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00:00:01
Godliness in Society
13 Plays6 days ago
Series: Exemplifying the Excellent
Titus 3:1-15
Transcript
00:00:01
Speaker
Two words that all Christians love, grace and mercy, amen? Who doesn't love grace and mercy? Grace, I think we often get these two terms confused, grace and mercy. Grace is getting something you don't deserve. That's what grace is. Mercy is not getting something you do deserve. And I know some of you are still waking up this morning.
00:00:31
Speaker
And you're thinking, what did he just say? Let me give you a clear definition by way of example. Say just you right after church today, you were to get in your car and drive from here to Temple. And you just so happened to pass straight through buckholes. Uh-oh. See, I see some of y'all are laughing. You know where this is going. You're driving through buckholes, but you have a broken tail light.
00:01:02
Speaker
Oh, you see where this is going, don't you?
00:01:06
Speaker
You bet you're going to get pulled over. Because you're a law breaker, right? Not supposed to have a broken tail light. And those gracious Buckholtz police officers, as they show up to your car window and, do you mind rolling down your window, ma'am? Sir?
00:01:31
Speaker
See, grace would be them saying, I noticed you have a taillight out. I'm gonna give you a warning today. Go on, have a great day in temple. Friends, that would be getting something you don't deserve, right? Or is that mercy? Do you see how quickly we can confuse that? Should we deserve that ticket? You bet you should because you had a broken taillight.
00:01:58
Speaker
Mercy is him not giving you that ticket. Grace is if he said, by the way, I just so happen to have a 2008 Chevy pickup tail light in my car. Let me give that to you for free. Friends, that would be both mercy and grace. Do you see the difference in those? Not getting something you do deserve is mercy.
00:02:27
Speaker
Getting something you don't deserve is grace. And we love grace and we love mercy. When I first got out of college and that credit card bill came at the beginning of the month, there's something called a grace period for that card. That means if you don't have the money right there at the first of the month, they give you a certain amount of time to pay that bill.
00:02:55
Speaker
They're giving you something you don't deserve. They're giving you grace to pay that back. We love grace and mercy, but we're not often ones that are quick to give it, are we? Why is that? Boy, we love to receive it, but when it comes to giving it, just, for example, if someone is rude with the grocery store,
00:03:26
Speaker
when you're at the Walmart in Rockdale, on aisle five, last Tuesday. Just hypothetically, I'm saying. It's hard to show that person grace and mercy.
00:03:42
Speaker
Or if it's your boss, or if it's your neighbor, or if it's your family member who has that differing political view. You know that person.
00:03:53
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Their yard is filled with those campaign signs. Their Facebook posts blare that campaign person all over the place. They have the T-shirt with that candidate's face on it. And they have to tell you how that person, when they get elected, is gonna fix everything.
00:04:17
Speaker
Grace is hard to give to somebody like that, isn't it? Why is it that it's difficult for us to give grace, yet we so freely want it? That's what we're going to look at today in this passage. Our final chapter in Titus tells us, friends, as Christ followers, you don't have a choice. You have to show both grace and mercy. But thankfully, it tells us why, why we have to do that. So that's what we're going to look at. First is, if you have your outline,
00:04:51
Speaker
If you came in today, you should have grabbed a bulletin. The outline is there with you. We're going to see the exhibition of godliness, meaning what we are to show grace and mercy to people. We're going to have the explanation of why we do that. And then third, we're going to see how do we actually practice that today as you step out these doors and you indeed drive through buckles or you go to Walmart. Titus chapter 3.
00:05:20
Speaker
In its entirety, I'll read here new living translation. It's also on the screen. It says, remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
00:05:44
Speaker
Once we too were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. Verse four says, but when God our savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us. Not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
00:06:14
Speaker
He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of His grace, He muddied us right in His sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.
00:06:41
Speaker
Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels or fighting about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and a second warning, but after that have nothing to do with them. For people like that are turned turned away from the truth and their own sins condemn them." He finishes here in verse 12 saying,
00:07:10
Speaker
I'm planning to send either Artemis or Tychicus to you. As soon as one of them arrives, do your best to meet with Nicopolis, for I have decided to stay there for the winter. Do everything you can to help Zenos, the lawyer, and Apollos with their trip. See that they are given everything they need. Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others. Then they will not be unproductive.
00:07:35
Speaker
Everybody here sends greetings. Please give my greetings to the believers. All who love us, may God's grace be with you all. This is the word of the Lord. In this final chapter, Paul tells Titus, you must remind the people, verse one says, remind them of what to do good. This is what the title of my section is. I don't know if you have a title over your section in your Bible for chapter three. Do what is good is the title. Boy, wouldn't we save ourselves a lot of headache in this world if we would simply do that which is good. And he tells us, friends, this is how you are gonna go about doing that.
00:08:31
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seven items that remind these Cretan Christians. He says, first, obey the authorities, all those in power. Obedience and subjugation to rulers and authority is part and parcel for the Christian life.
00:08:49
Speaker
What's interesting here is it doesn't say obey them and submit yourself to them if they're worthy. You'll notice that, he didn't put that there. He doesn't say it's okay to submit yourself to government officials as long as their character demands it. Because, friends, you can simply turn on the news and look at the character of some of the people that are in power these days. Some of them are running your schools.
00:09:24
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He says here simply obey them, people in power. I've had a conversation with my own mother about this because she leans one way, very strongly, to one particular candidate.
00:09:41
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Doesn't matter who that candidate is. But I told her, I said, Mom, you do realize that person, when they get in power, or if they've been in power, they are not the end-all, be-all solution to all problems. What changes lives, friends, is this, is God's word.
00:09:57
Speaker
That person standing at the pre' presidency spot while they may do good for the country or they may harm the country, that person is placed there by, everybody say it, oh, thank you. Yeah, it's not by chance. God is either all sovereign, meaning he is all in control at all times and nothing surprises him. He doesn't say, oh my goodness, I can't believe we finally have a first female president.
00:10:27
Speaker
Wow, I didn't see that coming. Really? So when that person wins, no matter who they are, know that God has placed them there in power. Some people feel better if they word it this way. God has allowed that person to be in power. that If that suits your boat, so be it. God is still in control in both of those scenarios.
00:10:50
Speaker
We are called to be in subjection and obedience to those who are in authority over us. That might be your boss, that might be the mayor, that might be the president.
00:11:03
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All that being said, if that person contradicts the word of God, guess what you're supposed to do? Stick to the word of God. right there He's giving limits here to subjection and obedience. But we're supposed to be known as the people who obey the law, that we're not ruckus, troublemakers, we're not arguers, we're subservient. We're to be a good citizen, if we can put it that way. The best citizen is possible, causing no unnecessary offense to anyone
00:11:41
Speaker
other than the natural off fence that the gospel itself presents. Friends, there's a telltale sign of Christians who have not placed themselves under the authority or under the headship or under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Anyone who refuses to submit to Christ in all areas of life, you will know these people by what?
00:12:08
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Say it. Yeah, by their works and friends, they're disruptive people. They don't listen to authority. Do you know these people? You've met them in your life. I'm sure you have. As kids, you've met other kids that just simply can't listen to the teacher. Let me give you a clue. Those kids grow up to be adults that don't listen to their bosses. Like Chuck Swindoll, he just puts it it, he says, a lot of people struggle with three P's.
00:12:39
Speaker
Parents, politicians, or the police. He said you can characterize somebody even in their Christian walk if they struggle in one of these areas. There's something there that they have not fully submitted. He says we are to be good, godly people in society. One way we demonstrate that is we submit ourselves to the authorities. We're to be exemplars of good works.
00:13:07
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were to imitate the pattern of Christ who himself did good deeds.
00:13:18
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Or, verse 8 says, we are to engage in good works. We're to be exemplars. We're to be high examples of good work. When people see you, are you disruptive? Are you the person that's arguing with the boss or arguing with policies?
00:13:35
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Or are you somebody that says, you know, I'm here to get to work and I want to do good things here?
00:13:43
Speaker
We're to be a people who freely and regularly gives grace and mercy to those people we encounter. If you're taking notes today, write down freely and regularly. Those are the two things when it comes to grace and mercy. Are we characterized by somebody who freely and regularly gives grace?
00:14:04
Speaker
He says, when we share that grace and mercy, end of verse eight says that it's good and profitable to, my translation says everyone, yours may say all people. Do you realize that? That the grace and mercy that you show others reflects Christ to them. They see Christ through you. And it makes Christ very attractive to them. Because if somebody's rude to you, the natural reaction is what? I'm gonna show them.
00:14:33
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Well, I'm gonna get right back. I'm gonna, oh, I got something to say about you.
00:14:40
Speaker
Just as a way of illustration, I was indeed in Walmart, in Rockdale. Wasn't on aisle five, but there was a really genuine man parked outside with some signs, political signs for a particular candidate. And it was all sorts of controversial stuff he had printed on these big boards out there.
00:15:04
Speaker
And I was getting my car washed and I was driving by having my windows down. And I heard somebody drive by and they said, look at the policy, not the person. That's all they said. Look at the policy, not the person. And I thought, that's pretty good advice. Look at what that person represents, the policies that they're voting for. Friends, at one point, the person and the policy match. The character of the candidate really mattered to us at one point in this country.
00:15:33
Speaker
And I'm not trying to make this a political debate. You'll notice I haven't said any names. The point is those people that represent you and I in the highest levels of government, we're called to submit ourselves to them. We're to show grace and mercy to people.
00:15:55
Speaker
And I don't know why we all struggle with that so much. I don't know if it's a selfish thing. I don't know if it's a human nature thing that we just don't naturally give grace and mercy. That's not our first response because when I was on aisle five, that wasn't my first response, believe it or not. I thought in my head and I bit my tongue and didn't say what I really wanted to say. And I'm trying to keep it as pastoral as possible, but I'm just like you when I get out there in the world and people do rude and crazy things to us.
00:16:26
Speaker
My natural response first was not one of, well, I just really should love this person and show them grace and mercy. But we're told here, friends, why we are to do this. That's our next section, the explanation. Why do we show grace and mercy to others? That's the million dollar question. Why do we do it? Well, he tells us here, verse three, the theological basis for why we do this.
00:16:54
Speaker
says, the reason that we should show grace and mercy to others is because we, too, were once what? Yikes. Does that convict anybody else? When I read that, I immediately thought of what? Romans 3.23 that we talked about on Wednesday night. We've all fallen short. We're all sinned.
00:17:17
Speaker
Why do we do what we do? Why do we show grace and mercy? Because we too were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to lust and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy and we hated each other. We were sinners at one point. Yet somebody showed us grace and mercy.
00:17:41
Speaker
And because somebody showed that to us, friends, you and I are now obligated to show that to somebody else. I think oftentimes what we do is we, we we what's the term I wanna use here? Like ah a softball, ah what do they call that when you interview somebody and they give them a very easy question. I'm mixing my terms up maybe. You give them ah an easy an easy toss. We toss ourselves easily and in Christianity sometimes by just saying, you know, um We were once a sinner, yes, but we're not we're not that anymore, and so now we're something other than that old person. And and friends, the Scriptures do tell us you are a new creation, but ah and and this is a rhetorical question. Please don't raise your hand. How many of you sinned this morning already on your way to church? And if anybody's not holding up their hand in their head, we're gonna have a talk after church.
00:18:40
Speaker
The point being is we all still sin. And I think often it's helpful for us to remember that we are all common in that area. right And so when we reach somebody who's rude to us or who's oppressive to us and our natural response is I want to get even or I want to respond in such a way, we ought to remember, oh yeah, we were like that person too. Some of us still are.
00:19:08
Speaker
Why do we do what we do? It's because we were once saved. He says, but, verse 4. I love Chuck Sundahl. He says, I want to write a book of the biggest buts in the Bible. He said, but I think it would be misinterpreted. Friends, this is one of the biggest buts that you're going to get in the Bible, verse 4. While we were yet sinners, why do we do what we do but?
00:19:32
Speaker
At that stage, God, our Savior, revealed His kindness and love, and He saved us. Not because of the righteous things that we had done. By the way, you can't do anything that righteous to save yourself. You can't live a perfect life. Have you tried? Can't happen. Says He has saved you out of His mercy.
00:20:00
Speaker
He's washed away our sins. He's given us a new birth, a new life through the Holy Spirit, generously pouring out the Spirit upon you and you and I through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of His grace, He made us right in His sight, and He's granted us eternal life. In our sin, we deserved what? Say it, death. Where there is sin, there is always death in the Bible, by the way.
00:20:29
Speaker
In our sin, we deserve death, sixit Romans 6.23, that we learned on Wednesdays. For the wages of sin is what? Death. But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. What we deserved was death. But in His mercy, He didn't give us that. Do you see? That's where the mercy comes in. He didn't make us pay that wage. He took it upon Himself. And instead of getting what we deserved, we got this free gift.
00:20:59
Speaker
of eternal life. What a great gift. What a great, great gift. Friends, that's grace. It's what the psalmist says, oh glorious day, what a wonderful gift indeed that the Almighty would reach down and save a wretch like me. Why do we show grace and mercy to others, friends? It's because it was lavishly poured out on us. And if you are a Christ follower, it is it's not optional.
00:21:28
Speaker
I think that's where I was going earlier. It's not optional. We might think it's a behavioral thing. We ought to do that. Sometimes we say that. I ought to show grace and mercy. It's not an ought. It is if you are in Christ and you are a Christ follower, you show grace and mercy. You reflect to the one in whom you are in. You reflect Christ's likeness to those people that you meet. It's not optional. We shower others with the grace and mercy that Christ has showered us. So how do we do this today? This is where I want to land. Three easy things to remember. Not always does application go this way, by the way. I know we have a few visitors here today, and they they may think, wow, every sermon is going to rhyme like this. It's not. I apologize up front. Today was a good day. How do we start showing grace and mercy to others in a very tangible way this week as you leave these doors? The first way just says, let it flow.
00:22:28
Speaker
These are our words. I had an option to put these up there, by the way. I chose not to do that, because I didn't want to give this away. Because unfortunately, that's what happens on the monitor up there. You guys can see, you're back there. You can see all these. Let it flow. Everybody say, let it flow. This is our words. This is our gracious words that we can offer. Colossians 4-6 says, let our conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone in the right time. One way we can extend God's grace is through the use of our words that we choose. So when that person is rude to you on aisle five, your option is to say unhelpful words or grace-filled words, kind words that are seasoned with both truth and kindness. Paul writes here in Ephesians 4, 29, he says, do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths.
00:23:26
Speaker
but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs so that it may benefit those who listen. but The opposite of gracious words are unwholesome words. That that term unwholesome can also be called abusive or corrupt words or rotten or worthless words.
00:23:46
Speaker
You know sometimes those are the words that come out of our mouth. Are they gonna be helpful to build up this person showing grace, or are they gonna tear them down? Are they gonna inflict pain, or are they gonna bring healing? Are they gonna be abusive, or are they gonna be gentle? Worthless words tear down, gracious words build up. From a gracious heart comes gracious words. We must let it flow. Everybody say let it flow.
00:24:14
Speaker
These are your words. You must let it flow this week. Really go against your natural inclination, which is in your fallen state to say something unhelpful to somebody. Instead, just pause for a second and say, you know what? I'm gonna speak something gracious to somebody. Something gracious to somebody who may not deserve it, who quite often doesn't deserve it, but you're going to show them grace by speaking kind words.
00:24:45
Speaker
and all the wives are elbowing their husbands. Let it flow. Second, let it go. Everybody say let it go. Ephesians 1, 7, Paul says, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God's grace. The grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus forgave your sins and has restored you to Him." It's done the same thing for me. If we want to extend God's grace to others, we ought to forgive them when they offend us. Let it go means our natural reactions. So when that person cuts you off on the road, let it go. When that person says some really mean, hurtful things to you, let it go.
00:25:38
Speaker
When your boss is overbearing and you want to give her a piece of your mind this week, let it go.
00:25:52
Speaker
In fact, Jesus said, if you do not forgive others of their sins, your father will not forgive you of yours. That's Matthew 6. Receiving God's grace and forgiveness requires that we extend God's grace and forgiveness to others.
00:26:07
Speaker
Let's be compassionate and kind to others and forgiving them. And I think the easiest thing for me in forgiving somebody and not reacting but letting it go is to remember, you know, I've made a mistake or two in my life.
00:26:24
Speaker
It's easy to forgive others when we remember we're not perfect. Isn't it? I think some of the most critical people I've ever met are these people who think they never make a mistake.
00:26:36
Speaker
I love my dad who's passed away, but he was a very, very critical person who never, ever made a mistake. You just had to ask him. And I love him with all my heart, but that type of attitude, carrying that out week in and week out, that you've never made a mistake, and therefore you're able to go judge people left and right, friends, we're all sinners. And we're all still sinning. And it's by God's grace and his mercy that he has shown us forgiveness and we too need to let it go. Isn't that a song by Celine Dion or something like that? Yeah, I don't even, I should have Aaron up here singing that right now. Or it's Frozen, yeah, Frozen for you young kids who've watched that.
00:27:22
Speaker
All right, last but not least, let it show. So we have let it, what's the first one? Let it go, let it show. Friends, this is our actions.
00:27:34
Speaker
Romans 12.6 says, in his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things really well. You can extend God's grace by serving people with the talents and gifts that God has given you. ah In birth, when you were born, God has given you certain talents, certain gifts. Some of you are great artists, some of you are great athletes, some of you are mathematicians and scientists. At your rebirth,
00:28:04
Speaker
The Holy Spirit has given you other gifts to use for the betterment of the church. And so I think, friends, if we want to let it show, if we want to have gracious actions this week, um yeah, I think it starts by us not saying certain things and then demonstrating grace to somebody. That's maybe going out of your way to do something for somebody that frankly doesn't deserve it.
00:28:33
Speaker
but you go out of your way. And you know how surprising this is? When you do that to people, their natural response is, what is she doing? Why is he being so nice to me? I wasn't so nice to them. And what we do is we give them a small glimpse of Jesus Christ in their life. They get a small glimpse through us, through our actions, if we simply let it show.
00:29:00
Speaker
This is where I'm gonna end today.
00:29:04
Speaker
Grace and mercy. If you're gonna write down two words today, grace and mercy. Grace and mercy, grace and mercy. Grace and All right, these are the things that should be on our mind and on our lips as we step out this week. May we be a people here at Cameron, at First Baptist, who freely and regularly shows God's grace and mercy to those we meet. And friends, that's everyone.
00:29:31
Speaker
not just other believers, that's everyone. Amen.