Loving the Church, Part 2.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Titus chapter 1 go ahead and open your Bibles if you have them today [0:04] We’re gonna be it’s kind of a continuation of what we talked about last week when we introduced [0:09] The topic and the subject of elders in the life of the church of course the term elder and pastor is [0:17] is interchangeable in the New Testament and [0:20] We kind of started looking last week at the purpose of what elders do [0:24] When we started the studying the book of Titus what we saw was Titus kind of unraveling

[0:32] Paul writing here to a pastor in Crete named Titus what we saw him doing as he began to unravel [0:38] For Titus what God’s purpose throughout history has been and that has been to [0:44] Redeem for himself a people and those people would be his church [0:49] And then what he’s doing is he’s entrusting the revelation of himself to the church in order that the church will live [0:57] this mission that Jesus has given them through his work and [1:02] Through what he has accomplished already for us and what he has won for us where acceptance and reconciliation

[1:08] With God is concerned and we as a church are to come together [1:12] Under this vision that Ephesians 2 has for us [1:15] And we are to build the church build the walls on a foundation that is set sure by Jesus himself [1:24] And what he does then is he reveals to Titus how this is going to take place last week [1:31] We started with just kind of coming to an understanding of why do we even need leadership in the church [1:38] Why do we need pastors because you can’t really lay out?

[1:43] What the qualifications for an elder are or why are what elders are supposed to do before [1:50] You understand why we even need them [1:52] Because for many of us it’s something that the pastor is somebody that comes and gives a word of [1:59] Encouragement or just preaches to us on Sunday morning [2:02] but outside of that we don’t really have a concept of what God is doing through the life of the church because [2:08] Sometimes in our culture it has just become a Sunday morning event and then we retreat to our lives

[2:14] And so what we did last week was we unfolded where how God sees the church and what the purpose of the church is [2:20] We saw how the church is the fullness of Christ as he fills [2:25] The church and then we saw where the church is the bride of Christ that God desires to lavish his love [2:33] Onto his people through Jesus and he sets leadership in place and he tells Titus and [2:40] 1 5 that he left him in Crete as Paul started this church on this island and he left Titus there to [2:48] Set things in order so that the church

[2:52] Can begin to look more and more like the bride of Christ because let’s be really honest [2:59] When we first come to faith in Jesus [3:02] We don’t really look much like a bride [3:05] At the first at the star. We’re just trying to keep it all together [3:09] We’re just trying to make sure that that you know our our [3:13] Where our life is concerned that our shirt kind of stays tucked in and nobody sees the dirt around our collar

[3:19] Because if they knew who we really were they wouldn’t accept us and [3:25] What the church how we function is is that we help each other we grow each other we build each other [3:31] We disciple each other not so that we can become better at hiding our sin from each other [3:37] But so that we can become more honest about who we are so that we can begin to trust the gospel of Jesus [3:44] more and more for the [3:46] Purification of our sins and not trust some vain

[3:50] Religion where we’re just trying to wash the sin off of ourselves through becoming part of some [3:56] Ethic of life where morality is the norm [4:00] Because that doesn’t save anyone [4:02] Only the work of Jesus can reconcile us with God and redeem us and what Paul is laying out [4:10] Through the installment of elders is men who are qualified not through their hard work

[4:19] But through their trust and faith in the gospel of Jesus [4:26] If you rise to a position of authority through your hard work through your grit [4:32] Through this white knuckle lifestyle where you’re tougher than everyone else [4:37] And you are more moral than everyone else and you’re better than everyone else [4:42] All that you’re going to produce is a church full of people trying to be you

[4:48] That is not the goal of an elder [4:51] That is not what Paul lays out here last week when we looked those qualifications [4:56] What Paul was really showing us was men who have [5:01] Believed the gospel and that the gospel has taken root in their lives and out of this unwavering trust in the gospel [5:10] Transformation begins to happen through their passionate [5:13] Relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the spirit fills them and out comes these

[5:20] Qualifications of redemption and transformation through trust in the gospel [5:25] All right, and this week we’re gonna take a look [5:28] This is kind of a sequel from last week because this week we’re gonna take a look at what Paul is really gonna lay out as [5:34] the most important [5:36] qualification for an elder an [5:39] Elder must love the church, but he must love the church to a point where he has a life that is

[5:46] Saturated with the truth of the gospel to where he teaches the people the truth of the gospel [5:54] unapologetically [5:54] If you have your Bibles Titus chapter 1, we’re gonna read verse 9 again this week. It’s where we left off last

[6:04] Verse 9 he’s continuing through the qualifications and he says he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as [6:12] taught [6:13] So that he may be able to give instruction and sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradicted [6:20] All right. Let’s go ahead and just stop there for just a minute [6:22] All right, if you notice the way he starts [6:26] When he says he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as

[6:30] instructor as taught [6:32] All right notice if you’ll go back to the beginning of chapter 1 what Paul is doing here is he is [6:39] Reiterating or bringing his mind back the mind of Titus back to what he said was true of him [6:46] Because notice if you go back to the beginning of the book there [6:49] He says in verse 3 in eternal in hope of eternal life which God who never lies [6:55] promised before the ages began at the proper time

[6:59] Manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior [7:06] He’s saying the same word that has been revealed to me through the work of Jesus Christ [7:13] Through the revelation that God has given myself the prophets of the Old Testament the apostles of the New Testament [7:19] That word that was manifested by a God who never lies [7:24] Has been entrusted to me and what he’s telling Titus is Titus you are to entrust that same [7:33] revelation the word

[7:35] All right in the Greek. It’s the same word logos [7:38] It’s the same term that is used by the Apostle John in John 1 where he says in the beginning was the word [7:47] Testifying of Jesus Christ as the revelation of God the Father to us

[7:53] And he’s revealed himself through Jesus [7:55] And he’s revealed himself through the word as given to the Apostles to testify about Jesus Christ and [8:03] Paul says that the elders must

[8:08] Hold firm to this trustworthy word

[8:14] All right, and then he tells Titus and Titus how are they gonna learn it?

[8:20] Notice that he says in verse 9 he says as taught

[8:26] So he’s telling Titus Titus you have a responsibility here you have a responsibility to the church [8:33] That I have planted and created it’s actually many churches to the churches that I have planted in Crete [8:37] You are to teach this word that has been given to you by me that was given to me by Jesus [8:44] Who was prophesied throughout the Old Testament would come? [8:48] All right, he places the most important emphasis because he’s gonna spend the rest of chapter 1 [8:54] And in the beginning of chapter 2 laying out the most important emphasis for an elder is that an elder must

[9:01] teach the scriptures

[9:05] All right [9:08] When Paul begins to lay out

[9:12] For Titus what must take place in the church he drives him back to this [9:18] Revelation that we saw in verses 1 through 4 and he says the elders must be taught this [9:26] But it’s not just going to be a static knowledge or a static information in their mind [9:32] But rather it must be something that is coming out of them to the people of the church and [9:40] What is the grand story of the scriptures? [9:45] We saw this in verses 1 through 4 the story of the scriptures is the gospel

[9:53] When you look from Genesis 1 through Revelation 22 you must understand that this is all the story of [10:02] the gospel [10:03] That this is not just the gospel is this one part where four books lay out [10:10] What God’s redemptive plan for us was in that moment? [10:14] And then you look at the Old Testament and you get a lot of morality out of it [10:18] You get a lot of thou shouts and thou shalt nots you pour blood over here. You put blood behind your ear

[10:23] Jesus is coming then Jesus comes well [10:25] The Old Testament is now something that we just kind of look back on and we get our [10:29] Judeo-Christian ethic from and we hang the ten commandments on our wall so that we know we shouldn’t murder [10:33] We shouldn’t steal we shouldn’t kill and then we go to the New Testament then everything that comes after [10:39] Jesus is the Apostles laying out for us how to come together on a Sunday morning and have church [10:45] That is not the gospel

[10:49] The gospel is the entire word of God

[10:55] Because in Genesis 1

[10:59] We see God create then in Genesis 3 [11:03] We see man fall and in the very end of Genesis 3 what we see is [11:09] God through his judgment on [11:13] That sin lays out [11:16] the gospel is coming

[11:19] I’m gonna defeat sin. I’m not surprised

[11:26] That’s why Paul puts this drastic emphasis on the trust worthiness of [11:33] The word because never in Scripture. Do you see God even for a moment? [11:40] Have panic [11:42] Never do you see him for a moment have shock never do you see him for a moment have surprise?

[11:50] And so if you are going to lead the church you must have an [11:55] unwavering faith in the gospel that can come out of your life and not be some simple [12:02] Eloquent speech that you come up in front of people and give that is totally fake and is total hypocrisy [12:10] Because behind the scenes of what I’m saying on Sunday morning. There’s absolute terror. There’s absolute panic [12:17] There’s no faith my life is falling apart. I have no idea what to do

[12:26] Or bad things gonna happen absolutely I wake up in the morning bad things just start happening immediately I

[12:33] Mean that’s a story of my life. Maybe not yours [12:36] Maybe you wake up every morning and you just hear the birds chirping. I wake up in the morning sometimes and I want them to shut up [12:45] I saw I’m talking about here. I’m not saying the gospel gets rid of the bad times [12:49] Let me tell you the gospel gets you through

[12:52] Because I know I have a greater hope [12:55] And I know where these problems came from that came from my rebellious heart

[13:02] and [13:02] The elder must be able to teach the gospel [13:07] If you cannot teach the gospel then what good are you for the people of God? [13:13] That’s the vision that Paul is laying out here. That’s why this is the most important qualification

[13:21] And this doesn’t mean that you have to come up here on Sunday mornings and be able to preach [13:26] All right for some people that’s absolutely terrifying [13:31] What’s terrifying for me is after when you all come up to me one-on-one? [13:35] That’s terrifying [13:37] Alright coming up here. I feel pretty safe. I [13:40] Don’t think there are any crazy people that are crazy enough to come up here and try to fight me or anything

[13:45] Alright, I’m not saying I’d win. I’m just hoping you’re not crazy [13:48] Because if y’all you might win [13:50] All right

[13:53] But what I’m saying here is that the elder if you look down to the end of verse 9 notice what he says

[14:00] So that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine. I don’t want you to hone in on that [14:07] Sound doctrine what does that mean it means basically the word there is good or healthy [14:15] teaching [14:16] All right go to Acts chapter 2 verse 42 and we’re gonna begin to see how the church [14:22] Begins to lay out how it grows in Acts 2 verse 42 it says and they devoted themselves [14:27] This is the very first statement of the Church of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem

[14:33] Right after [14:34] 3000 people got saved and they founded the first church he says what did they do they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and [14:44] The fellowship to the breaking of bread and the prayers notice the first thing that they commit themselves to is [14:52] sound doctrine [14:55] Because let me tell you if you don’t start there, then you’ll never get fellowship breaking of bread and prayers

[15:03] What you’ll get is some confused potluck where you’re eating food that you don’t like and you’re sitting with people that you don’t [15:10] Want to talk to and you’re faking it

[15:14] Because if you don’t center around the Apostles teaching which is saturated with the gospel [15:22] Then you will never see what you have in common with each other [15:27] You will never see the beauty of the gospel in each other’s lives [15:31] You will never center yourselves around that truth of the gospel and find your common [15:38] Ground in the gospel and what you will end up with is a church that is [15:43] disconnected with people coming together simply because of what they have in common with each other I

[15:51] Don’t have a lot in common with most of you probably [15:56] All right, and it’s not a bad statement on you. It’s probably a bad statement on me. I don’t have many hobbies I [16:03] Live a pretty boring life [16:04] You guys are way more exciting than I am

[16:09] But that does not separate us where the Church of Jesus Christ is concerned [16:14] Inside of the church why we come together is not based on the same reasons that you meet your friends at Starbucks on [16:22] Tuesday mornings with

[16:25] Why we come together is the truth of the gospel as laid out in the scriptures and [16:32] What the elders do the reason it was the Apostles teaching is because the Apostles were coming to them saying this is the revelation [16:39] Of Jesus Christ as seen from Genesis 1 up until now and now we come together [16:44] And we say this is the gospel of Jesus Christ from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 up until now and [16:52] That is what we find our common ground in that is where fellowship comes from that is where breaking of bread comes from [17:00] And that is where your life of prayer comes from

[17:03] If you can’t figure out why you can’t pray it’s because you don’t know the word

[17:12] If your prayers are just filled with me me just give me I’m sick heal me God if that’s all that you have [17:20] In your prayer is give give give give me

[17:25] You have neglected the word and it’s most likely because you have not been taught the word

[17:35] That is why elders exist

[17:41] And some of you are probably sent out there well who do you think you are teaching me

[17:49] All right [17:51] I’m nobody

[17:55] But God has given me the gospel and that’s what I give to you [18:00] That’s why I’m not coming up here giving you my opinions on how to have a healthy marriage

[18:06] It’s quite frankly you don’t need that healthy marriage can send you straight to hell just like sin can [18:14] Because if that’s all you want out of life guess what that’s an idol

[18:19] So I will rarely give five tips to communicating with your wife [18:24] Because most of the time I need somebody to give me five tips to communicate to my wife

[18:32] Sometimes I get up in the morning. What’s your problem woman? I don’t know what to say [18:37] right [18:38] I’m gonna tell you if your marriage is falling apart [18:41] It’s because you’re both centers

[18:46] You want to know what the cure for that is the gospel I [18:52] Wouldn’t know what serving my wife was if Jesus hadn’t died and risen from the dead I [18:58] Wouldn’t know what friendship was Jesus hadn’t laid down his life for me

[19:04] The cure for your life is the gospel not advice watch the dr. Phil show for that

[19:14] I mean sometimes I don’t know maybe gives bad advice. They’ve laughed. I don’t know what that meant all right um

[19:21] The elders must be able to teach the gospel it must come out of a life saturated by the gospel [19:26] But here’s what you have to understand the gospel is the source of sound doctrine [19:33] Alright I kind of skipped ahead and covered that without saying it, but the gospel is the source of sound doctrine if [19:40] You want to know theology if you get in this group alright because sometimes [19:45] I know I lead a men’s Bible study on Monday nights [19:47] And if you’re a man in here you ought to come we have a good time at Starbucks together when Dave’s not there

[19:52] But you know we have a good time all right if you’re in my office [19:55] So you’re laughing if you’re not like why being so mean to Dave all right

[20:01] All right we come together and sometimes [20:03] We’ll be talking about theology [20:06] We’ll be talking about God and I can tell some people are being lost [20:10] All right, and they’re like I have no idea where you guys are going with what you’re saying right now [20:15] All right, but here’s the key what we have done inside of the church is we have convinced ourselves [20:22] That we have to dumb everything down

[20:26] to a point where we have left all [20:30] Scripture and all that God has revealed about himself [20:34] To us through his word and we have dumbed it down to where now we see God’s word as just this [20:42] Handbook to life it’s God’s tool book for your brokenness [20:46] All right, these are five easy steps to how to be happy [20:51] Because we think we have to communicate

[20:54] To a point where what we see as the dumbest person among us can catch up [21:00] If you can order a drink at Starbucks you can know theology

[21:07] All right I [21:10] Have guys that I know that know every starting player on the Redskins know all of their stats from last year [21:17] Know their win-loss record for the past 20 years remember the last time they won a Super Bowl which is amazing [21:23] But then they’ll look me in the face and say I just don’t get the Bible [21:28] It’s not that you’re stupid. It’s that you’re lazy

[21:33] And you’re finding more joy in your life and in the frivolity of it and in just the trivial [21:41] nature of what a boy throwing a ball can do [21:45] Rather than finding satisfaction in the gospel of Jesus Christ [21:51] It’s not that there’s something wrong with all of us. Well. Yeah, it is it’s called sin

[21:57] But quite frankly it’s because we do not have leadership [22:02] That’ll be honest with us [22:05] They’re just fighting to keep us coming and keep us timing

[22:10] That’s not my goal

[22:15] My goal is to see lives changed [22:18] And that only happens through the gospel [22:23] Our problem is is we think sometimes we need less than the gospel or we think we need to move past the gospel [22:31] Because we don’t understand that it’s all the gospel

[22:35] If you ever grow past the gospel you’ve stepped into false teaching [22:40] If you ever go less than the gospel you don’t even know Jesus

[22:46] It’s all about the gospel [22:50] You need the gospel look at what the Apostle Paul says in the book of Galatians

[22:58] In Galatians chapter 3 [23:01] Paul gives us this vision. He says now before faith came all right. He’s talking about [23:06] Past the Old Testament is before faith came we were held captive under the law [23:13] All right, which really to me just kind of abolishes every thought that if you obey the Ten Commandments [23:20] You’re good with God no Paul tells you if you are under the law. You’re held captive. You’re in prison because you can’t obey it [23:29] imprisoned until the coming faith look at this would be

[23:34] Revealed remember in the beginning of Titus 1 when he says as it was revealed at the proper time [23:40] It’s not that God planned it while it was happening [23:43] It’s that God knew when events needed to happen and he laid out history that way [23:48] So then the law was our guardian until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith [23:54] But now that faith has come we are no longer under a guardian

[24:02] Do you see how he is showing us that it is all the gospel it’s always been the gospel and it’s never about [24:10] Anything but the gospel if you want to know God you must know the gospel [24:16] And you must stay in the gospel and you must saturate yourself with the gospel [24:21] You must just continue to cling to the gospel and you must constantly remind yourself of [24:27] The gospel because we are quick to forget [24:31] Not a day goes by that most of us don’t try to find our security and earn our keep with God

[24:39] By just simply being a good moral person

[24:45] Galatians right there abolishes the idea that we can ever be good enough that we can ever be moral enough [24:53] Go back to Titus

[24:59] In verse 9 he ends and he says rebuke those who contradict the gospel [25:05] Then he goes on [25:07] For there are many who are in subordinate [25:10] empty talkers and deceivers especially those of the circumcision party they must be silenced [25:18] Since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach [25:24] One of the Cretans a prophet of their own

[25:28] Said Cretans are always liars evil beasts lazy gluttons [25:33] This testimony is true therefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in their faith

[25:43] Not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth [25:51] All right Paul just gets kind of nasty there [25:55] And he says you know sound doctrine so that you can instruct the church [26:00] But you must also know sound doctrine so that you can rebuke those who contradict it [26:05] And then he spends the next five verses laying out [26:09] This is who you are protecting the church from and you must rebuke them

[26:18] Because he says some people are coming into the church of Crete and they are [26:24] Upsetting whole families because they’re going person to person saying you hear what Paul was teaching us

[26:33] He wasn’t right I’ll show you the right way [26:38] He says it was the circumcision party and if you want to know all about the circumcision party go to Galatians [26:45] We have 20 weeks worth of podcasts about it [26:48] Where these people came into the church telling the church total heresy total lies if you want acceptance [26:54] With God you must be circumcised and follow the whole law

[26:59] Then God will accept you [27:02] All right, but just Jesus. That’s not enough [27:05] right and Paul is telling Titus Titus you have a mandate not simply to go up in front of the church as a pastor and [27:14] Teach the people who are willing to listen [27:16] But you must also get in the face of the people who are rebellious against the gospel and you must rebuke them sharply [27:23] All right, this is why to be a pastor or an elder it is very difficult to be a limp wristed effeminate man

[27:33] All right, if you are scared of people don’t become a pastor

[27:41] All right [27:42] You better fear God more than you fear men and that is what Titus is laying out [27:47] That’s what Paul is laying out to Titus for the men that he must install and I’m not talking about the bravado here [27:55] All right. I’m talking about true unwavering faith that when a wolf comes into your fold and [28:02] Begins to eat your sheep. You have the guts to shoot that wolf

[28:09] And this is the analogy that the scripture gives about pastors and about Jesus who is called constantly the good shepherd Jesus himself [28:17] Gives himself as the shepherd but when we read Psalm 23 [28:21] We see this great analogy given where he says that Ron and that staff comfort me and says [28:27] Shepherd staff would would be pretty tall and it would have this crook around it and a shepherd would carry it and it would [28:34] Be kind of a walking stick, but then sometimes sheep which are really stupid animals [28:38] Which is offensive if you’re like in the church, which I am, you know

[28:42] I’m in the church and I’m constantly compared to a sheep by Jesus [28:45] I’m like Jesus you really don’t much respect for me do you and he probably says no I don’t [28:49] You know because and why not because you’re not me. Okay, that makes sense [28:53] You know, we’re constantly called sheep [28:55] But here’s where the shepherd staff would come into play the sheep will begin to wander off and they’re so dumb [29:02] That if there’s a sheep behind a sheep behind a sheep and mr. One sheep

[29:06] He starts going the wrong way the rest of them like why guys I’ll just follow him [29:10] All right [29:12] And what the shepherd has to do is the shepherd has to take his staff and he has to hook around the neck [29:16] And say whoa come back [29:18] You’re getting too far off. Whoa, come back getting too far off. Whoa, you come back

[29:25] This is what Paul is saying through instruction through teaching that’s what you’re doing with your church [29:32] You’re bringing them back [29:33] Always bring them back to the gospel because they’re gonna want to go past the gospel. They’re not gonna want to hear the gospel [29:40] Bring them back in but there are other occasions

[29:46] When the sheep will be sleeping and

[29:50] Setting up an analogy here that I’m just having my mind and the shepherd sleeping by the fire and a wolf [29:58] Is gonna come because apparently sheep taste really good. All right [30:03] And the wolf comes in and he wants to eat the sheep [30:07] The shepherd does not get up and say [30:11] Wolf come here. He takes his staff puts it around his throat. Oh you come here [30:15] What’s gonna happen the wolf is gonna turn around and bite his face off

[30:20] All right [30:22] What does the shepherd do in that situation? Well, he turns the staff around the other way and it’s batting practice time

[30:32] He hits the wolf and he kills the wolf

[30:38] Is the duty of an elder [30:41] It’s a responsibility notice how Paul constantly uses this term to entrust

[30:48] It’s a responsibility of the elder to be able to know the difference between a sheep and a wolf [30:56] And tell you that’s a hard job sometimes [30:59] As young as we are we’ve already dealt with it

[31:03] And sometimes you got to make the unpleasant and it’s not pleasant [31:09] The unpleasant decision to turn the staff around and start having some batting practice [31:16] But if you want to be an elder [31:19] You’ve got to love the gospel more than you love yourself

[31:25] And it’s gonna hurt and it’s gonna be painful [31:28] Because sometimes these wolves come in like Jesus said in Matthew 7 and they put on sheep’s clothing and you think they’re your friend [31:36] You think they’re your confidant and then they take the jacket off and they reveal who they really are and you got a very quickly [31:43] Love the church [31:45] More than you love yourself or your emotions and you’ve got to protect the church at all costs

[31:57] That’s why [32:00] Commitment and knowledge of sound doctrine is so dramatically important [32:09] Because if you are not [32:12] Saturating yourself with the gospel day in and day out [32:18] Sin is always just that one step away because Satan [32:23] Let me tell you Jesus tells us straight up and Paul and Peter

[32:26] Reiterated that he is a roaring lion and he is out trying to devour you and he is going to tempt you [32:32] And he is going to lay in your path sin [32:36] And if you are not saturating yourself finding your identity in the gospel you are going to fall [32:44] And you are going to sin and you are going to sin big

[32:51] But the elder must humiliate himself under the gospel and deal with it like John Owen the great Puritan pastor said [33:01] Be killing sin or sin will be killing you [33:06] And you don’t fight sin by being tough [33:11] You fight sin by believing the gospel [33:17] By trusting the gospel and by following the good shepherd as Jesus [33:24] So how does that go from here to there?

[33:30] What does the elder do the elder preaches? [33:34] All right, either this way or one on one or in a small group setting [33:40] But the elder must always be able to teach [33:44] The elder must have a burning passion in his life for the gospel because look in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 [33:53] You’re going to see what happens here to the people of the church when the elder is not [33:59] Committed to the gospel. Here’s what Paul says to Timothy and other young pastors

[34:03] Preach the word be ready in season and out of season and notice what he’s saying here repute rebuke and exhort [34:11] with complete patience and [34:13] teaching [34:14] For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears [34:21] They will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions

[34:29] Verse 3 is the number one reason why I am NOT coming up here simply to make you feel better about yourself [34:39] I’m not coming up here to meet your felt need or what you think you need to hear [34:46] This is not the place where you come to get your happiness tank refilled. I [34:55] Hope you get encouraged, but if your life is full of sin. I also hope you get a little discouraged

[35:03] This is a place for sound doctrine [35:06] This is a place where the gospel must be preached and it must come out of a life [35:12] That is filled with the gospel [35:15] All right, the gospel must be the centerpiece of [35:21] preaching [35:23] All right, it must be the absolute center and I’m gonna go to a quote really quick here by Charles Spurgeon

[35:32] Charles Spurgeon once said in one of his books lectures to my students [35:35] He says however beautiful the sower’s basket [35:38] It is a miserable mockery if it be without seed the grandest discourse ever [35:46] Delivered is an ostentatious failure if the doctrine of the grace of God is absent from it

[35:55] What he’s saying is if you go out into your garden with a little basket that is so beautiful you even got a [36:02] Dazzler and you’re like putting little rhinestones all over it and you’ve got like the best-looking [36:08] Basket in town. All right, and it’s like I’m gonna go throw some seeds in my garden [36:13] You go and you grab this basket and you are so excited [36:15] I cannot wait till my neighbors see my basket [36:18] All right, if you’re a man in here, please tell me you’re not doing this but you know, that would be really weird

[36:22] All right, and we might need to talk but you got this basket. All right, but dazzled [36:27] It’s like rhinestone up baby and you are out in your garden and you reach in and there is no seed in there [36:35] How much time have you wasted when the purpose of the basket was to plant a garden yet? [36:40] There’s no seed in the basket. It’s just really good-looking on the outside

[36:45] That is what Charles Spurgeon right there [36:47] That is what he is saying [36:49] The church is like when we gather together and we come together and then the pastor stands behind the pulpit [36:56] And he just gives you five steps to having a good kid

[37:02] Step number one be nice

[37:07] All right [37:09] It’s worthless [37:10] That’s worthless if it is true. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be a good father. You should I’m trying it’s not easy [37:19] Seven months old and he’s already really rebellious [37:22] He must get it from his mother

[37:26] I was always a good boy. All right [37:30] Let me just fill you in if it can be true [37:34] without Jesus dying on the cross I [37:38] Do not need to preach it

[37:43] If Jesus didn’t need to die for what I’m talking about to be true

[37:48] Then it does not reach [37:52] the pulpit

[37:54] Because I know [37:58] That if you want to be a good father if you want to be a good mother [38:00] You want to be a good husband you want to be a good wife [38:03] You want to be a good girlfriend you want to be a good son [38:05] You want to be a good daughter you want to be a good employee you want to be a good whatever

[38:12] All right, if what I’m telling you is just full of behavior modification [38:18] And you never change your heart through the gospel [38:22] And through the truth of Jesus Christ [38:25] all right, you’ve just rhinestone up and [38:30] Covered up a lot of dirt that needed to be cleaned off through the gospel

[38:37] You do not need behavior modification you need transformation [38:42] And that’s what we preach here [38:46] We preach [38:47] Expositorily here, which means typically we go through a whole book at a time [38:51] That’s why we’re going through the whole book of Titus [38:53] We just went through the whole book of Jonah we’ve been through the book of Galatians in less than a year

[38:57] All right, but we go through entire sections of Scripture because hopping around [39:03] Finding verses that just make you feel better about the situation you’re in rather than transforming you so that you can then transform the [39:11] Situation is not going to do you any good

[39:16] We also teach topically here [39:18] Topical Matt Chandler once said the topical preaching preaching is absolutely fantastic as long as it’s done expository [39:25] All right, I do not come write a sermon and then look down at the sheet of paper and try to see where I can [39:31] Put Bible verses in [39:34] All right, we’ve all been to churches that do that and I don’t think they’re doing anybody any good [39:38] I’ll be perfectly honest with you

[39:40] All right when I’m writing a sermon when I’m planning a sermon and I can talk about this pretty openly because I do [39:46] Probably 80 to 90 percent of the preaching here [39:49] All right, I sit down and I let the the the passage that I’m going through write the sermon for me. I [39:59] Didn’t sit down and write this and say all right now. How do I fit Titus one in there?

[40:05] Because this is not a standing around for me to grandstand on my opinions about life and my opinions about your life [40:11] This is a place for me to come up and give you the gospel so that your life can really change

[40:18] and [40:19] What we’re doing now in the church in United States is that we’re coming up in front of people and we’re telling them exactly [40:26] What they want to hear?

[40:29] And we’re coming up and you might even be coming to church saying oh just I hope he [40:34] Reaches this felt need because this is where I am and this is what I’m struggling with and if he doesn’t teach on that [40:40] Today, I will never be back. You have no idea what your problem is

[40:48] You are not the world’s foremost expert on what you need the problem with your life [40:56] Is that you don’t know what you need? [40:59] It’s a you’re just running around in circles trying to fix everything you can trying to put some patchwork here and some patchwork here [41:05] Patch this up and patch this up and then two weeks later the patches fall off because you didn’t go deeper and fix what the real problem was anyway [41:15] And your life is in shambles, and you won’t just simply look in the mirror and say that’s my problem

[41:25] Me

[41:27] I am Steve Gentry’s greatest opponent in life [41:33] And [41:34] You’re yours [41:37] Quit blaming everyone else you’re the moron

[41:42] So am I I [41:45] Got to throw that in there because if I don’t say so am I you’ll just say I called you a moron

[41:53] Yeah, I [41:54] Know you better than you think you think I do all right [41:58] All right, I got the same problem you do I [42:02] Fight myself so much I fight the gospel Paul says we have itching ears because we don’t want to hear the gospel [42:11] We don’t want to be offended by it [42:14] We want somebody just to rub our head and say everything’s gonna be okay

[42:19] Let’s say yeah, it might not be okay [42:22] Right and you don’t want to hear that do you? [42:25] All right, you don’t want me to send you to the depths of despair because you feel like you’re already there. No, you’re not [42:30] You’re still alive aren’t you?

[42:34] All right [42:35] You need the gospel. Here’s how Paul put it in first Corinthians chapter 9 [42:40] This is the burden that he took to preaching all right [42:45] For if I preach the gospel [42:47] That gives me no ground for boasting for necessity is laid upon me [42:52] Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel for if I do this of my own will I have a reward

[42:58] But if not of my own will I’m still entrusted with a stewardship [43:01] What Paul is saying is the Apostle Paul teaching he’s saying the burden on my life is to preach the gospel and that’s the responsibility [43:09] Entrusted to me he uses the exact same word there that word stewardship is the same word for responsibility or [43:15] Entrustment and it’s the same language is using in Titus chapter 1 when he says I’ve been entrusted with the word Paul is saying [43:23] I’m not getting up here to boast about who I am or how smart I am if you hang out with me very much trust me [43:30] You will find out I’m not that smart

[43:32] All right the Paul’s saying that’s not my purpose for going on this journey of mission [43:38] But instead my purpose is to give the gospel and why is the elder knowing the gospel so? [43:47] drastically important because the gospel [43:51] purifies [43:52] the church [43:55] All right nothing else does

[43:58] All right Titus was dealing with an issue

[44:04] Look in verse 14

[44:10] Where he says not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth all right

[44:20] He tells them in verse 15. He says to the pure all things are pure [44:23] But to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their minds and their consciences are defiled [44:30] They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works their detestable disobedient unfit for any good work [44:37] But as for you [44:40] Teach what accords with sound doctrine? [44:45] All right Paul is laying out here for him. He’s saying they’re not just coming the false teachers

[44:53] He’s saying Titus understand. They’re already there

[44:58] He says you’ve got people in your church that are going to tell them

[45:03] If you’ll just try harder

[45:08] Everything’s gonna be all right [45:11] You’re sick [45:14] You just don’t have enough faith

[45:18] You’re tired

[45:21] Well better look at the Ten Commandments

[45:25] Consider the ant thou sluggard

[45:29] Try harder white knuckle it

[45:33] Saying Titus they’re already there

[45:36] They’re already being led astray [45:39] He said you got to appoint guys that are gonna get in there, and they’re gonna fight for the week

[45:45] Some of you are weak [45:48] And I don’t say that to hurt your feelings I say that to tell you there’s a place here for you

[45:57] Because I can only speak for myself, but if you’re in here in your week, and you’re easily led astray [46:02] Or if you’re in here, and you are so opinionated [46:06] That no one’s right, but you if you’re in here, and you believe false doctrine

[46:14] I’ll tell you straight up. There’s a place for you in here [46:18] And that place is gonna be at the end of my staff [46:21] Because I’m gonna hit you with it and [46:24] As long as you don’t mind that you can stay

[46:27] Right because I’m not gonna hit you out the door. I’m just gonna hit you over the head [46:32] Because I’m going to preach the gospel and that is not up for discussion if you want to debate [46:36] Whether or not the gospel should be the centerpiece of the village [46:40] It’s a debate. I’m not going to have because it’s not up for discussion [46:44] You say well who are you I’m the pastor

[46:49] That’s who I am and you are not and as a reason you’re not

[46:58] He bookends it here notice how in verse 9 he says devote yourself to sound doctrine [47:06] Learn from sound teaching and then in 2 1 he says devote yourself to sound doctrine

[47:14] Peter and first and second Peter [47:16] close with this [47:18] He constantly tells people [47:21] I’ll write you this by way of reminder. I write you this to remind you that I’m [47:28] Telling you this so that you will remind yourself [47:32] About yourself

[47:32] Thing about sheep people in the church is we very quickly and I put myself in this category we very quickly forget [47:40] While we’re even here [47:44] And it very soon becomes about our preferences or our feelings or you know a plethora of other things

[47:53] But we must constantly begin and end with sound doctrine [47:59] Because that is where the purpose and the reminder is in [48:05] Ephesians 5 Paul gives his grand vision that the church as the bride of Christ will one day be presented to the Father

[48:14] Without spot or blemish

[48:19] The only way that’s going to happen

[48:24] Is through the gospel

[48:27] So here let me give you my vision for the fall where we’re going [48:32] We celebrate one year in the fall and where we’re going [48:37] Is where the gospel is going

[48:41] And if you don’t want to go where the gospel is going [48:46] You might not like it [48:49] But if you are willing to humble yourself under the truth of the gospel

[48:54] And you want to believe the gospel

[48:59] There’s music playing to the gospel all right

[49:06] Then I want you to join us

[49:10] All right, I want you to walk with us and you might say I’m not good enough I could never be an elder [49:16] You’re right [49:18] Neither am I [49:20] Well you don’t know me well you don’t know me

[49:25] But the gospel can change your life and the gospel is the only thing that can change your life

[49:33] Here’s what the vision of every elder is an author by the name of Hugh halter. He’s a pastor in Denver

[49:41] He says what could God do [49:45] with an army of Christians [49:46] Who have no interest in safety [49:50] Religion or money, but who want to help people experience the presence of his kingdom in the here

[50:01] That’s the vision of every elder

[50:06] It really is [50:07] All right, it’s like a reminder saying that’s not true. Yes. It is a promise no that’s the vision of every elder [50:15] That’s the vision that brings me up to this to this stage every Sunday morning [50:19] That’s the vision that brings so many of you out at 730 on Sundays to put the pipe and drape up and to set an [50:26] Amazing atmosphere so that people can come in and hear the gospel [50:30] That’s the vision we’re taking the fall

[50:32] We’re a young church, and you say but I haven’t been to seminary [50:35] You don’t have to go to seminary the vision that Paul has right here is a vision of elders creating elders of disciples making [50:42] Disciples and what we’re gonna see next week and on through the rest of the book is Paul giving a grand vision for [50:47] discipleship taking root in the lives of the church [50:50] all right, and I am going to in the next six months we’re gonna start a [50:57] Training center for men to know the gospel and you say why for men

[51:03] Because husbands are gonna go home and teach their wives

[51:08] Because that’s the vision that God gives us [51:12] And we’re gonna see marriages happen in here [51:15] And we’re gonna see men rise to the position of elder and then we’re gonna have women taught by other women [51:20] We’re gonna see this next week, and they’re gonna become deacons and some men are gonna become deacons [51:26] And you’re like women deacons what are you a liberal? I’m just biblical all right [51:32] We’re gonna lay that out to all right

[51:36] God has a vision for his church and a vision for his leaders [51:40] And that vision is not for us [51:44] To just come together and do this weekend and week out with no change the vision is for lives to change [51:51] and for communities to be built and [51:55] You need to be a part of that

[52:02] Your life won’t get any worse if you do it [52:06] All right, but it sure will get better because you need the gospel father we come before you

[52:16] We thank you and we praise you

[52:21] God I pray that from within this community [52:25] That you would raise up elders who will lead this church and many churches to be started from within this church

[52:35] God that we would commit ourselves to the gospel above all [52:41] And right now we’re gonna respond [52:45] Whether you’re weak or whether you’re strong [52:49] Whether you are ready to begin the steps to become an elder or whether you are just [52:55] Starting your journey of faith in Jesus Christ [53:00] There’s a place at God’s table for you

[53:04] The barrier is faith in Jesus

[53:08] And if you have faith [53:11] Today you can come up and you can respond [53:16] Second Corinthians chapter 5 shows us that through Christ God was reconciling the world for himself [53:22] Laying our sins on to Jesus so that we could become sinless so that we could have his righteousness [53:29] He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf

[53:34] And our response this morning is to come and partake of his broken body and his shed blood [53:39] Which was done for the redemption of our sins and as we do it we proclaim the gospel to each other

[53:48] If you’re sitting out there right now, and you’re saying I don’t know if I believe

[53:53] You can believe today [53:55] I’ll be in the back [53:59] During the next few songs we’re gonna come forward and we’re gonna take communion, but if you need [54:04] To talk if you need to hear the gospel again

[54:09] I’ll be waiting