, there was a great revival 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:48.300 in Wales. As a result of this, many missionaries 00:07:48.300 --> 00:07:51.220 came to the Northeast India to spread the gospel, 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:56.120 the region known as Assam or Assam. was comprised 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:58.379 of hundreds of tribes who were primitive and 00:07:58.379 --> 00:08:01.459 aggressive headhunters. Into these hostile and 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:03.699 aggressive communities came a group of missionaries 00:08:03.699 --> 00:08:06.240 from the American Baptist missions, spreading 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:08.779 the message of love, peace, and hope in Jesus 00:08:08.779 --> 00:08:11.759 Christ. Naturally, they were not welcomed. One 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:14.540 missionary succeeded in converting a man, his 00:08:14.540 --> 00:08:17.680 wife, and two children. This man's faith proved 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:20.660 contagious, and many villagers began to accept 00:08:20.660 --> 00:08:25.660 Christianity. Angry, the village chief summoned 00:08:25.660 --> 00:08:27.879 all the villagers, he called the family who had 00:08:27.879 --> 00:08:30.839 first converted to renounce their faith in public 00:08:30.839 --> 00:08:36.379 or face execution. Moved by the Holy Spirit, 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:38.559 the man said, I have decided to follow Jesus. 00:08:40.120 --> 00:08:42.059 Enraged at the refusal of the man, the chief 00:08:42.059 --> 00:08:47.799 ordered his archers to arrow down the two children. 00:08:49.500 --> 00:08:52.460 As both boys lay twitching on the floor, the 00:08:52.460 --> 00:08:55.840 chief asked, will you deny your faith? You have 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:59.320 lost both your children. You will lose your wife 00:08:59.320 --> 00:09:05.639 too. So this tragedy, this horrible story, is 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:09.159 a picture for us in the world today. I admit 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:11.860 that it's a hard story to listen to. It nonetheless 00:09:11.860 --> 00:09:15.679 is a critical thing for us to understand when 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:18.860 we consider the power of our Lord and the purpose 00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:23.159 of our faith in Him. As Christians, we look past 00:09:23.159 --> 00:09:25.740 this life with an expectation for the next. Part 00:09:25.740 --> 00:09:28.919 of that expectation is the realization that the 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:30.980 gift of grace is more important than anything. 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:35.240 Evangelism is more important than anything because 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:39.460 it is what makes us truly Christian and truly 00:09:39.460 --> 00:09:43.919 striving to be Christ -like. We are not to fear 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:46.759 physical death as Christians because we have 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:52.009 eternal life in our Lord Jesus. The prophet says, 00:09:52.230 --> 00:09:57.850 I am slow to speech. And God says he will uplift 00:09:57.850 --> 00:10:01.149 and help him. So often we'll try to make excuses 00:10:01.149 --> 00:10:04.330 when God calls us to speak on his half, just 00:10:04.330 --> 00:10:08.889 like Moses did. He struggled with speaking for 00:10:08.889 --> 00:10:11.850 God, but fortunately for Moses, God was not willing 00:10:11.850 --> 00:10:14.950 to let him go free from his calling, but made 00:10:14.950 --> 00:10:18.210 a way for him to fulfill that calling. Even today, 00:10:18.250 --> 00:10:20.590 we cannot get away from our calling. We can either 00:10:20.590 --> 00:10:23.450 accept it or reject it, but we can never truly 00:10:23.450 --> 00:10:27.830 get rid of the call on our lives. In Exodus 4, 00:10:27.929 --> 00:10:30.669 10, we're going to look at a few different verses 00:10:30.669 --> 00:10:33.889 here. Verse 10, verse 14, verse 16, it says, 00:10:34.070 --> 00:10:45.620 So here's the initial petition. Hey, Lord. You 00:10:45.620 --> 00:10:48.840 got the wrong guy. This isn't my skill set. How 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:51.279 often do we as Christians or even just people 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:54.440 in general wander around saying, that's not my 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.019 forte. That's not something I'm good at. So therefore, 00:10:57.220 --> 00:11:00.879 you can't ask that of me. There's no understanding 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.820 or expectation that maybe the ask is so that 00:11:03.820 --> 00:11:05.820 you can be stretched and so that you can grow 00:11:05.820 --> 00:11:09.149 in your faith or grow in your relationship. with 00:11:09.149 --> 00:11:11.690 Christ or grow if it's at work and your boss 00:11:11.690 --> 00:11:13.350 is asking you to do something you're not, you 00:11:13.350 --> 00:11:15.309 know, really suited to do. Maybe he's asking 00:11:15.309 --> 00:11:17.509 because he sees some sort of potential in you 00:11:17.509 --> 00:11:19.309 and he's trying to stretch you so that you could 00:11:19.309 --> 00:11:23.929 grow to greater heights. So in verse 14, it says, 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:40.899 moses that you're not going to get away with 00:11:40.899 --> 00:11:45.220 making an excuse for your calling you could see 00:11:45.220 --> 00:11:47.120 a similar thing in this in that work picture 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:50.179 that i gave whereas you might deny like i don't 00:11:50.179 --> 00:11:53.019 have the skill set for this so then your boss 00:11:53.019 --> 00:11:55.519 says that's great i've got a mentor for you who's 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:59.659 going to help you to grow so then in verse 16 00:11:59.659 --> 00:12:02.259 it says he shall speak for you to the people 00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:03.980 and he shall be your mouth and you shall be as 00:12:03.980 --> 00:12:07.240 a god to him so this picture again is You're 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:08.960 going to get trained, you're going to get educated, 00:12:08.980 --> 00:12:10.779 you're going to get supported, but you're still 00:12:10.779 --> 00:12:14.820 going to have to deal with this call on your 00:12:14.820 --> 00:12:18.100 life. You're still going to have to deal with 00:12:18.100 --> 00:12:20.799 the responsibility that I'm laying in your hands. 00:12:22.379 --> 00:12:24.379 So we start traveling through the Old Testament, 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:26.379 we see the prophets of God constantly commanded 00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:31.600 to speak to the people on God's behalf. Why is 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.320 it important to speak? Why can't we just... write 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:38.139 down letters on Instagram or put Instagram posts 00:12:38.139 --> 00:12:42.519 out. Because the word of God and the gospel of 00:12:42.519 --> 00:12:46.460 Jesus Christ is meant to be heard. Let us look 00:12:46.460 --> 00:12:48.620 at just a few times where the prophets were told 00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:51.440 by God to speak, keeping in mind that the phrase 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:55.220 speak to shows up in the Bible over 250 times. 00:12:55.960 --> 00:12:58.779 In Exodus 25, one to two, it says, the Lord said 00:12:58.779 --> 00:13:01.059 to Moses, speak to the people of Israel that 00:13:01.059 --> 00:13:05.029 they... take for me a contribution. For every 00:13:05.029 --> 00:13:07.350 man whose heart moves him, you shall receive 00:13:07.350 --> 00:13:13.350 the contribution for me. Leviticus has 22 instances 00:13:13.350 --> 00:13:15.850 where God tells Moses to speak to the children 00:13:15.850 --> 00:13:19.370 of Israel. In Jeremiah 11, one through two, it 00:13:19.370 --> 00:13:21.529 says, the word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, 00:13:21.590 --> 00:13:24.230 hear the words of this covenant and speak to 00:13:24.230 --> 00:13:26.029 the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 00:13:34.699 --> 00:13:39.860 God's word was meant to be spoken. In all of 00:13:39.860 --> 00:13:41.860 the Old Testament, it was expected that you would 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:44.360 have a large portion of the entirety of the Torah 00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:47.779 memorized so that you could draw from the word 00:13:47.779 --> 00:13:51.620 and speak with authority. When prophets were 00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:53.940 called by the Lord, it was to speak to the people 00:13:53.940 --> 00:13:56.259 of Israel. In the New Testament, the pattern 00:13:56.259 --> 00:13:58.460 is the same. When Jesus would heal, he expected 00:13:58.460 --> 00:14:02.259 those who had their lives changed to become vocal 00:14:02.259 --> 00:14:05.659 testimonies. So let's look now at being qualified. 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:11.200 We are always worried about a lack of qualifications 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:14.659 in our life. When you go out to look for your 00:14:14.659 --> 00:14:16.740 first job, the question of qualifications is 00:14:16.740 --> 00:14:19.899 top of mind. I have two kids that are just coming 00:14:19.899 --> 00:14:22.059 out into the world into their first jobs or the 00:14:22.059 --> 00:14:25.330 difficulties of... getting close to full -time 00:14:25.330 --> 00:14:28.309 employment, finishing up some additional education 00:14:28.309 --> 00:14:32.169 so they can hopefully gain full -time employment. 00:14:34.190 --> 00:14:36.549 And when you come to these job interviews, that's 00:14:36.549 --> 00:14:38.110 the biggest thing they ask for is what's your 00:14:38.110 --> 00:14:40.330 qualifications and why do you want to work here? 00:14:42.789 --> 00:14:46.330 But as we get older, you'd think this seems to 00:14:46.330 --> 00:14:49.350 fade away, but it never really does. The world 00:14:49.350 --> 00:14:53.230 is hung up. on this idea of qualifications in 00:14:53.230 --> 00:14:56.409 somewhat of an unhealthy way. Qualifications 00:14:56.409 --> 00:14:59.190 are important, but godly qualifications are what 00:14:59.190 --> 00:15:02.289 we should be focusing on, and they are far simpler 00:15:02.289 --> 00:15:06.429 to understand and to achieve. In Titus 1, 5 through 00:15:06.429 --> 00:15:09.169 8, we see the qualifications of the elders. It 00:15:09.169 --> 00:15:11.649 says, this is why I left you in Crete, so that 00:15:11.649 --> 00:15:14.230 you might put what remained in order and appoint 00:15:14.230 --> 00:15:17.309 elders in every town as I directed you. If anyone 00:15:17.309 --> 00:15:19.710 is above reproach, the husband of one wife and 00:15:19.710 --> 00:15:22.370 has children are believers and not open to the 00:15:22.370 --> 00:15:24.610 charge of just debauchery or insubordination. 00:15:25.149 --> 00:15:27.929 For an overseer is God's steward must be above 00:15:27.929 --> 00:15:30.649 reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick tempered 00:15:30.649 --> 00:15:33.409 or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 00:15:33.549 --> 00:15:36.330 but hospitable, a lover of good, self -controlled, 00:15:36.470 --> 00:15:40.610 upright, holy, and disciplined. This sounds simple 00:15:40.610 --> 00:15:43.309 enough, but when we put it into action, this 00:15:43.309 --> 00:15:46.330 requires intestinal fortitude. When we stand 00:15:46.330 --> 00:15:48.129 against a fallen world, we have to be able to 00:15:48.129 --> 00:15:51.090 stand in the face of lions and even under the 00:15:51.090 --> 00:15:54.389 threat of the fiery furnace. So when we look 00:15:54.389 --> 00:15:59.090 back at our story that we started off with, we 00:15:59.090 --> 00:16:03.149 pick up the man from Assam and he replies, though 00:16:03.149 --> 00:16:08.629 no one joins me, still I will follow. The chief 00:16:08.629 --> 00:16:11.210 was beside himself with fury and ordered his 00:16:11.210 --> 00:16:14.440 wife to be arrowed down. In a moment, she joined 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:17.960 her two children in death. Now he asked for the 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:20.100 last time, I will give you one more opportunity 00:16:20.100 --> 00:16:24.799 to deny your faith and live. In the face of death, 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:28.440 the man said the final memorable lines, the cross 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:33.360 before me, the world behind me, no turning back. 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:37.100 He was shot dead like the rest of his family. 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:40.159 But with their deaths, a miracle took place. 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:42.720 The chief, who had ordered the killings, was 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:51.639 moved by the faith of the man. He wondered, why 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:54.100 should this man, his wife, and two children die 00:16:54.100 --> 00:16:56.799 for a man who lived in a faraway land on another 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:00.460 continent some 2 ,000 years ago? There must be 00:17:00.460 --> 00:17:02.960 some remarkable power behind the family's faith. 00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:08.150 And I, too, want to taste that faith. The man 00:17:08.150 --> 00:17:10.470 in our story had no high -flying qualifications, 00:17:10.869 --> 00:17:14.890 but he had had all the qualifications that he 00:17:14.890 --> 00:17:18.250 needed to make a difference. He was upright and 00:17:18.250 --> 00:17:24.150 stood in his faith. In the end, Jesus was glorified. 00:17:24.670 --> 00:17:27.910 And Titus Paul was concerned for the newborn 00:17:27.910 --> 00:17:30.630 church on Crete, and he wrote to Titus to encourage 00:17:30.630 --> 00:17:33.769 him. And to instruct him on how he should go 00:17:33.769 --> 00:17:35.930 about building the church, he tells Titus to 00:17:35.930 --> 00:17:38.650 look for those who meet the qualifications in 00:17:38.650 --> 00:17:42.509 Titus 1, 9 -11. He must hold firm to the trustworthy 00:17:42.509 --> 00:17:45.769 word as taught, so that he may be able to give 00:17:45.769 --> 00:17:48.089 instruction in sound doctrine and also rebuke 00:17:48.089 --> 00:17:50.890 those who contradict it. For there are many who 00:17:50.890 --> 00:17:53.289 are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, 00:17:53.390 --> 00:17:56.509 especially those of the circumcision party. They 00:17:56.509 --> 00:17:58.849 must be silenced since they are upsetting whole 00:17:58.849 --> 00:18:01.730 families by teaching for shameful gain what they 00:18:01.730 --> 00:18:04.809 ought not to teach. There are two points to look 00:18:04.809 --> 00:18:07.269 at here. The first is the standards are important. 00:18:08.230 --> 00:18:11.730 How you live is the example that you set. The 00:18:11.730 --> 00:18:16.589 second point is that it would be a test for Titus. 00:18:17.210 --> 00:18:20.009 It is not easy to silence those who oppose you. 00:18:20.849 --> 00:18:23.410 And it is even more difficult to hold the standards 00:18:23.410 --> 00:18:25.309 in a world that does not even believe in the 00:18:25.309 --> 00:18:29.210 truth like we do today. They battle against the 00:18:29.210 --> 00:18:31.230 circumcision party, which is the back to the 00:18:31.230 --> 00:18:33.369 Jewish roots party, which is saying that as a 00:18:33.369 --> 00:18:35.670 Christian, you have to first be a Jew and you 00:18:35.670 --> 00:18:38.329 have to follow the law in order to be a Christian 00:18:38.329 --> 00:18:41.910 under the law of Judaism. But we know as part 00:18:41.910 --> 00:18:43.670 of the new covenant that we do not have to do 00:18:43.670 --> 00:18:47.029 that. And Paul has taught us so much and Peter 00:18:47.029 --> 00:18:51.650 as well. But the reality is, is this was a battle 00:18:51.650 --> 00:18:53.569 he was fighting, but today's battle is different. 00:18:54.289 --> 00:18:56.829 Today we fight a battle of a world that says 00:18:56.829 --> 00:19:01.390 that what we believe is irrelevant. And they 00:19:01.390 --> 00:19:04.670 want to, you know, some would even claim that 00:19:04.670 --> 00:19:09.769 there is no God. But I would argue that many 00:19:09.769 --> 00:19:13.079 more. have a much more treacherous belief where 00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:16.019 they can include Jesus into what they believe, 00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:19.240 but only if they diminish the divinity of God 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:24.660 and Jesus incarnate, Jesus who is God. This is 00:19:24.660 --> 00:19:26.460 something I preached on last week, and you can 00:19:26.460 --> 00:19:27.980 see it on the live stream, is just the sense 00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:30.799 that it's funny how all these other faiths in 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:34.259 the world are so willing to accept Jesus as long 00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:37.220 as he's accepted in a limited or lesser capacity 00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:41.529 than his divinity requires. We have to hold to 00:19:41.529 --> 00:19:45.289 that truth. We also, within our own Christian 00:19:45.289 --> 00:19:47.930 world, we battle with people who say that if 00:19:47.930 --> 00:19:49.490 you're not of this church, you're not saved. 00:19:49.529 --> 00:19:50.910 If you're not of this church, you're not, or 00:19:50.910 --> 00:19:53.630 that church, you're not saved. But we hold to 00:19:53.630 --> 00:19:56.190 the old creeds, the belief that Jesus Christ 00:19:56.190 --> 00:19:59.869 is the Son of God, but he is God as well. He's 00:19:59.869 --> 00:20:02.589 part of the triune nature of the Father, the 00:20:02.589 --> 00:20:05.430 Son, and the Holy Ghost. So that makes him very 00:20:05.430 --> 00:20:07.670 God. That makes him eternal, like God, not a 00:20:07.670 --> 00:20:11.529 created being. And that only through Jesus can 00:20:11.529 --> 00:20:14.650 we come to the Father. So there is no need for 00:20:14.650 --> 00:20:16.970 intermediary. We are directly tapping into God 00:20:16.970 --> 00:20:20.470 through the Son who is part of that triune nature 00:20:20.470 --> 00:20:26.170 of God. So anybody who differs from this is not 00:20:26.170 --> 00:20:30.829 of the same faith. These are the critical points 00:20:30.829 --> 00:20:33.289 that allow us to be able to link arms with other 00:20:33.289 --> 00:20:37.150 churches, other peoples who believe the core 00:20:37.150 --> 00:20:42.119 belief that we do. That there is no way to salvation 00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:45.559 except by the freely given grace from our God 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:51.119 through Jesus Christ. And that works come because 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:55.079 of salvation. And salvation doesn't come because 00:20:55.079 --> 00:21:00.380 of works. Both of these points that I touched 00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:03.500 on earlier show how important it is for us to 00:21:03.500 --> 00:21:06.339 live with a spirit of action. Our lives must 00:21:06.339 --> 00:21:08.640 always be pointed towards the end goal, the destination 00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:12.400 of heaven. We are not on a conveyor belt or an 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:15.079 escalator to heaven. We are at the base of a 00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:17.700 mountain. We must ever endeavor to climb to new 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:21.180 heights in our salvation. It is not that faith 00:21:21.180 --> 00:21:25.079 plus works equals salvation. It's rather that 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:29.700 faith equals salvation and then works come as 00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:35.089 a sign of fruit. James 2 .26 says, apart from 00:21:35.089 --> 00:21:37.910 the Spirit, is dead, so also faith apart from 00:21:37.910 --> 00:21:40.809 works is dead. The crux of this idea is that 00:21:40.809 --> 00:21:44.029 your faith will bring you salvation and a desire 00:21:44.029 --> 00:21:47.789 to serve others in Christ. The fruit that comes 00:21:47.789 --> 00:21:50.970 from those works will show you as qualified for 00:21:50.970 --> 00:21:53.069 greater service in the kingdom of God. This is 00:21:53.069 --> 00:21:56.809 not where we end, though. This is only the beginning. 00:21:56.930 --> 00:22:00.849 We need to now turn to the doctrine because this 00:22:00.849 --> 00:22:04.859 is how you will likely be able to serve and edify 00:22:04.859 --> 00:22:07.359 or build up the church and the gospel of Jesus 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:12.200 Christ. So will you have a life full of regret 00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:16.799 or will you be ready? The weight of regret is 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:20.640 heavy. And this is from a poem that I found online. 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:26.519 And it says, too many of you are afraid of wrong 00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:29.779 things. Stop asking yourself, is it all going 00:22:29.779 --> 00:22:33.779 to be worth it? Start asking yourself, what kind 00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:37.500 of crap show is my life going to become if I 00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:41.259 don't do it? Because I promise you, even if you 00:22:41.259 --> 00:22:44.400 do fall short of your goals, that life will be 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:47.180 a thousand times better than the life you could 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:49.740 end up with as a result of your willingness to 00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:53.940 do the work. The weight of regret is heavy. So 00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:56.900 the end of the story was not one of regret, but 00:22:56.900 --> 00:22:59.680 of victory. The chief of the tribe was convicted 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:03.599 by this show of faith. In a spontaneous confession 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:06.759 of faith, he declared, I too belong to Jesus 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:09.700 Christ. When the crowd heard this from the mouth 00:23:09.700 --> 00:23:12.279 of their chief, the whole village accepted Christ 00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:15.859 as their Lord and their Savior. The song is based 00:23:15.859 --> 00:23:18.680 on the last words of Naksing, a man from the 00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:24.180 Garo tribe of Assam, now Manghala and some in 00:23:24.180 --> 00:23:29.759 Assam, India. It is today the song of the Garrow 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:33.299 people. The final chapter of Titus is all about 00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:37.279 being ready. It touches on the mission drift 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:41.559 and avoiding distractions and staying true to 00:23:41.559 --> 00:23:45.160 our purpose. All too often, we allow ourselves 00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:47.660 to get wrapped up in controversy or should I 00:23:47.660 --> 00:23:51.059 say politics. But here in the scripture, it tells 00:23:51.059 --> 00:23:53.839 us to avoid these things and remain for our purpose. 00:23:54.730 --> 00:23:57.069 If we are not ready for action, then we cannot 00:23:57.069 --> 00:24:02.470 execute our mission. Titus chapter 3 verses 9 00:24:02.470 --> 00:24:07.230 through 11 say, But foolish controversies, genealogies, 00:24:07.230 --> 00:24:09.869 dissensions, and quarrels about law, for they 00:24:09.869 --> 00:24:13.029 are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person 00:24:13.029 --> 00:24:15.430 who stirs up division after warning him once 00:24:15.430 --> 00:24:17.890 and then twice, having nothing more to do with 00:24:17.890 --> 00:24:20.690 him, knowing that such a person is warped and 00:24:20.690 --> 00:24:24.630 sinful, he is self -condemned. So here's an excerpt 00:24:24.630 --> 00:24:26.410 from a business article relating to strategy 00:24:26.410 --> 00:24:30.490 versus execution. Strategy is choices. Execution 00:24:30.490 --> 00:24:34.950 is actions. How to take the right execution actions. 00:24:35.630 --> 00:24:38.269 If strategy is about making the right choices, 00:24:38.289 --> 00:24:40.349 then the execution is about taking those right 00:24:40.349 --> 00:24:43.769 actions. Strategy focuses on thinking. Execution 00:24:43.769 --> 00:24:46.509 centers on the doing. And many leaders struggle 00:24:46.509 --> 00:24:48.930 with identifying the right actions their organization 00:24:48.930 --> 00:24:51.859 needs to take. This is partially because they 00:24:51.859 --> 00:24:54.160 have been taught how to plan and not how to execute. 00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:58.400 Achieving excellence in execution requires cultivating 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:01.160 a bias towards action across an organization. 00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:04.859 So I find the contrast between strategy and execution 00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:09.019 and action to be one of the most interesting 00:25:09.019 --> 00:25:12.559 things that I deal with in my life. I've spent 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:16.440 many of the years of my life academically and 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:18.559 professionally and personally trying to gain 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:21.140 an understanding of the need of execution above 00:25:21.140 --> 00:25:24.000 the need of perfect strategy. So here at the 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:26.140 Potter's House, we are Christians and we're very 00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:28.359 fortunate because we have a clear pattern, a 00:25:28.359 --> 00:25:32.420 strategy laid out for us in the gospel. The book 00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:34.839 of Titus, as well as others, provides us with 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:38.079 the strategy necessary to live a Christian life. 00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:42.720 We just need to be ready to execute that strategy. 00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:45.940 So as a part of our Statement of Faith Fellowship, 00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:48.720 we believe in this pattern of evangelism, taking 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:53.039 the gospel outside the four walls of the church. 00:25:53.779 --> 00:25:56.700 And we're acting in obedience to Mark 16, where 00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:58.660 he says, go into all the world and preach the 00:25:58.660 --> 00:26:01.420 gospel to every creature. We emphasize personal 00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:05.140 evangelism in a large variety of outreaches to 00:26:05.140 --> 00:26:07.079 share the gospel. You might see us if you're 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:10.779 in Salmon Arm. We stand with a sign. with signs 00:26:10.779 --> 00:26:14.420 out in front of the farmer's market on Saturday 00:26:14.420 --> 00:26:17.720 mornings. And I'm blessed to be able to do that 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:19.339 with a couple other people who are from other 00:26:19.339 --> 00:26:21.500 churches as well who've started to come because 00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:25.819 they've been convicted to share the gospel more 00:26:25.819 --> 00:26:31.500 and more. We believe in conversion. the gospel 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:34.319 that has a power to transform lives. In 1 Peter 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:37.339 1 .23, it says, having been born again, not of 00:26:37.339 --> 00:26:39.519 corruptible seed, but incorruptible through the 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:42.200 word of God, which lives and abides forever. 00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:45.200 How would they be converted that they haven't 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:48.319 heard, which is why evangelism leads to conversion. 00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:51.759 But we also have a strong focus on the local 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:54.779 church. God has placed everything necessary to 00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:56.960 accomplish his will within that local church. 00:26:57.500 --> 00:27:00.519 That's why we don't proselytize as well. We don't 00:27:00.519 --> 00:27:02.619 seek out to try to grab other Christians from 00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:04.460 other churches. If they're preaching the gospel 00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:07.319 in that church, then they should be rooted in 00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:09.599 that place and they should fulfill their call 00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:13.920 of God in that place. And I emphasize that if 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:15.480 they're following the word of God, if they're 00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:17.099 a Bible -believing church, which I believe there 00:27:17.099 --> 00:27:20.109 are many that are, then you should be rooted 00:27:20.109 --> 00:27:22.289 in there and you should grow in your faith there. 00:27:22.430 --> 00:27:25.390 In Ephesians 1, 22 through 23, it says, and he 00:27:25.390 --> 00:27:27.430 put all things under his feet and he gave him 00:27:27.430 --> 00:27:30.029 a head over all things to the church, which is 00:27:30.029 --> 00:27:33.230 his body, the fullness of him who fills all in 00:27:33.230 --> 00:27:37.130 all. God's will is accomplished in us and through 00:27:37.130 --> 00:27:40.450 us as we connect and commit ourselves to the 00:27:40.450 --> 00:27:44.390 local church. We are a discipleship -based fellowship, 00:27:44.630 --> 00:27:49.079 training and equipping. is something that is 00:27:49.079 --> 00:27:52.039 best done within the setting of the local church. 00:27:52.180 --> 00:27:54.160 And we believe that because the relationships 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:57.440 are built there. That conversion is supposed 00:27:57.440 --> 00:28:00.160 to have happened there, within that group, within 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:03.569 that body of believers. And therefore, the highest 00:28:03.569 --> 00:28:06.369 calling of a pastor in a congregation is to obey 00:28:06.369 --> 00:28:09.750 God's command in Matthew 28, 19 through 20, when 00:28:09.750 --> 00:28:28.009 he says, These are the words of Jesus, the last 00:28:28.009 --> 00:28:36.410 words to command. his people to go out and witness 00:28:36.410 --> 00:28:40.250 and testify and evangelize. We also believe in 00:28:40.250 --> 00:28:43.490 a pattern of church planting. The result of discipleship 00:28:43.490 --> 00:28:46.069 should be that people are raised up and being 00:28:46.069 --> 00:28:49.029 able to be released out into the harvest fields 00:28:49.029 --> 00:28:53.710 to start the pattern again. And part of that 00:28:53.710 --> 00:28:55.769 is the world that, you know, part of that world 00:28:55.769 --> 00:29:00.769 makes us focus on world evangelism. From the 00:29:00.769 --> 00:29:03.190 earliest Bible record, God's vision is a worldwide 00:29:03.190 --> 00:29:06.349 testimony and impact. The gospel message is relevant 00:29:06.349 --> 00:29:09.789 in every nation and culture in the world. Our 00:29:09.789 --> 00:29:11.970 job as believers in the local church is to pray, 00:29:12.089 --> 00:29:16.049 train, invest, send, and support workers to go 00:29:16.049 --> 00:29:19.829 into all of the world. So with the strategy set, 00:29:19.890 --> 00:29:22.690 with the pattern set, the only thing left is 00:29:22.690 --> 00:29:26.319 to decide if you will be ready for action. We 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:28.339 are called to be a people of action because there 00:29:28.339 --> 00:29:31.259 is work to do. The fields are white for harvest, 00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:36.380 as it says in John 4 .35. Will you be ready or 00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:42.200 will you be filled with regret? So if I could 00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:43.759 have every head bowed, every eye closed, wherever 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:45.599 you are listening to this, as long as it's safe 00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:47.180 and you're not driving and you're not listening 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:51.539 to this double speed like I do. I just want to 00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:54.619 take a quick moment as we close. I always give 00:29:54.619 --> 00:29:58.339 an invitation. Whether I'm preaching in person, 00:29:58.400 --> 00:30:00.559 whether I'm doing something like this just physically 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:04.759 online. I want you to know that you have a choice. 00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:07.819 Maybe you're listening to this and you don't 00:30:07.819 --> 00:30:09.799 even know why, but your heart's not right with 00:30:09.799 --> 00:30:12.640 God. And you want to get it right with God. I 00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:14.740 want you to know you can do that. I want you 00:30:14.740 --> 00:30:16.599 to signify that with an uplifted hand wherever 00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:19.079 you are. Because even though I can't see it, 00:30:19.099 --> 00:30:22.059 I believe God can see it. And it's just one step 00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:24.990 in you making a choice. through your own free 00:30:24.990 --> 00:30:28.690 will to say, I need God in my life. If you did 00:30:28.690 --> 00:30:31.569 that, I want you to then repeat a quick prayer 00:30:31.569 --> 00:30:35.069 with me. It's just something simple like this. 00:30:35.109 --> 00:30:37.490 It says, Dear Lord, I know that I'm a sinner, 00:30:37.549 --> 00:30:40.789 that I'm not perfect, but I know that you sent 00:30:40.789 --> 00:30:44.430 your son, Jesus Christ, to die for me, to die 00:30:44.430 --> 00:30:48.410 for my sins, and that he rose again. I accept 00:30:48.410 --> 00:30:50.450 him as my Lord and my Savior, and I turn away 00:30:50.450 --> 00:30:54.269 from the sins of my past. I turn away and I repent. 00:30:54.609 --> 00:30:57.910 In Jesus' name, amen. That simple prayer is just 00:30:57.910 --> 00:31:00.990 a recognition of what you should be feeling in 00:31:00.990 --> 00:31:05.869 your heart already. I need God. And I accept 00:31:05.869 --> 00:31:09.890 him. And I accept the gospel message that Jesus 00:31:09.890 --> 00:31:15.410 came as God to earth and he returned to be God 00:31:15.410 --> 00:31:19.690 to set me free from my sin and to broker that 00:31:19.690 --> 00:31:23.440 relationship with the Father. I want to thank 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:25.720 you for listening to me. Hopefully this will 00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:29.119 be the continuation of regular weekly podcasts 00:31:29.119 --> 00:31:32.299 without any interruption outside of maybe when 00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:34.539 I'm gone at conference, but I will try to make 00:31:34.539 --> 00:31:37.140 sure that that doesn't happen anymore either. 00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:39.400 And then I probably will shake it up and have 00:31:39.400 --> 00:31:41.880 additional podcasts interspersed in here, maybe 00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:45.240 with some, you know, just my perspective from 00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:47.819 our biblical perspective on news and events. 00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:49.700 I'm thinking about doing something like that. 00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:51.720 It's not going to be what you're going to expect. 00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:54.000 I'm not going to pontificate about politicians 00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:56.759 or people, but rather how we should take what's 00:31:56.759 --> 00:32:00.299 going on in the world today and focus our eyes 00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:03.140 on the cross and on Jesus and what he would want 00:32:03.140 --> 00:32:05.359 us to do with the times that we're living in. 00:32:05.420 --> 00:32:08.079 So again, thank you for listening and just God 00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:10.140 bless. And I hope you have a great rest of your 00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:15.589 day. Thank you. for listening to the PHSA Potter's 00:32:15.589 --> 00:32:17.970 House Salmon Arm podcast. Be sure to follow us 00:32:17.970 --> 00:32:20.529 on Instagram at pottershouse underscore salmon 00:32:20.529 --> 00:32:22.529 arm to keep up to date on what we are doing. 00:32:22.569 --> 00:32:24.769 Join the conversation and discover how Jesus 00:32:24.769 --> 00:32:27.210 Christ can revolutionize your life.