How a Person Can Change

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.960 These remain standing, and let's hear God's Word From Titus chapter three, tightus 2 00:00:05.080 --> 00:00:38.250 three, but this is tightus three. I'm going to read versus three through 3 00:00:38.890 --> 00:00:44.409 eight and then twelve through fifteen at the end, and then next week we'll 4 00:00:44.409 --> 00:00:52.399 look at those verses in between those two sections. So Titus three one through 5 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:58.759 eight remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, 6 00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:03.320 to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, 7 00:01:03.880 --> 00:01:08.829 to avoid quarreling, to be gentle and to show perfect courtesy toward all people, 8 00:01:10.989 --> 00:01:17.390 for we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient. Let us stray slaves to 9 00:01:17.510 --> 00:01:23.980 various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by 10 00:01:23.140 --> 00:01:30.420 others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God, 11 00:01:30.620 --> 00:01:36.049 our Savior, appeared, he saved us not because of works done by 12 00:01:36.129 --> 00:01:41.290 us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of 13 00:01:41.489 --> 00:01:46.129 regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on US 14 00:01:46.170 --> 00:01:51.000 richly through Jesus Christ, to our Savior, so that, being justified by 15 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:55.959 His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 16 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:00.560 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, 17 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:05.909 so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to 18 00:02:06.109 --> 00:02:12.590 good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. And now, 19 00:02:12.629 --> 00:02:17.340 verse twelve, when I send Artemis or Tichicus to you, do your best 20 00:02:17.460 --> 00:02:22.180 to come to me at Nico Paulus, for I have decided to spend the 21 00:02:22.300 --> 00:02:25.620 winter there. Do your best to speed Zenus, the lawyer and to Paulus 22 00:02:25.740 --> 00:02:30.009 on their way. See that they lack nothing, and let our people learn 23 00:02:30.169 --> 00:02:36.129 to devote themselves to good works so as to help cases of virgent need and 24 00:02:36.449 --> 00:02:39.449 not be unfruitful. All who are with me, send greetings to you. 25 00:02:40.409 --> 00:02:44.680 Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. 26 00:02:44.719 --> 00:03:02.189 Amen, please be seated well. These final verses in Titus remind us of 27 00:03:02.270 --> 00:03:07.789 the context of this letter. It's a letter, a written by a Paul, 28 00:03:07.310 --> 00:03:13.180 amongst a number of people are co workers. He describes them a fellow 29 00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:20.099 soldiers, workers for this common cause of spreading the Gospel. He's writing to 30 00:03:20.219 --> 00:03:23.139 titus, another one of these a CO workers. He calls him at the 31 00:03:23.180 --> 00:03:29.050 beginning of the book in Titus one for a true child in a common faith. 32 00:03:29.930 --> 00:03:34.689 On this to he has written to titus this. A true child in 33 00:03:34.770 --> 00:03:39.810 the common faith is coworker in Christ for the purpose of establishing a church or 34 00:03:40.050 --> 00:03:45.879 many churches there. In Crete, we read this in verse five of Chapter 35 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:49.439 One. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might 36 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:53.599 put what remained into order and a point elders in every town, as I 37 00:03:53.719 --> 00:03:58.990 directed you, Paul has a desire to see that the Gospel that he has 38 00:03:59.349 --> 00:04:02.270 a begun, that has been preached here, and the spirit that has brought 39 00:04:02.389 --> 00:04:09.949 forth, the fruit of faith and faith itself, that it be further established, 40 00:04:10.099 --> 00:04:15.460 that, as he says later on, that what remains be established. 41 00:04:15.220 --> 00:04:20.180 Paul has talking to tide us as a pastor and wants him to do the 42 00:04:20.259 --> 00:04:26.209 work as a pastor, and he's been instructing him in that. And one 43 00:04:26.250 --> 00:04:29.930 of the prominent themes that has come out a particularly in the last half of 44 00:04:30.050 --> 00:04:34.170 the book is this theme of good works. You read it in verse fourteen. 45 00:04:34.850 --> 00:04:42.199 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works. This is 46 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:46.519 something Paul Wants for the Churches of Christ and, as it comes to us 47 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:50.160 from the very spirit of God. We can say that this is what God 48 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:56.069 wants for his churches, this is what God wants for us, he wants 49 00:04:56.350 --> 00:05:00.949 his people, he wants us to learn to devote ourselves to good works. 50 00:05:00.990 --> 00:05:04.790 Here, at the end of the book, He gives two particular reasons, 51 00:05:05.189 --> 00:05:12.100 so as to help in cases of urgent need and not be unfruitful. You 52 00:05:12.139 --> 00:05:15.300 Remember, back in chapter two there are a number of other reasons he gave 53 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:19.060 on why we are to devote ourselves to good works and live out our callings 54 00:05:19.259 --> 00:05:24.730 in the various stations of life God has given us. He's called us to 55 00:05:24.810 --> 00:05:29.730 live in a way that honors his name, in ways that won't revile cause 56 00:05:29.810 --> 00:05:33.290 the word of God to be reviled, ways that will be a pleasing to 57 00:05:33.410 --> 00:05:40.000 God. We see it, we saw this theme also in Verse Fourteen of 58 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:45.399 Chapter Two, were we read that God did this saving work so that him 59 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:49.470 who gave himself for us to redeem us, that he redeemed us from all 60 00:05:49.670 --> 00:05:57.149 lawlessness, to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous 61 00:05:57.470 --> 00:06:00.069 for good works. So we are to be devoted to good works, we 62 00:06:00.189 --> 00:06:03.029 read at the end of chapter three. Yet the end of Chapter Two we 63 00:06:03.189 --> 00:06:08.779 wead that God im did his work that we might be zealous for good works. 64 00:06:09.740 --> 00:06:13.819 And then in verse eight of Chapter Three, we read that the saying 65 00:06:13.899 --> 00:06:16.740 is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things so that those 66 00:06:16.779 --> 00:06:21.449 who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. 67 00:06:23.449 --> 00:06:28.050 So if there's any question at all ever in your minds as to whether or 68 00:06:28.089 --> 00:06:32.560 not we should be devoted to good works, let that never be asked again. 69 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:38.680 It's perfectly clear, crystal clear. A God wants us to care, 70 00:06:39.879 --> 00:06:45.839 to be in love with, to be devoted to good works. What does 71 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:48.910 that look like? Well, you might compare to other things that you are 72 00:06:49.069 --> 00:06:54.870 devoted to or people are devoted to. Consider a man, for example, 73 00:06:54.990 --> 00:06:58.910 who is said to be devoted to his wife. What does he do for 74 00:06:59.069 --> 00:07:02.139 her? Well, he pays attention to her, he knows her, he 75 00:07:02.860 --> 00:07:08.500 gets he does everything he can to understand her, her and serve her. 76 00:07:08.540 --> 00:07:12.980 He is by her side, he is careful to be with her, to 77 00:07:13.139 --> 00:07:16.970 love her, and in every way he gives himself up for her. A 78 00:07:17.050 --> 00:07:21.170 man that is not devoted to his wife is one who goes after other women, 79 00:07:21.930 --> 00:07:26.250 one who doesn't care about her. Doesn't spend time with her, I'm 80 00:07:26.329 --> 00:07:31.879 doesn't pay attention to to her. You can say similar things about good works. 81 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:38.120 To be devoted good works means to care about them, to think of 82 00:07:38.279 --> 00:07:44.279 them as an important thing, the the it is the proverbs often describe the 83 00:07:44.350 --> 00:07:47.870 fool as the one who simply doesn't care, one who is ignorant of them. 84 00:07:48.310 --> 00:07:54.829 It's the wise person who goes after understanding the moral order that God has 85 00:07:54.910 --> 00:07:59.180 set in place and really seeks to know it. Is devoted to wisdom, 86 00:07:59.699 --> 00:08:05.139 not just in knowledge but the application of it. When we're devoted something, 87 00:08:05.180 --> 00:08:09.379 it means caring about it, learning about it, it means trying and trying 88 00:08:09.459 --> 00:08:13.209 again even when we fail, because it's what we love. We're devoted to 89 00:08:13.290 --> 00:08:18.370 it. Well, in addition to saying that we here to be devoted to 90 00:08:18.490 --> 00:08:24.009 good works, zealous for good works in our lives, Paul at the beginning 91 00:08:24.009 --> 00:08:30.720 of chapter three, gives some particulars of that in versus one through one and 92 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:35.759 two. He gives very specific commands. So if we were to ask, 93 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:39.360 okay, Lord, how are we supposed to live, then I'm what are 94 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:43.429 the ways in which we are supposed to be devoted to good works? We 95 00:08:43.509 --> 00:08:46.110 have several listed right here. There of course others, but let's pay to 96 00:08:46.190 --> 00:08:52.629 the attention to the ones appall mentions. He says remind them to be submissive 97 00:08:52.669 --> 00:08:58.659 to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good 98 00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:05.539 work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be 99 00:09:05.659 --> 00:09:11.889 gentle and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. If you look at this 100 00:09:13.970 --> 00:09:20.090 checklist and consider the last few hours, the last week, the last year, 101 00:09:20.289 --> 00:09:24.480 your life as a whole, how do you evaluate yourself? God has 102 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:30.159 put rulers and authorities over all of us. Every one of us have people 103 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:35.039 that are in charge and are to be submitted to. Have you done that? 104 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:41.070 Are we obedient? Are we not just doing good works, but are 105 00:09:41.110 --> 00:09:46.470 we ready for good works? And what of our tongues? Do we speak 106 00:09:46.750 --> 00:09:52.299 in evil ways of other people? Do we not only not quarrel but avoid 107 00:09:52.460 --> 00:09:58.340 quarreling? Do we seek to be gentle and show perfect court to see toward 108 00:09:58.419 --> 00:10:03.740 all people? These are the kinds of works that God says we, as 109 00:10:03.779 --> 00:10:09.169 Christians, are to be devoted to, and you can see them in stark 110 00:10:09.490 --> 00:10:16.570 contrast with verses three and four, for we ourselves were once foolish disobedient, 111 00:10:16.649 --> 00:10:22.159 let us stray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in 112 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:28.679 malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. If you take 113 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:33.240 these two characterizations and you imagine two people, one that is submissive, obedient, 114 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:37.669 ready for good, every good work, speaking evil of no one, 115 00:10:37.110 --> 00:10:43.190 pursuing gentleness, avoiding quarreling and showing perfect courtesy toward all people, and you 116 00:10:43.269 --> 00:10:48.389 have another one who is foolish, disobedient and slave to their passions and pleasures, 117 00:10:48.830 --> 00:10:54.940 hating people, being hated and passing his days in malice and envy. 118 00:10:56.500 --> 00:11:01.860 Which one do you want to be like? which person do you want to 119 00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:07.610 live with? What kind of society would you want to have? When we 120 00:11:07.649 --> 00:11:13.370 imagine this first person, this one that is submissive and obedient and gentle and 121 00:11:13.690 --> 00:11:18.960 ready for every good work, imagine for a moment what our communities, our 122 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:24.720 campuses, are churches, would be like if we were this kind of people. 123 00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:28.799 What if only the Christians in the world did this kind of thing? 124 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:35.429 How awesome would that be? How wonderful and pleasurable it would be to live 125 00:11:35.470 --> 00:11:39.629 a life like that, to be a person like that, to be known 126 00:11:39.990 --> 00:11:46.909 and be loved by people like that. When we consider the attractiveness of that 127 00:11:46.070 --> 00:11:52.179 kind of life, when we consider the God who commands us to it, 128 00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:58.460 when we consider the grace we have been given and being delivered from a different 129 00:11:58.500 --> 00:12:03.970 kind of life into that, we find ourselves hopefully wanting to do these kinds 130 00:12:03.049 --> 00:12:09.409 of things. How how do we do these kinds of things? How do 131 00:12:09.529 --> 00:12:16.519 we become this kind of person, this kind of pleasurable, enjoyable, wise 132 00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:24.480 good person? Well, there's all kinds of practical things we could consider, 133 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:30.470 all kinds of really great tips and suggestions which should be learned and employed. 134 00:12:31.990 --> 00:12:39.389 But let's focus on the thing that God gives us to focus on. What 135 00:12:39.669 --> 00:12:46.620 is Paul's answer to this question? What does Paul say to Titus? He 136 00:12:46.820 --> 00:12:52.940 says in verse a, the saying is trustworthy, and I want you to 137 00:12:52.340 --> 00:13:00.129 insist on these things so that those who have believed in God may be careful 138 00:13:00.169 --> 00:13:05.970 to devote themselves to good works, Paul says to Titus. All right, 139 00:13:05.129 --> 00:13:11.049 pastor, I want you to insist on these things, saw that the people 140 00:13:11.610 --> 00:13:16.159 will be devoted to good works, those people that have believed in God, 141 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:22.840 Christians. Well, what are the these things? What are the things that 142 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:30.990 Paul that God himself wants this pastor and all ministers to not just mention, 143 00:13:31.870 --> 00:13:39.389 but insist on, focus on, spend their time on. Well, it's 144 00:13:39.429 --> 00:13:48.139 what we have in versus three through eight. First we've already read versus verse 145 00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:56.210 three. This describes our sinful state. Ministers of God are supposed to describe 146 00:13:56.370 --> 00:14:01.049 our sinful state, to point out what we once were, what we have 147 00:14:01.169 --> 00:14:05.889 been rescued from, what the flesh and side is like because of original sin, 148 00:14:05.009 --> 00:14:11.360 and that's bad. Versus three says we were once foolish, disobedient, 149 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:20.039 led astray and so on, slaves to various passions and pleasures. But the 150 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:26.230 minister is not only to describe and remind people of their sinful states, but 151 00:14:26.429 --> 00:14:30.029 to remind them as Christians. That's that's that. That is something that they 152 00:14:30.070 --> 00:14:37.950 have come out of. Verse Four. But when the goodness and loving kindness 153 00:14:37.070 --> 00:14:43.379 of God, our Savior, appeared, he saved us not because of works 154 00:14:43.460 --> 00:14:50.139 done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy. This is 155 00:14:52.179 --> 00:14:56.450 what we call the good news. This is what we call the Gospel, 156 00:14:56.730 --> 00:15:01.009 which means good news. God has gone to people that are enslaved to sin, 157 00:15:01.370 --> 00:15:07.639 hating people spending their days not just in laziness, but spending their days, 158 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:16.159 passing their time in malice and envy, and he saved them. God 159 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:20.990 has come into the world, his God, our Savior, has appeared. 160 00:15:22.029 --> 00:15:28.309 Mention here of Jesus Christ being manifested, made flesh, and he saved us. 161 00:15:30.230 --> 00:15:33.950 Not because we rescued ourselves out of this sinful states, no, but 162 00:15:35.110 --> 00:15:41.740 because of God, according to his own mercy. We read, then, 163 00:15:43.100 --> 00:15:46.860 not only of our sinful states and not only the appearing of God our Savior, 164 00:15:48.340 --> 00:15:50.570 but of this great work that he has done, and Paul describes this 165 00:15:50.690 --> 00:15:56.009 in such beautiful terms. He saved us not because of works done by us 166 00:15:56.129 --> 00:16:03.289 in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration 167 00:16:03.690 --> 00:16:07.360 and the renewal of the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on US richly through 168 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:12.159 Jesus Christ, our Savior, so that, being justified by His grace, 169 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:18.870 we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal wife. I want you 170 00:16:18.909 --> 00:16:22.110 to insist on these things. It's trustworthy, and when you insist on these 171 00:16:22.190 --> 00:16:26.789 things, tight us that people of God will devote themselves to good works. 172 00:16:30.669 --> 00:16:36.100 Isn't that amazing? Paul, of course, wants him pete but wants tied 173 00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:40.820 us to remind people of their duties to God, he says, remind them 174 00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:44.860 to be submissive to rulers, authorities, and so on and so forth. 175 00:16:45.139 --> 00:16:49.570 He wants tied us to tell them the law, but he tells him specifically 176 00:16:49.929 --> 00:16:56.529 that these things won't happen unless he insists on the Gospel. That is how 177 00:16:56.769 --> 00:17:03.559 we are changed, that's how churches are grown, that's how we are established 178 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:07.759 in the faith and begin to produce the things that we want to produce. 179 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:14.039 That's the answer to the question. How can we be these, this kind 180 00:17:14.119 --> 00:17:19.109 of people? And the answer is by the grace of God. He justifies 181 00:17:19.269 --> 00:17:23.910 us in Jesus Christ, not according to our righteousness, but according to his. 182 00:17:26.190 --> 00:17:30.779 He confirms our hope in him by giving us an inheritance of eternal life. 183 00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:36.900 He says that we in Jesus become heirs according to the hope of eternal 184 00:17:37.019 --> 00:17:41.339 life. He says, in these few verses packed so tightly with so many 185 00:17:41.660 --> 00:17:48.210 Gospel truths, that he gave us the spirit who cleanses us, washes US 186 00:17:48.809 --> 00:17:55.130 and renews us. These are promises that were promised back in the Old Testament. 187 00:17:55.809 --> 00:17:59.759 Ezekiel, thirty six, twenty five I will sprinkle clean water on you 188 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:03.640 and you shall be clean from all your uncleanliness and from all your idols. 189 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:10.359 I will cleanse you. Hebrews ten, twenty two. Let us draw near 190 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:15.630 with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled 191 00:18:15.750 --> 00:18:22.549 clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water, the Holy 192 00:18:22.589 --> 00:18:27.539 Spirit. Not only does God desire to save us and sends a savior, 193 00:18:29.299 --> 00:18:33.980 but then he sends us a spirit to sprinkle as clean, to wash US 194 00:18:34.420 --> 00:18:41.890 and renew us. We even read in these verses here on that this washing, 195 00:18:41.009 --> 00:18:45.410 of regeneration and then renewal of the Holy Spirit comes when he is poured 196 00:18:45.450 --> 00:18:52.529 out richly on us through Jesus Christ, our Savior. He didn't just give 197 00:18:52.609 --> 00:19:00.079 us the Holy Spirit, he poured out the Holy Spirit richly on you, 198 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:08.240 on you, who is sinful, hating, full of malice and envy. 199 00:19:08.359 --> 00:19:15.589 God has poured himself out on you, called you a son, made you 200 00:19:15.829 --> 00:19:21.269 an air, rescued you from sin and death, all because of his grace. 201 00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:30.779 So we are right to ask how are we changed? And the answer 202 00:19:30.859 --> 00:19:37.460 is by the grace of God. How does that happen? How is it 203 00:19:38.369 --> 00:19:42.769 the pastor might ask himself. By insisting on the truths of the Gospel, 204 00:19:42.849 --> 00:19:48.210 the people of God will be careful to devote themselves to the works of the 205 00:19:48.289 --> 00:19:55.079 law, zealous even. How is it that the preaching of the Gospel can 206 00:19:55.279 --> 00:20:00.960 turn people, can page people and even bring about excellent and profitable lives? 207 00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:06.960 Well, it's my hope that you already have the beginning of this answer, 208 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:11.150 if not more, in your heart. In hearing the goodness of your heart, 209 00:20:11.230 --> 00:20:15.230 if in hearing the goodness of the grace of God that was given to 210 00:20:15.390 --> 00:20:22.099 you, who didn't deserve it, this wonderful gift of God himself giving himself 211 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:26.980 to you, if that doesn't make you want to serve God, then there's 212 00:20:27.019 --> 00:20:33.019 a problem inside. If the Gospel hasn't touched you in a way that has 213 00:20:33.140 --> 00:20:37.690 changed you, if when you when you receive and hear of the good gifts 214 00:20:37.690 --> 00:20:40.650 of God being granted to you, and you kind of shrug your shoulders and 215 00:20:40.690 --> 00:20:48.289 say there's a problem and we should talk the Gospel, the the good news 216 00:20:48.369 --> 00:20:52.880 of the grace of God works in us in a way that we almost can't 217 00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:57.759 help but respond with obedience and love and worship. Now, it's true, 218 00:20:57.799 --> 00:21:03.079 we don't always do this, and it's why tied us is called to remind 219 00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:07.069 them of these things. Even though this fruit is produced in us by the 220 00:21:07.150 --> 00:21:11.470 spirit, we are called to work in it. But when we hear the 221 00:21:11.549 --> 00:21:18.700 Gospel, we become like children thinking about their birthdays. When we hear the 222 00:21:18.819 --> 00:21:22.779 Gospel, the good news about how we have been reborn and be nude by 223 00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:29.299 the grace of God and the Holy Spirit, we smile. We think, 224 00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:33.009 isn't this amazing? Look at what God has has done for me, and 225 00:21:33.170 --> 00:21:40.450 this begins to answer the question. When we hear and, more importantly, 226 00:21:40.490 --> 00:21:45.930 when we believe, these things, we find that we're careful to devote ourselves 227 00:21:45.970 --> 00:21:49.640 to good work out of the necessity of the spirit of God working in our 228 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:56.880 hearts. The sorrow that you feel for sin, the hatred that you feel 229 00:21:56.079 --> 00:22:00.549 of the of the sin in your life, that comes from the spirit of 230 00:22:00.670 --> 00:22:07.430 God working in you bringing about repentance in your life, the gratitude that you 231 00:22:07.509 --> 00:22:12.990 feel, the thankfulness that you have inside, the assurance that is there of 232 00:22:14.269 --> 00:22:17.740 what God has done for you, that he has indeed adopted you as his 233 00:22:17.859 --> 00:22:23.859 child. This comes because of him working in you. When we know the 234 00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:29.539 works that God has done for us, we begin to respond by nature, 235 00:22:29.700 --> 00:22:38.529 by spiritual nature, in praise and obedience. When we don't hear the Gospel, 236 00:22:40.490 --> 00:22:44.880 when we don't believe the Gospel, the opposite happens. We hear of 237 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:48.839 the duties God has commanded and we despair. We think of our sin and 238 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:52.240 we think, well, that's it. We think of the obstacles in the 239 00:22:52.359 --> 00:22:56.799 world, the inevitability of death, the Vanity of life, just spinning on 240 00:22:57.000 --> 00:23:03.109 and on and on, without really anything happening except more evil and more sin. 241 00:23:03.230 --> 00:23:10.829 Without the Gospel, we're left with nothing but death and depression despair. 242 00:23:11.549 --> 00:23:15.619 But with the Gospel we have the promise, the hope, the assurance of 243 00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:23.420 something new, something real, something confirmed, and we can have confidence in 244 00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:27.650 it, beloved, because it is not a work done by us in righteousness. 245 00:23:29.690 --> 00:23:34.450 We didn't drill deeper down into the Aquifer of our evil and fine goodness 246 00:23:34.529 --> 00:23:40.569 all of a sudden. No, we are given the grace of God, 247 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:48.000 the spirit poured out richly on us. That is how the change happens and 248 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:53.519 that is how the change continues to happen. God Not only justifies us by 249 00:23:53.559 --> 00:23:59.430 the righteousness of Christ, but he continues to work in us to conform us 250 00:23:59.549 --> 00:24:07.190 to his image. The reason you desire these things and the reason you will 251 00:24:07.390 --> 00:24:14.660 pursue, in zeal and, devotion, Godliness and service and worship is because 252 00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:18.099 God is working in you and he will continue to work in you. So 253 00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:22.539 when you despair of your sin and when you feel the weight of it and 254 00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:27.049 the oppression of it, and and and and in then the recognition of it 255 00:24:27.490 --> 00:24:32.450 yet once again, in one more week, one more failure, do not 256 00:24:32.609 --> 00:24:38.720 despair but hear of the greater works of Jesus Christ, of God the Father 257 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:44.599 and God the spirit, who has been at work in the world and is 258 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:48.839 also at work in you. And so, as Christians, we are called 259 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:56.869 to think deeply about the law of God, to pursue it in hardy hearts 260 00:24:56.390 --> 00:25:03.630 and full devotion, full steam ahead. But we do it as people who 261 00:25:03.630 --> 00:25:07.140 have been changed by grace and who know that when we fail in this, 262 00:25:07.779 --> 00:25:14.099 we can go back to God again for forgiveness and for grace, knowing that 263 00:25:14.220 --> 00:25:18.460 he will continue us and persevere us to the very end because, as the 264 00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:23.930 Bible says, Jesus Christ is both the author and perfector of our faiths. 265 00:25:26.130 --> 00:25:36.759 May God grant us this kind of faith. Let us pray our father in 266 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:41.440 heaven we thank you for setting your loving eye is on us. We did 267 00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:47.839 not deserve this. We fully admit to you our sinfulness are in both our 268 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:52.910 particular acts and in the nature of our flesh, and we ask, Oh 269 00:25:53.029 --> 00:25:56.710 God, that you would humble us as we see these things, that you 270 00:25:56.750 --> 00:26:00.150 would help us to hate the flesh that is in us, that the evil 271 00:26:00.269 --> 00:26:07.259 that remains, to turn away from our wickedness and our evil. We asked, 272 00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:11.019 Lord, that you would help us to turn not merely away from from 273 00:26:11.059 --> 00:26:18.220 these things, but unto Jesus, who promises to change US and renew us 274 00:26:18.299 --> 00:26:22.529 and to wash US clean. Lord, without him, the darkness around us 275 00:26:22.569 --> 00:26:29.609 and in our hearts overwhelms us, it enslaves us. We asked, Lord, 276 00:26:29.690 --> 00:26:32.529 that you would break these chains, that you would set us free all 277 00:26:32.650 --> 00:26:37.480 will because of the powerful grace that comes to us in Jesus, poured out 278 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:41.119 to us by the spirit. We ask, Lord, that you would put 279 00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:45.160 our confidence in him and that you would help us, I'm to believe, 280 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:52.069 this message of Chrace, so that we may no longer live in our sin 281 00:26:52.029 --> 00:26:56.349 but might live according to the spirit, slaves and righteousness and of good works. 282 00:26:57.630 --> 00:27:03.339 We asked, Lord, we pray for this particular congregation of your people, 283 00:27:03.180 --> 00:27:07.420 for this particular or expression of your church. We ask, Lord, 284 00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:12.180 that we would not be lazy or foolish about the law, but would be 285 00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:18.210 devoted to it, zealous for it, striving after every good work that we 286 00:27:18.289 --> 00:27:22.650 might please you. But, Lord, keep us from sinful pride and keep 287 00:27:22.690 --> 00:27:30.000 us from failure. Keep us, Lord, in your grace and help us 288 00:27:30.039 --> 00:27:33.440 to work not according to our strength, but according to the strength of the 289 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:38.440 spirit of working in us. We ask, Lord, that you would do 290 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:42.680 this, as we think about the particular needs of your people that have been 291 00:27:44.630 --> 00:27:48.589 mentioned this evening. In all of these particular circumstances, we asked that you 292 00:27:48.589 --> 00:27:55.390 would help your people to acquit themselves well and that you might be glorified by 293 00:27:55.470 --> 00:28:00.140 your work in us. Pray for Leeds to and and her husband Bill. 294 00:28:00.180 --> 00:28:03.140 We asked that you would be with him in these surgeries and that you would 295 00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:11.140 help him to recover. We also pray for this blood clot that he has 296 00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:17.490 and asked that you would bring him healing and, as you do that, 297 00:28:17.690 --> 00:28:22.170 Lord, we asked that he would become very aware of your mercy and would 298 00:28:22.210 --> 00:28:27.480 turn to you for his salvation. We also pray for Steve and Sarah Wilson. 299 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:30.680 We asked that you would be with them as they