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00:00
Buddy, boy, that
was horrible.
00:04
Now we'll we'll get it
00:06
right because these
guys came in.
00:09
I O and some more
come on in the house.
00:18
We are so glad you're
00:22
here five o'clock
Sunday evening.
00:26
And we're going
to have church.
00:28
And we have a special
guest speaker all
00:31
the way from Lynchburg.
00:37
Okay. Now, Caleb tarp Lee,
00:41
who is one of on
00:43
our pastoral staff
here at Thomas Road.
00:46
He's going to be sharing
00:48
God's word with
us tonight.
00:50
And just is a bunch of
00:53
folks hurt right now
in the hospitals.
00:57
Some ones that if
01:00
you would pray for
the Harper family,
01:03
Gordon Harper went home to
01:05
be with the Lord suddenly.
01:06
And God's timing
is perfect.
01:11
Love. Gordon, he's
great man of God.
01:15
Serve the Lord, and
going to miss him.
01:19
They they move from
here to, I think,
01:22
Florida a few years back
01:25
and he just got where
he didn't like to cold.
01:30
And so they they've
01:32
been living down that way.
01:34
But you pray for
Ms. Harper and
01:37
the family as
they go through
01:39
this difficult time
in their lives.
01:41
Also the families of
John Baird Junior,
01:45
Vivian Falwell, David
golf, and, and white.
01:49
All these folks have
01:52
gone to be with the
Lord and they're fine.
01:57
Families are hurt and
so pray for them.
02:00
Lift them up in your
daily prayer time.
02:04
Also. We will not be
02:08
meeting on the
following Sundays
02:11
and Wednesdays. Okay.
02:13
Because of anybody
want to guess?
02:17
Virginia Christmas
spectacular.
02:20
Right?
02:21
So they are
doing practicing
02:24
and they're all
over the place
02:26
and you don't want
to be in here when
02:29
all those kids are in here
02:30
because they
are energetic.
02:33
And so we're going to
we're going to not
02:35
meet on the
following dates.
02:38
December 5th,
December 8th,
02:41
and December 12th.
02:43
And so, you know,
02:45
just kinda and
we'll remind you
02:47
of that as the days go on.
02:50
But those those dates
we will not be meeting.
02:55
Pray for Cheryl Brown,
02:57
who is a friend of Janie,
02:59
warns she's having
surgery tomorrow.
03:03
Did I get it wrong?
03:06
I thought you said Cheryl.
03:09
Alice.
03:11
You sure it's not Alice,
03:12
Cheryl Brown.
Now it's Alice.
03:15
Okay. Well, I I
03:19
don't get old folks
to all I can say.
03:23
You're there now.
03:27
Yeah. Okay. Wait a minute.
03:30
Aren't you like
90 something. 90.
03:40
Okay.
03:42
Let me know when you
get to that point.
03:45
Okay. But lot of
folks hurting.
03:50
God is good and
God is good,
03:54
and he meets our
needs as we pray.
03:56
So, you know, as a
share these requests,
04:00
just jot them down
04:01
or so that you can
remember him this week.
04:05
Okay. And any anybody
04:07
that has a
prayer requests,
04:09
you're welcome
to call into
04:11
the church number and
give that request.
04:15
Will get it on the prayer
sheet, right, Rick?
04:17
And we will pray.
04:19
We promise you that.
04:21
Okay. If you have
04:23
an offering that
you'd like to share
04:25
our brown box that
that young man in
04:28
the back is standing
04:29
on sitting on
laying against?
04:33
He doesn't hear
me, does he know?
04:36
Probably not. Okay.
04:37
Ronnie awake back there.
04:39
Okay.
04:40
He's guarding the box.
04:42
That's what he's doing.
04:43
Let's go to the Lord
in prayer, shall we?
04:46
Lord Jesus, how
we love you?
04:51
You are our Savior,
04:54
our Lord, the
sustainer of life.
04:58
Lord, we pray for
these families
05:00
who are hurting tonight.
05:01
There are many. And God,
05:04
I pray that in
05:05
each instance
that she would
05:08
meet the need of
that individual.
05:12
Father, bless our
time tonight.
05:14
We come here to
worship you,
05:17
to hear your word
proclaimed god.
05:22
With Caleb as he
05:24
breaks forth the bread
of life to us tonight.
05:27
Got thank you.
05:29
That we live in a nation
05:33
where we can worship you.
05:36
Lord, help us
to be faithful
05:38
in all that we do.
05:41
We commit ourselves
to you tonight, lord,
05:44
and we pray all
these things
05:45
in your precious name.
05:47
Amen. Please stand with
05:56
me tonight as we seeing,
05:57
oh Jesus, I have promised
06:00
an older him that
06:02
don't hear very
often anymore.
06:12
Who pro,
06:18
moves to the, to the B?
06:24
For me, my cluster,
for the show.
06:37
To you.
06:39
A lot more.
06:41
So no wonder though
We're the WHO
06:50
will be hole me
to me though.
07:01
Is those thoughts.
07:08
So doing so until
07:13
you more for me.
07:20
Whoa, whoa, me.
07:24
To draw.
07:30
She my soul from's.
07:35
Who uses though Pro was to
07:51
show those who uses.
07:59
Pro moves to the to
08:04
the whole make
rise to oh, no.
08:12
Muy moves to roomed
move. Thank you.
08:20
You may be seated.
08:21
Caleb. Hey, well,
08:27
it is good to be back
08:28
in the Bible
center with you.
08:31
For those of you
who do not know me,
08:33
my name is Caleb
and I serve
08:36
with our kids team
here at the church.
08:40
And it's kind of cool for
08:41
me because I have
an opportunity to
08:43
speak with maybe
just a little bit
08:45
of an older audience
08:47
as we close out
08:49
our time in the
book of Titus.
08:53
And so if you
have your Bibles,
08:54
Turn to the end of the
book, chapter three.
08:58
That is where we are
going to be hanging out.
09:01
But hey, what's
interesting about
09:04
the book of Titus
is that paul
09:06
focuses less on the
proclamation of
09:09
the gospel and more so
09:11
on the practice
of the gospel.
09:14
In fact, the book of
Titus is so immensely
09:17
practical that
09:19
Paul's favorite
word is good works.
09:23
Paul's favorite
word is good works.
09:25
It's this idea
that the gospel
09:29
is supposed to affect
09:30
more than just our minds,
09:32
but also our hands.
09:35
That as we interact and
09:37
move and breathe and talk,
09:40
that the gospel
is supposed to
09:41
change the way we live.
09:45
And to Titus his
audience, right?
09:47
The Cretans, they
did not like
09:50
this concept because to be
09:53
accretes in what's
to be a liar.
09:56
The Cretans were
known for lying,
10:00
for a manipulation,
for sexual corruption.
10:03
You name the Cretans
almost kind of war
10:06
their sin on themselves
10:09
like a badge of honor.
10:11
And so the fact
that a church
10:14
was on the island of Crete
10:16
kinda reminds me of
10:18
first Corinthians
15 verse 33.
10:22
Bad company corrupts
good character.
10:27
Bad company corrupts
good character.
10:29
We know this is true,
10:31
but we also know that
10:33
bad leadership
corrupts a bad church.
10:37
That bad leadership
corrupts a bad church.
10:41
Think of it this
way. If you
10:43
were to join a gym,
10:45
but you were
to never work.
10:47
Out. How good with
that gym be that Jim
10:53
would absolutely
be useless
10:56
because you are not
working out and growing.
10:59
What Paul wants us
to know is that
11:02
the Christian life is
more than membership.
11:05
If we are not working out
11:07
what we claim to believe,
11:09
what good is our faith?
11:11
So if bad leadership
corrupts a bad church,
11:16
how do we correct this?
11:18
Philippians 2, 12
puts it this way.
11:21
Work out your
own salvation
11:26
with fear and trembling.
11:29
In other words, you
were created in
11:32
Christ Jesus to
do something.
11:35
You were not saved,
to stand around.
11:38
You were redeemed for
11:40
a reason and you were
purified for a purpose.
11:43
You are called to a
11:44
great commission
that spans
11:46
far beyond anything you
could ever imagine.
11:49
You were created
to do something.
11:53
And so I want to
ask you tonight,
11:56
What are you working out?
11:59
What are you working on?
12:01
How's your prayer
life going?
12:04
When was the last
time you reoriented
12:07
your affections
around the goodness
12:09
and the greatness of God.
12:11
How's your mind doing?
12:13
Are you focused on the
news or good news?
12:17
Are you worried about
what's to come?
12:20
Or do you trust the one
who holds the future?
12:24
And so the question
12:26
that Paul is laying before
12:28
us is what are
we working on?
12:31
So let me go
ahead and just
12:32
give you the big
idea tonight.
12:34
And that is our good God
12:37
redeems bad people
for good works.
12:42
Our good God redeemed
12:45
bad people for good works.
12:49
And so there are
three good works
12:51
that we are going to
be exploring tonight.
12:53
I'm just gonna go
ahead and read
12:55
through our chapter.
12:56
But I'm going to start
in Titus 2, verse 11.
13:01
And we're just
going to read
13:02
all the way
through Chapter 3.
13:07
For the grace of
God has appeared,
13:12
bringing salvation
for all people.
13:15
Training us to renounce on
13:18
godliness in
worldly passions,
13:22
into live self-controlled
up, right?
13:25
And godly lives in
the present age.
13:29
Awaiting our Blessed Hope,
13:32
the appearing
of the glory of
13:34
our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ,
13:36
who gave himself for us to
13:39
redeem us from
all lawlessness,
13:42
and to purify for
himself a people of
13:45
his own possession who
13:47
are zealous for
good works.
13:50
Declare these things,
13:53
exhort in rebuke
with all authority.
13:55
Let no one disregard you.
13:58
Remind them to
be submissive to
14:01
rulers and authorities,
to be obedient,
14:05
to be ready for
every good work,
14:08
to speak evil have no one
14:10
to avoid a quarrelling,
14:12
to be gentle, to show
14:14
respect and
14:16
perfect courtesy
towards all people.
14:19
For We, ourselves
were once foolish.
14:22
We were disobedient,
led astray,
14:26
slaves to various
passions and pleasures,
14:29
passing our days in
malice and envy,
14:32
hated by others, in
hating one another.
14:36
But when the goodness
in loving kindness of
14:39
our God and Savior
appeared, he saved us.
14:42
Not because of work's done
14:44
by us and righteousness,
14:46
but according to
his own mercy,
14:48
by the washing of
regeneration and renewal of
14:52
the Holy Spirit
whom He poured
14:54
out us richly through
Jesus Christ.
14:57
So that being justified
by His grace,
14:59
we might become heirs
15:01
according to the hope
of eternal life.
15:03
This scene is trustworthy
15:05
and I want you
to insist on
15:06
these things so that
15:08
those who have
believed in God may
15:10
be careful to
devote themselves
15:12
to there it is
again, good works.
15:15
These things are excellent
15:17
and profitable for people,
15:20
but avoid foolish
controversies,
15:22
genealogies, dissensions,
15:23
inquiries about the law
15:25
for they are unprofitable
in worthless.
15:28
As for a person who
stirs up division
15:31
after warning him
once and then twice,
15:34
have nothing more
to do with him.
15:36
Knowing that such a person
15:38
is warped in sinful.
15:39
He is self condemned.
15:42
When I send Artemis
15:43
or touches, I don't
know how to say that.
15:45
Do your best to
come to me at
15:47
Nika polis for I have
15:49
decided to spend
the winter there.
15:51
Do your best to
speed Xin us,
15:53
the lawyer and
Apollo's on their way,
15:56
see that they lack nothing
15:59
and let our people
16:00
learn to devote
themselves.
16:01
There it is again, so
you good works so as
16:04
to help cases that urgent
16:05
need and not to
be unfruitful.
16:07
All you who are with
16:09
me send greetings to you,
16:10
greet those who love
us in the faith.
16:12
Grace be with you all,
16:13
and let me pray for us.
16:15
And then we'll dive in.
16:17
Gf. Thanks for your word.
16:18
I know that sometimes or
16:20
word can be overwhelming.
16:21
It's almost like a list of
16:22
all the things
we're doing wrong.
16:24
But God, we are constantly
and consistently
16:26
reminded that your
16:28
grace makes the
difference.
16:29
Thank you for saving us.
16:31
Thank you for redeeming
us back to yourself.
16:34
Thank you for not just
leaving us there,
16:36
but also inviting us into
16:38
a wonderful and
powerful purpose.
16:40
God, we surrender our
lives to you and we
16:42
pray that you would
speak to us tonight.
16:45
And Jesus name, I pray.
16:47
Amen.
16:47
Now, does anybody know
what Super Mario is?
16:51
When I was growing up,
16:53
me and my brothers, we
16:54
love to play video games.
16:55
And one of our
favorite games
16:58
was Super Mario
or Mario Kart.
17:01
Super Smash Bros.
we love to play
17:03
because that meant we
got to play together.
17:05
And our youngest
brother Josh,
17:08
There was a time
17:09
right where he
couldn't play with us.
17:12
He didn't understand
what was going on,
17:14
but we didn't want
to, you know,
17:16
disclude him. We
wanted to include him.
17:18
We wanted to draw him in,
17:19
and so we gave him
a remote control,
17:22
but we left it unplugged.
17:25
And he'd get so excited.
17:28
I mean, we would tell
him, we would say Josh,
17:30
you're probably the
best Mario Kart person
17:33
we've ever seen in
our entire lives.
17:34
And he'd get so
excited as me
17:36
and my brothers
were playing.
17:38
He thought he was
winning the game.
17:40
He thought he
was incredible.
17:42
But in reality, he was
never even plugged in.
17:48
And what's sad for a lot
of us as Christians,
17:51
as we had been
watching someone else
17:53
play the game for
us our entire life.
17:55
In fact, there
may not even be
17:57
a time where we
have been plugged
17:59
in maybe that Sue
18:02
today you're just
kind of wondering,
18:04
like you don't even
18:05
understand
what's going on.
18:07
Maybe you're not winning,
18:09
but rather you
are watching.
18:13
And so the first good work
18:15
that Paul is kind of
18:17
calling us toward tonight
18:19
is to simply plug in.
18:21
It's to get reconnected
relationship
18:25
with God to go deeper.
18:27
And so the first good
work is good worship.
18:30
It's good warship in
all of our works,
18:34
all of our deeds,
18:35
everything we
do as believers
18:38
flow from good warship.
18:42
It flows from
18:44
a healthy and devoted
18:47
relationship with
Jesus Christ.
18:50
We just read it,
but Titus 2,
18:51
12 says that the
grace of God trains
18:55
us to renounce on
18:58
godliness and
worldly passions.
19:02
I'm going to
blow your mind.
19:04
There is a direct
correlation
19:06
between God and godliness.
19:09
That apart from God,
you are godless.
19:13
I mean, even the
Thomas wrote,
19:15
kids understand
this concept.
19:18
This is why Paul
sent Titus to
19:21
Crete to reconnect or re,
19:24
plug in believers
with God.
19:27
Paul knew that hearts
19:29
were being led astray from
19:31
an authentic and
growing relationship
19:35
with the God of
the universe.
19:37
Because bad leadership not
19:39
only corrupts
a good church,
19:41
but bad leadership
corrupts good warship.
19:45
Bad leadership leads
19:47
our hearts away from God.
19:51
And this is what Satan
wants for your life.
19:54
This is what he
whispered in
19:57
the Garden of Eden
to Adam and Eve.
20:00
And I don't
know about you,
20:01
but I often think about
God and the garden.
20:07
The fact that Adam and
Eve were placed in
20:10
this tranquil paradise to
20:13
share in
20:14
a beautiful and
20:16
perfect relationship
with God.
20:18
I'm not sure that Adam
and eve even prayed.
20:21
I can kinda just
looked up and there
20:24
God was walking
among them,
20:27
talking to them, sharing
the day with them.
20:32
But as I said,
20:34
bad leadership,
bad voices.
20:38
They lead us
away from God.
20:40
They whisper lies to us.
20:42
They tell us things
that are not true.
20:46
Anatomy and Eve forfeited
20:49
their beautiful warship
of God for a lie.
20:53
And we do that each
and every single
20:56
day in our lives as well.
20:59
And so what I think is
21:00
interesting about the word
21:01
redeemed is that it
21:04
implies that something
so valuable was lost.
21:08
That God himself had to
21:11
pay a very pricey
transaction.
21:16
Titus 214 says
that Jesus gave
21:20
himself for us
to redeem us
21:23
or to buy us back
from all lawlessness
21:27
and to purify for
21:29
himself a people for
His own possession.
21:33
And who were zealous
for good works.
21:37
The God of the universe
21:40
spilled the blood
of His Son.
21:44
To buy you back and
reconnect you with him.
21:49
Because our good God
21:53
redeemed bad people
for good works.
21:58
And good works begin
with good worship.
22:01
They begin with
22:03
a right relationship
with God.
22:06
And so my
challenge for you
22:09
tonight is our are you
22:11
allowing God to search
your heart and to
22:15
identify areas in
your life that
22:17
you have subscribed
to bad voices,
22:20
or bad leadership,
or idolatry or sin.
22:24
Right now where
you are in life,
22:27
just faith define
your direction,
22:30
or does fear to find
your direction?
22:33
Is there a place
in your life?
22:35
Or maybe sin is diverting
22:37
your affections away from
22:39
the God of the universe.
22:40
It maybe is
there someone in
22:42
your past that you
have not forgiven?
22:46
And so the first work
that Paul is really
22:49
encouraging us to do
is simply worship.
22:53
It's simply get
back in the game
22:56
with God and
plug in, well,
22:59
and we're going to
throw off everything
23:01
that hinders us from
23:03
this beautiful
relationship with God.
23:05
And so that's the
starting point
23:06
for all good works.
23:08
It's good worship.
23:10
Here's the second
one. Good witness.
23:14
Good witnessing. We are
23:15
called to become
good witnesses.
23:18
And this work doesn't
23:20
relate so much with
23:21
our relationship with God,
23:22
but rather it flows
out of that and
23:24
into a relationship
with outsiders.
23:28
I mentioned earlier that
23:30
Titus was sent
to the island of
23:32
Crete in order to
call the church
23:35
back to gospel
centered values.
23:39
But to be a Cretan
was to be a liar.
23:44
And so here comes Titus
23:46
stepping into a situation
23:48
completely counter-cultural
to the gospel.
23:52
I have a photograph of
23:54
Crete that I
brought with me.
23:57
And as you can see,
23:59
treats pretty cool
look an island.
24:01
It's actually the largest
24:03
in the Mediterranean Sea.
24:06
It spans about a
24:07
150 miles long and
35 miles wide.
24:12
And at the time of Titus,
24:14
there was probably
24:15
about a 100 cities
on this island.
24:20
It was definitely ripe
for gospel harvest.
24:25
It's a beautiful island.
24:26
I mean, who wouldn't
want to go there, right?
24:29
But this island has
24:31
a long and
complicated history.
24:34
In addition to sort of
it's lying reputation,
24:39
Cretans were relatives
of the Philistines.
24:43
And they have actually
been called the
24:45
bad guys of the Bible.
24:47
In fact, most people
24:49
believe that Crete
was actually
24:51
the origin or
the place that
24:53
the Philistines were born.
24:56
And this makes
sense considering
24:58
people call them
the sea people.
25:01
They came from the sea,
25:02
they came from Crete.
25:04
And just to
kind of jog our
25:06
memory a little bit,
25:08
the Philistines
harassed and
25:10
oppressed the
people of God in
25:12
the Old Testament for
nearly 200 years.
25:18
If that isn't
complicated enough,
25:21
it's about to get worse.
25:23
Because Crete is also
25:26
the birthplace of
the Greek god Zeus.
25:30
And if you know
anything about Zeus,
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people believed him to be
25:34
an all powerful liar.
25:38
That he would
manipulate scheme,
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and that he was filled
with deceitful.
25:45
This, the Greeks
called him
25:47
the king Greek gods.
25:49
He was the king of
the Greek pantheon.
25:52
And so here comes Titus
25:53
with a message
of meekness,
25:55
with a message
of truthfulness,
25:57
a message of repentance
25:59
and devotion to
the one true God.
26:01
Titus is saying follow
me as I follow Christ.
26:05
And the Cretans are
saying, follow me
26:07
as I follow Zeus.
26:11
And so what needed
to happen is
26:13
the Gospel needed to
transcend doctrine.
26:16
It needed to become
doctrine on display.
26:20
If the Church of Jesus
Christ was going to
26:22
survive on this island
than in one sense,
26:26
the two ideologies kinda
26:28
needed to learn
how to get along.
26:30
This wasn't about exiling
26:33
or checking out
the Cretans from
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their island know
that that would
26:37
be worthless to
evangelistic efforts.
26:40
This was a call for
the shirts to live
26:43
godly and a
godless culture.
26:47
This is why Paul says
in chapter 3, verse 1,
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remind them to
be submissive
26:54
to rulers and
to authorities,
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to be obedient, to be
26:59
ready for every good work,
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to speak evil have
27:04
no one to avoid
quarrelling,
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to be gentle, and to show
27:08
perfect courtesy
towards all people.
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And I think we would
have to be biblically
27:14
blind to not notice
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the similarities
between Crete
27:19
and the United
States of America.
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For a lot of us,
we kind of want to
27:24
kick out anybody who
27:26
doesn't agree
27:28
with maybe our
political stance.
27:31
Because working
to love people,
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working to serve people
who are sinners.
27:39
It's a hard task.
27:41
But I think we
look at centers.
27:43
I think we look
at people who
27:44
disagree with God.
27:46
And I think we look
at them and we say,
27:47
why aren't you
acting godly?
27:51
Like maybe it's
because we've never
27:53
introduce them to the
God of the universe.
27:56
And maybe if we did
27:58
introduce them to the
God of the universe,
28:00
they still don't believe
because we aren't
28:02
necessarily practicing
28:04
what we preach
all the time.
28:08
Regardless of
political party,
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we are called to show
perfect courtesy.
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Regardless of religion,
we are called
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to show perfect courtesy.
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Philippians 127, It's one
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of my favorite
verses in Scripture.
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It says, let
your manner of
28:28
life be worthy
of the gospel.
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How many of us can say
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that if we go back
to my gym analogy,
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being a good
witness for God is
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something that we
have got to work out.
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We must learn to
display before,
28:49
uh, watching world,
a God who was true,
28:53
a God who is consistent,
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and a God who we can
trust with our eternity.
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And so the second work
that God is calling us
29:08
towards is good
witnessing.
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In a godless culture.
29:14
Always gotta keep
in mind that
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our good God redeems
29:20
bad people for
good purposes.
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If he can redeem,
you, can redeem me.
29:28
He can certainly
redeem them.
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And so here's kind of
the third good work
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that flows from
good worship
29:38
and good witness seen.
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It's a calling to
become a good church.
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It's a calling to
become a good church.
29:45
We focused on God, we
focused on outsiders,
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and now we're
focusing on insiders.
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And so when you think
of a good church,
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what do you think about?
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I think about a city on
30:00
a hill that
cannot be hidden.
30:02
All eyes are on this hill.
30:06
And I think this
is extremely
30:08
important when
we think about
30:10
America and when we
think about Crete.
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The whole world is not
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only watching how
we treat outsiders,
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but it is also watching
30:19
how we treat insiders.
30:21
In fact, the entire
pastoral epistles,
30:24
all of them can kinda
be summarized in,
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Here's how you love
one another, right?
30:30
Here's how you
love one another.
30:33
So I'm just going
to be real.
30:35
I think that
Bible students
30:37
are the weirdest
people on the planet.
30:40
And I can say
that because I
30:42
have two Bible degrees.
30:44
When I was in seminary,
30:46
Mondays were really,
really long for me.
30:49
I had to write
30:51
my own theological papers
30:54
to get through school
and to get it paid off,
30:56
I had to grade
theological papers.
30:59
I had to have
discussions with
31:01
young students who barely
31:03
understood the Bible
about theology.
31:06
And then after
all of that,
31:08
I had a night class
31:10
that was three hours long.
31:12
I didn't even get to
hear the professor
31:15
teach me because all
31:16
the students in the class,
31:18
we're just
tearing into one
31:19
another on
theological debate.
31:21
I got to come for you.
31:23
I came to hear about
31:25
the Bible in Learn I
31:26
get what I paid
for, right?
31:27
Well, after my
class was over,
31:30
I met up with two friends.
31:31
I thought it was going to
31:32
be an encouraging meal.
31:33
We're going to have
heavens, chicken chick
31:35
filet. And we all met.
31:37
And suddenly
out of nowhere,
31:40
my two friends start
going at one another.
31:43
They start tearing
into one another
31:44
back and forth,
back and forth.
31:46
Like I have my mouth full
31:48
of chick fillet and
I'm beginning to
31:50
pray that God would
allow me to choke and
31:51
die because I want
31:53
to leave this
conversation.
31:54
And almost in
complete sink,
31:58
their heads turned
to me and they go,
32:01
Caleb, It was
almost like they
32:03
wanted to say Caleb's
not really Baptists.
32:05
We're going to catch
them off guard.
32:06
And they looked at
me and they're like,
32:08
what do you think
32:10
about this highly
debated issue?
32:14
And I told him, I said,
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Can we just talk
about the weather?
32:22
Because listen, I deeply
love the scriptures.
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The word of God helps
us know the living God.
32:33
And in the scriptures we
32:35
find the only message.
32:37
Capable of reconciling
sinners to the Savior.
32:41
We find the only message
of illumination that
32:45
can actually change
someone's life.
32:49
But that same book that
we claim to love so
32:55
much also says This,
32:58
avoid fullest
controversies.
33:00
Avoid dissensions,
avoid quarrels about
33:04
the law for they
33:05
are unprofitable
in worthless.
33:09
When I'm not
saying is that
33:11
it's bad to have
faith discussions.
33:13
I'm not saying it's bad to
33:16
disagree or to show
33:18
something new in the
scriptures like,
33:20
Hey, what about
this? That's okay.
33:23
But if we're kind of
come and add it to
33:26
one up someone or
to tear them down.
33:30
Or to say, Hey,
33:32
when I'm done
with Seminary,
33:33
I'm going to have a
bigger church than
33:34
you because I know the
Bible better than you.
33:36
If that's your goal.
33:39
That's not a good goal.
33:42
Because I'm not
going to pretend
33:44
I'm I going to stand
before you and
33:45
say that I
understand Leviticus
33:47
completely kinda get
an aim in there.
33:49
I'm not going
to stand before
33:51
you and tell you
that I know where
33:52
the next archeological
site is going to be?
33:56
I don't understand
Revelation at all.
33:58
Like, I don't understand
what's going to
34:00
happen before Jesus comes.
34:02
I don't even know
when Jesus comes.
34:04
Some theologians would say
34:06
they do know when
Jesus comes back,
34:08
but I don't even think he
34:09
knows when he's
coming back,
34:10
so I don't know how
that's possible.
34:12
I don't know if Calvinism
34:14
perfectly explains
God's sovereignty.
34:17
And I don't even know
what mole and ism is.
34:22
And I don't know
who invented it.
34:24
Do I really care?
34:27
Not really. But here's
34:31
what I do know. 1st
Corinthians 15.
34:34
Christ died for our sins
34:37
according to
the scriptures.
34:39
He was buried. He was
34:41
raised on the third day.
34:44
According to
the scriptures.
34:47
We are called to avoid
heresy at all costs.
34:52
But there are some
theological positions
34:55
that are not necessarily
Harris either,
34:57
more like theological
mysteries.
35:00
So we can, can we, like,
35:02
can we put down the sword?
35:04
And can we lock arms?
35:07
Something that matters?
35:09
Like, can you be in
35:11
fellowship with
someone who believes
35:13
in the post tribulation
as opposed to
35:15
the pre tribulation? Yes.
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You absolutely can.
35:20
You absolutely can,
35:21
because the gospel
matters and there is
35:24
a dying world out
35:25
there who are
going to ****.
35:27
And we're sitting here
35:28
ripping each
other's heads off.
35:31
And so the good
work that God is
35:34
calling us toward is to
35:37
become a good church
and a bad culture.
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And that's not going
to happen unless
35:46
we unify around the
truths of the gospel.
35:49
There's a culture filled
35:52
with lies and corruption,
35:54
and we have the truth
that can set it free.
35:58
Paul is asking
us to deal with
36:00
the issues that
really matter.
36:03
Don't lay aside
36:05
your convictions
and certainly don't
36:07
twist the scriptures
to get out of
36:09
obedience and
dedication to God.
36:11
But we have to recognize
36:13
which issues are of
primary importance.
36:18
The world system.
36:20
It's already
ridiculously appealing.
36:24
Like let's not
make it even
36:27
more appealing
with our disunity.
36:30
And so we lives in
36:33
a way that gives
the gospel worth,
36:36
that elevates the gospel
36:38
in other people's minds.
36:40
Galatians 610
puts it this way.
36:42
So then as we
have opportunity,
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let us do good
to everyone.
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And especially to those
36:52
who have the
household of faith.
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These are your brothers
and sisters and
36:57
it's our job to
encourage them.
36:59
And so as the
world watches,
37:02
the question becomes,
what do they see?
37:05
As the world watches?
37:08
Because they are,
what do they see?
37:11
Do they see people
united from
37:14
all different
backgrounds and
37:16
cultures around
one mission,
37:18
one truth, and one gospel.
37:21
Do they see intentional
discipleship that
37:24
correct bad
theology lovingly?
37:28
Do they see a person
who comes to church
37:31
every week just to
serve other people?
37:35
Do they see a
faith community on
37:38
their knees begging God
to heal their land?
37:42
Incorrect disunity.
37:43
Do they see a person
ready to love, forgive,
37:48
and engage with
other Christians
37:51
who hold different
political views.
37:54
We must become
good worshipers.
37:58
We must become
good witnesses.
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And ultimately, we must
become a good church.
38:05
Because we know
that our good God
38:09
redeemed bad people
for good works.
38:12
And these are the
works before us.
38:16
So let me close with this.
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Why Crete? Crete, It's
38:23
literally an
island of liars.
38:26
The feel of a
random ocean.
38:28
If I was Titus, I
would've begged,
38:31
like anywhere else,
38:33
like these people
believing Zeus,
38:35
like, I don't
wanna go there.
38:37
There's gotta be a
better place for me
38:40
to go and do good works.
38:43
But what Paul knew
is that Crete
38:46
was actually home to
38:48
strategic harbor
systems that actually
38:51
serviced cities
38:53
all over the
Mediterranean Sea.
38:56
And so in Paul's mind,
38:59
imagine the gospel impact.
39:02
If somebody would
be godly and
39:05
move into a
godless culture.
39:08
He may have posed
this idea to Timothy.
39:12
What would happen if
39:14
we took this
island for Christ?
39:16
What would happen
if you said
39:19
yes to God in, plugged in.
39:24
I don't know where God has
39:26
uniquely placed to you.
39:27
Maybe you're in an office
39:29
space where nobody's nice.
39:32
Maybe you're in a family
39:34
that is falling apart.
39:36
Or maybe you're listening
to this guy talk
39:39
about Zeus and you
39:40
just want to go home
and eat dinner.
39:42
I don't know
where you are,
39:45
but God has
uniquely placed you
39:47
there for your benefit
and for good works.
39:51
He wants to grow you
into a good worshiper.
39:56
He wants to grow you
into a good witness.
40:00
He wants to grow us
40:02
collectively into
a good church.
40:07
Because we were
redeemed for a reason.
40:10
We weren't saved just
to stand around.
40:13
We were purified
for a purpose.
40:16
And we have a great
commission of
40:18
good works before us.
40:20
Because our God, good God,
40:23
He redeemed bad people
for good works.
40:27
And so the question
is tonight,
40:29
Where have you been
strategically placed?
40:33
That God is asking
you to get to work?
40:37
Let me pray for
us, and then
40:39
we will dismiss God.
40:41
Thank you so much
for your word.
40:43
How it captivates us,
40:45
how it convicts us,
40:46
how it leads us
closer to you.
40:49
Lord, I pray that we are
40:51
burdened to get
closer to you.
40:54
I pray that we
are convicted
40:56
God to become
children to you.
41:00
God, I pray that You would
41:01
help us to love
our neighbors,
41:03
whether they are
saved or not.
41:05
I pray that You would help
41:06
us to be encouraging.
41:08
I pray that You
would help us to
41:09
be good teachers.
41:10
I pray that You
would help us know
41:12
the Bible and the
gospel so well.
41:16
Everybody around
us can see
41:18
the way we treat in love.
41:20
Others. Got, we do
41:22
everything
because your son
41:24
Jesus died for
us and called us
41:25
to a purpose much
greater than ourselves.
41:27
Remind us that even
in the day-to-day,
41:30
that even in the mundane,
41:32
that even when
things look bad and
41:33
things are annoying
and things
41:35
are getting on
her nerves that
41:36
you are a good
God who loves
41:38
us and who have called
us to do good works.
41:42
And it's all in the
precious name of Jesus.
41:45
I pray. Amen.
41:57
Please stand as we
close in saying,
42:00
take the name of
Jesus with you know,
42:09
name of Jesus to know.
42:14
So Rowan, Nobu, joy
and comfort to you.
42:22
Wherever you go.
42:26
Purchase. Whole
has we hope over
42:32
time the jaw oh,
42:40
hobo term the
two pressures.
42:48
Who has we hope?
42:53
Groucho purchase.
42:59
Oh, hobo. Do 20.
43:10
Thank you.
43:12
Good night.
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Bible Center - November 14
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