WEBVTT 00:00:09.710 --> 00:00:13.070 Thank you for continuing to stand in honor of 00:00:13.070 --> 00:00:16.170 God's Word. Though we are going to be examining 00:00:16.170 --> 00:00:20.089 Titus chapter 3 verses 12 through 15 to conclude 00:00:20.089 --> 00:00:23.050 our study in this epistle today, we're actually 00:00:23.050 --> 00:00:25.210 going to start all the way back in chapter 1 00:00:25.210 --> 00:00:27.989 and verse 1 with our reading. I do feel that 00:00:27.989 --> 00:00:30.510 it will be very beneficial for us to do so, and 00:00:30.510 --> 00:00:33.070 it is not a terribly long book, so it shouldn't 00:00:33.070 --> 00:00:36.229 take us but a moment to read the entire book 00:00:36.229 --> 00:00:39.859 once again. Beginning in Titus chapter 1 and 00:00:39.859 --> 00:00:42.619 verse 1, Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle 00:00:42.619 --> 00:00:45.420 of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen 00:00:45.420 --> 00:00:47.259 of God and the knowledge of the truth which is 00:00:47.259 --> 00:00:49.780 according to godliness, in the hope of eternal 00:00:49.780 --> 00:00:52.560 life which God, who cannot lie, promised long 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:56.219 ages ago, but at the proper time manifested even 00:00:56.219 --> 00:00:59.060 his word, in the proclamation with which I was 00:00:59.060 --> 00:01:02.399 entrusted according to the commandment of God 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:07.420 our Savior, to Titus, my true child. in a common 00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:11.719 faith, grace and peace from God the Father and 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:15.719 Christ Jesus our Savior. For this reason I left 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:17.640 you in Crete, that you would set in order what 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:19.700 remains and appoint elders in every city as I 00:01:19.700 --> 00:01:22.879 directed you. Namely, if any man is above reproach, 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:25.099 the husband of one wife, having children who 00:01:25.099 --> 00:01:27.420 believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:31.019 For the overseer must be above reproach as God's 00:01:31.019 --> 00:01:33.760 steward. not self -will, not quick -tempered, 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:36.579 not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond 00:01:36.579 --> 00:01:39.900 of sordid game, but hospitable, loving what is 00:01:39.900 --> 00:01:42.799 good, sensible, just, devout, self -controlled, 00:01:43.019 --> 00:01:45.680 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:48.579 with the teaching, so that he will be able both 00:01:48.579 --> 00:01:51.780 to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those 00:01:51.780 --> 00:01:55.200 who contradict. For there are many rebellious 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:57.799 men. Empty talkers and deceivers, especially 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:00.780 those of the circumcision, who must be silenced 00:02:00.780 --> 00:02:03.939 because they are upsetting whole families, teaching 00:02:03.939 --> 00:02:06.299 things they should not teach for the sake of 00:02:06.299 --> 00:02:08.919 sordid gain. One of themselves, a prophet of 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:11.319 their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil 00:02:11.319 --> 00:02:14.840 beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:17.539 For this reason, reprove them severely so that 00:02:17.539 --> 00:02:19.900 they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention 00:02:19.900 --> 00:02:22.740 to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn 00:02:22.740 --> 00:02:25.789 away from the truth. To the pure, all things 00:02:25.789 --> 00:02:28.590 are pure. But to those who are defiled and unbelieving, 00:02:28.590 --> 00:02:31.009 nothing is pure, but both their mind and their 00:02:31.009 --> 00:02:33.590 conscience are defiled. They profess to know 00:02:33.590 --> 00:02:36.310 God, but by their deeds they deny him, being 00:02:36.310 --> 00:02:39.210 detestable and disobedient and worthless for 00:02:39.210 --> 00:02:42.969 any good deed. But as for you, speak the things 00:02:42.969 --> 00:02:45.469 which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men 00:02:45.469 --> 00:02:47.810 are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound 00:02:47.810 --> 00:02:50.550 in faith and love and perseverance. Older women 00:02:50.550 --> 00:02:52.430 likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, 00:02:52.530 --> 00:02:54.729 not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, 00:02:54.870 --> 00:02:57.250 teaching what is good, so that they may encourage 00:02:57.250 --> 00:03:00.169 the young women to love their husbands, to love 00:03:00.169 --> 00:03:03.050 their children, to be sensible, pure, workers 00:03:03.050 --> 00:03:05.750 at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, 00:03:05.830 --> 00:03:08.189 so that the word of God will not be dishonored. 00:03:08.750 --> 00:03:12.210 Likewise, urge the young men to be sensible. 00:03:12.849 --> 00:03:15.759 In all things, show yourself. to be an example 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:18.340 of good deeds with purity and doctrine, dignified, 00:03:18.379 --> 00:03:21.419 sound in speech, which is beyond reproach, so 00:03:21.419 --> 00:03:23.659 that the opponent will be put to shame, having 00:03:23.659 --> 00:03:27.199 nothing bad to say about us. Urge bond slaves 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:29.219 to be subject to their own masters in everything, 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:31.300 to be well -pleasing, not argumentative, not 00:03:31.300 --> 00:03:34.219 pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that 00:03:34.219 --> 00:03:36.139 they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior 00:03:36.139 --> 00:03:39.580 in every respect. For the grace of God has appeared, 00:03:39.699 --> 00:03:42.759 bringing salvation to all men. instructing us 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.199 to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:47.979 live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the 00:03:47.979 --> 00:03:50.360 present age, looking for the blessed hope and 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:52.360 the appearing of the glory of our great God and 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:55.659 Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us 00:03:55.659 --> 00:03:58.939 to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify 00:03:58.939 --> 00:04:01.620 for himself a people for his own possession, 00:04:01.900 --> 00:04:06.300 zealous for good deeds. These things speak and 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:09.060 exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no 00:04:09.060 --> 00:04:12.270 one disregard you. remind them to be subject 00:04:12.270 --> 00:04:14.590 to rulers to authorities to be obedient to be 00:04:14.590 --> 00:04:17.449 ready for every good deed to malign no one to 00:04:17.449 --> 00:04:19.610 be peaceable gentle showing every consideration 00:04:19.610 --> 00:04:23.930 for all men for we also once were foolish ourselves 00:04:23.930 --> 00:04:27.129 disobedient deceived enslaved to various lusts 00:04:27.129 --> 00:04:29.529 and pleasures spending our life in malice and 00:04:29.529 --> 00:04:33.769 envy hateful hating one another but When the 00:04:33.769 --> 00:04:36.670 kindness of God, our Savior, and his love for 00:04:36.670 --> 00:04:39.850 mankind appeared, he saved us, not on the basis 00:04:39.850 --> 00:04:41.550 of deeds which we have done in righteousness, 00:04:41.750 --> 00:04:46.069 but according to his mercy. By the washing of 00:04:46.069 --> 00:04:48.110 regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 00:04:48.269 --> 00:04:53.089 whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus 00:04:53.089 --> 00:04:56.290 Christ, our Savior, so that being justified by 00:04:56.290 --> 00:04:58.689 his grace, we would be made heirs according to 00:04:58.689 --> 00:05:01.300 the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy 00:05:01.300 --> 00:05:03.819 statement concerning these things. I want you 00:05:03.819 --> 00:05:06.500 to speak confidently so that those who have believed 00:05:06.500 --> 00:05:09.399 God will be careful to engage in good deeds. 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:12.279 These things are good and profitable for men, 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:15.220 but avoid foolish controversies and genealogies 00:05:15.220 --> 00:05:17.519 and strife and disputes about the law, for they 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:20.579 are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious 00:05:20.579 --> 00:05:22.939 man after a first and second warning, knowing 00:05:22.939 --> 00:05:25.100 that such a man is perverted and is sinning, 00:05:25.100 --> 00:05:27.959 being self -condemned. And our passage for today. 00:05:28.670 --> 00:05:31.110 When I send Artemis or Tychicus to you, make 00:05:31.110 --> 00:05:33.670 every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for 00:05:33.670 --> 00:05:36.850 I have decided to spend the winter there. Diligently 00:05:36.850 --> 00:05:39.110 help Zenos the lawyer and Apollos on their way, 00:05:39.170 --> 00:05:42.790 so that nothing is lacking for them. Our people 00:05:42.790 --> 00:05:45.889 must learn to engage in good deeds, to meet pressing 00:05:45.889 --> 00:05:49.509 needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. All 00:05:49.509 --> 00:05:52.970 who are with me greet you. Greet those who love 00:05:52.970 --> 00:05:56.829 us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Let's 00:05:56.829 --> 00:06:02.579 pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the grace 00:06:02.579 --> 00:06:06.540 you've shown us in your son. And we thank you 00:06:06.540 --> 00:06:09.839 for the transforming power of the gospel at work 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:13.759 among your people. We praise you that you have 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:17.399 not left us as we once were, but have called 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:21.079 us to live as a holy people in the midst of a 00:06:21.079 --> 00:06:24.100 dark and hostile world. Lord Jesus, thank you 00:06:24.100 --> 00:06:26.959 for redeeming your church. and for binding us 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:29.040 together in your truth, in your love, and in 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:32.379 good works. Cause us to adorn your doctrine not 00:06:32.379 --> 00:06:35.040 merely with our lips, but with lives marked by 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:38.500 humility, unity, service, and genuine care for 00:06:38.500 --> 00:06:41.959 one another. Holy Spirit, we ask that you would 00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:44.879 accompany the preaching of your word today. Renew 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:48.379 our minds, strengthen our fellowship, guard us 00:06:48.379 --> 00:06:51.300 from selfishness and division, and produce within 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:53.459 us fruitful lives that display the beauty of 00:06:53.459 --> 00:06:56.439 Christ to the world around us. Lord, may your 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.139 church be strengthened, encouraged, and conform 00:06:59.139 --> 00:07:02.000 more fully to your image today. These things 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.180 we ask in Jesus' powerful name. Amen. Please 00:07:06.180 --> 00:07:11.439 be seated. Having read the whole of Paul's letter 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:15.439 to Titus this morning, I hope we've been reminded 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:19.319 of its context and its central theme. I'm sure 00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:22.970 that now that we've been in this... This will 00:07:22.970 --> 00:07:25.610 be our eighth week, our eighth and final week 00:07:25.610 --> 00:07:28.910 in the letter of Paul to Titus. I'm sure there 00:07:28.910 --> 00:07:32.350 are certain things as I read through that, those 00:07:32.350 --> 00:07:37.310 46 verses that make up this letter. I'm sure 00:07:37.310 --> 00:07:39.250 there were certain things that stood out to you, 00:07:39.350 --> 00:07:41.949 certain phrases that may have caught your attention 00:07:41.949 --> 00:07:45.930 as we have emphasized those things as we've made 00:07:45.930 --> 00:07:50.639 our way through this very helpful letter. Certainly, 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:54.660 the theme of Titus is one that is difficult to 00:07:54.660 --> 00:07:58.439 miss because Paul is so good about reminding 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:04.699 us of its purpose. This short, this brief letter 00:08:04.699 --> 00:08:09.220 is rich with instruction. It's regarding the 00:08:09.220 --> 00:08:12.600 order of the church, how Christ's church should 00:08:12.600 --> 00:08:15.079 be ordered, how it should be structured, and 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:18.040 it includes much instruction about the way that 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:21.399 believers should lead their lives, making it 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:24.920 very practical, very applicable, and very helpful 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:29.139 for us. Throughout our study of this epistle, 00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:32.200 we've noted Paul's primary emphasis that sound 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:36.279 doctrine must produce godly living, that the 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:40.019 grace of God not only saves sinners, it transforms 00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:44.340 them, that believers are, as he puts it in chapter 00:08:44.340 --> 00:08:48.220 2 and verse 10, that believers are to adorn the 00:08:48.220 --> 00:08:51.200 doctrine of God our Savior in every respect, 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:57.940 that our lives should beautify the gospel. Paul 00:08:57.940 --> 00:09:02.080 consistently returns to this language. He notes 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:06.419 phrases like good deeds and good works. He talks 00:09:06.419 --> 00:09:09.940 about purity and sound doctrine, dignity and 00:09:09.940 --> 00:09:13.879 self -control. Continually, the Spirit -inspired 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:16.860 author of this short letter encourages godliness 00:09:16.860 --> 00:09:21.759 in our lives. Consider how often these ideas 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:25.440 appear throughout the letter. In chapter 1 and 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:30.299 verse 8, elders are to be lovers of what is good. 00:09:30.899 --> 00:09:36.080 What a wonderful requirement for someone who 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:40.419 seeks to lead in the church that they would love. 00:09:41.100 --> 00:09:45.779 What is good? Proactively seeking those things 00:09:45.779 --> 00:09:49.799 which are good. In chapter 1 and verse 16, false 00:09:49.799 --> 00:09:54.179 teachers, when contrasted to these elders, are 00:09:54.179 --> 00:09:59.639 called worthless for any good deed. Believers 00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:02.440 are told in chapter 2 and verse 10, as we mentioned 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:05.440 earlier, to adorn the doctrine of God. And also 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:08.370 in chapter 2 and verse 14, It's mentioned that 00:10:08.370 --> 00:10:10.509 Christ has redeemed a people who are, quote, 00:10:10.509 --> 00:10:16.409 zealous for good deeds. Zealous. I've been accused 00:10:16.409 --> 00:10:22.590 of displaying zeal in my life at times. And I 00:10:22.590 --> 00:10:26.190 wonder how often I've been accused of showing 00:10:26.190 --> 00:10:30.889 that zeal for good deeds. In chapter 3 and verse 00:10:30.889 --> 00:10:33.769 1, where we studied just last week, we learned 00:10:33.769 --> 00:10:38.700 that Christians are to be ready for every. Titus 00:10:38.700 --> 00:10:41.659 is told to speak confidently about these things 00:10:41.659 --> 00:10:44.580 so that believers will engage in good deeds in 00:10:44.580 --> 00:10:47.759 chapter 3 and verse 8. And now here in our closing 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:52.200 section of the letter, Paul again commands believers 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:57.740 to, quote, engage in good deeds to meet pressing 00:10:57.740 --> 00:11:02.480 needs. The Christian life is not merely about 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:06.500 doctrinal and theological correctness. Don't 00:11:06.500 --> 00:11:10.860 get me wrong, doctrinal and theological correctness 00:11:10.860 --> 00:11:16.580 are good things, but the Christian life is not 00:11:16.580 --> 00:11:22.659 merely about those things. We're not called to 00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:25.840 an intellectual understanding of these truths 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:30.080 only. We're not supposed to pursue right thinking 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:33.379 for the sole purpose of increasing our knowledge. 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:38.879 After all, Paul writes, actually in 1 Corinthians, 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:43.519 that knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 00:11:44.899 --> 00:11:47.779 By the grace of God, the gospel truths we believe 00:11:47.779 --> 00:11:51.600 and profess must be visibly demonstrated in the 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:57.179 church and by its members. When we look at this 00:11:57.179 --> 00:11:59.559 passage, verses 12 through 15, there are four 00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:04.600 verses here. It might be tempting for us, To 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:08.820 view these verses as being somewhat inconsequential, 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:12.039 we may be tempted to see them simply as travel 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:14.960 plans and personal greetings. To some of us, 00:12:15.019 --> 00:12:18.120 these closing verses may read like the typical 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:22.860 ending to any other letter between friends or 00:12:22.860 --> 00:12:26.419 colleagues. Yet we know that all Scripture is 00:12:26.419 --> 00:12:29.860 inspired by God, right? That all of it is profitable 00:12:29.860 --> 00:12:32.100 for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for 00:12:32.100 --> 00:12:34.700 training in righteousness. so that the man of 00:12:34.700 --> 00:12:38.080 God may be adequate, equipped for every what? 00:12:38.519 --> 00:12:42.600 Good work, right? Paul, of course, writes that 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:47.080 to Timothy in another of the pastorals. I would 00:12:47.080 --> 00:12:50.240 argue that these seemingly ordinary details, 00:12:50.539 --> 00:12:56.580 these final words that almost seem to be Paul's 00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:59.759 way of signing off, I would argue that they provide 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:03.990 us with a beautiful and living portrait. of grace 00:13:03.990 --> 00:13:08.029 -shaped church life. I would argue that in these 00:13:08.029 --> 00:13:12.970 final few verses, we see the marks of corporate 00:13:12.970 --> 00:13:18.009 godliness within the church. The ultimate proof 00:13:18.009 --> 00:13:21.529 of a church having been transformed by grace 00:13:21.529 --> 00:13:24.289 is not merely sound doctrine that its members 00:13:24.289 --> 00:13:28.509 confess with their lips. It's a church body that's 00:13:28.509 --> 00:13:32.720 devoted to mutual care, to godly living. and 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:35.559 sacrificial service. It's a group of believers 00:13:35.559 --> 00:13:41.299 who are engaged in good works, who are leading 00:13:41.299 --> 00:13:47.279 fruitful lives to the glory of our Lord. So, 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:51.279 how does grace -shaped, gospel -centered church 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:55.480 life actually look in practice? Because it's 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:58.759 one thing to talk about it. It's one thing for 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:01.039 us to sit week in and week out and to hear that 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:03.460 we're supposed to be A people who are committed 00:14:03.460 --> 00:14:07.440 to good works. It's one thing for us, even though 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:09.460 we're receiving this admonition, even though 00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:12.139 we're receiving these instructions, it's easy 00:14:12.139 --> 00:14:16.820 for us to just think about these things. But 00:14:16.820 --> 00:14:19.960 seeing them in practice helps us to know how 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:27.080 we should be acting. What are the marks of corporate 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:30.320 godliness? Verse 12. is where Paul begins to 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:33.519 show us the answer to that question, not through 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:36.279 abstract theology alone, but through the ordinary 00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:42.019 sacrificial rhythms of life together in the church. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:46.399 I would help you in this way by saying that if 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:49.740 you're taking notes, that the first heading is 00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:53.480 simply this, the corporate need for sacrificial 00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:57.789 flexibility and wise living. the corporate need 00:14:57.789 --> 00:15:01.490 for sacrificial flexibility and wise living. 00:15:01.649 --> 00:15:04.929 Verse 12, let's read it again. When I send Artemis 00:15:04.929 --> 00:15:07.850 or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come 00:15:07.850 --> 00:15:10.970 to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend 00:15:10.970 --> 00:15:15.909 the winter there. Here in verse 12, we see the 00:15:15.909 --> 00:15:20.649 relational cost of faithful church life on display. 00:15:21.090 --> 00:15:24.990 You know, there is a cost to being faithful. 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:29.259 to being a faithful member of a congregation. 00:15:29.580 --> 00:15:37.120 There is expense involved. No doubt Titus had 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.679 developed deep relationships with the believers 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:41.820 on Crete. I remember many years ago there was 00:15:41.820 --> 00:15:44.559 a particular minister who served in Edwards County 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:46.720 and he had served faithfully for many years. 00:15:46.820 --> 00:15:49.440 He was a good and godly man at a particular congregation 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:54.110 here in Edwards County. And he belonged to a 00:15:54.110 --> 00:15:57.330 particular denomination that had a tendency to 00:15:57.330 --> 00:15:59.769 wait until a minister was doing a wonderful job 00:15:59.769 --> 00:16:02.629 in a church and getting attached to his people 00:16:02.629 --> 00:16:05.809 and building the church up and then moving him 00:16:05.809 --> 00:16:08.809 right along to the next church. Now, don't get 00:16:08.809 --> 00:16:11.149 me wrong. We'll see in a moment why sometimes 00:16:11.149 --> 00:16:15.110 that might be necessary. But I do remember the 00:16:15.110 --> 00:16:17.870 cost associated with that particular minister 00:16:17.870 --> 00:16:22.429 leaving that church and how it was very difficult. 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:26.860 for that congregation to leave, that man had 00:16:26.860 --> 00:16:30.360 developed deep, meaningful relationships with 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:33.720 the members of his congregation. That man was, 00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:37.100 in my opinion, leading them in a godly fashion 00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:41.059 and doing a wonderful job of discipling his people, 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:44.019 and yet he was called upon by his denomination 00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:49.100 to move to a different congregation. In the same 00:16:49.100 --> 00:16:51.720 way, I think Titus... It probably developed those 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:55.240 deep, meaningful relationships with the people 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:57.559 on the island of Crete. Think about the difficulty 00:16:57.559 --> 00:17:02.179 of ministering in Crete. Think about how hard 00:17:02.179 --> 00:17:05.579 that was for Titus and how difficult it was also 00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:10.160 for those faithful members of those churches. 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:14.460 And here in verse 12, Paul says, when I send 00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:17.819 Artemis or Tychicus to you, make every effort 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:24.160 to come. to me at Nicopolis. It doesn't take 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:28.380 a rocket scientist to deduce that Paul is calling 00:17:28.380 --> 00:17:36.119 Titus away from his ministry on Crete. You see, 00:17:36.180 --> 00:17:40.140 I think I can relate to this, maybe not to the 00:17:40.140 --> 00:17:43.359 same extent, but I hope I can relate to this, 00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:45.859 and I hope the other pastors and elders here 00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:50.349 at Grace can relate to this. The congregants 00:17:50.349 --> 00:17:54.569 in those churches scattered all around the island 00:17:54.569 --> 00:17:59.710 of Crete mattered to Titus. They mattered to 00:17:59.710 --> 00:18:04.549 him because they had become his people, right? 00:18:05.289 --> 00:18:10.730 And he had become their guy. And I can imagine 00:18:10.730 --> 00:18:14.029 the difficulty of being told that he's going 00:18:14.029 --> 00:18:18.049 to be called away from them. Paul calls Titus 00:18:18.049 --> 00:18:21.519 away. for what appears to be the broader needs 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:25.319 of ministry. I'm sure that's why Paul needs him. 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:27.880 You have to remember, Paul is running around 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:31.920 all over the Roman world, planning churches, 00:18:32.359 --> 00:18:37.420 encouraging congregations, and he needs help 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:40.480 from Titus, this true child of his in a common 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:44.619 faith. At the same time, and this is good to 00:18:44.619 --> 00:18:49.519 see, Paul... does demonstrate genuine pastoral 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:52.660 concern for those churches. He ensures that they're 00:18:52.660 --> 00:18:55.420 not going to be neglected. He says that he's 00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:57.519 not going to leave these congregations abandoned 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:00.700 without a shepherd. Instead, he plans to send 00:19:00.700 --> 00:19:04.880 Artemis or Tychicus to minister in Crete in Titus' 00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:08.480 place. In doing so, Paul shows concern for continuity, 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:11.960 for stability, the ongoing health of the churches 00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:15.519 in Crete. But no doubt, this is a difficult thing. 00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:23.180 for these people, and for Titus himself. When 00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:25.180 he tells Titus to join him at Nicopolis, he's 00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:27.960 telling Titus that he is about to leave Crete. 00:19:28.440 --> 00:19:32.940 And it would be hard. It would require sacrificial 00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:38.140 flexibility from both Titus and his congregations, 00:19:38.140 --> 00:19:40.220 the churches he was ministering to in Crete. 00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:44.000 Both faithful ministers and healthy churches 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:48.099 understand that gospel ministry often requires 00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:50.799 sacrifice. If we were to say that there is a 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:55.359 mark of corporate godliness, by corporate I just 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:58.519 mean the body, that there is a mark of corporate 00:19:58.519 --> 00:20:01.859 godliness, perhaps this is one of them, that 00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:06.119 they realize ministry is bigger than personal 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:11.519 preference or individual comfort. Godliness sometimes 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:17.559 requires flexibility. Sometimes we will be inconvenienced. 00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:22.299 Sometimes we will be required to make difficult 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:29.460 transitions for the good of the whole body. At 00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:31.960 times, local congregations may be called upon 00:20:31.960 --> 00:20:35.220 to release beloved ministers so needs elsewhere 00:20:35.220 --> 00:20:38.440 in Christ's kingdom can be met. No doubt you've 00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:42.660 heard of churches doing church plants. What often 00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:47.480 happens in a church plant? Certain people among 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:51.319 the church are chosen to go and plant the new 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:54.359 church in a different location, geographically 00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:58.480 speaking. And that would be difficult. It would 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:00.859 be sacrificial on both the part of the congregants 00:21:00.859 --> 00:21:02.859 who are going to remain and those congregants 00:21:02.859 --> 00:21:05.420 who are going to leave. Imagine the discomfort 00:21:05.420 --> 00:21:09.900 of leaving. I mean, believe it or not, and I 00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:11.960 know I come across as a social butterfly, but 00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:14.880 I actually get a fair amount of social anxiety 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:17.759 when I'm around a large group of people. That 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.759 might seem strange to you that I would say that, 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:22.819 but it is most certainly the truth. Sometimes 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:27.650 I just want to retreat to my room. That happens 00:21:27.650 --> 00:21:30.329 sometimes. And I cannot imagine at this point 00:21:30.329 --> 00:21:33.970 in my own life, I cannot imagine after having 00:21:33.970 --> 00:21:39.910 put in the time and the work, the effort to get 00:21:39.910 --> 00:21:42.130 to the point we're at now at Grace Fellowship 00:21:42.130 --> 00:21:45.089 Church, I can't imagine how hard it would be 00:21:45.089 --> 00:21:52.410 for me to be called away. But a mark of corporate 00:21:52.410 --> 00:21:56.500 godliness in the church is that we're willing 00:21:56.500 --> 00:22:01.700 to do those things. Sometimes we just have to 00:22:01.700 --> 00:22:05.660 do hard things. And we know that we can do this 00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:08.579 because God gives us the grace to accomplish 00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:14.000 it. At times, local congregations may be called 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:17.079 upon to release beloved ministers so needs elsewhere 00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:20.160 can be met. In those moments, the church must 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:23.640 be willing to prioritize the larger work of Christ 00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:26.670 over... personal attachment or familiarity. There's 00:22:26.670 --> 00:22:30.210 no question about that. This kind of godliness 00:22:30.210 --> 00:22:32.569 has very practical implications for church life 00:22:32.569 --> 00:22:36.609 today. Sometimes ministry disrupts our routines 00:22:36.609 --> 00:22:41.690 and inconveniences our preferences. It is very 00:22:41.690 --> 00:22:46.289 easy as a church, especially, I would argue, 00:22:46.430 --> 00:22:49.529 especially in southeastern Illinois or southwestern 00:22:49.529 --> 00:22:52.470 Indiana, where we all tend to think very much 00:22:52.470 --> 00:22:57.779 alike. It is easy for us to think, I'm good. 00:22:58.519 --> 00:23:01.880 Right? It's easy for us to start to think that 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:04.759 way. I know I'm that way. I often joke with my 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:07.359 wife that if I have the privilege of retiring 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:11.859 one day, I'm going to disappear. I'm going to 00:23:11.859 --> 00:23:15.319 go disappear. I mean, it'll be in Edwards County, 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:20.619 Lord willing. But I just want to fade away. And 00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:22.680 really, the only time I want to be seen is when 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:25.890 I come to church. I tell her that often, and 00:23:25.890 --> 00:23:29.569 it's jokingly, but it's kind of true. The more 00:23:29.569 --> 00:23:31.150 she deals with the public, the more she starts 00:23:31.150 --> 00:23:35.829 to think like me. But sometimes our personal 00:23:35.829 --> 00:23:41.789 desires must yield to the needs of others. Philippians 00:23:41.789 --> 00:23:44.710 2, 3 -4 reminds us, Do nothing from selfish or 00:23:44.710 --> 00:23:47.869 empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard 00:23:47.869 --> 00:23:51.890 one another as more important. than yourselves. 00:23:52.210 --> 00:23:54.250 This doesn't just have to be about a minister 00:23:54.250 --> 00:23:57.650 leaving his congregation. This doesn't just have 00:23:57.650 --> 00:23:59.789 to be about certain congregants being called 00:23:59.789 --> 00:24:03.490 away perhaps to plant a new church. This might 00:24:03.490 --> 00:24:07.109 very well mean that we have to learn to put others' 00:24:07.289 --> 00:24:11.609 preferences above our own even as we all hang 00:24:11.609 --> 00:24:18.039 out here together. A healthy church is filled 00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:21.700 with believers who willingly embrace sacrifice 00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:28.759 so others may be cared for more faithfully. Whether 00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:31.119 we're facing difficult circumstances within the 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:33.680 church, adapting to changing ministry needs, 00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:36.180 or surrendering personal preferences for the 00:24:36.180 --> 00:24:39.440 good of others, godliness calls us to be willing 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:45.420 servants rather than stubborn consumers. That 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:49.480 is a mark. of godliness within the corporate 00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:52.460 context of the church. And I'd like to read it 00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:57.000 again. Godliness calls us to be willing servants 00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:01.980 rather than stubborn consumers. Perhaps you've 00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:05.519 been around people who have taken on a consumeristic 00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:08.579 mentality. You may have seen that. It's kind 00:25:08.579 --> 00:25:11.579 of common in the world today. And perhaps you've 00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:14.000 even seen that in the church. And you've seen 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:18.200 the devastating consequences. of a people who 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:21.359 are marked by consumerism. Now, I'm not necessarily 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:24.880 talking about materialism. I'm not talking about 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:28.059 the tendency to want things. I'm talking about 00:25:28.059 --> 00:25:34.720 the desire to consume rather than to serve. We're 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:36.299 just speaking, Kyle and I were just speaking 00:25:36.299 --> 00:25:38.880 with someone the other day. And I mentioned that 00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:43.140 I'd like to have a church full of deacons. Not 00:25:43.140 --> 00:25:45.599 every one of them fulfilling the office of the 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:49.359 deacon, but every one of them who is a willing 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:54.539 servant. Imagine the lack of friction there would 00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:59.059 be in a congregation if the people were all about 00:25:59.059 --> 00:26:03.660 the purpose of serving one another. Everyone's 00:26:03.660 --> 00:26:06.259 needs would be met, even those who are actively 00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:09.180 serving, because as they serve someone else within 00:26:09.180 --> 00:26:12.559 the church, their needs also are being met. by 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:16.380 those who have decided to serve them. A group 00:26:16.380 --> 00:26:18.960 of people who have set aside their own pride, 00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:22.160 their own desires, a people who have learned 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:29.900 to serve because they love the church. So I would 00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:33.519 ask, are we willing to endure personal inconvenience 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:36.660 so the wider church family is strengthened and 00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:41.079 cared for? Are we the kind of congregation willing 00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:44.140 to embrace sacrifice for the sake of Christ and 00:26:44.140 --> 00:26:46.660 his kingdom? There are times on the weekends 00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:50.539 when my wife tells me that we have plans, and 00:26:50.539 --> 00:26:56.099 I say, oh good. I don't really mean it, but I 00:26:56.099 --> 00:26:59.640 say, oh good. And it's hard for me sometimes, 00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:03.079 because I don't often want to do things on the 00:27:03.079 --> 00:27:05.059 weekends. I'm sure many of you know that feeling. 00:27:09.930 --> 00:27:13.549 Just practically speaking, that is very good 00:27:13.549 --> 00:27:19.930 for me. It is very sanctifying for me. Because 00:27:19.930 --> 00:27:25.069 it makes me uncomfortable and it reminds me that 00:27:25.069 --> 00:27:30.569 this is not about me. And it's easy for me. I 00:27:30.569 --> 00:27:33.630 work a lot of hours. I do. I'll admit it to you. 00:27:33.650 --> 00:27:35.670 I probably am a little bit addicted to my work. 00:27:35.809 --> 00:27:39.960 I love what I do. And I like spending time. doing 00:27:39.960 --> 00:27:44.339 what I do. But it's good for me to have to set 00:27:44.339 --> 00:27:47.339 down that thing that I love so much, my work, 00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:51.279 right? It's good for me to have to put that down 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:55.220 sometimes and to do what my wife and my children 00:27:55.220 --> 00:28:00.940 and my church need me to do. Because ultimately, 00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:04.640 this is not about my comfort. This is not about 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:15.890 my interests. It's about serving the body. Are 00:28:15.890 --> 00:28:18.630 we the kind of congregation that's willing to 00:28:18.630 --> 00:28:22.109 embrace sacrifice for the sake of Christ and 00:28:22.109 --> 00:28:26.710 his kingdom? We might even ask, are our ministers, 00:28:26.910 --> 00:28:31.910 the four men who oversee this body, are we willing 00:28:31.910 --> 00:28:36.440 to be joyful, to model? joyful obedience and 00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:39.380 sacrificial service before the flock. I'm not 00:28:39.380 --> 00:28:42.359 calling anybody out. I'm just saying we need 00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:46.619 to question ourselves. We need to ask. In addition 00:28:46.619 --> 00:28:48.740 to the church's need for sacrificial flexibility, 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:52.619 we must also note something wonderfully practical 00:28:52.619 --> 00:28:56.859 in this passage. It's something in verse 12 that 00:28:56.859 --> 00:29:01.950 I think we would be tempted to just... because 00:29:01.950 --> 00:29:04.910 it's really not on the nose, but it's definitely 00:29:04.910 --> 00:29:08.809 there. In verse 12, near the end, referring to 00:29:08.809 --> 00:29:15.089 Nicopolis, Paul writes, I have decided to spend 00:29:15.089 --> 00:29:18.170 the winter there. You may be thinking, Dustin, 00:29:18.329 --> 00:29:22.630 where are you going with this? Notice first what 00:29:22.630 --> 00:29:27.450 Paul does not say. Paul doesn't claim to have 00:29:27.450 --> 00:29:32.400 received some mystical vision. Here. There was 00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:36.259 no supernatural sign from God about where he 00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:40.920 should go, and he did not receive his itinerary 00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:49.759 via angelic revelation or visitation. Paul has 00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:53.779 simply made a wise decision about where he'll 00:29:53.779 --> 00:29:57.880 spend the winter. And again, this may seem mundane. 00:29:58.000 --> 00:30:01.890 This may seem... consequential to us. But I really 00:30:01.890 --> 00:30:05.650 believe this is an important detail in this passage, 00:30:05.869 --> 00:30:08.710 especially for some of our young people. And 00:30:08.710 --> 00:30:11.029 I've hit on this before, but I think it bears 00:30:11.029 --> 00:30:13.450 repeating. And it's not just for the young people, 00:30:13.470 --> 00:30:16.470 but young people, I do think it applies to you 00:30:16.470 --> 00:30:21.670 in a very profound way. Many believers seem to 00:30:21.670 --> 00:30:26.630 be paralyzed by fear over decision making. They 00:30:26.630 --> 00:30:29.559 fear choosing the wrong school. They fear choosing 00:30:29.559 --> 00:30:32.740 the wrong job. They fear choosing the wrong place 00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:37.019 to live or the wrong person to marry or accepting 00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:41.039 the wrong opportunities. In some ways, many Christians, 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:43.380 especially young believers, seem to be waiting 00:30:43.380 --> 00:30:47.519 for some type of mystical certainty before they 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:56.210 are willing to act. Godliness, however, does 00:30:56.210 --> 00:31:01.470 not produce fearful paralysis. It produces wise, 00:31:01.589 --> 00:31:05.450 trusting confidence. You've seen this, and I 00:31:05.450 --> 00:31:09.009 think in large part this has become an issue 00:31:09.009 --> 00:31:13.950 in the church since the time that charismaticism 00:31:13.950 --> 00:31:17.170 really started to get a stranglehold on broader 00:31:17.170 --> 00:31:21.289 evangelicalism. This idea that somehow I have 00:31:21.289 --> 00:31:27.309 to know the will of God. Think of Proverbs 3, 00:31:27.390 --> 00:31:29.690 5, and 6. My kids love to sing our little song. 00:31:30.190 --> 00:31:32.769 I have no idea where we came up with it. I'm 00:31:32.769 --> 00:31:34.589 sure we stole it from somebody, but I don't remember 00:31:34.589 --> 00:31:37.269 for sure, and I will save you and me both the 00:31:37.269 --> 00:31:40.109 humiliation of singing it for you. But Proverbs 00:31:40.109 --> 00:31:42.569 3, 5, and 6 says, Trust in the Lord with all 00:31:42.569 --> 00:31:44.490 your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 00:31:44.670 --> 00:31:47.309 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will 00:31:47.309 --> 00:31:51.690 make your paths straight. Romans 12, 2, and do 00:31:51.690 --> 00:31:53.730 not be conformed to this world, but be transformed 00:31:53.730 --> 00:31:56.930 by the renewing of your mind so that you may 00:31:56.930 --> 00:31:59.869 prove what the will of God is, that which is 00:31:59.869 --> 00:32:03.430 good and acceptable and perfect. Going back to 00:32:03.430 --> 00:32:06.369 Proverbs chapter 16 and verse 9, the mind of 00:32:06.369 --> 00:32:11.509 man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. 00:32:14.490 --> 00:32:16.910 This is a biblical pattern. We could find other 00:32:16.910 --> 00:32:22.559 proof texts and cite them. that godliness in 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:27.740 our lives should produce wise, trusting confidence. 00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:31.539 The reality about our decision -making process 00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:35.299 is this. If you're walking with Christ, if you 00:32:35.299 --> 00:32:39.720 are immersed in His Word, if you are loving His 00:32:39.720 --> 00:32:43.039 church, and if you are seeking godly wisdom, 00:32:43.099 --> 00:32:46.279 not only from His Word, but even from godly men 00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:48.900 and women, who have more experience than you, 00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:54.819 then you can make good decisions, wise decisions. 00:32:55.720 --> 00:33:00.660 You can live in wisdom. You don't have to fear 00:33:00.660 --> 00:33:04.319 ordinary decisions. You're not going to accidentally 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:08.660 overthrow God's sovereignty. And when you make 00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:10.759 a mistake, when you do make the wrong decision, 00:33:10.859 --> 00:33:13.980 because you will, at times, make poor choices, 00:33:14.059 --> 00:33:17.559 guess what? God's sovereignty still applies. 00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:22.980 So if we want to live in wisdom, if we want to 00:33:22.980 --> 00:33:27.420 be a people who are sacrificially flexible, if 00:33:27.420 --> 00:33:30.220 we want to be a people who make wise decisions, 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:34.500 we just have to know God. We have to know His 00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:38.099 Word. We don't have to beseech God for a clear 00:33:38.099 --> 00:33:40.559 answer on every decision of our lives. Should 00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:42.160 I choose this school or should I choose this 00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:44.259 school? Should I go into this trade or should 00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:47.000 I go into this trade? Oh God, I'm so confused. 00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:48.839 I don't know what to do. And certainly there 00:33:48.839 --> 00:33:50.960 are times when you will feel that way, but you 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:54.220 should know, Christian, God is providential in 00:33:54.220 --> 00:33:56.740 the way that he brings about his will in our 00:33:56.740 --> 00:34:00.759 lives. And even when you make poor choices, he 00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:06.160 can use those things for your... because he is 00:34:06.160 --> 00:34:09.099 a sovereign God who works all things together 00:34:09.099 --> 00:34:11.800 for the good of those who love him, for those 00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:17.599 who are called according to his purpose. So trust 00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:21.699 the Lord, make wise decisions, seek counsel, 00:34:21.900 --> 00:34:28.239 and move on. That is freeing. Do you realize 00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:31.429 the freedom in that? Rather than spending your 00:34:31.429 --> 00:34:34.269 whole life clutching your pearls, wringing your 00:34:34.269 --> 00:34:37.030 hands, worrying about every decision you make, 00:34:37.110 --> 00:34:41.550 you simply do the best you can. You consult God's 00:34:41.550 --> 00:34:45.530 word, you consult godly counsel, and you move 00:34:45.530 --> 00:34:54.030 on. And if you mess up, you try it again. So 00:34:54.030 --> 00:34:56.909 Paul's spoken here about the need for sacrificial 00:34:56.909 --> 00:35:00.190 flexibility. And wise living in the church as 00:35:00.190 --> 00:35:03.170 these marks of corporate godliness. Now he moves 00:35:03.170 --> 00:35:06.210 on to another of these marks. The corporate duty 00:35:06.210 --> 00:35:09.789 of mutual provision. Verse 13, the corporate 00:35:09.789 --> 00:35:12.449 duty of mutual provision. Let's read that again. 00:35:13.309 --> 00:35:16.789 Diligently help Zenos the lawyer and Apollos 00:35:16.789 --> 00:35:20.010 on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. 00:35:21.320 --> 00:35:23.960 Here Paul emphasizes the shared responsibility 00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:28.059 believers have to provide for and care for one 00:35:28.059 --> 00:35:32.119 another within the body of Christ. He commands 00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:36.039 the church to actively assist these fellow laborers 00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:39.480 in the gospel. Now, I would say that in our context, 00:35:39.559 --> 00:35:43.079 culturally speaking, we can take one of two positions 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:46.320 with this. We can be the kind of person who needs 00:35:46.320 --> 00:35:49.960 a little bit of help. Someone who does in some 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:54.300 ways need to be provided for. And we can, in 00:35:54.300 --> 00:35:58.260 our pride, in our unwillingness to accept hell, 00:35:58.440 --> 00:36:01.880 deny those things. Or we can also be the kind 00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:04.019 of person who looks at those who are in need 00:36:04.019 --> 00:36:11.579 and thinks, what's wrong with you? Right? I think 00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:15.500 that there's both of those. Both things exist. 00:36:16.329 --> 00:36:20.750 Both types of people exist. I did it. What's 00:36:20.750 --> 00:36:24.449 going on here? Pull yourself up. Let's go. Right? 00:36:25.230 --> 00:36:27.690 Sometimes we have a tendency to think that way, 00:36:27.829 --> 00:36:30.690 or we think, there's no way I would ever let 00:36:30.690 --> 00:36:36.489 anyone know what I need. Here we're commanded 00:36:36.489 --> 00:36:42.590 to actively assist. Here, in the immediate context, 00:36:43.010 --> 00:36:47.420 Titus is... being told that their corporate body, 00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:49.940 their church, should help Zenos, the lawyer, 00:36:50.119 --> 00:36:52.619 and Apollos. These are traveling ministers. Of 00:36:52.619 --> 00:36:54.820 course, we all know Apollos. We all know him. 00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:57.559 He was this eloquent, dynamic speaker in the 00:36:57.559 --> 00:37:00.840 New Testament church. Zenos, we don't know as 00:37:00.840 --> 00:37:03.679 well. We don't really know him. But certainly 00:37:03.679 --> 00:37:06.699 he was a traveling companion of Apollos, perhaps 00:37:06.699 --> 00:37:11.260 his assistant. The phrase, so that nothing is 00:37:11.260 --> 00:37:13.340 lacking, is probably what's most important, though. 00:37:13.949 --> 00:37:17.250 Because it communicates thoughtful, intentional 00:37:17.250 --> 00:37:21.670 care for their needs. This point reminds me of 00:37:21.670 --> 00:37:23.849 the illustration that James employs in James 00:37:23.849 --> 00:37:27.110 chapter 2. What use is it, my brethren, if someone 00:37:27.110 --> 00:37:30.889 says he has faith but he has no works? Can that 00:37:30.889 --> 00:37:34.389 faith save him? If a brother or sister is without 00:37:34.389 --> 00:37:37.050 clothing and in need of daily food, and one of 00:37:37.050 --> 00:37:39.510 you says to them, go in peace, be warmed and 00:37:39.510 --> 00:37:42.309 be filled, and yet you do not give them what 00:37:42.309 --> 00:37:45.159 is necessary for... for their body, what use 00:37:45.159 --> 00:37:49.059 is that? Even so, faith, if it has no works, 00:37:49.099 --> 00:37:53.960 is dead, being by itself. This is not mere sentiment 00:37:53.960 --> 00:37:58.340 that Paul is referring to in chapter 3 and verse 00:37:58.340 --> 00:38:01.519 13. It's not mere sentiment. It's not passive 00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:04.980 concern. It's active responsibility that's expressed 00:38:04.980 --> 00:38:10.840 through loving action. It is easy. It is easy 00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:14.280 for those of us who like to talk. It's easy for 00:38:14.280 --> 00:38:19.219 us to sound godly, isn't it? We might say things 00:38:19.219 --> 00:38:23.019 like, well, I'll be praying for you. We might 00:38:23.019 --> 00:38:27.719 say things like, I hope the Lord is able to provide 00:38:27.719 --> 00:38:33.659 for you. And that sounds godly, but a mark of 00:38:33.659 --> 00:38:38.619 real godliness in the body is that we take action, 00:38:38.739 --> 00:38:45.530 that we do something about it. Passages like 00:38:45.530 --> 00:38:47.829 this remind us that Christianity is fundamentally 00:38:47.829 --> 00:38:51.929 corporate in nature. It is fundamentally corporate 00:38:51.929 --> 00:38:55.670 in nature. We are a body. We are Christ's body. 00:38:55.829 --> 00:38:59.309 He is our head. And how did he live his life? 00:39:00.050 --> 00:39:05.710 He lived sacrificially, didn't he? Modern Christianity 00:39:05.710 --> 00:39:08.889 often becomes highly individualistic, but the 00:39:08.889 --> 00:39:11.550 New Testament consistently presents the church 00:39:11.550 --> 00:39:15.159 as a body and a family of faith. Believers are 00:39:15.159 --> 00:39:17.760 called to bear one another's burdens and to meet 00:39:17.760 --> 00:39:21.219 one another's needs in love. The apostle writes 00:39:21.219 --> 00:39:23.559 in Galatians 6 .2, bear one another's burdens 00:39:23.559 --> 00:39:27.579 and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. In Acts 00:39:27.579 --> 00:39:32.039 2 .44 -45, we all know this story. And all those 00:39:32.039 --> 00:39:35.219 who had believed were together and had all things 00:39:35.219 --> 00:39:37.579 in common. What a thought for just a moment. 00:39:38.179 --> 00:39:42.159 Wouldn't that be amazing? For a church to have 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:45.250 all things in common. And they began selling 00:39:45.250 --> 00:39:47.230 their property and possessions and were sharing 00:39:47.230 --> 00:39:52.710 them with all as anyone might have need. In a 00:39:52.710 --> 00:39:55.070 healthy church, mutual care becomes one of the 00:39:55.070 --> 00:39:57.289 most visible evidences of gospel transformation. 00:39:57.610 --> 00:40:00.170 Believers are not abandoned when hardships enter 00:40:00.170 --> 00:40:03.530 their lives. Suffering is not ignored. Burdens 00:40:03.530 --> 00:40:07.550 are not carried alone. The grace of God produces 00:40:07.550 --> 00:40:10.469 a people who willingly move toward one another 00:40:10.469 --> 00:40:16.400 in love and sacrifice. So when someone within 00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:19.039 our church family has a need, whether financial, 00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:22.400 emotional, spiritual, practical, whatever it 00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:25.139 is, we should ask ourselves an important question. 00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:29.320 Do we instinctively move toward them in loving 00:40:29.320 --> 00:40:34.119 care, or do we move away from them in indifference? 00:40:35.559 --> 00:40:38.219 Let it never be said of us that we profess to 00:40:38.219 --> 00:40:41.940 know God with our lips while denying Him by our 00:40:41.940 --> 00:40:44.739 actions. Meeting the needs of fellow believers 00:40:44.739 --> 00:40:47.519 is one of the clearest demonstrations of genuine 00:40:47.519 --> 00:40:49.559 godliness and Christian love in our fellowship. 00:40:50.820 --> 00:40:54.360 Meeting the needs of fellow believers is one 00:40:54.360 --> 00:40:58.179 of the clearest demonstrations of genuine godliness 00:40:58.179 --> 00:41:02.159 and Christian love in our fellowship. Are you 00:41:02.159 --> 00:41:05.420 interested in meeting the needs of fellow believers? 00:41:07.639 --> 00:41:10.440 It visibly displays that we belong to Christ. 00:41:10.909 --> 00:41:13.489 and have been transformed by his grace. John 00:41:13.489 --> 00:41:16.429 13, 34 through 35, you probably remember the 00:41:16.429 --> 00:41:19.150 context of John 13. They're in the upper room. 00:41:19.230 --> 00:41:21.630 At this point, Jesus has washed the disciples' 00:41:21.909 --> 00:41:24.710 feet, which is the lowliest of the lowliest jobs. 00:41:25.110 --> 00:41:29.250 The least ranked, the lowest ranked servant in 00:41:29.250 --> 00:41:31.769 the household will be the one assigned this task. 00:41:31.909 --> 00:41:34.449 Jesus takes a towel, wraps it around his waist, 00:41:34.530 --> 00:41:37.869 gets water, goes and washes his disciples' dirty, 00:41:37.989 --> 00:41:41.880 disgusting feet. I can't imagine because I'm 00:41:41.880 --> 00:41:44.079 a bit of a hypochondriac washing someone's clean 00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:48.619 feet. And here is Jesus, the sovereign of the 00:41:48.619 --> 00:41:53.260 universe, God incarnate, who takes on the role 00:41:53.260 --> 00:41:56.840 of a humble servant and washes his disciples' 00:41:57.119 --> 00:41:59.800 feet. And after he's done this, he says a new 00:41:59.800 --> 00:42:01.679 commandment I give to you, that you love one 00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:04.940 another even as I've loved you, that you also 00:42:04.940 --> 00:42:08.309 love one another. By this all men will know that 00:42:08.309 --> 00:42:11.070 you are my disciples if you have love for one 00:42:11.070 --> 00:42:15.449 another. In what better way, church, can we demonstrate 00:42:15.449 --> 00:42:18.809 our love for one another than by diligently helping 00:42:18.809 --> 00:42:23.630 and providing for one another? Paul's concern, 00:42:23.730 --> 00:42:26.750 however, extends beyond just isolated acts of 00:42:26.750 --> 00:42:30.090 kindness, and he tells Titus in verse 14 to develop 00:42:30.090 --> 00:42:34.409 a culture of good works. Develop a culture of 00:42:34.409 --> 00:42:40.039 good works. Our people must also learn to engage 00:42:40.039 --> 00:42:42.460 in good deeds, to meet pressing needs, so that 00:42:42.460 --> 00:42:45.659 they will not be unfruitful. Notice his language. 00:42:45.860 --> 00:42:49.719 He says, our people. He's speaking collectively. 00:42:50.179 --> 00:42:53.619 He has the local church in view. Christianity, 00:42:53.760 --> 00:42:56.420 and we've touched on this already, is not merely 00:42:56.420 --> 00:42:59.460 private spirituality. It's not just theological 00:42:59.460 --> 00:43:02.960 knowledge. It's not only moral aspiration. It 00:43:02.960 --> 00:43:08.949 is visible, active, practical love. Notice also, 00:43:09.130 --> 00:43:14.070 good works must be learned. I can't speak for 00:43:14.070 --> 00:43:16.409 you, and I wouldn't try, but I can speak for 00:43:16.409 --> 00:43:20.630 myself and say that learning to do good by others 00:43:20.630 --> 00:43:26.489 is a great way to put it. It requires learning. 00:43:28.130 --> 00:43:31.530 Paul says believers must learn to engage in good 00:43:31.530 --> 00:43:35.409 deeds. Learn to engage in good deeds. Godliness 00:43:35.409 --> 00:43:39.320 is cultivated. By God's grace, it is taught and 00:43:39.320 --> 00:43:42.500 it is developed in the church over time. It is 00:43:42.500 --> 00:43:45.280 not something, by and large, it is not something 00:43:45.280 --> 00:43:47.940 that will come to us immediately, but it is something 00:43:47.940 --> 00:43:53.460 that we will learn. Christians must train themselves 00:43:53.460 --> 00:44:04.159 to recognize and respond to real needs. And this 00:44:04.159 --> 00:44:06.400 really connects the entire letter together, doesn't 00:44:06.400 --> 00:44:09.800 it? Here, the second to last verse of the whole 00:44:09.800 --> 00:44:15.800 book of Titus. Remember Titus 2 .14? Paul said 00:44:15.800 --> 00:44:18.159 Christ redeemed a people, we mentioned it earlier, 00:44:18.320 --> 00:44:21.480 who are zealous for good deeds. Good works are 00:44:21.480 --> 00:44:24.360 not the cause of salvation. We know this, but 00:44:24.360 --> 00:44:26.559 we need to be reminded good works are not the 00:44:26.559 --> 00:44:30.760 cause of salvation, but they are the evidence 00:44:30.760 --> 00:44:35.820 of it. Ephesians 2, 8 -10, I know I've quoted 00:44:35.820 --> 00:44:39.460 it numerous times, but it applies so well. For 00:44:39.460 --> 00:44:41.219 by grace you've been saved through faith, and 00:44:41.219 --> 00:44:43.139 that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, 00:44:43.280 --> 00:44:45.320 not as a result of works, so that no one may 00:44:45.320 --> 00:44:47.980 boast. For we are His workmanship, created in 00:44:47.980 --> 00:44:51.840 Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared 00:44:51.840 --> 00:44:57.539 beforehand, so that we would walk in them. Grace 00:44:57.539 --> 00:45:00.619 comes first, resulting in salvation through faith, 00:45:00.739 --> 00:45:05.860 and it produces good works. And this should be 00:45:05.860 --> 00:45:10.260 a mark of our corporate godliness. That we do 00:45:10.260 --> 00:45:13.599 good by one another. That we provide for one 00:45:13.599 --> 00:45:16.019 another. That we're flexible for one another. 00:45:16.099 --> 00:45:20.539 That we help one another to live wisely in our 00:45:20.539 --> 00:45:26.239 lives. Next he says, meet pressing needs. Pressing 00:45:26.239 --> 00:45:29.280 needs. These are immediate needs, real world 00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:34.699 needs, tangible needs. A mark of corporate godliness 00:45:34.699 --> 00:45:37.460 in a healthy church is a membership that notices 00:45:37.460 --> 00:45:40.960 people who are lonely. Have you ever thought 00:45:40.960 --> 00:45:46.280 about that? Who's lonely in our church? Do you 00:45:46.280 --> 00:45:52.179 recognize that? A mark of corporate godliness 00:45:52.179 --> 00:45:56.500 in a healthy local church is a membership. That 00:45:56.500 --> 00:45:59.920 sees people when they're sick, when they're experiencing 00:45:59.920 --> 00:46:04.940 grief, when they're discouraged, when they're 00:46:04.940 --> 00:46:08.659 going through financial struggles, when they 00:46:08.659 --> 00:46:13.579 have practical hardships and so on. That church 00:46:13.579 --> 00:46:18.739 does not merely notice, however. They act. They 00:46:18.739 --> 00:46:24.340 respond to those needs by meeting them. Ask yourself 00:46:24.340 --> 00:46:28.340 this question. If our church vanished tomorrow, 00:46:28.579 --> 00:46:32.840 would there be a noticeable absence of good deeds 00:46:32.840 --> 00:46:42.980 in our community? Your elders have been very 00:46:42.980 --> 00:46:51.639 purposeful to establish right doctrine. We're 00:46:51.639 --> 00:46:57.300 a confessional church. We follow a historic confession 00:46:57.300 --> 00:47:01.699 that has been beneficial to the church for hundreds 00:47:01.699 --> 00:47:06.300 of years. We have a robust statement of faith. 00:47:06.780 --> 00:47:10.719 We have our own set of distinctives. We have 00:47:10.719 --> 00:47:13.039 been purposeful in the way that we order our 00:47:13.039 --> 00:47:16.130 worship service. committed to the public reading 00:47:16.130 --> 00:47:19.130 of Scripture, committed to expository preaching. 00:47:19.309 --> 00:47:22.949 We don't sing 7 -11 songs, the same seven words 00:47:22.949 --> 00:47:28.030 sung 11 times. We sing good songs. Sometimes 00:47:28.030 --> 00:47:31.789 the melodies are hard, especially when you have 00:47:31.789 --> 00:47:33.789 to lead them and you don't remember the melody, 00:47:33.889 --> 00:47:37.809 but that's for a different time. We do those 00:47:37.809 --> 00:47:41.309 things very intentionally, and I would like to 00:47:41.309 --> 00:47:43.590 think... that the people who have been exposed 00:47:43.590 --> 00:47:46.989 to our worship service notice that. Now, whether 00:47:46.989 --> 00:47:49.650 they do or not, I don't know. I can't speak for 00:47:49.650 --> 00:47:53.989 them. As important as all those things are, and 00:47:53.989 --> 00:47:57.150 they are very important, we were intentional 00:47:57.150 --> 00:48:00.309 about them because we saw them as being so important. 00:48:01.530 --> 00:48:08.269 But if our church were only known for being doctrinally 00:48:08.269 --> 00:48:14.190 sound, And yet people in the world never noticed 00:48:14.190 --> 00:48:17.230 our love for one another by the way that we care 00:48:17.230 --> 00:48:19.469 for one another, by the way that we meet one 00:48:19.469 --> 00:48:25.389 another's needs. We have failed. Do you understand 00:48:25.389 --> 00:48:32.750 that? If we are right, but we are living wrongly, 00:48:32.769 --> 00:48:40.599 we have failed. And I say that. Feeling a certain 00:48:40.599 --> 00:48:43.480 amount of conviction in my own heart as the words 00:48:43.480 --> 00:48:50.699 come off my lips. As a church, we should be marked 00:48:50.699 --> 00:48:57.079 by godliness. We are the body of Christ. We are 00:48:57.079 --> 00:49:01.059 his hands and his feet. We should be doing the 00:49:01.059 --> 00:49:05.460 work that he has assigned to us. And yes, that's... 00:49:06.280 --> 00:49:08.619 When we go out into the world, when we go door 00:49:08.619 --> 00:49:11.320 to door and we share the gospel, we hand out 00:49:11.320 --> 00:49:14.400 tracts at the fair, those are great things. But 00:49:14.400 --> 00:49:18.099 if all we're doing is professing the gospel and 00:49:18.099 --> 00:49:21.500 never accompanying that faith with good works, 00:49:21.760 --> 00:49:26.139 just like James said, it's not enough. That faith 00:49:26.139 --> 00:49:29.920 is dead if it's not accompanied by good works. 00:49:30.320 --> 00:49:33.610 And sometimes those good works... are something 00:49:33.610 --> 00:49:36.949 as simple as seeing a brother or sister in Christ 00:49:36.949 --> 00:49:41.590 who has lost their spouse and going to their 00:49:41.590 --> 00:49:46.590 home on a given night and sitting with them and 00:49:46.590 --> 00:49:51.750 letting them cry. Being there for them and listening 00:49:51.750 --> 00:49:56.989 to them. Sometimes it's something as simple as 00:49:56.989 --> 00:50:01.849 knowing someone has lost their job and slipping 00:50:01.849 --> 00:50:07.170 them. A $50 bill. Sometimes it is just that simple. 00:50:08.030 --> 00:50:14.030 And it's a demonstration of the reality of your 00:50:14.030 --> 00:50:18.230 faith. I mean, there are a myriad of ways that 00:50:18.230 --> 00:50:20.710 we can do these good works. And there are different 00:50:20.710 --> 00:50:24.150 ways that all of us will be gifted to do those 00:50:24.150 --> 00:50:29.429 things. But we should be intentional about doing 00:50:29.429 --> 00:50:34.989 them. So again, I ask, if our church vanished 00:50:34.989 --> 00:50:38.789 tomorrow, would there be a noticeable absence 00:50:38.789 --> 00:50:44.510 of good deeds in our community? Is our church, 00:50:44.530 --> 00:50:49.730 is Grace Fellowship Church, I ask you, is our 00:50:49.730 --> 00:50:54.710 church developing a culture of good works? Do 00:50:54.710 --> 00:50:58.869 we meet pressing needs, the pressing needs of 00:50:58.869 --> 00:51:03.130 our fellow congregants? Is the world observing 00:51:03.130 --> 00:51:09.230 our love for one another in that way? The final 00:51:09.230 --> 00:51:11.449 mark of corporate godliness briefly visible in 00:51:11.449 --> 00:51:13.989 this letter can be seen in the way Paul closes 00:51:13.989 --> 00:51:18.190 the letter. He demonstrates affection, grace, 00:51:18.349 --> 00:51:21.289 and love that's rooted in our common faith. In 00:51:21.289 --> 00:51:24.349 the final verse we see this, the corporate bonds 00:51:24.349 --> 00:51:28.510 of gospel affection. Verse 15, the corporate 00:51:28.510 --> 00:51:32.559 bonds of gospel. of gospel affection. All who 00:51:32.559 --> 00:51:35.920 are with me greet you. Greet those who love us 00:51:35.920 --> 00:51:41.920 in the faith. Grace be with you all. Paul's final 00:51:41.920 --> 00:51:44.980 words are deeply personal. Now you might be tempted 00:51:44.980 --> 00:51:46.739 to think, well I've read the way Paul concludes 00:51:46.739 --> 00:51:50.179 all of his letters and they are very similar. 00:51:50.820 --> 00:51:54.559 It's interesting how similar Paul's letters end. 00:51:55.059 --> 00:51:57.900 We might be tempted to think, well this is just 00:51:57.900 --> 00:52:00.519 like a signature line at the end of an email 00:52:00.519 --> 00:52:02.739 or something. This is just his way of doing it. 00:52:04.079 --> 00:52:07.800 But that is not the case. His final words are 00:52:07.800 --> 00:52:11.199 deeply personal. You can see that there is warmth 00:52:11.199 --> 00:52:15.860 and affection here. He speaks of those who love 00:52:15.860 --> 00:52:18.860 us in the faith. This is not superficial friendship. 00:52:19.239 --> 00:52:23.380 This is shared life in Christ. Going back to 00:52:23.380 --> 00:52:25.840 Jesus' words to his disciples in John 13, by 00:52:25.840 --> 00:52:28.360 this all men will know that you are my disciples 00:52:28.360 --> 00:52:31.840 if you have love for one another. Gospel grace 00:52:31.840 --> 00:52:35.860 creates supernatural affection among believers. 00:52:36.059 --> 00:52:39.820 Do you feel affectionately toward other believers? 00:52:40.500 --> 00:52:44.880 I would argue that if you are a genuine born 00:52:44.880 --> 00:52:50.449 -again Christian, you will feel affection. For 00:52:50.449 --> 00:52:56.469 other believers. A desire to be close to them. 00:52:57.030 --> 00:53:00.309 A desire to know the intimate details of their 00:53:00.309 --> 00:53:01.969 lives. Now I'm not saying we have to run around 00:53:01.969 --> 00:53:03.789 telling everybody everything about our lives. 00:53:03.969 --> 00:53:07.250 Certainly that's not the case. But in the same 00:53:07.250 --> 00:53:11.730 breath, are you concerned? Or is this just one 00:53:11.730 --> 00:53:14.070 more thing you check off your list every week? 00:53:17.679 --> 00:53:21.519 This is about shared life in Christ. Paul closes 00:53:21.519 --> 00:53:23.840 also, though, by writing, grace be with you all. 00:53:24.119 --> 00:53:26.900 The final phrase of this beautiful, practical 00:53:26.900 --> 00:53:33.260 letter, though addressed to just Titus, closes 00:53:33.260 --> 00:53:37.579 with a plural phrase, grace be with you all. 00:53:38.219 --> 00:53:40.639 He's speaking not only to Titus, but to the whole 00:53:40.639 --> 00:53:42.820 body of believers on Crete with these words. 00:53:43.059 --> 00:53:46.800 Paul knows that grace sustains the body. It sustains 00:53:46.800 --> 00:53:49.800 the church's unity and its love. Grace sustains 00:53:49.800 --> 00:53:53.760 the church's endurance and it makes our good 00:53:53.760 --> 00:53:57.920 works possible. Churches cannot survive merely 00:53:57.920 --> 00:54:03.360 on organization or activity. We need God's grace 00:54:03.360 --> 00:54:07.659 continually at work among us. So when Paul concludes 00:54:07.659 --> 00:54:11.960 this letter in this loving way, he is acknowledging 00:54:11.960 --> 00:54:19.559 that they need God's grace. You and I need God's 00:54:19.559 --> 00:54:22.619 grace because doing good things for others does 00:54:22.619 --> 00:54:27.320 not come naturally. Naturally, I want everything 00:54:27.320 --> 00:54:33.639 done for myself. Naturally, I want to be served. 00:54:35.300 --> 00:54:44.739 Naturally, I do not want to serve others. As 00:54:44.739 --> 00:54:46.920 we conclude our study of the letter of Paul to 00:54:46.920 --> 00:54:49.579 Titus, it's important for us to remember the 00:54:49.579 --> 00:54:51.739 great emphasis, as we mentioned earlier, that 00:54:51.739 --> 00:54:55.059 sound doctrine must produce godly living. Guys, 00:54:55.260 --> 00:55:00.579 hear me. Sound doctrine should produce godly 00:55:00.579 --> 00:55:03.360 living in your life. And I would challenge you 00:55:03.360 --> 00:55:08.900 with this. If it is not producing godly living 00:55:08.900 --> 00:55:13.460 in your life, you need to prayerfully consider 00:55:14.119 --> 00:55:22.440 your position in Christ. Grace creates a holy 00:55:22.440 --> 00:55:26.679 people. It creates healthy churches, loving fellowships, 00:55:26.679 --> 00:55:30.820 and fruitful lives. As he wrote under the inspiration 00:55:30.820 --> 00:55:32.679 of the Holy Spirit, Paul's concern throughout 00:55:32.679 --> 00:55:35.559 this epistle has never merely been intellectual 00:55:35.559 --> 00:55:39.739 precision, external morality, or church efficiency. 00:55:40.730 --> 00:55:44.389 His concern has been a transformed people who 00:55:44.389 --> 00:55:46.550 adorn the doctrine of God through their lives 00:55:46.550 --> 00:55:50.989 together, not as individuals. Certainly there 00:55:50.989 --> 00:55:53.130 is an individual element to it. You go out into 00:55:53.130 --> 00:55:55.929 the world, you go to school, to church, to work, 00:55:55.989 --> 00:55:59.230 or not to church, to work. You go all these different 00:55:59.230 --> 00:56:02.030 places throughout the week, and certainly there 00:56:02.030 --> 00:56:04.090 is an individual element to it. But when we come 00:56:04.090 --> 00:56:07.469 together, we should be marked by corporate godliness. 00:56:09.199 --> 00:56:11.579 In order for us to demonstrate corporate godliness 00:56:11.579 --> 00:56:14.400 as a body, we must learn good deeds, we must 00:56:14.400 --> 00:56:17.719 love one another deeply, we must carry one another's 00:56:17.719 --> 00:56:20.820 burdens, we must trust God's sovereignty in our 00:56:20.820 --> 00:56:23.500 daily lives, and we must commit ourselves fully 00:56:23.500 --> 00:56:29.199 to the life of Christ's church. The world should 00:56:29.199 --> 00:56:31.539 not merely hear what we believe, they should 00:56:31.539 --> 00:56:34.780 see the transforming power of the gospel in the 00:56:34.780 --> 00:56:43.130 way we live together. I told Kyle he had to keep 00:56:43.130 --> 00:56:45.570 his announcement short at the beginning of the 00:56:45.570 --> 00:56:47.849 service because I had a lot of pages of notes. 00:56:48.570 --> 00:56:54.090 And that's the end of them right there. I thought 00:56:54.090 --> 00:56:56.730 about this a lot last night as I was wrapping 00:56:56.730 --> 00:57:05.289 things up. The tendency among people, the tendency 00:57:05.289 --> 00:57:11.139 among Christians, is to think about... ourselves, 00:57:11.139 --> 00:57:15.619 to think of our Christianity as it applies to 00:57:15.619 --> 00:57:21.679 ourselves, me as an individual. But church, you 00:57:21.679 --> 00:57:25.559 are the body of Christ. And I don't think that 00:57:25.559 --> 00:57:30.340 point can be driven home too hard. I don't think 00:57:30.340 --> 00:57:35.539 that I can overstate the necessity of the church 00:57:35.539 --> 00:57:41.280 body. It's why we take membership seriously here 00:57:41.280 --> 00:57:44.420 at Grace Fellowship Church. And we should, as 00:57:44.420 --> 00:57:50.519 a body, be marked by godliness. We should be 00:57:50.519 --> 00:57:54.500 concerned about one another. This should not 00:57:54.500 --> 00:57:58.659 be something we do one day a week and feel like 00:57:58.659 --> 00:58:01.280 we've accomplished that task and now we can move 00:58:01.280 --> 00:58:05.019 on to the work week. And it's tempting to do 00:58:05.019 --> 00:58:09.659 that. It is tempting to live that way. But that's 00:58:09.659 --> 00:58:14.739 not what you've been called to. If you know the 00:58:14.739 --> 00:58:19.219 truth, if your heart has been changed by the 00:58:19.219 --> 00:58:23.440 Spirit of God, then your life in the corporate 00:58:23.440 --> 00:58:28.280 context of the church as a member of this body 00:58:28.280 --> 00:58:34.460 should be marked by good works. Doing good works. 00:58:34.489 --> 00:58:35.010 for one another.